Allegheny DA's office ends probe of school administrator Martell

Allegheny County District Attorney's office has dropped its investigation of a school administrator.

Phil Martell, business manager for Connellsville Area schools and a director in Elizabeth Forward School District, had been under investigation for expense reimbursements he submitted to former employers.

In May, the District Attorney's office announced it was investigating Martell, 45, of Elizabeth Township because of questions raised by officials in West Mifflin Area School District, where Martell once worked, involving expense reports he submitted to that district and the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, for which he was a board member.

Dennis Logan from the District Attorney's Investigations Unit sent West Mifflin Area Solicitor Matt Racunas a letter Aug. 14 indicating the investigation is closed.

Logan said the AG unit had been told Martell arranged to make restitution for monies he owed the school district.

Martell paid the district the $1,013 it claimed it was owed.

“With the payment of the monies,” Logan wrote, “the commonwealth has discontinued its investigation into this matter.”

Martell was assistant business manager for West Mifflin Area between June 2007 and December 2009.

Eric Slagle is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-664-9161, ext. 1966, or eslagle@tribweb.com.