Prison referendum petitions to be distributed
A committee comprised of those opposed to the construction of a new prison in Fayette County will begin asking residents to join their crusade to stop the process.
The “referendum committee” will distribute petitions beginning Saturday and begin collecting signatures Wednesday through March 9 in an effort to first persuade the county election board to place a referendum on the May primary ballot and then allow voters to share their opinion as to whether the estimated $32 million prison project should continue.
“This is a costly proposition, and one that will impact the next generation,” said Dr. Evelyn Hovanec of North Union Township. “The people should have a voice in this decision.”
Spearheading the initiative are Hovanec, Ralph and Jerrie Mazza of Vanderbilt, John Cofchin of Uniontown, David Show of Hopwood and John Buchanan of Chalk Hill.
The committee members have worked for several months to determine if there is strong support for halting the project and concluded that, like them, others are concerned that other options to the multimillion-dollar project were not fully considered by Commissioners Al Ambrosini and Vincent Zapotosky.
The two officials voted last year to proceed with the construction and also have laid the groundwork to fund the project. Commissioner Angela M. Zimmerlink has not supported the measures.
According to the proposed ballot referendum, if approved, the commissioners will be required to void all resolutions pertaining to the new prison and cease to take any further action; explore all options, including the renovation and expansion of the current prison, and that all future discussions tied to the construction, site selection, costs and planning “be open and involve meaningful interaction with the general public.”
While Hovanec is confident the committee has public support and will have the needed 1,700 signatures to submit it to the election board for consideration, it also must be scrutinized by the board members that include Ambrosini, Zapotosky and Zimmerlink before it can be added to the ballot.
Another hurdle is that the wording must meet local and state requirements and be supported by state law.
In a late January memo to the group, election board solicitor Sheryl Heid advised the committee that its original referenced state law did not meet the criteria.
“There is no Pennsylvania statute which authorizes a referendum to block the funding of prison construction,” said Heid.
Hovanec responded that the committee believes it has found an alternative law to support the initiative, but declined to divulge the legally based statute that will be used for the petition.
“We are proceeding,” said Hovanec. “I believe that we can get the needed signatures, and 1,700 signatures should send a message to the commissioners whether it is put on the ballot or not that there is concern out there as to what they are trying to do.”
Those interested in circulating petitions for the committee may pick up copies Saturday beginning at 3 p.m. at the Fayette Patriots headquarters, located at 72 E. Fayette St. in Uniontown.
Hovanec said that those circulating petitions will be given instruction as to how to collect signatures and the criteria that must be followed. A second distribution of the petitions will take place Tuesday at the same location.
The public can add their signature to a petition beginning Wednesday.
Committee representatives will be collecting signatures at Laurel Mall in Dunbar Township from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 22, 23, 24 and on March 1 and 2 at the Giant Eagle supermarket at Fayette Plaza on Route 51 in North Union Township.
The petitions must be filed with the election bureau by March 10.
For additional information, call Hovanec at 724-438-8974.