County: Halcovage violated three policies
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL FILE - County Commissioner George Halcovage.
POTTSVILLE – An internal investigation has found that Schuylkill County Commissioners Chairman George Halcovage violated three county policies, the County Solicitor’s Office said Monday.
A media release dated June 30 said that”serious” complaints were received by the county human resources director, Deborah Twigg, on May 22, “including claims of sexual harassment concerning several female County employees.”
County Administrator Gary Bender directed the human resources department to conduct an investigation into the allegations, and interviews were conducted.
Halcovage and fellow commissioners Gary Hess and Barron Hetherington were notified the allegations were lodged.
“The County took certain steps to accommodate the Employees to ensure that they felt comfortable in the workplaces including directing Commissioner Halcovage to not have contact with the Employees,” the solicitor’s office wrote in a release.
Commissioner Halcovage notified the HR department that he had retained an attorney, and an interview with the pair was conducted on June 10. A follow-up interview occurred on June 23.
The HR department and Risk Manager Glenn Roth interviewed the employee who lodged the most serious allegation, with her attorney, on June 16.
“It is important to note that no complaints were made against Commissioner Halcovage by any of the Employees prior to May 22, 2020,” the solicitor’s office wrote. “The County conducted its internal investigation through HR as it does with any other allegation involving County personnel. This investigation was conducted as expeditiously as possible but took some time given the number of interviews that needed to be conducted and that there were multiple attorneys involved.”
The office noted that, while Halcovage denied many of the allegations, they said that the investigation found Halcovage violated the county’s Sexual Harassment Policy, Conduct and Disciplinary Action Policy, and the Physical and Verbal Abuse Policy.
“If this investigation involved a County department head, the department head would be suspended immediately pending investigation followed by a recommendation of employment termination,” the solicitor’s office wrote. “However, neither County Administration nor other county commisioners may discipline a fellow county commissioner or remove him from office absent a criminal conviction or impeachment.”
No further details could be provided citing the involvement of personnel, several attorneys, and the potential for litigation.
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