GEORGES TWP. - The current operating committee of the first vo-tech school in the state has voted to change the facility's name.

Operating since 1965 as the Fayette County Area Vocational-Technical School, the facility will now be referred to as the Fayette County Area Career and Technical Institute, a change vo-tech officials believe will help businesses better identify with the school's programs.

The committee voted on the name change Monday, with members Andy Dorsey, Ron Dellarose, Francine Pavone, Angelo Giachetti, Curtis Jacobs, Jim Tobal, Paul Bortz and Philip Holt approving the motion, while Edward Andria, Bill Gerke and Michael Dunham opposed. Member Edward Colebank passed.

"Since it was the first one in the state, I'd like to leave the name the same," Andria said.

The motion was previously presented to the committee during the January meeting, but failed to pass after a 6-3-1 vote. The committee needs seven approval votes to pass a motion.

Dr. Edward Jeffreys, vo-tech director, originally told the committee that a cost of about $4,500 would be associated with the name change to update stationery, web content and other identification items.

But during the meeting Monday, Jeffreys announced that state law does provide the option of bringing that work in-house, lowering the cost not to exceed $900.

"I think the purposes for the name change are for consistency with what is going on with other vocational schools in the area," said Dr. Philip Savini, Brownsville Area School District superintendent. "And it will help businesses relate to what the school is doing now. There is this connotation that a vo-tech is mostly bricks and mortar and automotive. But it's those programs and technology, nursing and others."

Jeffreys said the name change will not in any way affect the mission of the school.

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