Aug 8, 2017 3 min read

BURGETTSTOWN – A resident had harsh words for Burgettstown officials Monday in the wake of a state Ethics Commission investigation that found borough council President James Reedy II “utilized the authority of his public position to obtain free and unfettered access” to a borough-owned event venue by a nonprofit he helped found and run.

“The Ethics Commission doesn’t show up unless you did something wrong, and they proved it was wrong, but we’re all sitting here thinking it was OK,” resident Tom Repole said.

Repole referred to a 45-page adjudication and final order the Ethics Commission made public late last month outlining findings of its investigation. In the order, the watchdog body directed Reedy to pay $10,460.

The meeting was the first since the findings became public and Reedy was absent, as was Councilwoman Janet Castellino.

Repole was part of the audience of roughly 20 – some of whom stood in the small council chambers – that was present.

Repole contended the borough needed to take action in the wake of the investigation before moving on. His remarks drew pushback from some officials.

“I believe that the ethics board took care of what they were supposed to do,” Councilwoman Sammi Wank said in response to Repole’s remarks.

Borough solicitor Lane Turturice appeared to agree.

“I don’t know that there’s anything the borough needs to do tonight,” he said. “There’s nothing on the agenda for the borough …” he continued, before Repole, unsatisfied, cut him off.

“I’m not worried about the agenda,” Repole said. “I asked you a question: Is there a problem the borough should be trying to solve?”

Much of the investigation focused on the relationship between the borough, the former senior center it purchased in 2002 that is now known as Kids Center and Friends of the Kids Center, a nonprofit Reedy helped incorporate in 2008 and since served as president.

Ethics officials concluded the group “realized a pecuniary gain” of $7,860 from 2013 to 2015 – part of a period spanning five years or more when the group regularly held bingo, small games of chance events and cash bashes a the center – without Reedy charging it a rental fee.

Investigators also found Reedy “directed that monies otherwise payable to the borough be deposited/transferred to banking accounts under his control and/or the control of Friends of Burgettstown Kids Center, Inc.”

Other findings included Reedy’s failure to file statements of financial interest with the borough for 2010 and 2013, and improper votes to accept financial reports in August and September 2014 that included $800 in payments to his sons, according to commission papers.

Mayor Anna Marie Quader, however, called on the three members of the council majority with which she has often clashed – consisting of Reedy, Castellino and Wank – to resign.

“But that is not my choice,” she said. “That is their choice. That is the people’s choice in the town.” Reedy could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Repole said after the meeting he believed Reedy’s intentions were good when he started his involvement with the Kids Center, even as Repole also stressed “you have to follow the rules.”

“It really was the Kids Center, and I won’t take that away from him,” Repole said.