Kiski Township supervisors formally accept ex-police chief's resignation

Kiski Township supervisors have formally accepted the resignation of former police Chief Lee Bartolicius.

Armstrong County Commissioner Anthony Shea confirmed Thursday to TribLive that township supervisors accepted Bartolicius’ resignation during a meeting Wednesday night.

TribLive first reported on Bartolicius’ ousting June 21.

Shea did not attend the meeting, but he said he spoke with Supervisor Brittany Hilliard. She declined to comment to TribLive but told Shea it is a personnel issue.

Multiple requests for comment sent to township officials and all of the supervisors went unreturned Thursday.

Officer Chris Tessmer was to take over in Bartolicius’ stead, township Secretary Patrick Bono previously told TribLive, but Bartolicius still was listed as chief on the township’s website as of Thursday afternoon.

Bartolicius did not respond to requests for comment.

Tessmer joined the department in August as a part-timer before being promoted to full time in November. He was hired as Kiski Township rebuilt its police force following a mass resignation in 2022, which left Bartolicius as one of two officers in the department. Bartolicius was promoted to chief shortly after.

Since June 21, ongoing proposed merger talks between the Southern Armstrong Regional Police Department and Kiski Township have ceased.

An on-duty police officer, who declined to provide her name, said Thursday she wasn’t permitted to disclose any information about the department and its hierarchy.

“You have to talk to the supervisors,” she said and hung up.

Several township residents who attended Wednesday’s meeting expressed frustration with the lack of transparency from supervisors.

“This board will not give us information,” said Donna Casella, 75, a lifelong resident. “They would not disclose the severance agreement. That’s our money. We need to know how much money he will get and why.”

“I lost trust in the board,” she added. “It’s gonna take years to clean up this township.”

Wayne Means, 66, said the lack of transparency has left him angry.

“(Supervisors) Brittany Hilliard and Mary Long campaigned on transparency, and, from what I saw last night, it’s as clear as mud,” he said. “The supervisors need to be open. The taxpayers have a right to know what’s going on in this township.”