Nov 15, 2009 By State Rep. Tim Mahoney 3 min read

It is time for Fayette County’s 42 municipalities to end decades of pa-rochialism in providing public services, so I am inviting all citizens, elected officials and community leaders to stand together and craft a bold new initiative on regionalization. In the past we have seen leadership summits to create and cultivate new ideas to combat poverty and create jobs.

This time, I am proposing a similar approach that culminates in a town hall meeting, where the best ideas for providing municipal services – such as police and fire protection – can be heard and acted upon.

Such town hall meetings are in the process of being scheduled to being these pertinent discussions. It is time to put the interests of the community ahead of county politics.

For too long, each of Fayette County’s 42 municipalities have been operated as separate entities, where in many cases services simply aren’t provided because the powers-that-be say often correctly, “We are too small and don’t have the money.”

But with a shift in thinking and a willingness to be proactive instead of reactive, this obstacle can be overcome. I would urge everyone to visualize a new model by thinking of the county as a jigsaw puzzle, where each municipality is a part that fits into the overall picture. Each part of the puzzle has a role to play – but with a single piece missing, the picture is not complete.

As the sponsor of House Bill 351, which would allow for the administrative consolidation of school districts, I believe that the approach of combining resources will result in cost savings and better service.

In a county where student populations are 40 percent less than 35 years ago and continue to decline, it makes fiscal sense to consider alternatives that will save the taxpayer money. The same can be said of municipal services.

In terms of one critical public service – police protection – it is no secret that most of Fayette County’s municipalities forego having their own police department.

They spend nothing at all, relying exclusively on the state police to protect their citizens. But there are perpetual bills in the state legislature that could end that free ride, requiring municipalities to pay $100 per person or upwards of $158 per person for state police protection if they don’t have any local police presence. What is the local plan if that happens?

The vast majority of the county’s municipalities rely on volunteers to provide fire protection. While they do a stupendous job, it is no secret that declining population and busy work sche-dules are rapidly thinning the number of volunteer firefighters.

A regional approach, even within the same township, is something that warrants serious consideration. We should do something about this before small volunteer fire departments start closing.

There was a famous saying that, “No man is an island unto himself.” I believe that for the betterment of all Fayette Countians, it is time to realize that no municipality is an island unto itself. We are all in this together, and we should rise or fall together.

By combining resources, it is possible for Fayette County to provide more municipal services at a reasonable cost, improving the quality of life for everyone. I invite you to join me in the effort to start thinking and acting like a region.

We should not be content to “move Fayette forward.” For a change, let us do something to put it at the front of the pack.

State Rep. Timothy Mahoney, D-South Union Township, represents the 51st legislative district, which includes much of Fayette County.