Volume VIII Economic Development

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Venango County

2004 Comprehensive Development Plan

Economic Development (Vol. VIII)

Venango

Countyin the

21st Century

1

Plum

Pleasantville

IrwinBarkeyville EmlentonClintonClintonville Scrubgrass Richland

CherrytreeOil Creek

Allegheny

Jackson

Cooperstown

Canal

Oakland Cornplanter

Sugarcreek President

Rouseville

Oil CityUtica

RocklandVictory

Mineral

Frenchcreek

Polk Sandycreek

Cranberry

Franklin

Pinegrove



Venango County Regional Planning Commission

191 Howard St.

Franklin, PA 16323

Phone: 814-432-4555

Fax: 814-432-5885

This Plan was partially funded with a grant from the

Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Demographic and Socio-Economic Profile

This introductory section is based on data from the US Census of Population and

Housing for 2000 and shows changes from the 1990 Census. The population, socio-

economic, and housing data it analyzes provides a baseline for the economic data analysis

which follows.

Population ChangeThe population of Venango County in

2000 was 57,565 according to the Bureau of the

Census. This was a decrease of 1,816 persons

or about 3.0 percent of the 1990 population.

This population loss continues a trend which has

seen Venango County lose population each of

the last several decades. In 1980 the population

of the County was 64,444. Hence, since 1980

population has decreased by almost 11.0

percent.

2

59,000

60,000 61,000 62,000

64,000

65,000

Popul1980 to 2000



Age Structure and the Potential Labor Force

The populations of both the County and the Commonwealth are aging rapidly. One

statistic which measures this change is median age. Between 1990 and 2000, the median

age of the Commonwealth increased from 34.0 years to 38.0. The County median

increased even faster, from 34.8 to 40.2 years. Since over fifty-percent of the population of

the County is now over 40, there are relatively fewer youth and relatively more elderly in thepopulation. In 2000, only 24.2 percent of the County’s population was under 18 (23.8

percent statewide). Those over 65 were 16.8 percent of the County’s population and 15.9

percent of the state population.

Between 2000 and 2010, over 10 percent of both the County and Commonwealth

populations will reach retirement age. During this decade there should be enough new labor

force entrants to replace the retirees, but between 2010 and 2020, almost 19 percent of the

state population and over 20 percent of the County population will reach 65 (the last of the

baby-boomers) and the potential labor force will start to decline.

Educational Attainment

In 2000, 81.0 percent of the population of the County over the age of 25 had

completed at least a high school education. This was up from 74.2 percent in 1990 and is

roughly equivalent to the percent 81.9 percent of state residents who had completed high

school. However, 22.4 percent of state residents had completed at least a bachelor’s degree

compared to only 13.1 percent of County residents. The latter is of concern because many

of the new jobs being created today require college educations; communities which are

perceived to have a low attainment rate are often not considered for locations of high-tech or

information service firms.

Labor Force

The labor force of the County in 2000, according to the Census was 26,430 or 58.1

percent of those over 65 in the County. This is somewhat lower than the 61.9 percent labor

force participation rate statewide. In 1990, the labor force was 25,909 and the LFPR was

56.4 percent. The labor force in the County increased by 521 persons from 1990 to 2000, or just over 2.0 percent even though population was declining. The Unemployment in the state

in 2000 was 5.7 percent of the total labor force but 7.2 percent of the County.

3



Incomes and Poverty

The median household income in Pennsylvania in 2000 was $40,106. This was 19.6

percent higher than the County median of $32,257. In 1990, the County median was

$22,593 compared to the state median of $29,069. Over the decade the County median

increased by 42.8 percent while the state increased by 37.9 percent; hence, relatively,

County income is increasing faster than that in the Commonwealth. In the Commonwealth,however, 19.9 percent of households have incomes over $75,000 per year, while only 10.4

percent of Venango’s households have incomes above this level.

About 13.4 percent of persons in the County have incomes below the poverty level;

down from 15.1 percent in 1990. Just over 11 percent of the residents of the state are below

poverty.

Occupation

In Pennsylvania in 2000, 32.6 percent of employed workers were classified as

managers or professionals; by contrast only 25.5 percent of Venango County workers were

in this category. On the other hand all blue-collar production occupations in the

Commonwealth comprise only 25.7 percent of the workforce, while in Venango County this

group is 33.8 percent. Sales and office workers were 27 percent of the state and 24 percent

of the County. Service sector workers, other than managers or sales and office workers,

were 14.8 percent of the state total and 16.7 percent of the County. Hence, the labor profile

of the County is heavily weighted toward blue collar and service personnel and substantiallybelow the state in managers and other white-collar occupations.

Industry

The decennial census collects data based on place of residence rather than place of

employment. Hence, the breakdown of employment by industry does not count in-/out-

commuters. This data shows that Venango County residents are more likely to be employed

in manufacturing, retail trade, education, health, and social service activities and less likely

to be in the information, professional service, financial, and tourism industries, than the state

average.

4



RESIDENT EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY, 2000 (%)

Industry Category PA VenangoAgriculture 1.3 1.8Construction 6.0 5.1Manufacturing 16.0 19.8Wholesale Trade 3.6 2.7Retail Trade 12.1 13.8

Transport/Utilities 5.4 5.9Information 2.6 1.5Finance, Ins., R.E. 6.6 3.6Professional Services 8.5 5.4Education, Health, Social 21.9 24.5Tourism, Cultural 7.0 5.9Other Services, exc. Public 4.8 5.1Public Administration 4.2 4.8Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2000.

Housing Value

The median value for owner-occupied housing units in Venango County in 2000 was

$55,900; the state median was $97,000. In 1990, the median value in the County was

$38,600 and in the state, $69,700. Hence, housing values have increased about 44.8

percent in the County and 39.2 percent in the state. However, there are relatively few

homes valued above $200,000 in the County, compared to the state. For the

Commonwealth, over 11 percent are worth more than $200,000, while in the County only 1.2

percent are in this category.

Summary

While incomes, housing values, and educational attainment are increasing more

rapidly in the County than in the state as a whole, Venango still lags behind the state in all

three areas. This is typical of most rural counties. Partly as a consequence of the decline in

manufacturing and extraction employment on which the County has had a historical

dependence, labor force growth is relatively slow and population growth is negative.

The County has a larger proportion of its workers in blue-collar occupations and far

fewer in managerial jobs. The relative scarcity of college-educated persons provides an

obstacle to growth in those industries which are the leaders in today’s transforming

economy. However, as seen in the economic analysis, Venango County has performed well

over the last decades in many respects.

5



Long-term Economic Changes,1970 to 1997

For many years Venango County has

been dependent on extraction and

manufacturing for its livelihood. Even

before Colonel Drake’s well, the wealth of Venango County depended on its natural

resources. Like much of northwest

Pennsylvania, Venango’s early economy

was based on lumbering. At the end of the

19th Century oil extraction and refining became the engine which drove economic growth.

Manufacturing became increasingly important during the first part of the 20th Century. Much

of the industrial development which occurred in the County was related to the oil industry or

located here to take advantage of the proximity of the fuel stock. By 1970 there were 91manufacturing facilities in Venango County employing 6,932 workers. This was 46 percent

of all non-government employment. Another one percent of total employment was in the

mining sector, primarily in the extraction of oil and gas. (County Business Patterns, 1970).

In the past several decades both extraction and manufacturing have shown

employment stagnation nationally. This trend has had major impacts on the economy of

Venango County and much of Pennsylvania. The early 1970's saw the peak of

manufacturing employment in the US; from 1972 to 1990, the manufacturing sector declinedfrom over from 32.2 percent of all private employment to just 21 percent (County Business

Patterns, 1972, 1990). Actual employment in the sector remained about the same while

services and most other economic sectors grew rapidly. Mining saw a slight increase in

employment but a comparable decline in relative importance between 1972 and 1990. In

1972 it had over 1.0 percent of all US employment but by 1990 this had declined to just

under 0.8 percent. (County Business Patterns, 1972, 1990).

Between 1990 and 1997 employment stagnation turned to actual decline. By 1997,

manufacturing in the US lost 4.4 percent of its 1990 employment and mining lost 18.9

percent. By 1997 manufacturing was only 17.7 percent of total employment; mining was just

over 0.5 percent. (County Business Patterns, 1990, 1997).

Pennsylvania has experienced even greater losses than the nation in these sectors.

In 1970, the manufacturing sector in Pennsylvania had 42 percent of all private employment;

6

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

9,000

1972 197

Manu

Vena



by 1990 it had only 23.8 percent and by 1997 only 20.8 percent. Mining lost an even greater

share; between 1970 and 1990 this sector fell from just over 1.0 percent of all Pennsylvania

employment to 0.6 percent. By 1997 mining employment was only 0.4 percent of the total.

(County Business Patterns, 1970, 1990, 1997).

In relative terms Venango County has actually fared better than the state or nation in

manufacturing, at least until recent years. From 1970 to 1990, manufacturing sector

employment fell from 46.4 percent of the total non-government employment to 32.8 percent.

