The Education Clause of our Commonwealth’s Constitution imposes a requirement which, given current economic climate consisting of inflation and increase in wages, any school official would call onerous. Under the Education Clause, the Commonwealth must “provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education to serve the needs of…
Siana Law is proud to welcome Demetrios S. Mikelis, Esquire to our team of Associate Attorneys. Demetrios (James) S. Mikelis is a native of New Jersey and currently resides in Bryn Mawr, PA. Mr. Mikelis is a graduate of Villanova University and Villanova University’s Charles Widger School of Law. Mr. Mikelis comes from a long…
In November 2019, Governor Wolf signed into legislation the ninth exception to governmental immunity, titled the Sexual Abuse exception, which imposes liability on local agencies for the following sexual crimes against victims under age 18: trafficking individuals, sexual involuntary servitude, rape, statutory sexual assaults, involuntary deviate sexual assault, institutional sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, and…
The firm is proud to congratulate Partner, Andrew M. Rongaus, for his well deserved achievement as a 2022 Vista Leadership Megastar. The article, featured on the VISTA Today website, describes this recently launched initiative as a collaboration with the Chester County Council, Boy Scouts of America, “For years, the Chester County Council hosted its Distinguished…
Where a public body essentially acts as a pass-through of funds used on a construction project, the “economic reality” of the transaction is that the work is not “public work” under the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act. In Ursinus College v. Prevailing Wage Appeals Bd., Ursinus challenged a Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Appeals Board’s decision that a…
Siana Law attorneys Michael G. Crotty and Andrew M. Rongaus look forward to attending the 2022 Annual PSATS Educational Conference & Exhibit Show, April 24-27 at Hershey Lodge and presenting the following seminars: Mr. Rongaus will present with Steve Wheeler from SRW Strategies, “Issues in Policing 2022 – A Briefing for Public Officials” Mr. Crotty…
On Thursday, January 20th, 2022, Siana Law attorney Andrew Rongaus will present, Best Practices for Municipal Employers, as part of an ongoing webinar series and collaboration with PIRMA. This online training will provide essential information for both experienced and new local elected officials. As originally described on the webinar registration page, it will cover “fundamental employment…
On July 14, 2020, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed Act 57 of 2020 into law which is intended to provide police departments with information regarding an officer’s prior work history to make reasoned hiring decisions. It also prevents officers with disciplinary issues from moving to another Department to find employment without knowledge of the officer’s…
Siana Law recognizes Andrew M. Rongaus, Esquire for his recent article, Proof of COVID-19 Vaccines: What Your Borough Needs to Know which is featured in the August 2021 issue of the PA State Association of Boroughs (PSAB), Borough News Magazine. Andrew’s Bio | Areas of Practice | Contact Us All rights reserved. This publication may…
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has written the ending chapter of a bike race accident case stretching back to May of 2015. The finale is a lesson in caution. Municipalities cannot rely on releases alone in hosting, allowing or condoning third party events on municipal property (including roads). In Degliomini v. City of Philadelphia, a cyclist…