A petition calling for an investigation regarding Tyrone Borough’s actions involving the dismissal of former borough manager Nathan George was removed from the Choice convenience store in Tyrone on Friday.
It had been placed at the store on Logan Avenue earlier this week and was no longer at the store by Friday afternoon.
The Daily Herald observed the petition in the store on Thursday and independently verified it was removed from the store by Friday.
The Herald spoke with an employee who asked not to be identified. She indicated the petition had been at the store but was removed after the local store received word from its corporate offices to remove the petition.
It was then returned to Mac’s Market according to the employee. The petition had about 20 signatures on it Thursday, when it was reviewed by a Daily Herald staff writer.
The owner of Mac’s Market, Brian McManigal, had spearheaded a petition drive last week asking the state’s attorney general’s office to investigate Tyrone Borough’s actions regarding George’s dismissal.
He verified he had the petition placed at Choice earlier this week after receiving suggestions that some patrons who frequent the store might want to sign it. He said a Choice representative had returned the petition to him earlier Friday.
The local Choice store declined further comment other than to indicate they were told by corporate management the petition could be considered political, and it was not allowed to be displayed.
Attempts were made to reach corporate and regional offices for Choice convenience stores. A corporate marketing representative referred The Daily Herald to a regional manager in Monroeville. The manager had already left for the day and a message was left on a voice-mail.
As of press time, The Daily Herald was unable to verify how Choice’s corporate management became aware of the petition.
McManigal said he planned to forward the petitions next week to the attorney general. The petition at his store had about 150 to 160 signatures by Friday afternoon, according to McManigal.
Also Friday afternoon, a petition at Chic’s Salon on Logan Avenue had about 20 signatures, according to the owner there, and a copy of the petition at another location had about 85 signatures, according to The Herald’s independent verification.
