Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Logan appointed city manager
He says he’ll focus on revitalization
COATESVILLE » Coatesville city council this week appointed James Logan as city manager.
Logan, who has served as assistant city manager for the past two years, has been serving as acting city manager since the retirement of former manager Michael Trio was announced two weeks ago at the close of his five-year contract.
“Even with the current challenges stemming from COVID-19, it’s an exciting time to live and work in Coatesville,” said Logan. “I’m honored to serve as city manager, and as I work with City Council I will continue to improve on the services we provide to our residents, as well as advocate for their well-being.”
Logan has previously held a number of city, workforce and economic development roles at organizations including the Chester County Economic Development Council, New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development, Delaware Valley Industrial
Resource Center, and the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board. His term begins immediately.
Logan said his focus will be on revitalizing Coatesville, which encompasses 1.9 square miles and has just over 13,000 people whose median income is just $38,000 per year.
“I am working on the opportunity zone, and continuing to move the city in a positive direction,” Logan said.
Key to much of the plans is the construction of a new Amtrak/SEPTA train station at Fourth Avenue and Fleetwood Street. Bids will be coming in this year, and construction might start in the spring, with two or three years set aside for construction.
“We are very excited about that,” Logan said.
The train station will give residents greater access to jobs, economic opportunities, and travel outside the city, while providing reliable transportation for commuters and visitors coming to the city. It could also reduce traffic congestion on Route 30, which will encourage more people to visit Coatesville and patronize its businesses.
Logan is also working on introducing a first-time homebuyer program, in cooperation with 2nd City Alliance, a Public/Private Partnership, funded by a collaboration between contributions from the private sector and the Chester County Department of Community Development.
“We are looking to identify vacant properties and get people from Coatesville qualified as first-time buyers and get them into homes,” Logan said.
Logan said he is fortunate to work with a very strong city council, and a strong police chief, Jack Laufer, who has implemented a community policing program that rewards youngsters for good behavior. Crime in the city has slowly ticked down in the past decade.
Logan, who lives 16 minutes from his office at City Hall, said he would “definitely consider” relocating into Coatesville.
“We all want to see change, and collectively we can start with encouraging communication, transparency and being respectful of one another’s views so that we strengthen our community, not divide it,” he said. “There are many residents and stakeholders already working hard every day to help this city rise, but they can’t do it alone. When we all realize that we can win by working together, that’s when we’ll see the real impact of the economic growth and opportunities we’re experiencing right now.”