Jefferson Hills Borough hires new solicitor

For the first time in a decade, Jefferson Hills Borough has a new solicitor.

Council members this month appointed attorney J. Deron Gabriel of the Law Offices of John E. Gabriel to the role held for the last decade by attorney William Shimko.

With a new quorum recently sworn in on borough council over the last two months, leaders “opened up the position to just see what was available,” borough Manager John Stinner said.

The borough sought requests for proposals from the open role, according to Stinner. Nine firms responded.

The responses were reviewed and evaluated by council’s personnel committee, Stinner said.

They were looking for someone “with a strong municipal background that can address our various needs as a community,” he said.

The borough manager did not have rates readily available after council’s Feb. 10 meeting.

At that meeting, council members also agreed to open the finance director and summer camp director roles. There also is a communications role open in the borough.

The opening of the finance job comes as longtime director Charles Bennett, who also has served as the borough’s interim manager in the past, looks to retire, Stinner said.

Borough leaders are looking for “a very competent individual with municipal or school or county experience dealing with local government budgets and finance,” he said.

There is no time frame for filling that role.

The summer camp and communications roles were held by Jane Milner, who stepped down from the position, he said. The hope is to fill both of those openings within the next six weeks.

Councilwoman Vickie Ielase asked residents to spread the word about the openings.

“We’d like to interview these people as soon as possible and get these positions filled with people who are qualified to take care of them,” she said.