According to the mayors of Farrell and Sharon, there's no way that a plan outlined by James DeCapua to capture some of the state Capital Budget money will work.

"That's gone by the wayside," said Sharon Mayor David Ryan.

But DeCapua, executive director of Mercer County Regional Council of Governments, said some of the ideas discussed Thursday could come to fruition.

"We're trying to get everybody's act together," said DeCapua, adding that he does not want to comment further until COG's board meets Wednesday.

DeCapua acknowledged the $7 million Capital Budget grant relinquished by James E. Winner Jr. for Westinghouse Electric Corp.'s former Sharon Transformer Division plant will not be sought.

"Too many hoops," he said. "Too many rules and regulations. But there's nothing stopping us from going ahead with some of the things that we discussed."

DeCapua proposed applying for $4 million for the renovation of the Columbia Theatre, Sharon, $2 million for downtown improvements to Sharon and $1 million for Farrell to demolish vacant buildings on Idaho Street, rebuild residential areas and encourage patronage of the city's ethnic clubs, said Farrell Mayor William Morocco.

The Capital Budget program requires a local match equal to the local investment, and DeCapua proposed using federal transportation funds.

County development officials said the Capital Budget match must be used for the same project, Morocco said.

"It's too bad," Morocco said. "A lot of inventiveness there. I told him I appreciated all the time he spent on it."

"They're good projects but they don't fit in," Ryan said.

Ryan noted that Sharon is undergoing a revitalization study and could incorporate DeCapua's ideas into it.

Commissioner Cloyd "Gene" Brenneman also complimented DeCapua on his effort and ideas, calling them "seeds for the future."

Brenneman said it was a worthy meeting just to have the councils of Farrell and Sharon; county and planning officials; Winner; state Rep. Michael C. Gruitza, D-7th District, Hermitage; and state Sen. Robert D. Robbins, R-50th District, Salem Township, in the same room.

"He stimulated a lot of thought and conversation," Brenneman said. "What will come out of it, I don't know."

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Joe Pinchot at

jpinchot@sharon-herald.com