Hardy, Vicites offer support for velodrome
(Editor’s note: This is the first installment of a three-part series looking into the possibility of USA Cycling moving its headquarters to Brownsville in conjunction with the indoor Olympic-style bicycle racing facility that has been proposed for downtown Brownsville.)The proposed velodrome and downtown development project in Brownsville has garnered support from various public officials, but some are wondering why they’ve been left out of the process. The “Progress Sheet for the Brownsville Velodrome Master Plan” sent to members of the Fayette County Redevelopment Authority has an entry: “11.15.06 Briefing, offers of assistance and letter of support for Downtown Brownsville Project from County Commissioners Joseph A. Hardy and Vincent A. Vicites.”
Fayette County Commissioner Chairwoman Angela M. Zimmerlink said no one ever asked to meet with her about the proposed Olympic-style indoor bicycling track and she was unaware of any discussion among the commissioners about the project.
“Commissioner Hardy and Commissioner Vicites have teamed up to lend support to the velodrome project indicating that the community has discussed and supports the plan,” Zimmerlink said. “I, along with Brownsville residents and some local elected officials have not been informed of nor asked to participate in the apparent ongoing discussions concerning this major project. Perhaps Commissioner Hardy and Commissioner Vicites could share with us their information and reasoning for lending county support so that the rest of the local elected officials, Brownsville residents and nearby communities could also have the benefit of the information.”
Zimmerlink said development projects have fallen by the wayside in the past because of division between different factions.
“Get everybody together and set your egos aside and do what is best for the community,” Zimmerlink said.
Zimmerlink sent a letter to Brownsville Borough Council asking for copies of any letters of support council might have received.
“I can’t help out. I don’t have copies of the letters, either,” said council President Jack Lawver. “All correspondence is supposed to go through us to be distributed. I was distributing information to the state and local officials.”
According to Jeff Nobers, spokesman for Fayette County commissioner and 84 Lumber Co. founder Joseph A. Hardy, Hardy did meet with Ernest and Marilyn Liggett of Monroeville about the proposed velodrome and development project in October, but he did so as a private businessman, not as an elected official.
“They were looking for corporate sponsorship. They weren’t really looking for support from the county commissioner. They were looking at grant money and ways to match it,” Nobers said. “It was explained to them that this wasn’t something 84 Lumber Co. was interested in participating in.”
Nobers said the Liggetts did seek a letter of support from Hardy.
“They did e-mail a letter to Mr. Hardy’s office at 84 Lumber asking him to sign it and send it back to them,” he said. “Mr. Hardy doesn’t remember signing it and no one in the office remembers whether it was ever sent back or not.”
Nobers said Hardy did sign a letter that had been prepared by fellow commissioner Vincent A. Vicites regarding the velodrome.
Vicites said he never met with the Liggetts about the velodrome project and never received an e-mailed letter from the Liggetts, though he did receive a call from Jack Norris of CB Richard Ellis, the real estate management firm preparing the initial feasibility study for it.
“It was a result of that conversation that I sent the letter. They asked me to write a letter of support because there’s state money involved,” Vicites said. “I want to help Brownsville in any way I can. Anything that might be viable, I want to reach out and help.”