Racism alleged in ouster

MONESSEN - Name-calling and claims of racial discrimination made for a heated - and emotional - city council meeting Wednesday night.

A decision to ax longtime Monessen Public...Library...and District Center...board member Kathleen Swade Mappas fueled a confrontation...between Mayor Anthony Petaccia and Councilman Dale Simpson. The decision left Mappas in disbelief after Simpson explained the reason he didn't...vote for her.

Simpson claimed that when he was running for office nearly four years ago, Petaccia and Councilwoman Mary Jo Smith told him Mappas would not vote for him because he is black. During the last election, Petaccia, Smith and Simpson were political allies.

Both Petaccia and Smith vehemently denied the accusation, but Simpson maintained he told the truth.

"Dale, you've known me forever. How dare you?" a visibly shaken Mappas said. "You know me. How dare you say something like that to me!"

After the meeting, the mayor and Simpson engaged in a verbal spar, each accusing the other of lying.

As Petaccia pointed his finger in Simpson's face, continually calling him a liar, Simpson shouted, "You lie. You're 'Fibs!' That's what they call you because you lie!"

The mayor shot back that Simpson couldn't "squirm his way out of this one," and claimed the councilman leveled a racial accusation because he was "put on the spot" by Mappas.

Before the confrontation, Mappas read a prepared statement citing her accomplishments during her 30 years on the library board. She was instrumental nearly 28 years ago in organizing the Friends of the Library, which has since raised more than $150,000. Mappas said she also worked to bring many other programs and additions to the library.

"I have always been respectful to you, even when you were my students in school," Mappas said to council. "I even voted for you."

Mappas questioned why she was the only person up for reappointment to...a city board who wasn't retained.

Council reappointed attorney Mark Galper and Lois Jones to the library board, but gave Mappas' seat to newcomer Marsha Foxx, a Monessen School District teacher. Mappas noted that as a school director, she voted to hire Foxx, who is black.

Council also reappointed Pierre Luti to the Zoning Board of Appeals, Rita Masci to the Mon Valley Refuse Disposal Authority, and Edward Zboyovsky to the Civic Recreation board....

Jonmichael Retos was named to the planning commission, filling one of three vacancies.

Council and the mayor have been at odds over how to fill board positions.

Petaccia contends council should continue to...reappoint board members who want to continue their service. Council wants all seats to be advertised to determine public interest.

The mayor accused his colleagues of urging personal acquaintances to apply for available positions.

Petaccia cast the lone vote against Foxx and claimed Mappas was not reappointed in an act of "political retribution."

In November, Petaccia made the controversial decision not to reappoint longtime Monessen Redevelopment Authority...board chairman...Elmer Gagatko. Instead, he appointed Dr. Martin Dudas, who now serves as chairman of the panel. Elmer Gagatko is Councilman Jeffrey Gagatko's father.

The mayor claimed Mappas was not reappointed because she supports his political career.

"This has nothing to do about race. This was a political jab," Petaccia said.

Simpson said he did not want to air the issue in public, but was compelled to do so when Mappas demanded an explanation for his action.

"I would never make up something like this," Simpson said. "This was not political payback."

Mappas also asked Councilman Wayne Doptis to explain a recent comment stating the city boards need a "change for the better."

Doptis stuck with his statement and said he nominated three people for the library board and only one was appointed.

While Simpson quickly left after the confrontation with the mayor, Councilman Jeff Gagatko denied the move was political.

"She's a teacher and she will add diversity to the board," Gagatko said of Foxx. "More than 20 percent of those who use the library are students, so I felt it was a good idea to have someone from the education field."

Mappas felt the move was a personal attack, one that left her in tears as she left the meeting.

"I know how she feels," Elmer Gagatko said of Mappas as he left the meeting room.