With this election season, it is time for a change. I don’t believe County Commissioners Sean Kertes and Doug Chew have been working in Westmoreland County’s best interest. Rather than using the covid-19 American Rescue Plan funds to help residents most impacted during the pandemic, they spent the most of the first 50% of the allocated funds on items such as parking lot repairs, computer and phone upgrades that would have been necessary anyway and should have been paid for out of the general budget, and salary increases for themselves.
The funds being spent on community blight appear to be benefiting local contractors for building projects instead of at least some of these properties being directed to the development of low-income housing.
There still appears to be approximately $50 million of the funds that have not been allocated. In an August Zoom town hall meeting, Chew said those funds were being held in reserve and that no specific plans for their use had been made to date.
This is not good stewardship. County residents have a right to know what use these funds are going to be used for. We need new leadership and more transparency. Vote for it!
Elizabeth Veronica Weaver
Hempfield
The writer is a member of Voice of Westmoreland.