We welcome Chris Frye, Mayor of New Castle, PA, to Business as Usual to discuss how COVID-19 has impacted small towns like his across the country. Chris has an amazing background of community engagement. He recently left Lawrence County Social Services Inc., where he managed four self-sufficiency grant programs. He serves on the New Castle YMCA Board of Directors and is a graduate of the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Lawrence County Program. Chris has a Masters’ degree in Social Work with a concentration in Community Organizing and Social Administration from the University of Pittsburgh. During his tenure in Pittsburgh, Chris immersed himself in opportunities to study organizational and neighborhood development. He conducted walk-about studies in East Liberty and Larimer neighborhoods. Join us for what promises to be an engaging and educational conversation.
Transcription:
So good afternoon, everyone. This is Audrey Russo, President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Technology Council. Another great day, another great day of conversation, very excited to have Mayor Chris fry. And I will formally introduce him in a moment, let's just get some of the appreciation and housekeeping out of the way deep appreciation for Huntington bank for being our longtime partners in this series and other things that we do across media and storytelling. And I also want to tell everyone, Jonathan kersting is here with us. He's vice president of all things, media and marketing t q, or radio show, etc. And he is going to be monitoring the chat, use this as an opportunity to ask the mayor any questions that you have, he'll keep his eye on that. And we've muted you, we've muted you just so that we don't hear any noise in the background. This isn't an opportunity for you to sell your wares. It's your opportunity to get to know Mayor Chris Frye. That's what the show is really about today. So appreciate everyone being here love having a chance to talk to a mayor, a mayor of a town called New Castle, which many of us here and in southwestern Pennsylvania are very familiar with, it's not that far away. And it's definitely part of our region. And we often don't get a chance to make sure that we're including all the people in our region. So today, we are thrilled to have Mayor Chris Frye, City of New Castle. And first of all, welcome there. So glad that you took the time with us today. And what I like to do is just get a chance to know who you are. Can you just tell us a little bit about your background?
Absolutely, yes, sorry. I'm on if you can hear the fire trucks come going on. It's a little noise. I'm right on the corner of our main street. So I apologize for that. But thank you so much for Audrey. And everybody for having me on today. You know, it's a pleasure to be here, have an opportunity to speak to the Pittsburgh Technology Council. I can't say it enough how important regionalizing and tapping into especially small communities throughout our region, as we strive to figure out what our niches really get an opportunity to come out in and pick your brains really pick your brains and share resources and information to really help us grow. I really do appreciate this talk.
Let's talk about your background, though. You and I overlapped in some years in the same city for a while but we obviously didn't know each other.
Yes, it's definitely a small world. Adrienne. Just in a few minutes before the call, we found out that we both had some time in Richmond I grew up in Richmond I was born in Richmond. Audrey is familiar with the neighborhood that I grew up in and know how diverse Richmond is and how many challenges Richmond has as a community and not a lot of people understand how rough it is, was for me growing up in that community and knowing the challenges and the impact that that had on my life and where I'm at today
but from Richmond. He lived there till you were how old though?
I lived in Richmond till I was about nine or 10 Oh no, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Apologize to us about seven, eight. Now we move north to Northern Virginia. To Sterling DC metro area of Dallas airport bustling every you walk out of your house as a new developments pop. Yeah. We lived there for a period of time with some family. And, you know, again, my mom, my mother at the time, you know, our lifeline I'd say was our grandma grandmother. And God rest her soul. Her mom passed away a track car accident and we just we needed somewhere to call home we needed somewhere to go back to so my mother had roots in New Castle she actually grew up here and porters Ville area. So in our in our in between here in Pittsburgh and cranberry area so she we she had some roots here and I had some family here so we we came to New Castle culture saw us kids from those two highly developed areas. It was a culture shock because we will walk around say what were those things when I was building my mom's like their bricks guys know jokingly when the historic presidents was definitely fell in the it just looked like it was lost in time for us at that at that point. You tell the story a lot. My mom reminds me of a lot when we traveled to Newcastle we recognized the extensive blight and extensive Under maintenance, the community was in lack of development, or was it? You know, as a 10 year old, 11 year old asking, you know, my mom, these questions, you know, kind of leads me to why I'm here today I wanted to know who was in control who plan this stuff who made who build buildings and made those decisions. And to remember, she reminds me like I said that there's, there's a mayor, and there's the council and there's a board who oversees it. And I guess from that time
you said that then that's it. That's it, I'm going after that, trying to fix it. But Newcastle at some point, just in terms of setting setting the stage for everyone. Newcastle actually was a pretty vibrant community at one point, right,
very, very vibrant. It was actually, you know, little New York City again, at one point it was the Pittsburgh at one point it was our population was at in the realm of 50, some 1000 people, bustling community, beautiful historic mansions and very fluent community 10 industry was that is what started all that. And just like, again, like a lot of rust belt communities, that loss of industry, in that Exodus started the first Exodus in our community where a lot of folks left and went to, you know, bring their talents and their their scales to other you know, following the other communities and other industries that were out there. So, we were kind of left behind and the remnants is still here is present. You know, you see a lot of warehouse facilities, vacant lots, or historic buildings that lay vacant now and are dilapidated roofs fallen in and we were mugged Margot, you know, is really to make that connection and try to get these beautiful, what's beautiful and still have the shell That's beautiful. Get them back to us.
