To Hire or Not to Hire

Should the Hatboro Borough Council have the final say in the hiring of all the borough's employees?

The answer, like many topics discussed at council meetings, depends on who you ask.

Republican Councilman John Zygmont - and his outspoken wife Sandy, a former councilwoman - during Monday's meeting questioned why the governing body does not vote to ratify hiring new employees. 

"We've been sitting here saying we can do whatever we want, but final responsibility for approving rests with council," Mr. Zygmont said during public comment, following his wife's questions. "We are assuming, the seven of us, responsibility for what these hires do … We ought to be voting on who they are."

During his six years on the school board, Zygmont said that body voted on new hires and suggested that beginning in May, employee hiring be placed on the agenda for a council vote. 

But, Council President Marianne Reymer said her understanding was that department heads could do the hiring. She said it was not necessary for the council to affirm their decision. 

"It's not required under borough code," Reymer said afterward, adding that the concerns raised mean paying borough solicitor Michael Savona his $135-an-hour rate to research what she deemed to be a non-issue. 

Reymer said that provided the employees' salary has been budgeted, the council delegates the authority to its department heads. 

The council took no action following the discussion, which included a handful of affirmative public comments supporting both sides.