Wernersville Correction Center UPDATE

It’s been almost 2 months since the initial public meeting was held at a local church to discuss the Wernersville Community Corrections Center. On Thursday May 20 a follow-up meeting was held at the WCCC to follow-up on the progress of items brought to the attention of the Director and Staff at CCC during the initial meeting.


The first meeting brought out over 100 local residents, many of whom came with anger, concern, fear and frustration. This second meeting, there were barely 30 local residents in attendance. Honestly, I was kind of embarrassed that so many came out to demand actions and answers, and now after much progress has been made, not near as many attended. I will say that at least 10 or more residents spoke up and thanked CCC for the noticeable changes and response to local community requests and suggestions.

Many things that were asked for were addressed; curfew is now 7:00 PM unless a resident has a job which keeps him out later; residents no longer can walk along 422 and into Wernersville and the surrounding areas; residents are to stay on the grounds of the center; CBFC offers bus runs to various locals – grocery store, job searches; there are now only 2 sign outs per day rather than 3, and these sign outs must be planned and approved the prior week.; wires have been installed for a facility computer lab – waiting on equipment; CCC is in the process of getting quotes for food vendors – but based on a suggestion by the community, a lunch truck now visits; increased vending is being implemented i.e. cigarettes; a running route and rec area has been outlined on campus. Census numbers were posted for all to see the numbers of residents and the crimes committed leading to incarceration.

CCC has established a community roundtable and encourages participation. This roundtable is held at CCC at 9:00 AM on the first Tuesday of each month. If you would like to participate, contact Michelle Zvorsky at mzvorsky@state.pa.us, or by calling the Center at 610-621-5360. Michelle is also working on, and with many volunteer opportunities such as Adopt a Highway; residents have already helped with projects in Robesonia borough and Encore located on State Hospital Grounds. The residents have buffed floors, gardened and painted – some for the required 8 hours of community service, but most for nothing more than the good feeling of having contributed. There is always room to grow, per Tracy Jacobson, and if anyone from the local community has a skill or trade to share, to help these men fit into communities better (i.e. cooking, budgeting, parenting), Michelle would like to hear from you. There is currently an opening for a Family Alliance teacher, which is per diem. Any interested parties, again – contact Michelle. Since the initial meeting, there are at least 55 community volunteers, some of whom attended that meeting, serving both inside and outside of the facility.

Questions were still raised regarding how drug and/or alcohol issues are handled. There are random canine drug searches, weekly property searches, and weekly urine tests. Breathalyzer tests are also done upon return from sign outs. A recent incident where a resident tried to bring alcohol into the Center, got him a free pass back to state prison within 2 hours.

A monthly newsletter is now published and available currently at local borough halls, post offices and libraries. In the near future, a website will be available with information regarding staff, programs, volunteer opportunities and frequently asked questions about the CCC.

It was noted that this is the first opening of such a center in more than 16 years, and none of the panel members were involved in such a startup. It’s a new experience where not much time was given before the Center was to be up and running. Now, other state Centers are looking to Wernersville CCC for examples in managing and running their Centers.

Ms. Jacobson offered tours to anyone in the Community, who wants to take a tour and learn more about the CCC. Please contact Tracy at the Center number 610 621-5360.

Personally, I’d like to again thank Representative Jim Cox, Senator Mike Folmer, Tracey Jacobson and all the staff and residents of the Wernersville CCC for doing their best to fit into our Community. I appreciate the diligence of WCCC for trying to maintain, in one gentleman’s words, a ‘good neighbor policy’.

From your Our Robesonia Reporter at Large….Beth Sattizahn

Correction Center Meeting

Another meeting scheduled at the Wernersville Correction Center at 6pm on May 20th.  They claim to have made changes to policies and security.  There has been less walking traffic and not the usual loitering at Redners from what I have observed.  Please make an effort to attend this meeting and voice your concerns about the daily operation at the prison and what the future plans are for the whole complex.  How many inmates?  What would happen if the state hospital closes, will this be a huge prison?  What are the new rules to protect the public?  Beth Sattizahn will write an update in the June Our Robesonia.

