Congressional Visit

[BigFoot]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


SEPTEMBER 6, 2007

The Franklin County Emergency Services Alliance, in a continuing effort to secure funding for our county-wide communications equipment, sent a delegation from here to Washington on Thursday September 6th to visit with our Federal elected officials.
Alliance President Randy Negley, a Hamilton Township Supervisor, escorted the team yesterday to the house and senate office buildings in Washington to discuss federal assistance with our senator and congressman.
The entire party, with representation from around the county, consisted of, Randy Negley, Alecha Sanbower, Waynesboro, Franklin County Program Planner, Doug Bitner, Greencastle, Franklin County Emergency Services Council, Ben Thomas, Antrim Township Manager, Samuel Cressler, Southampton Township Supervisor and President of the Franklin County Association of Township Elected Officials and Donald Culberson, Fannett Township Supervisor and his wife Joyce.
The group started the day with a breakfast meeting which included a visit by Senator Casey. Meetings were held with Senator Casey’s staff and Congressman Bill Shuster’s staff. The day’s visit concluded with a face to face discussion of the communications project with Congressman Shuster in his Washington Office. The group did not get the opportunity to visit with Senator Spectors office, but Ms. Sanbower has already been working with Senator Spectors staff in Harrisburg.
Franklin County is upgrading it’s communication equipment for all of the county. With the realization from recent disasters that communication between police, fire, ambulance and local municipal departments is critical in today’s world all 22 local municipalities and the county are working together on implementing a new radio system. The new system the county is installing to dispatch and communicate will give each profession the ability to communicate between each other.
The Alliances chief agenda item on this trip was to work on securing future funding for mobile and portable radios for police cars, fire trucks, ambulances and local municipalities.
Approximately 60 Franklin County entities, fire departments, ambulance services, police, townships & boroughs and even some local authorities, have joined together and are working to keep the people of Franklin County safe and secure.
Please contact any of the parties below for more details.






CONTACT INFORMATION

Randy Negley 717-264-2946
President
Franklin County Emergency Services Alliance



Alecha Sanbower 717-263-1248
Doug Bitner 717-264-4060 ext. 5
Ben Thomas 717-597-3818
Samuel Cressler 717-496-1051
Don Culbertson 717-349-2318

[HMWMDSpecialist]

A few questions for anyone from the alliance to answer please.....

And in the end how did you all make out ?

What can the organization show for this trip?

How many dollars will actually make it to this county?

[BigFoot]

With government appropriations, nothing comes quick. The contacts made are working on budget funding for 2009 fiscal year, which starts in October, 2008.

The congressional delegations were very impressed that we have over sixty agencies working together and the amount of background material should be helpful. Fortunately, the County Commissioners are providing support from their grant writer to continue with feedback and contact with our congressional offices.