DANVILLE — A lumber company wants to occupy the Metso Minerals plate shop, which has been empty for 20 years, DRIVE Executive Director Jennifer Wakeman told U.S. Sen. Bob Casey.
She spoke during a tour Tuesday of the Railroad Street property after Casey visited the nearby Washies Fire Company.
Wakeman, of the economic development council serving Montour and Columbia counties, said the firm interested in a lease-purchase agreement of the plate shop didn't want to build and expects to install plumbing, offices, a new roof and siding.
"It will be a pretty cool use of a building that needs somebody in again," she said.
The company may hire up to 25 people.
"The building is beyond shovel-ready," Casey said.
DRIVE, which purchased the Metso site at the end of 2017, has a sales agreement for the storeroom and two inquiries for the office building. Metso is leasing the test center through the end of 2019. One inquiry of the office building would bring 150 jobs, Wakeman said.
Casey said Pennsylvania has fewer than 10 percent manufacturing jobs, He said the number of manufacturing jobs lost is often cited, but the number of manufacturing jobs created is not usually mentioned. Manufacturing jobs are important to economic security and national security, he said.
Todd Hunter, chief marketing officer for North Shore Railroad Co., said most of North Shore's customers pay family sustaining wages.
"We can't have the military and economy we want without manufacturing. If we don't innovate, we die," Casey said.
Wakeman said workers are still needed in the manufacturing industry, which has changed and is usually "high-tech and very, very clean."
Short supply of volunteers
At the Washies, company President Don Lutz III and Montour County Commissioner Trevor Finn, also a firefighter, told Casey volunteer firefighters are in short supply.
"We can always use financial help," Finn said.
Casey said sometimes the federal government offers loan forgiveness that could be applied in the context of firefighters as an incentive for people to join.
"It's hard to get people to do this for nothing and risk their lives. There has to be some incentives — maybe tax cuts," said John Buckenberger, Washies chief and a volunteer firefighter for 50 years.
Lutz, a firefighter for 44 years and company president for 22 years, said the company still owes $100,000 after borrowing money for its new heavy 27 rescue truck.
Danville Business Alliance Executive Director Rebecca Dressler told Casey the Danville Fire Department will need to replace its ladder truck in a few years. Also on hand was Montour County Democratic Party Chairwoman Marcy George.
Finn introduced Casey to the next generation of firefighters — Colleen McCollum, his niece, legal advocate of The Women's Center and soon to be a Montour County deputy coroner and an emergency medical technician. Finn's daughter, Sarah, his niece, Bridget, and nephews, Steven and Mike, are Washies members. Colleen also helps at Washies bingo games.
"You're doing a lot for this community," Casey told McCollum, who later presented him with a company mug.
Lutz said bingo, gun parties and small games bring in money.
"Everything helps. We have bingo twice a week," he said.