b'REIMAGINING OUR WESTMORELANDWorkforce DevelopmentGiven the ongoing challenges that COVID-19 poses to in-person career education & exploration experiences, the Forum for Workforce Development has created virtual experiences for the regions Planning students.The Forum has created One of the most innovative ideas in Reimagining Our17 virtual experiences, which Westmoreland is the concept of planning districts,includevirtual reality career which facilitates partnerships among neighboringsnapshots, virtual career communities that face similar challenges. By partneringmentorship and career snapshots in partnership with with their neighbors, our towns and cities can becomeThe Consortium for Public Education. more resilient and ultimately strengthen the fabric of Westmoreland County.In 2021, the county Planning Division completedthe plan for the first of seven such planning districts,the Alle-Kiski Planning District. This plan identifies land-use, mobility and intergovernmental priorities specificto the 11 communities that make up Alle-Kiski District,and it helps to align county strategies with local priorities to better implement Reimagining Our Westmorelandat the local level. The Alle-Kiski IntergovernmentalCouncil has been formed and will meet to identify opportunities for collaboration. As 2021 came to aclose, the Planning Division began work on the Central Planning District.C-PACEWestmoreland C-PACEFunding is available for existingBy creating a Commercial Property Assessed Cleanbuildings as well as theEnergy (C-PACE) program in 2021, Westmorelanddevelopment of commercial,County made it easier for the owners of commercial,industrial, nonprofit and agricultural properties.industrial and agricultural properties to obtain low-cost, long-term financing from private lenders for efficientC-PACE does not decrease a property owners tax equipment, renewable energy and water-conservationobligation. It adds a special lien to the property, projects. which makes these loans more secure and attractive to the private lenders who finance C-PACE projects.C-PACE can provide up to 100 percent of funding ofSustainable Energy Fund is the County C-PACE total project costs by enabling property owners to repayadministrator; to discuss a potential C-PACE project, a private loan through an additional assessment.email cpace@thesef.org.9'