CURWENSVILLE – Amid an evening of questions and controversy, the president of Curwensville Borough Council relinquished his position.
Mark Curulla held the position of president heading into the Monday night meeting. But by the end of the meeting, the gavel had been turned over to Vice-President Fred Sopic.
Questions were initially raised by Mayor Holly Komonczi over a correspondence she received from Police Chief Dave Johnston. According to Mayor Komonczi, the letter was from Curulla and council member Donald O’Dell concerning Johnston’s schedule. Komonczi indicated that it was her duty as mayor to schedule the police officers, not council’s.
Both Curulla and O’Dell reviewed the document; O’Dell stated he was interested in knowing where the document came from, Curulla stated that it was not signed.
Later in the meeting, council member Sam Ettaro questioned mileage reimbursement due to Curulla in the report of bills to be paid. Ettaro asked Curulla what the mileage reimbursement was for. Curulla indicated that he charged mileage when he drove to the municipal building to sign checks and hold conference calls with entities such as DEP or PennDOT, or on any other occasion in which he was conducting borough business. Ettaro stated that other council members conduct borough business, such as attending committee meetings, and that if that were the case, wouldn’t they be eligible for mileage reimbursement as well.
Ettaro stated that council needed clarification on what the duties and responsibilities of each position of council are, as well as what they are entitled to, such as reimbursements, and for what. He claimed that what they were told by Curulla and the direction he gave them contradicted borough code.
“We can’t keep running it like a backyard football game,” Ettaro said later in the meeting.
To that end, Ettaro read a request signed by fellow council members Mike Komonczi and Sopic, asking that a special meeting be held to determine said duties and responsibilities.
Curulla indicated that those were laid out in Robert’s Rules of Order, which he supposedly had on two sheets of paper.
However, Solicitor Larry Seamen indicated that Robert’s Rules of Order was a primer for conducting meetings, and that they did not assign responsibilities to positions of council. He stated that was up to the members of council to determine. Curulla, on more than one occasion, indicated that the responsibilities and duties of council president were gleaned from Robert’s Rules of Order. Seamen said that the State Borough Code sets the duties. Ettaro agreed, but to a point, indicating that any other duties, other than presiding over meetings and signing ordinances, must be put into place by council.
Council then voted to not pay Curulla reimbursement until such time that the duties and responsibilities are clarified, with council member Julie Girardi voting against; Curulla voted for.
“A few dollars … not a big deal,” Girardi commented.
Curulla later indicated they were following a format of duties and responsibilities that had been upheld for years. He referenced a book he said used to be given to newly elected officials. When asked where this book was, he said he wasn’t sure where it was and that borough officials hadn’t received one for roughly 20 years.
“We’ve been following it, but what is ‘it’,” asked Ettaro. “I also perceive it on occasion … as bullying by Mr. Curulla … and not having any (borough) code to back it up.”
“You need to get to a point where there are no discrepencies,” offered Seamen.
At one point in the meeting, Curulla called into question Mayor Komonczi’s right to hold office due to her employment. He stated that according to borough code, an employee of county government cannot hold an elected office. Mayor Komonczi countered, stating that she worked for a municipal authority, and received her pay from the Clearfield County Recreation and Tourism Authority.
“I’m sorry, my mistake,” said Curulla.
Mayor Komonczi indicated that this was typical; Curulla questioning her authority or position in public, then apologizing in private.
Ettaro had more sharp words for Curulla, indicated that as council president he cannot act as borough manager.
“I brought this borough out of a hole,” claimed Curulla. “Did you find $150,000?”
Curulla said that the reason he runs such a tight ship was because, “You’re like a bunch of marbles in a tin can. I’m trying to do the best I can with no help.”
Curulla announced that he was going stay on council, but resign from his seat as president and handed the gavel over to Sopic.
“I don’t want you to resign,” said a visibly upset Girardi. She urged council members to talk and start over. Council member Komonczi stated that was what they had attempted to do.
“Two months ago I said I was figuring on resigning,” Curulla said later in the meeting. “If someone thought they were going to take me by surprise, they didn’t.”
After that, there was a question of who could sign checks (two signatures are required); three names were on the signature card, Curulla’s, Treasurer Autumn Norris and Girardi, who heads the finance committee. Seamen urged council to find out if the motion indicated if Curulla’s signature was needed, or the council’s president. Until such time as they vote on a new president or reassign signature duties, Girardi and Norris will sign checks.
Sopic asked for a motion to purchase the book or, if allowed, make a reproduction from the internet, of Robert’s Rules of Order, so that council might have one at their disposal. The motion passed, with O’Dell voting no.
While it was initially indicated that council would hold a special meeting in two weeks to determine duties and responsibilities of council members and committee members, they decided to hold off until next month’s regular meeting. This is to give council members time to brainstorm and pass around ideas on the topic.
“If we do this, we this from the top down,” said O’Dell. “Down to borough employees.”