SUNBURY - The ongoing friction between Northumberland County Commissioners Vinny Clausi and Frank Sawicki reached new heights Thursday morning when Clausi accused his fellow commissioner of corruption and unethical activity by trying to make a "deal behind his back."
Clausi's attorney, Frank Kepner, of Berwick, played a recording of a voice mail left by Sawicki on Dec. 14 intended for Sunbury Elks trustees chairman Slade Schreck regarding the possible county purchase of the three-story Elks Lodge 267 building at Second and Court streets behind the courthouse.
During the one-minute message, Sawicki says, "We're still going to buy the building. I'm just trying to figure out how I can keep myself from getting scorched by Vinny by saying I'm wasting money, can't afford it and all that."
He describes a plan to form a committee to investigate courthouse security that could present a recommendation, and all the commissioners would have to do is adopt it, taking "the heat off of us," Sawicki says.
"... Just tell the boys, don't get excited. We're going to buy it," he says, but that he'll need to have some "distance" from the process for political purposes. "Otherwise, I'll get crucified."
Kepner said the tape exemplifies "what Mr. Clausi has been fighting" in his effort to save taxpayers money.
Mistaken recipient
Clausi got possession of the voice mail because Sawicki had dialed the wrong number, and the message was mistakenly left on the phone of an unidentified Irish Valley resident, who notified his neighbor, Daniel Shingara, of the call. Shingara, an acquaintance of Clausi, informed the commissioner.
Clausi, who provided the media Thursday with CDs containing an audio file of the conversation, said he brought the issue to light just now because Sawicki recently accused him of being a liar.
Kepner said the voice mail left by Sawicki was not illegal, but creates the impression Sawicki is conducting county business without the knowledge of his fellow commissioners. He said Clausi is concerned about the aging condition of the courthouse and a need for more storage space for county records, but, Kepner said, "Things shouldn't be done secretly and there is no need to form a committee to buy a property."
He noted the recent dispute between Clausi and Sawicki over a proposed county land sale in Mount Carmel Township, and said Thursday before playing the tape that an even "larger deal is being attempted," referring to the Elks building.
Kepner said Sawicki has advocated the purchase of the building "for what Mr. Clausi believes to be an excessive price of $300,000."
Nothing to hide
Sawicki, who entered the press conference about 30 seconds before it began, surprised Clausi by his appearance. But when the tape was played, Sawicki was the one who looked surprised and agitated.
After the press conference, Sawicki got his turn to respond.
"Yes, that was my voice on the tape," he said. "I made that phone call, but I don't know how it got intercepted and ended up in Mr. Clausi's hands. I must have dialed the wrong number. But I'm not trying to hide anything here. A discussion was held at a work session on Dec. 14 about purchasing the Elks building. The call in question was made to Mr. Schreck the same day. There was no appraisal done or any offer made for the Elks building. We just threw numbers around."
Sawicki said he was only seeking "options" regarding the possible relocation of certain county offices and records from the courthouse. He noted a previous failed attempt by the county to purchase Sunbury Municipal Building.
But Sawicki later told the media he wouldn't purchase the Elks building as a homeowner because of its age and condition, but would consider, as a commissioner, purchasing it for the county.
'Out of proportion'
Schreck believes Sawicki did nothing wrong.
"There was no corruption by Mr. Sawicki. I think Mr. Clausi is blowing things out of proportion," he said by phone later Thursday.
Schreck said he met with Sawicki and Phillips in December to discuss the county possibly purchasing the building, but he said there was never any papers signed or deal made.
"It was just preliminary talks," he said. "The county expressed an interest in the building, but that's as far as it got. There was no deal made behind Mr. Clausi's back."
Schreck, who resides in Sunbury and is a member of Shikellamy School Board, said he doesn't have the authority to sell the building, a decision that instead would be made by the Elks' national headquarters.
He noted a dwindling membership that doesn't need a large, old building.
"We don't want to fold up. We are trying to come up with a game plan to move into a smaller, more energy-efficient building," he said.
'Political theatrics'
Sawicki referred to the press conference as "political theatrics."
"The only people who pay for political theatrics are the taxpayers," he said.
"I want complete transparency," Sawicki said. "I, too, am working for the taxpayers' benefit."
He referenced the March 18 firing of chief clerk/assistant solicitor Kymberley Best and that he knew nothing about it.
"As chairman of the commissioners, I should have been there," he said.
