Monessen mayor returns to meetings, pledges to take city in ‘new direction’
Newly elected Monessen Councilman Don Gregor looks on as Mayor Matt Shorraw, center, speaks. Monday marked the first time since May 2018 that Shorraw attended a council meeting. He moved to fire the city's solicitor as well as city administrator/clerk Judith Taylor, right. Both motions passed.
Mark Soroka/For the Observer-Reporter
Debating items at Monessen Council’s reorganization meeting Monday were, from left, Councilman Gil Coles, Councilwoman Lois Thomas, Councilman Don Gregor, Mayor Matt Shorraw, city clerk Judith Taylor and Councilman Tony Orzechowski.
MONESSEN – Mayor Matt Shorraw returned to lead city council’s reorganization meeting, but he did not get a warm welcome from many of the residents who packed City Hall Monday.
Ron Moser was one of several people who asked Shorraw why he has been absent from meetings since May 2018.
“I think you owe an explanation why we should even pay attention to what you are doing here today,” Moser said during public comment on agenda items. “After missing 40 meetings, I think you owe it to the community to tell us why you weren’t present.”
Added Susan Thwaite, “You left the burden of running an entire city on three people. You have an obligation to care for the community. And right now, I feel very letdown and disappointed. You have an obligation to give us an answer.”
Shorraw, who looked on while residents spoke, offered no explanation, instead moving to fire Solicitor Joseph Dalfonso and City Administrator and Clerk Judith Taylor.
When Councilman Anthony Orzechowski repeatedly asked Shorraw why he was making those changes, the mayor replied that the city was “moving in a new direction.”
Orzechowski, who served as acting mayor during Shorraw’s absence, asked the mayor why the terminations were left off the agenda.
“This is the first time the rest of the council heard of this,” said Orzechowski. “This is something that should have been first discussed with the whole council. Where is democracy, Mayor?”
“Well, we will take a vote,” answered Shorraw. “And that will be democracy.”
Following a testy exchange between the men, Shorraw made separate motions to hire Tim Witt as the city’s solicitor and John Harhai as the city’s administrator/clerk. Harhai formerly served as the city’s administrator and is a former Monessen council member.
Voting for the changes were Shorraw; Councilman Gil Coles, who has attended one meeting since February 2018, and Don Gregor, who won a seat on council in November. Orzechowski and Councilwoman Lois Thomas cast opposing votes.
Orzechowski questioned why the city did not advertise for the positions or conduct interviews. He also asked whether Witt, who works for a Connellsville law firm, has served as Shorraw’s personal attorney.
Shorraw said that is untrue.
Audience members yelled out during the meeting, asking for transparency and order. Numerous times, Shorraw forcefully banged his gavel, shouting, “Order!”
Thomas made an impassioned plea to the mayor to become a unifier, rather than a divider.
“If we are going to make it, we have to make it together,” she said. “And that hasn’t happened at all. You didn’t even talk to us or see where we are coming from. You didn’t give us respect as equals. You could have done great things, but you messed that up. It doesn’t have to continue this way. You can be a man. Start now.”
Also, during the meeting, Shorraw appointed himself as director of public affairs, Coles as director of accounts and finance, Gregor as director of public safety, Thomas as director of streets and public improvements, and Orzechowski as director of parks and public properties.
In addition, council voted to remove Brooke Farmer from the sewage authority board and advertise for a replacement.
Shorraw also set the schedule for future council meetings. Work sessions will be held the second Thursday of the month followed by a work session the fourth Thursday of the month.
As the meeting drew to a close, Shorraw refused to take public comment on non-agenda items, even though the item was listed on the agenda. He instead adjourned the meeting and left with two police officers.
Council’s next meeting is Jan. 29.