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Resigning Union supervisors speak out about exodus

5 min read
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The four Union Township supervisors who submitted their resignations Monday said they couldn’t continue to serve in what they considered to be a current hostile atmosphere.

“I have never experienced the feeling of unsafety and fear and dread that I did in coming to those meetings,” Heather Daerr said Friday, referring to a group of regulars. “There was a pugnacious atmosphere. It was very difficult to conduct township business, and it was getting progressively worse,” the former board chair said.

Daerr submitted her resignation, along with Charles Trax Jr., vice chair; Richard Lawson and Michael Barna, leaving Michalle Dupree as the lone supervisor in the township of roughly 6,000 residents.

“It started the first of the year and has gotten more and more difficult to conduct business,” said Trax, a nine-year veteran of the board, adding he had to move to a new home following incidents that included fireworks being set off at his residence, flattened tires and a broken window on his wife’s car. “It was impossible. It couldn’t move forward. This is not how I wanted it to end.”

Lawson, also the board treasurer, said much changed when Dupree joined the board at the beginning of the year, saying she rarely voted to pay the bills and frequently gave residents incorrect information.

“Things changed drastically,” he said. “Every step of the way has been complete chaos and mayhem. This board has done nothing but build. Every penny has been justified. It’s always trying to make us look bad. It’s completely out of hand.”

Dupree could not be reached for comment Friday, and has not responded to multiple requests for interviews.

Daerr stressed that the bills have been paid, admitting that a water bill was paid late. She also referred to the Sept. 28 meeting when only three supervisors remained at the end of the meeting, voting 2-1 to pay the bills. Since a majority of the board was needed to pass the motion, payment had to be voted upon again Oct. 12.

Daerr said audits are conducted regularly, and the township had taken the step of hiring a CPA firm, which she said is not typical for a municipal government.

“This cracked very deep lines into the normal political discourse,” Daerr said. “The last meeting I attended I knew I couldn’t go on based on the safety issue and the concerns for those in that room. I know a lot of people who are afraid to step up and speak in support of the board.”

Barna had served for just three months, joining the board when Dave Esken resigned six months into the first year of a six-year term.

“The hostility is apparent throughout,” Barna said. “I was excited about the projects that were out there. However, it would be impossible for me to continue with the way things have been. It was bad.”

On Thursday, a petition was filed by attorney Dennis Makel on behalf of 26 Union Township residents asking that Larry Spahr, Charles Wilson, Linda Evans Boren and Stephen Parish be appointed to fill the vacancies. Each has served as a supervisor in Union Township in the past.

The petition also asks the judge to formally accept the resignations, in the absence of a majority board.

Wilson, 66, said Friday he served about three years, joining the board in 2005.

“When this situation started to develop and I saw the numbers coming in, I figured I might as well do it again,” he said. “The numbers they’ve been putting out at public meetings weren’t working out. We’ve had several situations where we’ve had tens of thousands of dollars worth of bills that were sitting around that weren’t accounted for. We don’t know what bills have been paid and what bills haven’t been paid.”

Attorney Michael Ierino, an associate of Makel, called the registered electors the petitioners, but said the firm’s involvement comes from its association with Dupree.

“There were some disputes between her and the other supervisors and she came to us looking for some input,” Ierino said. “There were a significant amount of registered electors in Union Township who wanted this taken care of as soon as possible. It made our lives easier to not have to track down (candidates); we had willing volunteers.”

Other recent resignations include Sweat Law Firm of Washington, resigning Monday as solicitor; accounting firm Palermo/Kissinger & Associates; project manager Terri Gladus, and the secretary/assistant treasurer.

Ierino said there are some duties that can be performed with just one supervisor, but at least some of the vacancies need to be filled to have a quorum to handle such tasks as paying bills.

“All (Dupree) can really do is manage the office, field phone calls and gather up information until we get this whole process situated,” Ierino said. “It’s about maintaining the status quo.”

A hearing will be held at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday before Judge Gary Gilman, who will decide whether the four applicants should be appointed to the board or if other candidates should be considered.

The next meeting of the supervisors is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, but Ierino doesn’t think that will be possible, even if the new supervisors are put in place that day.

“If they do get appointed, I just don’t believe there’s enough time to get an agenda together,” he said.

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