CID Associates makes donations to municipalities, Saxonburg Museum
SAXONBURG — Scott Docherty, president of steel building manufacturer CID Associates, made a donation of $1,000 to the borough Tuesday night, Dec. 17, to support the borough’s entry into a multi-municipal comprehensive plan he spearheaded.
The comprehensive plan, which has been in the works since October, would bring Saxonburg together with Jefferson, Clinton, Winfield and Buffalo townships to create a unified plan for the future of the southeast part of Butler County.
“What (the plan) is, is a toolbox for these municipalities to set the course for the future,” said council member Dave Johnston. “This region is really ripe for getting together and taking a good hard look at what can be done on a regional basis.”
Docherty has made $1,000 donations to all five municipalities that would participate in this plan. According to Docherty, the donations are to cover the administrative costs of putting the plan together.
“Every one of them got $1,000 from my company to help with the cost of these comprehensive plans,” Docherty said.
During Tuesday’s Saxonburg borough council meeting, Docherty presented a “mission statement,” which consisted of seven common points that would be discussed by all municipalities involved. These points are broadband access and development; stormwater management; roads, bridges and traffic control; parks and recreation; economic development; affordable housing; and farmland preservation.
“All those priorities are components of a comprehensive plan,” Johnston said. “If we go ahead with this, we're going to be analyzing all those issues that are priorities to them. Roads, stormwater, all those things.”
“(Attorney) Don Graham is preparing an MOU (memorandum of understanding) that he will have at our next meeting for everybody to approve,” Docherty told the Saxonburg council members. “All the politicians in Butler County think it's a brilliant move. They’re waiting to come to our meetings after we agree on everything.”
Three meetings have been held regarding the multi-municipal comprehensive plan so far, with the first taking place Oct. 3 and the most recent taking place Dec. 2. Docherty said three of the five municipalities have already committed to participate.
“We have approval from three. The other two are waiting to see the MOU, which will be coming to the next meeting, and they would like to read the MOU,” Docherty said.
In another development, Docherty also revealed Freeport borough, located just across the county line in Armstrong County, is also interested in taking part in the comprehensive plan.
“Freeport has found out that we’re doing this now and they want to be involved,” Docherty said. “Even though they’re not in Butler County, Freeport (Area) School District is part of Butler County in the southeast corner.”
Docherty also presented a check for $5,000 to the Friends of the Saxonburg Museum, the nonprofit group that is currently operating the museum on Rebecca Street. In addition to running the museum, the nonprofit is also trying to raise the necessary funds to save borough founder John Roebling’s original wire rope workshop from sinking into the ground, as well as restore the miniature-scale replica of the Brooklyn Bridge, which is attached to the workshop.
“We are so lucky to have the history of the Roeblings in this town,” Docherty said. “The invention of wire rope revolutionized the steel industry and helped us to build bigger, wider, higher and longer bridges.”
In addition to money, Docherty also made a donation of artifacts to the Saxonburg Museum after the meeting concluded: namely, a slide projector and a Kodak movie projector. The two items were tested after the meeting and found to be in working order.
