Councilman contests his ouster as president

September 08, 2005|by RICHARD F. BELISLE

WAYNESBORO, Pa. - An angry Waynesboro Borough Councilman Charles "Chip" McCammon told his colleagues Wednesday that he plans to challenge in court his recent ouster as council president.

McCammon, who represents Ward One on the council, was deposed as president in August by a unanimous vote of the council because of his unilateral removal of Councilman Dick George as street committee chairman. McCammon replaced George with council newcomer Stephen Monn, who said at the time he didn't want the position.

The council checked with Borough Solicitor Lloyd Reichard before voting McCammon out as president and replacing him with Harold Mumma.

McCammon said Wednesday night that the council acted illegally in removing him from the presidency.

According to council rules, the president and vice president are voted into office on the first of January on even years, he said.

"Where does it say that you can reorganize at any time?" he asked.

Reichard said the president serves at the pleasure of the council.

"They can make a change whenever they want," he said.

"I disagree," McCammon said. "This has never happened in the 20 years I've been on the council."

"If you feel the action the council took was illegal then the proper forum is the court, not here," Reichard said.

"That's not my interpretation," McCammon said.

"I've made my comment," Reichard said, ending the conversation.

McCammon then asked why John Cook, the council's vice president, wasn't named to replace him instead of Mumma. He also asked the council to take his fight to court on his behalf. There were no takers.

He said he would take it to court himself.

McCammon, at the end of the meeting turned his wrath on George, asking the first-term councilman why he no longer was associated with a golf club in the county.

"That's nobody's business," George said. "I'm not going to answer that."

McCammon asked his colleagues to send two council representatives to the golf club to talk to an employer there about George. Again, there were no takers.

George offered to go to the golf club with McCammon and any council members who wanted to question the employees.

The discussion stopped at that point.

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