Sep 3, 2022 3 min read

Police matters continue to dominate Donora council discussions.

At its agenda meeting Thursday, council debated whether a full-time officer could be hired.

The police department is down to three full-time officers due to resignations and the recent firing of Police Superintendent James Brice. The department was stretched even thinner after five part-time officers left the department upon Brice’s termination.

Councilman Joe Greco Thursday said he wanted to put a motion on the agenda for the Sept. 8 meeting to hire Carl Talbert as a full-time officer. Talbert has worked in Donora in the past and is a part-time officer in Monongahela. Greco said Talbert completed the civil service test in November.

But questions were raised by some members of council regarding whether the test was legal, since the civil service commission at the time did not fully comply with state law.

“How could we give a civil service test without a civil service commission at the time?” asked Councilman Thomas Thompson. “If we didn’t have a commission, that test you gave was illegal. … We need cops, there’s no doubt about it. Let’s do it legally.”

There were people named to the board at the time, but they were never sworn in nor did they meet regularly.

Council voted in July to reestablish a civil service commission with respect to the police, while winding up the operations of the prior commission.

“The reason I included language abolishing the prior civil service commission was for this very issue,” said Solicitor Steve Toprani. “It was as clear as mud as to whether we had a board, whether that board was properly constituted and whether they met.”

Councilman Gilbert Szakal said the borough needs officers and he still may make a motion to hire Talbert Sept. 8.

“Even if you make the motion, I’m voting against it,” Greco said. “Just forget about it.”

Council President Michael McDowell said the matter would be tabled for further discussion.

Also, council is expected to vote on hiring a new borough administrator at the Sept. 8 meeting.

“We have someone who is interested in the position,” Szakal said.

The position has been vacant since Terri Petroske resigned in June. It was part of a mass exodus from the business office earlier this year, when the bookkeeper, clerk, code enforcement officer and street foreman also all resigned.

Council voted in July to hire Chris Cunningham as borough administrator, but he didn’t take the job.

At that July meeting, Louis Morrison Jr. was hired as bookkeeper.

Also planned for the Sept. 8 meeting is the first reading of an ordinance to help the borough allow the police to issue citations for blighted properties.

Toprani said the ordinance would allow police and code enforcement officers to issue a ticket without going through the current lengthy notice process. It also will allow an increase of fines from $300 to up to $1,000, and will provide for jail terms for some offenses.

“This is something I would recommend,” Toprani said. “It is something that would certainly help us to bring properties into compliance under our existing (borough) code.”