FEC meeting scheduled Monday in Menallen Township
Another in a series of Fayette Enterprise Community (FEC) meetings will be held at 9:30 a.m. Monday in the Menallen Township Municipal Building, located at Searights Crossroads along Route 40. The Fayette Enterprise Community is a designation given to the county through a federal program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“It’s been an exciting year for FEC and for Fayette Forward,’ said Bob Junk, FEC/Fayette Forward manager. “We have already held community meetings in Uniontown, Redstone Township, Dunbar Township and Connellsville. …The input we have received so far has been very good. There is a lot of interest, but we also have a lot of challenges in FEC.”
Officially named an FEC community in January 1999, Fayette County received the designation, in part, for its strategic plan, which is administered through Fayette Forward, combined with active citizen interest and concern in revitalizing the county.
Junk said the FEC plan consists of 98 benchmarks that will in some way “educationally, socially, economically, agriculturally, benefit the residents in the FEC, ultimately impacting their communities as a whole.
“The residents have been up- front with what they feel are important issues and have been very involved about their concerns,’ he said.
“Why should you attend this community meeting? The FEC program empowers you, as a citizen, to voice concerns or to make suggestions on the needs of your community. It will be equally as important for you to recommend ways to alleviate or fix these needs as well. This is your opportunity to speak up and state what you feel about your community and how to make improvements,” he added.
Junk said community leaders and citizens from FEC serve on its implementation committee. The FEC has seven sub-committees, with active citizen involvement from the community.
“We will be holding elections for two community residents at this meeting, and if you are interested in learning more about the FEC and how you can help move and shape your community’s future, please consider attending the community meeting,” Junk said.
Junk added that in Fayette Forward, the county’s overall strategic plan, a consultant will be hired in January to revise the plan.
“This is going to be done through eight community meetings to get residents’ input into the plan,’ Junk said.
More information on FEC and Fayette Forward is available by calling 724-437-7913.