BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Cathy Gorman went into Township Council’s Dec. 18 meeting as the acting township manager for Lower Saucon.
And after about an hour of back-and-forth from officials over an agenda item listed as Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Removal of Cathy Gorman as Acting Township Manager, nothing really changed.
By a 4-1 vote, Gorman was affirmed as acting township manager, and will continue her other responsibilities as they relate to the positions of township finance director, assistant manager and right-to-know officer.
Councilmen Jason Banonis, who was the lone dissenter, and Thomas Carocci said they had the topic placed on the agenda following public reports that calls for service from the township and its administration have fallen behind.
In a number of instances that evening, Carocci even pitched a multi-year contract for Gorman, which never took hold.
“I apologize to any council member who feels that I haven’t been responsive enough to either the residents or themselves."Lower Saucon Interim Township Manager Cathy Gorman
“I apologize to any council member who feels that I haven’t been responsive enough to either the residents or themselves,” said Gorman, who's been acting manager since spring.
“And I will try to find some method of operation to keep you updated on whatever is needed in the township so that everybody is fully aware of what’s going on.”
She said she “could not do half the things that I do” without her team alongside her — including administrative assistants Stacy Werkheiser and Carol Schneider.
“Cathy is truly the glue,” Schneider said. “Something needs to be done. We’re slowly, like, falling apart here, really.”
Gorman was appointed to the position after former manager Mark Hudson resigned to take a similar role with Hanover Township, Northampton County.
The township has tried to bring on two different people to officially fill the township manager role since then, but neither has come to fruition.
'They should step up'
Gorman has yet to share whether she wants the job.
When asked by the public about whether council officials had offered Gorman the job, or if she even wanted the job, Council President Priscilla deLeon said that was a personnel matter and would remain “confidential.”
“They should step up and they should do the honorable thing, or they should at least advertise for a full-time manager to alleviate those burdens on you," Banonis said to Gorman.
"And instead, they take advantage of you.
“So I’m going to vote no, and it’s not reflective of you in any way — not at all. It’s because of how terrible these people are. You’re working with evil, terrible people.”
“Cathy is trying her best, but there are things that happen that I don’t feel like she can put a full effort behind because she’s being pulled so many ways,” Carocci said.
DeLeon said she’s offered help through hiring an extra employee for Cathy’s office. The township website lists Rachelle Markovic as the fourth member of the administration staff, serving as a receptionist.
“That was months ago. You remember?” deLeon asked Gorman.
“I remember,” she answered.
Many responsibilities
“I appreciate everything Cathy does, and she has, really, I can’t say ever been late with anything that I’ve requested,” deLeon said.
“And I’ve heard from numerous people that she’s always been helpful, and if she can’t do something, she’ll find somebody that can.”
DeLeon said Banonis has submitted “over 1,000” right-to-know requests — Banonis clarified that it was closer to 4,000 — and Gorman is operating just as the former township manager did in handling them.
“You ask yourselves, 'Does it make sense that me or Priscila or Laura are the ones using insulting language, making phone calls and saying nasty things that are placing employees who are our staff members on the bully pulpit to disparage their work product?'” Councilwoman Victoria Opthof-Cordaro said.
“Who’s doing that? Because I didn’t put it on the agenda. So we can play word semantics all we want this evening. … I vote yes to this, and I’m sorry to Ms. Gorman that she had to go through this past week.”
“When Cathy told me this was on the agenda, I thought it was ridiculous, and I said, ‘There’s no way we are going to be removing you,’” Councilwoman Laura Ray said.
“This is why we lost our last manager.
"This is why we can’t get a manager — it is because of you. Who would want to work in this kind of atmosphere, the way you treat people? You are horrible.”
Dave Boulin, who lives in the township, supported the item as written on the agenda.
“The purpose is to try and unburden her,” he said.
“You’re already sitting on how much of township taxpayer money? Where is that money going right now? Give it to them,” said resident Cheyenne Reiman, who also serves on the township Environmental Advisory Council.
“Give it to the girls that are performing their roles above and beyond.
“Fund them so they don’t leave.”
