We tragically lost two anchor restaurants to fires, leaving holes on our Main Street and dragging the rest of our businesses down. We need to keep our Main Street alive and vibrant by doing three things: supporting our current businesses owners, working with investors and developers to rebuild the vacant lots on Main Street, and better marketing our town throughout the County.
Carnegie had an amazing recovery after the 2004 flood and was on the right track until Covid-19 and the fires. We are still strongly positioned for the future, but we risk losing the progress we've made unless we act fast to change our course.
Carnegie sits at the intersection of the Parkway, I-79, Route 50, and the West Busway. By leveraging our strategic location, we can secure investment in our infrastructure. The County, the State, the Federal Government, and private developers should be investing in our town. Our region is also home to some incredible universities that have the resources to assist our town.
There are plenty of opportunities for collaboration between Carnegie and our regional partners. We should facilitate cooperation and get Carnegie the attention it deserves.
Carnegie's neighborhoods are divided by poor planning from decades ago. East and West Main Street are cut off from each other and from the West Busway. This poor planning of the past is capping our growth. We need to develop a comprehensive streetscape plan to bridge the gaps dividing our town and secure the funding to put it into action.
If we can create a continuous Main Street, it will give Carnegie an incredible advantage in attracting businesses and open up further development in our Irishtown neighborhood.
The climate crisis is here. The days are getting hotter and our winters are becoming milder. We must adapt to our changing climate and do our part to stop climate change by building on the work of Mayor Riley.
We need to attract solar power investors to lower energy costs for residents and businesses. We also have the opportunity to invest in EV charging stations and make alternative transit options more accessible. We also need to continue community gardening and planting, and encourage composting and recycling.
Carnegie has a fantastic police department. Our officers under the leadership of Chief Kennedy are accessible and take the safety of our community seriously. We need to continue the community policing of Chief Kennedy because it works.
We also need to continue working with the County to ensure qualified professionals are responding to mental health crises so our officers can focus on the real threats to the safety of our community.