How many people live in in Newcastle right now? And how many miles is it from downtown Pittsburgh?
55 miles from Pittsburgh? Okay, so not too far actually. Travel there and do some stuff down there. It's but I have three kids so they they keep me moving for for sports. Right now. There's the last census 20 21,000 people here in Newcastle. Okay, so
someone wrote in there is the harmony line ended in Newcastle. Is that true? Sorry, Harmony line, the harmony line ends in Newcastle. I just picked it up as a flash. Is that true?
I'm not familiar with
that. Okay. So here you are, the community is less than one half, right? It's less than one half? And is the community growing at all?
We haven't seen much growth has been on a steady decline on a steady decline for decades, stabilize that say for the most part in terms of where we are. But a lot of rural communities are feeling that impact Lawrence County in itself is on the decline as well. So Oh, is to sustain what we have and then also attract new. And, you know, how do we do that is I guess is the question. And what do we need to have infrastructurally? Is technology and what do we have to do to attract folks back to our community housing, roads, fix the blight? Things of that nature? So yeah, we've we haven't had seen much of an increase in population.
So just real quick, though, you have you have sort of made your mark as being the youngest mayor. Is it the youngest mayor, African and Republican? Is there a trifecta? Now?
There's, there's the there's a duo, there's the youngest mayor, from the records that I have the first African American mayor. I'm not the first Republican mayor. But there have been mayors who have been appointed or elected, who have been Republican, but there was a statistic, one across the state. I'm the first black Republican mayor, male, black republican American state.
You've been Mayor For how long?
This is a year and four months.
Oh, good. Okay, awesome. So let's talk a little bit about what people want should know about Newcastle and what the opportunities are and the things that you're working on. Because you were sworn in right before the pandemic. So you had the convergence of a lot of a lot of probably really interesting times.
Yeah, well, you know, We hit the ground running in 2020. You know, the excitement was there, the momentum was there. And for those first what, three months mug, you know, the goal was to get out there and do as much as we can promote the assets of our community. Newcastle's a home, Newcastle became home for me, I was ready to share my story. You know, 20 some years ago, Newcastle we came home literally became home to my family, we all still live here. Three sisters and my mother, we all still live in town. And the opportunities have presented so to go but we have chosen this day. So I was really ready to go out there and share how Newcastle is truly a hometown. It's a habit, it's a town, you can raise your kids, it's a town that you can retire, it is a town that you can start in. It's a It's a beautiful community, the natural assets and the environment is is right. You know, it's it's it's small, it's quaint, it has potential. Since you know, you were both a few of us on this car social workers, right, originally, which is another awesome, you know, small world awesome. We know, you know, you look at certain situations that has a blank slate, you know, and that there's opportunities and possibilities that you can build into, you can build in and give folks that hope to believe that. And that's where, you know, 2020 started out as and we really were pushing, you know, locally, statewide, nationally, I didn't get much International, maybe Canada a little bit but International, we were trying to hit all levels, grassroots all levels just to share that story. And and work as hard as we can. And abruptly it changed courses definitely changed courses on us. And there's the pros and cons of that there's the good and the bad. I know we'll get to COVID here.
