Leetsdale Councilmen Violated State Ethics in Hiring Family

The Pennsylvania Ethics Commission has ruled that former members of the Leetsdale borough council used their positions to gain employment for family members. 

One councilman hired his wife to an administrative job in the borough, while another tapped his son to perform computer services. 

The ethics commission found that former councilman Michael Bajsec Jr., who served from 2010 to 2011, took part in proceedings that resulted in his wife Sandra being hired into a full-time position with the borough. 

Sandra Bajsec was hired by the borough on July 15, 2010 as an administrative assistant.

Her hiring was not included on a meeting agenda. She had no prior experience in local government and had not worked in more than a decade, according to the commission. 

The woman was hired shortly after the death of former assistant Sandra Lynn Kohlmeyer.

Bajsec abstained from the vote, though the commission found that he had conversations with fellow council members about the possibility of hiring his wife to the position. 

The commission found that Bajsec recommended that the borough hire his wife while speaking to fellow councilman Roger Nanni. Bajsec did not recommend other candidates for the position. 

In October 2010, Bajsec took part in discussions about the restructuring of the borough's office staff to include a full-time junior clerk position. His wife Sandra was hired for that position at an increased salary of $26,000. 

Bajsec abstained from the vote to promote his wife, but the commission found that he did vote to approve the payments of bills and insurance benefits that benefited both his wife and himself. 

Sandra Bajsec was paid nearly $40,000 during her period of employment withe borough. 

Scott Nanni, son of councilman Nanni, also began performing computer services for the borough, though he had no formal education and worked at the direction of his father, according to the commission's findings. He received payments totalling $2,050 from the borough. 

Roger Nanni, who has served on the council since 1998, has been ordered to pay that money back to the borough, and has been fined $1,000 by the commission. 

Following the ruling, Bajsec is banned from seeking public office until November 2013 and has been ordered to pay $2,000 to Leetsdale and $1,000 to the commission. 

View the full ruling in the media of this article.