Cornwall Borough Council rejects water and sewer recommendation

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In a narrow vote, Cornwall Borough Council opted not to appoint Cavi Miller, the candidate recommended by the water and sewer committee, to an open water and sewer director position during a special meeting June 30.

Also in a mixed vote, council appointed candidate David Bradley to the post.

Council members Bruce Conrad, Thomas Burton, and Julie Bowman voted for Miller and against Bradley. Council members John Karinch, John Tobias, Bruce Harris, and John Lux voted for Bradley and against Miller.

Though the water and sewer committee initially looked primarily at technical qualifications for the water and sewer director/assistant township manager position, it ultimately “determined that management ability, leadership, communication skills, community knowledge, and long-term potential were the most important qualifications for this unique dual-role position,” read a packet distributed by Greg Roussey of the committee.

“I feel very strongly that the person we want is not a technician, because that’s something that could be learned,” said Roussey, saying that previous director Barb Henry grew into the position and offered strong customer support to residents. “We need a well-rounded individual that can communicate, that can carry this forward for us into the future.”

There were nine applicants to the position, which includes assisting borough manager Cody Rhoads in addition to management of Cornwall’s water and sewer customers and internal processes, and the top four were interviewed. Miller was recommended by the committee 4:1, with commission member and councilman Karinch opposed.

Miller, who studied aerospace studies with minors in psychology, aviation safety, and aeronautical science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and has a master’s in safety science, previously served on the Cornwall water and sewer committee, was the executive director for the Lebanon County Bar Association, and has worked as a chef, welder, forensic engineer, and occupational health and safety contractor for the commonwealth. Roussey cited her breadth of experience and training as evidence she would be able to learn the skills required for the job and communicate as needed.

Miller ran for mayor of Cornwall in 2021 and for the state House in 2022, both as a Democrat.

“I’ve never understood it, but in Cornwall there’s this political backwater of water and sewer and politics and whatnot, and you didn’t pick Ms. Miller because it would be a political statement in any way, shape, or form?” Bowman asked the committee.

Roussey responded that they were not motivated by politics, explaining he has interviewed many job applicants in his life and approaches them looking for the best candidate for the job. He said he met Cavi during her run for mayor and attended a rally during her run for PA House, but that he does not know her personally and “she came out to be the best qualified.” Bowman said she agreed with Roussey.

“Have we ever put a candidate through what we put Ms. Miller through based on a committee’s recommendation that she was the most qualified?” Bowman then asked Harris, noting that it is unusual for council not to accept the hiring recommendation of a committee.

Harris responded, “No, not in the 51 years that I’ve been associated with [the borough].”

Bradley, Karinch said, has 37 years of experience with water and sewer, has operational knowledge, is familiar with regulations and compliance requirements, and is fluent with programs used in the position. Karinch said Bradley was his highest-scoring candidate, and also has management, leadership, and communication skills needed for the job.

Karinch asked Roussey who his highest scoring candidate was prior to the decision not to focus on technical qualifications, and Roussey said Bradley scored the highest. However, he added that Bradley’s hiring may require the borough to seek applicants again soon as he plans to retire.

Karinch said Mayor Howard MacFadden told him recently that Bradley “changed his mind” on retiring and plans to work for around seven more years. Roussey replied, “You can’t count on what he wants to do,” to which Karinch responded, “I get that.”

Karinch said Henry told him they should hire Bradley, and Tobias said Henry did not recommend Miller despite having sat in on interviews.

Conrad responded, “Mr. Tobias, I think it’s fair to say that Barb did not relay that to the committee,” and Bowman advised other council members not to put words in others’ mouths.

Henry’s hours of active work were previously estimated by engineer Jeff Steckbeck at 952 hours, and the current secretary that works with Rhoads logs about six or seven hours a week, Tobias said. Tobias said these add together to around 1,300 hours per year, which he said leaves around 600 hours to fill.

“We’re taking someone with experience that can go out and do the meter readings and can go out and perform and has all the licenses to perform the work within the borough and the system,” said Tobias.

Miller, who was in attendance Tuesday, questioned the fiscal responsibility of a water and sewer director (a position earning $82,000 annually, averaging to around $40 per hour) performing fieldwork like checking meters. Tobias said this work would be done in addition to all water and sewer director responsibilities.

During a March 3 special meeting, at which council debated the future of the water and sewer director position, Steckbeck said the amount of hours warranted a full-time employee. Previously, council had floated placing the position’s responsibilities onto Rhoads.

“This is slightly short of a thousand hours of direct time; you know, there’s breaks, there’s vacations, there’s PTO, there’s miscellaneous conversations,” Steckbeck said March 3. “Most people at a job, you know, probably are inefficient for two hours of a day. … The person who’s responsible for your utility systems, I think, is going to spend over a thousand hours a year on it. I think it certainly has justified a full-time person all these years.”

Karinch’s motion to hire Bradley was seconded and, though Bowman said she wanted to make a motion to accept a secondary water and sewer recommendation (made Tuesday morning) to hire Miller as water and sewer director and promote Bradley to interim field foreman, chairman Harris led a vote on Karinch’s motion. Though this was questioned by Bowman, Harris moved forward. Robert’s Rules of Order (which lay out guidelines for municipal meetings) say only one motion can be introduced at a time.

