Donora seeks clarity on borough ordinances

By KRISTIE LINDEN

klinden@yourmvi.com

At its meeting next week, Donora council will once again consider repealing an ordinance that would require police Superintendent Jim Brice to retire because he is 65.

The meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday will be Donora’s first in three months that is completely open to the public now that Washington County has entered the green phase.

The ordinance to repeal the original law, written in 1979, has been prepared by borough Solicitor Steve Toprani and the action was advertised this week.

The first motion to repeal the ordinance was made by Councilman Donnie Pavelko at last month’s meeting and created a tense atmosphere.

Last week, Mayor Jim McDonough sent Brice a letter that stated Brice is required to submit his letter of retirement by June 12. 

The letter was sent about two weeks after council’s initial vote to repeal the ordinance that includes the requirement to retire. McDonough said he was given advice that the ordinance hadn’t been legally repealed and because it was still valid, he had no choice but to enforce it.

McDonough has said the issue is not personal and has nothing to do with his feelings about Brice as superintendent.

During last night’s workshop session, council did not discuss the repeal beyond saying it would be on the agenda for next week’s voting meeting.

Brice turned 65 last August, but no one in the borough knew about the ordinance at the time so no one attempted to enforce it until last month, according to McDonough, who said he enforced it as soon as he learned about it.

Last night, Councilman Ed Parquette asked about finding grant money to have all the borough’s ordinances codified so everyone will be aware of all of the laws on Donora’s books.

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