Faithful Few Show Up at Commissioners Town Hall
Commissioners Pat Fabian, Jason Renshaw and George Skamai answered questions at Sugarcreek Township during their first town hall meeting.
Following their regular public meeting last night, County Commissioners removed their suit jackets and loosened their ties a bit.
The relaxed sentiment enabled more than a half-dozen local residents to initiate talking points and questions during the first stop in the September town hall meeting circuit at Sugarcreek Township Fire Hall in East Brady.
For the next 90 minutes, commissioners addressed several different issues – from drugs and the Armstrong County Health Center to street conditions and city sewage.
When Arian Metzler of Sugarcreek asked ways commissioners are combating narcotics use, District Attorney Scott Andreassi and 911 Coordinator Ron Baustert shared Metzler’s concerns and reiterated ways residents can help get drugs off the streets.
Andreassi said he has seen the drug issue worsen during his tenure, but complimented commissioners for being proactive by way of prevention, education, treatment and enforcement.
“We are literally losing a generation of kids to heroin, cocaine, alcohol. It scares me every day,” Andreassi said. “(From) 64 year old overdoes to 14-year-old overdoses, no one is immune.”
Baustert said some law enforcement officers are trying to combat the issue by carrying potentially life-saving Narcan, but urged residents to call 9-1-1, County Sheriff Bill Rupert’s “See Something, Say Something” hotline or ARMNET.
It was also suggested giving kid-friendly stickers with the important phone numbers or initiating more community grassroots drug-prevention organizations like Apollo Borough’s RAID.
Andreassi said 80 percent of the 132 inmates in the Armstrong County Jail are committed because of drug crimes.
Commissioners also look to bring in more Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission treatment funds or possibly create a detox facility.
Commissioners also offer treatment to Armstrong County Jail addicts by way of Vivatrol shots.
Request for Proposals are being sought from interested companies in the exploratory process to sell the Armstrong County Health Center in Kittanning after repeated annual losses despite different management approaches.
Commissioner Jason Renshaw said the primary concerns for county officials include local jobs and patient care, however, and that those factors will dictate how far the process continues.
“We have to do something - We’re going to have to put all the cards on the table and see what our options are,” Renshaw said. “It’s not a decision (commissioners) like to do, but these are tough decisions – that’s why we’re here.”
The facility is owned by the State, but the County hopes to acquire it for as little as $1.
Sugarcreek Township Supervisor Randy Toy found the town hall meeting “very informative,” prompting him to consider attending other future meetings.
“I think the issues brought up (Thursday), (commissioners) covered well and I think they’re going to allow us to have a smart answer,” Toy said.
The meeting was also attended by a Perry Township elected official.
Overall, Commissioner Chair Pat Fabian said the about-30 residents and County officials was a good turnout for the first event. He was glad the event was able to provide a more-complete understanding of issues and the process of getting to that decision.
Commissioner George Skamai was impressed with the turnout as well.
Next Thursday evening’s town hall meeting will be held at 7PM at Distant Area Fire Hall.
Local News | jweaver September 2, 2016
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By jorn jensen, September 2, 2016 @ 7:39 AM
Kudos to the commissioners for going public. The last 30 years of commissioners could have done the same…..but didn’t.
Commissioners now need to influence state legislators to enact legislation to make Pennsylvania right-to-work, and pass HB/SB 76 property tax elimination and then companies will be interested in setting up manufacturing and business in Pennsylvania, and in Armstrong County.
Counting on KOZ and LERTA just temporarily ease the burden of taxes (and transfer the additional burden to other existing taxpayers) - they are not long term solutions to the problem. Plus, KOZ and LERTA only admit that the tax climate is onerous, otherwise, there would be no need for them.
Pay attention to the details.
By Just sayin, September 2, 2016 @ 12:29 PM
Would be nice to hear more than 47 seconds of the meeting.
Where are these workers and patients/residents going to go?
By Just sayin, September 2, 2016 @ 12:41 PM
Do your research. The Health Center has always had financial troubles —since way back in the 70s. It has always managed to keep afloat for the poor and middle class citizens of our county. We owe it to our elderly to take care of them.
That’s what I’d like to see a change in— respect for our elderly (like the Asian cultures have).
Where are these people going to go? They can’t afford dying in a hospital or private nursing home.
Shame on the commissioners.
Whose is it to sell—the county or the state?
No one has answered that question yet.
All those renovations for nothing. Hiring Affinity for nothing. Wasting money for nothing.
If you are selling (if the county owns it), QUIT putting money into it. You are wasting our taxes for some private company to buy the building. Let the NEW OWNERS do more renovations or tear it down.