However, in absolute terms, manufacturing employment in 1990 was only 5,013, down

1,919 from the1970 sector total. This was a real decline of 28 percent from 1970. Between

1990 and 1997 manufacturing continued to lose employment in the County; by 1997 it was

only 3,950, a decline of 21.2 percent from 1990. Mining employment remained essentially

constant from 1970 to 1990; however, it all but disappeared between 1990 and 1997.

Mining employment fell 62.3 percent, which left only 55 workers in the sector. (County

Business Patterns, 1970, 1990, 1997).

The losses of manufacturing and -- to a much lesser extent – mining employment

have certainly hurt the economy of Venango County. However, the real problems of the

economy stem from a lack of growth in the other sectors. Between 1990 and 1997,

Venango County’s services sector grew by only 7.2 percent. By contrast, Pennsylvania

employment in the sector grew by 17 percent. By 1997, the services sector in the

Commonwealth comprised 34.1 percent of all non-government employment. This sector

was only 28.9 percent of County employment. The record was mixed during this period of

time in the other sectors. Transportation, communications and public utilities grew by 10.1

percent in the state but only 2.5 percent in the County. The finance, insurance, and real

estate sector lost over six percent of its 1990 employment in the County while growing by

3.2 percent in the state. However, construction, wholesale trade, and retail fared better in

Venango than in the Commonwealth as a whole.

Sources of Income in Venango County1

In addition to information about total household, family, and individual income, the

2000 Census provides some insight about how households accrue that income. The

categories used by the Census to describe the sources of income are:

‣ Earnings (from employment, interest, dividends, etc. but not retirementaccounts)

1 VanLandingham Consulting

7



‣ Social Security

‣ Supplemental Social Security

‣ Public Assistance

‣ Retirement Funds, other than Social Security

The Census provides the number of households which have income from each

source and the average dollar amount generated by each category.

The median household income in Venango County in 1999 was $32,257, just 80

percent of the Pennsylvania median of $4,106. Since households are slightly larger in

the County than the state average, per capita incomes are even a lower percentage of

the state average. In 1999, the per capita income in the County was $16,253 or just

77.8 percent of the state average of $20,880.

There were 22,788 households in the County in 2000, of these 16,373 had some

earnings. The average income received this source for these households were $41,881.The County ranked 56th among the 67 counties in the Commonwealth in percentage of

households receiving earnings and 47th in the average of earnings received. This is a

reflection of several factors: relatively high unemployment, a larger number of retired

persons, a low labor force participation rate, and a high concentration of persons

dependent on other sources of income, as shown below. Earnings made up 73.3

percent of the total income received in the County, which placed the County 51 among

the 67 counties in earnings as a percentage of total income.

One reflection of the large number of retired people in the County is the fact that

34 percent of all households received some Social Security income, well above the 30

percent rate statewide. The average income received from this source by these

households was $11,578 which was almost the same as the state average. Social

Security provided 9.6 of the total income derived from all sources in Venango County,

which ranked the County 24th.

Supplemental Social Security provides assistance to disabled persons and

others not able to work. In 1999, 1,365 households in Venango County received some

Supplemental Social Security. The average for these households was $6,510. In total

this was just under 1.0 percent of total County income; enough for a rank of 6 among 67

counties.

8



Public assistance was received by 714 households or just over 3.0 percent,

roughly the same percentage as the Pennsylvania average. The average Public

Assistance received was $2,229. The 0.2 percent of total County income derived from

this source ranked the County 16th.

Many households that receive Social Security also have other retirement income.

In 1999, in Venango County, there were 5,427 households betting at least some of their

income from this source. The average per household was $11,169, which ranked the

County 16th percentage of income derived from this source.

Venango County Population Projections, 2000-2020

The following population estimates and projections are based on birth and death

statistics, Pennsylvania Department of Health Statistics from the State Health Data

Center and US Bureau of the Census population and age structure data from the 1990

and 2000 Census of population and Housing. The estimate and projection models were

developed by VanLandingham Consulting and utilize a cohort-survival methodology as

their base.

The following assumptions are utilized in the population projection model:

o The birth rate for all five-year cohorts of females are assumed to be stableand are based on the 1995 to 1999 actual births for Venango County.

o The death rates for all five-year cohorts are assumed to be stable for each

gender and are based on the 1995 to 1999 average death rates for VenangoCounty.

o For the non-migration population projections, the predicted population for each period is assumed to be equal to the population at the start of the periodplus predicted births minus predicted deaths.

o For migration modified population projections, the predicted population for each period is assumed to be the population projected by the cohort survivalmethod plus or minus the same percentage of migration for each five-year cohort which occurred from 1990 to 2000.

Population Change by Cohort, 1990-2000

The actual population of Venango County, as reported by the Bureau of the

Census, in 2000 was 57,565. This was a decrease of 1,816 persons from the 1990 total

of 59,381, or -3.1 percent. Most of the loss was due to out-migration. The cohort

survival model shows that without migration, the total population of the County in 2000

would have been approximately 59,234. This would have been a decline of just 147

9



persons. Note that population would still have declined as deaths would have

outnumbered births by a small percentage.

While the actual decline was a substantial loss, the most important reason for

concern is the changing age structure of the population, particularly the age specific

pattern of out-migration. By far the most important declines were in the age groups

between 20 and 34 years of age. The actual population of persons in this groupdeclined by 2,937 between 1990 and 2000. This was 32.3 percent of the 1990 total.

Some of that measured decline was due to fewer young people in the cohorts which

aged into the 20 to 34 year old group (the baby bust generation) but most was caused

by young residents leaving the area, presumably for better education/job prospects. The

population estimate model indicates that, without migration, there would have been

11,588 residents between 20 and 34 in 2000. However, approximately 2,494 of these

left the County. The counted total of persons in these groups, according to the Census,

was 9,094. Hence, there was a loss of 21.5 percent due to migration. The loss of young

persons from rural areas in Pennsylvania and the nation has been a consistent and

persistent problem for several decades.

The other cohorts to show substantial decline in the County were the age group

between 0 and 4, the groups between 5 and 19, and the group between 60 and 64. The

group between 0 and 4 declined by 16.8 percent between 1990 and 2000. Birth rates

declined slightly during the first part of the decade but not enough to cause even a

noticeable fraction of this loss. This decline was due to two factors: (1) the group of

potential mothers was smaller in the 1990s than in the 1980s (again because of the babybust) and, (2) many of the potential mothers migrated out of the County. Similar factors

probably caused the decline of 6.9 percent in children from 5 to 19. The falling number

of children in the County suggests that deaths may well continue to outnumber births in

the coming decades.

Persons between 60 and 69 were also a smaller group in the County in 2000

than in 1990. These two cohorts decreased by 815 persons or 13.9 percent during the

decade. Abut one-half of that loss was from out-migration.

In percentage terms, the fastest growing cohort was the group over 75. There

were 693 more residents in this group in 2000 than in 1990. This was an increase of

15.8 percent.

There was also surprisingly strong growth in the group whose constituents were

between 35 and 54 in 2000. These age groups added 2,330 persons or 13.3 percent

10



from 1990 to 2000. Some of this increase was due to the aging in place of the baby

boom generation, but the population estimate model shows that some in-migration

occurred in all cohorts between 40 and 59. One explanation for this in-migration is that

many of the baby boomers who moved from rural areas to major metropolitan areas

have been returning to raise children and buy property.

The overall impact of the changes in the age structure is that the population isolder. Despite a decline in the number of empty nesters and young retirees (60 to 69),

the decline in young children (under five), the loss of persons in their child-bearing and

workforce entry years (20 to 34), and the increased in the frail elderly (over 75)

combined to increase the median age from 34.8 in 1990 and 40.2 in 2000.

The impact on the potential labor force (as defined here, those between 15 and

64) was not great in terms of total change. In 1990, there were 7,800 persons in this

group. By 2000, this had decreased to 36,697, or by 1,103. This was just under 3.0

percent. However, the labor force grew much older over the decade. In 1990 only 44.3

percent were over 40; while by 2000, 525 percent were in this group. One important

consideration that derives from the aging of the labor force is that within about ten years

a substantial percentage will begin to retire and there may not be sufficient young

workers to replace those who leave.

Population Projections, 2000 – 2020

Because of the age structure of the County’s population, the total number of

residents will probably continue to decline for the foreseeable future, even if there is notfurther out-migration. The projection model suggests that in 2010 the total population of

Venango County will be about 57,522 if there is no net migration and about 56,351 if the

same age specific pattern that occurred in the 1990s prevails. With no migration,

change in total population would be only -43 persons, or less than 0.1 percent.

However, with the same level of migration by cohort, the County would lose 1,214

residents or about 2.1 percent. Neither of these is put forth as a likely scenario, but they

do suggest a set of upper and lower bounds for the 2010 population.

