Charleroi council president statement draws ire of fellow council member
CHARLEROI 鈥� Fireworks erupted at Wednesday night蘑菇视频 Charleroi council meeting as a councilman took aim at a statement released last month by the board president.
Emotions have been running high in the borough in the wake of disparaging comments made about immigrants in the borough by former president Donald Trump during a presidential campaign rally in Arizona.
In response to those comments, as well as to the recent announcement of the impending closure of the Anchor Hocking glass plant, board President Kristin Hopkins-Calcek, along with Jamie Colecchi, executive director of the Mon Valley Alliance, issued a press release on Sept. 13. Councilman Larry Celaschi expressed his displeasure, taking issue with a statement concerning the plant property and its possible availability as the fight to keep the plant open continues.
鈥淲e had no knowledge of this until we saw it on social media,鈥� Celaschi said after the meeting. 鈥淚t蘑菇视频 something that should have gone to a vote. I was totally in disagreement with that press release. It was insensitive to the workers down there to put such a press release out there that their property is being marketed. They had no right to do that.鈥�
Hopkins-Calcek disagreed, saying she is permitted to speak in her capacity as council president without permission from the rest of the board and maintained the reference to the property was 鈥渇orward-facing.鈥�
鈥淭he reason we put that out there is because we want to change the narrative, change the conversation to the items that are really important to our community, which is job loss and industries moving out,鈥� she said after the meeting adjourned. 鈥淲e also have to think ahead because if Anchor Hocking decides to pull out, and we鈥檙e doing everything in our power to keep them here, we have to have a plan to move forward.鈥�
Celaschi claimed Hopkins-Kalcek蘑菇视频 statement could be construed as an ethics violation.
鈥淲ho gave you the right to make such a statement when these people are fighting for their lives down there and you鈥檙e putting their property out for sale?鈥� Celaschi asked.
As the discussion continued, Hopkins-Calcek claimed Celaschi was wasting everyone蘑菇视频 time.
鈥淚 did not align council with this statement,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he statement was signed by me. Just because I mentioned the borough of Charleroi does not mean I represented this council in any way.鈥�
Wednesday蘑菇视频 meeting was moved from council chambers to the community room in anticipation of a large crowd, with 50 people in attendance.
Even though immigration continues to be a hot-button topic in Charleroi, only three residents spoke, with two addressing the matter.