Correction Center Meeting Update

A meeting was held on Thursday 3/25 at a local church where local residents could come ask questions to the Director of the Community Corrections Center, located off Sportsman Road in Wernersville. Representative Jim Fox and Senator Mike Folmer arranged this meeting, as their offices received many calls from concerned residents.  I attended this meeting from an impartial position so that I could report the story that way, but I admit I am pretty partial as I too am a concerned resident of the Community and having a Correctional Facility dumped in our small town makes me nervous.  The meeting was a forum to ask questions, present concerns and get answers to them.  A panel of folks representing CCC including the Director, Dept Secretary for Corrections, several employees of CCC and a Probation and Parole representative.  The church was filled with well over 100 people in attendance who expressed their fears and concerns. I will do my best to report my understanding of them, and the answers given.
Q: Why was Wernersville selected for this facility?
A: The State Dept. of General Services contacted Dept of Corrections when Fire Tree left and made them aware of the facility.
Q: How many residents are currently housed?
241 – 90 are pre-releases, meaning they are within a year of serving their minimum sentence and have been without behavioral incidents in the prison facility. 150 of the residents are parolees – and these individuals could easily be living in your town or be your neighbor and you may not even know it.
Q: What is the nature of crimes committed?
A: Although the numbers presented were sketchy, I recall 3 murderers; 49 robberies, and 1 kidnap. The majority are drug related offenses.

Q: Why are these people saturating our communities, libraries, eateries, grocery stores, etc.?
A: The residents are allowed to sign out and have time parameters for their return. The CCC has provided 8 computers so far, and are trying to get more to alleviate tying up all local library computers. They travel by walking or public transportation to the local grocery stores as they must buy their own food and prepare their own meals. DOC will address the issues of groups filling up local eateries where parents used to feel it was safe to allow older children to patronize.

Q: Why are these residents allowed out late at night?
A: There are 3 curfew times – 7 PM, 9 PM and 10 PM. Residents must earn the later curfews, and most are related to jobs. Currently 31 residents have jobs. DOC will address the issue of curfews and setting more structured access to community for its residents. Public safety is their number one concern.

Q: Why are the residents of CCC depleting the local food bank? (Yes folks there is a local food bank on the grounds of Wernersville State Hospital for anyone in the community who needs it)
A: Residents of CCC volunteer time to help stock the food bank. Between 5 and 8 residents a month, only after volunteering, can take from the food bank.
The Deputy Secretary for DOC promised to address issues and concerns raised at Thursday’s meeting within 30 days. The panel was responsive and is willing to regularly interact with the local community to resolve issues and to help make the program of integrating into communities for these residents a success. CCC will contact local boroughs to submit updates in order to keep the community aware of happenings and progress on these concerns. A CCC employee also asked the community to embrace the facility and welcomes volunteers to be role models, coaches and mentors to these men who all they know is big city crime and survival skills. Several residents and churches including CBFC who hosted the meeting have successful volunteer and mentoring relationships and in some cases are teaching the CCC residents life skills so they can integrate into the community.
I don’t believe anyone who sat in the meeting on Thursday night at CBFC denies that people deserve second chances. As humans, we mess up – and those of us who do mess up are grateful for grace and mercy shown to us by our family, friends and neighbors.
We are grateful for the second chance and with an attitude of repentance and humbleness we move forward in life trying not to make the same mistakes again.
Residents presented some very real concerns and some, rightly so – were visibly upset. For the most part, I observed fear expressed respectfully but there were community residents who demand respect and cultural awareness speak out in manners that did not project an example of the respect they spoke of.
Plans are being made for future community meetings with CCC. Please contact Rep. Jim Cox or Senator Mike Folmer for this information.
Thank you to Calvary Bible Fellowship Church for providing a meeting place, and staff to operate sound equipment for this meeting.
Make a note of this number – put it in your cell phone or car – and if you observe any inappropriate behavior call CCC and it will be addressed immediately – per the Director. (610) 621-5360.
Your Our Robesonia correspondent at large…..Beth Sattizahn
More info at: http://wernersvillepa.blogspot.com
Thank you Beth for your impartial view. I have a feeling that some of the second chance
people will change their tune when there home is broken into, there child is kidnapped, their mother is raped, or their car is stolen. Here are some pix of the prison buildings. They are located on Main St. at the end, last 2 buildings on the right. Wfmz has created a blog on this subject in Topix http://www.topix.net/forum/source/wfmz/TNLNAFATG699UK65E