I want to talk we can jump into COVID happened during COVID. I mean, obviously, that's been most of your tenure. So what have been the big priorities and some of the surprises.
So we had to put a lot of those plans to promote economic development, share our stories and show others how Newcastle hometown and opened up our doors for invitations to come here and give tours, I was a tour guide at Gani University. So I love giving. Side note, I customize my shoes, I really I lived it, it became me walking 10 miles a day. So I want to do the same. invite people to Newcastle to see to really be a part of you know who we are here. So that we had to put a lot of show want to show to promote our town. And what it did is we went into survival mode. The I don't want to say COVID had any good pieces bought it because, you know, sadly, the amount of people we lost in our nation was very, very devastating to a lot of our families and I had some close friends and relatives who passed away. But as mayor, and as, as mayor, what it really did is it allowed me to connect on some different platforms that I was hoping to gain relationship building, connecting with the local community, finding out what the needs are, and really take those steps and be more a lot more intentional with that first, then going out and trying to solve our issues, our economic issues, which we'll get to that soon, but with an ak 47, three year exit plan. The odds are stacked against us over these next three years and what we have to do to change the course of our economic future. Those were the things that you know, the, you know, I really was pushing for, but I appreciate the opportunity to kind of take a step back and reflect, self examine, and then go out in help identify and then solve the immediate needs of our community. So, honestly, I have what I say the best team I'm not a you know, selfish guy. Leave this I don't think I have my sisters might say say definitely. But my team, we were able to pull together and do our best to serve the community to the best of our ability and partner with the county, the state, other representatives more than Boyd and Bernstein, Senator Casey to really try to pull resources together to help our community and I think we accomplish that We accomplish that. But honestly, we're just like with anything. The we I don't think we fully realize what the impact of COVID is gonna be. Yeah.
I mean, I yeah, I mean, the impact is significant. And if the population The good news is sounds like the population is stable, and that's the good news for you. The other opportunity could be how do you attract businesses and economic development? But let's talk about tech just a little bit. You know, you have you have an audience here of people who provide tech services and tech solutions, what have you embraced? And what do you think could be most helpful for you, as we look to the next year,
pre pre COVID, you know, actually, my my goal was, and we are mid COVID, we're going to, we're promoting and trying to start a new castle, tech Council. So I wanted to embrace everybody that was here, currently doing it, the businesses, the individuals, recognizes a lot of folks in our county, who are who provide tech services or have tech businesses. So if there's news articles, we put out PR and everything, but we weren't able to get it up and running. There was a lot of going on with the elections and all that stuff. So we didn't even get it up and running. But you know, my goal, again, I'm a social worker, by education, social administration was my concentration and focus. And I don't, I don't really I'll be the first to say, I don't know, technology. I know the basics. But my goal was to have a group of people who could really spearhead and provide suggestions to myself, my team, and others out in the community and make connections with folks like you, you know, our, our neighbors, our parents, cities down the road from us, so
we can help you you're not alone. So you're not alone. You no need to recreate anything. So we will talk with the mayor, and anyone else who's listening, we will talk to you about strategy there, I think we could definitely pull together some things that will be that will be really important for the community. So there's a there's a question though there in the chat and private chat that was sent to Jonathan, he would like to ask you that right now.
Thanks me for joining us today. It's really great to hear your story so far, really cool stuff. So uh, Bob Lawson wants to know, how important is increased broadband and speed important for the growth of Newcastle.
So I've spoken to t mobile and we've we've discussed this a little bit broadband, Newcastle as a city, we're covered, we have coverage in the city, okay, in the rural communities on the outskirts. So that's more of a issue for our county commissioners, that they're that they're tackling. And I'm not I try to I'm at the seat as much as I can to understand how important it is for our county, because I honestly, don't believe Newcastle will make a rebound or fondest new Renaissance without partnering and aligning with what the county's goals are. But for the city itself, we're pretty we're intact. And then we have extensive coverage from what you know, I was provided and and shared without I can pull that up on my computer to see my own information from others. But
you know, there might be some opportunities, it's as we infrastructure money starts to, to trickle down that there's opportunities in there and, and broadband matters to people who just don't even live in cities people like to live in, in you know, suburban and semi rural areas as well. So Newcastle probably has a lot to offer there. So you know, one of the things that that my team dug up, Brian dug up that, you know, we have just recently invited the current CEO of Warner media, and he's a native pittsburgher to come back to Pittsburgh and spend some time with us. And as Brian draft to be invite he learned that Newcastle is actually home to some Warner history. What is that Warner history. I absolutely didn't know that until he dug it up.
