Venango County is facing a demographic shift as many residents reach retirement age, with insufficient young people to replace them in the job market. Gordon Bickel reported a significant drop in high school graduates and noted that about half of them remain in the county. This loss, combined with annual deaths and retirements, equates to a consistent reduction in the workforce-aged population. Local employers are struggling to find workers, exacerbated by the closure of trade schools and the lack of skilled labor. Additionally, Cranberry Township is dealing with overgrown intersections affecting road safety and limited funding for roadside maintenance. During a recent meeting, supervisors addressed various issues, including ordinance updates, a floodplain management transfer to the county, and awarding contracts for fuel and anti-skid materials.
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