Feb 1, 2007 By Jackie Beranek 3 min read

SOUTH CONNELLSVILLE – Connellsville Township and South Connellsville Borough officials formally agreed Wednesday to enter into an intermunicipal agreement without the city of Connellsville. South Connellsville Borough and Connellsville Township solicitor Richard Bower said that Connellsville Mayor Judy Reed and Councilman Brad Geyer were invited by e-mail to Wednesday night’s meeting plus the meeting was advertised in a local newspaper, and no one from the city showed up.

The agreement, according to community development specialist Teresa M. Furnier of Fayette County Planning, Zoning and Community Development, will allow both communities to move forward and create a comprehensive land-use plan.

Furnier said this would be a combined updated version of their comprehensive land-use plans. She additionally said that the township’s comprehensive plan dates back to 1999 while the borough’s plan was completed in 1972.

Bower said that the township and the borough didn’t have a problem going in on the plan with the city, however, city officials have shown little or no interest in going in with the township and the borough.

“The main stumbling blocks for the township and the borough seemed to be how much this will cost and how much say they would have in the plan,” said Bower. “We wanted to make sure that the plan was fair to everyone involved.”

Furnier said by going together in an intermunicipal agreement the township and the borough would be more eligible for grant money and the consultant is already in the area.

“It’s more cost efficient to go together,” said Furnier. “This is simply an agreement to update their plans. If the township and/or the borough were to go it alone, it could cost each of them up to $25,000 to do the same thing.”

Furnier said by going together it might only cost the two municipalities $15,000 or $20,000. Furnier said some of the items that the comprehensive plan will address are transportation, infrastructure, water and sewerage and parks and recreation.

She additionally said in the state Department of Conservation and natural Resources grants (park grants) one entire set of questions are devoted to the comprehensive plan.

She said they want to know if a community has a comprehensive plan and what year it was from.

She said they also ask if municipalities have a joint plan and if the county has a plan.

“If you don’t have a plan, then they take off points,” continued Furnier. “You actually score higher if you have all of these things in place, which makes you more eligible for grant funds.”

Bower said the municipalities agreed that any monies coming in through the agreement would be distributed equally between both entities. He also said that each municipality would have equal say in completing the comprehensive plan.

The two municipalities also created a seven-member steering committee that will include two Connellsville Township supervisors, two Connellsville Borough council members, a state Department of Transportation representative, Furnier and Donna Vorrasi, assistant to State Rep. Tim Mahoney, D-South Union Township.

Bower reminded those in attendance that they will be required to advertise their meetings under the Sunshine Act and municipal members agreed to share the cost of advertising.

Bower said the intermunicipal agreement between Connellsville Township and South Connellsville Borough would be signed by Feb. 12.