Malik says he submitted names backing referendum
The Rev. Peter Malik rolled out a list of 810 names he said were collected in support of a referendum question asking whether or not the Uniontown Area School Board should continue a controversial high school project. Malik said the signatures were collected over the course of three-and-a-half days and were turned into the Fayette County Election Bureau on Friday to meet their deadline to have referendum questions placed on the ballot in the May primary election.
At the regular school board meeting on Monday, he and Farmington resident the Rev. Dale Rexrode presented the list, which Malik said measured 25 feet from end-to-end.
“You will not drown out the voice of the people,” Malik said.
“If we had more than three-and-a-half days, we would have a lot more signatures.”
Enlarged on the list was the name of Uniontown attorney Herbert Margolis, who in December filed a lawsuit challenging the district’s appointment of school board member Charles Castor. A county judge recently dismissed the claim.
As of Monday afternoon, the Herald-Standard had not received confirmation from the election bureau nor the county solicitor on whether the referendum question was approved.
According to Malik, the question will ask residents if they favor the school board continuing with the high school renovation project, and is “binding,” meaning the board has to abide by its results, borrowing a challenge from the board.
The board emerged from a Monday night executive session in which board President Susan Clay said board members discussed the matter along with other topics.
Before the closed-door meeting, Clay suggested holding an open house at the high school on a Saturday in April with plans to offer student-led tours and a display of proposed project drawings.
“I feel people should be well educated on what they’re voting on,” said Clay, who said the idea has the support of the superintendent and a few board members.
Clay said the alternative building plans presented by the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) formed to review the high school project to provide less-costly alternatives will not be on display.
The plans “have no backing and no architect,” said Clay.
CAC Chairman Ron Machesky said all information should be presented at the open house, including the impact on taxes.