Kittanning Council Hires Labor Negotiator
Solicitor Ty Heller will remain Kittanning Borough Council’s legal representative in 2016.
by Jonathan Weaver
After an executive session last night, Kittanning Borough council members also approved two personnel items before recessing the meeting.
Council members unanimously voted to hire Steele Schneider attorneys, from Pittsburgh, to represent them in upcoming labor negotiations between street workers and uniformed police officers.
Solicitor Ty Heller recommended the firm’s hire.
“It’s a pretty-specialized area of the law, and we want someone with that expertise,” Heller said.
It’s unclear at this point how long Steele Schneider’s services will be needed. However, contracts with both unions expire at the end of this calendar year.
In a separate action, council members also unanimously voted to retain Heller as their solicitor for 2016.
Heller, of the Kittanning-based law firm Mechling and Heller, will be compensated $14,500 starting in January. Both he and Roger Mechling represent many communities, water authorities and sewage authorities inside-and-outside of Armstrong County. His salary will be doubled from the original 2014 amount.
An attorney since 2008, next year will be Heller’s third year representing Kittanning Borough after filling the void left by former-Solicitor Chase McClister in 2013.
Heller said his involvement has increased during the past two years so far.
“There’s a lot going on in Kittanning Borough. It’s the County seat, one of the largest municipalities – I think we’ll continue to see a lot of good things,” Heller said. “Happy to be a part of that.”
The meeting was recessed to allow for a Community Development Block Grant execution Wednesday, October 14.
The plan to pave Campbell Street was tentatively approved by council members during an earlier public hearing.
The hearing begins at 5PM in Council Chambers.
Kittanning Borough | jweaver October 6, 2015
