The Borough of Chambersburg announced today it is among a select group of high performing municipalities to become certified through the Sustainable Pennsylvania Community Certification program. The Borough is recognized at the Gold level of certification for meeting the program’s rigorous performance criteria which tracks 131 policies and practices that define a sustainable community.
The Sustainable Pennsylvania Community Certification, administered by the Pennsylvania Municipal League in partnership with Sustainable Pittsburgh, is designed for municipalities that are working to save money, conserve resources and serve vibrant communities.Originally deployed in Southwestern Pennsylvania by Sustainable Pittsburgh, the certification has gone state-wide recognizing small, medium and large municipalities across the Commonwealth. The Pennsylvania Municipal League and Sustainable Pittsburgh applaud municipalities for their demonstrated commitment and sustainability performance.
In earning the Gold certification, the Borough is acknowledged for its progress in addressing such areas as community design and land use, energy efficiency, health and wellness, intergovernmental cooperation, recycling and waste reduction, fiscal controls and internal management and operations.
“The Borough of Chambersburg is proud to be recognized as a Gold Certified Community by the Sustainable Pennsylvania Community Certification program,” said Allen Coffman, President of Town Council.
“The Borough has a long history of commitment to saving taxpayer dollars, using resources efficiently and applying best practices in municipal government and community development. We are pleased to be recognized and be part of the regional community of good government.”
The Borough formed a partnership with the Shippensburg University Center for Land Use and Sustainability to utilize their expertise and student intern assistance to complete the on-line assessment required to seek Certification.
Phil Wolgemuth, Assistant to the Borough Manager said “Without the assistance and expertise provided by the Center for Land Use and Sustainability – specifically students Carla Johns and Anastasia Fritchey – the Borough of Chambersburg does not have the administrative capacity to compile the information necessary to seek Certification.” He added, “For municipalities that have an interest in seeking this prestigious Certification I recommend establishing a partnership with the Center for Land Use and Sustainability to compile the assessment information.”
“Our partnership with the Borough is a prime example of the Center for Land Use and Sustainability goal to provide meaningful, hands-on learning experiences for our students while supporting local communities. We are thrilled that the hard work of Shippensburg University students contributed to the recognition of the Borough of Chambersburg as a Gold Certified Community. We look forward to continuing our work with the Borough and hope to forge relationships with other interested communities,” Dr. Claire Jantz, Director of the Center for Land Use and Sustainability at Shippensburg University.
“We are delighted to see the Borough of Chambersburg distinguished among local governments that are leading the way in applying sustainability to both their operations and management as well as within the community,” said Anne McCollum, Director of Training and Development, Pennsylvania Municipal League.
The Certified Community by the Sustainable Pennsylvania Community Certification is intended to bring recognition to municipalities that are applying the policy and practice of sustainability as their way of operating to advance community prosperity. It also serves as a mechanism for sharing best practices for creating a more sustainable Pennsylvania. “Municipalities that earn the Sustainable Pennsylvania Community Certification are standouts in demonstrating adherence to best practices that elevate them as communities of choice to live, work, and play. Commitment to continuous improvement is at the heart of sustainability and the certification program is a means to accelerate municipal performance,” said Court Gould, Executive Director, Sustainable Pittsburgh.
Details about the Borough’s certification performance can be found by linking to http://www.chambersburgpa.gov/government/sustainable.html.
ABOUT THE BOROUGH OF CHAMBERSBURG
The Borough of Chambersburg is located in Franklin County, Pennsylvania with a population of about 20,500 residents. It is the County Seat and is a full-service municipality, offering all services and utilities to the town, and is the only municipality in Pennsylvania to do so.
Chambersburg is a unique community. Pennsylvania’s only municipal natural gas utility, owned and operated by the citizens of the Borough; Chambersburg is also Pennsylvania’s largest municipal electric utility, and the only one that owns and operates generation stations. Chambersburg provides natural gas, electricity, water, sewer, parking and trash for the residents and businesses throughout most of the Borough. Under local control, rates, policies, etc., that are decided locally by the Chambersburg Town Council.
Operating under the Pennsylvania Borough Code, Chambersburg employs over 300 full-time, part-time, and seasonal workers to serve the citizens and businesses of the town. This allows the Borough to not only be able to provide all utilities, but also to operate their own police force, storm sewer system, a combination paid and volunteer fire department, emergency services, a recreation department, municipal parking program, a residential rental inspection program, and an active public works program, which includes a downtown revitalization effort and a neighborhood preservation program.