Connelly: There Should Have Been
Some Whistleblowing in Township
Backroom deals, questionable contracts and other business dealings were contributing factors to the mass exodus of Foster Township employees six months ago.
That's according to supervisor Jim Connelly Jr., who was asked during Monday’s meeting to elaborate on the “turmoil” that led to the resignation of several people, including two supervisors.
For the next half an hour Connelly explained some of the things he saw going on in the township, the steps he took to rectify the situations and the reactions he got.
He said he was approached about making a “backroom deal” that would keep residents Tom Perry, BJ Campbell (who was not a supervisor at the time), Joe Piganelli and himself quiet.
“They wanted to negotiate on what it would take to keep this group quiet,” Connelly said. “Not me. That’s a backroom deal. I just took office in January and I wasn’t going in that room to make a backroom deal.”
Perry wanted to change the practice of allowing then-police chief Jeff Wolbert and then-road superintendent Joe Sweet to take township vehicles home. All the men regularly questioned fiscal issues.
Connelly also brought up the controversial issue of not bidding out the work to renovate the district judge’s offices, saying residents “were told repeatedly” that the Pennsylvania Association of Township Supervisors told them it was OK not to bid it out.
Monday, Connelly read a letter from the association recommending that the project be advertised.
Contractor Bob Baker, who questioned it while the work was going on, said Monday “I think we all knew that’s what should have happened.”
Connelly also talked about suggestions he made to save money for the township. He said he didn’t make the suggestions to embarrass the former supervisors or township secretary.
The implementation of his suggestions saved the township thousands of dollars. Specifically, bidding out trash collection services for the township buildings saved $2,028. Changes to the phone system saved $887. Switching township solicitors saved $500.
He also talked about a former employee who was being paid for helping another employee water flowers and stuff envelopes. Shortly after that, independent auditors recommended that township employees start filling out time cards.
The employee refused, and eventually resigned.
“There should have been some whistleblowing,” Connelly said.
That's according to supervisor Jim Connelly Jr., who was asked during Monday’s meeting to elaborate on the “turmoil” that led to the resignation of several people, including two supervisors.
For the next half an hour Connelly explained some of the things he saw going on in the township, the steps he took to rectify the situations and the reactions he got.
He said he was approached about making a “backroom deal” that would keep residents Tom Perry, BJ Campbell (who was not a supervisor at the time), Joe Piganelli and himself quiet.
“They wanted to negotiate on what it would take to keep this group quiet,” Connelly said. “Not me. That’s a backroom deal. I just took office in January and I wasn’t going in that room to make a backroom deal.”
Perry wanted to change the practice of allowing then-police chief Jeff Wolbert and then-road superintendent Joe Sweet to take township vehicles home. All the men regularly questioned fiscal issues.
Connelly also brought up the controversial issue of not bidding out the work to renovate the district judge’s offices, saying residents “were told repeatedly” that the Pennsylvania Association of Township Supervisors told them it was OK not to bid it out.
Monday, Connelly read a letter from the association recommending that the project be advertised.
Contractor Bob Baker, who questioned it while the work was going on, said Monday “I think we all knew that’s what should have happened.”
Connelly also talked about suggestions he made to save money for the township. He said he didn’t make the suggestions to embarrass the former supervisors or township secretary.
The implementation of his suggestions saved the township thousands of dollars. Specifically, bidding out trash collection services for the township buildings saved $2,028. Changes to the phone system saved $887. Switching township solicitors saved $500.
He also talked about a former employee who was being paid for helping another employee water flowers and stuff envelopes. Shortly after that, independent auditors recommended that township employees start filling out time cards.
The employee refused, and eventually resigned.
“There should have been some whistleblowing,” Connelly said.
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