Plum Fires Assistant Public Works Director

Plum Council voted Monday to fire assistant public works director Alan Lyons.

Council members voted 4-2 to fire Lyons after a 30-minute executive session. Council members Skip Taylor and Charles McMeekin voted against the motion. Christine Scardina-Gazzo was not present.

As assistant public works director, Lyons was responsible for overseeing the 19 public works employees and delivering road maintenance calls during snow storms.

In September 2008, Lyons was given a two-week suspension for negligence and violation of duty, Borough Manager Michael Thomas said.

Lyons was again suspended for two weeks in September 2009 for the same reasons, Thomas said.

"There were a number of administrative duties he failed to fulfill," he said.

With the second suspension, Lyons was also placed on a corrective action plan in which he was required to improve supervisory, managerial and personal communication skills, and to prioritize projects effectively.

Lyons did not complete the corrective action plan, Thomas said.

In 2010, Lyons failed to follow proper procedures for purchasing on 23 occasions, Thomas said.

Council accounts Lyons with 26 policy violations, including failure to efficiently complete the corrective action plan and failure to understand the Plum Borough chain of command.

"Nobody takes this lightly," council president Michael Doyle said of Lyons' termination.

Thomas said after the meeting that plans are up in the air for a replacement for the position.