Shorraw: Get rid of rec board

By KRISTIE LINDEN

klinden@yourmvi.com

After another two weeks of what he refers to as “drama,” Mayor Matt Shorraw threatened to dissolve Monessen’s Recreation Board.

In Monday’s workshop meeting, Shorraw said he wrote an amendment to the original ordinance written in the 1970s, but Shorraw said because both were “vague,” he wrote a new amendment that would clear things up. He said the last amendment didn’t follow city code.

However, Shorraw said, “over the last two weeks, there has still been so many interpersonal issues, I think we should dissolve the recreation board. There’s too much drama. The board members aren’t getting along. I don’t know how we could make it work.”

Shorraw said the city would take over management of the Monessen Civic Center if the board is dissolved.

Councilman Don Gregor, council’s new liaison to the recreation board, asked the mayor to pump the brakes and said he wants to meet with the board before doing something so drastic.

“We were supposed to meet and they canceled it,” Shorraw said. “So they’re dancing around it.”

Gregor said if necessary he’ll back the decision to disband the board, but he wants to give the group a chance first.

“They’ll have to stop dancing around it, then,” Gregor said. “These individuals have to be adults. Everyone is getting offended by everything.”

Gregor said board members should be able to disagree while being civil with one other.  

“I was looking forward to meeting,” Gregor said. “I was wondering why there weren’t any bylaws and where are their financial records?”

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