2019 preview: Challenges & Opportunities

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

With another year now over, it’s time to look at what the new year may bring to Van Wert County. One thing is nearly a given: there will be some surprises, some good, others possibly not so good, in the next 12 months.

The year 2018 has left us with some uncompleted projects that either will be completed this year, or, in the case of Van Wert Health’s $45-million hospital addition, continue into 2020. Another project that’s likely to begin in 2019, but may not end then, is Crestview Local School District’s new classroom project that was only approved by the district’s board of education in December 2018.

In the case of the Casey’s General Store convenience store/service station project on the corner of Ervin Road and Washington Street, completion should happen within weeks.

A number of problems will likely continue into the new year. Problems associated with substance abuse, whether it be heroin, methamphetamine, alcohol, or any other substance abuse, will surely continue to provide challenges to local social service agencies, law enforcement, courts, and families adversely affected by substance abuse.

While there are some positives in local efforts to combat the effects of substance abuse — child neglect and abuse, theft and other criminal offenses, overdoses, and suicide, to name a few — county drug court and organizations such as Families of Addicts (FOA) face serious challenges in trying to mitigate the effects of substance abuse on county residents and families. 

Substance abuse will also have its effects on economic development, as county businesses deal with another problem that is related to the retirement of Baby Boomers: the number of jobs available for which there are no workers to fill them.

Local programs, such as the Career Opportunity Education (CEO) program now in all three county school districts, as well as local employment agencies and websites, along with Vantage Career Center’s job training programs, will continue — and, in some cases, increase — their efforts to multiply the number of skilled workers available to fill companies’ open positions.

The workers will be needed, since economic development entities are also working to find new companies to locate to the county to fill a new 100,000-square-foot spec building on Grill Road, for example, as well as an expanded Vision Industrial Park and other developable space in the county.

To provide housing for new county workers, development will also continue on a new residential subdivision, The Landing at Dickinson Farms off Van Wert-Decatur Road on the southwest side of Van Wert. Utilities have been expanded to the site, while housing starts will likely begin this year in the subdivision.

While fuel costs were the lowest they had been all year at the end of 2018, gasoline prices will likely rise again during the year. How far, and how fast, are what is not known at this time.

All in all, 2019 will likely be another year similar to 2018: full of challenges to overcome and opportunities to seize, if local leaders are wise enough to overcome county residents’ resistance to change.

It could be a very exciting time for Van Wert County.