Local Salaries

As promised here are some of the earnings of local people. 
Carol Kennedy-$22,000 Retail Sales, 4 yr. Business Degree
Barry Meade-$33,000 Account Manager Tech Solutions, 4 yr technical engineer Degree
Mary Allger-$8,200 Waitress, High School
Sharon Miller-$12,000 Waitress, 4 yr. Business Degree
Gary Degler-Robesonia Streets Department $31,200
Lisa Heilman-$30,000 Robesonia Borough Secretary
Vickie Correll-$8,551.00 Tax Collector, High School Diploma
Grace Ketner-$21,000 Sales support, GED
Brad Pagerly-$38,000 Truck driver
Mitch Rogers-$35,360 Order picker, High school diploma
Paul Lantz-$42,000 CPA 4 yr degree
Gov. Rendell-$174.435 Govenor of PA (just as a comparrison to a Weiser superintendent)
These jobs are mostly year round positions.  Most have limited health benefits.
I'll post more as I get them.

Meeting with Senator Cox on the Wernersville Correction Facility

http://repjimcox.com/wccc.aspx


If you can attend this meeting do so.  The more people to ask questions and demand answer on this prison the better.  These prisoners are roaming our streets and loitering at businesses.  They are repeat and violent offenders.  That means rape, murder, assault, burglary etc.  Many of them are not from Berks County.  They are not fenced in and are barely monitored as they tour our communities.  There have been break ins and harrasement incidences directly related to these prisoners.  Attend this meeting and be heard!!!

Important information on the Wernersville Corrections Center

Important information on the Wernersville County Corrections Center

Please read the following blog for factual information on the WCCC.  If you want a copy of the list of inmates you can request it from the Department of Corrections.
Blog http://wernersvillepa.blogspot.com/
Please help pass this information around so everyone knows exactly what is going on at this facility.

Healthy Diet & Exercise vs Fast food and Lazy

I have always eaten a healthy diet and I am in the gym everyday.  I passed these habits onto my sons and they seem to understand the healthy diet stuff but somewhere along the way have come to believe big mucsles and weight loss can come from a bottle.  A billion dollar a year industry has conned so many people into believing there is a shortcut around eating healthy and exercising.  It is just not true.  Have people lost weight on these pills and programs?  Yes.  Have they kept it off?  Very few.  The fast food industry has really wrecked the health of countless people in the US.  Last year a study was done to prove just how BAD this stuff is.  A healthy man proved this by eating McDonalds food 3 times a day for 30 days and gave up his normal exercise routine.  His weight went from 185.5 to 210lbs.  His cholesterol went from 163-230.  His body fat from 11-18.  He became fatigued, had headaches and felt just plain crappy until the end of the study.  His liver was struggling to function.  He reversed the damage of just 30 days by detoxing with a healthy diet and exercise.  It took 8 weeks for his blood test to return to the starting numbers and 5 months to lose the 24.5lbs he gained.  Now imagine most of obese America who have made this restaurant a regular dining place and have been and will continue to do so.  There are only 7 items on the McD's menu with no sugar.  They are french fries, sausage, hash browns, coffee, ice tea and chicken nuggets.  You can barely find chicken in those nuggets.  They are 98% chemicals a over processed garbage.  Even the salads have sugar.  A premium chicken salad has 51 grams of fat which is more than a Bic Macat 24 grams.  Imagine eating this crap daily and most people have Supersized their order.  That supersized drink alone can contain up to 18 tablespoons of sugar.  Gross!  We rarely have drank soda at our house but a lot of our friends and family drink cases or dozens of liters a week.  Why am I fat and feel like shit?  The fat content in a Happy meal can be 41 grams 11 of which are saturated.  Don't feed this garbage to your kids.  As a parent I took my boys to outdoor playgrounds and never visited the McDonalds play pens.  They are a business and they have marketed it very well but their food can destroy your health.  Lots of fat, lots of carbs, lots of sugar, your body doesn't stand a chance!  Do you know in 2004 Congress passed the "Cheeseburger Bill" making it illegal to sue fast food companies for obesity?  Where is that government that is suppose to protect us?  Out to lunch eating organic, low calorie, low sugar, low fat, healthy food.  Bet ya!  Some schools are getting in on the healthy ways to eat and incorporating more exercise as mandatory.  Kids don't need soda machines in school.  But because of some very bad habits their parents have they do need an education on diet and exercise.  Here is the link to "Supersize Me" everyone should watch it.  This should be shown in schools & homes nationwide.  http://www.slashcontrol.com/free-movies/super-size-me/229121465?icid=main  Enjoy and share.

