Westmoreland municipal authority chairman to forgo salary

The new chairman of the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County said yesterday that he will not accept a salary to head the board for the agency that provides water service to nearly 120,000 customers in five counties.

Jerome DeFabo was elected as the board's chairman yesterday to replace Don Ruscitti, who died last month after serving nearly a quarter-century in the position.

DeFabo said he will not take the $48,000 annual salary that traditionally has come with the chairmanship.

"Somewhere, you have to start saving authority money," said DeFabo, owner of Rizzo's Malabar Inn in Crabtree, who said it was time to eliminate the salary. He has served on the authority board for nine years.

The board chairman serves as a liaison between the water company's management and its board of directors. The position has been considered a full-time job and has paid a salary for decades, according to authority Manager Chris Kerr.

DeFabo said he will continue to handle many of the same duties but will not receive any pay to do so.

"That's huge," said board member Keith Staso.

Board members did not formally abolish the salary for the chairman's job, so the salary could be reinstated, according to authority solicitor Ken Burkley.

Ruscitti, 77, of Rostraver, died last Dec. 11 after a long bout with cancer. He served 28 years on the board, including 23 as its chairman. When the authority moved into its new New Stanton headquarters in 2007, the administration building was named after Ruscitti.

Westmoreland County commissioners are expected to appoint a replacement for Ruscitti on the board later this year.