A way must be found to terminate Felasco

In March 2004, The Vindicator revealed that the man in charge of delinquent tax collections in Lawrence County had not paid property taxes on his home since 2000. Gary Felasco, 38, was subsequently removed by county commissioners from his position as the county tax claim bureau director -- but he has held on to his elective office of county treasurer.
This, despite the fact that over the past 18 months there have been allegations of money missing from the treasurer's office, which resulted in an investigation by county District Attorney Matthew Mangino and state police, and the revelation that Felasco and his now estranged wife, Jeannine, operated a swinger's club in West Middlesex.
The treasurer is also accused by commissioners of not showing up for work, but there's nothing they can do about it. They have admitted that they do not have the authority to force him to perform his duties and cannot withhold his paycheck.
It was only recently that District Attorney Mangino found a way to try and get this poor excuse for a public servant out of office. He filed a civil lawsuit contending that Felasco has given up the right to maintain his official position because he now lives in Ashtabula, Ohio, with his estranged wife and children. The district attorney contends that the county code requires elected county officials to live in Lawrence County. He also accused Felasco of abandoning his office.
Criminal charges
But Mangino's civil lawsuit could be delayed because of the criminal charges filed this week by the state against Felasco. At his arraignment Wednesday, the treasurer was accused of stealing nearly $45,000 from county taxpayers. He was released on $25,000 bond.
Felasco's lawyer has indicated he intends to request a postponement of the civil suit and also will seek to delay of the preliminary hearing on the criminal charges scheduled for Sept. 14.
Given the treasurer's insistence that he intends to hold on to his public office during the disposition of the criminal case against him, and given the possibility of Mangino's being blocked from proceeding with the civil action, county commissioners should meet with the district attorney to determine if there is anything the state legislature can do to at least bar the treasurer from the office.
There are provisions in state law for removing an elected official who has been convicted of a crime -- impeachment or removal by the governor following a trial in the Senate, for instance -- but there isn't much anyone can do to the likes of Felasco. And something must be done. Why?
Because Magistrate Sam Battaglia warned the defendant to stay away from witnesses, but, as The Vindicator noted, both deputy treasurers in the office, Gloria Conti and Cathy Baker, are on the government's witness list.
Of course, given the commissioners' contention that the treasurer has not been showing up for work, we may not have to worry about Conti and Baker being influenced by him.
Be that as it may, Felasco cannot be allowed to continue serving in a position of such importance. It is a job that pays quite well, $60,000 a year.
We hope Mangino is able to proceed with the civil lawsuit in an attempt to get Felasco off the payroll, but the county commissioners would do well to have a fallback position.