Several residents of Donegal Township gathered to voice their frustrations with township supervisors who laid off the road crew on September 12th. Dr. Kathleen Miller was quite vocal because the very next day, a fire hydrant was struck by a vehicle that was detoured through West Alexander due to an accident on Interstate 70. According to Miller, it took 5 days to have the hydrant fixed and proper notice was not given alerting residents to a boil water advisory. That notice took five days to be issued. Labor Negotiator Phil Binotto says the crew was laid off due to decreased productivity. Heath Malson is one of the laid off workers that says the reason productivity is so low is that supervisors took control of ordering supplies and did not order them, so they do not have the materials needed to perform the maintenance required. According to Binotto, the township could call back the crew in emergencies if they are available. Otherwise, road maintenance will be handled by outside contractors. Former supervisor Tammi Iams says that if the township does not have a road crew and must hire outside contractors, according to the Pennsylvania Municipal Liquid Fuels Program regulations, any outside contractors must be paid prevailing wage. That cost is much higher than paying the current road crew. These and other concerns such as snow removal and current road deterioration repair projects left unfinished are major concerns to residents. The road crew will be officially discharged on Friday. The union representing the road crew and the township are currently working on the agreement to officially disband the crew.
Meanwhile, in an update Friday afternoon, Larry Cardillo from the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 66 said that effects bargaining talks are continuing in efforts to come to a final resolution for the layoff but nothing is concrete. He says that they are continuing negotiations to avoid the layoff of the road crew. Contract negotiations are no longer being negotiated by the township. (Photo: Dr. Kathleen Miller)