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Richard Pieri, nurse accused of assisting in surgery while drunk, resigns from VA

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Misericordia hosting National History Day

<p>HAZLETON &#8212; Councilman David Sosar successfully moved to go &#8220;off agenda&#8221; at Tuesday&#8217;s city council meeting, asking several questions of Mayor Jeff Cusat.</p><p>Among those was a question about salaries paid to department heads, who had not been approved by council, this year.</p><p>Cusat said Sosar had chosen an inappropriate forum for his inquires.</p><p>&#8220;You are trying to make me look stupid,&#8221; said Cusat.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re very concerned about where the money is going,&#8221; said Councilwoman Jean Mope.</p><p>Also among Sosar&#8217;s questions was an inquiry into funding for the recent hiring of Joe Zeller at a salary of $55,000 as an assistant to the mayor.</p><p>&#8220;This money could have paid for a good part of a policeman&#8217;s salary,&#8221; said Sosar. &#8220;What exactly is his job description and what is he doing?&#8221;</p><p>Cusat said funding for Zeller would come from a combination of Community Development, Recreation Department and the city funds. He said the hiring was necessitated by maternity leave taken by the head of the Community Development Department.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re going to need to find funding for this employee in the long term, though,&#8221; Cuozzo said.</p><p>Mope inquired into two checks bearing the signature of Joe Yannuzzi after Jan. 4, the date the current administrators took office. Cusat said the checks had simply been an oversight by an administration overwhelmed by challenges, which included starting the year $261,000 in debt.</p><p>&#8220;If that&#8217;s the case, then how did you pay salaries on Jan. 19 when you transferred $500,000 from the pension account?&#8221; said Mope.</p><p>Cusat said specific figures would be available to the council, advising members to inform his office ahead of time or to meet with him during the week.</p><p>&#8220;When I had a question about the real estate and EIT tax increases, I called the mayor, I called the city administrator,&#8221; said Councilman Robert Gavio. &#8220;I got my answers.&#8221;</p><p>Resident John Keegan said he believed the council&#8217;s insistence on approving department heads violates the Third Class City Code.</p><p>Cusat said the code allows administrative appointments from the previous administration to continue to legally serve.</p><p>Sosar said, according to Optional Plan B model, under which the city operates, those heads are to serve with the consent of the council under the specific mayor who appointed them.</p><p>During public comment, resident Judy Yurcho said she was disappointed by the council and administration&#8217;s failure to work together to come up with funding for more police officers.</p><p>&#8220;The EIT tax increase might have been a reasonable plan, but it was illegal,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Shame on you for not doing your homework.&#8221;</p><p>Resident Sylvia Thomas said of the interaction between the administration and the council, &#8220;This is more frightening than shots fired on Alter Street. You need for learn to work together.&#8221;</p><p>The next meeting of Hazleton City Council is scheduled for 7 p.m. March 15.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_mope.jpg">
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<div class="neCaption">Cuozzo</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_Cuozzo_Grace_toned.jpg</photo1><caption1>Cuozzo</caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_Cusat_Jeff_toned.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Cusat</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_Cusat_Jeff_toned.jpg</photo2><caption2>Cusat</caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_sosar.jpg">
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Geri Gibbons</p><p>ggibbons@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Geri Gibbons at 570-991-6117 or on Twitter @TLGGibbons</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Hazleton councilman questions administration regarding policy, finances