MARIENVILLE, Pa. (EYT) – Officials from across the region gathered on Thursday at SCI Forest in Marienville for the formal dedication of the new vehicle restoration plant at the facility.
Around 50 people, including State Senator Scott Hutchinson, State Representatives Donna Oberlander, Kathy Rapp, and Cris Dush, gathered for the ceremony.
The new 48,000 square foot plant, a joint project of the State Department of Corrections, PennDOT, and the Pennsylvania Correctional Industry, offers inmates an opportunity to train in valuable job skills, while also saving taxpayer dollars by using these skills to refurbish PennDOT equipment.
Secretary of Corrections John Wetzel was unable to attend the ceremony, but sent a recording offering his congratulations on the new venture, noting it was “a big day” for SCI Forest and the Department of Corrections to open a program that would help people “move forward and give back.”
Deputy Secretary Christopher Oppman spoke during the ceremony and noted the program was a long time in coming. Before the decision was made to create the vehicle restoration plant, he related that a myriad of ideas had been tossed around, from laundry to meat processing to a fish farm. He went on to say that the program really came about because of the partnership and the way everyone involved was invested in creating something of value to the facility and the state.
According to Regional Deputy Secretary Trevor Wingard, SCI Forest is singular among the SCI facilities in Pennsylvania for several reasons, but the main one is the steadfast and dedicated staff. He noted that while other facilities see staff transfers between them on a regular basis, staff members rarely transfer from SCI Forest.
“The staff wants to be here, and only here, and it’s always been that way,” Wingard said.
SCI Forest is known for taking on some of the most difficult inmates in the state, but also known for being at the forefront for innovation in corrections, Wingard added.
Former SCI Forest Superintendent Michael Overmyer, who was at the helm when the project was first conceived, was also in attendance at the ceremony.
“It’s an honor to be back here, and I can’t wait to see the building,” Overmyer said.
Overmyer noted the project wouldn’t have been possible without the cooperation of PennDOT, who he said not only got immediately on board when the project was conceived but also worked with the Department of Corrections and the staff at SCI Forest through the entire project.
SCI Forest Superintendent Derek Oberlander began by sharing that one of the things that makes programs like this important is the simple fact that 90 percent of the inmates at SCI Forest will be re-entering their communities eventually.
“We have to make it so they can be better when they leave,” he said.
Oberlander explained that helping inmates build vocational skills, with programs that offer actual certification, not only decreases the chances they will re-offend, but in this case, is also a “value-added” program by helping PennDOT maintain their heavy equipment in a more cost-effective manner and saving the taxpayers of the state money.
“It is a game-changer for this facility,” Oberlander said.
Khelleh Konteh, the director of Pennsylvania Correctional Industries, also spoke during the ceremony and thanked everyone for attending, as well as all of those who made the project possible.
According to Konteh, when he first visited SCI Forest and saw the available building where they hoped to create an industrial/vocational program, he knew it was something they needed to dig in and work to build.
“I saw the opportunity to put inmates to work, to teach valuable skills, and to help reduce recidivism while also saving taxpayer money,” he said.
He stated that it took everyone involved to get the program built.
“We never lost our focus, we kept our eye on the ball. We pulled together and were a team.”
According to Mike Martin, the Division Chief Fleet Manager for PennDOT, the equipment that the plant will be servicing is “critical core” equipment like plow trucks and loaders that see some of the harshest conditions the state has to offer, which can lead to corrosion and other issues.
A facility to refurbish these vehicles will benefit not only PennDOT and the inmates at SCI Forest, but also all of the residents of Pennsylvania, Martin added.
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