By 2020 the population of Venango County will fall to about 57,406 if there is not

new inmigration. This loss of 159 persons is, again, due strictly to an expected excess

of deaths over births. The change in total population is essentially insignificant and of

little immediate concern. Under this scenario, the most important consideration is that

the number of persons under 20 years of age will fall by 16.4 percent by 2020. However,

if the tide of out-migration of persons between 20 and 34 can somehow be stemmed as

11



implied by the no-migration scenario, the number of new workforce entrants/household

formers (20 to 34) will increase by 21.4 percent. Due to aging of the much smaller

cohort of persons who are not between 15 and 34 (the baby bust group), the population

who will be between 35 and 54 in 2020 will decline by almost 27 percent with no

migration. Meanwhile the baby boom generation will age into their 60s and 70s and the

population of these groups will increase substantially. The groups between 55 and 64

will increase by more than 40 percent and the group between 65 and 74 will increase by

at least 32 percent. The frail elderly, those over 75, will increase by 23 percent. Overall,

even with the increase in 20-somethings, the population will become much older.

Persons over 55 will make up 36 percent of the County’s population by 2020, up from 27

percent in 2000.

It is unreasonable to assume that all net migration will cease in the next 20 years.

In particular, young people between 20 and 34 will probably still continue to leave the

area in search of a more glamorous life or better paying jobs in urban areas. Hence, if

the prevailing pattern of migration continues, the population of the County will fall to

about 53,327 by 2020. This would be a decrease of 4,238 persons from the 2000 total,

more than 7.4 percent of the total. Of special concern is the fact that much of this loss

will be in the 20 to 34 year old groups. These cohorts will lose 16.5 percent of their total,

instead of gaining 21.4 percent as predicted by the no migration model. Further, the 35

to 54 year old group will decline even more than the natural increase model would

project, by 30.3 percent instead of 26.8 percent. However, if established households

continue to return to the rural areas, as apparently happened during the decade of the

90s, the group which will be 55 to 64 in 2020 will grow by 63 percent instead of the 40.6

percent predicted by the no-migration model. Change in the cohorts over 65 will be

roughly the same under either model. The overall impact will be for the population and

labor force of the County to age even more than would be the case if no migration

occurs. The groups over 55 will be over 41 percent of the total and, unlike the no

migration case, young workers will decrease in number. Whereas those between 20 and

34 would be 19.2 percent of the total in 2020 if no net migration occurred, they will be

just 14.2 percent if the age specific migration pattern continues.

Impacts of Population Change on the Labor Force

The following table shows the potential labor force of Venango County for 2000.

2010. and 2020. The two future decades are projected both with and without migration.

While the total size of the labor force is important, its age composition is equally

important. The age structure will change dramatically over the next two decades.

12



In the worst-case scenario, assuming that migration patterns continue as they did

in the 1990s, the potential labor force of the County will decline by 4,544 or 12.4 percent

by 2020. At the least those between 15 and 64 may be expected to decline by 1,629 or

4.4 percent.

TABLE 5

POTENTIAL LABOR FORCE OF VENANGO COUNTY

Year With Migration No MigrationPercent over 55with Migration

Percent over 55No Migration

2000 36,697 --- 16.0 ---

2010 36,581 37,867 22.3 21.1

2020 32,153 35,068 29.9 23.6

The impacts of the aging population on the labor force will be major under either

scenario but much more significant if young workers continue to leave the County. In

2000, 5,877 persons were between the ages of 55 and 64. With no migration, 8,094 will

be in this group by 2010. If migration maintains its current pattern, there will be 8,145

persons nearing retirement age in the County by 2010. If it is assumed that most of

these persons will retire between 2010 and 2020, at least 8,000 new potential workers

will be necessary just to replace this group. With no migration there will be about 7,000

persons entering their working years during the decade of the teens and only 6,800 will

be available if migration continues. Hence, it will be difficult to replace all retiringworkers between 2010 and 2020.

On the other hand, by 2020 there will be 8,262 potential workers over 55 in the

County if no migration is assumed and 9,600 if migration continues. If most retire, 8,000

to 9,500 new workers will be needed. Under the no-migration scenario there will be just

over 6,000 workers available and, if migration continues as it has, there will be only

5,900. Under either scenario it will be difficult to maintain the size of the labor force after

2010 and much more so after 2020.

13



TOTAL

-10.00 to .00

.10 to 4.90

5.00 to 7.49

7.50 to 9.90

10.00 to 14.99

15.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200

Percentage Change in Employment, 1990 -- 2000

Total Employment

Economic Structure and Change, 1990 – 2000

Many residents of

Venango County seem to have

declared the economy of the

County dead or, at least, dying.

Results from the ResidentPerception Survey point this out

clearly; “lack of employment

opportunities/jobs” was the

most commonly listed problem

on the open-ended questions.

The blame for this situation is

often placed squarely on the

decline in manufacturing sector employment. This section analyzes the economy of the County in 2000 and compares the

changes that have occurred over the last decade to those in the Commonwealth. Some of

the findings are surprising.

CHANGE IN EMPLOYMENT

In 2000, Venango County had 21,412 workers covered by Unemployment

Compensation. This was an increase of 9.5 percent over 1990. During the decade the

Commonwealth’s employment grew by 10.1 percent. Most of Northwest Pennsylvania grew

faster than either Venango or the Commonwealth. Only two of the counties surrounding

Venango had growth rates below ten percent, Warren and Forest. Butler, Clarion, Crawford,

Erie, and Mercer all grew faster than either the State or Venango County.

Structure of the Economy by Sector

Data for this section are from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.

Venango County’s employment, like that of most Northwest Pennsylvania Counties is

somewhat weighted towards manufacturing . In 2000, the manufacturing sector of the

County employed 22.4 percent of all workers. By contrast the state had only 16.9 percent of its employment in manufacturing . Butler, Crawford, Erie, Mercer, and Warren all had a

larger percentage of their total employment in manufacturing than Venango. The

manufacturing sector had 4,806 workers in 2000 in the County.

14



The services sector was the largest sector of employment in both the

Commonwealth and the County. However, Venango had only 23.9 percent of its

employment in services compared to 30.8 percent in the state. All of the Counties in

Northwest Pennsylvania are also under-represented in this sector. In total, the services

sector employed 5,114 workers in the County in 2000.

Retail trade was the

third largest sector in the

County in 2000 with 20.3

percent of employment. This

was a somewhat greater

percentage than the state’s

17.7 but four of the seven

surrounding Counties had an

even greater percentage of

their workforce in the retail

trade sector. The sector

employed 4,356 in 2000 in Venango County.

Government is also a major sector in the Northwest Pennsylvania Region.

Employment in this sector includes the workers in the state owned and state related

universities and so varies substantially between the Counties. In 2000, 18.1 percent of Venango’s employment was in the government sector compared to 13.0 percent in the state.

Within the Region, the percentage of employment in this sector varies from 11.6 percent in

Erie to 21.1 percent in Clarion. In Venango, the government sector employed 3,875.

Hence the four largest sectors employed 18,151 workers in Venango County which

was 84.7 percent of the total. In contrast, these four sectors employed only 78.4 percent of

the total in the state.

Among the smaller sectors, only transportation, communication, and public utilities

(TCPU) employed more than five percent of the total in the County. In 2000, it had 6.8

percent of all workers; this was followed by the finance, insurance, and real estate (FIRE)

sector with 2.9 percent, the construction sector with 2.4 percent, and the wholesale trade

sector with 2.3 percent. In the Commonwealth the percentages for these four sectors in

15

1461 TCPU

484 Wholesale

4356 Retail

628 FIRE

5114 Services



2000 were 5.3 percent, 5.9 percent, 4.2 percent, and 5.0 percent respectively. The total for

the four sectors in Venango County was 14.4 percent; for the state it was 20.4 percent. This

suggests that Venango County’s economy is not well balanced compared to the state. This

is important because, of the four sectors, only construction is a goods producing sector; the

remainder are primarily engaged in the provision of services to other businesses.

The very small sectors of the economy include agricultural services, mining,

unclassified businesses, and agriculture. In Venango County, as in the state, these sectors

employed less than one percent each of total employment in 2000. (It should be noted here

that the Unemployment Compensation database used for this analysis does not include self-

employed persons and, therefore, badly under counts agricultural employment since most

family farmers are self-employed).

Sectoral Change, 1990 to 2000

Manufacturing lost 207 workers between 1990 and 2000 in Venango County; this

was a decline of 4.1 percent. In the Commonwealth manufacturing lost 9.6 percent of its

1990 employment. Within the Region, the experience of the manufacturing sector was

extremely mixed. The sector gained over ten percent in employment in two Counties

(Butler, 14.4 percent, and Clarion, 11.2 percent). However, it lost employment in three

Counties (Forest, -31.3 percent, Warren, -6.7 percent, and Erie, -6.0 percent). Crawford

gained 7.0 percent while Mercer remained essentially constant with a 0.5 percent gain.

Overall, the losses in manufacturing employment in Venango County were not especially

high compared to either the Region or the state.

Leaving aside the tiny sectors (agriculture, agricultural services, mining, and

unclassified firms), Venango’s greatest percentage losses were in the FIRE sector and

government . FIRE lost 18.7 percent of its employment (144 workers) and government lost

9.2 percent (394 workers). Note that the actual loss of government employment was almost

twice as high that in manufacturing.

