Rendell Administration Honors Community Leaders, County and Local Governments for Innovative Management, Service to Taxpayers

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Department of Community and Economic Development, on behalf of the Governor Edward G. Rendell, today recognized local governments and leaders from across Pennsylvania for using innovative approaches and long-term planning to strengthen their communities and better serve residents.

The Governor's Awards for Local Government Excellence were presented today at the Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg.

"You are in public life because you want to make a difference in your communities," Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary George Cornelius said. "I appreciate the commitment you and locally elected officials make in serving your communities and the sacrifices you make every day. You have an enormous privilege and opportunity in your role because the decisions you make impact most people in some way, every day of their lives.

"We want you to know that your successes are noticed and they are remembered. Today is proof of that."

Awards were presented to nine local leaders and eight government entities that have exemplified the best work by Pennsylvania's counties, cities, boroughs, townships, councils of governments and authorities. Awards covered six categories, including: building community partnerships; promoting community and economic revitalization; innovative community and governmental initiatives; fiscal accountability; innovative planning and sound land use practices; and intergovernmental cooperation. Individual awards were presented to local government officials who have worked to improve their communities.

The Governor's Award for Local Government Excellence is presented annually to communities and individuals by the Governor's Center for Local Government Services, an office within DCED that works to assist Pennsylvania's 2,562 local governments.

A panel of judges from the Governor's Center for Local Government Services reviewed applications submitted by municipal organizations from throughout the state and selected the award winners.

Cornelius emphasized the need for locally elected officials to have a vision for their communities, to create a "sense of place," as well as to find ways to reduce costs to taxpayers and focus on long-term planning.  

"I know this is a challenging vision, and many feel that finding new, innovative and more efficient ways to serve your community will mean losing your local identity. I assure you, though, there are ways to run your local government more efficiently and more effectively while retaining your local identity and improving its fiscal health," he said.

For more information on the Governor's Center for Local Government Services, DCED resources to help local governments and Pennsylvania communities, or the winners of the 14th annual awards, visit www.newpa.com or call 1-866-466-3972

Media contact: Jamie Yates, 717-783-1132

Editor's Note: A list of Governor's Award for Local Government Excellence winners follows. For more information and a brief description on the winners, visit www.newpa.com.

Building Community Partnerships

Scottdale Borough, Mt. Pleasant Borough and East Huntingdon Township –Westmoreland County

Promoting Community & Economic Revitalization

Columbia Borough – Lancaster County

Innovative Community & Governmental Initiatives

Adams County

Fiscal Accountability

Trappe Borough – Montgomery County

Innovative Planning and Sound Land Use Practices

Mt. Lebanon, Allegheny County

Intergovernmental Cooperation

• South Hills Area Council of Governments – Allegheny County
• West Shore Tax Bureau & York/Adams Tax Bureau – Adams, York, Cumberland counties
• Waynesboro Borough and Washington Township – Franklin County

Individuals

• Russell F. Noll, commissioner, Upper Pottsgrove Township
• Dennis Hameister, supervisor, Harris Township
• Donna Hartle, commissioner, Clarion County
• John Ahlfeld, executive director, Lancaster Inter-Municipal Committee
• Clifford "Kip" Allen, first vice president, PLCM
• Sandy Bartosiewicz, finance and budget officer, Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority
• Carol Sambol, councilwoman, Baden Borough
• Bruce Dorbian, manager, Marcus Hook Borough

Dallas A. Dollase Award for Excellence in Planning

Mike Kaiser, executive director, Lehigh Valley Planning Commission

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development