Weatherly Borough Council did more listening than talking Monday night, as residents brought questions and concerns to members.

Mayor/Council President Michael Bellizia opened the meeting with an announcement regarding the public comment portion, reminding residents to go to the microphone to speak and that there was a three-minute time limit.

He also said that council would answer simple questions but might need to research other matters to provide residents with the correct answers.

“If it’s a simple yes or no, we will answer,” Bellizia said. “However, there are a number of things that are happening in the borough at the moment of a legal nature that we are not allowed to speak of.

“So, we will not answer unless it’s a simple a question. Anyone have any issues with that?” he asked.

Former Mayor Paul J. Hadzick, who at a special meeting earlier this month asked lengthy questions on a dozen issues, including his resignation last April, wanted to know if he could buy time from other people.

“No, sir. You may not,” Bellizia told him.

Hadzick asked why not, and Bellizia told him that it was illegal.

“I’ve been told that I did illegal stuff for a long time,” Hadzick said. “There was nothing illegal about it.”

Hadzick resigned his post last year after an executive session on an investigation into sexual harassment allegations raised by four borough employees.

Hadzick then accused council of illegal actions and began to discuss the appointment of a police officer earlier this month, when interrupted by Bellizia, who asked the solicitor if he was allowed to restrict someone from using someone else’s time.

“This council sets the policies,” solicitor Jim Nanovic said. “If it’s three minutes, it’s three minutes; you don’t buy three minutes from other people so you can talk for an hour.”

Bellizia said that if someone has a subject matter that will take longer that they can submit it, and council will consider putting it on the agenda.

Hadzick responded saying that he will ask yes or no questions.

“I would like to get a yes or no, not like the last meeting where I got no answers,” he said.

Bellizia replied,” You will get everything you’re entitled to, sir.”

Sewer plant

Public comment had not yet begun, and council continued with business before opening it up to residents.

Carbon Street resident Joe Thomas thanked the mayor for the three minutes to speak.

“Unfortunately, this is a crisis period, and it’s going to take longer than three minutes,’ he said, prefacing his comments about the issues with the borough sewer plant which forced he and his wife to leave their home in the mid-1970s and early 1980s.

“The sewer plant was that bad,” Thomas told them, calling it “incorrigible,” and then there were no problems for decades.

The issues with the plant have returned, causing him health problems but he refused to leave his home in subzero temperatures to again stay with family as he did I the past, he said.

“The borough should be aware of the sewer plant inefficient operation,” Thomas said. “You need to take action to correct it so that we don’t undergo these health conditions.”

Thomas said he’s prepared to document his medical condition, submit them to the solicitor and contact the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

“I absolutely refuse to go through this again,” he said. “There is no reason for this to happen. This is no reason for a taxpayer, much less an elderly citizen, veteran, to undergo these conditions and situations in my own home.”

The timer clocking the three-minute time limit went off as he spoke, and he thanked council members for their time.

“I know it took longer than three minutes,” Thomas said, adding that he will not submit a request in writing for council to get back to him in a month. “This is a health crisis. It needs to be addressed, and it needs to be corrected.”

Bellizia thanked him for his time but provided no other comment.

Police coverage, more

Other residents asked about police coverage, changing a one-way street back to two-way, and upcoming events hosted by the American Legion and its auxiliary. Council allowed the police chief to address coverage and said it would confirm event dates and look into street issue.

Hadzick stepped up to the microphone, saying he would be quick since he only had three minutes.

He asked about the manager’s $2 million bond, a police car involved in a crash, and an officer hired outside of taking the civil service test.

Hadzick directed his question to the borough hiring Michael Eyer as a full-time police officer without the civil service commission in place to the solicitor.

“It’s a temporary hire,” Nanovic responded.

Hadzick said there is no such thing, and Nanovic said that there was. The men disagreed, and Hadzick then moved on to council needing to know Roberts Rules of Order and dressing professionally. He then asked about new meters and funding and wanted to know if he was going to get answers.

“We’re not lawfully required to answer,” Bellizia said. “We could take your notes. We can look into things.”

Hadzick said council is elected, and they should know what should happen and be done.

“What do you want done? No answer. I don’t get any answer,” he said. “I called attorney Nanovic and asked you about my resignation. I’m not really challenging that. I don’t want to sit there. I did that for five years, and I had to deal with people with no input.”

The three-minute timer went off, and Hadzick then had one more question regarding being behind on bills from AMP Ohio, a wholesale power supplier, and Borough Manager Tracy Grover said that they were.

Hadzick pointed to the borough hiring police as the reason, an increasing police budget, scheduling and then situating a state police substation in the borough building. He then said the new manager got handed “an empty bucket to go wash the car.”

Bellizia then told him that he was over the time limit.

Resident Elizabeth “Beth” Parker said that answering residents’ questions was never an issue before, and asked if she had a question if she would have to wait for the next meeting for an answer if not yes or no.

Bellizia said they would do their best to answer questions, if it was a simple question or didn’t involve things they couldn’t speak on.

“You have not answered one question,” Parker retorted. “Not one. Why are we coming? Why do we elect you people? We trust you people to make judgments and to answer us and you don’t.”

Bellizia thanked her for comments.