Jan 11, 2008 By Amy Zalar 4 min read

Just a few days after gaining appointment to a one-year term on the Fayette County Housing Authority, Fayette County Commissioner Angela M. Zimmerlink has decided not to accept the appointment, saying she believes certain people would go to great lengths this year to draw negative attention to her if she remained on the board. Zimmerlink, who had completed her second five-year term on the FCHA on Dec. 31, 2007, received the nod for the unexpired term of William “Trip” Radcliffe during Monday’s commissioner’s reorganization meeting with a 2-1 vote, but since Monday she apparently had a change of heart.

At Monday’s meeting, Zimmerlink and Commission Chairman Vincent Zapotosky voted in favor of her appointment, with Commissioner Vincent A. Vicites voting against it.

Vicites said although he previously voted to appoint Zimmerlink to the housing authority board when she was not a public official, he couldn’t support her appointment as a sitting commissioner.

Vicites said the housing authority is an autonomous body and it isn’t proper for a county commissioner to serve on a body in which they are responsible for appointing the members. Vicites said he believes language in the Municipal Authority Act of 1945 addresses the fact that municipal authorities should be composed of private citizens.

“You have to pick good people and let them do their jobs,” Vicites said.

In a letter to her fellow commissioners written Wednesday, Zimmerlink wrote that her goal has always been and remains that “decisions be made for the right reasons and in the best interest of the county and this sentiment extends to the Fayette County Housing Authority.”

However, Zimmerlink’s letter explains that because much time and public tax dollars were spent in unsuccessful attempts to have her removed as a board member combined with the fact that her reappointment wasn’t met with full commissioner support made her change her mind.

Zimmerlink points out in the letter that she was first appointed in 1998 and then reappointed in 2003 and throughout her time on the board, people have attempted to have her removed from the board. She cites payment of thousands of dollars to the Cohen & Grigsby law firm to research “Breach of fiduciary duty action against a public board member of a public authority taking into consideration the Whistleblower’s Statue,” and an “unfounded ethics charge,” Zimmerlink wrote.

“Because the tenants, FCHA staff and taxpayers deserve the complete and undistracted attention of the board and knowing that this year certain individuals will either directly or through the shadows go to great lengths to deflect attention, waste time, resources and public dollars concentrating on their political and personal vendettas and unfounded claims toward me as a board member and county commissioner rather than doing their job at the offices of the FCHA, in the commissioners office, in the courthouse and wherever else these employees are employed or linger, I believe it is best and do withdraw my offer of service and will move to rescind the resolution appointing me to serve this unexpired one-year period,” Zimmerlink wrote.

She further wrote that she is supporting the appointment to Uniontown businessman Donald Miller to the unexpired term, and asks her fellow commissioners to support her selection. Miller, like Zimmerlink is a Republican.

Zapotosky said Thursday that he stands by Zimmerlink’s decision to not accept appointment to the housing authority board. When asked about whether or not he will support Miller, Zapotosky said he hasn’t made a decision, saying he wants to sit down and look at the other applicants before making a final determination.

Vicites, Zapotosky and Zimmerlink separately said they saw no reason to make an appointment before the Jan. 24 regular commissioner’s meeting because the next meeting of the housing authority isn’t until Feb. 14.

Vicites said for the unexpired term he plans to again support the appointment of James V. Bitonti, who did not win reappointment. Vicites said he believes Bitonti, who is the Democratic Mayor of Belle Vernon, has been a good board member. Vicites said he also would support the appointment of Harry Joseph to the board.

Zapotosky previously said he could not support Bitonti because of the appearance of a conflict of interest because Bitonti’s son is employed at the housing authority.

In defense of Bitonti, Vicites previously said that Bitonti was appointed to the board after his son was already employed there and has abstained from votes involving a perceived conflict of interest.

In addition to Zimmerlink’s appointment on Monday, Ernie DeBlasio was appointed unanimously to the board, while Harry Fike was appointed with a 2-1 vote, with Zapotosky and Zimmerlink voting in favor of the appointment and Vicites voting against it.

Current board members include Beverly Beal and Nancy Sutton.