Prison Board Solicitor Resigns
Prison Board Solicitor Jason Lewis - shown during last week’s meeting in the Commissioners’ Conference Room - resigned his post, which was unanimously approved during a special meeting yesterday afternoon. Calls to Lewis’ Kittanning office went unanswered yesterday.
by Jonathan Weaver
As the administrative fabric continues to unravel in county departments, Armstrong County Prison Board Solicitor Jason Lewis resigned from his post.
Prison Board members unanimously accepted the resignation of the Kittanning attorney yesterday afternoon during a special meeting at the Commissioners’ Conference Room in the Courthouse Administration Building in downtown Kittanning.
The full Prison Board was present: including District Attorney Scott Andreassi, Sheriff Bill Rupert, Commissioners Richard Fink, David Battaglia and Bob Bower and Controller Myra Miller.
Fink – who serves as Prison Board President – said Lewis’ resignation was actually effective Friday, August 14.
“We did receive communication from Lewis that said ‘effective immediately, I hereby resign my position,’ Fink said.
John Bechtol of Metz, Lewis, Bodman, Must O`Keefe in Pittsburgh was appointed interim solicitor and spokesperson yesterday after a motion by Battaglia and unanimous support.
“He is interim until we decide to appoint another solicitor,” Fink said.
District Attorney Scott Andreassi said he met Bechtol – who also represents the County on litigation against at the Armstrong County Emergency Operations Center in Rayburn Township - for the first time Wednesday.
Fink and Andreassi thanked Lewis for his service on behalf of the Prison Board.
“He’s been a good solicitor for the Prison Board - I think the entire Board wishes (Lewis) nothing but the best,” Andreassi said.
Prison Board members also met in executive session to discuss personnel and legal matters Wednesday, August 19.
Bechtol was unavailable from his Pittsburgh office yesterday after the announcement was made.
Numerous calls to Lewis’ Kittanning office along Main Street went unanswered during business hours yesterday afternoon after the news was announced
Acting Warden Matt Roofner also recommending promoting a lieutenant to Acting Deputy Warden. Another corrections officer would be promoted to lieutenant to fill the spot.
After approval from Prison Board members, both actions will be taken to the County Salary Board
The next Prison Board regular meeting will be the morning of Thursday, September 10.
Local News | jweaver August 21, 2015
By watchdog15, August 21, 2015 @ 9:00 AM
KP reports “as the administrative fabric continues to unravel”. Finally a news source that reports how dysfunctional the County has become with the current Board of Commissioners. The 3.5 years of no leadership by the majority is showing again its incompetence. Too bad the news media had to wait for a tragedy to do their investigative reporting. Ask long term employees at the county how bad things have been since day one of the New Direction Commissioners. The place is crumbling!
By sickofpayingforit, August 21, 2015 @ 11:32 AM
My take (purely speculation)
Take the tax payer money, get that solicitor job to provide a steady supplemental income on the backs of the 40k families, then as soon as the going gets tough, GET GOING!! “Hey, I went to law school, I DESERVE it!!”
Welcome to “public service” 2015 style…………
By jorn jensen, August 21, 2015 @ 2:41 PM
Certainly is questionable timing for the solicitor to abruptly quit. He should, at least, present a press release.
By jorn jensen, August 23, 2015 @ 8:55 PM
The interim solicitor retained is the same law group handling the 911 center lawsuit. That information was presented at this past Thursday’s 1 PM meeting.