By Perry Schaible
Enquirer contributor

WEST CHESTER TWP. - The organizers of a petition drive to put the construction of a $33 million community and recreation center before voters say they have enough signatures to get the issue on the Nov. 2 ballot.

They plan to submit the petitions to the board of elections today. Leaders of Let Us Vote West Chester (LUV West Chester) met Monday to collect petitions from about 60 volunteers.

The group had 30 days after a July 13 decision by township trustees to approve the construction of a community and recreation center to collect 1,545 valid signatures to put the issue on the Nov. 2 ballot.

Bruce Jones, a petitioner and longtime resident, said with about 90 percent of petitions collected from volunteers, results were favorable. "We've succeeded in our goal to get the community center on the ballot for the community to decide," Jones said Tuesday. Petitioners collected almost 3,000 signatures, close to double the required number.

Although the group has had success in getting the issue before voters, neither Jones nor fellow LUV West Chester member Dan Wagner plans to campaign for the issue. "I just want the people to be able to decide for themselves," Wagner said, citing the possibility of a "dirty" campaign as the reason he won't campaign.

Jones said he expects an organization to form against the community and recreation center, but said LUV West Chester will not be a part of it.

Nora Rubinoff, a 14-year West Chester resident and head of Residents for the Center, said she is concerned about the way some signatures were collected.

"I question the number of residents who may have been misled in the way their signatures were solicited for the petition," she said.

Residents for the Center will now focus attention on educating the community on the issue, Rubinoff said.