Nov 16, 2013 2 min read

The Borough of East Washington was established in 1892. I had the privilege of being its mayor for approximately 30 years. In 1992, we celebrated the borough’s centennial with a program at the borough flag pole. At the time, as I looked at the crowd prior to speaking, it surprised me that there were as many nonresidents of the borough there as residents. I pointed this out during my remarks. It became evident to me that being a “resident” of East Washington Borough is not a matter of geography, but heart.

I offer this thought because I no longer live in the borough, having moved to South Strabane Township. As a “resident” though, I urge all of the citizens to attend the special meeting being held Monday at 7:30 p.m. at First Christian Church on East Beau Street in Washington. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the future of the borough’s police department.

In my opinion, the current police force is exemplary. I would urge all to attend the meeting in support of the East Washington Police Department. It has always been my opinion that there is no reason for East Washington to exist as a separate municipality if it does not have its own police department. The advantages are many, including a 24-hour police presence, local control of police services and local citizen contact with the police.

Harold Fergus Jr.

South Strabane