The Sept. 30 Westmoreland County Commissioners meeting was well attended by members of the Voice of Westmoreland (VOW), a nonpartisan grassroots organization. Several of those members spoke, as mentioned in the article (“Westmoreland commissioners urged to spend ARP funds, public hearings set for Oct. 28,” Sept. 30, TribLIVE). Absent from the report was Yukie King, candidate for Greensburg City Council, and Dr. Marti Haykin, a neurologist who is a member of VOW and who spoke about the medical care and mental health support needed for covid-19 patients and their families.
VOW seeks to have American Rescue Plan funds used for desperately needed mental health care, rental and housing relief, and health care assistance (including ambulance services). We want a community planning and advocacy coalition of community members representing those most disproportionately impacted, to develop a transparent and publicly accountable plan for the ARP use.
We urge the commissioners to commit to enhanced public participation and to hold at least four public meetings (including Zoom in four different areas of the county) before the end of 2021. Three of those four meetings need to be in the evening, so that those who work during the day may attend.
Some of my family members, friends and acquaintances have had covid-19; some old friends have died from it. Young families have been harmed by layoffs, by child care employee infections, and by misguided and misinformed neighbors and officials.
Those affected persons/families should be reimbursed for their covid 2021 expenses by the first week of January 2022.
L. Bud Santimyer
Scottdale