Monessen council members could be penalized for missing meetings
MONESSEN – There could soon be a price to pay for Monessen council members who skip meetings.
Monessen Council heard a first reading Thursday of a proposed ordinance providing for “the assessment of reasonable fines for absences at regular or special meetings of council for the City of Monessen.” In addition, the council voted to advertise the proposed ordinance for possible adoption at a future meeting.
Councilman and Acting Mayor Anthony Orzechowski said the ordinance is geared toward council members who have an unexcused absence from meetings.
“We want to hold our council accountable,” said Orzechowski, during a work session Thursday evening. “This is different from situations where one of us gets sick and can’t make it to a meeting.”
The fine would be either deducted from a paycheck or issued through the mail, Orzechowski said.
According to the Pennsylvania Third-Class City Code, a provision under “Salaries” stipulates that “The mayor shall receive for the mayor’s services during the term of service an annual salary to be fixed by ordinance, payable in equal installments as council shall provide. Council shall, by ordinance, fix the amount of salary to be paid to the mayor for the mayor’s services and may provide for the assessment and retention from the salary of reasonable fines for absence from regular or special meetings of council or committees of council.”
A similar provision is in place for council members who miss meetings.
Mayor Matt Shorraw, who missed his 25th meeting in a row, has donated his $4,800 stipend to the Westmoreland Community Foundation. Councilman Gilbert Coles, who has attended only one meeting since last February, has not signed up to receive his monthly stipend.
Orzechowski said the absence of Shorraw and Coles has put an extra burden on the other council members.
“We have been doing the job of five people,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that this is going on but you (the taxpayers) can’t do anything about the two vacant seats until (the next election in) 2021.”
In other business, council:
- Voted to apply for a grant through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for a project as part of the Early Intervention Program.
- Authorized the Monessen Parks Restoration Group to cut diseased and dead trees, mulch playgrounds and pear trees and commence with split-rail replacement at City Park.
- Approved payments of $8,042 and $4,371, respectively, to WEC Inc. for construction management and observation services for the 2018 Monessen Downtown Demolition and Site Clearance Project and the 279 Schoonmaker Avenue Emergency Demolition and Site Clearance Project.
Orzechowski also thanked council members David Feehan and Lois Thomas for providing updates about the water problem on the city’s Facebook page. A boil-water advisory could soon be lifted for Monessen, as well as Charleroi, North Charleroi and Speers. The problem occurred after a transmission line broke at the Authority of the Borough of Charleroi’s Water System in Monessen.