Peters Twp Councilman Lands Both Support & Criticism

February 23, 2021 4:10 am

Nearly 40 minutes of Peters Township Council’s Monday night meeting was devoted to comments made by Council Chairman Dave Ball in an interview with a Pittsburgh television station last week. Township Manager Paul Lauer read 12 emails from residents into the record. The emails were evenly divided, six in support of Ball’s comments and six against. Several of the detractors called for Ball’s resignation as chairman. Ball stood behind his comments indicating that he was quoting Senator Pat Toomey during the interview and that he could have been more clear on what idea he was trying to convey. He also pointed out that there is a difference between his position of Chairman of the Republican Party of Washington County and his role as Chairman of Peters Township Council. He identifies the Party position as a political role but does not recognize his position on Peters Township Council as a political position. Ball stated that in his 16 years on council no decision in his recollection was political. They were made with the best interest of the township in mind. Council Vice-Chairperson Monica Merrell is happy to have the incident behind them stating that Ball did not wish to put Peters Township in a negative perception. Councilman Gary Stiegel indicated that he expected community response to be evenly divided and wants to “move on”.