The mayor of Aspinwall Borough was censured by borough council on Wednesday night after he secretly recorded a private meeting. Council approved a resolution to censure Mayor Scott Zimmermann for using his iPhone to record a private meeting in February. He is accused of violating the Pennsylvania Wiretapping and Electronic Control Act since the other borough officials present did not know they were being recorded. “My issue moving forward is how can I have a conversation with you on the phone about the police department or personnel? How can I do that without knowing that I’m being recorded on the back end? I don’t know,” said Councilman Louis Curcio. The mayor claimed he deleted the recording on the spot. One community member at the council meeting asked Zimmermann what his intention was.“I actually did not have much intention at all. The whole thing sort of came about as a brain fart, no better than that. I didn’t really realize what I was doing when I was doing it,” Zimmermann responded. As part of the resolution, council “respectfully, but firmly,” called for the mayor to resign. The mayor issued an apology for the recording, but ultimately decided not to resign. “Because I don’t think it rises to that level,” said Zimmermann. “It really is that simple. It was a mistake. I admitted to it at the time, I said sorry at the time, things were deleted at the time.”The resignation request drew a mixed reaction from the crowd. Some people who spoke up wanted to see the mayor step down, while others felt it was a step too far. Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 Reporter Jordan Cioppa asked Council President Jeff Harris about the possibility of charges. “I can’t get into the legalities of it, but, you know, again in the resolution it spells out there are rights and remedies that are available to those who were present in the meeting,” Harris said.The resolution passed 5-1. Councilwoman Lara Voytko recused herself from the matter. Patti McCaffrey was the lone “no” vote. To read the full resolution, click here.
ASPINWALL, Pa. —
The mayor of Aspinwall Borough was censured by borough council on Wednesday night after he secretly recorded a private meeting.
Council approved a resolution to censure Mayor Scott Zimmermann for using his iPhone to record a private meeting in February.
He is accused of violating the Pennsylvania Wiretapping and Electronic Control Act since the other borough officials present did not know they were being recorded.
“My issue moving forward is how can I have a conversation with you on the phone about the police department or personnel? How can I do that without knowing that I’m being recorded on the back end? I don’t know,” said Councilman Louis Curcio.
The mayor claimed he deleted the recording on the spot. One community member at the council meeting asked Zimmermann what his intention was.
“I actually did not have much intention at all. The whole thing sort of came about as a brain fart, no better than that. I didn’t really realize what I was doing when I was doing it,” Zimmermann responded.
As part of the resolution, council “respectfully, but firmly,” called for the mayor to resign. The mayor issued an apology for the recording, but ultimately decided not to resign.
“Because I don’t think it rises to that level,” said Zimmermann. “It really is that simple. It was a mistake. I admitted to it at the time, I said sorry at the time, things were deleted at the time.”
The resignation request drew a mixed reaction from the crowd. Some people who spoke up wanted to see the mayor step down, while others felt it was a step too far.
Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 Reporter Jordan Cioppa asked Council President Jeff Harris about the possibility of charges.
“I can’t get into the legalities of it, but, you know, again in the resolution it spells out there are rights and remedies that are available to those who were present in the meeting,” Harris said.
The resolution passed 5-1. Councilwoman Lara Voytko recused herself from the matter. Patti McCaffrey was the lone “no” vote.
To read the full resolution, click here.