Looking back
A look back at some of the headlines gracing the pages of the Observer-Reporter and the Waynesburg Republican this week in Greene County history:
County hosts kickoff of
‘shared vision’ regional project
WAYNESBURG – A group of business, government, nonprofit and philanthropic leaders Tuesday announced the beginning of a project to develop a “shared vision” for a 30-county, four-state region centered around Pittsburgh.
The “Regional Visioning Project,” which includes counties in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland, was announced at a news conference at Southwest Regional Medical Center in Waynesburg.
The fact Greene County was selected to host the project’s kickoff indicates what the mission is all about, “a regional effort,” said County Commissioner Pam Snyder, who also is a member of the project’s steering committee.
Greene County is “small but very mighty,” Snyder said, but when it comes to addressing some issues “we can’t do it alone.” Snyder said she looked forward to working with the group to define the region’s needs and develop viable solutions.
Allen Kukovich, a former state senator and most recently director of the governor’s Southwest Regional Office, said the two-year project will first involve “listening” to people about their thoughts on issues facing the region and possibilities for the region’s future.
The public participation process will include town meetings but also the use of innovative Web-based communications, said Kukovich, who will serve as the project’s executive director.
Pittsburgh company
to revamp master plan
WAYNESBURG – An engineering company from Pittsburgh will lead efforts to revamp Greene County’s comprehensive plan, commissioners decided Thursday.
At the regular meeting, county leaders chose Mackin Engineering Co. to conduct a complete upheaval of the 25-year-old plan, which guides decision making and acts as a blueprint for the county’s future.
Expanding water and sewer lines and fostering economic development will be some of the main issues to be addressed through the comprehensive plan, said Dennis Martinak, manager of planning services for Mackin.
At the same time, “we want to preserve what we have there now,” he said.
“Greene County is absolutely beautiful. It has a lot of green space, a lot of things to offer. But certainly, we need to find ways to stimulate economic development,” Martinak continued.
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Board to appeal medical
center tax exemption
WAYNESBURG – Greene County Board of Assessment Appeals filed notice Thursday indicating it will appeal a Greene County Court decision regarding the tax-exempt status of Greene County Medical Center.
The board will appeal to Commonwealth Court a decision issued April 13 by Judge William Nalitz under which the center on Route 21 in Franklin Township will remain exempt from property taxes.
The issue came before the court after Washington Hospital, owner of the center, appealed the board’s decision to include a portion of the building’s value on the tax rolls for 2004.
The board had determined that 48 percent of the building being used by the hospital was entitled to a tax exemption, but not the 52 percent that was being leased to another party. The value of the taxable portion was set at $576,040.
The hospital maintained it, as well as Washington Physician Services Organization (WPSO), which leases space in the building, are owned by the same parent company, Washington Health Care Services Inc. WPSO operations also are subsidized by the hospital.
The hospital argued properties owned and used by hospitals, which by law are considered “institutions of purely public charity,” are exempt from taxation.
In deciding the property was tax exempt, Nalitz noted the hospital subsidizes the operations of WPSO and money the hospital receives from WPSO’s rent payments ultimately is used to further the hospital’s charitable purpose.
Controller says county
deficit may be wiped out soon
WAYNESBURG – The Greene County commissioners received some good news from county Controller John Stetts.
He reported that the first quarter expenditures were 22 percent of the annual budget.
“If you can maintain a 22.4 percent rate over the next three quarters, we will be able to eliminate the $700,000 deficit with which the county began the year,” Stetts said.
January through March expenditures totaled $1,344,000, which is $171,000 below the $1,545,000 projected quarterly operating costs when the $6.1 million budget was adopted in December.
County Manager Stephen Love said the report is particularly encouraging because first-quarter expenditures are usually heavier than those in succeeding quarters.
Waynesburg captures 5th
straight county track title
Two records were set Monday as Waynesburg High School won its fifth straight Greene County track championship.The Red Raiders captured nine first places and shared the top spot in one other event to far out-distance three other teams.
Waynesburg finished with 87 ½ points. Second place Jefferson-Morgan had 41 ½, West Greene was third with 36, and Carmichaels was last with 16.
The Waynesburg 880 yard relay team of Joe Watson, Jim Fritz, Sam Herrington and Mark Cassidy beat the time set by J-M’s team in 1966. The new mark is 1:37.4.
The other new mark was established by J-M’s Ron Oakes, who pole vaulted 11 feet, five and one-half inches, one-half inch above the distance vaulted by John Lewellen of Mt. Morris High School in 1941.