Sep 16, 2014 4 min read

WAYNESBURG – An acting deputy secretary with the state Department for Community and Economic Development commended local officials Tuesday for the cooperation they have shown as they begin developing a new comprehensive plan for Waynesburg Borough.

Michael Cortez, DCED’s acting deputy secretary for Community Affairs and Development, spoke about officials from Waynesburg Borough, Greene County and Waynesburg University, which have come together as partners to review and amend the borough’s comprehensive plan.

DCED awarded the borough a $45,000 grant in April to revise the plan, which has not been reviewed since the mid-1960s. The borough will contribute $30,000 and the university $20,000 toward the plan’s development. Personnel from the county Department of Economic Development will assist in the effort.

Speaking at Stover Center at Waynesburg University, Cortez said he wanted to visit a community that shows the kind of cooperation exhibited in Waynesburg.

Cooperation, he said, “That is not something that in my opinion is always the norm.

“…The idea that you have been able to sit down and reach a consensus on what you should be doing and how you should be doing it and consolidating your resources, in my mind, is an example of what every community in the commonwealth should be trying to do,” he said.

Douglas Lee, Waynesburg University president, welcomed those in attendance and spoke of the cooperation in the past between the university and the borough. “As the community goes, so goes Waynesburg University, and vise versa,” he said.

“We have a great opportunity here, and we have great momentum. Working together, I believe, we can really do something spectacular.”

Greene County Commissioner Charles Morris also spoke of the importance of cooperative effort in developing the borough’s new comprehensive plan, but said others beside officials with the borough, county and university must be involved.

“Between the three of us, we think we can accomplish much, but we won’t be able to accomplish as much as we could unless we engage the leadership of our community also,” he said.

Business leaders, members of social organizations and residents must also have a say in the development of the plan, he said. “Unless it has the support of the community, its leaders and the people who live here, it will be doomed to failure,” Morris said.

A brief presentation on the history of the borough and the problems the community has faced was presented by Waynesburg Councilman Mark Fischer.

Fischer spoke of the problems that have resulted from the loss of population and the movement of development east toward the interstate , which has left vacant much of the space in downtown buildings.

He also spoke of the community’s problems with traffic, which only increased with the energy boom, parking, the need for good housing and maintenance of the older buildings downtown.

“Economic viability, what can we really do? How do we get businesses into downtown? How can we sustain the use of the structures, that’s a challenge,” he said.

Fisher noted the idea to look at revising the comprehensive plan actually came about in a discussion by council about zoning and code enforcement and whether anything could be done in those areas to stimulate growth.

With the formation of the partnership and the grant from DCED, steps can now begin to develop a plan to address the borough problems and its future, he said

“But it’s going to take more money, we realize; we’re not going to finish everything we can do with this first infusion of money,” he said. The group may seek other partners and opportunities as well as assistance from others who can supply some of the missing pieces to the puzzle, he said.

Updating the group on progress on developing the plan, Fisher noted two firms submitted proposals to assist with plan revisions. The firms, Mackin Engineering and HRG Engineering, have decided to work together on the project, he said.

In discussing the path forward, Fisher quoted what he said was his favorite saying from Henry Ford. “‘If everyone is moving forward together, success takes care of itself,'” he said. “Stay together, stay focused and you’ll win in the end.”

After a tour of Waynesburg, members of the DCED staff also visited the Community Action Southwest office on Greene Street. Cortez noted the group is celebrating its 50th annivsary.