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What does it take to enforce building codes?

4 min read

This is my opinion on the Waynesburg zoning codes and building codes. At the beginning of a project, all codes for new mobile homes was to be done to a tee. Codes are black and white, with no gray area. The Waynesburg Zoning Board was hard-core with a mobile home dealer and construction company, but these people don’t do anything by the codes. Heck, this handyman didn’t even lay a straight or square line for the footer. This company, if you want to call it that, didn’t even do the decks to building code. You can see in person at my place how well they abide by codes.

I have read about other shady contractors doing the same think like this in Washington, and that the justice system will not enforce these laws. When it comes to these businesses, watch as the system looks the other way.

I can’t get any agency or zoning officer to nail this dealership. There was one thing done after the new statewide code law went into affect; a french drain wasn’t done right to the codes. Where is the state code enforcer?

I have property damage by the mobile home crew and a lot by the construction company. As far as the law goes, businesses have all the rights and the average homeowner doesn’t. The way things are being done today; I will say one word: Nuts!

Terry Madlock

Waynesburg

Former resident sings Roberts’ praises

I am a former resident of Fayette County and am a frequent visitor. I have a lot of family in the area.

I do read the newspaper concerning the election. Larry Roberts is a decent caring person and does a great job as a state representative. Upon reading and hearing about him, he has helped a lot of constituents; especially our senior citizens, rebate program, and veterans just to mention a few. He continues to fight for property tax rebate and rent relief.

Janet M. Myers

Lancaster

When it comes to sitting clinic, it’s location, location, location

On July 27, U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi announced that the VA community based outpatient clinic would be coming to Uniontown.

According to the VA, Uniontown was selected for several major reasons. Records indicate that Uniontown has the largest population of any town in Fayette County with approximately 14 percent of the county population, and Brownsville with approximately 5 percent of the county population. The VA believes the percentage of veterans in each town is similar to the percentage of the basic population; therefore, they wish to locate the Fayette clinic where most of the veterans live. Uniontown is more centralized than any other town in the county, allowing accessibility to a larger number of veterans in Fayette County. All major thoroughfares in Fayette County (i.e., Routes 21, 40, 51 and 119) pass through Uniontown making a clinic in Uniontown more accessible to veterans residing in the less populated areas of the Fayette County.

In addition, the Department of Veterans Affairs has a policy designed to ensure that clinics are not located in such close proximity that the result is competition between clinics for the same basic veteran/patient population. Placing a clinic near the northern or western boundaries of Fayette County would clearly ad to geographic overlap of coverage zones in Washington and Westmoreland counties, causing significant competition for many of the same veterans and also making it more difficult for Fayette County veterans in the southern or eastern areas of the county to travel to the clinic.

The VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System will not be building a new facility or purchasing costly equipment for the new Fayette County clinic. A contract will be awarded requiring the selected contractor to be responsible for furnishing the space, equipment and staff for total operation of the clinic.

The Fleet Reserve Association addressed the VA plans for veterans’ future healthcare needs. The Department of Veterans Affairs is transforming its health care system to continue to bring health care for veterans into the 21st century. Director Moreland stated that the clinic in Uniontown would be opened by January. While veterans will still have to travel to Pittsburgh for specialized treatments, a clinic in Uniontown is a step in the right direction. These improvements are important steps in our journey towards providing our veterans with a healthcare system so that all veterans will have local access to a wide range of services.

James R. Smith

Fleet Reserve Association

Hopwood

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