Chester County Commissioner Carol Aichele receives prestigious Courthouse Award
from National Association of Counties
WEST CHESTER _ Chester County Commissioner Chair Carol Aichele has won the 2010 Courthouse Award for Urban Counties from the National Association of Counties for her work with the Landscape2 program.
Aichele will be presented the award during the 75th annual NACo conference being held from July 16-20 in Reno, NV. A video presentation of Aichele's accomplishments is being completed by Siemens and will be shown during the General Session of the conference on Monday, July 19. Aichele is in her second, four-year term as county commissioner, is former chair of the multi-state Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and also served as Chester County Controller.
Chester County has been recognized nationally as being one of the best places in the nation to live, work and raise families. The Landscapes initiative is a county-wide strategy to address sprawl and its impact on county and local governments.
"I am pleased to represent Chester County when accepting this award," said Commissioner Aichele. "I am proud of the Landscapes2 initiative and want to pay special recognition to the staff of Chester County's Planning Commission – they have achieved tremendous results in managing the growth of the county."
Ronald Bailey, Executive Director of the Chester County Planning Commission, participated in Aichele's nomination. He wrote, "I have had the pleasure of working with Carol on my projects and initiatives. Her leadership associated with the Landscapes2 program is exemplatory of her vision and commitment to innovative government that is fiscally responsible."
The purpose of the award, according to NACo President Valerie Brown, "is to profile elected county officials who have improved the lives of citizens through outstanding governance and strong leadership. From large metropolitan counties to suburban and rural counties, county executives, board members and commissioners are continually working to address many of our nation's most challenging issues, such as homeland security, air and water quality, information technology, health and human services, public safety, and a wealth of other priorities. Managing and prioritizing county's needs may be a commissioner's most challenging task.
"These success stories are the foundation upon which other successes can be built. Those individuals selected for one of three awards, will gain national recognition for their county and will receive a $5,000 college scholarship to present to a student of their choice," adds Brown.
The nomination submission stated, "Chester County continues to be the fastest growing county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, nearing a population of 500,000. With such growth pressures come complex leadership issues, including balancing growth management, resource conservation and maintaining the quality of life citizens cherish.
Chester County is the first county in Pennsylvania to initiate a strategic planning process and has a Aaa rating on its bonds from Moody's Investors Service as well as AAA ratings from Standard & Poor's and Fitch Ratings. Established by William Penn as one of Pennsylvania's three original counties, Chester County has been named by Forbes.com as one of America's best places to raise a family and is ranked the healthiest county in Pennsylvania by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
