Nov 10, 2025 2 min read

Washington County’s decision to end its economic development contract with the Washington County Chamber was the right move — both financially and in the interest of accountability.

The $1.6 million, 10-year agreement, signed in 2023, was supposed to deliver coordinated, transparent economic development work. However, instead of clarity, it became a growing source of frustration and confusion. For two years, county Commissioners Nick Sherman and Electra Janis publicly questioned what measurable results the chamber had achieved and what oversight they truly had over their performance. This erosion of confidence highlights why, when a public-private partnership operates behind closed doors, with limited reporting and unclear outcomes, it ceases to serve the public interest.

Ending this contract does not mean Washington County is abandoning economic development. On the contrary, it opens the door to new, more transparent, and performance-based models. The chamber had decades to prove its effectiveness as the county’s lead development partner. The county deserves a partner that can document success, not just promise it.

Fiscal prudence is not always politically convenient, but it is essential to responsible governance. By terminating the chamber agreement, Sherman and Janis have made a clear statement: Washington County will no longer write blank checks to organizations that cannot show tangible progress and accountability.

This decision resets expectations. Partnerships must be transparent. Contracts must include benchmarks. Public funds must produce public benefit. For too long, the chamber contract blurred those lines.

Patrick Geho

Canonsburg