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<p>NEWPORT TWP. &#8212; An abrupt resignation leaves the township without a manager or administrative assistant. Officials confirmed Kelli Valaitis quit her post as township administrative assistant Tuesday morning.</p><p>&#8220;She turned in her keys,&#8221; Board of Commissioners President Paul Czapracki confirmed. &#8220;She&#8217;s out.&#8221;</p><p>During a phone call to the Times Leader Wednesday, Valitis said she was frustrated over the commissioners not listening to her and other township volunteers. She said she asked for two things &#8212; a forensic audit of the township&#8217;s general funds and a bump in her hours from part-time to full-time.</p><p>Valaitis said the township &#8220;owed it to taxpayers&#8221; to conduct a forensic audit of general funds, not just of two accounts linked to an investigation involving former township manager Richard Zika.</p><p>As her duties increased with the <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/530636/newport-township-left-without-township-manager" target="_blank">resignation of Zika in April</a>, Valaitis said she &#8220;repeatedly&#8221; asked for the commissioners to bump her salaried hours to 40 hours as well as offer her benefits as her duties had increased.</p><p>&#8220;I have been working 40 hours,&#8221; she said. &#8220;They refused to make me full-time.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;Our main concern right now is finding a new manager,&#8221; Czapracki said.</p><p>Valaitis&#8217; salary is listed at $18,360 on the township&#8217;s 2016 combined budget. Czapracki said Valaitis had been employed by the township for at least two and a half years.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s disheartening,&#8221; Czapracki said, adding Valaitis &#8220;stepped up to the plate&#8221; when the township manager resigned.</p><p>Czapracki couldn&#8217;t speak on personnel matters but said there was no two-week notice given.</p><p>&#8220;I asked them at the last work session whether they would make me 40 hours,&#8221; Valaitis said. &#8220;I explained if they didn&#8217;t make a decision at the meeting &#8230; that was my two-week notice.&#8221;</p><p>Joe Hillen, the township&#8217;s DPW manager, was called during the day to cover her post. <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/538077/newport-township-commissioners-accept-township-managers-resignation" target="_blank">Jeff Pisanchyn</a> will cover permits and code enforcement issues in the township while the commissioners search for a new administrative assistant.</p><p>Czapracki said there will be no disruption to township business in the interim as John Elmy will serve as acting township manager.</p><p>The township will advertise to fill Valaitis&#8217; position within the next week.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Kelli Valaitis cites frustration with reason for leaving</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Melanie Mizenko</p><p>mmizenko@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Updated: Newport Township administrative assistant quits post