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By JENNIFER LEARN jlearn@leader.net
Thursday, January 27, 2000 Page: 8A
HANOVER TWP. – Two top township officials will lose their jobs within two
weeks, said two former township commissioners who remain active in politics.
William “Buzz” McGavin and Sam Sorber often were at odds politically, and
McGavin said Sorber happily told him Wednesday morning about the plan to fire
Public Works Director Frank Ciavarella and Township Manager Ed Mera. McGavin
had stopped at Sorber’s service station because McGavin fills vending machines
for a soda company.
Sorber reluctantly acknowledged he learned from Board of Commissioners
Chairman John Sipper about the plan to fire the officials in two weeks. Sorber
said a lot of his customers have complained that Sipper and his Republican
majority have not yet fired Ciavarella and Mera.
Ciavarella and Mera were hired earlier this year by the former Democratic
majority over the complaints from Republicans and taxpayer group
representatives.
Sorber said he warned Sipper that the firings should not be delayed. Sorber
said Sipper acknowledged the need to fire them quickly, especially since
Sipper is up for re-election in two years.
“I told him if he didn’t do it soon, he’d be in trouble,” Sorber said.
Sipper vehemently denies telling anyone about a firing. While he has voted
against the hiring of Ciavarella and Mera, Sipper said he cannot reveal how he
would vote or predict the votes of fellow commissioners. The next commissioner
meeting is Feb. 1.
Although Ciavarella and Mera deny any specific firing plans, they have
threatened to sue the township if they are discharged.
Critics say they were hired for political reasons, not qualifications. But
Ciavarella and Mera insist they have implemented numerous policies and
programs that make the township run more efficiently.
“People see it. The township has made a complete turnaround since I took
the job,” Ciavarella said.
Ciavarella said he demands that all township employees do their fair share,
including a small minority of politically connected workers who expect the
“smaller guys” to do all the laborious assignments.
“There were some guys here eight or nine years who never worked,”
Ciavarella said.
Ciavarella also said he has tightened schedules so workers are not sitting
around. For example, workers who are not busy with plowing or sewer work are
sometimes assigned to paint, clean and maintain the municipal building.
“My men have changed light bulbs that have been out for years,”
Ciavarella said.