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By LAURA WOLF Times Leader Corresponent
Wednesday, February 02, 2000 Page: 3A
HANOVER TWP. – Public Works Director Frank Ciavarella’s job was written out
of the township’s new budget, and Ciavarella, one of seven commissioners who
oversee the spending plan, didn’t even know it.
Commissioners on Tuesday passed the first of two readings for the new
version of the 2000 budget. The budget was originally approved by the
township’s previous commissioners, but the Republicans who took over in
January made changes.
The amended budget doesn’t include the salaries of three Road Department
positions and Ciavarella, a Republican who aligned with the board’s Democrats.
The changes will not take place until the new budget is finalized at a Feb.
14 public meeting.
Ciavarella, who said he did not attend Tuesday’s meeting because he’d
worked more than 24 consecutive hours cleaning up after Sunday’s snowstorm,
said he was surprised to find out about the changes from a reporter before he
had received notice from commissioners.
“I just can’t believe it,” said Ciavarella, who was not aware of parts of
the budget because he was told commissioners wanted to discuss the status of
his position outside his presence in closed sessions.
Commissioner Chairman John Sipper said Ciavarella’s position will be
eliminated for “budgetary and operations reasons” and the salaries,
including Ciavarella’s $37,000-a-year job, would be used to purchase new
equipment and rebuild township roads.
Commissioner William Watkins said the township hopes to repair more than 50
roads this year.
Sipper said Ciavarella’s job will fall on supervisors.
Sipper joins newly elected Commissioners Watkins, Brian McDermott, Rick
Swoboda and Florence Lohman on the Republican majority. All voted in favor of
the budget changes.
Only Commissioner Ralph Fino, a Democrat, voted against the move. “I
smelled some political stuff,” he said, adding he thought there was enough
money in the budget to pay for the jobs.
Ciavarella said he didn’t think the budget’s omission of the four jobs was
necessary because the previous administration left about a $600,000 surplus
and the eliminated positions add up to far less than that – roughly $120,000.
Ciavarella also said the three road crew members whose jobs were not
included in the new budget had not been to work in more than a year. Two are
on leaves of absence after suffering a heart attack and a stroke. “One worked
for the township for over 20 years.”
Ciavarella said he is considering “what action to take” once he is given
notice.