In a surprise move, Upper Darby Township Council removed Laura Wentz as vice president in a narrow 6-5 vote.
The vote came moments after council, in President Brian Burke’s description “came together,” and unanimously agreed to approve $2.8 million in spending of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds.
The vote came near the end of the two-hour meeting Wednesday night when council member Andrew Hayman requested the reorganization of the vice president position.
He noted the vote did not have to be on the agenda because there are no costs involved in the vote, only an administrative change.
In an interview Thursday, Hayman said errors in work by Wentz in preparing the multiple ARPA ordinances that were on the evening’s agenda was an example. He added that there were also her repeated falsehoods and fixation on conspiracy theories that brought the vote.
Solicitor Colleen Marsini from the firm of Kilkenny Law, the township law firm, confirmed Hayman’s view that the vote is legal because the change is part of internal council business, so it did not have to be on the agenda.
It’s not subject to comment and there is no violation to the Sunshine Act, she said.
The vote was allowed to move ahead but first Wentz spoke. She noted there are many things she does behind the scenes that people have no idea about, and she has always been there to help the residents. But she also believes people had a vendetta against her.
“I worked really hard for this township. I tell the truth and a lot of people don’t like that,” Wentz said. “If this is what you feel you need to do then so be it … I will fight, that’s what my nature is.”
The vote was 6-5 with five of her fellow Democrats: Andew Hayman, Michelle Billups, Danyelle Blackwell, Sheikh Siddque and Hafiz Tunis as well as Republican Lisa Faraglia voting to oust her as vice president. She remains on council.
Councilwoman Meaghan Wagner asked Marsini why, when council attempted to remove the former Chief Adminstrative Officer Vincent Rongione in a similar fashion, that action violated the Sunshine Law, requiring it be put on the agenda but voting on the vice president did not.
Marsini said that the CAO position is in the home rule charter and there are provisions on his termination and that firing of a paid position would affect public money. She said the vice president position affects nothing but how council operates.
SUBMITTED PHOTO,
Upper Darby Councilwoman Lisa Faraglia in a photo from 2019. (DAILY TIMES)
Wentz has been at odds with her fellow Democrats over the past two years as she was one of a bloc of six council members to initially hold up earlier ARPA funds and then voted to remove Rongione.
But no replacement
When it came time to vote on a new vice president, Burke continued to voice his opposition to events and questioned the solicitor’s view that a new vice president could be voted on without appearing on the agenda.
Hayman nominated Tunis but Burke again questioned the action without it being on the agenda.
“I think there are serious problems brewing here on the legal aspects, solicitor Marsini,” Burke said. “I personally think this should be taken up at the next meeting, not tonight.”
Faraglia could be heard agreeing with that part, at which point all parties agreed to table the vote on a new vice president until next week’s meeting.
Hold onto the money or send it out to the projects that were earmarked? It’s not that simple. The administration fears that some of the money could be reclaimed by the federal government, so the plan is to move it around to a different fund. (PETE BANNAN – DAILY TIMES)
The ARPA discussions
Most of the meeting focused on the ARPA multiple ordinances, three of which were adopted and four that will be voted on in August after being advertised.
One ordinance that was adopted will allocate $1.2 million in one-time funding to sign a lease on a building for a senior center in Drexel Hill. It is located at 5037 Township Line. The lease will expire Dec. 31, 2026, and will include improvements to the property.
5037 Township Line Road Drexel Hill in the Pilgrim Gardens Shopping Center (PETE BANNAN-DAILY TIMES)
A number of residents asked about the ability of the township to continue supporting a senior center after ARPA funds run out.
Wagner said officials have been working with Delaware County and outside organizations to secure funding to extend its operation beyond that.
A second adopted ordinance will allot $800,000 of one time funding for rent, remodeling and operating costs to the nonprofit Upper Darby Arts and Education Foundation for the Barclay Square Arts and Education Center.
A third ordinance that was adopted authorizes $825,000 to purchase three trash trucks.
An ordinance to spend $2 million in ARPA funds was approved to be advertised that would improve the police station and will be administered by the police superintendent.
Wentz said the plan to spend $600,000 to purchase an adjoining property may not happen and she suggested buying additional police cars with that money.
Council also moved forward a $250,000 ordinance to use ARPA funds for renovations to the Watkins Center as well as $1.9 million to be allocated for the Upper Darby Fire Department and a firetruck. Each of the five fire stations would get $100,000 and the remaining $1.4 million will go for a firetruck at the direction of the chief of the department.
Another ordinance to be advertised and introduced would allocate $3.8 million in funding for streetscape improvements in the business districts.
It includes:
• $1 million to downtown Drexel Hill, including the areas from 4900 State Road to the 700 block of Burmont Road to the 4200 block pf Fern Boulevard to the 500 block of Burmont Road.
• $1 million for 69th Street from West Chester Pike to Ruskin Lane.
• $1 million for West Chester Pike from Victory Avenue to Township Line.
• $600,000 for Long Lane from the first block to Seaford Road.
• $100,000 for Garrett Road, Sherbrook Boulevard to Chestnut Hill.
• $100,000 for the western section of Garrett Road to Edmunds Avenue area.
Improvements in the last three areas would include facades, lights, trash cans and plantings.
The work would be supervised by the director of community development.
A final ordinance to spend over $2 million in ARPA funding to upgrade parks in Upper Darby Township was tabled because of language. It will be brought up again next week for a vote before council in August.
And, $500,000 in ARPA funding slated to go to the Breaking Bread Community nonprofit, a student-run emergency shelter was taken out of the plan.