Millcreek auditors asked to resign. They deliberate instead on salaries, treasurer.
Wednesday's annual meeting of Millcreek Township auditors was about more than setting the 2024 compensation for Millcreek Township supervisors.
A township resident called on two of the township's three auditors to resign for "unethical" support for the political opponent of Supervisor Jim Bock in 2023.
Sue Weber, of Norris Drive, asked Auditors Kevin McCabe and Kathy Fatica to resign for supporting Bock's opponent, Sam Comfort, for Millcreek supervisor in last year's municipal election. Bock defeated Comfort to win re-election for a second term.
McCabe financially supported Bock's opponent and served on a committee hosting a fundraiser for him, said Weber, a former Millcreek Township supervisor and former Erie County controller.
Fatica attended Comfort's candidacy announcement, hosted a fundraiser for him, and wore a campaign button supporting him at a public event, Weber said in a letter that she read to auditors. Fatica is a former Erie County Councilwoman who won election in November for a first term as Millcreek auditor.
"Township Auditors who become involved in the political arena of the very Supervisors whose salaries they set are not acting in the best interest of the taxpayers and voters who elected them," Weber said.
Weber called the auditors' political participation "unethical though not illegal" and complimented Auditor John Groh for choosing not to publicly endorse a candidate in last year's supervisors' race.
"Two out of three (members of) the Board of Auditors (are) now officially biased against Mr. Bock," Weber said. "Rather than sit in judgment of someone you have openly deemed unfit to hold office and employment with Millcreek Township, I suggest you resign from your positions as Auditors."
McCabe declined to comment on Weber's suggestion.
Fatica told the Erie Times-News that, "When you support a specific candidate, it does not mean that you think the other candidate is not qualified."
Pennsylvania law does not prohibit auditors and other elected township officials from participating in political campaigns or supporting political candidates.
Questioning township treasurer's void
Auditor John Groh asked why supervisors have not appointed a treasurer for 2024.
"I was at the Board of Supervisors' meeting yesterday, and I have a concern, a question. I'm not sure exactly how I want to phrase it," Groh, a former Millcreek Township supervisor, said Wednesday. "I observed that there was not an appointment or reappointment of a township treasurer. Has the treasurer from last year resigned or retired?"
Groh asked Bock, who attended Wednesday's auditors' meeting, to explain why the appointment was tabled.
Bock said that he was approached about the issue by fellow Supervisor Dan Ouellet an hour before Tuesday's meeting.
Ouellet, Bock said, "came in and said, quote, '(Supervisor) Kim (Clear) and I have decided not to reappoint Mark Zaksheske (as treasurer).'
"This is the first I had heard about this. I had no clue this was even happening. I was not happy. It's wrong and it should be corrected," Bock said.
Bock's account "is not totally factual," Ouellet told the Erie Times-News. Ouellet also attended Wednesday's auditors' meeting. He declined to comment further.
Clear was out of town this week and did not attend the auditors' meeting. She participated remotely in Tuesday's supervisors' meeting, when she voted with Ouellet to table the appointment of a township treasurer. Bock voted against the motion.
Zaksheske should be reappointed, Bock told the Erie Times-News.
"He is a CPA. He has worked for the township for eight or nine years. And he has a lot of experience with municipal finance," Bock said.
Zaksheske is on paid administrative leave since it has not been determined if he will be reappointed to the job or if someone else will be hired.
"I hope that this matter of appointing or reappointing a treasurer will be an action before the board of supervisors" next week, Groh said.
Supervisors' salary set
Township supervisors will receive a 2.25% pay increase in 2024. Their annual salary will be $86,150.
Groh voted against the increase, which was based in part on pay provided for employees holding similar positions in similar townships.
Cranberry Township, which was considered similar to Millcreek, is a Home Rule municipality that employs a township manager rather than elected supervisors to oversee operations, Groh said.
"So the salary comparison on that is a little off," Groh said. 'We're not comparing apples to apples on that. I just want that known for the record that it's unfair to compare that."
Millcreek supervisors work as municipal managers, Fatica said.
"I think it's fair that township supervisors in their capacity should probably get the same increase as management since that is their primary role," Fatica said.
McCabe is chairman of the Millcreek Board of Auditors this year. Groh is vice-chairman. Fatica serves as secretary.
All three were appointed to the positions by unanimous vote of the three-member board.
How much more will you pay? Millcreek Township taxes are going up this year
Contact Valerie Myers at vmyers@timesnews.com.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Millcreek auditors set supervisors' pay, resist call for resignations
