Charleroi council approves undisclosed ’employment matter’
Charleroi Council's meeting Wednesday drew a large crowd.
Charleroi Council President Frank Paterra signs the agreement approved with the Authority of the Borough of Charleroi. Looking on is Dennis Paluso, authority solicitor. Also seated is Charleroi Councilman Randy DiPiazza.
CHARLEROI – Without disclosing specifics, borough council approved “an action item” regarding a confidential employment matter at its meeting Wednesday, raising speculation of a potential Sunshine Law violation.
The vote was taken following an executive session called to discuss personnel matters.
Solicitor Sean Logue said parts of the matter remain under discussion and cannot be talked about publicly.
“There is a confidential employment matter going on and we can get sued if we discuss that in public,” Logue said Thursday. “The public will have a chance to comment on it, but not until after the confidential phase is wrapped up. … If council takes some kind of action, the public will be made aware.”
At the June 14 meeting, council suspended Borough Manager Matt Staniszewski for 10 days without pay, citing disrespectful behavior. Staniszewski was not at the meeting and had not returned to work as of Thursday, despite a planned return date of Monday.
Staniszewski could not be reached for comment Thursday. Shortly after the suspension, he said he had retained legal counsel to address what he termed “improper actions of council.”
Melissa Melewsky, legal counsel for the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association, said Thursday that council’s motion is less than what is required by Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Act.
“The Sunshine Act requires specificity both on the agenda and in the announcement and enactment of public policy,” she said. “That official action is legally suspect for lack of sufficiency because it does not enable meaningful public comment before the action is taken. What are they voting on? Taking an action like this just raises more questions than it answers. Folks should not have to wonder what their elected officials just did at a public meeting.”
Council President Frank Paterra said the matter is expected to be discussed at council’s next meeting on July 5.
Also Wednesday, council voted unanimously to accept an offer from the Authority of the Borough of Charleroi (ABC) to purchase the sanitary sewage collection system, sewer lines and all sewer property for $3.75 million.
Under terms of the agreement, Charleroi will receive $1 million in October and payments of $550,000 in each of the five subsequent Octobers.
No rates will be raised and no jobs will be lost.
ABC’s board already has approved the deal. Paterra signed the contract Wednesday.
The proposed sale of the ABC, which provides water and sewer services to a number of municipalities, has been contentious at times, with crowds of people attending meetings, some with signs in support of ABC.
“We don’t want this to go on anymore,” Paterra said Wednesday.
In a related move, council terminated the services of Thomas Wyatt of Obermayer, Rebmann, Maxwell and Hippel, who was hired to handle matters concerning ABC.
Paterra voted no because a portion of the motion made by Councilman Randy DiPiazza thanked the firm for its work.
“They cost us $53,000,” Paterra said Thursday. “He’s complimenting them on the work they did. What work did they do? We did the work ourselves. We shouldn’t even have gone down that road. They didn’t do a good job; they just milked our little community of money we need to spend for our people and our community.”