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Amid a large crowd of protestors, the future of the Authority of the Borough of Charleroi was put on hold again Wednesday, but council did make a surprise decision to suspend the borough manager.
As tensions continue to run high surrounding the authority, council agreed last week to table the reading of an ordinance to dissolve the authority until next month – though comments made Wednesday by members of council could mean some sort of deal could be reached before then.
Prior to the meeting, a group of nearly 40 protestors met at ABC and marched along McKean Avenue to the municipal building for the meeting.
As council met in executive session before the start of the meeting, more people began to pack the community room eager to discuss ABC and put pressure on council to leave the authority as it is, without any dissolution or potential lease agreement.
Many in attendance expected talks surrounding the authority to dominate the meeting, but instead the focus shifted to the recent behavior of Borough Manager Matt Staniszewski — and a subsequent motion to suspend him.
Staniszewski was not present at Wednesday’s meeting.
Before any agenda item was discussed, Councilman Jerry Jericho explained that ABC would not be on the agenda.
“See how quiet you are being right now, I’d like you to please maintain this through the meeting,” Jericho said to the crowd. “ABC, the water authority, will not be discussed this evening at all. We are talking it over and we will be making an announcement. We are going to recess this meeting and we will be discussing it at our next meeting.”
Only a handful of members of the packed crowd signed up to speak, at least three concerning ABC, but some opted to save their comments until the recessed meeting 6 p.m. June 28 where ABC is expected to be the focus of discussion.
Without going into much detail, Council President Frank Paterra explained that Jericho and Nancy Ellis had met with members of the water authority and came up with some type of proposal that council is in the process of reviewing with it’s Solicitor Sean Logue — and that the services of Thomas Wyatt of Obermayer, Rebmann, Maxwell & Hippel would no longer be needed.
That firm was hired in March, several weeks after a recommendation by Logue, to handle matters related to ABC as they are “experts” in the field.
Since the contract was officially signed in April, the firm has racked up a hefty bill, which council voted to pay along with its
CHARLEROI • A7 FROM A1 other monthly expensed on Wednesday — a little more than $53,000 — that Paterra said he was not in support of. “I do have a question,” Paterra said concerning the bills. “We have an invoice for $53,604 from the attorney you recommended to us, that we needed to negotiate with our authority in reference to the water authority. What have they done for $53,000?” “This is not Philadelphia. This is not New York. You said we could not vote for the $2 million (offer) because we needed an assessed value.”
Paterra questioned what the firm has done to help the borough, considering the most recent discussions did not involved the firm at all.
“I want to know what we got for that $53,000. I think you recommended him, and I think it was a mistake. I think we should have gone with the $2 million,” Paterra said. “Jerry called me a few days ago and told me he had talked to the water authority. Jerry and Nancy went down and they have a proposal. We are going to fine line it, read it and we are going to settle this at the next meeting.”
Logue said that the invoice for Wyatt could be tabled for further review, but Paterra said that was not necessary. “I don’t want to see another bill when we can handle this perfectly well ourselves,” Paterra said, before he started to read the contract from the firm dated Dec. 27 that specifically stated about the termination of the Authority of the Borough of Charleroi and then stopped mid sentence before ripping it in half.
The audience erupted in applause and started chanting Paterra’s name and he simply moved on with the agenda.
Borough manager suspended
Several people also had another matter to discuss – Staniszewski’s behavior.
During last weeks agenda meeting, where tempers flared concerning talks of ABC, Staniszewski interjected himself several times during public comment, banging his fist on the table and in some instances rolling his eyes as people spoke.
One woman, Tiffany Rands, addressed Staniszewski last week to ask why he had not shown up for a meeting they had scheduled.
Staniszewski said last week she had been at the municipal building that day “to pay her delinquent taxes,” which caused last week’s crowd to erupt in shouting and scoffs in Rands’ defense.
Speers Councilwoman Lori Spina also addressed his behavior last week.
“You have a problem with women,” she said. “You roll your eyes. Read the room. Charleroi is ran by women. I want to also say shame on you for your comment to Tiffany. You degraded her at a public meeting and the way you talk to Nancy Ellis is shameful.”
She demanded he apologize publicly to Rands last week, but he simply said “no.”
Rands spoke to council again Wednesday to encourage them to consider the person they have hired to represent the borough.
“I am here tonight as the delinquent taxpayer,” she said, before going on to say that her family has operated a business in Charleroi for nearly 45 years.
She went on to explain what happened between her and Staniszewski and their scheduled meeting June 6, before going over his job description with the audience.
“Nowhere did I find that a borough manager should try to publicly humiliate a taxpaying business owner,” she said. “Or borough employees such as the street department like he did last week. He pounded on the table, rolled his eyes, degrading questions from the public. He posted on social media, and I quote, ‘I do far more than I am paid to do (by the way).’ Why doesn’t he do what he is paid for and get off of Facebook. “Council appointed him to represent our borough in a professional way and he has done quite the opposite. I highly encourage you to reevaluate his appointment and representation of our borough.”
Dave DiPiazza, who also attended to discuss ABC, had a few similar remarks to make concerning the borough’s administrative staff, specifically Staniszewski and Logue – and he got emotional as he shared his thoughts.
“Some things are not being handled correctly,” he said. “I have served five times to this borough, and I take it personally. It offends me that the borough manager and solicitor can speak out of turn whenever they please. If I was sitting here with this gavel, I would have gaveled them down. You (Logue) are to speak, when this man (Paterra) tells you to speak. Same with the borough manager. These outbursts to the crowd and disrespect to the people, yes, I am looking at you (Logue). You can’t do that and you (Paterra) should not allow it to happen. They work for the borough. Call on them when you want their advice, that’s it.”
Former councilwoman Jeannine Motycki also addressed Staniszewski’s behavior, claiming that she, Tracey Kash and Nikki Sheppick were all harassed by Staniszewski last week as they were protesting before the start of the meeting.
“He chased us around town,” she said. “It’s not acceptable and if you think it is, something is wrong with you. Your borough manager’s conduct us unacceptable and after what he did last week to Tiffany Rands, he should have been fired or escorted out on the spot.”
Before recessing the meeting, Councilman Randy DiPiazza made a motion to suspend Staniszewski for 10 days without pay.
Paterra said that kind of behavior can’t be tolerated.
“No one is going to be disrespectful to anyone in this room, or anywhere else,” Paterra said. “If they are, they will be held accountable.”
Paterra said he hopes the suspension helps correct Staniszewski’s behavior.
“I thought he was doing a good job, but he can’t talk to our people that way, or our council people that way,” Paterra said. “So this suspension was necessary and hopefully he can come back to work and handle himself more appropriately. We won’t put up with it.”
Logue said Staniszewski has not been to work since last Wednesday’s meeting prior to his suspension.
On Thursday, he worked from home and on Friday he took a personal day.
He will return to work June
26.
The motion to suspend him without pay was approved unanimously.
When contacted after the meeting for comment, Staniszewski sent the MVI the following statement: “I have retained counsel and the improper actions of council will be addressed.”
Paterra said he plans to soon make a motion to terminate Wyatt’s firm as their services are no longer needed, and is eager to reach a resolution with the water authority that will not result in a dissolution, loss of jobs, or higher rates.
ABC Solicitor Dennis Paluso said the authority is also eager to sit down and reach an agreement, and after hearing Paterra’s remarks on Wednesday, he is hopeful that will be able to happen.
A decision and more information concerning the borough and ABC will be discussed 6 p.m. June 28.