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| Bethlehem Mayor Bob Donchez's workforce praised for making Curtiss-Wright Facility a Reality |
Kerry A. Wrobel, President of the Lehigh Valley Industrial Park, stated that the employees who work at Curtiss-Wright can expect to see $500-750 million in new business development over the ext few years.
Another location, closer to the train tracks, had to be scrapped. Vibrations from moving trains could affect testing. Lehigh Valley Industrial Park and JG Petruccie were able to find a more suitable site atop a knoll, not far from Saucon Park. But there was no access. Installing a road and utilities, and in less than a year, was the challenge. They succeeded, thanks in large part to Bethlehem city officials.
Petrucci, whose company works with about 50 different municipalities, had high praise for Bethlehem. "The City of Bethlehem is the gold standard of municipalities, he said, as Mayor Bob Donchez blushed. He called Bethlehem's staff "phenomenal." He's proud of this project for three reasons. First, it is a factory, putting people to work with "sophisticated" and high-paying jobs. Second, it is an adaptive re-use of an old factory site. Finally, it is on the "front lines of our country's security."
Those security concerns prevented photography of much of what goes on inside the facility, which was partially blocked from public view. Cell phones were prohibited, too. General Manager Todd Schurra assured this reporter that there are no flying saucers stashed away. He did state that the Curtis-Wright company has a long history going back three centuries, at least if its predecessor companies count. They built the first naval pump used by Commodore Perry's fleet. The also built the pumps used on the USS Monitor.
That vessel sunk, prompting Petrucci to joke with Schurra to come up with a better example.
A great deal of praise should go to county executive Reibman. His economics development bond issue built the main road in the industrial park. This action by the county kick started the economic development in the Park.
ReplyDeleteall this was done before donchez came on board. he has done little to improve bethlum. mostly just sits on his hands trying to protect his run for a second term.
ReplyDeleteLet's give some credit to Karner and Bethlehem's DCED. Unlike the county's DCED office which has a bloated staff and has yet to create one job.
ReplyDeleteWhy isn't a road named after Reibman in that park. He deserves that much. He may have been a lousy executive but he was right on with that development project.
ReplyDeleteIsn't Reibman the one who disbanded the Northampton County Economic Corporation? You bet your ass he was. Wasn't he the one who floated a 100 million dollar bond and doled out my tax dollars for projects that were nothing more than patronage. Are you aware how much interest we pay on that 100 million. How about the swaption Reibman sponsored? Another 26 million dollar fiasco. Yeah lets name something after Reibman. How about a dump.
ReplyDelete"A great deal of praise should go to county executive Reibman. His economics development bond issue built the main road in the industrial park. This action by the county kick started the economic development in the Park."
ReplyDeleteNo question it sunk millions into South Bethlehem, but this was the wrong way. All than $ in 2001 for a project in 2014? We paid interest on that bond for 13 years before that project. That $, if considered a good idea, would have been better spent had it been spent a little at a time, over the years, instead of sticking taxpayers with a near 70% tax hike over two years.
". Unlike the county's DCED office which has a bloated staff and has yet to create one job."
ReplyDeleteCounty DCED Director Donaher showed up half way through the grand opening.. I understand Brown wants to expand the office space for her department and give her more room.
Well, well, Brown's voice-over artist showed up for an economic development coup that she had nothing to do with. Brown is nutz to have DCED take over administration divisions and hire new staff when they have yet to accomplish anything. Donaher just wants to expand her little empire to justify future pay raises. Meanwhile, under her leadership not one job has been created by the county's DCED in over a year. Brown just wants to move the deck chairs around on his Titanic while Donaher willingly serenades the doomed passengers with "Nearer My God to Thee."
ReplyDelete"Why isn't a road named after Reibman in that park. He deserves that much. He may have been a lousy executive but he was right on with that development project."
ReplyDelete^^^ This
Karner doesn't care about the City of Bethlehem or the people of Bethlehem. She has done nothing for the City. She stuck a knife in the Cities back when she said Allentown NIZ was the best and Bethlehem could not compete. If that is true she still should not have stated that in the paper as the DCED of Bethlehem.
ReplyDeleteWe get it. You hate Karner.
ReplyDelete