There's a beautiful Warner Theatre on East Washington Street downtown. In the river Plex Commons. It's years ago, before my time, there was a big investment and one of the dilapidated building is right now it's home to quite a few different companies, Huntington bank, North American Dental Group, and also this museum and a local church. uses a site. And that was like the center focus of our development of our Renaissance years ago. And there's, they've put a lot of money into it, I've actually went watch the movie there. And there's a beautiful museum and the opera. And I spoke to the board and the CEO of the, of the museum, and there's hope. There's, there's goals, that they want to continue to tap into the water history. And, you know, I shared with them a few months ago that, you know, what I was some case studies, I was reading up on about small communities throughout the country, and how large companies like Warner and even some amusement parks, how they were kind of downsizing and becoming these smaller, he wanted to focus on smaller communities to bring back the historical there, history of their company. And we're hopeful that we're Our goal is to was to reach out to them not knowing that had anything to do with the pressburg company, and if that's something you guys can help with, but they looked at another building right downtown to expand the museum out and revitalize the old post office, which is a masculine building in itself. But unfortunately, it's dilapidated currently in the Warner theatre would like to expand and, and the museum out to that area. But yeah, it's beautiful history. You look at the old pictures and how it's all made up, there is a, you know, rows of buildings in the Warner theatre set right there. And that shows for nickel, and it's a, they have an amazing story. And they have all that plastic that all that history, all throughout the theater, and they still show the historical movies in that in that facility.
So that's exciting. Maybe we can do something that'll that'll help give some additional exposure to that, if we get the CEO and as well, that's sort of exciting. So you know, what can we do in terms of the tech sector in terms of helping you? And before and before we end, I want you to talk about some restaurants up there, there actually are some really good restaurants up up there that people should make the drive to. So let's just first start with the tech sector, what can we do? Because even though you're 55 miles away, it's not that far, we're on zoom right now. There's lots of layers, lots of things that we're working on the tech Council, like an apprentice program, that probably we should talk about in terms of developing the, you know, the next generation of people getting access to tech jobs, but what what is your wish?
That and I'll be honest with you, you know, my wish is to see as far as to tap into, you know, like you said, We don't got to reinvent the wheel, right, it's working, what's working in other communities, you hit, you hit a nail on the head, I had a meeting yesterday with our Career Link in town, and we will, what we're trying to do, for the from the city's Community Economic Development Department, from our standpoint, is, you know, from a city we need to grow. We need job creation, really, we needed that tax base, we need that population here for us to continue to be successful in our future. So folk places like the careerlink have resources, they actually can create the apprenticeship for you. And then we've just funneled the people to those connections, those collaborative partnerships, partnerships that we're looking for. That's what that's my goal. What do we know
that we can work with you on that
it protect jobs? And that's an whether that's with this, you know, the council or just even individual companies? One, we were highlighted in the New York Times as a zoom down. I don't know I could share that article. You can share it. I mean, I mean, there was one, there was two of us one city in Indiana. And then one in a New Castle. I didn't get any calls. And I think from what we found out, nobody really did any interviews on it, but they were able to track some data to show that folks were relocating to Newcastle. And Howard Hanna presented it to me, and he showed me what houses were being purchased, what houses were being renovated and what was being done to some of our beautiful homes in our town. And the question was is why? So this whole zoom town kit was ages 24 to 45. They were relocating because now they were able to work from home. All right, and what's that mean for technology? Right jobs there. There's opportunities there. But for me, it's what are they right? I don't know. We didn't do any aggressive marketing to make this happen. This was, again, one of the, I would say the good things about you know, and I say that loosely about COVID, you know, because thing, people had the pivot, and it's changed their lives. But, you know, how do we, how do why maybe us as a group, right, maybe your contribution to the region to say, you know, there are opportunities out there. And if you if you're 55, Newcastle bedroom community to Pittsburgh, you can drive 55 minutes to a big city, you can live in a small city, but you can work from home, you know, what are those jobs? And why? What are they in? How do you track that and market that successfully, but it will, you know, any opportunity for us to get into the news on it, especially on a national level, where it will take it so and as it aids to changing the perception of our community. So again, I don't want to reinvent the wheel. And I, for one, don't have the all the answers. I don't have all the answers for my community. I don't have all the answers from for what our niche is going to be. But I value the opportunity to partner and I value the opportunity to truly be open and work alongside groups like yours to put those put the our ideas, and our goals and our strategy in action.