The fastest growth sectors in the Venango economy between 1990 and 2000 were

wholesale trade (56.1 percent), construction (41.5 percent), retail trade (37.5 percent), and

TCPU (33.3 percent). All of these grew faster than their state counterparts. Together they

added 1,880 jobs between 1990 and 2000.

The services sector grew by 17.6 percent or 766 jobs. This was well below the state

average of 30 percent and even below all of the surrounding Counties except Warren.

16



Relatively slow grow in this sector combined with losses in the FIRE sector and government

is the real cause of the less than stellar performance of the Venango economy during the

decade of the 90's.

Wages

According to the Perception Survey only 25 percent of residents feel that wages areadequate; however, Venango County wages are above the average for smaller counties in

Pennsylvania. In 1996, the average wage was $23,848, ranking it 30th in the

Commonwealth. The state average was $28,717. (U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of

Labor Statistics).

Based on the first quarter data from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and

Industry for 2000, among the Counties in Northwest Pennsylvania, Venango ranks third

behind Butler and Erie ($7,348, $6,903, and $6,728 respectively). The state average for that

quarter was $8,489.

FIRST QTR WAGE PER EMPLOYEE, 2000

Category Butler Clarion Crawford Erie Forest Venango Warren PAAgriculture $4,336 $4,867 $3,117 $3,770 $3,002 $3,455 $3,458 $4,946Agricultural Serv $3,458 $3,198 $3,940 $3,480 $978 $3,893 $4,410 $5,072Mining $7,567 $7,269 $7,720 $6,667 $8,447 $8,939 $9,028 $11,880Construction $7,146 $5,530 $6,555 $7,296 $3,285 $5,980 $4,766 $8,691Manufacturing $11,115 $6,887 $8,899 $9,646 $6,270 $10,027 $8,098 $10,903

TCPU $7,308 $7,205 $6,394 $8,663 $6,219 $9,461 $8,022 $10,640Wholesale Trade $9,430 $7,973 $5,836 $8,109 $3,596 $6,340 $6,836 $10,950Retail $3,374 $3,133 $3,521 $3,315 $2,270 $3,232 $4,735 $4,167F.I.R.E. $8,834 $6,260 $7,424 $9,774 $3,750 $8,090 $7,469 $13,218Services $5,753 $5,310 $5,068 $5,287 $5,089 $4,887 $5,233 $7,800Government $8,600 $8,240 $7,410 $8,566 $6,744 $7,965 $7,162 $9,002

Total $7,348 $5,968 $6,467 $6,903 $5,380 $6,728 $6,421 $8,489

Between 1990 and 2000, Venango gained 26.2 percent in average wage paid per

employee. This was faster growth than Warren (22.5 percent), Erie (24.7 percent), and

Clarion (25.4 percent), but well behind the state’s increase of 32.5 percent.

An analysis of wages by sector shows that, in Venango County, manufacturing paid

the highest wage at $10,027 for the first quarter of 2000. This was followed by TCPU

($9,461) and mining ($8,939). At the other extreme, retail paid only $3,232 in that quarter.

The state averages for these three sectors were: $10,903, $10,640, and $4,167 respectively.

17



In the Commonwealth, the highest wage is paid by the FIRE sector ($13,218). In Venango

County this sector paid only $8,090 in the same quarter.

INDUSTRY GROUP ANALYSIS

At a level of dissaggregation below the sectoral level, industry groups provide a more

detailed insight into the structure and change in the economy. There are 79 industry groups

(also known as 2-digit Standard Industrial Classifications) reported in the Pennsylvania

Department of Labor and Industry’s Unemployment Compensation database, which includes

all employees covered by unemployment insurance. Self-employed workers, including

family farmers, and some railroad employees, are not covered by the database. The data

analyzed are from 1990 and 2000.

In 2000, the ten largest industry groups (SIC Codes) in Venango County were:

Industry Group Emp. 2000

Χ SIC 80: Health Services 2,285 Χ SIC 93: Local Government 2,003 Χ SIC 35: Machinery & Computers 1,733 Χ SIC 92: State Government 1,671 Χ SIC 58: Eating & Drinking Places 1,143 Χ SIC 83: Social Services 1,064 Χ SIC 53: Department & Variety Stores 844 Χ SIC 54: Food Stores 772 Χ SIC 33: Primary Metals 739 Χ SIC 42: Freight & Warehousing 738

These ten industry groups are from five different sectors. In total they employed

12,992 workers in 2000; this was over 60 percent of all employment in the County. Note that

only two are manufacturing ; the remainder, with the exception of SIC 42: Freight &

Warehousing, are primarily local service oriented. It is also useful to note that only the two

government groups had significant employment losses over the decade.

The Venango County economy grew by 9.5 percent in employment between 1990

and 2000; just about one-half of a percent slower than the Pennsylvania economy (10.1

percent). However, the growth of the overall economy masks many changes which

occurred at the industry group (2-digit SIC Code) level. The following table shows the

changes for all groups. The text highlights the major increases and decreases for those

non-retail groups with more than 100 employees at either the beginning or end of the period.

18



SIC 07:AgriculturalServicesAlthoughagriculture isnot animportant partof the

VenangoCountyeconomy,relatedservices aregrowingrapidly (TheseincludeVeterinaryServices andother activitiesnot directly

related toagricultural

production). Between 1990 and 2000 employment in this group increased by 73 percent inCounty to 109 workers. This was slightly greater than the state’s increase of 64.5 percent.

SIC 15:General ConstructionThis group had 185employees in 2000and grew by 72during the decade, an

increase of 63.7percent compared toa loss in the state of 3.7 percent.

Most of the growth inSIC 15 occurred inthe Northwest corner of theCommonwealth.Construction followsgeneral economic

growth. Most of these counties grewfaster than the stateaverage.

19

AGSERV

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 07: Agricultural Services

GENCON

-100.00 to -20.0

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.9

20.00 to 49.9

50.00 to 99.9

100.00 to 999.

Miles

40200


SIC 15: General Construction



SIC 17:Special TradeContractorsIn 2000 this industrygroup had 278employees in the Countywhich was an increase of

52 from 1990. This wasa growth of 23 percentand narrowly outstrippedthe state change of 21percent.

SIC 20:Food ProductsThis group grew by 12 employees from 1990 to 2000, an increase of 6.8 percent whichwas quite good considering that the state lost 5.0 percent over the period. Employmentin the County in 2000 was 188.

20

SPECTRDE

-100.00 to -2

-19.90 to

.01 to 9.

10.00 to 1

20.00 to 4

50.00 to 9

100.00 to 9

Miles

40200


SIC 17: Special Trade Contractors

FOODPROD

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200

Percentage Change in Employment, 1990 -- 2000SIC 20: Food Products



SIC 24:Wood and Lumber ProductsAlthough thisindustry saw a 24.3percent growth inemploymentstatewide, VenangoCounty did not

participate in theincrease and lost34 employees, 11.3percent, over thedecade. In 2000,SIC 24 employed268 employees inVenango County.

This industry groupgrew in manycounties in Western

Pennsylvania andappears to be agood prospect for future development.

SIC 27:Printing and Publishing In 1990 thisgroup had269employeeswhichincreasedby 16 by2000.Althoughthis was arelativelysmallincrease of

just 5.9percent inthe County,it was far better than

the 5.5 percent decrease in the state.

21

PRINTING

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 27: Printing & Publishing

LUMWOOD

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 24: Lumber & Wood Products



SIC 28:

Chemicals and Allied ProductsIn 2000 this industry groupemployed 206 workers inVenango County, it gained85 from 1990; an increaseof 70.2 percent.Pennsylvania employmentchanged by only 16.1percent in this group over the decade. Note regionalgrowth as well.

SIC 29:

Petroleum ProductsAlthough the County continues to lose employment in this industry group, in 2000 it stillhad 283 workers, a loss of 759 from 1990. The state also lost employment in the group,

22

CHEMICAL

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.9

Miles

40200


SIC 28: Chemicals & Allied

PETROL

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 29: Petroleum & Coal Products



RUBPLAS

-100.00 to -20.0

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.9

20.00 to 49.9

50.00 to 99.9

100.00 to 999.

Miles

40200


SIC 30: Rubber & Plastics Products

PRIMET

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 33: Primary Metals

declining by 23.8 percent. This was the largest loss by an manufacturing industry groupin the County and represented over 28 percent of the state loss.

SIC 30:Rubber and Plastic Products This group finished

the decade of the 90'swith 190 employees,and increase of 26over 1990. This wasa growth of 15.9percent, slightly belowthe state increase of 16.9 percent. Note therapid increase in thesurrounding counties.

SIC 33:Primary MetalsIn 2000, thisgroup had739 workers,14 fewer thanin 1990. Theloss of 1.9percent isrelativelyinsignificantcompared tothe state lossof 25.1percent.

