Missing paperwork causes Vandergrift Council to redo reorganization meeting

Vandergrift Council will redo its reorganization meeting after it came to light that five members hadn’t signed paperwork required by state law.

The council will hold a special meeting Monday, Jan. 13, to reorganize, despite having already held a meeting for that purpose a week before.

At the first meeting of the year, last Monday, new council member Karen McClarnon pointed out that much of the council was in violation of a state law that requires that each council member sign an affidavit of residency confirming they live in Vandergrift.

State Code 801 was enacted in 2014, but six years later, McClarnon and fellow newcomer John Uskuraitis are the first council members to be required to sign the affidavits. Even Kathy Chvala, who was re-elected in November alongside McClarnon and Uskuraitis, and who was named council president Monday, had never signed the paper required by state law.

“As a result of the questions that have been raised, it is my recommendation that the Borough Council reorganize again,” Solicitor Larry Loperfito wrote in an email obtained by the Tribune-Review.

McClarnon raised the issue with Loperfito at Monday’s meeting. Loperfito said he was aware of the violation at the meeting.

Chvala signed the affidavit retroactively Tuesday, McClarnon said.

Chvala could not be reached for comment.

Loperfito sent a message to council members Thursday suggesting that the remaining five council members sign affidavits as well, and meet a second time to reorganize.

Monday’s meeting is meant to “cure any issues” with the Jan. 6 meeting, Loperfito wrote.

In the email, Loperfito also said the lack of a signed affidavit does not disqualify a council member from their elected position. Still, he directed any members who have not signed to do so before Monday.

Loperfito did not respond to a request for comment.

For McClarnon and Uskuraitis, the real issue is that Chvala was sworn in as president, despite both she and Loperfito apparently knowing she hadn’t complied with Code 801.

“To me, there is just something odd right there,” Uskuraitis said. “And I think residents should be kind of upset and call for more respect to the taxpayers.”