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45-504: Luzerne Township is a township in Fayette County, Pennsylvania , United States. The population was 5,585 at the 2020 census , down from 5,965 at the 2010 census. The unincorporated communities of East Millsboro, La Belle, Hiller , Isabella , Luzerne, Dutch Hill, Maxwell, Allison , Alicia, East Fredericktown and Penncraft are located within the township. La Belle, Luzerne, Dutch Hill, Maxwell and East Fredericktown are served by

90-600: A taxonomy that maps community relations, and recognizes that actual communities can be characterized by different kinds of relations at the same time: In these terms, communities can be nested and/or intersecting; one community can contain another—for example a location-based community may contain a number of ethnic communities . Both lists above can be used in a cross-cutting matrix in relation to each other. In general, virtual communities value knowledge and information as currency or social resource. What differentiates virtual communities from their physical counterparts

135-528: A common agenda. Community development practitioners must understand both how to work with individuals and how to affect communities' positions within the context of larger social institutions. Public administrators, in contrast, need to understand community development in the context of rural and urban development, housing and economic development, and community, organizational and business development. Formal accredited programs conducted by universities, as part of degree granting institutions, are often used to build

180-1000: A knowledge base to drive curricula in public administration , sociology and community studies . The General Social Survey from the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago and the Saguaro Seminar at the Harvard Kennedy School are examples of national community development in the United States. The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University in New York State offers core courses in community and economic development, and in areas ranging from non-profit development to US budgeting (federal to local, community funds). In

225-448: A log) and are the building blocks of major communities. Moreover, we can establish other non-taxonomic subdivisions of biocenosis, such as guilds . The concept of "community" often has a positive semantic connotation, exploited rhetorically by populist politicians and by advertisers to promote feelings and associations of mutual well-being, happiness and togetherness —veering towards an almost-achievable utopian community . In contrast,

270-497: A number of problems: (1) they tend to give the impression that a particular community can be defined as just this kind or another; (2) they tend to conflate modern and customary community relations; (3) they tend to take sociological categories such as ethnicity or race as given, forgetting that different ethnically defined persons live in different kinds of communities—grounded, interest-based, diasporic, etc. In response to these problems, Paul James and his colleagues have developed

315-688: A progression of municipal structures based on population growth, it is not uncommon to have a township and borough of the same or similar name, generally adjacent within the same county. The 'town-like' borough might be partially or wholly surrounded by the remaining township from which it had split off. The government of Cold Spring Township ceased to function in 1961, when there were no candidates for office. Pennsylvania townships typically vary in size from 6 to 40 square miles (16–104 km ). There are two classifications of townships, first class and second class. The commonwealth initially incorporates all townships as second class townships. To become

360-527: A small scale can be difficult to identify with archaeological data. Most reconstructions of social communities by archaeologists rely on the principle that social interaction in the past was conditioned by physical distance. Therefore, a small village settlement likely constituted a social community and spatial subdivisions of cities and other large settlements may have formed communities. Archaeologists typically use similarities in material culture —from house types to styles of pottery—to reconstruct communities in

405-1201: A tax collector and, in many townships, a panel of three auditors who annually audit all township accounts. The supervisors or commissioners of the township appoint a secretary and a treasurer, and may also appoint a township manager to coordinate township employees and operations. County governments may provide some or all municipal services to residents of townships, regardless of class and size, including trash collection or sewage processing. Some counties, though, leave individual municipalities to provide their own services; in some instances small groups of boroughs or townships may pool their resources to provide water, police, or other functions. The main areas of local services include police and fire protection, maintenance of local roads and streets, water supply, sewage collection and treatment, parking and traffic control, local planning and zoning, parks and recreation, garbage collection, health services, libraries, licensing of businesses and code enforcement. All municipalities in Pennsylvania, however, rely on county and state organized courts for probate, criminal, and civil court services. Under

450-508: A township of the first class and operate under the powers of the First Class Township Code, a township must have a population density of 300 inhabitants per square mile (120/km ) and voters therein must approve the change of classification in a referendum. The classes of townships differ primarily in the form of their administration. Townships of the second class are governed by a board of supervisors, elected at large by

495-515: A widely accessible power structure, often with the end goal of distributing power equally throughout the community. Community organizers generally seek to build groups that are open and democratic in governance. Such groups facilitate and encourage consensus decision-making with a focus on the general health of the community rather than a specific interest group. If communities are developed based on something they share in common, whether location or values, then one challenge for developing communities

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540-407: Is faith-based community organizing , or Congregation-based Community Organizing ). Community building can use a wide variety of practices, ranging from simple events (e.g., potlucks , small book clubs ) to larger-scale efforts (e.g., mass festivals , construction projects that involve local participants rather than outside contractors). Community building that is geared toward citizen action

585-423: Is how to incorporate individuality and differences. Rebekah Nathan suggests in her book, My Freshman Year , we are drawn to developing communities totally based on sameness, despite stated commitments to diversity, such as those found on university websites. A number of ways to categorize types of community have been proposed. One such breakdown is as follows: The usual categorizations of community relations have

