Money better spent elsewhere
In response to A.J. Williams’ letter, “Community college needed,” which appeared in the Observer-Reporter Feb. 28, I would ask Williams, who at one time was a candidate for commissioner of Washington County, where he was in 1999 when the commissioners asked for volunteers to be members of a task force to study the possibility of a Washington County Community College?
I volunteered and spoke to many organizations in the Mon Valley, and sent out surveys to determine interest in a community college. To make a long story short, the task force recommended to the Washington County Board of Commissioners that the county should move forward with the prospect of a community college. The commissioners voted against having a community college.
In the process, I would like to point out that at least seven members of the chamber of commerce from Donora endorsed the idea, because the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) was too expensive for nonresidents of Allegheny County, and that other facilities were close enough, such as Westmoreland County Community College (WCCC).
How would CCAC be good for Donora economically? The instructors would come from Allegheny County and they would spend their salaries in Allegheny County. There is nowhere in Donora for any money to be spent.
And to comment on the fact that state Rep. Pete Daley is seeking state funds to help the Community College of Allegheny County create an education center at the former Donora Elementary School, he and Donora Mayor Don Pavelko would be better served by trying harder to bring manufacturing or a large-scale retail developer to Donora rather than a school. Daley is leaving office, and he wants to spend taxpayer dollars that I believe would be better suited for other projects.
Larry Ridgway
Stockdale