Westmoreland officials refute claims of backdoor salary deal for former purchasing director

Westmoreland County Commissioner Ted Kopas on Tuesday refuted defense claims that the criminal prosecution of the county’s former purchasing director was an effort to cover up actions taken outside of official channels.

Kopas, Controller Jeffrey Balzer and county finance director Meghan McCandless testified under defense subpoenas as part of an effort to persuade a county judge to dismiss theft charges against Kristopher Cardiff.

Cardiff, 48, of Trafford was charged last year with four felony theft counts and one related misdemeanor. The charges allege he misappropriated more than $9,800 through unapproved payments to himself, his deputy and four union staffers.

“Every dollar here was approved by the county. Our position is they back-doored everything,” defense attorney David Colecchia said.

Prosecutors contend that in August 2023, Cardiff authorized payroll records to be changed — without approval from county commissioners — to allow him and his staff to receive pay for working an additional 30 minutes each day.

Kopas, who serves as secretary for the board of commissioners, confirmed the authenticity of public records from January 2024 that show commissioners approved amending the purchasing department’s budget by $9,200. However, he denied defense claims that those records proved there was an agreement to adjust work schedules for Cardiff and his staff.

“There was never any action taken by the salary board. There was no attempt (by commissioners) to adjust salaries of two management employees,” Kopas testified.

Colecchia contends the budget amendment for the purchasing department proves the pay Cardiff and his staff received was for additional time worked each day and was approved by commissioners.

McCandless testified that was not the case.

She said the budget amendment identified by the defense reflected cost-of-living raises commissioners award each year to all nonunion employees and was not related to work schedule changes for purchasing department staff.

“It had to be approved by the salary board, and that didn’t happen,” McCandless said of the increase in hours. “Mr. Cardiff claimed his staff had enough work to increase the hours and asked for the increase to be sent to the salary board, but it was never approved.”

Balzer was not directly questioned about Cardiff’s actions. His testimony was limited to questions about an audit of the county’s treasurer’s office. Balzer said an audit was recently completed but did not address payroll operations.

The defense is asking Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Michael Stewart II to dismiss the case against Cardiff. The judge said he would rule after reviewing written legal arguments that will be submitted over the next three months.