Concerns about police chief left unheard, unanswered after special meeting in Ridgway

RIDGWAY, Pa. (WTAJ) – Members of the community of Ridgway in Elk County demanded their voices be heard at a special meeting held by the Borough Council Wednesday evening – a right they felt was unfairly denied by their local leaders.

Ridgway Borough Chief of Police Shawn Geci was placed on administrative leave with pay in April. While the Borough Council held a special meeting, with one of the few agenda items being to discuss his employment status in a public forum, no discussion was held in earshot of the community.

The meeting was called to order at 5 p.m., and foregoing the public commenting period, everyone was dismissed to outside chambers while Council held an executive session. After everyone was called back in, Council President Steve Caggeso attempted to promptly adjourn the meeting.

Before Caggeso could bang the gavel to call the meeting to a close, the gallery spoke out, demanding to be permitted to speak. Council claimed a sign-up sheet was present when the meeting started at 5 p.m., but members of the community claimed no sign-up sheet was presented to them.

However, the Pennsylvania State Police presence that was brought in for the meeting, intervened.

“If you were here on time and there were a few that weren’t here on time you had the opportunity to speak and sign ups. And we’re going to stop that right now,” Pennsylvania State Police Sergeant Brian S. Dolan with Troop C in Ridgeway said.

The gallery again denied being given the opportunity to sign up to speak, reminding Council of the prompt manner in which they entered into the executive session where they discussed Chief Geci’s employment status.

Concerned members of the community, like Linda Dyne, don’t believe Geci should remain in his position.

“I’m here to honestly show that he should never have been chief,” Dyne said.

She said the public being denied the opportunity to let their concerns about what they feel is inappropriate police action taken by Geci is a failure of the Council as leaders.

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“This is ridiculous how many times they dropped the ball,” Dyne said. “Honestly, what was it going to hurt to hear us? What was going to hurt? To take that few seconds and just hear everybody out? What, five more minutes?”

The matter was tabled without public discussion. Caggeso had no comment on the matter.

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