Siana Law proudly recognizes partners, Christopher P. Gerber, Esquire and Michael G. Crotty, Esquire for their recently featured article, The Right to Know Law and the Sunshine Act, Balancing Transparency and Confidentiality in Local Government in the December 2017 issue of PSAB’s Borough News Magazine. Read the full article here: The Right to Know Law and…
The First Amendment and Governmental Entities The First Amendment poses a special concern to governmental entities seeking to regulate comments and messages made by both the general public as well as public employees on social media platforms. These entities should identify the governmental interest(s) in support of any limitations the policy imposes on the…
It has been an eventful year for municipal land use. Here are a few of the highlights (or lowlights, depending on your perspective): The pipelines are coming! 2017 may very well be the year of the pipeline in Pennsylvania. With the Legislature grappling over whether to tax them and with ongoing legal battles on the…
Every employer should adopt a social media policy to govern employee use of both business and personal social media platforms. The importance of such policies has been highlighted by recent stories in news concerning the conduct of employees on social media, which show that even good employees sometimes post unprofessional or offensive comments. Prompt action…
With the end of the year around the corner, here are a few tips and reminders for getting the ball rolling for 2018. Org Meeting In 2018, the statutory Organization Meeting for both Townships and Boroughs must be held on Tuesday January 2nd (as the first Monday falls on a holiday). In addition to authorizing…
On Saturday, October 21st, Siana Law attorneys Tom McAndrew, Mike Crotty and Bob Tucker participated in the first-ever Wallace Trust “Run for the Woods” 5k at Springton Manor Farm in Glenmoore, PA. Tom, Mike and Bob blazed through the bucolic course, each placing in their respective age categories. “The run was a great family event,…
Mike’s Bio | Municipal Law | Contact the Firm On Saturday, October 14, 2017 Siana Law partner, Michael G. Crotty, Esquire discussed trends in zoning and land use before over 90 attendees at the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs’ Annual Fall Leadership Conference at the Kalahari Resort in Pocono Manor, PA. Mr. Crotty covered a diverse…
When hiring, it is important to establish a hiring process and follow it. This is the lesson a western Pennsylvania municipality learned when its decision to hire a new Police Chief was challenged by an unsuccessful candidate for the position. After completing an external job search, the municipality hired from within, promoting a woman as the…
On September 21, 2017, Siana Law attorney, Christopher Gerber, presented a police risk management training course entitled, Bullet Proof Defense on behalf of the Chester County Department of Emergency Services. The course covered the fundamentals of civil rights lawsuits filed against municipalities, their chiefs of police and other command staff involving claims arising under the…
PA Act 172: A (Tax) Break for Volunteer Firefighters With Act 172, municipalities have another tool to recognize the critical service of volunteer firefighters and emergency responders. In a nutshell, Act 172 allows municipalities to give certain tax breaks to volunteers in acknowledgment of their service – specifically, from municipal earned income and real estate…