Castagna hearing expenses piling up
District has spent more than $34K since July
The West Mifflin Area School District has racked up costs of more than $34,000 so far on the contentious, monthslong process the school board undertook last summer to potentially fire its embattled superintendent.
Expenses include $1,400 to deliver subpoenas to witnesses, more than $1,500 to advertise hearing dates in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and at least $12,000 for stenography services, according to district records.
The details of the fees, obtained through a public records request by the Post-Gazette, provide a new but incomplete look at the financial outlay of the divisive and rarely invoked proceedings required by state law for a board to remove a school superintendent. And it’s not over yet.
The figures reflect invoices through this week, with the district expecting to receive additional bills related to the process in the days and weeks ahead, business manager Dennis Cmar said Tuesday.
In July, board members launched a hearing under Section 1080 of the Pennsylvania School Code, which allows school boards to remove superintendents from office and, in turn, void any buyout requirements.
During close to a dozen public hearing sessions, which extended into late November, attorneys for the district accused suspended Superintendent Daniel Castagna of various termination-worthy misdeeds, including neglect of duties, incompetency and immorality. He denies those accusations.
School board President David Marshall did not respond to a request for comment.
Earlier this month, attorneys for both the district and Mr. Castagna submitted “findings of facts and conclusions of law” to inform a recommendation by the hearing officer. The board then accepts, rejects or modifies that recommendation, and is expected to vote on it at a public board meeting.
More than half of the costs so far stem from the services of hearing examiner Thomas M. Castello, the Pittsburgh attorney overseeing the quasi-judicial proceedings. Through December, the bill from Mr. Castello totaled $19,288, although the district expects that cost to climb as his work continues, Mr. Cmar said.
The final cost also will likely include fees from Dodaro, Matta & Cambest, the district solicitor, which has not yet charged the district for its work in the case, Mr. Cmar said.
Also missing from the total: the $1,000 that the district agreed to pay a retired Pennsylvania state trooper for his services as an expert witness, according to his testimony at the Nov. 29 hearing session. Mr. Cmar said the district has not received an invoice for that testimony.
Mr. Castagna has a pending federal lawsuit against the district and the six board members who voted to suspend him, accusing them of retaliating against him after he reported wrongdoings by several district employees.
“This was, and still is, a political witch hunt against my client because he did not support certain board members and political figures,” said his attorney Colleen Ramage Johnston. “The school district could have avoided this year-long campaign to oust my client at a high cost if they would have decided just to follow the law, but unfortunately that’s not the case.”
If the board votes to remove Mr. Castagna and his dismissal is ultimately overturned on appeal, per his contract, the district will have another bill to pay: his legal expenses.