We are living through a public health crisis the likes of which we have not seen in 100 years and need an organized, well-developed response to match. With the national and statewide covid-19 vaccination response and rollout being as slow and confusing as it has been, we should be able to count on our local public officials to provide resources/information regarding vaccine appointments and distributions, as well as responses to public questions and comments.
By limiting the number of people allowed in meetings and changing the procedure to submit public comments, the Westmoreland County Commissioners are not effectively serving their entire community. At a time when in-person meetings continue to be unsafe for many, their refusal to include a virtual component puts immunocompromised residents at a disadvantage.
I have elderly and high-risk friends and family who are being left behind. It is imperative that the commissioners provide more access to public meetings, as well as resources, information and transparency regarding vaccine appointments and distribution.
Tyler Fanell
Hempfield