Borough has strong history of inclusion

State College is a fantastic place where hundreds of residents are actively engaged in the community as members of borough authorities, boards and commissions, giving their time and talent to making decisions that provide for the common good. Other residents have participated in crafting The State College Neighborhood Plan, The Downtown Master Plan, State College Strategic Plan, Allen Street Civic District Redevelopment Plan, West End Revitalization Plan, Centre Region Comprehensive Plan, State College Parking Plan and now are part of the State College Comprehensive Zoning Rewrite. These form the basis of policies adopted by Borough Council and implemented by staff.

Our partnership in the Sustainable Communities Collaborative and LION Bash are two examples of successful resident and Penn State student engagement. I mention this because I am concerned that Mr. Michael Black, mayoral candidate, seems to consider that he is the only one who can provide the leadership necessary to assure residents will become involved in their government. The good news is that we are already engaged and have been for a long time. Can we do more? Certainly. Our residents cherish the quality of life here and are committed to contributing to moving forward together.

State College’s Core Values provide the foundation for our organization. They are the basis for all decisions and actions and include integrity, honesty, innovation, accountability, value of staff, transparency, fiscal responsibility, customer service, high professional standards and diversity. This is a wonderful place we call home.

The writer is a member and past president of the State College Borough Council.

This story was originally published October 30, 2017 at 8:40 PM with the headline "Borough has strong history of inclusion."