West Mifflin schools’ push to fire head surpasses six-figure mark in cost
The tab that the West Mifflin Area School District has rung up in the school board’s push to fire its superintendent has surpassed the six-figure mark.
The board on Thursday night approved a bill for more than $94,000 in litigation fees associated with the district’s efforts to fire superintendent Daniel Castagna through a series of Act 1080 hearings.
The $94,641 invoice from district solicitor Dodaro, Matta and Cambest was in addition to the $9,000 monthly retainer the district pays the firm.
The district has accused Mr. Castagna of numerous fireable offenses, including neglect of duties, incompetency and immorality. Mr. Castagna denies those charges.
The vote Thursday to approve the bill was 8-1, with
Janice Gladden casting the lone “no” vote. School directors Dave Marshall, Anthony DiCenzo, Judith Ahern, Nicholas Alexandroff, Judy Andzelik, Debbie Kostelnik, Stephen Kovac and Erin O’Leary White voted to pay the legal bill.
Solicitor Gary Matta said that he made the board aware that the issues associated with the Act 1080 hearing were “litigation matters and we would bill those.”
Mr. DiCenzo, board vice president, said after the meeting he could not comment on the invoices because of pending litigation.
The board unanimously approved several other costs associated with the hearing, including the December 2018 invoice from hearing officer Thomas Castello in the amount of $3,690 and three invoices from Adelman Reporters, the court reporting services used for the hearings, in amounts of $4,858, $3,229 and $4,079.
Also approved was a $1,000 payment to Timothy Motte, a retired Pennsylvania state trooper, who testified as an expert witness for the district in the hearing.
At an earlier school board meeting, district solicitor Krisha DiMascio said the findings of facts and conclusions of law were due to the hearing officer Jan. 11. Mr. Castello then has 30 days to make a recommendation to the school board, which the board can either accept, reject or modify. A decision on whether to terminate Mr. Castagna would be voted on at a public meeting.
The costs related to the hearings push the expenses significantly higher than the $34,000 the Pittsburgh PostGazette reported earlier this week, according to information obtained through a public records request.
Mr. Matta emphasized that it was Mr. Castagna who opted for a public hearing in the case. “This wasn’t the choice of the school board,” he said.
Mr. Motte, who submitted an invoice for $1,000, previously testified as an expert witness about the Sin City Deciples motorcycle club. The district accused Mr. Castagna of paying members of the motorcycle club to intimidate rivals at a school board meeting, one of numerous allegations that Mr. Castagna has denied.
Other expenses include at least $1,400 for subpoena delivery, more than $1,500 to advertise hearings in the Post-Gazette and at least $12,000 for stenography services, according to records.
District business manager Dennis Cmar previously said that he expects further billings from Mr. Castello for his work as hearing officer in the monthslong proceedings to fire Mr. Castagna. Through December, those totaled $19,288, according to district records.
West Mifflin Area could also eventually be on the hook for Mr. Castagna’s legal expenses if the board ultimately removes him and he wins on appeal, according to the terms of his contract.
The board has been considering the removal of Mr. Castagna under Section 1080 of the Pennsylvania School Code. That would in turn, void any buyout requirements.