Two Sides

I received both positive and negative comments about posting the the Weiser salalries.  Hit a nerve and I guess I didn't realize it was such a big deal.  Salaries are public info and sharing them shouldn't bring shame and anger.  Although most of us feel our work is important if you read some of the comments on the blog it is obvious some people feel their work is over and beyond what the rest of us do for a paycheck. I also got a sense that some feel they need not produce what they are paid for. What I have learned from the post is that if my child doesn’t learn it’s my fault no matter what salary someone is being paid to teach them. Oh, and my job, cooking and caring for the elderly, just isn’t as important as being a teacher.  How sad that some of them feel they are worth so much more than the rest of us.  I received an email stating it was my fault if my children didn't learn how to balance a checkbook or write neatly.  Ummm I am sending my children to school for an education.  I have always been very involved in their schooling and found the statement very self serving.  I did teach them these things even though teachers at Weiser were being paid to teach them.  Sending my son to college at $60,000 a year I would expect teachers to teach him.  I am not checking up on everything he does and I don't feel it's my fault if a teacher can't teach him. It is their job!  When you are paying the amount of taxes we pay to have our children attend safe schools where they are suppose to be being taught they shouldn't walk away undereducated.  If I don't do my job I am held accountable for it.  I can't just blame family members or co-workers.  I also got badgered about my life.  I have been very honest and forthcoming in the Our Robesonia about all aspects, good and bad, of this life I live.  I assume most people know us and know the facts.  But it was more an issue to some if I am married or divorced, how much money I earn, what I own, how much money Dennis earns...I tried to answer and correct those issues.  Nothing to hide here.  I am also gathering the info on local salaries including mine to post and prove there is no comparison.  Where some of the remarks came from is beyond me.  I clearly stated my issue was more with administration than with teachers.  I know quite a few teachers in the district and I admire what they do and how they do it.  Sorry to be honest but not all teachers at Weiser are good.  Some need to retire and others I believe truly don't want to teach.  It is a paycheck.  They may be few but my sons both managed to have to sit through their unproductive classes.  I did complain about them but nothing was ever done.  Guess that is why more and more kids are home schooling.  I do believe we could employ a much more effective and less costly administration.  All around us people who think they are unreplaceable are being replaced by lower paid and much smarter people.  It is 2010 and things are back sliding.  We take pay cuts, are refused pay raises, have no health insurance and are afraid the market will eat up our retirement.  As realistic as I see all this I will continue to get pounded by those who are always on higher ground and just don't get it.  They'll call me names and berate my talents but I will still continue to tell it like I see it.

Crime Alert

Be on the look out for crooks and people vandalising property in Robesonia.  There have been a slew of break-ins-Christmas ornaments stolen and/or destroyed-paint ball being used on houses and car-break-ins. This has happened in Heidelberg Township as well as in the boro.  If you see any suspicious people hanging around please call the local police to have them checked out.  We have a much larger number of creepy people that have moved into our once safe little towns.  Watch out for your neighbors.  LOCK the doors to your houses and cars.  If you have seen anything please add it to the blog and report it to the local police. 

Freedom or Health

Recently a local company implemented a $11.56 a week or $600.00 a year charge for all of their smoking employees.  Seems to cross a line that we may all be facing as America becomes more and more a social country.  What's next $15.00 a week if you are over weight?  How about $20 a week if you enjoy cocktails after work or on weekends?  Maybe $20 a week if you use a tanning bed?  Where does this kind of payroll deduction end?  Is it legal?  If you have any thoughts I'd love to hear them.  This charge is affecting the paycheck of someone I care very much about, who works hard for his money and must agree to pay the fee, stop smoking and or enroll in a stop smoking program.  Who has the right to demand how we choose to live our lives.  Everyone knows the risks of smoking.  Do I wish they all would quit?  Yes.  Do I think they should be charged through their workplace because they choose to smoke?  No.