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SOUTH STRABANE’S COWARDLY LION
By Judi Panasik
January 11, 2008
If there’s one thing to be said about South Strabane’s Supervisors, they never fail to disappoint. With the exit of Lou DePretis from the board residents were hoping for a new and enlightened way of voting to emerge. That didn’t happen.
At the January 7, Reorganization Meeting Chairman Bob Koman took over the role as the third Musketeer supporting Tony Zelenka and Bob Hollick on most issues. He also picked up the role of Cowardly Lion, regarding a vote on Centax.
Supervisor Tom Moore came out of the gate full force and for the people starting with his appeal to the board not to vote for Centax as the new tax collector.
South Strabane put the cart before the horse last year. They voted to go with Centax in November, but could not officially vote them on as tax collectors until the January reorganization meeting. Koman, who was and is chairman of the board did not sign the agreement with Centax in December, Hollick did.
So at the reorganization meeting Moore nominated Lillian Trautman to be the tax collector and was seconded by Ed Mazur.
Through the discussions and most of the meeting Koman barely looked out at the residents in the audience. Koman had voted against Centax initially in November. Moore pleaded with all those who were against it before to stick with their original votes. It is reported that Koman’s fear was over the township being sued by Centax.
But according to Attorney Dennis Makel at the regular South Strabane Supervisors meeting on January 8, the new board can’t be bound to the decisions of the old board. He also stated that there was enough case law that would have more than likely supported South Strabane in rescinding their agreement with Centax. If Centax would have chose to sue they would more than likely not have prevailed.
But the information came too late and South Strabane, thanks to Hollick, DePretis, Zelenka, and now Koman, is without a local tax collector.
Mazur brought up some good points that as always went ignored. Ironically from the man who has said he will squeeze a nickel until you can hear the buffalo bellow, said that he felt putting out the additional money to pay for the local tax collector was worth it for the citizens. He went on to say if we were the city of Washington and in great debt he could see saving the money but with the excess money coming in why not make residents lives easier.
The oddest part of the meeting was Zelenka’s confusion as to what had happened. At two different points he thought they had voted to put Trautman back in office. Unfortunately he was wrong.
At the reorganization meeting terms that were up on board were also appointed, or more appropriately given back to those who were in the positions already.
Residents have recently spoken out about South Strabane handing over positions without talking to any of the applicants. Supervisor’s Zelenka and Hollick admittedly put friends like DePretis on boards.
During the votes for reappointments Moore suggested that instead of voting on the positions for the 5-3 year terms they advertise them in the paper and allow 30 days to receive letters of intent and review them. Moore felt that when a term is up they should give all residents a chance to sit on the boards.
Zelenka was against this saying that if these folks showed up and did a good job they should be allowed to continue.
Moore then stated why not make it a lifetime appointment. He also stated that they don’t even ask to be put back on. They get a letter that says if you don’t want it let us know. Moore continued to say that with over 8500 residents in the township it wasn’t fair that the same handful of people were on the boards for endless years. He went on to say that he didn’t believe they necessarily were going to chose new people but that in fairness everyone should be given a chance. Zelenka continued to disagree.
Mazur and Moore were unsuccessful in trying to create a fair system for the people. Koman seemed to sit quite waiting for his time to vote with the power block. During the vote to reappoint Mark Murphy to the Parks and Recreations Board, Mazur offered up the name of a female who was interested in the position. He mentioned that the current volunteer board was all men and that it may be nice to have another perspective and someone with a background in teaching and children.
But Hollick, Zelenka and the lion all voted to keep Murphy on.
The only person not reappointed to a position was Jay Gordon as vacancy board chairman. Gordon, who was one of a handful of people that came to meetings supporting the TIF years ago and rumored to be a crony of Hollick and Zelenka, was first put on the Planning Commission and then given the vacancy board position last year.
This was the only position Koman voted against which could be because there are rumors that Gordon may run against Koman in the next supervisors race. He may have a good shot since Koman continues to alienate those who could potentially support him.
It has been said that the local Republicans are disappointed in Koman from two years ago when he was supposed to run against Tim Solobay for state representative. Koman was unable to get enough signatures and had waited until the last minute to try.
But other that the vote against Gordon, Koman stuck with Hollick and Zelenka.
Don Trautman, nominated by Moore, was voted in as the new vacancy board chairman. The only supervisor that would not vote for him was Hollick, which did not surprise residents.
By the end of the meeting Koman showed he could not only play the cowardly lion but potentially the Scarecrow.
