Supervisors Meeting: Special Meeting Called For Sewer Concerns, Decision to Discipline Town Secretary, and Voting to Fill Slawter's Vacancy on May 9

*Editor's Note: This story has been revised. An earlier version stated incorrectly that Linda Houldin was in business with Gwen Toyzer 10 years ago. The correct statment should read that Linda Houldin ended her business 10 years ago with her business partner Denise Zurka and has never been in business with Gwen Toyzer.

NEWTOWN SQUARE–About 60 Newtown residents attended Monday evening’s heated meeting at which the board called a special meeting to discuss the sewer plan, decided on the discipline of township employee Gwen Toyzer involved in the FedEx case, and made plans to vote at the May 9 meeting on a replacement for the recent passing of Supervisor Bob "Parris" Slawter.

Sewer Concerns Result in Special Meeting on Thursday

No decision was made on the revised sewer plan at Monday night’s meeting, but after a contentious discussion of the county’s sewer plans, a special Board of Supervisors meeting was called, to be held at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 28, after the 6:30 p.m. Planning Commission meeting.

The meeting will be held to ensure that Municipal Authority Chairman Bob Jackson responds in writing to public concerns raised at last Wednesday's meeting before the board makes a decision to approve the sewage facilities planning modules.

“We all agree that the project has to move forward,” Supervisor Ross Lambert said.

“I don’t believe anyone wants to hold anything up,” township resident Patti Wilson said. “I believe everyone wants a technically competent, fiscally responsible plan. We still don’t know as members of the township what it’s going to cost and what we’ll have to pay as part of this plan.”

The sewer discussion lasted well over an hour, while Jackson responded to resident concerns, becoming increasingly irritated and at one point advising a public commenter to “shut up.”

Jackson said he will personally respond to all public comments voiced at last Wednesday’s meeting by this Thursday’s meeting, in time for the board to review his responses and come to a decision so the plan can move on to the Department of Environmental Protection.

Decision Made Regarding Township Employee Involved in FedEx Case

After a contentious discussion of the sewer issues, Supervisor Joe Catania brought up the fact that no progress had yet been made on the disciplining of Gwen Toyzer, the employee who used the.

Township Manager Jim Sheldrake , as previously reported on Patch. It was later learned that he did not have the authority to do so, so Toyzer was never suspended.

Catania motioned to suspend Toyzer for 30 consecutive days without pay, effective immediately. If criminal charges are filed against Toyzer, the issue will be revisited.

Lambert voted with Catania, with Board of Supervisors Chairman George Wood and Vice Chairwoman Linda Houldin voting against. Wood said there would need to be a conviction in order to revisit the issue, and that the 30 days should not be consecutive.

“We have an office to run,” Wood said.

After comments from the audience and clarifying points, the motion was revisited. Catania repeated the motion, which passed 3-1, the dissenting vote from Wood.

Police Chief Dennis Anderson told the board that the county's Criminal Investigation Department was investigating the case, and the auditor’s report should arrive within one to two weeks, at which point progress in the case can be made.

Houldin made a statement regarding Toyzer. “I’ve been under pressure for some time…” she began. *Houldin stated she ended her business 10 years ago with her business partner Denise Zurka and has never been in business with Gwen Toyzer. She also stated she has not received income from the business since 2001.

Board To Vote on Candidates To Fill Vacancy on May 9

Late Supervisor Bob "Parris" Slawter’s seat has not yet been filled by the board after Slawter’s passing on April 11.

Procedure states that the board may select a candidate to fill the vacant supervisor seat until January if the board comes to a decision within 30 days of the vacancy—in this case, if a decision is made before May 11. After May 11, the decision is placed in the hands of the vacancy board.

“Joe Lisa is chair and everyone knows who he will side with,” Catania said.

Catania made it clear that he wanted the Board of Supervisors to decide who would fill the temporary supervisor position rather than the vacancy board, but Wood proposed that instead of choosing a candidate immediately, the vacancy should be advertised in the newspaper and online, and resumes from interested applicants should be accepted for 15 days.

The 15-day waiting period, however, would push the decision beyond the May 9 meeting of the Board of Supervisors.  Even if a position description were submitted at the earliest possible time—on Tuesday, April 26 to be published on Wednesday, April 27—the 15-day waiting period Wood called for would end on May 11.

Catania made a motion to fill the supervisor vacancy with municipal traffic engineer John Nawn. The motion saw a stalemate with Lambert voting with Catania while  Wood and Houldin voted against the motion.

Catania individually presented two other candidates: John Custer and Larry Fischer. Each time, Lambert voted with Catania and Wood and Houldin voted against the motion.

Residents in the audience voiced their disagreement from their seats; Wood hit his gavel.

“We may find someone else to support in the position we can all embrace,” Wood insisted.

Catania and Lambert, along with members of the public, continued to express concerns about why it was necessary to seek out other candidates, and if other candidates were sought out, why it was necessary to wait 15 full days before discussing any of the candidates.

“Why can’t we accept resumes for 14 days so we can talk about this on May 9? Fourteen days versus 15. Fifteen is not a magical number,” Catania said.

“[Wood] doesn’t want this done by May 9,” Lambert said in response to the public’s concerns. “The reason this doesn’t make sense is that [Wood and Houldin] have a particular candidate in mind: it’s Jim Stefanidis.”

Wood and Houldin did not confirm or deny Lambert’s claim, but audience members quickly became riled. 

“Alright Jim, stand up,” a resident called out from the audience. “Are you here?” 

Stefanidis was not present. Two of Catania’s candidates, however, were.

Residents began heckling and shouting at the board at points in the three-hour meeting. Wood was called rude, unprofessional and disrespectful.

“I am just appalled that as a resident of Newtown, there is so much fighting going on that our interests are not being recognized,” Newtown resident Gilda Schwalb said.

Wood refused to commit to choosing a candidate for Slawter’s replacement at the May 9 meeting.

“We will discuss the candidates on May 9,” he insisted.

“There will be a vote on May 9,” Catania said. “It may not pass, but there will be a vote.”

 After a resident’s direct questioning, Wood revealed that he would be attending the May 9 meeting by phone, as he will be out of the area to attend his daughter’s May 7 wedding.