23



SIC 34:Fabricated MetalsIn 2000, this group had121 employees, downfrom 154 in 1990, a

loss of 21.4 percent.The Commonwealthfared much better over the decade gaining 1.4percent. Most of Western Pennsylvaniafared better thanVenango and far better than SoutheastPennsylvania.

SIC 35:Machinery and ComputersThis was thelargest

manufacturing group in the County in 2000, with 1,733 workers. This was an increase of 178over 2000. The 11.4 percent gain was far better than the state’s loss of 7.3 percent. Crawford,Erie, and Butler also fared well but growth was well distributed across Western Pennsylvania.

24

FABMET

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 34: Fabricated Metals

MACHINE

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 35: Machinery & Computers



SIC 36:Electric and Electronic Equipment This was anindustry whichgrew in theCounty whilestate

employmentwas declining.In 2000, therewere 345employees inSIC 36, anincrease of 48(or 16.2percent over 1990).Meanwhilethe state lost5.1 percent.

Note thestrong growth in Clarion, Armstrong, and Westmoreland, as well as Warren and Butler.

SIC 38:Instrumentsand Related ProductsIn percentageterms, this wasthe fastestgrowth industryin the Countybetween 1990and 2000.Employmentincreased by336 to 340,8,400 percent.The industrygroup is ingeneral declinein the

Commonwealth. Between 1990 and 2000, the state lost 8.2 percent in total employment. Notethe patterns of loss and gain.

25

INSTRUMT

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 38: Instruments & Related

ELECEQ

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 36: Electric & Electronic Equipment



SIC 41:Passenger

TransportationThis was a rapid growth industry group in both the state and the County. The stategained 52.5 percent to the County’s 38 percent. In 2000, the group employed 229

persons inVenangoCounty. Ingeneral,growthwas much

greater inthe Eastof thestate.

SIC 42:

Freight and

Warehousing

26

FREIGHT

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 42: Freight & Warehousing

PASSTRAN

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 41: Passenger Transportation



Although this was a slow growth area for the Commonwealth (4.0 percent), the Countygained 263 employees to 738, an increase of 55.4 percent. This is a probable futuregrowth area for the County, especially considering its location with respect to I-80 andthe available land near the interchanges.

SIC 48: CommunicationsThis was a high growth sector in the Commonwealth but it lost employment in theCounty between 1990 and 2000. The state gained 24.9 percent while the County lost 42

employees (27.6 percent) to 110. With the exception of Potter, most of the high growthcounties were significantly more urban than Venango.

SIC 49: Electric, Gas,and Sanitary Sewer The County gained 36employees over thedecade to 284 by 2000

(14.5 percent). The statemeanwhile, lost 13.7percent of itsemployment in thisgroup.

27

ELGASSER

-100.00 to

-19.90 to

.01 to

10.00 to

20.00 to

50.00 to

100.00 to

Miles

40200


SIC 49: Electric, Gas, & Sanitary Services



SIC 50: WholesaleTrade, DurablesWith an increase of 128 workers, or 60.7 percent, theCounty grewstrongly in thisindustry between

1990 and 2000.This was adeclining groupstatewide with asmall loss of 1.8percent. Thegrowth inWholesale Trade,along with thegrowth in Freightand Warehousing,suggests thatVenango is

becoming asignificant regionaldistribution center.

SIC 51:

Wholesale Trade, Non-Durables

28

WHTRDUR

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 50: Wholesale Trade, Durables

WHTRND

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 51: Wholesale Trade, Non-durables



This was another high growth industry group from 1990 to 2000. During the decade itgained 46employees to 145,an increase of 46.5percent. In thestate this was aslow growth groupwith an increase of

only 2.5 percent.

SIC 60: Depository InstitutionsBanking was adeclining industry inthe County between1990 and 2000. Itlost 164 employeesto 365, a decrease

of 31 percent. Thestate lost 13percent during thesame period. Mostof the decrease is

due tostructuralchangesin theindustry.

SIC 65:Real EstateThis groupgrewrapidly intheCountyfrom 1990to 2000. Itincreasedin

employment by 47 to 115, an increase of 69.1 percent. Statewide growth was 18.7percent.

29

DEPINST

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 60: Depository Institutions (Banks)

RE

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 65: Real Estate



SIC 70: Lodging PlacesThis industry had146 employees in1990 but lost 71to just 75 in 2000.This was adecrease of 48.6

percent and wasfar greater thanthe state loss of 2.6 percent.

SIC 72:

Personal ServicesThis group increased by 14.1 percent to 191 employees between 1990 and 2000 in theCounty. The state gain was 10 percent.

30

LODGING

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 70: Lodging Places

PERSERV

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 72: Personal Services



SIC 73: BusinessServicesThis was a rapid

growth industry groupin both the state andthe County between1990 and 2000.During the decadeCounty employmentincreased by 54.7percent to 461workers. The stategained 56.7 percent.Note that this industrygroup gained in most

rural counties.

SIC 80:Health

ServicesAlthough it was the largest private sector industry group in the County in 2000, growthwas fairly modest compared to the state. The County gained 285 workers (14.3 percent)compared to a 21.3 percent increase in the state.

31

BUSSERV

-100.00 to -20.0

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.9

Miles

40200


SIC 73: Business Services

HLTHSERV

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 80: Health Services



SIC 83: Social Service

The gain of 18.1percent inemployment in theCounty was wellbelow the regionalperformance andthe state average of 56.9 percent. TheCounty had 1,064

workers in SIC 83in 2000.

SIC 86:

Membership OrganizationsThis group is growing at a moderate pace in both the state and the County. In 2000, ithad 405 workers an increase of 13.1 percent over 1990. The state gained 17.6 percent.

32

SOCSERV

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 83: Social Services

MEMORG

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 86: Membership Organizations



SIC 87:Professional ServicesAlthough afairly fast

growth industrygroup statewide(26.2 percent),the group in theCounty lost 9workers (7.8percent)between 1990and 2000.

SIC 90:Government Governmentemploymentdeclined at allthree levels inVenangoCountybetween 1990and 2000.Federalgovernmentemploymentdecreased by16 to 201 (7.4percent).During thesame period,stateemploymentdecreased by

17.4 percent. After SIC 29: Petroleum Products, state government had the greatestdecline of any in the County. Between 1990 and 2000, the County lost 317 workers to1671, a loss of 15.9 percent. The state also lost some, but only at 4.6 percent.Employment in local government declined only slightly from 1990 to 2000; the 3.0percent decrease represented 61 workers to 2,003. The state averaged an increase of 12.9 percent.

33

PROFSERV

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 87: Professional Services

GOVT

-100.00 to -20.00

-19.90 to .00

.01 to 9.90

10.00 to 19.90

20.00 to 49.90

50.00 to 99.90

100.00 to 999.90

Miles

40200


SIC 90: Governments



Summary of Findings2

Demographic and Socio-Economic Profile

Population Change:

Population declined by 1,816 or by 3.0% from 1990 to 2000, down 11.0% since

1980, and the Census revision indicates an additional 400 more were lost.

Age Structure:

Population of County is aging rapidly; median age increased by more than 5.0 years

from 1990 to 2000, which means that over 50% of the population is over 40 years old, with

almost 17% over 65.

Educational Attainment:

County lags behind state in college degrees, 13.1% of persons over 25 versus

22.4% statewide.

Labor Force Participation Rate:

LFPR is 58.1% in the County versus 61.9% in the state. The Labor Force increased

by 2.0% from 1990 to 2000 and the unemployment was higher in the County at 7.2% as

compared to the state at 5.7% in 2000.

Incomes and Poverty:

Median household income in the state was 19.6% higher than the County ($40,016

as compared to $32,257), however incomes in the County are growing faster than the state.

Regarding poverty levels, just over 11% of state residents are in the poverty level as

compared to 13.4% in the County.

Sources of Income:

The County ranked 56th in the State in households receiving earnings, a reflection of

the large number of retirees and number of people receiving Social Security Income.

2 Van Landingham Consulting, August 2003

34



Occupation:

Only 25.5% of workers in the County were managers or professionals as compared

to the state average of 32.6%. In contrast, blue-collar workers in the County totaled 33.8%

as compared to the state average of 25.7%.

Industry:

More workers in manufacturing, retail trade, education, health and social services

versus professional, financial and tourism than the state average.

Housing Value:

Housing values are very low when compared to the state, the County median value

being $55,900 versus $97,000 in the state.

Migration, Population Projections and the Labor Force

Population Change by Cohort, 1990 to 2000:

Most of the 1990 to 2000 loss was from out-migration, the cohort between 20 and 34

decreasing by 32.3, of which 21.5% was lost to out-migration. There were also declines in all

children under 19 and in the group aged 60 to 69.

Population Projections, 2000-2020:

Due to the age structure, County population will continue to decline even if no further

out-migration occurs. By 2020, the population will be 57,406 if no out-migration occurs;

however, using the same migration pattern as the 1990’s, the population will fall to 53,327.

The population will continue to get older and the group under 34 will lose 16.5% from 2000.

