An effort calling for an investigation into the actions of Tyrone Borough regarding its firing of its former general manager has taken another step forward.
A petition drive was started a little over two weeks ago by Brian McManigal, owner of Mac’s Market in Tyrone. The decision to circulate the petitions came after borough council terminated former manager Nathan George at a special June 11 meeting.
The petitions with 268 signatures were forwarded to Attorney General Jerry Pappert on Wednesday. The petition is a two-page letter which outlined concerns about George’s dismissal and the conduct of Tyrone Borough, asking that an investigation be initiated.
On June 11, council said the termination was “with cause effective immediately” in its motion that night. George has contended he was fired prior to that night during action taken at an executive session on June 8.
George believes Sunshine Laws which prevent official action at an executive session were violated. He also has claimed the borough violated its home rule charter in regard to his dismissal and the reasons for it. He says the firing was “retaliatory.”
Last Friday, George’s attorney, Joseph Cavrich, filed legal motions in Blair County Court. A writ of summons put the borough, along with its mayor Patricia Stoner and individual council members on notice that a legal proceeding was being commenced against the named parties. The writ allows a lawsuit to be commenced without having to give the particulars of the suit. Cavrich explained this allows a client to file suit while taking the necessary time to gather discovery information it needs before going forward.
The motions also asked for the protection of certain written and electronic records believed to be in the borough’s possession.
A motion seeking to have the named parties answer questions was also entered. However, documents available at the Blair County Courthouse do not spell out what questions George and his attorney want answered.
Three businesses originally circulated the petitions and last week an additional petition was circulated at a convenience store. It was pulled from the store after corporate officials decided the petition could be considered “political” and was against company policy to display such materials. The petition was returned to Mac’s Market with about 20 signatures last Friday.
Last month McManigal was asked why he decided to circulate the petition.
At the time he said, “Because, it’s still America. If he did something wrong, and maybe he did, he should be told why.
“This man’s livelihood is at stake. He moved his family 1,000 miles,” stated McManigal. “He’s a young man. He doesn’t have a lot of assets to fall back on.”
George had relocated to Tyrone from Nebraska at the beginning of the year and was in his position as borough manager for less than six months before being terminated.
McManigal said he wants to know whether or not George’s dismissal was justified. However, the petition goes further, asking the attorney general “to not only investigate the borough manager’s firing but also other questionable actions taken by the Tyrone Borough Council.”
The petition letter urges the attorney general to investigate Tyrone Borough “as a whole to ensure that (the) elected governing body is in full compliance with the Home Rule Charter, Pennsylvania Sunshine Laws and other laws or regulations that (the) investigation may discover have been violated.”
McManigal said many of the 268 signatures on the petitions came from business owners in Tyrone.
When asked what he thought would happen from this point, he had this response.
“Now we are going to find out if our elected officials are doing what they were elected to do,” McManigal told The Daily Herald this morning.