Well, it's great. There's two other questions out here, Jonathan, that a really rapid fire, we're coming up to the end. Absolutely. Yeah.
So what are the obstacles that you have encountered, in reference to inform your community about options in higher education?
options in higher education? I think, you know, from from my perspective, and this comes from our conversation yesterday, I just think there's there's not enough, we all as a community have to all get behind higher education. Newcastle really is a town where the saying, you know, it takes a village to raise a kid, we raise our kids collectively as a group. And right now, we sometimes our priorities are sports, you know, in different things. But if we can partner with like our career links, and get those resources directly into the homes, to our, to our kids, to our high school students, to the kids coming out of high school, to our colleges, our college kids who are graduating, they're coming home looking for a job, we can do this, or the challenges are just I think they're really simple. I just think it needs to be marketed better. And we just need to do a better job. As, as I kind of, you know, you know, said we need to be the salesperson, we need to be the ones out there. And I'm willing to do it, it doesn't go too far. Who's that we're in the football, who's the head on? Who's the one that's going to go way into those communities and give it to him? And, you know, that's why that's why I believe I'm here. That's why I believe my team is here. Because really, we're only in we're in this for our community. And if we can change that dynamic, by just being more vocal about it, and intentional about it and marketing better, and it'd be a part of our story. That's how we solve that issue.
So we're coming up to the end, but I want to just ask you my restaurant question.
Oh, yes.
I need to know
people drive to Newcastle to go eat there's like two restaurants that are pretty awesome.
And there's there's so much and I don't want to get up being in trouble for promoting
rattle. rattle on you won't be
words, Edwards Mary's Peggy's Starwood we have
you're not getting in trouble you're now I'm not gonna.
Every everybody you know what a great resources visit Lawrence County. Okay, they have a list of companies and restaurant, burger trails and wineries and things like that Vinay says a local winery. Lot of local coffee shops to Confluence are beautiful places to come to visit. You know, and we're building around all of that building around this entire concept of great place to come to but visit Lauren County. Lawrence County is a place you can see that list of restaurants and
right anyone listening he did not intend to meet to leave you out. I know that restaurant. Lexie has put up visit Lawrence County, which he says they have an amazing art museum. And Brian put out the New York Times story. So there's a lot going on. It's only 55 miles away. I bet Jonathan can ride that in an afternoon on his bike headed up to an apple bike trail. Jonathan,
there's a great bike trail.
I'm in Let's go.
There's lots going on. You are part of our region. I'm thrilled that you are had joined us today. I'm thrilled that you're trying to levitate all this I think there's lots of things that we can talk about offline about developing talent and staying connected across the tech ecosystem. My hat's off to you for being there building a life and representing the region. And I think that you can probably find out someone asked a question about what made it so attractive in the past, all that information is probably available on visit Lawrence County in terms of the history. So I want to thank you for being with us taking the time, I know that you have a very busy schedule, despite the size of your community. There's lots of needs, and there's lots of opportunities. So thank you, Mayor Frye, this is not going to be the first of our conversations, and really appreciate you taking the time with us.
Thank you all. And I really appreciate this opportunity. I really like
to check out harmony station with Jonathan, what's up tomorrow,
Friday, we're ending the week on a really fun positive note. We're talking to Todd Underwood and lead engineer at Google learning all about Google's expansion here in Pittsburgh and some of the projects they're working on. It's a great way to learn more about what they're up to.
Thank you, Mayor. Stay Dan's
on the call. Taylor. Thank you so much, everybody.
Thank you. Take care everyone. Stay safe.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai