CLEARFIELD – The newest Lawrence Township supervisor gave a bold address on Tuesday night, calling for change as well as a fellow supervisor’s resignation.
Supervisor Scott Way first dealt with how township officials and employees have been mistreated—and for some time now.
“I’m simply tired of how they’re treated,” Way said in a phone interview with GANT News Wednesday morning. “It goes back to before I [joined] this board …. it’s been happening for a while now. These are elected officials, and … it’s completely wrong.”
For Way, the sticking point involves the forensic audit—that’s been requested of the township but has been seemingly avoided.
“When you come onto the board of supervisors, you want to [join] a clean board,” he said, “and right now, I don’t feel that it is. Those who don’t want to move forward are the ‘guilty ones.’ If you have done no wrong, then you have nothing to hide or be afraid of.”
“Something is wrong here,” Way said, adding that he isn’t quite sure what it is exactly, but it necessitates some changes.
Way also saw one of his recommendations receive board approval Tuesday night.
To increase transparency with township residents, the supervisors will both record and livestream their board meetings. It was noted that the Clearfield County Commissioners already provide livestreams of their monthly meetings, whom Way spoke with prior to Tuesday’s events.
Way was applauded, however, when he sought the resignation of Supervisor Jeremy Ruffner. Ruffner was absent from the meeting.
It’s necessary for the board so it can move forward and put an end to some of this in-fighting within the township, Way said. “I’m tired of seeing this board of supervisors being bad-mouthed, and it’s not just by the public, but [also] by one another.”
Way said he’d actually have “more respect” for Ruffner if his ridicule was done to “my face, rather than behind my back.”
Way made it quite clear—his public address was about two things: respect and transparency.
“There’s been a lot of bad-mouthing within the township; there’s been some cussing at the auditors; and there’s been so much micromanagement,” said Way, noting it’s resulted in a lack of respect from everyone.
The next regular meeting of the Lawrence Township Supervisors will be held July 16 at 4:30 p.m.