Sharon, Pa., looking for city manager who obeys residency rule
BY JEANNE STARMACK
SHARON, PA.
The city is looking for another manager even though the first one it hired under its new home-rule charter has been in the post only for seven months.
Thomas Lavorini, who lives in Butler, Pa., has indicated he probably will not move to Sharon, which has a residency requirement, said city council President Mike Donato.
Lavorini would not comment, referring all questions to city council.
Lavorini was hired in November as the city moved away from a council and mayor to a council-manager form of government.
He was chosen from 35 applicants from throughout the country.
His previous job, as manager of Ross Township in Allegheny County, ended after 18 years in August 2008, when township commissioners dismissed him in a 5-3 vote.
A search committee made up of council members and members of a home-rule transition team was satisfied his firing was “a change in the political wind,” according to Vindicator files.
“We hired him for a one-year term, and it’s up in November,” said Donato. “We figured we’d start the search.”
“We knew when we hired him he probably wasn’t going to move to the city,” said Donato.
“But we hired him because we felt he was the most qualified,” he continued. “He had the background and experience we were looking for, and he had knowledge of western Pennsylvania.”
Donato said Lavorini knew there was a residency requirement and he was up-front about not leaving Butler.
He said Lavorini’s wife has a job there.
Donato said the city began its search for a replacement about two weeks ago. Lavorini will stay on until one is found, he said.
Lavorini is paid $67,500 a year.