New Castle News

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Discussion

May 20, 2008

Contract for authority director questioned

By Patrick E. Litowitz

Michael Mancuso wonders how much protection a civil service worker requires.

While supporting the choice of Gene DiGennaro as executive director, the Lawrence County Housing Authority board member rejected DiGennaro’s employment pact. The board agreed to the terms in a 4-1 vote during its regular session yesterday at the authority’s Neshannock Avenue office.

“In the real world, at this level, you don’t have a five-year employment agreement.” Mancuso said. “This is a job that is strictly regulated by the civil service.

“There’s more protection there than God. And to add to that is just ludicrous.”

DiGennaro’s predecessor, Robert Evanick, did not have a contract during his tenure with the authority. He was regarded as an “at-will” worker but fell under Pennsylvania Civil Service Commission employment guidelines.

“I had talked to a couple other directors, and they had indicated to me that it’s possible to get an employment agreement — because the way boards change, the way politics at housing authorities happen — to protect yourself,” DiGennaro said.

Except for the five-year contract, he receives the same benefits and safeguards as other authority workers classified as civil service workers. He will earn $72,000 annually.

“This is just protection down the road,” he said. “If I knew the current board was going to stay in the same place for 20 years I wouldn’t need it then.”

Board members William Betz, attorney Thomas Bashara, attorney LeeAnn Fulena and Ernestine Wise backed the employment package.

“I voted yes on the contract to demonstrate to Mr. DiGennaro our confidence in him and our best wishes toward him,” Bashara said. “I share a lot of the concerns and a lot of the philosophy of Mr. Mancuso.

“However, I don’t believe the contract with the modification proposed to it adds a material degree of additional protection above and beyond civil service.”

Mancuso said he stands behind the board’s choice of DiGennaro to lead the authority.

“If I was here last month, I would have voted for him,” he said. “That is not the issue.

“The issue is we continue to treat government entities differently than we treat private industry. I think that’s part of the problem with government.”

DiGennaro said he was not offended by the vote.

“We discussed it in a good light. He just didn’t feel it was necessary. He explained everything to me, and I have no problem with it.”

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