Impacts of Population Change on the Labor Force:

In the worse case scenario, the Labor Force will decline by 12.4% in 2020, with the

best-case scenario having the Labor Force losing only 4.4%.

Long-Term Economic Changes, 1990-1997

35



The economy of Venango County has always depended on oil and other extraction

and the manufacturing industries built around these. Since 1970, the United States,

Pennsylvania and the County economy have all lost substantial manufacturing and mining

employment. The County has fared better than the state or nation in this regard, however

the real problem in the County has been the lack of growth in other sectors such as

services, TCPU and FIRE, in particular. Retail, wholesale and construction matched or

exceeded state percentage gains.

Economic Structure and Change, 1990 to 2000

Change in Employment:

Between 1990 and 2000, the County gained 9.5% in employment as compared to

the state average of 10.1%. However, most of the region grew faster than the state

average.

Structure of the Economy by Sector:

In 2000, manufacturing was the second largest employer with 22.4% of the total

employment as compared to the state’s 16.9%. Service based employers were the largest

at 23.9%, but still lags behind the state average of 30.8%. Retail based employers had

20.3%, as compared to the state average of 17.7%. Government was also a major

employment sector in the County at 18.1% as compared to the state’s 13.0%.

Sectoral Change, 1990-2000:

Manufacturing lost just 4.1% compared to the state average of 9.6%. The fastest

growth sectors were wholesale (56.1%), construction (41.5%) and retail (37.5%), all of which

were above the state average. Services grew by 17.6%, which was well below the state’s

30.0% average.

Wages:

Venango County wages are above most rural/small counties in the state, ranking

30th overall, and the average wage is above most counties in the Region. The average was

$23,848 in 2000, compared to the state average of $28,717.

Industry Group Analysis

36



In 2000, the ten largest industry groups (SIC Codes) in Venango County were:

Industry Group Employed in 2000:

SIC 80: Health Services 2,285

SIC 93: Local Government 2,003

SIC 35: Machinery & Computers 1,733

SIC 92: State Government 1,671

SIC 58: Eating & Drinking Places 1,143

SIC 83: Social Services 1,064

SIC 53: Department & Variety Stores 844

SIC 54 Food Stores 772

SIC 33 Primary Metals 739

SIC 42 Freight & Warehousing 738

Together, these industries employ over 60% of all County workers.

Summary of Industry Group Analysis

Other than the large loss of employment in SIC 29, Petroleum Products,

manufacturing fared well in the County between 1990 and 2000, with most of the larger

industry groups gaining employment faster than the state. Only SIC 24, Lumber and Wood

Products and SIC 34, Fabricated Metals had significant losses.

The construction sector industry groups grew much more rapidly than their state

equivalents. The distribution related activities including SIC 42, Freight and Warehousing

and both Wholesale Trade groups grew at a rapid pace, far outstripping state gains. SIC 48,

Communications, lost significant employment and this is a concern because the state

employment in this area grew rapidly.

Although Retail Trade was not specifically discussed in the above analysis, it should

be noted that the sector grew rapidly in the County, with all industry groups showing some

increase.

37



Between Financial and Service sector industries, only SIC 60, Depository Institutions

and SIC 70, Lodging Places lost significant employment. However, SIC 80, Health Services,

failed to match the state growth rate. Overall, the Services sector grew more slowly than in

the nation and state.

Government employment losses contributed substantially to the fairly slow growth of

total employment in the County.

Overall, the economy of the County shows fairly good balance and it is growing in

several of the under-represented sectors. It is not dead nor dying, however it is not growing

strongly in those sectors, particularly services, which are the growth engines for the national

and state economies.

Economic Base:

Major industries in the economic base include:

SIC 3532: Mining Machinery

SIC 3547: Rolling Mill Machinery

SIC 3559: Special Industry Equipment, nec

SIC 3599: Industrial Machinery, nec

SIC 3544: Special Dies, Tools, Jigs and Fixtures

SIC 2911: Petroleum Refining

SIC 5172: Petroleum Products, nec-Wholesale

SIC 3324: Steel Investment Foundries

SIC 3317: Steel Pipe & Tubes

SIC 3365: Aluminum Foundries

SIC 3312: Blast Furnace and Steel Mills

Note the predominance of metals related manufacturing industries.

Venango Economic Change, 1998-2002 (NAICS)

In 1997, the federal government changed the way it classifies industries. This section

updates the County economy based on this change.

38



Structure of the County and Regional Economies by Sector:

Between 1998 and 2001, the private, non-agricultural employment of the County, as

reported by CBP, grew by 2.1%. While this was not high growth compared to the 4.3%

increase enjoyed by the state or the 6.4% growth experienced in the United States as a

whole, it was on par with the Venango Region which had a 2.2% change in employment.

2001 Update:

Overall, the County lost 2.7% of its total employment during 2001 (February 01’- February

02’). This loss of 585 employees was a function, primarily, of the national recession that

began in late 2000 and last through 2001. During the same time period, the state lost 1.5%

of its labor force and the region lost 2.1%.

Special Areas of Interest

Travel and Tourism:

According to the most recent Shifflet Report on tourism in the state, domestic travelers and

tourists brought in almost $66 million in direct sales, which led to the employment of 1,591

persons in 1999.

Venango County does not fare particularly well in this industry in comparison to the state.

Venango ranked 43rd among the 67 counties in the state in total revenues from this source

and 46

th

in employment. The problem, however, seems to be less due to the quality of theattractions and more due to population density of the County and the surrounding areas.

Retail Trade:

Sales per capita were about 95% of the expected level, given incomes. The above suggests

that, while County retailers are not providing 100% of all goods which would be expected to

be sold to County residents, they are performing well considering the semi-rural nature of

the County.

Economic Base

The economic base of the area includes all industries that produce at least part of

their output for consumption outside of the local area. These are important industries

because the sales they generate determines the income available for growth and for the

consumption of items not produced locally. ”Export” sales by local industries are determined

39



by the concentration of that industry in the local area. This concentration is measured,

somewhat crudely, by a ratio called the Location Quotient. To calculate the Location

Quotient for each industry the percentage of local employment in a given industry is

compared to the percentage of national employment in that industry by the ratio:

LQi = % of total local employment in industry I / % of national employment in

industry I

When the LQ for an industry is exactly 1.0 (i.e. the local industry employs the same

percentage of total employment as the industry nationally) the industry is said to be locally

self-sufficient and the area neither imports nor exports the products of that industry. When

the LQ is above 1.0 the part above 1.0 is presumably exported to other parts of the national

or global economy. When the LQ for a particular industry is below 1.0 the area must import

some of the products of that industry which it consumes locally. Obviously, if the LQ for an

industry is 0.0 all of the consumed product must be imported. For example, Pennsylvania

does not grow any citrus fruit because of its climate, therefore it has an LQ of 0.0 for that

industry; all citrus consumed in the state must be “imported” from Florida, California,

Arizona, or elsewhere.

We determine the economic base for a local area by computing the Location

Quotients for all industries. Those industries which have LQ’s above 1.0 are part of the

economic base. Their employment above the percentage required to generate an LQ of 1.0

is said to be “basic” employment. The assumption here is that the basic employment

produces goods or services for sale to other areas and generates income for the area in

proportion to the basic employment.

Depending on the mix of industries in the economic base, an area economy may be

healthy, stable, or declining. If a local area is highly concentrated in one, or just a few

industries, its economy is highly dependent on that narrow economic base. If an area has

several – or many – industries in its economic base it is less dependent upon the fortunes of

any one of those industries. When the area is heavily dependent on industries which are

declining nationally (even if the local firms in those industries are stable or growing) it is “at

risk” because it is likely that decline may strike the local firms at any time.

Although we traditionally think of manufacturing industries as the main components

of a local economic base, this is an incorrect assumption. The largest economic base

40



industry in central Pennsylvania is education. Penn State exports educational services to

students from all over the Commonwealth and elsewhere. It generates income for the

region by bringing in tuition, research monies, government support, and sports related

revenues. Other non-manufacturing industries in a local economic base might include:

mining, transportation services, wholesale trade, services to other businesses, tourism, and

– in some cases – health care. Industries which are not typically in the economic base

include retail, personal services, and other “local serving” industries. These industries exist

to serve the needs of the local populace and typically have LQ’s near 1.0.

The economic base of Venango County (not including agriculture) includes over 100

specific (4 digit Standard Industrial Classification) industries, the most important of which

(with an LQ greater than 2.0 and employment greater than 25) are discussed below.

Graphs showing the annual change in employment are presented for the more important

industries. They are organized by cluster of economic activity.

