Harmar Township hires new manager

The Harmar supervisors have rehired a familiar face to become the new township manager.

Anthony Rozzano got the job last Friday in a 3-1 vote. Supervisors Bob Exler, Linda Exler and Lee Biermeyer voted to hire Rozzano, while Supervisor Harry Lenhart voted against the hiring. Supervisor Bob Seibert did not attend.

Rozzano replaces Ian Fitzgerald, who was terminated by the supervisors in an identical 3-1 vote. Bob Exler, the supervisors chairman, declined to discuss the reason for Fitzgerald’s termination, saying it was a personnel matter.

Fitzgerald did not respond to requests for comment.

Rozzano’s first day on the job was Monday. His starting salary is $60,000, according to Exler.

“Tony Rozzano is a very honest man,” Exler said. “We got a superstar in Tony.

“He’s lived and worked in the area for more than 30 years, so he’s a local guy that knows everybody and knows everything. He knows how to run a township. He will be a hands-on manager who will be an asset to our community.”

Rozzano previously served as Harmar’s manager from 2006-07, when the position was called the township secretary.

At the same time, he served as a township supervisor, filling out the final two years of Supervisor Michael Liberati’s term. Liberati died in 2006.

In 2005, Rozzano was Harmar’s code enforcement officer.

Rozzano lives in Springdale Township, where he has been a township commissioner since 2016 and its president since 2018.

He said he plans to continue serving in that capacity while he works for Harmar.

Springdale Township Solicitor Craig Alexander said he has no issue with it.

“I don’t see there being any conflict of interest with a member of a board of commissioners or supervisors, or a borough council being employed by a neighboring community,” Alexander said.

Harmar Township Solicitor Chuck Means agreed.

“It’s not an issue,” Means said.

Rozzano expects to go through a period of adjustment.

“It’s something I need to adjust to because you’ve got five supervisors (in Harmar) and everybody has a different opinion,” Rozzano said. “So I need to see what the best thing is for the township. I really like the opportunity.”

Lenhart said he voted against Rozzano’s hiring because he said the majority of the supervisors tried to “ram” it through.

“The main reason I voted against it is because I don’t know him,” Lenhart said. “I don’t know anything about him. I don’t know his background, I don’t know what his capabilities are.

“The three members of the board decided to hire him without any consultation with me or (Seibert). I wasn’t going to give a blank check for something that I didn’t necessarily approve of, or disapprove of.”

For his part, Rozzano said his previous experience in Harmar makes him qualified.

“When I took over the township back in 2006, it was within two days of losing its police department. The state police were going to take over,” Rozzano said. “I met with the police department and the unions reps and negotiated a deal with them and was able to save the township’s police department.

“When I left at the end of the term, I had a surplus of money left over and the township had a new dump truck, they had a new backhoe, they had a new salt spreader, they had a new police car. I did a lot of wonderful things.”

Rozzano was not elected to another term as Harmar supervisor. He claimed voter fraud played a key part in his loss.

Rozzano feels his current dual leadership positions in Harmar and Springdale Township can make for better relations between the two communities, and he says he has no concerns about doing both jobs.

“Springdale Township is definitely moving forward, we’re accomplishing a lot. We’ve got a couple of commissioners up there that are really behind me on making things happen,” Rozzano said. “We’ve paved five or six roads, we’re going to do some waterlines, we’re building a new salt shed, and we’ve ordered new park equipment.

”We’re under budget and we have no intention of raising taxes. It just makes for good business for the two communities here.”