White Oak: Council OKs reinstatement agreement

By JEFF STITT

jstitt@yourmvi.com

White Oak Council took another step Monday night toward reinstating a former borough police officer who was fired in 2018 after being accused of assaulting his wife.

After a lengthy discussion during April’s virtual meeting, Councilmen Chuck Davis, Ed Babyak and Lou Bender and Councilwoman Julie Opferman each voted to offer Timothy Estep a conditional reinstatement contingent upon council approving and Estep signing a “last chance agreement.”

Councilmen George Pambacas, George Dillinger and Ken Robb in April voted against offering Estep his job back.

During Monday’s meeting, council President Chuck Davis said members were presented with two agreements that were drafted by solicitor Patricia McGrail and asked for a motion to approve one of them.

Prior to anyone making that motion, Pambacas made a motion to rescind the vote taken in April to offer Estep the reinstatement. Dillinger seconded that motion and they both voted yes, but the motion failed with Opferman, Bender, Babyak and Davis all voting no. Robb was absent Monday.

Bender then made a motion to approve “agreement two.”

The motion passed with Bender, Babyak, Davis and Opferman all voting yes and Pambacas and Dillinger voting no.

“I appreciate the last chance agreement that was drawn up,” Dillinger said after casting his vote. “There were two agreements drawn up by our solicitor. Both agreements were very thorough and very well written. My no vote is not for the contents of those agreements, but my no vote represents that I just don’t feel that the police officer should be reinstated.”

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