Priority Issues Workshop creates an action plan for the future of Westmoreland County
Judy Duritsa, a 48-year Westmoreland County resident, said a big issue in the county is losing emergency personnel as the population is decreasing and not enough people giving back to their communities, during the “Population Retention & Attraction” workshop held Wednesday at Westmoreland County Community College. The priority issues workshops are part of “Reimagining Our Westmoreland,” a comprehensive plan designed to help the county prosper by getting feedback from residents on issues, concerns, and opportunities within the county.
Westmoreland County residents share their ideas on potential goals and actions that Westmoreland County can undertake to address key issues in the community, during the ‘Population Retention & Attraction’ workshop held Wednesday at Westmoreland County Community College. The workshop was one of several priority issue workshops held as part of ‘Reimagining Our Westmoreland’, a comprehensive plan designed to help the county prosper by getting feedback from residents.
Richard Overmoyer (left), CEO of Fourth Economy, and Rhiannon Haller (right), Housing Community Specialist for Mullin and Lonergan Associates, facilitate the ‘Population Retention & Attraction’ workshop held Wednesday at Westmoreland County Community College. The workshop was one of several priority issue workshops held as part of ‘Reimagining Our Westmoreland’, a comprehensive plan designed to help the county prosper by getting feedback from residents on issues, concerns, and opportunities within the county.
Carlotta Paige, from Westmoreland Community Action and co-chair of Westmoreland County Diversity Coalition, suggests developing a campaign designed to raise consciousness regarding difference and acceptance during the ‘Population Retention & Attraction’ workshop held Wednesday at Westmoreland County Community College. The priority issues workshops are part of ‘Reimagining Our Westmoreland’, a comprehensive plan designed to help the county prosper by getting feedback from residents on issues in the county.
YOUNGWOOD — Hoping to find ways to make Westmoreland County a more competitive place to live, work, invest and visit, a group of civic leaders and citizens gathered at Westmoreland County Community College on Wednesday, where they shared ideas during a “priority issues workshop.”
According to Brian Lawrence, deputy director of the Westmoreland County Department of Planning and Development, the purpose of the workshop was to set goals, establish an action plan, define ways to measure success and get to know other members of the community.
“Tonight the real work begins,” Lawrence told the participants during opening remarks. “We will start to dig deeper into seven priority issues for Westmoreland County.”
Attendees broke off into groups to discuss the seven priority issues in more depth. Topics included shared services and regional decision making, land use regulations and development, livability, main streets and neighborhoods (housing), business retention and attraction, transportation, and population retention and attraction.
During a workshop moderated by Rich Overmoyer, president and CEO of Fourth Economy, participants offered insights into how they would address population retention and attraction.
Potential solutions included creating more affordable housing, offering mentoring for young professionals, incentivizing businesses to relocate to the area, improving the transportation infrastructure and making immigrants and diverse racial/ethical populations feel more welcome.
Roderick Todd Booker, director of music for Westmoreland County Community College, felt that communication will be key in bringing the county together to overcome its challenges.
“We need to do a lot more talking,” he said. “It’s OK to see why we have different ideas.”
The aim of the year-old “Reimagining Our Westmoreland” process is to provide a “road map” for land use and development over the next two decades in Westmoreland County. To date, nearly 4,000 people have been involved in the process — both online and in person — and they have identified a declining population, rapidly increasing median age and a relative lack of diversity as key challenges Westmoreland County will face in the future.
Overmoyer said the breakout sessions will serve as a springboard for future action.
“We are trying to build a portfolio of ideas that we will take to other people for implementation,” he said.
Westmoreland County Commissioner Ted Kopas told the attendees that solutions for these problems have to be found sooner, rather than later.
“One of the hardest things to do is to look in the mirror at yourself,” he said. “We need to acknowledge that our population is shrinking and getting older. We can’t kick these problems down the road for our sons and daughters to take care of. Think big and bold. And let’s get started tonight.”