The Bradford Township Supervisors voted to terminate the
employment of a township police officer, Todd McClain, at Monday
night’s regular meeting.
The supervisors went into executive session shortly after
starting the meeting, with chairman Robert Slike Jr. saying they
needed to discuss a “personnel matter in the police
department.”
Slike and the other two supervisors, Cary Kaber and Chris
Wolcott, the head of the police department, as well as Foster
Township Police Chief Jeff Wolbert, excused themselves from the
meeting, and returned about 15 minutes later.
Slike said upon their return that they had discussed
“allegations of misconduct” and asked for a motion based on that
discussion.
Wolcott made the motion, “pursuant to the Police Tenure Act,” he
said, to terminate McClain’s employment, citing “neglect of
official duties and conduct unbecoming an officer.”
The supervisors agreed to notify McClain formally, and refused
to comment further, citing the possibility of litigation regarding
the issue.
Slike said a Pennsylvania State Police investigation into the
allegation is ongoing.
McClain, who was in the audience as Wolcott made the motion to
terminate his employment, said after the meeting he had filed a
civil suit with the McKean County Court of Common Pleas in
Smethport last week against three individuals in the Foster
Township Police Department regarding the allegations and subsequent
termination.
He also showed The Era a Notice of Determination from the
Department of Labor and Industry that seemed to indicate McClain
could receive unemployment benefits because the police department
“failed to meet the burden of proof.”
McClain, too, however, declined to discuss the exact details
surrounding the accusations against him and his termination. He
also declined to name the three individuals named in his
lawsuit.
In other business Monday night, one resident complained that the
old township building on North 3rd Street was an “eyesore,”
dangerous and the township “had an obligation” to do something to
rectify the situation.
Kaber told her he hoped to get to the project in the near
future.
Tom Perry of Seaward Avenue and Mike Dennis of Cornelius Lane
both voiced concern over speeding in their neighborhoods,
specifically on Bolivar Drive.
Wolbert assured Dennis that he has regular patrols in the area,
and officers have been writing speeding tickets.
Dennis was discontent with Wolbert’s assurances, however, saying
excitedly “Well, Jeff (Wolbert), it’s obviously not enough.”
Another resident voiced his gratitude for the township crews
replacing a drainage pipe on Bells Camp Road.
The supervisors also voted to accept the resignation of Brenda
Moore as the park custodian, and also voted to allow Brittany
Gorrell to replace her.
Betty Cochran of the Bradford Office of Economic and Community
Development reported on the progress of the Lafferty Hollow access
road, saying most steps have been completed and the next step would
be preparing construction documents to put the work out for
bid.
Also Monday night, the supervisors approved a resolution
regarding Chris and Barbara Burkhouse’s sewage facilities planning
module, saying they would be submitting applications to the state
Department of Environmental Protection.
The next supervisors meeting is set for 7:30 p.m. Sept. 11,
having been moved from Sept. 4 in observance of Labor Day.
