Penn Hills police chief receives new contract despite mayor's strong objection

Penn Hills Council narrowly approved a contract July 20 with the municipality’s police chief, a role that has remained unchanged since 1999.

Council voted 3-2 to approve the agreement, which runs through the end of 2021, with Police Chief Howard Burton. Mayor Pauline Calabrese and Councilman Frank Pecora dissented.

In an interview with the Tribune-Review, Calabrese called Burton’s contract “highway robbery.”

“I have nothing personal against chief Burton, but this contract is the type of shenanigans I want to stop,” she said.

Burton was not immediately available to comment.

According to the contract, Burton will be paid a salary of $133,464 this year. He also will receive a 3% raise in 2021. He was paid $129,576 in 2019, according to that year’s budget.

Before the vote, Calabrese declared she would be voting against the renewal of the contract.

“I really just don’t think that this particular contract is something that I would like to have the taxpayers bear,” she said. She added she has the “utmost confidence” in Burton and that she did not want to terminate his role.

But the agreement, she said, would put an undue burden on taxpayers amid financial strains caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

She also questioned the contract’s necessity and pointed out no other department heads within the municipality currently have similar written agreements.

Manager Scott Andrejchak confirmed no other department heads within the municipality’s staff have contracts. But he said contracts for police chiefs are common.

The contract reads, “With the exception of overtime Chief Burton shall be entitled to all benefits enjoyed by the highest ranking officer of the police department, as set forth in the Labor Agreement between the Penn Hills Police Department and Penn Hills.”

In addition to the 3% pay bump in 2021, benefits in the contract include the use of a municipal vehicle, 36 paid vacation days, up to 480 compensatory hours, 13 paid holidays and two personal days — all with the option to receive pay for unused days if he is terminated or resigns.

Councilman John Petrucci said the reason he voted to approve the contract is simple.

“He’s worked here for 50 years,” Petrucci said. “He’s given his life for Penn Hills, and he’s an invaluable asset to that department. He’s an intelligent, well-rounded police officer. That’s why I voted for him. And if he decides to retire in the near future, it’s going to be very, very hard to replace him with somebody of his talent.”

Last year marked 50 years that Burton has worked in the police department. In March 1999, he briefly retired while he was filling the role of acting police chief. He was hired back as chief of police two months later — in May 1999 — after Penn Hills went years without one.

In a March 2019 Tribune-Review article, Burton said the municipality had done away with the chief role back in the 1970s, keeping a captain instead. When he retired, he spoke with administration about the importance of having a department leader. Two months later, former Mayor Bill DeSantis named Burton chief.

Petrucci, a retired law enforcement officer with the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Department, said the contract was first written up in 2017 and presented to council to vote on it then. He said he did not question the need for an agreement with the chief because they are commonplace.

“Most chiefs have contracts. And if we get a new (chief), there will be a new contract,” Petrucci said, adding Burton’s pay scale is reasonable compared to surrounding communities.