Published: September 25, 2007 11:41 pm      

Windber manager's severance details released

WINDBER — Terms of Borough Manager Richard Wargo’s “confidential” severance agreement have been uncovered by The Tribune-Democrat.

The deal contained no surprises: It’s virtually identical to the terms publicly announced a month earlier.

Borough Council approved the terms Sept. 18 but would not release details. The Tribune-Democrat obtained the agreement after filing a request under the state open records law.

Wargo will stay on the job through Dec. 31, and continue to be available as a consultant, the deal says. The borough will not object if Wargo files for unemployment, and it will continue medical benefits for six months next year at a cost of about $4,000.

Council President Raymond DiBattista said the borough was just honoring a long-term employee’s wishes for privacy.

“That was his request,” DiBattista said. “Ob-viously, once the issue was raised, it was all public record.”

It wasn’t about keeping secrets, Wargo said. “I wanted it to be confidential – just to have the agreement completed and ride off into the sunset, so to speak,” he said.

“There was never any intention on the borough’s part to prevent the public from seeing anything,” said Jeffrey Berkey, borough solicitor.