Penn Township manager resigns; interim manager named

Penn Township’s secretary-manager for the past six years resigned earlier this month and an interim replacement has been named.

Alexander Graziani, 49, of Greensburg, resigned from his post on May 4, said Michael Korns, township solicitor.

“The township will do well and it has good leadership,” Graziani said when contacted about his resignation. In his LinkedIn page, Graziani states that he is unemployed and “open to new opportunities.”

Township commissioners declined to comment on Graziani’s resignation, referring the personnel matter to Korns. He also declined to comment.

The commissioners unanimously accept Graziani’s resignation Wednesday and approved a severance package for Graziani that includes 21 weeks of pay plus coverage of his health insuance until the end of September.

Graziani was budgeted to receive a salary of just over $99,000 for the manager’s and secretary’s positions this year.

Mary Perez, the township’s finance director, has been named the interim secretary-manager, according to Korns. She was hired in Penn Township in February 2016 after serving as Greensburg’s finance director and treasurer for 14 years.

The commissioners approved a pay raise for Perez of $461 per biweekly pay while she serves as the township manager. Perez is budgeted to receive more than $77,000 in her position as finance director.

Graziani replaced Bruce Light, the former manager who retired in May 2014 after serving 19 years. Prior to taking the secretary-manager’s job in Penn Township in May 2014, Graziani had been the city manager in Latrobe from August 2011 to May 2014.

He had been executive director of Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County for 10 years, before taking the position in Latrobe.