Volunteers needed to sustain progress
For those complainers who claim no progress is ever made in Fayette County, the facts dispute their contentions. The county’s unemployment rate is down, and the population numbers continue to rise. Another opportunity is being offered to all citizens to contribute their ideas to sustain this progressive growth. Six public meetings are being scheduled by the Fayette Forward Steering Committee, Fay-Penn Economic Development Council and the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce.
The goal is to update the county’s long-range development plan, which is now five years old. Much has occurred during the past five years.
Bob Junk Jr., manager for Fayette Forward, noted that the population has jumped by 2 percent, or 3,200 new residents from 1990 to 2000. The number of households in the county increased by 3,860.
The median household income rose from $19,195 to $27,451. The unemployment rate dropped from 8.5 percent to 6.6 percent. The number of people whose income is below the poverty level decreased from 30,378 to 26,434.
Taxpayers and other members of the public will hear reports on these economic developments at the six public meetings. More important, however, is the fact that everyone will be asked for their suggestions in the process of setting priorities for the next five years.
Committees will be formed, composed of volunteers who have interests in particular areas of development, such as agriculture, environment, tourism, infrastructure, social conditions, education, business, and marketing.
The meetings are scheduled at 5:30 p.m. March 25 at Connellsville’s City Hall; March 27 at 10 a.m. at Penn State’s Fayette Campus, and at 5:30 that same day in Farmington at a location to be determined; April 1 at 1 p.m. in downtown Uniontown, and again at 5:30 p.m. that day in Masontown at locations to be determined; and at 5:30 p.m. April 3 in Brownsville’s north side fire hall.
Citizen participation is important at these sessions. The county’s public and private leadership need the assistance, and they need to hear suggestions from everyone.
If you are one of those who complains that government leaders are not providing the direction the county needs to move forward, here’s your chance to speak out, offer suggestions for solutions of your own, and then volunteer some of your personal time on a committee to get the job done.
A large number of volunteers are involved in hundreds of worthwhile projects throughout the county. The statistics show the county is on the right track. We need to make sure that momentum and forward movement continue for the next five years.