Feb 7, 2005 4 min read

It is encouraging to finally witness cooperation between Fayette County and Uniontown, with the inking of an agreement that allows the city to use a county project as matching funds in obtaining a state grant. Uniontown needed to come up with a way to quickly match $3.5 million in state funds or risk losing the seed money to move forward with it revitalization plans. After some wrangling, the commissioners agreed Monday to allow the city to include $900,000 worth of renovations at the former Federal Building as part of the match. City Council followed the next day with a resolution to borrow $2 million.

The cooperation fostered between the city and county goes far beyond the dollar amounts. It ushers in a new era in which hopefully both political jurisdictions understand that it is to everyone’s benefit that they work together.

There has been little doubt that one of the three county commissioners, Joe Hardy, would back the city. He’s already put millions of his private funds (some of which the city can use as a grant match) into purchasing, and now renovating and marketing downtown properties. He also built two public plazas. Hardy’s success with his private venture is inextricably tied to the city’s success in constructing a parking garage and continuing much-need streetscaping projects. Large retailers need more parking spaces than are currently available. While Hardy can wave his cigar and cause people to jump in the private sector, he holds just one of three votes to force the county to move.

For longer than we dare recall, the city and county have failed to consider mutual benefits. Uniontown has benefited little as the county seat, other than for its downtown to host the courthouse and county office buildings.

However, there appears to be an awakening that each is interdependent upon the other for success.

The county will certainly benefit once the city’s new garage is built closer to its end of town. Two immediate problems will be solved for the county: parking for employees, who balk at walking several blocks from the existing garage, and for jurors who circle lots looking for spaces. Jurors who don’t often come to Uniontown can be turned off in frustration from returning during non-trial weeks.

Hardy understands what the city projects means to him, and hopefully to the people he represents. Commissioner Vince Vicites, apparently suggested at the start of this project that he would consider using the Federal Building as a match. This was a consolation prize of sorts when the city asked a couple years ago for some money from the last bond issue.

Commissioner Angela Zimmerlink didn’t vote for this, but she didn’t shoot it down either. She simply abstained. Zimmerlink’s problem is that she isn’t certain that the county won’t want to use that project as a match in applying for grants for one of its own projects. It’s unlikely that would occur, but she wanted certainty. She also worried Uniontown’s agenda was being advanced over that of other municipalities or county agencies.

What she should begin to realize is that the city’s economic health is a top priority and not just for the mayor and council. The county’s fate is tied to Uniontown’s.

Perhaps with better communication between the city and county, Zimmerlink would draw closer to that conclusion. While this deal did go through, it appeared that it could have blown up. The city claims Zimmerlink ignored repeated requests for a private meeting. Despite presenting it as a request at a public meeting, the city had already included the project in a grant application, based on private assurances by other commissioners.

Words were exchanged; feelings, hurt and a sense that words were said by a number of parties that can’t easily be retrieved. That is unfortunate. Most of that could have been avoided if these elected officials would have discussed and given assurances during public meetings. The record then would have been clear for all to reference should any dispute have arisen. We have several times urged the city to issue updates as it progresses with this project, as public interest is especially keen. We would suggest again that a report be given during council meetings. And it might foster better relations if the city sent a copy of its progress report along to the commissioners’ office. Good will gestures rarely backfire.