CLEARFIELD – In a press release issued yesterday afternoon Mayor Patty Gilliland announced that she will be dropping her lawsuit.
The press release reads as follows:
“As you know, in June of this year I filed a lawsuit against Clearfield Borough in my capacity as Mayor of the borough and on behalf of my office. It was my belief then as it continues to be now that the actions of borough council, as well as those of the Clearfield Borough Police Department, directly violated the Pennsylvania Borough Code in addition to state law. Specifically, the actions of borough council and our police department have created an environment where I as mayor have been unable to perform those duties for which I have been statutorily directed to perform. State law is clear that the office of the mayor shall be the chief law enforcement official of the borough and in that capacity ensure that the police department performs its duties. That has not been possible under borough council’s current policies. Instead, borough council has chosen to allow our police department to operate independently without any supervision. Recent developments here have shown how well that decision has turned out.
“Much has been said in the press about this suit, but at the direction of my attorney I chose to fight my case in the courts and not in the press. I am contacting the press today, however, to inform the taxpayers of Clearfield Borough that I will be withdrawing my lawsuit in light of all that has happened in the recent elections. My counsel has advised me that since my successor, mayor-elect Mr. James Schell, has chosen not to further pursue this matter that my suit will not likely continue into the new year.
“I want to thank all of the people in our community that have supported me over the past four years, including those that shared my desire to have justice brought to light. I am truly sorry that these wrongs will not be heard in a court of law and that these serious violations will be permitted to continue under Mr. Schell’s watch. It is my hope, however, that Mr. Schell will reconsider his position, change his miss-alliance and choose to uphold the duties of the office that he will assume in January and, in doing so, not allow borough council or our police department to continue with its current conduct.”
Mayor Patty J. Gilliland