This letter is presented to clarify the Warren Worx initiative and dispel the opinion expressed in the editorial (Oct. 5) that suggests that municipal officials in Warren County be skeptical of the Warren Worx initiative.

The Center for Rural Pennsylvania recently released population projections from 2020 through 2050. This study shows that the Warren County population of 38,516 in 2020 will decline to 34,223 by 2050 — a decline of 12%.

Of compounding impact the study shows our school-age population to decline by 1% but our population in the cohort over 70 years of age to increase by 15% and the labor pool cohort of ages 20 through 69 declining by 22%.

These population trends are the reality Warren County faces and will make staffing local operations in all economic sectors unsustainable leading to business decline and relocation pressures. If we allow these projections to be proven accurate, the entire economic landscape of Warren County will be irreversibly and devastatingly altered.

Warren Worx will serve as a collaborative working group using the county and city comprehensive plans as our guide to address community and economic objectives. These are the objectives as identified by Macklin Engineers — the community planning consultants that produced both plans. Warren Worx will ensure that projects throughout the county reflect, support, and enhance the country brand and agreed upon goals as established by the stakeholders of Warren Worx.

The Warren County Chamber of Business & Industry is committed to the administration of Warren Worx and is rounding the final corner of establishing the list of desired and necessary stakeholders to engage with this effort. Explanatory meetings have been held with Warren City Council, City Comprehensive Plan Taskforce, Warren County Commissioners and the Warren County Council of Governments. We have answered questions presented and will be returning to each of these entities soon with a definitive business/operation plan and financial needs for implementation and administration of Warren Worx.

The WCCBI will act as a facilitator and aggregator, providing oversight and direction to Warren Worx. It will coordinate efforts to secure funding, align resources and key initiatives to create efficiencies and empower Warren County and all of its stakeholders to market within one consistent, definitive brand, focused on the positive attributes of the County to ultimately drive population growth and prosperity.

We greatly appreciate the consideration and support provided by all of the aforementioned entities and look forward to the opportunities and challenges ahead. We are currently aligning stakeholder membership, establishing guidelines for engagement, determining funding requirements, and building a list of potential projects.

Jim Decker is president and chief executive officer of Warren County Chamber of Business & Industry.