As Washington County enters the New
Year it is an excellent time to reflect on the future. The landscape is rapidly changing with drill
rigs, new retail establishments and residential enclaves sprouting up
throughout the County. Growth brings additional pressures on established
institutions like county and municipal government, the court system and even
the City Mission. While absorbing this growth is an important issue, I am most
concerned about our social and creative development moving forward. Let me propose some issues to consider for
2016 and beyond.
Washington is becoming a tale of
five Counties. The identities of Peters Township and Southpointe are most
aligned with Allegheny County as high income business and tax havens on the
borders of the Pittsburgh urban metropolis. The Trinity Point/Old Mill retail
centers and Casino/Tangers complexes draw patrons from a wide geographical area
but do little to enhance the lives of local residents who do not have the means
to access them. The City of Washington and town of Canonsburg seek respect but
continue to fall short on major redevelopment.
The Valley is an afterthought with its dying steel towns. The countryside has morphed from scenic farmland
to the heart of an energy industry with wealthy landowners leasing to the
highest bidder.
Do we want a future Washington
County that encourages such a split personality? Are we living in a community
that does little to eradicate segregation of different social and economic
populations and little to bring us together?
As examples, did Southpointe or
Peters Twp. take notice when the County lost Wash Arts or that the City Mission
had a major fire or the ongoing struggles of Citizens Library? How many
residents in the perimeter hamlets of Washington County are aware of the
farmers market, volunteer Symphony or that many businesses have closed in the
City of Washington? Are the residents of
Monongahela informed of and able to find transportation to the excellent
performances at the Olin Arts Center at W& J College? Many more examples abound in a large rural
community where the wealthy wall themselves off from the rest of us. The
elderly and less fortunate without vehicles are at a distinct disadvantage in
enjoying the county’s many pleasures.
There are certainly actions that elected and
business leaders can take to foster intra county social interaction and
identification as “Washingtonians.” A more
socially integrated County would not only make us a better place to live but
also a shining star for other local governments to implement. According to Jeff Kotula, President,
Washington Chamber of Commerce: “Our county is well positioned, probably better
than any other county in the commonwealth, to maintain our positive growth.”(January
3, 2016 Observer Reporter) This growth
can support a vigorous social/economic master plan for the county where
everyone shares in the spoils of development
Consider an arts center in Southpointe as a
home for the Washington Symphony, our theater groups, a reborn Wash Arts, with
county wide public transportation to access the facility. Further, the placement of some county social
services, public housing, group homes and mental health facilities in our
wealthiest communities to “take down the walls” of social segregation. Why not
the building of affordable garden apartments in our towns to encourage retail
development around them. Lastly there is an immediate payoff through the
expansion of public notices of and transportation to the bountiful seminars,
performances and shopping that the County has to offer, opening up the county
to all its residents.
Societies are complex and contain
conflicting interests and Washington County is no exception. If we determine that our social aim is to
make life more pleasant for the majority, at the expense of a little less
pleasant for the wealthiest among us, Washington County will truly be a
socially integrated community and an inspiring place to live and work.
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