Graziadio looks to 2003

By TOM KANE

HONESDALE, PA — Finishing the 911 emergency system, facilitating wireless communication, county planning, housing and planning public spaces will be the important projects facing Wayne County in the coming year.

“It’s going to be important to finish the 911 project for the safety of the county residents,” county commissioner Mark Graziadio said.

The project is now setting names of streets.

Another project, somewhat related, is the upgrade of the three communication towers the state has built in the county.

“We need to help with the upgrade since these towers save us a lot of money,” he said. “It would be impossible for us to build towers like that.”

An issue which Graziadio has spoken about in the past is the need for the county to develop a vision for the future.

“What do we want the county to look like 10 or 20 years from now?” he asked.

Issues of economic development will be vital to the county and housing is another area of great concern.

“Even though the county Department of Planning is developing a comprehensive plan, it has to go a lot further,” he said. “The plan should be broadened and looked at globally,” he said. “It involves a lot more than land use,” he said. “Do we want regional sewer systems or stand-alone ones at our corporate parks?”

“If New York is going to build two or three casinos, what is that going to do to housing in the county?” he asked. “And when they build the performing arts center in Bethel, that’s going to affect us too.”

Another project for 2003 is the development of recreational fields in Berlin Township.

“What do we want to do with them?” he said. “The state liked what we did with the soccer field. We need to have a clear plan for that space,” he said.