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Pipeline land leasing topic of meeting

STEUBENVILLE – The GO Jefferson County Committee is hosting a public forum from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on March 19 in the auditorium at Eastern Gateway Community College.

The guest speaker will be Dale Arnold, director of energy services for the Ohio Farm Bureau.

Arnold works with Farm Bureau leaders to create effective energy policy on local, state and national levels, as well as to establish programs that help farmers, small business and residential energy consumers control their energy costs. He will discuss issues pertaining to pipeline land leasing and installation and address concerns and questions from local landowners.

Also speaking will be Mike McGlumphy, director of Jefferson County Connections, a one-stop employment and training center in Steubenville. McGlumphy will focus on the state of local employment, job opportunities in the oil and gas industry as well as education and training requirements.

A brief question-and-answer period will follow.

GO (Gas and Oil) Jefferson County is the new name of the county’s oil and gas committee, formed in 2012 by the county commissioners. It initially was intended to create a method of communicating with and getting feedback from the different disciplines in the community with regard to the oil and gas business. The group meets monthly, and its members have been instrumental in helping commissioners stay aware of local oil and gas issues and ultimately helping the community maximize opportunities while minimizing risks associated with the oil- and-gas drilling industry.

Members of the committee were appointed by the three county commissioners and represent all walks of life ranging from education, real estate and employment to environmental issues, hospitality, township trustees, roads and infrastructure and emergency response.

The committee also strives to be a communications liaison with the community, making sure continuous and timely information is in the public’s hands, particularly as it pertains to job development. By providing local job seekers with valuable details on job openings, training and education, GO Jefferson County can develop into an important resource in coming months and years, according to officials.

The March 19 forum is the first in what GO Jefferson County hopes to be an ongoing informational series helping local residents gain information and obtain answers to their questions.

For information, contact the county commissioners at (740) 283-8500.

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