41



60

70

80

90

100

110

E m p l o y m e n t I n d e

x ( 1 9 9 7 = 1 0 0 )

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Venango

PA

Employment Change, 1997--2001SIC 3547: Rolling Mill Machinery

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

150

160

E m p l o y m e n t I n d e x ( 1

9 9 7 = 1 0 0 )

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Venan

PA

Employment Change, 1997--2001SIC 3559: Special Industry Machines

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

105

E m

p l o y m

e n t I n d e x

( 1 9 9 7

= 1 0 0 )

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Venango

PA

Employment Change, 1997--2001SIC 3532: Mining Machinery

SIC 3532: Mining Machinery Probably the most important industry in VenangoCounty in 2001, the mining machinery industryproduces over 500 times the average localrequirement for a County the size of Venango (LQ=547.9). Employment in the County is 31 percent of total Pennsylvania employment in this industry.Between 1997 and 2001 employment fell by almost

25 percent locally and 13 percent statewide. Thedominant local firm in the industry is JoyManufacturing, which has been a major employer inthe County for many decades; in fact, employment inthis firm in 1977 was about 2.5 times higher than it istoday.

SIC 3547: Rolling Mill MachineryAlthough it employed only 69 workers in 2001, thisindustry had a Location Quotient of 201.0, secondhighest in the County. (High location quotients occur

for relatively small local industries when the nationalcounterpart is also quite small). Employment in thisindustry, which produces equipment for steel mills,declined by more than 39 percent in the County and13 percent in the state between 1997 and 2001.

SIC 3559: Special Industry Equipment, necThe LQ for this industry in Venango County was 17.5in 1997; it was the 13th largest industry with 321employees. Unlike the other machinery buildingindustries in the County, SIC 3559 grew between 1997and 2001. It finished the period with an increase inemployment of almost five percent but was muchhigher 1998 – 2000. Statewide, however, this industrylost employment at about the same rate as SIC 3532and SIC 3547 (about 13 percent).

SIC 3599: Industrial Machinery, necThis is a very large industry in Pennsylvania (over 18,000 employees in 2001) but quitesmall in Venango County (just 0.9 percent of state employment). It had a LocationQuotient of 3.1 in 1997 but grew more rapidly in the County than the Commonwealth,13.3 percent versus 3.5 percent between 1997 and 2001).

SIC 3544: Special Dies, Tools, Jigs, and FixturesThis has been a small industry in the County (only 0.5 percent of the Pennsylvania totalin 2001) but employs almost 13,000 workers in Pennsylvania. The industry is significant

42



20

40

60

80

100

E m p l o y m e n t I n d e x ( 1 9 9

7 = 1 0 0 )

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Venan

PA

Employment Change, 1997--2001SIC 2911: PetroleumRefining

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

240

E m p l o y m e n t I n d e x ( 1 9 9 7 = 1 0 0 )

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Venango

PA

Employment Change, 1997--2001SIC 3317: Steel Pipe and Tube

70

80

90

100

110

120

E m p l o y m

e n t I n d e x ( 1 9 9 7 = 1 0 0 )

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Venango

PA

Employment Change, 1997--2001SIC 3324: Steel Investment Foundries

because of the high level of machine occupations required. In 1997, the County had anLQ of 5.3 in this industry but it lost over 40 percent of its employment between 1997 and2001. The state’s employment, meanwhile, grew by 1.5 percent.

SIC 2911: Petroleum Refining Once the industry for which this area of the countrywas known, petroleum refining has lost most of its

employment and presence in the county over the pasttwo decades. In 1977, the two major employers,Quaker State and Pennzoil had their corporateheadquarters in the County and, between them, hadalmost 900 employees. In 2001, the industry had just122 local employees. Between 1997 and 2001, theindustry lost over 72 percent of its total 1997employment. Statewide the industry lost about 33percent of its 97 employment by 2001.

SIC 5172: Petroleum Products, nec – WholesaleThis industry, though not a manufacturer, is directly related to the petroleum industry inthe County. In 1997 it had a Location Quotient of 10.0. Like the manufacture of petroleum products, its employment is in decline in both the County and theCommonwealth; between 1997 and 2001 theCounty lost 23.2 percent and the state 13.7percent.

SIC 3324: Steel Investment Foundries One of several primary metals industries in the economic base of Venango County, SIC3324 had the highest LQ of the group at 17.3 in 1997. Venango is an important center for this industry in the state with over 11 percent of the Commonwealth’s employment.Between 1997 and 2001, the industry gained over 18 percent in employment in theCounty but declined by more than 21 percent in the state.

SIC 3317: Steel Pipe & TubesThe history of this industry in the County has beenvolatile. In 1977, the industry had over 200employees. Production ceased for a while in the1980's but rose to almost 100 in 1989; this fell toabout 30 in the early 1990's before increasingagain to it current level.

43



50

100

150

200

250

300

E m p l o y m e n t I n d e x ( 1 9 9 7 = 1 0 0 )

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Venango

PA

Employment Change, 1997--2001SIC 3312: Blast Furnace and Steel Mill

100

105

110

115

120

125

130

E m p l o y m e n

t I n d e x ( 1 9 9 7 = 1 0 0 )

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Venango

PA

Employment Change, 1997--2001SIC 3449: Misc Metal Work

Between 1997 and 2001, employment increased by over 280 percent in the County butremained almost constant statewide. The LQ in 1997 was 15.4.

SIC 3365: Aluminum FoundriesWith an LQ of 13.5 and employment of 57, this industry is of moderate importance to theeconomic base of the County. Between 1997 and 2001 the industry lost about 23percent of its County employment but grew but was essentially constant in the state.

SIC 3312: Blast Furnaces and Steel MillsNationally this is the largest of the primary metalsindustries and the one which has had the mostmedia coverage for its long-term decline. With anLQ of 7.3 in the County in 1997 and an increase of 247 percent between 1997 and 2001, it is arguablyone of the most important industries in the economicbase. In employment it ranked 23rd in 1997. Duringthe period SIC 3312 lost over 21 percent of itsPennsylvania employment.

SIC 3321: Gray and Ductile Iron FoundriesThis industry had a Location Quotient of 5.8 in 1997 but it disappeared in the Countybetween 1997 and 2001. It is also in decline both nationally and in the Commonwealth.

SIC 3449: MISCELLANEOUS METAL WORK

The Fabricated Metals industry with the highestLQ in the County (10.6 in 1997), SIC 3449 had agrowth of 18.2 percent between 1997 and 2001.Employment in the state grew by 28.4 percent.County employment in the industry was 6.1

SIC 3494: Valves and Pipe FittingsThis industry was of only minor importance to theeconomic base of Venango County in 1997. It hadan LQ of 10.5 but was ranked 101st among allindustries in size. All County employment in thisindustry was lost between 1997 and 2001. Thestate had a decline of almost 16 percent over the period.

SIC 2426: Hardwood Dimension and Flooring

This industry increased its employment statewide by 25 percent between 1997 and2001; unfortunately, the Venango County firms did not participate in this growth.

Employment fell by almost eight percent in the County. In 1997 the County’s LQ in SIC2426 was 11.1.

SIC 2421: Sawmills and Planing Mills

Another growth industry in Pennsylvania but not in Venango County, SIC 2421 had anLQ of 8.3 in 1997 but showed a slight loss in employment (2.7 percent) between 1997and 2001. The local industry makes up 2.9 percent of Pennsylvania employment in SIC2421.

44



Miscellaneous Manufacturing Industries in the Economic Base

SIC 3084: Plastics Pipe

This industry is in decline in the County. In 1997 it had a Location Quotient of 19.8 butlost 29 percent of its employment between 1997 and 2001. Statewide the industry grewby almost 16 percent over the period.

SIC 2041: Flour and Other Grain Mill ProductsAlthough not a major employer in absolute size, SIC 2041 had an LQ of 21.5 in 1997.From 1997 to 2001 it declined by over 29 percent in the County but grew by 26.2 percentin the state. Even after the decline, County employment in this industry was 7.1 percentof the state total.

SIC 2086: Bottled and Canned Soft DrinksThis is another Food Products industry which is in decline in the County but growing inthe Commonwealth. In 1997 its County LQ was 7.5 but it lost over 22 percent of its localemployment during the period. The industry grew by more than 38 percent in theCommonwealth.

SIC 3931: Musical InstrumentsLocally the firm in this industry manufactures player pianos. In 1997 its LQ was 22.9.Between 1997 and 2001 it gained just over eight percent in employment in the Countyand about two percent in the state.

SIC 3199: Leather Goods, nec

This was an important industry in Venango County in 1997. It was 19th in totalemployment and had a Location Quotient of 153.6. However, nationally and within theCommonwealth, this industry has been declining rapidly. The industry disappeared in

Venango County between 1997 and 2001.

Travel and Tourism

This industry group -- like agriculture -- is difficult to measure because the statistical datais not easily extracted. Travel and tourism expenditures are shared between severalindustry groups, most of which have a local consumption component as well as a basiccomponent. For example some part of the sales of SIC 58: Eating and Drinking Placesis local and some is due to tourists. This is also true of the sales Hotels and Motels,Amusements, Service Stations, Retail Trade, etc.

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

GOAL No. 1 - To sustain the highest quality of rural, suburban and urban life for theresidents of Venango County.

Short Range PriorityPrepare and enact a county-wide recreation plan. – Planning Commission, Parks Authority and Oil Region Alliance.

