Dormont Council to Vote on Police Chief, Other Items

Several items are on the agenda for , but officials say only one item will be the main focus.

Dormont-Brookline Patch obtained the agenda for the Dec. 30 special meeting, attached here, on Thursday evening.

The agenda includes a motion to appoint Ralf Zawischa as officer in charge of the , and for him to enforce former interim Chief Richard Dwyer's memos, including daily running sheets, officers walking a beat, and patrolling.

The agenda also includes a motion to approve payment of five sick days to Dwyer, and a motion to approve a legal issue.

Although Dormont Mayor Tom Lloyd said Thursday that the meeting will likely focus on only on the appointment of an officer in charge, Council Vice President Laurie Malka said other issues could be discussed.

Malka said she thought the police item would be the only item council would vote on, but that other issues could be discussed and other votes could be possible.

Rumors began to spread Thursday that council planned a discussion and vote regarding a contract for borough manager Gino Rizza.

Malka said an executive session and the appointment of an acting police chief or officer in charge were the main items on Friday’s agenda, but that she thought there would be some discussion of Rizza’s contract and that a vote was possible.

“I imagine the discussion will come up tomorrow,” Malka said Thursday. “I just don’t know if anything will be voted on regarding that.”

Rizza did not return a request for an interview on Thursday.

Councilman Drew Lehman said he would not be able to attend Friday's meeting, but that if he could, he would vote in favor of appointing Zawischa to the position of chief.

"He's a good officer," Lehman said. "I probably see him on the streets more than any other officer and that's what we need. Visibility. I think he'll do a good job for us."

An executive session will be held Friday, Dec. 30 at 8 a.m., followed by a public special meeting at 8:30 a.m. in the .