BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A former Fountain Hill borough manager who in March pleaded guilty to soliciting a 17-year-old girl and another female to commit prostitution has been censured by and barred from an international municipal officials group.
Eric Gratz, 42, of Alburtis, pleaded guilty to two counts of solicitation to commit prostitution, a third-degree misdemeanor, and later was dismissed from his job.
He was sentenced to two years on probation.
The executive board of the International City/County Management Association at its June 21 meeting publicly censured Gratz and permanently barred him from ICMA membership, it said in a news release.
"The board concluded Mr. Gratz’s conduct violated" tenets of the ICMA Code of Ethics, including "a member’s ethical obligation to honesty and integrity by upholding public trust in their position and the local government management profession as well as demonstrating the highest standards of ethical conduct and integrity in their personal and professional lives."International City/County Management Association release
"The board concluded Mr. Gratz’s conduct violated" tenets of the ICMA Code of Ethics, according to the release.
Those included "a member’s ethical obligation to honesty and integrity by upholding public trust in their position and the local government management profession as well as demonstrating the highest standards of ethical conduct and integrity in their personal and professional lives," it said.
"ICMA has a Code of Ethics for our members," the release said. "As a member of ICMA, Mr. Gratz agreed to abide by the Code of Ethics and its enforcement when he became an ICMA member.
"Any member who appears to have violated the Code of Ethics is investigated in a peer-review process by the CPC and violators are subject to an array of sanctions including private and public censure; credential revocation; membership suspension; and/or membership bar or expulsion."
How the case developed
In February, law enforcement started an investigation after a complaint about Grat of Fountain Hill.
Gratz had been borough manager since August 2021.
The victim was working as a junior firefighter at Fountain Hill Fire Department in December 2022 when she was 17.
Officials said Gratz initiated conversations with her at the fire company and exchanged cell phone numbers for work purposes.
An investigation determined Gratz texted the victim offering to provide her money in exchange for sexual acts. Gratz used a cell phone provided by the borough to text the victim on numerous occasions, the release said.
The investigation did not reveal that any sexual contact ever occurred between Gratz and the victim, it said.
The second victim worked with Gratz in July 2021 when he served as the director of Allentown Emergency Medical Services.
The victim was hired by Gratz, and in October 2021, she said Gratz told her she was not fit to work at the agency and to not show up for work.
In November 2021, the victim said Gratz contacted her via social media and offered to pay her for a sexual act and she refused.
Officials did not specify the age of the second victim.
