Tiny Donegal Borough will cut council size in 2028, lack of participation cited
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Donegal Borough Mayor Keith Deckinger is convinced his tiny town, which serves as the gateway to the Laurel Highlands, has an encouraging future.
Its past and present, he said, had been stymied because of a lack of people willing to govern.
Deckinger went to court on Monday to ask a Westmoreland County judge to approve the reduction of borough council from five to three seats, effective January 2028. Common Pleas Court Judge Harry Smail Jr. approved the request.
“We’ve had (council) meetings where we can have discussions, but at times we’ve been unable to conduct business for lack of a quorum,” said Deckinger, who has served as mayor since he was appointed in 2020. He was elected to his first full four-year term a year later. Council has four active members, including two whose terms expire at year’s end.
“Three gives us a better ability to have a quorum,” Deckinger added.
Neither of the incumbent council members, nor Deckinger — who intends to seek another term as mayor this fall — will appear on the spring primary ballot. No candidates have filed to run for any borough positions, including council, mayor and auditor.
Council members and the mayor traditionally run write-in campaigns in the fall, Deckinger said.
At least 5% of the town’s 102 residents had to sign a petition seeking the reduction of council.
“It’s unfortunate that citizens no longer want to serve in these small communities,” Smail said. “Local government is what really touches them. I hope you have three (council members) who will work together and cause no strife.”
Donegal solicitor Lane Turturice said council’s size won’t be reduced until after the 2027 municipal election and will remain at five seats for the next 2 1/2 years.
According to the county election bureau, there are 72 register voters in the borough, including 43 Republicans and 25 Democrats.
Donegal Borough, incorporated in 1867, is Westmoreland County’s smallest municipality and is among the tiniest in the state. It sits on about 2/10 of a mile on land just north of the Donegal Township interchange of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and is home to several dozen residences and about six businesses. the mayor said.
It has no website. According to the state’s Department of Community and Economic Development, the borough operated with a budget of just less than $60,000 in 2023, with nine part-time employees and no debt.
The town’s population hit an all-time high in 1940, with 255 residents, according to U.S. Census Bureau, and has seen steady losses for the last 75 years. About 56% of the borough’s current population is age 65 or older.
Municipal operations until last year were conducted from the basement of a local home, but have since relocated to a former one-room schoolhouse that was renovated and is now shared by council and a local business.
Deckinger said the borough is working to install a municipal sewer system and dealing with a growing blight problem caused by absentee property owners. They left behind a handful of dilapidated structures that have stagnated the potential for future development.
“We have some land that can be developed and houses that can be rehabilitated. It’s a nice quiet and safe community,” Deckinger said.