Cheers & Jeers
Cheers: The Fayette County Infrastructure Bank (FCIB) granted its first loan this week to the North Fayette County Municipal Authority for water treatment plant and waterline projects. Aimed at helping municipalities and authorities fund infrastructure repair and improvement projects, the FCIB offers municipalities and authorities a quicker, more reliable financing option through a special county fund. “Using low-cost loans through our program, townships, municipalities and other entities will be able to receive funding for projects that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to complete,” said Commissioner Dave Lohr.
Jeers: Remember those unsettling science-fiction movies from way back where everyone just mysteriously disappears in a puff of smoke? Residents of North Charleroi Borough should be feeling that way right now when it comes to their local government. Without any explanation, the borough’s mayor, solicitor and three council members have all resigned. None has commented on why they all quit en masse, and borough residents are left wondering who exactly is in charge there. This is the second Washington County municipality to see mass resignations in recent months, following an exodus by Union Township officials in October. North Charleroi probably should have merged with Charleroi long ago – it only has about 1,300 residents – but that’s another matter for another day. In the meantime, the council members and other officials who are stepping down should be candid with their constituents about why they are leaving.
Cheers: January is almost over and, for a lot of us, snow shovels have not been used at all in 2023. The bags of salt that were ready to treat sidewalks and driveways have gone unopened, and plans to engage in winter sports like snowboarding have gone unfulfilled. Sure, there has been some snow that has accumulated here and there, but it’s been light and has not stayed around long. If you’re wondering where snow has been, you’re not alone – The Washington Post recently reported on a “snow drought” that stretches from Maine to North Carolina. It includes Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York City, none of which have yet seen any snow this year. The lack of heavy snow so far is a little troubling, given that a changing climate could be one of the culprits. And, yes, February, March and April are still ahead of us. But not having to endure mountains of snow that can make winter all the more forbidding is something most of us can be grateful for right now.