Feb 19, 2016 3 min read

McDONALD – Robinson Township is without a municipal manager after Erin Sakalik tendered her resignation effective Feb. 9.

The letter of resignation was accepted and voted on Friday by supervisors Rodger Kendall and Mary Donaldson. Supervisor Regis Curtis was absent.

“She did a lot of good things for our township when she was here. I’m sorry to hear she’s going in a different direction and sorry to see her go,” Chairman Kendall said.

In the resignation letter, Sakalik wrote “it has been a pleasure working with you and your residents over the last 19 months. Your township is poised for continued growth, and I wish you much success.”

Former board chairman Stephen Duran said during public comment that “the board owes everyone an explanation of why she left. And now, we don’t have our all-star in this office. It’s not what you make it seem. I believe our township is now going to suffer that Erin is no longer in this office. I believe I owe her (to say that) at least.”

Kendall, when asked about Duran’s allegations of a forced resignation said “she wasn’t ousted, obviously. We have public meetings and we vote on this, and she provided her resignation. She sent me an email the other day that said it was her last day … I’m very upset that she’s not here anymore. I hired her. She just seemed unhappy; you could see it. It took us a long time to find someone like her with her qualifications.”

Supervisor Mary Donaldson when asked the same said, “I had very good communication with Erin. (She) and I worked well together since I took office in January. I will miss that she’s not here.”

Susan Ritchey, a township administrative assistant, was voted in separate motions to be the interim township secretary and right to know officer. Each motion passed 2-0. Donaldson was named interim township treasurer – a position the manager held – after a motion from Kendall which she seconded and also voted to approve.

At the suggestion of solicitor Alan Shuckrow, the board said it would seek outside accounting help. Kendall said the township would hire temporary office workers through Pancoast, a staffing agency in Pittsburgh, to help with basic office duties. Details on the potential hirings were not on the agenda. Minutes were not available beyond a Jan. 5 reorganization meeting.

Ritchey said an ad seeking a new township manager would likely go out Monday and appear the week of Feb. 22 in the newspaper.