In December, Bridgeville Council approved a budget that gave pay raises to the borough’s full-time employees.
Part-timers were left out, including Lynette Mankey, who worked as a borough clerk for more than a decade.
In response, Mankey, who earned $16.41 per hour, wrote a letter to the borough’s administration committee. She requested a wage increase or a promotion to full-time status so that she could get sick days and vacation days. Otherwise, Mankey said, she would resign.
The administration committee—which is led by councilmembers Bruce Ghelarducci, Nino Petrocelli Sr, and Virginia Schneider—received her letter and did nothing. Mankey was out.
Now, Bridgeville plans to create a new full-time position called Assistant to the Borough Manager. The new hire will have a greater set of responsibilities than the part-time clerk did, said Lori Collins, borough manager.
Collins said that in the past, Bridgeville’s municipal office was run by a borough manager and two full-time employees. But that hasn’t been the case in recent years.
“The borough has been functioning short staffed for quite a long time,” she said, “with my duties combined with clerical, property maintenance, zoning, etc.”
The new assistant’s salary will be determined by his/her qualifications, Collins said.
Earlier this year, the borough got some free help when former councilwoman Deb Colosimo volunteered to work without pay to handle some of the duties previously assigned to the clerk.
Colosimo, who is paid to edit the borough newsletter, It’s A Bridgeville Thing Read Over It!, is married to borough councilman Joe Colosimo. Deb tried to join her husband on council in 2017 but lost in the general election.
In other borough personnel news:
- Police chief Chad King received a letter of appreciation from Collier police chief Craig Campbell for his assistance during the January Chartiers Valley bomb threat.
- Council appointed Larry Lennon to a four-year term on the borough planning commission. Lennon is a co-founder of Lennon, Smith, Souleret Engineering, and has extensive experience with water-related engineering issues.
- Justine Cimarolli was also appointed to the planning commission for a four-year term.
- John Rattenni was appointed to Bridgeville’s zoning hearing board for a two-year term. An insurance agent by profession, Rattenni has appeared at council meetings to address community issues.
- A vacancy on the borough’s civil service commission will remain unfilled, temporarily at least. Only one resident submitted a resume for that seat, and the public safety committee wants to meet the applicant in person before making an appointment.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article mistakenly said that Deborah Colosimo’s failed council bid occurred in the 2017 primary election. Her loss took place in the 2017 general election.
Also, we referred to the borough newsletter, It’s A Bridgeville Thing Read Over It!, as It’s A Bridgeville Thing, Read It! We apologize for the error.