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Commissioners awarded for collaboration

Attending the presentation of the Moe Coleman Awards are, from left, Joe Mistick, Butler County Commissioner Kevin Boozel, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, Butler Commissioners Leslie Osche and Kim Geyer, and Jim Roddey at the inaugural Moe Coleman Award ceremony at a Pittsburgh television studio on Monday.

ROSS TWP, Allegheny County — The spirit of collaboration was the real winner at a reception Monday night, where the three Butler County commissioners received the first Moe Coleman Award.

Leslie Osche, Kim Geyer and Kevin Boozel each were presented with a glass obelisk engraved with their names.

The commissioners received the award for collaborating with one another across party lines. Osche and Geyer are Republicans, and Boozel is a Democrat.

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald also was honored with a Coleman award. Former Allegheny County Executive Jim Roddey hosted the event.

Coleman, who died in January, was the founding director of the Institute of Politics at the University of Pittsburgh.

He was known for bringing together those of different ideologies for the greater good of the people.

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Osche said her initial reaction after being notified she had won the award was surprise.“I don't envision (the collaboration) as being award-worthy because it's the right thing to do,” Osche said of the working relationship between herself, Geyer and Boozel.“It's a tremendous honor, but it's the only way I've ever known,” she said.She said the trio met before they took office in 2016 to hash out goals, and they have continued to stick by and tweak those goals as they have worked toward progress for the county.“We don't think partisan,” Osche said. “We didn't get elected from another political office; we came to this in a manner of working toward what is best for the county and the community.”She said she and Geyer never think of the Republican thing to do when making decisions, rather, they focus on those who they serve.“I don't see Kevin as thinking about it that much either,” Osche said. “He has a passion for driving the region forward and taking bold steps toward that objective.”At the award reception, Roddey said the Moe Coleman Award gained 30 sponsors, including eight chambers of commerce.“It's been very rewarding to have that many people say 'Yes, that's a good idea,'” Roddey said.

He said 12 people, including state senators, state representatives, a congressman and other county commissioners were considered before the Butler commissioners were chosen.“They represent exactly what we're trying to achieve,” Roddey said. “In politics today, compromise is not a very popular thing.”Fitzgerald pointed out in his acceptance speech that Butler County was the only county in Pennsylvania where the county commissioners ran unopposed in the most recent primary and general elections.He said he has been pleased to work with Osche, Geyer and Boozel many times in his tenure.“We're all Pittsburghers,” Fitzgerald said. “Our families cross county and partisan lines all the time.”In her speech, Geyer called the award a tremendous honor.“And it's an honor and a privilege to serve the people of Butler County every day with Leslie Osche and Kevin Boozel,” she said.Geyer said the three decided from the start to do things differently from the previous board of commissioners, and a large part of that goal is collaborating with one another.“That's the only way I know how to do things,” Geyer said.She said partisan politics should not enter into the business of running the county.“Whenever I meet people, I never look at them and think about whether they are a Democrat or Republican,” Geyer said. “I want to meet you and learn more about you and think about how we can move the region forward.”Boozel said the three leave political affiliation at the door when they come to work each day in order to do their best for the county.“Kim and Leslie and I have worked very hard to make this work,” he said. “It's like having two sisters.”Boozel summed up the thoughts of all who attended the Moe Coleman Award reception on Monday night.“The people of the county always have to come first,” he said.

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