BVA school board appoints new solicitor; recognizes students

Dodaro, Dalfonso, Matta and Cambest was selected for the position in a 5-4 vote.

The Belle Vernon Area school board appointed a new solicitor Tuesday after discussing the issue for several weeks.

Board President Jack Curran, Vice President Michelle Callaway-Rodriguez, Robert Harhai, William Hrach and Adam Spitznagel voted in favor of appointing Dodaro, Dalfonso, Matta and Cambest as the district’s solicitor. Board members Stacey Livengood, Janis Niemiec, Stephanie Quinn and Josh Pollock opposed it.

Dodaro, Dalfonso, Matta and Cambest will receive a monthly retainer of $600 and a standard hourly rate of $130 for both partners and associates. Previously, the district’s solicitor was Andrews and Price, which worked for the district at a monthly retainer of $700 and $130 per hour.

For weeks, school board members had several tense conversations about appointing a new solicitor, with some stating that they weren’t properly informed about the process. Before voting no on the motion, Quinn outlined a timeline of the events that played out.

“So in our December reorganization meeting, the three members (Jack Curran, Adam Spitznagel and William Hrach) that were new to the board, who have never worked with Andrews and Price, wanted them out without any official or accurate prior knowledge of working with them before,” Quinn said. “Jan. 13, at a work session, a motion was made to vote to appoint this firm up, with no interview, no cost awareness, vetting them, etc.

“At our voting meeting in January, we all agreed to move forward with an RFP. Proposals for those RFPs were due Feb. 13 by 4 p.m., and multiple submissions were received on time. However, this firm did not submit theirs by the deadline, and their RFP was not complete.”

Quinn went on to state that during a Feb. 24 meeting, members agreed to conduct interviews for a solicitor. Quinn added that they received a weekly board report Feb. 27, indicating when interviews would be scheduled. “March 5, we got an agenda for the next meeting, which included a motion to hire this firm prior to interviews taking place, and without an additional explanation provided to a full board,” Quinn continued. “So it was a surprise to some of us, and because of the lack of transparency in, some of us, not being able to interview this firm, my vote is a no.”

Livengood, Niemiec and Pollock also expressed that they were not happy with how the selection of the new solicitor played out.

“I have to say that generally, I participate in all interviews when we’re hiring somebody,” Niemiec said. “I think Dr. (Timothy) Glasspool and Ms. (Crystal) Clark can attest to that. That I generally do go to all interviews. In this situation, it would have been nice if I’d been afforded the opportunity to also participate in some conversation.

“I do try to exercise on due diligence when we are hiring somebody, so that I can make an informed decision. So truly, I can’t really vote one way or another, because I never had that opportunity to even as much as to speak to you.”

Pollock said the RFP that was submitted by Dodaro, Dalfonso, Matta and Cambest after the due date had higher rates than the other firms. Pollock noted that after a discussion among board members about the higher cost, the rates for the new firm dropped to a lower range, closer to that of Andrews and Price.

Pollock also thanked Andrews and Price for their service, including Amy Schrempf, the firm’s main representative for the district.

“The other concern I have is when we initially started discussing the solicitors and the firms, I had asked the question of the board, ‘What concerns do we have for the services being provided by Andrews and Price?’” Pollock said. “And in a public session, there were no concerns. I think very highly of the services we received with Andrews and Price from the past several years. I know Amy’s (Schrempf) not present, but I would like to thank Andrews and Price as a board collectively for their service they provided, and thank Amy for her service.”

After the board voted, Gary Matta, the representative for Dodaro, Dalfonso, Matta and Cambest, addressed some of the members’ concerns.

“There is a reason my firm represents more entities in Westmoreland County, school districts, than any other single firm,” Matta said. “I can assure you, I’m very familiar with this area. My firm represents Rostraver Township. My wife is a product of this area. My two stepsons are also products of the Belle Vernon School District.

“I am very involved in this community. I understand some of the needs that need here, and I can assure the minority that I will prove to you that my firm will do more than an adequate job and a better job.”

Toward the end of the meeting, Curran addressed the appointment of the new solicitor.

“Everybody had their say, and they have every right to have their say,” Curran said. “There was five that felt we wanted to make a change, go to different direction, and everybody got to say what they want, and that is fine.”

Curran went on to list some of the accomplishments already made by the current school board and said he thinks that after Tuesday, they will continue as a more united group.

Student recognitions

The district recognized more than a dozen students from multiple schools at the meeting.

Principal Darren Vaccaro with Rostraver Elementary’s students of the month during Tuesday’s BVA school board meeting.

Rostraver Elementary Principal Darren Vaccaro recognizing students of the month from his school:

• Dominic Moore, kindergarten.

• Ahloni Crews, first grade.

• Mia Hendershot, second grade.

• Marshall Niemiec, third grade.

• Presley Vargo, fourth grade.

• Hunter Greene, fifth grade.

From left are Belle Vernon Area High School Assistant Principal Justin Ward, National Merit finalist Madison Grisnik and Principal Zachary Just.

• Sophie Tetteris, sixth grade. Marion Elementary Assistant Principal Brendon Green recognized all the students who are part of the school’s Young Men of Honor: Jeffrey Manown, Tucker Karlowsky, Brayden Hart, Steven Mensah- Yawson, Zane Madison, Joseph Johnson, Justin Wargo, James Caldwell, Konstantin LaRose, Brayden Stewart, Blake Colon, Eli Russell, Chase Egros, Mason Manley, Jaxon Karol, Wayne Smith, Dean Rechichar, Noah Guthrie, Philip Berberick, Aiden Fartini, Logan Webb, Kruz Evans, Colton Fartini, Blake Johnson, Tristen Smith, Dalton Fine, Wyatt Robbins, Wyatt Smith and Gavin Wheatley.

The school district also recognized Madison Grisnik, a National Merit Finalist.

In other business:

• The board approved MGI Risk Management as the district’s broker of record.

• The board will host an operations/ finance committee meeting on March 24, at 5:30 p.m. at Leopard Hall, to discuss a potential consolidation project and the BVA High School summer 2026 GESA project. The meeting is open to the public.