Marathon Boardman trustees meeting didn't merit the praise it got from The Vindicator

EDITOR:
Given The Vindicator's strong endorsement for their elections, your Jan. 13 editorial praises for the "bold" new Robyn Gallitto-Kathy Miller Boardman Trustees majority coalition weren't unexpected. However, "bold" does not begin to describe their 4-hour Leona Helmsley double-feature.
The meeting began optimistically and at Miller's instigation, we were entertained with the tantalizing economic prospects of the area becoming a movie-filming mecca. Then Gallitto-Miller plans for a community junk-swap day were announced. Either they figure it is high time Goodwill had some competition or they are just trying to clear up some junk around Miller's tenement rentals.
Despite campaign pledges of administrative cooperation, the positive tide soon turned, and the Gallitto-Miller agenda dithered in antagonisms for hours. No issue was too obvious not to misunderstand, nor to serve as fodder for their picayune political posturing at the expense of township employees, who were unaccountably treated like irresponsible indentured servants. Gallitto's acrimonious treatment of our highly effective police chief was especially troubling. Even a delay in releasing an impounded car was used as pretext to berate his departmental management.
During her previous term, Trustee MillerDennis Mangan 1/21/06 , who at least must be credited with a wily canniness for survival, earned administrative criticism and isolation for her nonproductive, undercutting working style. Inexcusably brutal criticism from other quarters ultimately worked to her political benefit, as the resulting sympathy obscured the real problems. However Gallitto's rancor was completely baffling -- until I learned she sued the township over a Police Department family promotion issue. This relevant election hazard was inexplicably unmentioned in The Vindicator's endorsement. Possibly, she is still smarting over the ultimate fruitlessness of the endeavor. We can only hope her cost-cutting vows recoup some of the township's extensive legal defense fees.
All details of Gallitto's lawsuit were necessarily discussed in closed "executive session" -- a courtesy not extended to the township administrator, when she launched his public pillorying for "tainting the community." Gallitto dragged up dirty laundry preceding her tenure for another airing. Evidently last summer, during a period of family tragedy, the man incurred a DUI citation and subsequently underwent treatment. Incidentally, Miller voted to retain him -- a fact The Vindicator misstates. He later shared in a bulk 4 percent employee wage increase. Although Trustee Mancini extenuated he had never failed in his duties, Gallitto-Miller's tandem vote revoked his raise. Whatever the merits of their reasoning, the public humiliation approach was callous. Excusing it by citing Sunshine Laws is particularly craven -- and, in Gallitto's case, hypocritical. The Open Meetings Act allows "executive session" discussions for this type of personnel matter. A "tainting the community" salary-docking policy may prove difficult to apply uniformly. Nevertheless, I think Gallitto and Miller owe that penalty jar some hefty contributions for their conduct of this meeting.
I could not help marveling how even-tempered these township employees remained during the long hours of dithering and sniping. I hope these folks have thick hides. Of course if they turn to drink, I guess Trustee Gallitto can penalize their paychecks and further her desired political identity as a cost-cutter.
Toward the end, having exhausted us all, Gallitto and Miller were still worrisomely energized. They then ganged up on Trustee Mancini and demanded more frequent meetings.
Marcelle Svenson
Boardman