“Why did you run for Commissioner?” My answer is clear. My four years serving as Mt. Lebanon’s Community Mediator, working with the Civic Engagement Board, fostered my desire to inspire greater improvements in our community. As a mediator, I helped residents talk with neighbors and the municipality to find reasonable solutions to difficult issues.
That experience reinforced what I strongly believe: community problems are best solved when people talk to one another. When residents move beyond screens and engage directly with their neighbors, municipal staff and elected officials, our community benefits.
I see the importance of community participation as Ward 2 Commissioner. This March, your Commissioners received more than 300 emails and phone calls supporting restrictions on vape shops in Mt. Lebanon. Residents made it very evident that this issue matters to them, and their input helped lead to passage of a comprehensive ordinance limiting vape shops.
Individual emails and calls matter, and so does the work of Mt. Lebanon’s many community volunteer organizations. These independent nonprofits regularly bring ideas, concerns and solutions to Commission meetings and our advisory boards.
The Mt. Lebanon Nature Conservancy, for example, keeps the Commission updated on its excellent work in our three greenspace parks. The Conservancy partnered with the municipality to help Mt. Lebanon earn a designation as a Bird Town Pennsylvania.
Move Lebo effectively advocates to the Commission for safer local streets. Recently, members commented at our meeting about e-bike regulations and education, funded bike racks near the recreation center, and organized bike-safety workshops.
The Mt. Lebanon Partnership greatly supports Uptown through the popular Saturday Uptown Market, Artists’ Market and many other incredible events. The Partnership effectively communicates with the Commission regarding their work enhancing Uptown to best serve all residents.
What these independent volunteer groups have in common is that they go beyond identifying problems. They work toward solutions.
In the digital age, it’s easy to engage with the community mainly online. Facebook groups and other social media can be useful places to raise concerns and identify issues. But posting a comment is often just the beginning.
So how do you move from talking about an issue to actually changing something?
Start by emailing — or better yet, calling — your Commissioner. Meeting for coffee works well, too. We can often connect you with municipal staff who know the issue and may be able to help.
If your concern affects a larger group, find other residents who share it. Ask them to contact their Commissioners. Start an online petition. Attend an advisory board or Commission meeting. Join an organization already working on the issue—or start one yourself.
Mt. Lebanon is a 114-year-old community with limited resources and many competing needs. Hearing directly from residents helps Commissioners understand which issues matter most and why.
It’s great to talk about community problems with friends, neighbors and online. But when something really matters to you, take the next step and talk with the people who may be able to help solve it.
Your Commissioners and municipal staff look forward to hearing from you.