NEW CASTLE — There is power in numbers.

That is the driving belief behind a new initiative that will encourage a shared vision for the future of a 32-county region encompassing western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio and parts of northern West Virginia and Maryland.

And the facilitators are looking for as much public input from local communities as they can garner for the effort, which has been dubbed, “Power of 32.”

The goal is to change the image of the region by creating a unified vision, explained Allen G. Kukovich, regional chairman of the Power of 32 movement.

Kukovich, a former state legislator and senator from Westmoreland County, is spearheading the movement to spur business and government leaders and the general community to create a more competitive region and higher quality of life.

Next week, the group will begin the first of many “community conversations” that are part of a listening phase of the initiative. The first one is at 11 a.m. at the New Castle Public Library.

The meetings are designed to involve as many citizens as possible in creating the shared vision for the region’s future by 2025.



PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

The Power of 32 committee anticipates thousands of people will participate in community conversations through September.

Beginning in the fall, the most prevalent challenges identified during those meetings will be developed into policy options designed to build on the region’s assets and opportunities.

Next year, people will have opportunity to attend regional town meetings in multiple locations linked by technology, to prioritize the options into a regional agenda.

That agenda will be formed and endorsed by the citizens and leaders of the 32 counties and will be defined by economic, social, environmental, cultural, and other interests most important to the region’s residents and stakeholders.

According to Kukovich, similar regional visions have been successful in European countries, where distressed economic situations have turned around regionally.

“This is the largest regional visioning effort ever,” Kukovich said of Power of 32. “It’s unprecedented.” Its 60-member steering committee is made up of representatives from the public, private and non-profit sectors from throughout the region who represent 4.2 million people.

The 32 counties share a storied history and heritage, enviable natural resources, infrastructure and interdependent economic relationships within and across the region, Kukovich said.

“We are connected in more ways than many of us realize.

“The purpose here is to begin to change the mindset, and if we’re going to improve on our quality of life, we have to work collaboratively,” he said. “I like to think that large transcendent issues can tie us together.”

AmericaSpeaks, a national leader in civic engagement, assisted the Power of 32 staff and consultants in developing a blueprint. Then, the staff recruited and trained a network of outreach coordinators and volunteer facilitators to implement the project regionally.

Local key participants in the movement include Linda Nitch, Lawrence County Economic Development Corp. executive director, and Georgia Berner, owner of Berner International as steering committee members; and Kathryn Lima of Sharon, a marketing specialist.



SUCCESS STORIES

Nitch pointed out that regional collaborations already have been successful in gaining economic development funds for the region.

The Workforce Investment Board of Lawrence and Mercer County has worked on job training efforts with Mahoning County to create OH-PENN, an economic and workforce development group that includes Mercer and Lawrence counties in Pennsylvania and Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties in Ohio.

That group spurred $4.2 million in federal funds and $1.5 million in state funds for the construction of technology business incubator suites and a testing laboratory at the Butler County Community College’s campus in Mercer County.

Berner also cited a grant obtained by the Crisis Shelter of Lawrence County for a rural initiative that it obtained by reaching out to Mercer County. Now other counties want to become part of the program, she said.

Power of 32 funding comes from The Heinz Endowments and the Claude Worthington Benedum, Grable, Pittsburgh and Richard King Mellon foundations. Community foundations from throughout the region are contributing to the effort, along with public and private support.

Community conversations to begin Tuesday

The first in a series of community conversations will take place Tuesday.

The meetings are part of the first phase of the Power of 32 regional initiative being developed for a 32-county area. Lawrence County is included in the four-state project.

The public meetings are designed to engage citizens in creating a shared vision for the region’s future by 2025.

Lawrence County residents are encouraged to attend and participate in any of the sessions planned for Tuesday at these times and locations:

•11 a.m. at the New Castle Public Library

•1 p.m. at the Mercer County Courthouse in Mercer

•7 p.m. at the Mahoning County Public Library in Youngstown.

Anyone who wants more information or who wants to participate may register online at www.powerof32.org.

Trained facilitators will lead discussions and participants will work in groups to answer these questions:

•What does a thriving region look like?

•What challenges must be address for the region to thrive and on what strengths can we build?

•What one or two possibilities must be pursued to ensure the region thrives and why?

•In 2025, what will make us the proudest of our region, and what was key to getting us there?

The format was designed by AmericaSpeaks, a national leader in civic engagement efforts.