Identity of terminated Brownsville borough employee revealed
After Brownsville council declined to name an employee terminated by unanimous vote at Tuesday’s regular meeting, Council President Tracy Zivkovich revealed the identity of the employee Wednesday.
Via a text message to a Herald-Standard reporter, Zivkovich identified the woman as Lori Walters, the borough’s former secretary. Neither Zivkovich nor Solicitor Melinda Dellarose returned calls for further comment on the matter.
Council voted to terminate an employee effective immediately following an executive session near the end of Tuesday’s meeting, but declined to publicly identify the person.
“Agencies can’t vote to terminate an employee without announcing the name,” Melissa Melewsky of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association said Wednesday. “The Sunshine Act requires agencies to provide an opportunity for meaningful public comment before vote takes place. The public can’t provide meaningful public comment if they don’t know the details of the proposed action.”
Section 708 of the Right-to-Know Law makes certain employee information public record, including name, salary, employment contract and length of service. These records include employees’ names, as well as beginning and termination dates. The law does not require the reasons for termination to be disclosed publicly.
Walters was hired in May 2012 at a rate of $10 per hour, though at some point, council realized Walters had been receiving $12 hourly. Councilman Jack Lawver said he looked in meeting minutes and his own notes and couldn’t find a record of council voting to pay Walters $12 hourly, and Zivkovich concurred.
In January, at a special council meeting to set non-union wages for 2016, Walters’ salary was set at $11 per hour, 40 hours per week, constituting a $1 per hour pay cut. Walters was also required to pay 10 percent of her health care benefits cost.
Council voted Wednesday to advertise for a temporary part-time officer at a rate of $10 per hour to work no more than 20 hours per week unless approved by council, with no benefits.
Council approved Jeff Wilhelm as a temporary typist and borough office receptionist effective immediately while they search for a permanent replacement.