NEW CASTLE Council input shunned in hiring

Incoming members are miffed at the mayor-elect.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- The incoming city council members say they are unhappy that Mayor-elect Wayne Alexander left them out of his decision-making process for a new city business administrator.
Alexander's search committee announced Monday that it had chosen Raymond Kolodziej, 48, of New Wilmington as the person the mayor-elect would recommend to council when he takes office in January.
Brian Welsh, chairman of Alexander's search committee, said Kolodziej was the top candidate of five interviewed. There were 41 applicants.
But the newly elected city council members, and one current member who will remain on the panel, say they are unhappy they were left out of the interview process.
"This person who was picked by Mr. Alexander, I've never heard of him before," said Will Quimby, councilman-elect. "We should have been included."
Rob Ratkovich, who was also elected in November, said he's not aware of Kolodziej's qualifications and said he believed the city administrator should live in the city.
The city ordinance governing the position says that the administrator need not be a resident of the city or state when appointed, but during his tenure in office he may only live outside the city with council's approval.
New Councilwoman Karen DeCarlo noted that lawmakers were elected by the people and should have had a more active role in Alexander's decision-making process for a business administrator.
The current business administrator, John DiMuccio, is not being kept on by Alexander.
Salary
The 2004 salary for the business administrator is $62,840, but it is not known whether council will approve that amount for a new business administrator.
Councilman John Russo had asked the city solicitor to put together the qualifications for the business administrator as outlined by city and state code.
Russo said he also believes the new council had a right to be part of the decision-making process for the administrator. He said he does not know Kolodziej's qualifications.
City Solicitor James Manolis said the administrator should be chosen based on his qualifications and actual experience. The three main duties of the job are to assist in the preparation of the budget, administer a centralized purchasing system, and perform other duties as council may prescribe.
Under a local ordinance, the business administrator must also have a four-year college degree and have actual experience in the position.
It is unclear if Kolodziej has that experience. He and Alexander could not be reached for comment.
Kolodziej does own an accounting firm, however.
New solicitor
The new council members say they have no problem with Alexander's choice of Atty. Angelo Papa as city solicitor. Manolis had asked council if it was OK to share confidential legal documents with Papa before Manolis' tenure as solicitor ends this year.
Manolis warned that Papa is under no legal obligation to keep those documents confidential until he is appointed solicitor.
Manolis said there are 22 banker's boxes of files pertaining to city legal issues. He added that once his tenure is over, he will not assist Papa with those files.
Quimby, Ratkovich and DeCarlo said after Tuesday's meeting that they have no problem with Papa's appointment and believe he will be approved when they take office in January. Russo and incumbent Councilwoman Christine Sands also agreed they will approve Papa.
cioffi@vindy.com