Commission to stay on job

By Jeanne Starmack

Some panel members complained they were confused.

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — The commission that was studying changing the form of Lawrence County government voted itself back into existence after a previous vote that put it on a path to terminating itself.

At a Wednesday meeting, the 11-member panel voted 6-3 to continue studying alternatives to the three-commissioner form the county has now. Missing were two members who’d voted at a meeting earlier this month to stop the study.

That 6-5 vote meant that the commission, voted in during last November’s election, would have one more meeting to prepare a final report, then disband.

But something happened behind the scenes between meetings. Commission member Dwayne Evans, who originally voted to stop the study, said he was confused by the motion that was made at the last meeting.

The commission had been studying a council-manager form of government at the time. Evans explained he thought the vote meant the commission was simply going to stop studying that form, not stop all together.

Commission member Richard Audino shot back that his motion at the last meeting had said the panel would discontinue the study for any change.

Wednesday’s meeting was contentious, with members often interrupting the discussion to indicate they were confused about what the panel would be doing.

“I assure you I’m going to file a lawsuit, and name as defendants each and every person who votes for this motion,” Audino said before the re-vote.

Joe Cicero, the commission’s secretary, asked Audino why he was so intent on not letting the issue get to voters.

Commission member Mark Panella asked Evans if someone “brought it to your attention” that he misinterpreted the motion at the previous meeting.

Evans insisted he came to that conclusion on his own, and that he called commission chairman David Kennaday to ask what he should do.

The commission came to exist because the Lawrence County League of Women Voters pushed to propose it to voters in November.

League officers have told The Vindicator that they have long advocated a change. Gary Felasco, former county treasurer, was able to keep his office for two years after he’d been charged with stealing $170,000 in taxpayers’ money. He was convicted in 2006. Under a different form of government, getting rid of a thief in office would be easier, league officers have said.

Evans’ motion for the re-vote included language for a proposed home-rule charter.

In home rule, the state allows options under a county’s own charter, which is like a constitution. The commission had been under a deadline of Aug. 6 to report to the county and make a recommendation for the November ballot, but by opting to study home rule, it gets a nine-month extension.

Kennaday said after the meeting that the commission can study an alternative government form and still make a recommendation by Sept. 1 for the November ballot. Including home rule will mean the commission can exercise the time extension.

“People ... are against this need to get together,” said Rose Droeder of Mahoning Township.

“I see nothing wrong with allowing the discussion to continue,” said Elizabeth Verterano of New Wilmington.