May 3, 2022 3 min read

Donn Henderson brings experience, as well as familiarity, to his new position as Washington’s city administrator.

Henderson was in attendance at City Council agenda meeting Monday, but will officially begin his new job May 9. He was unanimously appointed for hiring in April and was one of three candidates interviewed.

Henderson comes to the city after a stint as township manager/treasurer for Sewickley Township in Westmoreland County. He also has served as borough manager in Wilkinsburg and Charleroi.

The chance to work in city government appealed to Henderson.

“It’s more of what I’ve done in Wilkinsburg and Charleroi, more of the kind of community development stuff that interests me,” Henderson said. “(I bring) a lot of different experience, ideas and processes that I’ve gone through from developing employee manuals to working through grant programs. I bring some broader general knowledge of local government.”

Another advantage Henderson sees for his new position is the fact that he lives in Charleroi, bringing him a little closer to home than his previous job.

“I know a lot of the faces,” Henderson said. “I see of few of them here that I’ve worked with before.”

There are items on the agenda for council’s regular meeting Thursday relating to the job.

Motions that will need to be approved include the transfer $46,000 in the 2022 budget from IT-professional services/computer system coordinator to the salary for the city administrator.

Another motion calls for an amendment to the salary ordinance, which will set Henderson’s salary at $70,000.

Thursday’s meeting will be at 1 p.m. in council chambers.

The city has been without a city administrator since October, after the retirement of Lynn Galluze.

During that time, department heads and city clerk Michelle Sperl filled in to handle many of the city administrator’s duties.

Also, police Chief Dan Rush said the city took part in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Saturday.

“That one day of participation netted seven boxes of pharmaceuticals for a total of 157 pounds,” Rush said Monday. “We were able to turn them in to the (Drug Enforcement Administration) to be disposed of and they’re not on our streets.”

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day allows for the safe disposal of unwanted and expired prescription medications.

Rush, as well as Mayor Scott Putnam, reiterated that the city will take back prescription drugs every day.

“You can drop medications off at the station seven days a week, 24 hours a day,” Rush said. “An officer will take them and deposit them. It’s available all the time.”