630-418: Is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km), or 3.92%, is water. The Mon–Fayette Expressway crosses the northern part of the township, with access from Exit 26 south of Hiller. As of the 2010 census , the population was 5,956 people, with 1,726 households and 1,163 families. As of the 2000 census , there were 4,683 people, 1,897 households and 1,341 families residing in the township. The population density

675-530: Is the extent and impact of "weak ties", which are the relationships acquaintances or strangers form to acquire information through online networks. Relationships among members in a virtual community tend to focus on information exchange about specific topics. A survey conducted by Pew Internet and The American Life Project in 2001 found those involved in entertainment, professional, and sports virtual-groups focused their activities on obtaining information. An epidemic of bullying and harassment has arisen from

720-525: Is usually termed "community organizing". In these cases, organized community groups seek accountability from elected officials and increased direct representation within decision-making bodies. Where good-faith negotiations fail, these constituency-led organizations seek to pressure the decision-makers through a variety of means, including picketing, boycotting , sit-ins, petitioning, and electoral politics. Community organizing can focus on more than just resolving specific issues. Organizing often means building

765-564: The Gemeinschaft – Gesellschaft dichotomy as a way to think about social ties. No group is exclusively one or the other. Gemeinschaft stress personal social interactions , and the roles, values, and beliefs based on such interactions. Gesellschaft stress indirect interactions, impersonal roles, formal values, and beliefs based on such interactions. In a seminal 1986 study, McMillan and Chavis identify four elements of "sense of community": A "sense of community index" (SCI)

810-505: The Asset Based Community Development Institute of Northwestern University . The institute makes available downloadable tools to assess community assets and make connections between non-profit groups and other organizations that can help in community building. The Institute focuses on helping communities develop by "mobilizing neighborhood assets" – building from the inside out rather than

855-532: The Old French comuneté ( Modern French : communauté ), which comes from the Latin communitas "community", "public spirit" (from Latin communis , "common"). Human communities may have intent , belief , resources , preferences , needs , and risks in common, affecting the identity of the participants and their degree of cohesiveness. Archaeological studies of social communities use

900-415: The abiotic environment, affect social structure and species richness, diversity and patterns of abundance. Species interact in three ways: competition , predation and mutualism : The two main types of ecological communities are major communities, which are self-sustaining and self-regulating (such as a forest or a lake), and minor communities, which rely on other communities (like fungi decomposing

945-456: The epidemiological term " community transmission " can have negative implications, and instead of a "criminal community" one often speaks of a " criminal underworld " or of the "criminal fraternity". In Gemeinschaft und Gesellschaft (1887), German sociologist Ferdinand Tönnies described two types of human association: Gemeinschaft (usually translated as "community") and Gesellschaft ("society" or "association"). Tönnies proposed

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990-433: The psychodynamic tradition, the most important period of socialization is between the ages of one and ten. But socialization also includes adults moving into a significantly different environment where they must learn a new set of behaviors. Socialization is influenced primarily by the family, through which children first learn community norms . Other important influences include schools, peer groups, people, mass media,

1035-588: The workplace , and government. The degree to which the norms of a particular society or community are adopted determines one's willingness to engage with others. The norms of tolerance , reciprocity , and trust are important "habits of the heart", as de Tocqueville put it, in an individual's involvement in community. Community development is often linked with community work or community planning, and may involve stakeholders, foundations, governments, or contracted entities including non-government organisations (NGOs), universities or government agencies to progress

1080-570: The Pennsylvania constitution, each governmental entity has the right to choose its own form of self-government, and a limited ability to delegate powers and oversight to such entities as authorities, commissions and school boards. Any township, regardless of its class, may adopt a home rule charter, at which point it is no longer governed by the Pennsylvania Township Codes. While a home rule charter can incorporate unusual features, standard municipal functions are generally part of

1125-475: The United Kingdom, the University of Oxford has led in providing extensive research in the field through its Community Development Journal, used worldwide by sociologists and community development practitioners. At the intersection between community development and community building are a number of programs and organizations with community development tools. One example of this is the program of

1170-422: The age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.96. In the township the population was spread out, with 21.1% under

1215-464: The age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.9 males. The median income for a household in the township was $ 26,510, and the median income for a family was $ 35,149. Males had a median income of $ 30,613 versus $ 19,890 for females. The per capita income for

1260-758: The border with Greene and Washington counties. The westernmost point in Fayette County is in Luzerne Township along the Monongahela south of East Millsboro. Dunlap Creek forms the eastern border of the township, flowing north towards the Monongahela at Brownsville , which borders the northeast corner of Luzerne Township. According to the United States Census Bureau , the township has a total area of 30.7 square miles (79.6 km), of which 29.5 square miles (76.5 km)

1305-661: The commonwealth. As with other incorporated municipalities in Pennsylvania, townships exist within counties and are subordinate to or dependent upon the county level of government. Townships in Pennsylvania were created in the 17th century during the colonial-era Province of Pennsylvania prior to the American Revolution . Much of the province was then occupied by Native Americans , but the colonial administration in Philadelphia brought new counties and new settlements regularly. The first communities defined by

