Dormont Council to Discuss Police Chief's Post-Employment Compensation

went into executive session Monday night to discuss a topic several audience members raised questions about—the type of benefits acting police Chief Rich Dwyer would be awarded upon his .

Dwyer’s last day in office will be Dec. 14.

Michelle Ross—whose husband, former Dormont police Chief Phil Ross, —asked council members what type of compensation Dwyer would be given when his employment ends.

She said she’d heard he might receive pay for unused vacation days, and asked why Dwyer would be given those benefits when he is a temporary employee who doesn’t have a written contract with the borough.

Council Vice President Laurie Malka said when Dwyer was hired he was given a verbal contract. The terms of his employment—including accrual of vacation days—follows the employment terms of other non-union borough employees, namely borough manager Gino Rizza, she said.

Neither Rizza or Dwyer has a written contract with the borough. Rizza said Dwyer received one vacation day and one sick day for each of the five months he was employed by the borough.

Ross said she didn’t think a verbal agreement was credible. It isn’t fair to use taxpayer dollars to pay accrual time to temporary employees, she said, especially when the employee isn’t under a written contract.

Debbie Grass, a municipal consultant and former Dormont Borough manager, said she’s held about 10 different interim management jobs. Normally when people are brought into an interim position, she said, vacation and sick leave are not awarded unless it’s part of a written contract.

, who was and also attended Monday’s meeting, told council her company also employs temporary employees and that they do not receive the same benefits as regular full-time employees.

Malka said the practice of paying accrual time to employees who resign has been in place for some time.

“This is already enforced with other employees,” Malka said. “It’s not like we’re pulling something out of the air. It already exists.”

Ross also asked if the procedure of paying employees for accrued vacation time was the same for all temporary employees.

“I’m just trying to find out what the pattern is here, because this really isn’t fair to the taxpayers,” she said.

Councilman Drew Lehman said he agreed that the procedure for awarding temporary employees benefits needed to be kept consistent.

“I would feel comfortable with giving him his vacation, if he’s accrued some vacation time,” Lehman said. “The sick time, however, I’m not real comfortable with. I’d like someone to work for six months to a year before they are allowed to accept those days.” 

Because Monday’s meeting was an agenda meeting, council did not vote on the issue. Dwyer’s resignation is on Monday’s agenda for approval.