Shady v. Wyoming Borough

78 Pa. D. & C. 584, 1951 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 100
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Luzerne County
DecidedDecember 10, 1951
Docketno. 843
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 78 Pa. D. & C. 584 (Shady v. Wyoming Borough) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Luzerne County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Shady v. Wyoming Borough, 78 Pa. D. & C. 584, 1951 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 100 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1951).

Opinion

Pinola, J.,

— This case was tried without a jury, by agreement, under the Act of April 22, 1874, and its supplements.

Plaintiff, who was discharged on January 2, 1950, seeks to compel the Burgess and the Council of Wyoming Borough to restore him to the position of chief of police and to require them to create a civil service commission.

From the evidence, by agreement of counsel, we find the following

Facts

1. Plaintiff, Joseph Shady, is a citizen of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and resides at 130 Susquehanna Avenue, in the Borough of Wyoming.

2. The Borough of Wyoming is a municipal corporation existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

3. William Coslick, Peter Chronowski, John Hartman, Leo Chiavacci, Clair C. Murdoch and John Low-son are the duly elected members of the Council of the Borough of Wyoming, and Jack Dempsey is the duly elected Burgess of Wyoming Borough.

4. Under the Act of June 5, 1941, P. L. 84, and the amendments thereto, and the Act of July 10, 1947, P. L. 1621, sec. 36, provision was made for the creation of a civil service commission and for the method to be followed in the discharge of police officers in boroughs of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

5. On December 18, 1941, the Borough of Wyoming established a civil service board in compliance with the Act of June 5, 1941, P. L. 84, and at a reorganization meeting of council in January 1942 the board was abolished.

6. The Borough of Wyoming and the borough council have failed to comply with the acts and refuse so to do, and at the present time the Borough of Wyom[586]*586ing does not have a civil service commission as provided for in the acts.

7. Plaintiff has been a police officer in the Borough of Wyoming since 1931 and was promoted to the office of chief of police in January 1943, and served in that capacity until January 2, 1950, when he was discharged by the Council and the Burgess of the Borough of Wyoming.

8. Plaintiff was discharged by defendants without compliance with the provisions of the act above designated.

9. In addition to a chief of police, the Borough of Wyoming regularly employed, until January 2, 1950, an assistant chief of police and four other police officers designated as special police, who are assigned and ordered to work in rotation by the burgess, in his discretion or with his approval, and are paid the sum of 65 cents per hour for the hours that they actually work.

10. These special officers work no stated number of hours during any one month.

11. Plaintiff knows of no charges preferred against him by any one, and he has been given no opportunity to answer any charges if such exist. He has had no hearing and no opportunity to be heard before a civil service commission as provided for by law in any proceeding arising out of his dismissal from the service of the Police Department of the Borough of Wyoming.

12. Since his association with the Police Department of the Borough of Wyoming, plaintiff has faithfully performed his duties in accordance with the rules and regulations provided for and in compliance with the law.

13. On January 2, 1950, the vote by council on the motion to discharge plaintiff resulted in a 3-to-3 tie vote and the burgess, Jack Dempsey, voted in favor of [587]*587plaintiff’s discharge, thereby breaking the tie and resulting in the discharge of plaintiff, Joseph Shady.

14. Each of the persons who have served as special officers since January 1, 1946, has been otherwise employed than in police duties as follows:

George Legas was employed as a salesman for the Federal Yeast Company between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., five days each week.

Herman Jacobs was employed by the Glen Alden Coal Company at the South Wilkes-Barre colliery, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., on such days as the colliery was working.

Joseph Cortegerone was employed at the Hazard Wire Rope Division of the American Chain & Cable Company and worked five days per week between the hours of 7 a.m. and 3 p.m., and 3 p.m. and 11 p.m., or 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., depending upon the shift to which he was assigned.

William Carpenter was employed by Petrillo Excavating Company, and worked between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., six days per week and at such other times as his services might be required.

Edward Murray was employed by the Pittston Coal Company at the Ewen colliery between the hours of 7 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., or 3 p.m. and 11 p.m., according to the shift to which he might be assigned and upon such days as the colliery was working.

LeRoy Miller was employed as a guard at the Second National Bank of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., five days per week, and 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday in each week.

Ray Evans was employed as a meter reader by the Luzerne County Gas & Electric Corporation, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., five days per week.

Mason Eshleman was employed by Jermyn Green Coal Company between the hours of 7 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., upon such days as the colliery was working.

[588]*58815. On April 6,1927, by ordinance regularly adopted and approved, the Borough of Wyoming created a police force consisting of a chief of police, assistant chief of police and “as many Patrolmen and Special Officers that may be designated by the Burgess and Town Council.” Salaries were fixed for the chief and the assistant. All other patrolmen and special officers were to receive 65 cents per hour while on duty.

16. On January 9,193.4, the borough council adopted an ordinance fixing the salaries of all borough officials, including those of the chief of police at $1,620 per annum, and night patrolman at $1,080 per annum. The compensation of special police officers was fixed at 50 cents per hour.

17. On April 10, 1940, the borough council adopted another ordinance creating all borough offices and fixing salaries. This included chief of police, salary $1,-800; assistant chief of police, salary $1,500, and special officers with compensation at 50 cents per hour.

Section 2 of this ordinance reads as follows:

“All ordinances and parts of ordinances inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed, and in addition thereto, the office of night patrolman is hereby expressly abolished.”

18. At a regular meeting of the Council of the Borough of Wyoming, held December 18,1941, the following resolution was duly adopted:

“Motion by Dooley, seconded by Hartman, that the Chief of Police, Thomas Parkinson, and special officers, Andrew Zavada and Robert Breese be dismissed, effective at twelve o’clock noon, Friday, December 19, 1941, and that they turn over all borough equipment to the chairman of the police committee.”

19. At the same meeting, the following motion was duly adopted:

“Motion by Dooley, seconded by Hartman that Karl Eckert be appointed as Chief of Police at the annual [589]*589salary of $1800.00 effective at noon Friday, December 19, 1941.”

20. At the same meeting, the following motion was duly adopted:

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Related

Templeton Appeal
159 A.2d 725 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1960)

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Bluebook (online)
78 Pa. D. & C. 584, 1951 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 100, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/shady-v-wyoming-borough-pactcomplluzern-1951.