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PLYMOUTH — At the borough council meeting on Tuesday night, Council President Gary Kochinski Jr. said that Councilman James Mahon has failed to communicate necessary information to the council.

Kochinski said Mahon cost the borough a chance to purchase a property because he did not tell other council members about the possibility.

“During one of the conversations I had with the property owner, I learned that a building was offered to the borough for purchase to Mr. Mahon and a former councilman but the information was never relayed back to council for discussion,” Kochinski said. “Due to this situation, the borough has lost a building in a prime location for redevelopment.”

Kochinski also alleged that Mahon has been inappropriately discussing open police matters.

“Police investigations are a sensitive matter,“ he said. “Some cases need to be handled very delicately. I have the utmost confidence in our police department in solving crimes. If you or your ex-councilman buddy have any questions pertaining to police investigation within these borough limits, please refer them to Mayor (Dorothy) Petrosky or our officer in charge, Officer (Ryan) Williams.”

Mahon had no comment following the meeting, but said that he would address several matters in the near future.

Kochinski also said that the borough has again been flagged for irregularities in the use of liquid fuel monies.

“We received our liquid fuels audit report for the fiscal year of 2014. We were flagged for several discrepancies pertaining to noncompliance with advertising and bidding requirements pertaining to the Liquid Fuels Act 655,” he said. “I was informed that the borough will have to reimburse our liquid fuels account approximately $24,000 out of our general fund.”

Kochinski said upon review of records, he had found that the borough had also been flagged for the same thing in 2013.

Kochinski said the borough is currently looking into whether or not insurance will cover the lost funds.

“If our insurance does not cover this error, we will look into other possible means of recovering these funds,” he said.

In another matter, council members said they were willing to release police reports to the media, but simply didn’t have the time.

Kochinski assured a reporter that he would look into the matter and have an answer in a timely fashion after the reporter asked council for the reports. Under state law, police reports are considered public records.

Kochinski said council members, the mayor and police officials would meet in the near future, review the law and work out a process of releasing the information.

The next meeting of the borough council is scheduled for 6 p.m. on March 8.

Kochinski
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_plymouthmug.jpg.optimal.jpgKochinski

By Geri Gibbons

[email protected]

Reach Geri Gibbons at 570-991-6117 or on Twitter @TLGGibbons