Wednesday, February 6, 2013
The foundation rejected the borough’s counter offer.
Pitcher Park Foundation has requested a $40,000 reimbursement from Dormont Borough for costs the group incurred before the Pitcher Park Skate Park proposal was rejected. At Monday’s Dormont Council meeting, council President Bill McCartney said Pitcher Park Foundation contacted the borough in December requesting the reimbursement. The matter was discussed in executive sessions in January and February. “Many of us on council thought maybe it was the right thing to do to reimburse them for some of the work they had done that benefited the borough, particularly on the tennis courts,” McCartney said. “But that was not unanimous.” After reviewing the request with borough manager Jeff Naftal to determine what could be reimbursed, the borough …
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Dormont Borough released the former borough manager’s employment contract on Tuesday.
Dormont Borough released the employment contract Tuesday for former borough manager Gino Rizza, and council President Bill McCartney offered an explanation for the terms of Rizza’s settlement agreement, which was released earlier this month. The employment contract is attached here as a PDF file. McCartney said that although there’s no record of the employment contract being discussed during a council meeting, council did approve the manager’s salary at a public meeting in 2009. Section III B of the employment contract states: In the 2010 and 2011 budgets, McCartney said, $75,000 was budgeted for the borough manager. However, Rizza was paid less than that amount, as shown by the 2011 adopted budget, available on the borough website's …
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
In a special meeting Tuesday, Dormont Council filled two vacant borough positions.
During a special meeting Tuesday, Dormont Council filled two borough positions that have been vacant for longer than a month. The law firm Dodaro, Matta & Cambest was appointed as borough solicitor. Delta Development was hired as interim borough manager, subject to the solicitor’s review of an employment contract with the group. McCartney explained that the borough sent proposals to law firms in the South Hills Area Council of Governments (SHACOG). After reviewing and ranking the three firms that responded, McCartney said, council chose Dodaro, Matta & Cambest because the firm’s attorneys had municipal law experience in the areas beneficial to Dormont. Attorney John Rushford will be the main contact for the borough. “It seemed like a good …
Monday, March 12, 2012
Former borough manager Gino Rizza resigned in February. Today, Dormont Borough released his settlement agreement.
Dormont Borough today released the settlement agreement for former borough manager Gino Rizza, who resigned from his position in February. The agreement is provided here as a PDF file. It stipulates the following: The document is signed by Rizza, council President Bill McCartney and Dormont Mayor Tom Lloyd. Check back with Dormont-Brookline Patch as more details become available. Follow Dormont-Brookline Patch on Facebook and Twitter. For more news, sign up for our email Newsletter.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Solicitor Deron Gabriel and borough Manager Gino Rizza both have submitted letters of resignation.
Both Dormont Solicitor Deron Gabriel and borough Manager Gino Rizza have submitted letters of resignation to Dormont Council, council President Bill McCartney said Monday afternoon. Rizza resigned Friday, and there will be a motion to accept his resignation at the council meeting tonight, Monday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m., according to McCartney. He did not share details of Rizza’s resignation and said more information would be available after the council meeting. McCartney said he and Councilwoman Joan Hodson plan to meet with borough department heads tomorrow to discuss how Rizza’s responsibilities will be handled. McCartney said he will be taking on several of the borough manager’s duties. Council plans to accept Gabriel’s resignation at tonight…
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Mayor says Rizza has come to an agreement with borough council and was given the option to resign.
Dormont-Brookline Patch is addressing rumors from several sources that borough manager Gino Rizza has left his position with the borough. According to Dormont Mayor Tom Lloyd, Rizza came to an agreement with Dormont Council wherein he was given the option to resign. However, Lloyd said, he didn't know under what circumstances Rizza had left. Lloyd did confirm that Rizza will not attend Monday's council meeting. "I don’t know if he actually quit, but he came to an agreement," Lloyd said. "He was given the option to resign, but I don’t know if he actually sent a letter in or if there was something different." Rizza could not be reached for comment on Saturday.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Here are the top 10 stories on the site from the past year.
Today—Dec. 29—marks the official one-year anniversary of Dormont-Brookline Patch! The site launched one year ago today and began providing coverage of local events, news and government issues. It’s been quite a year! We’re excited to provide you with even more of the information you need to know about Dormont and Brookline in the next year. In honor of the anniversary, here are the top 10 most-read stories of the past year: Also, don’t forget to vote in the poll we posted yesterday! What kind of stories do you want to see on Patch in the next year? Features? Crime? Government? Let us know!
Monday, November 14, 2011
No tax increase is proposed for 2012.
Dormont Council voted at its meeting Monday night to advertise an ordinance that will keep the tax rate at 14 mills next year. The millage rate is calculated by multiplying the assessed value of your property by the millage rate, which for Dormont would be .014. One mill equals $1 for each $1,000 of assessed valuation on property. Under that rate, the owner of a home assessed at $100,000 would pay $1,400 in taxes to the borough next year. The vote was 5-0 with council President Kim Lusardi and Councilwoman Joan Hodson absent from the meeting. Council hopes to adopt the ordinance at its Dec. 5 meeting. Mayor Tom Lloyd asked to have the figures for the assessed valuation of the borough as a whole, which is calculated by the county each year…
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Former Police Chief Phil Ross filed a lawsuit today, claiming defamation, breach of contract, and civil conspiracy were at play in two demotions he received this year.
Former Dormont Police Chief Phil Ross filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court today against the Borough of Dormont and some of its officials, seeking reinstatement, financial restitution and punitive damages. The lawsuit, filed by Ross and his wife Michele, implicates the Borough of Dormont, Borough Manager Gino Rizza, borough labor attorney Christopher Gabriel, and five council members: Kim Lusardi, Laurie Malka, Eugene Barilla, Drew Lehman and Heather Schmidt. In his complaint, Ross says the borough and its officials violated due process and the whilstleblower act. The suit also alleges counts of defamation, official oppression, age discrimination, civil conspiracy, wrongful use of civil proceedings, breach of contract and intentional …
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
After filing a right-to-know request with the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, Councilwoman Joan Hodson has some questions about how the Beer Garden ever got approved in the first place.
The Beer Garden has been eliminated from Saturday’s Dormont Street Fair but questions are still bubbling about whether it should have ever been permitted in 2009 and 2010. Dormont Council voted 6-1 in August, with only Councilman Drew Lehman opposed, not to allow the Beer Garden at this weekend's event. Council took its vote after two bar owners complained about revenues they lost because of the borough-endorsed Beer Garden, which sold craft beers, competing with their businesses. The first year (2009), the Beer Garden raised money for the borough recreation department but the second year (2010), after the borough was denied a special state permit to serve alcohol only several days before the event, Friends of Dormont Pool stepped in as an…
Ed M
10:09 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
I'm a resident of Dormont Mike and I thought it was a great idea. Pitcher Park was given the impression this would go through. They were just strung along until they could find away to say no. more ›