Vandergrift meeting abruptly ends amid accusations, confusion

It was a short meeting.

A Vandergrift councilwoman called for the resignation of the council president Thursday night, during a continuation of the September council meeting.

Councilwoman Karen McClarnon was immediately called out of order, resulting in a brief shouting match before the meeting was quickly adjourned and the Zoom connection was shut off.

The entire incident lasted about three and a half minutes.

The September meeting of Vandergrift Council had been recessed earlier this month; the only agenda item for Thursday was to go through bids for a paving project on Franklin Avenue.

Because the meeting adjourned before any business could be discussed, council members say, that project could be delayed for several months.

Councilwoman Karen McClarnon accused Council President Kathy Chvala of allowing her son, who recently opened a motorcycle repair shop on Sherman Avenue, to bypass zoning regulations.

She alleged Keith Chvala was able to open his shop in August without gaining the approval of the Zoning Board, paying the $750 charge or getting his building inspected. She said the building, in a residential zone, had been empty for a time and was therefore subject to these procedures to be able to operate as a business.

Keith Chvala disputed McClarnon’s accusations. He claimed his building has never been unoccupied and has always been leased as a commercial space, thanks to a variance issued in 2006.

“This building is commercial. I don’t know where everyone is getting this from,” he said. “I’m going through the legal channels.”

Kathy Chvala did not respond to a request for comment.

A cease-and-desist letter had reportedly been sent to the business earlier on Thursday, though. Theresa Geltz, Vandergrift’s zoning officer, declined to comment on the matter. Attorneys in the borough solicitor’s office could not be reached Friday.

McClarnon claimed Keith Chvala should have gone before the Zoning Hearing Board but received unfair treatment that other business owners in the community are not afforded.

“(Kathy Chvala) has been on council for almost 30 years. She absolutely knows that businesses must go through the zoning process,” McClarnon said. “And if she’s not, then why is she on council?”

McClarnon also argued that gavelling over her and closing the meeting was a violation of her right to free speech.

“I have a right through my First Amendment to speak for my constituents, and they stifled that (Thursday) night because they didn’t like what I had to say,” she said.

But some other council members said McClarnon’s timing was inappropriate, given that members had gathered solely to discuss bids for the paving project.

That project is likely to be delayed, Councilman John Uskuraitis said, because the meeting ended so quickly.

Uskuraitis was the council member who made the motion to adjourn after McClarnon had been called out of order three or four times. He said it seemed like the only option to maintain Robert’s Rules of Order, the standard rules of etiquette for public meetings.

Councilman Lenny Collini said he was “embarrassed” the meeting went down the way it did, and the disagreements that have plagued council for months have become increasingly frustrating.

“There are certain things we do as council people at a meeting,” Collini said. “That’s why we have bylaws.”

Melissa Melewsky, media law counsel for the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association, said there was no clear violation to the state’s Sunshine Law by stopping the meeting. The law does not govern how entities move through an agenda.

She said the “intent” of the law, however, is to always give members of the public an opportunity to discuss issues. That right extends to board members, as well.

“It’s disturbing to hear any time elected officials cut off debate or comment on a matter of agency business,” Melewsky said.

Councilman Casimer Maszgay said he was glad the issue was brought up during the meeting, even if it led to its untimely end. The Franklin Avenue project will still get done, he said, and while the allegations brought up have not been formally investigated, he hopes there will be more transparency.

“I’m kind of glad it got brought up,” he said. “Because now there’s some explaining (to do) and maybe some more people will step forward.”

The confrontation left other council members shocked and confused. Some said they feel dejected after months of disagreement and infighting, which has often occurred after McClarnon raised issue with matters of procedure — spurring heated discussions on everything from the borough website to a community garden.

“All that has happened since January has been chaos,” said Uskuraitis. “You can’t move forward in any way if you’re constantly fighting battles.”

“We can’t be bullied at these meetings anymore,” Collini added. “We’re letting a lot of things go.”