Questions over the use of a borough credit card stirred the latest uproar in Collingdale.
The first speaker at Tuesday night’s council meeting asked about a letter sent to elected officials questioning possible misappropriation of funds in the borough, and demanded answers.
“We want to know what is going on with our money,” the woman, whose name was not given, said. “We don’t want to be told to look to the left while something is going on to the right.”
Council President Felecia Coffee said she sent a letter to all elected officials.
Coffee said the letter detailed an investigation by a “labor council” covering a period from Jan. 16 to the end of May over the use of a gas card.
She said the findings were gas card was knowingly and purposefully used improperly, involving approximately $1,900 of borough funds.
Collingdale officials after the first reorganizational borough council meeting in January 2026, standing from left, Deanna Williams, solicitor; Joe Papaleo, borough manager; David Lee Robinson, councilman; Sheena Butler, secretary/Right to Know officer; Keisha Williams, councilwoman; Dwight Green, councilman; Rebecca Perry, tax collector; Shannon Murphy, councilwoman; and Tiffany Allan, labor council. Seated are, from left, Fareeda Mabry, councilwoman; Felecia Coffee, council president; and Mayor Donna Matteo-Spadea. Coffee was ousted Tuesday and Mabry was named president. (COURTESY OF JOY WINNER)
Coffee said the recommendation from the investigation was for immediate termination of the person involved and the case should be referred to the Delaware County Criminal Investigations Division, “to which it wasn’t,” she said.
Coffee said the borough spent about $17,000 on the investigation, and she asked fellow council members why when the borough spent that money they decided not to follow through on it’s recommendations.
Instead the majority of council chose to put the borough manager on one week’s suspension, Coffee said.
“That decision concerned me deeply,” Coffee said. “The residents deserve to know what happened with their money.”
Coffee said the borough manager’s contract calls for immediate termination on grounds of unbecoming behavior.
“When I believe something is wrong, I believe I have the responsibility to speak up,” Coffee said. “The borough manager, who was also council president in our neighboring town of Folcroft, was under investigation by ‘labor council’ about the use of a borough gas card.”
Coffee said she was advised by the borough solicitor not to communicate certain information. However, she believed she has a responsibility to act in good faith to protect residents.
Coffee refuted accusations that she violated the Sunshine Act laws, ethical rules or state statutes.
Council member David Robinson said he reached out to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office to ask to further investigate the accusations.
Councilmembers Stephen Zane and Shannon Murphy said there was more to the story, but they did not elaborate.
Following Coffee’s statements, council voted to reorganize leadership and they replaced her, electing Fareeda Mabry as president.
Coffee then ended the meeting on what she said was the recommendation of the solicitor.
On Thursday, Borough Manager Joseph G. Papaleo strongly defended himself.
Collingdale Borough Manager Joseph G. Papaleo (COURTESY OF FOLCROFT)
“I’ve done nothing wrong. The entire situation is complete lunacy, as you could see by the meeting,” Papaleo said in a phone call with the Daily Times.
He added that when asked to do things that were outside the scope of his work, and possibly illegal, he refused.
“I had to stop them,” Papaleo said.
In another instance, the manager said that when he told Coffee no about a request, “the ire was directed towards me.”
Papaleo said the “labor council” that conducted the investigation — which he said was “shaped” — was by the law firm Campbell Durrant.
Papaleo said he came to the borough to straighten out matters, but some people thrive on the dysfunction.
“There are people here who are addicted to the craziness. I’m not having it,” Papaleo said adding, the borough should run like C-Span, not “The Jerry Springer Show.”
As for the accusations Papaleo said, “a majority of council have gone to bat for me. It didn’t work out to well for her. It blew up in her face.”
Further details regarding the credit card were not available.