Over his 16 years as Lansdowne’s borough manager, Craig Totaro was a well-liked, successful steward of the Delaware County community, colleagues say.
Two days after the borough’s incoming council began its 2024 session, leaders abruptly ended his contract.
The Jan. 3 firing has stirred frustrations in the community of around 11,000, where residents say they were given scant warning that Totaro’s employment would be taken to a vote. His ouster was sealed in a 4-3 decision.
In December, the council posted a meeting agenda giving residents notice that it would take action on “personnel matters.”
But the agenda failed to mention that Totaro was the subject, leading residents like Sarah Van Dyke concerned over a lack of transparency.
“Personnel could be like, a sanitation worker needs to be replaced,” Van Dyke said during the public comment portion of the meeting. “This is a huge position.”
Borough managers carry a litany of responsibilities, from overseeing the budget to supervising municipal services such as public safety. The position had a budgeted salary of $129,000 in 2023.
Council voted that Ellen Lustgarten, a former Lansdowne councilmember and treasurer, would take over for Totaro while they search for a permanent replacement.
Totaro declined to comment.
Robert Curry, president of the borough council, reiterated to The Inquirer on Thursday that Totaro’s firing was a personnel matter and declined to comment further.
In session, leaders were equally vague.
“There have been things that have come up over the years — good and bad,” said Councilmember Jayne Young, referencing Totaro’s history. Totaro’s former colleague, Robert Radich, said the borough manager’s tenure was marked by securing hundreds of thousands in grant dollars for the community.
“That’s the nature of having a job for any length of time,” Young added.
Even some sitting council members felt blindsided by the decision.
Councilmember Benjamin Hover — who voted against ending Totaro’s contract — told The Inquirer that after seeing the December agenda, he asked colleagues who the employee was, but wasn’t given an answer until hours before the vote.
“It seems like this decision was made already — by individuals without any input from the community,” Hover said.
According to Hover, withholding those details was a violation of Pennsylvania’s Sunshine law for open meetings — a point that other councilmembers disputed. Curry added that members had consulted with Lansdowne’s solicitor before acting.
Speaking to an audience of fewer than 10 last week, Young said, “You have to have some confidence that when you voted us in, that we would handle things the best way, and identify problems and try to move forward in finding solutions.”
Adding to the confusion was the fact that Totaro received a bonus in the week before his firing, which Hover said was approved by the outgoing council.
Said resident Van Dyke: “Usually you get a bonus if you do a really good job.”
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