45



Long Range Priority

Prepare and enact a countywide greenway plan – Planning Commission, Parks Authority, Conservation District and Oil Region Alliance.

2. To preserve, to the greatest extent possible, the rural character of VenangoCounty by focusing commercial and residential development in or near the

established villages or Downtowns.

Immediate PriorityEstablish designated growth areas throughout Venango County,around existing population centers, utilizing the principles of density-based zoning. - Municipal Governments.

Encourage the adaptive reuse of existing structures, in villagesand downtowns – Municipal Governments.

4. To promote higher density development where roads and utilities are capableof sustaining service to such development.

Immediate PriorityModify existing zoning ordinances to permit farm-based businessand related commercial activities as a source of supplementalincome in all agricultural zoning districts. - Municipal Governments.

Short Range PriorityEstablish designated growth areas around existing centers of population coupled with zoning density incentives in order todiscourage development activities in productive agricultural areas.- Municipal Governments.

6. To encourage economic growth by industries and businesses related to thenatural, economic and educational resources of Venango County.

Immediate PriorityThe County should make an ongoing commitment to activelyparticipate in economic development activities in order to assurethat future development activities are consistent with its growthmanagement policies and goals. - County Commissioners.

Prepare a “Prime Sites” Inventory of locations where economicdevelopment is desired. – Oil Region Alliance, Northwest Regional Planning and Development Commission.

Ensure that municipal land use/land development Ordinancesprovide sufficient land area for commercial and industrial uses,and contain more detailed design criteria for such uses. -Municipal Governments.

Support the findings of the Oil Heritage Region ManagementAction Plan. – All applicable entities.

46



Short Range PriorityDevelop a comprehensive needs based training program incooperation with business, schools and colleges. - VERA

Encourage the inclusion of agriculture and forestry education unitsin public school curriculum. – VERA

Expand the services of the Business Information Clearinghouse to

identify existing local businesses and industries; available sites for expansion of existing or new business; and data bases needed bybusiness and industry. - Oil Region Alliance, Northwest Regional Planning and Development Commission.

Long Range PriorityParticipate in a regional marketing effort of available industrial andoffice sites in cooperation with Northwest Regional Planning andDevelopment Commission. - Oil Region Alliance, FICDA.

8. To promote public/private partnerships in identifying and solving problems.

Immediate PriorityEncourage greater use of the personnel and resources located atNorthwest Regional Planning Commission. - All entities.

Ensure greater use of inter-municipal and intergovernmentalbodies and their resources. - All entities.

Short Range Priority

Establish a Venango County Educational Forum composed of theschool districts, municipal governments, county government, andbusiness organizations to share information. - All entities.

Establish public forums for discussions about future directions byinvolving local school districts, municipal governments, countygovernment, social service providers, business organizations, etc. –Northwest Regional Planning and Development Commission

GOAL No. 5 - To provide equal opportunities for all residents to obtain meaningfulemployment.

1. To promote the availability of human workers which are responsive tochanging competitive conditions.

Immediate PriorityEstablish a “Workforce Development” Task Force under theauspices of the Venango County Economic DevelopmentAgencies and composed of business leaders, educators andgovernment job training agency heads, to identify future humanresource needs and develop programs to meet those needs –

47



VERA, Workforce Investment Board and Pa. Careerlink.

2. To provide means and methods for the retention and expansion of existingemployers.

Immediate PriorityEncourage greater local use of the economic developmentprograms, including low-interest loans, export assistance,

technical assistance, etc. - Oil Region Alliance and Northwest Regional Planning and Development Commission.

Establish an inventory of buildings and sites available for use byexpanding business, regularly update the inventory and assure itis widely distributed. - Oil Region Alliance, Chambers of Commerce and Northwest Regional Planning and Development Commission.

Short Range PriorityPromote the expansion of the various technology centers,including at a minimum the Business Innovations Center and the

Emerging Technology Center. - Oil Region Alliance, FICDA and VERA.

Identify future locations for manufacturing uses on the basisof highway and railroad access, infrastructure availability andmunicipal land use regulations. - Planning Commission

3. To identify and make known public sector improvements and facilitiesnecessary for desired business development.

Immediate PrioritySupport improvements to the runway at the Venango RegionalAirport in order to accommodate regional jet aircraft. – County Commissioners and Municipal Governments.

Protect the area near the Venango Regional Airport fromconstruction inconsistent with preserving current and futurerunway safety zones. – Planning Commission and Municipal Governments.

Short Range PriorityUndertake a comprehensive infrastructure needs assessmentthroughout the County in order to identify areas for new facilitiesand the improvement of existing facilities and initiate planning for these specific infrastructure improvements. - County Government.

4. To identify ways of taking full advantage of existing post-secondary educationfacilities in the region.

Immediate PriorityInventory and encourage shared information about programs andfacilities in or near Venango County – Planning Commission and

48



VERA

Short Range PriorityPromote the development of a “Technical Training System” thatutilizes new and existing providers in the County. – County Commissioners and VERA

5. To identify, and work for the modification if necessary, of Federal, State and

Local regulations which unreasonably inhibit economic growth and development.

Immediate PriorityInventory local businesses and manufacturers regarding specificregulatory problems, recommendations to alleviate thoseproblems, and utilize the Economic Development Agencies tocoordinate lobbying efforts to modify those identified regulatoryissues. - Oil Region Alliance.

Short Range PriorityTourism development efforts should focus on sustainable growth -

Oil Region Alliance.

The County should adopt an ECOTOURISM philosophy andprovide assistance in the form of a Comprehensive TourismDevelopment Plan. – Tourism Promotion Agencies.

6. To develop strategies to enhance the viability of local organizationsrepresenting the business and industrial communities.

Immediate PriorityContinue to designate a primary economic developmentorganization representing the County. County Commissioners.

The County should participate in regional efforts to developtourism that focus on our history, culture, recreationalopportunities and environment. - County Commissioners

7. To identify and utilize public and private sector resources in a coordinatedmanner to create jobs.

Immediate PriorityEstablish an interagency task force composed of municipalofficials, county agencies, economic development organizationsand educators to develop a guidebook of available resourceswhich would be updated annually. – Oil Region Alliance

Explore means and methods to maximize the positive impacts of Two Mile Run County Park – Parks Authority

Short Range PriorityThe County should ensure that tourism growth is compatible withits long range plan. – Planning Commission, Parks Authority and Oil Region Alliance.

49



8. To encourage industrial expansion of industries compatible with the naturaland economic resources found in Venango County.

Immediate PriorityParticipate in the development of a Regional Marketing Plan thatidentifies natural, cultural, economic and human resources in theregion. Identify potential users of those resources and target

specific marketing efforts toward those users. - Oil Region Alliance

Short Range PriorityRecommend expanded resource management curriculum in localtechnical programs in order to develop value-added training skillsand education related to forestry products. – VERA and theVenango Technology Center

9. To provide an appropriate amount of land area in commercial and industrialzoning districts to allow for a reasonable level of economic development.

Short Range PriorityIdentify suitable land areas in each municipality for commercialand industrial uses and work with those municipalities to amendzoning maps (where applicable). Such land areas should haveappropriate infrastructure readily available, be free of environmentally sensitive lands and minimize impacts on adjoininguses. - Planning Commission

GOAL No. 7 - To provide a framework for cooperation within Venango County and theregion.

2. To encourage the creation of public/private partnerships when implementingmany of the policy recommendations contained in this plan.

Immediate PriorityThe County Commissioners should take a leadership role inestablishing necessary public/private partnerships which includemunicipalities, school districts, county agencies, businesses, civicorganizations and regional groups. – County Commissioners

3. To encourage the development of an informal organization composed of county and municipal governments, school districts, business and industrialorganizations, agricultural organizations, and other civic organizations, whichwould meet regularly to exchange information about each organization’s goalsand activities.

Immediate PriorityThe Planning Commission should implement this informalorganization as a part of an ongoing “Future Directions

50



Roundtable”, and this organization should meet annually. –Planning Commission

4. To encourage the formation of a Venango County Regional PlanningCommission composed of a representative from each Council of Governments inthe county, which would explore and encourage cost-effective resource sharing.

Immediate Priority

The County Commissioners should assume a leadership role inestablishing a Venango County Regional Planning Commissionopen to all municipalities in the County. - County Commissioners

5. To more effectively utilize VERA as the Venango County Educational TaskForce to discuss educational issues of significance to the county and to bringsuch issues to the attention of the government and business communities.

Immediate PriorityThe Venango County Commissioners should fully participate inthis Task Force. - County Commissioners

6. To encourage the use of the Northwest Regional Planning and DevelopmentCommission by County agencies and municipal governments.

Immediate PrioritySupport the implementation of the Strategic Action Plan for theNorthwest Commission. – County Commissioners.

7. To more effectively utilize the Regional Workforce Investment Board toimprove available training for displaced or under employed workers.

Long Range PriorityImprove coordination among the various participants in job trainingand economic development activities in order to provide workers withthe education and skills necessary in the 21st Century.

Documents

Volume VIII Economic Development