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NEWPORT TWP. — Less than a month after township Manager Richard Zika abruptly resigned, the township commissioners voted to accept the resignation Monday.
Commissioners voted 4-to-1 to accept Zika’s resignation. A letter of resignation from Zika’s attorney’s didn’t come until recently. The one ‘no’ vote came from Michael Roke.
He explained his vote to the packed room as “I feel he should be terminated. That’s why I voted no on accepting the resignation.”
If the township were to terminate him, Zika would have been allowed to have a Loudermill hearing — requirement provided to a government employee prior to termination, township Solicitor Richard Shiptoski said.
Zika quit on April 8 after the commissioners confronted him about “financial irregularities.”
In April, Commissioner Paul Czapracki, chairman of the board of commissioners, told the Times Leader that Zika “handed over his keys” when asked about the missing monies.
The township is insured for up to $100,000 of funds involved in theft.
“We’re insured, but he’s (Zika) not bonded,” Roke said during the meeting.
At the beginning of the meeting, Czapracki said he, Elmy, Commissioner John Zyla, township consultant Peter Wanchisen and Sen. John Yudichak’s chief of staff met Thursday in Harrisburg with an auditor in the auditor general’s office, the auditor general’s chief of staff and attorney. The auditor general’s office told them they would have an answer to questions about the forensic audits by May 8.
According to Czapracki, the auditor general’s office called the case “very enlightening.”
“We’re in the very early stages of any investigation,” Wanchisen said. “We’re raising the flag.”
Czapracki on Monday said township resident John Elmy was named acting township manager during an April 14 executive session. Zyla said Elmy and Wanchisen were chosen because of those who came forward to help, they were the “most qualified” especially in doing audits.
Resident Steve Philips took the meeting minutes during Monday’s meeting.
“With the expertise in our township, we didn’t want to go outside (the township),” Zyla said. “That’s how we’re going around the office.”
The commissioners on Monday also voted to advertise for a new township manager, added Phillips and Elmy to the interview panel and allowed administrative assistant Kelli Valatis to access bank accounts.
Since Zika was also code enforcement officer, Roke suggested that no other township official have “double duty” and the commissioners hired Jeff Pisanchyn to be a code enforcement officer.
“Hopefully (hiring Pisanchyn) will alleviate the problems,” Roke said.
In other business, commissioners also voted to allow the police department to use Northern Tier Research for blood alcohol and drug services when arresting for DUI.
The next commissioners meeting will be at 6 p.m. on June 6 at the municipal building on the Kirmar Parkway.