Jan 22, 2019 3 min read

MONESSEN – The state Department of Community and Economic Development is seeking a meeting with the absent mayor of Monessen to set a path for his return to City Hall.

Deputy DCED Secretary Richard P. Vilello Jr. also addressed a number of Matt Shorraw’s concerns, stating in his Jan. 14 letter to the mayor that many of them are being addressed by council.

“I’m sure my information has only scratched the surface of the progress Monessen is making, and my goal is to help you return to serve in the position you were elected,” Vilello stated in his letter to Shorraw.

Shorraw, who claims he has been harassed by members of council, hasn’t attended a council meeting since May. He’s in the second year of a four-year term as mayor of the Westmoreland County city.

While many people in Monessen have been calling for his resignation for failing to perform his duties as mayor, Shorraw said Monday he plans to stay in the office.

“I do not plan to resign from office at any point,” Shorraw said.

Among Shorraw’s concerns was a report by the state auditor general’s office in July that concluded city officials violated state law in replacing the city’s longtime investment firm that handled the police and firefighter pension plans. The audit pointed to problems with the hiring in December 2017 of Fusion Investment Group of Cecil Township to manage the police pension fund, which was to be assigned to George Matta. Matta’s brother, Gary, works for Dodaro, Matta & Cambest, and Gary Matta has attended Monessen Council meetings as city solicitor.

Vilello reminded Shorraw that the three members of council who attend meetings were not in office when a new pension fund manager was hired.

He said the city set aside the issue to work on the budget in the last quarter of 2018 and is moving forward now with appointing a new fund manager following city and state guidelines.

Shorraw said he is willing to meet with DCED, but added that the letter he received from the department indicated his concerns need to be addressed elsewhere, such as the state Ethics Commission.

The audit also raised issues about an error involving an unnamed retired police officer who wrongly received $54,500 in benefits.

“The City of Monessen signed an agreement with the auditor general in November 2018 to pay back the state funds listed above within six months,” Vilello wrote. “The city has met the requirement of the agreement.”

Shorraw also said Monday he feels threatened by council members Anthony Orzechowski and David Feehan, citing attacks about him on Facebook. He said he doesn’t feel comfortable being around them.

Orzechowski said Shorraw is wrong about many of his allegations, largely due to his absence from council meetings.

“I don’t think he has a clue about anything that is going on,” said Orzechowski, who has been appointed acting mayor.

“I don’t think he’s ever going to come back,” he said.