Delmont Borough
Dear Mr. Nordenberg, Thank you to the Legislative Reapportionment Commission and to you for the time that you have taken to develop the new legislative districts for Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. My name is Stan Cheyne and I serve as the Vice President of the Delmont Borough Council. Myself and other members of the Delmont Borough Council have taken time to review the proposed new legislative district map. Unfortunately, we are not happy, and are concerned with the proposed changes that impact our small borough nestled within Westmoreland County. Our borough is currently within the 57th Legislative District, sharing our representation with our neighbors in Salem township and Greensburg. It is our intent with this letter to document the reasons as to why we feel that Delmont Borough should stay with the 57th Legislative District and not be moved into the re-drawn 55th Legislative District. Delmont Borough at one point was the last stagecoach stop from the west on the way to Pittsburgh. This brought lots of commerce and notoriety to the small borough as a hub to go to Greensburg or Pittsburgh, the two largest metropolitan areas within Western Pennsylvania. Delmont Borough continues to be connected to Pittsburgh and Greensburg through major highways. Delmont residents are attracted to the area due to its convenient location along major roadways which offer a quick commute to either Greensburg via the Amos K. Hutchinson bypass (Toll Route PA-66) or a direct route to the PA turnpike or Parkway East via route US-22 through Murrysville. Delmont Borough is also unique that it is divided among school districts. More than half of the borough is within the Greensburg Salem School District while the remainder of the borough is within the Franklin Regional School District. The children within the borough participate in athletic teams and clubs as well as church and community organizations that are made up of Murrysville, Export, Delmont, Greensburg, and Salem families. Some of the difficulties that we have within the borough are related to neighbors going to different schools and activities due to the current split with Franklin Regional and Greensburg Salem School Districts. Neighbors can live right next to each other, go to different schools, and participate in different activities with completely different groups of people. I realize that this Legislative Redistricting will not correct the division between school districts, however, I as a leader within this borough do not want to see our borough even further alienated from the two school districts. Specifically, moving Delmont from the 57th Legislative District into the 55th Legislative District further divides the community. Currently, Delmont is represented within the same Legislative District as the Greensburg Salem School District, moving us to the 55th Legislative District moves us into a district that does not include the Greensburg Salem School District, further dividing the communities. We are also connected to Greensburg, as we have been working with them to resolve our ongoing and common issues with stormwater runoff and sewage overflows, with the involvement and assistance from Representative Nelson, 57th legislative district. In summary, Delmont Borough has always been represented by the same individual that represents the Greensburg Salem School District and should continue to be tied to that school district. It does not make sense to further divide the community by having different representation in the legislature between school districts. The residents of Delmont Borough utilize the connections to Pittsburgh and Greensburg for their daily commutes and activities, much more so than the other communities that are currently drawn in the new 55th legislative district. Thank you in advance for your consideration of our exception for this proposed re-drawn legislative districts.