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Show A11 Castle Valley Review, February 2009 Continued from Previous Page. think there was a future,” he said. Amid all the optimism, business leaders understand the reality that the economy outside of the area will have some impact here, but most do not believe it will be as bad as reported. Mike McCandless, director of Emery County Economic Development, reminds that in the early 2000s unemployment in Emery County was in the double digits and today the county is at near full employment status. Acknowledging that there will probably be some local impact to the national recession, he said for now he does not foresee unemployment getting anywhere near as high as it was then. So as the nation struggles with a recession, local business and economic leaders urge everyone to take a true look at your economic situation and if you need to put your house in order, then put your house in order. But don’t panic if there isn’t a real reason to panic. There’s still good news out there. Spread the word. Good Days Ahead Despite the recession, Price mayor looks forward to steady growth for city James L. Davis With a mountain of paperwork threatening to cascade off his desk at any given moment, Joe Piccolo, mayor of Price City and owner of Supreme Muffler and Brake, considers the year ahead with quiet confidence, both for his business and for the city her serves. Despite the fact that a recession is devastating the economies of not only businesses, but cities and states throughout the country, Mayor Piccolo sees a future of steady growth. His confidence isn’t foolhardy. Price has grown economically in leaps and bounds in the past few years and the mayor can’t quite contain a smile as he ticks off some of the new businesses that are moving ahead with plans to set up shop in Price. Among them is a 100 unit La Quinta Inn, which will be built near Market Express Chevron and Albertsons in the coming year. Other new businesses planning on building in Price, who have already purchased building permits from the city, include a new JB’s Family Restaurant and a Wingers Restaurant. The fact that the businesses are planning to develop in Price didn’t come by accident. “We’ve been working on these projects for a long time,” Piccolo said. And if Piccolo were to point to any one thing that has led to the city’s success in attracting new businesses, it would be work, the work of the men and women of Price City who have formed a team to promote the city, its potential and its way of life. When Piccolo speaks of the city and its people he does so with an unabashed sense of pride. “Price City is standing head and shoulders over a lot of other cities, and I’m not bragging. That’s not my fault. That’s because of 125 city employees that are involved. Our economic development plan is transparent and accountable. We’ve worked hard with Carbon County Economic Development and the governor’s office of economic development,” he said. One of the hurdles the city has fought to overcome, and is still fighting to overcome, is what the mayor refers to as a stigma that has hurt development of not only Price, but all of Castle Valley. “We’ve been considered the other side of the mountain not only by the Wasatch Front, but by us as well,” Piccolo said. With that label has come the perception, whether real or perceived, that to get the best deal, to find what you are looking for, to find everything from entertainment to fine dining, you had to travel across the mountain. To counter that, Piccolo said he spent a lot of time getting involved in things along the Wasatch Front so he could learn not only why they did what they did, but how they did what they did. What has proven to be a boon for Price’s economy has sometimes gone against conventional wisdom, particularly when it comes to the reinvigoration of downtown Main Street. The Downtown Alive initiative has been one way the city government has tried to help storeowners along Main Street keep their businesses prosperous. “What we did was take some excitement to store owners,” Piccolo said. Photo by James L. Davis Joe Piccolo behind the counter of his Supreme Muffler and Brake business in Price. The mayor is optimistic about not only the coming year for the city, but for all of Castle Valley. The downtown area of Price (from 2nd East to 4th West), is envisioned as an outdoor mall and in the coming year the mayor said the city is going to work toward enhancing that image, such as developing decorative street lighting, eye level shop signing for pedestrians and even music along the sidewalks. “We always intended it to be a walkable district,” Piccolo said. The mayor admits that the downtown area merchants haven’t always been happy with city government. “When Walmart came in the merchants didn’t want it to be here. We have Kmart on one end of town and Walmart on the other. They should have sucked the life out of Main Street, but I never thought that. I thought shoppers would go down Main Street to get to the two,” the mayor said. To help downtown merchants draw shoppers to their stores, the city has developed incentives that it offers to business owners. “We’re not giving away the farm, but we have little incentives to promote growth,” he said. Among the incentives are grants for visual and structural improvements and the Price Economic Vitality Fund offers loans that can be used for almost any business need. One of the newest improvements coming to downtown and one that the mayor is clearly enthusiastic about, is the renovation of the old Newhouse Hotel. Financing was recently finalized, to the tune of $6.5 million, to renovate the hotel and the Golden Rule Mission to create a combined 52 apartments for low income. “It will 100 percent fulfill the homeless advocate needs in both Emery and Carbon counties,” Piccolo said. As the national economy gasps and sputters, Piccolo said he does not see the same circumstances impacting Price City, or the Castle Valley as a whole. “I think we have a really bright future. We’re going to have some new growth. The coal mine expansion is not what it used to be, but it’s still growing. I don’t think there’s a dark cloud in the sky here,” he said. When it comes to the recession that has so many wondering about their future, the mayor said a recession elsewhere doesn’t impact this area the same and much of that is because of the people who live here. “It’s unbelievable what this community can do. People here aren’t unfamiliar with rain storms, but the definition of a recession isn’t the same here. Our neighbor’s problems are our problems. If four of us try to lift a grand piano, it’s going to hurt, but if 100 of us try we can put it on our shoulder and it’s not that heavy,” Piccolo said. And as for the “other side of the mountain,” the mayor said they are starting to see the value of the area and the character of the people who call the Castle Valley home. “I think the perception of us, of what we are and what we are about is starting to change,” he said. For Piccolo, the confidence he feels for the future of the area comes from being born and raised in the Castle Valley. The father of three and grandfather of two, he married his high school sweetheart, Barbara Bishop of Hiawatha. The two will celebrate their 37th anniversary in March. Piccolo is quick to point out that his wife is not only his friend and partner, but a trusted adviser. Barbara has a Masters Degree in psychology, which he says has helped her through their years together. “That’s why she’s been able to live with me,” the mayor said. Emery County Sanitation Kent Wilson 435-820-8876 500 N. Main Street Huntington, UT For All Your Dumpster & roll oFF NeeDs M.B. Financial Services, Inc. Anita M. Bruno Financial Consultant 62 North 100 West • P.O. Box 694 Price, UT 84501 (435) 637-1479 •(435) 637-1470 anita@mbfinancialservices.com www.mbfinancialservices.com |