Sawicki, who opposed Best's firing and the subsequent hirings of Gary Steffen as chief clerk and Attorney James J. Rosini as assistant solicitor, added, "He (Clausi) is the one who keeps secrets. What is he hiding? I'm losing my patience. I'm not a happy camper today that he (Clausi) did this at a public meeting."
Sawicki also claimed Clausi won't settle lawsuits and spends money "like it is going out of style."
But Kepner, before the tape was played, had raised the issue of hiring Steffen, and said Clausi had attempted to get Sawicki to the meeting.
"Mr. Clausi called Mr. Sawicki on three occasions. The commissioners' secretary placed a call to Mr. Sawicki," he said. "Mr. Sawicki told Mr. Clausi that the other commissioners should appoint their own chief clerk."
Sawicki, contacted for comment at that time about Clausi's contention that he was told about the meeting, was quoted in the March 22 edition of The News-Item saying, "He (Steffen) should have been appointed by all three commissioners. Vinny tells lies."
Clausi said that's what prompted him to reveal the voice mail
Kepner had said prior to the tape being played, "Mr. Clausi doesn't tell lies. Mr. Clausi has been truthful and forthright in his public and private life. Any assertions to the contrary by Sawicki and others are pure politics."
Kepner said Clausi has been "a champion for Northumberland County taxpayers," and that he's made personal and business sacrifices to fight "back-room deals."
Clausi and Kepner, who both said Sawicki's phone call "speaks for itself," left the commissioners' meeting room briefly before returning to listen to Sawicki's comments.
At one point during the media discussion with Sawicki, Clausi started to talk about his intent on ending the corruption in the county that he claims has existed for at least 50 years. Upon being interrupted by Clausi, Sawicki told him, "Sit down. This is my turn now."
The land deal
Kepner's discussion included the now well-known outburst by Clausi at a March 8 commissioners' work session about the sale of land in Dooleyville from the county repository. He acknowledges Clausi screamed at Best, which prompted an investigation by police over whether Clausi threatened her, Best's subsequent demand that she not deal directly with Clausi, and then her termination, supported by Clausi and Phillips. Police have not charged Clausi.
Kepner said Sawicki and Best claimed the land had to be sold by the commissioners for the offered $10,000 even though no survey or appraisal had been completed. He said Clausi angrily fought against the proposal, insisting an appraisal be done because the land is worth much more, and that the county had agreed to put out bids before selling any property. He accused Sawicki of trying to make a deal for a friend.
In regard to the proposed land sale, Sawicki said Thursday, "Mr. Clausi has misstated the facts. There is about five percent truth and 95 percent conjecture to what was said about the land sale.
"I don't have a nickel or a dog in that race (land deal)," he continued. "The property will probably never be sold because there is no deed to it. There was no need for constant screaming and chairs being thrown by a certain commissioner during the work session. And we ended up losing a chief clerk because of it."
In addition to the media, also in attendance at the press conference were Steffen, county public safety director and emergency management agency coordinator Paul Froutz and Attorney Richard Shoch of Sunbury, a candidate for county commissioner in the May 17 primary election. All three declined to comment.
Phillips: Bad idea
Phillips, who was unable to attend the press conference, said the proposal to purchase the Elks building was never discussed at the Dec. 14 work session. He said Sawicki talked about the issue with Schreck and other Elks officials after the meeting, and neither he nor Clausi was present.
Phillips said Sawicki approached him about the Elks building proposal shortly after he was appointed commissioner in November. Although he said looking for additional space for courthouse records and offices is a good idea, Phillips said the county doesn't have the money to make such a purchase.
"I told him it was out of the question," Phillips said. "He then asked me about getting an appraisal done, which he claimed wouldn't cost anything. I agreed to have an appraisal done for free, but then he told me it would cost us $2,500 for an appraisal, which is when I told him to forget it."
Phillips added, "What would we do with the building if we purchased it? It needs a lot of renovations and we certainly don't have the money for that."
Sacavage: No knowledge
Northumberland County President Judge Robert B. Sacavage said he has talked with Sawicki numerous times during the past eight years about possibly making improvements to the courthouse, but didn't recall specifically talking about purchasing the Elks building.
"Frank (Sawicki) has always been in favor of increasing space for the court system," Sacavage said. "But the county certainly doesn't have the money now to do any renovations. We're trying to save money, which we did recently by eliminating one magisterial district judge office."
As for getting involved in the ongoing debate between Clausi and Sawicki, Sacavage, who has had his own very public disagreements with Clausi, said, "I'm content on running the county court system and letting the county commissioners run the executive branch."