With the stroke of a pen, the Connoquenessing Valley Regional Emergency Management Agency was born on Monday night.Pictured, from left, signing the agency into existence, are Dan Cox, emergency management coordinator; Dave Hilliard, executive committee chairman; Kim Armstrong, secretary; and Ed Rupert, vice chairman.

CONNOQUENESSING TWP — The gavel fell for the very first time on Monday night as the Connoquenessing Valley Regional Emergency Management Agency held its inaugural meeting.

The new agency will serve as the emergency management entity for Connoquenessing township and borough as well as for Evans City.

Dan Cox was named the emergency management coordinator for the new entity, which was formed when the three municipalities found themselves struggling to find a volunteer to serve as emergency management coordinator as required by state law.

This is an excerpt — read more about how the emergency pact will work in Tuesday's Butler Eagle.