Officials explain need to update long-range plan
Fayette Forward manager Robert Junk (left) addresses the audience at a press conference on the need to update Fayette County’s long-range plan. Also on the panel are Fayette County Commissioner Vince Vicites, Paul Bacharach, Uniontown Hospital chief executive officer, and Muriel Nuttall, executive director of the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce. Pointing to a decrease in its unemployment rate and an increase in its population, Fayette County officials said Thursday that there’s been much progress made economically since the county drafted its long-range plan in 1998.
The good news shows how much things have changed over the past five years and the need to update the county’s long-range plan, they added, as plans were unveiled for a new plan during a press conference Thursday held by the Fayette Forward Steering Committee, the Fay-Penn Economic Development Council and the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce.
To insure its success, officials said they plan gather public input by holding six public meetings over the next two months.
The goal is “maximum public participation,’ according to Fayette County Commissioner Vincent A. Vicities, who co-chairs the strategic plan committee for Fayette Forward with Uniontown Hospital CEO Paul Bacharach.
“This is an opportunity for people to make a difference and get involved in this plan,’ added Vicites.
Fay-Penn president Mike Krajovic noted that much has changed over the past five years.
“There’s a new spirit and excitement in the community,’ said Krajovic, noting the county is “on the tip of a very significant growth spurt.’
But despite the progress, Krajovic said many residents still have a negative perception of the county and they should be asked to get involved in developing the plan.
Noting the many changes that have taken place since 1998, Krajovic said traffic congestion on Route 119 through Connellsville was not an issue in 1995, but it is now. “The needs change with time.”
Agreeing with Krajovic was Robert Junk Jr., manager for Fayette Forward, who said the plan is a “living document” that should be revised every five years.
His presentation included a comparison of the county’s census data from 1990 and 2000. The changes in the demographic information highlight the need for updating the plan, Junk said.
He said the changes included:
? A population increase of 2 percent, or about 3,200 people, to 148,544 in 2000.
? A decrease in the the number of people under 18 from 35,083 to 33,734 and a slight increase in the number of people 65 years old and older, which now stands at 26,000.
? A increase in the number of households by approximately 3,860 while the number people per household slightly dropped.
? An increase in the median household income from $19,195 to $27,451.
? A decrease in the annual unemployment ll by 2.2 percent from 8.5 to 6.6 percent.
? An increase in the number of people over 25 years old with a high school diploma from 67.8 percent to 76 percent.
? A decrease in the number of people living below the poverty level from 30,378 to 26,434.
Junk said that comments and ideas gathered from the public meetings will be prioritized, adding the most important ones will be given to action committees that will study the proposal and develop plans for implementation.
Separate action committees could be set up to address issues like agriculture, environment, tourism, infrastructure, social conditions, economic development, business and education and public relations and marketing, he noted.
Junk said the goal is to complete the plan and have it approved by the commissioners by the end of the summer.
Here’s the schedule for the meetings:
? March 25 at 5:30 p.m. in Connellsville City Hall.
? March 27 at 10 a.m. at Penn State’s Fayette Campus and at 5:30 p.m. in Farmington.
? April 1 at 1 p.m. in downtown Uniontown and at 5:30 p.m. in Masontown.
? April 3 at 5:30 p.m. in Brownsville’s north side fire hall. The meeting places for the sessions in Farmington, Uniontown and Masontown have not been selected.