1350-432: The electorate of the whole township for overlapping six-year terms. The number of supervisors can be increased to five by referendum. Townships of the first class, by contrast, have a board of commissioners. Between five and fifteen commissioners sit on this panel; they can be elected either at large or by wards within the township; and they serve for overlapping terms of four years in office. Other elected officials include

1395-412: The feeling of love and belonging. The process of learning to adopt the behavior patterns of the community is called socialization . The most fertile time of socialization is usually the early stages of life, during which individuals develop the skills and knowledge and learn the roles necessary to function within their culture and social environment . For some psychologists, especially those in

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1440-538: The knowledge and application of certain rules. He states that this process goes through four stages: In 1991, Peck remarked that building a sense of community is easy but maintaining this sense of community is difficult in the modern world. An interview with M. Scott Peck by Alan Atkisson. In Context #29, p. 26. The three basic types of community organizing are grassroots organizing, coalition building, and "institution-based community organizing", (also called "broad-based community organizing", an example of which

1485-446: The lowest level of municipal incorporation of government. All of Pennsylvania's communities outside of incorporated cities , boroughs , and one town have been incorporated into individual townships that serve as the legal entities providing local self-government functions. In general, townships in Pennsylvania encompass larger land areas than other municipalities , and tend to be located in suburban , exurban , or rural parts of

1530-400: The mix regardless of how offices and powers are allocated within the jurisdiction. "Citizen's Guide to Pennsylvania Local Government, 2010" Community In terms of sociological categories, a community can seem like a sub-set of a social collectivity . In developmental views, a community can emerge out of a collectivity. The English-language word "community" derives from

1575-479: The outside in. In the disability field, community building was prevalent in the 1980s and 1990s with roots in John McKnight's approaches. In The Different Drum: Community-Making and Peace (1987) Scott Peck argues that the almost accidental sense of community that exists at times of crisis can be consciously built. Peck believes that conscious community building is a process of deliberate design based on

1620-548: The papers by Floyd Hunter on Atlanta . At the turn of the 21st century the concept of community was rediscovered by academics, politicians, and activists. Politicians hoping for a democratic election started to realign with community interests. In ecology , a community is an assemblage of populations—potentially of different species—interacting with one another. Community ecology is the branch of ecology that studies interactions between and among species. It considers how such interactions, along with interactions between species and

1665-424: The past. This classification method relies on the assumption that people or households will share more similarities in the types and styles of their material goods with other members of a social community than they will with outsiders. Early sociological studies identified communities as fringe groups at the behest of local power elites. Such early academic studies include Who Governs? by Robert Dahl as well as

1710-613: The post office in La Belle and thus have the same ZIP code (15450), as does SCI Fayette , a Pennsylvania state prison located next to East Fredericktown. The Penn-Craft Historic District and Brown-Moore Blacksmith Shop are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Luzerne Township is located along the western edge of Fayette County and is bordered to the west by the Monongahela River , which forms

1755-439: The provincial state government tended to be rural, geographically large, and sparsely populated townships. Townships or portions of them tended to become boroughs after population growth or an increase in population density and, eventually, might to reincorporate at the level of city. Initially, each municipal organization begins as a second-class township. When a sufficient population density, currently 300 people per square mile,

1800-406: The social well-being of local, regional and, sometimes, national communities. More grassroots efforts, called community building or community organizing , seek to empower individuals and groups of people by providing them with the skills they need to effect change in their own communities. These skills often assist in building political power through the formation of large social groups working for

1845-476: The term "community" in two ways, mirroring usage in other areas. The first meaning is an informal definition of community as a place where people used to live. In this literal sense it is synonymous with the concept of an ancient settlement —whether a hamlet , village , town , or city . The second meaning resembles the usage of the term in other social sciences : a community is a group of people living near one another who interact socially. Social interaction on

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1890-461: The township was $ 18,797. About 9.1% of families and 17.5% of the population were below the poverty line , including 26.0% of those under age 18 and 17.7% of those age 65 or over. 39°57′02″N 79°55′29″W  /  39.95056°N 79.92472°W  / 39.95056; -79.92472 Township (Pennsylvania) A township , under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , is

1935-438: Was 158.3 inhabitants per square mile (61.1/km). There were 2,043 housing units at an average density of 69.0 per square mile (26.6/km). The racial makeup of the township was 94.85% White, 3.76% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.02% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.32% of the population. There were 1,897 households, out of which 26.2% had children under

1980-514: Was attained, the township had the option of holding a referendum and, if it passed, became a first-class township. The municipality could proceed to the level of borough or city in a similar fashion. Historically, this progression has often included border adjustments or mergers with other boroughs or townships. Many communities remain townships in spite of growth that brings the characteristics of more-urbanized areas that might be associated with "towns." Because Pennsylvania's constitution provides for

2025-519: Was developed by Chavis and colleagues, and revised and adapted by others. Although originally designed to assess sense of community in neighborhoods, the index has been adapted for use in schools, the workplace, and a variety of types of communities. Studies conducted by the APPA indicate that young adults who feel a sense of belonging in a community, particularly small communities, develop fewer psychiatric and depressive disorders than those who do not have

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