Conrad, both a member of council and the water and sewer committee, said this recommendation would allow Miller and Bradley to be cross-trained by Henry. Tobias said he felt there would not be enough work for two employees.

The meeting continued for around 10 minutes after Harris first requested a motion to adjourn the meeting, with Harris allowing public comment after noting, “Just so you’re aware, a half hour ago, I announced public comment is closed.”

Residents said they would not have known to comment on the potential hiring of Bradley at the start of the meeting. The only agenda item for Tuesday’s meeting was “Hiring of Assistant Borough Manager,” which could have included the hiring of Miller, Bradley, or another candidate but did not specify which one. Council discussed the matter during its regular June meeting, but moved into executive session without the water and sewer committee for nearly an hour after the meeting.

Several residents voiced opposition to council’s choice to hire Bradley without first considering options or speaking to Bradley (who was not present), and said they felt blind-sided by the decision. Others said they felt the meeting was handled unprofessionally, with frequent in-fighting among council throughout.

“I’m fairly new at coming to these meetings and I have to say that I would not pass my students for the behavior I see of this council,” said resident and former Penn State and Lebanon Valley College professor Jane Clark. “I’m highly disappointed in the way that the meetings are conducted and the interviews are conducted, and it seems that a lot of business is conducted out of the presence of the public. … I think at this point, in order to preserve credibility for the other major decisions that you’re making, that will affect people’s lives for a long time, it would be really important to have somebody on the council, working for the borough, who gave you a better image because, right now, you’re really suffering from loss of credibility.”

At the beginning of the meeting, resident Jo Roussey submitted an open records request for email exchanges between council members regarding the position. Roussey later alleged that council has “consistently shown bias” against women, which Harris said was “absurd.”

Miller asked if council members had listened to candidate interviews or called references before making a decision on the matter, saying their decision “should have been based on either my interview or you going along with what the committee voted for.” Aside from Conrad and Karinch, both in the committee, and Bowman, no council members said they listened to the interview. Tobias said his decision was based on resumes.

Miller also asked why Lux was allowed to vote on the matter, citing allegations by resident Todd Gingrich, also present, that Lux said, “Over my dead body will she get the job.”

“He doesn’t want a women in there, he wants a man who can climb over a pipe and fix it,” Gingrich said June 8, citing one of the alleged comments.

Harris said he knew Lux had met with his attorney regarding the allegations and said he did not think the meeting was the right time to address those allegations.

Lux questioned the date of the allegation, saying the date reported by Gingrich to the borough (May 23) did not match up with the date on a receipt received by Gingrich for work at Deluxx Bikes (May 21). He said he only received candidate resumes May 28 or 29 and did not know Miller had submitted a resume. He insinuated that he would take Gingrich to court for the allegations.

Lux and Miller began to argue over one another as Harris sought a motion to adjourn the meeting, which passed with Bowman opposed.

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After the meeting, Miller sent LebTown the following statement.

When I began the application process in March 2026, my goal was employment with Cornwall Borough. My family has deep roots here, and it is where I have chosen to raise my children. My commitment to Cornwall’s history and future is reflected in my continued tenure on the Cornwall Iron Furnace Associates Board of Directors and my various attempts at running for office.

Regarding the Water and Sewer Committee’s recent search, nine candidates applied for the position of Director of Water and Sewer/Assistant Borough Manager. Four candidates were interviewed, and one was ultimately recommended to the Borough Council – me.

I realized in the second to last interview (the first public meeting wherein my candidacy was on the agenda) that this was not merely a question of who is the most qualified, who would be the most successful, or who would represent Cornwall Borough the most thoroughly and professionally. This had become about something rooted much deeper and much more intrinsically problematic in Cornwall, specifically with Council. Given statements that have already been made, agendas and minutes, LebTown’s reporting, and various social media posts, I would prefer to let the reader deduce their own opinions as to why I was not awarded the job. That’s the purpose of the press – to make facts available to the general public, leave out opinions or personal thoughts, and let the constituency decide for themselves.

I firmly believe that Cornwall is at a crossroads right now. We have folks in office who claim to care about Cornwall Borough, and who claim to be fiscally conservative, but in actuality, it appears as though it’s comprised of a very tangled web of nepotistic relationships, behind-the-scenes handshakes, and the continued subjugation of certain citizens of Cornwall.

The silver lining in this process is that now we can shed some “Sunshine” on those who have not earned (or have behaved in such a way that they no longer are deserving of) their current roles as public servants. Several of their terms are up for re-election soon, so not only is it crucial to get out and vote, but also if you’re able to run for office, please consider doing so. We need decent people on both sides of the aisle to run for office, and we need to remind certain Council Members that we, the people, are in charge, and that we will not be bullied or silenced any longer. This is a government of the people, for the people, and by the people. This is not a government of, for, and by the men who feel the need to shout profanities at Council meetings, so that their opinions drown out the carefully thought-out considerations of the people who elected them.

Editor’s note: This article has been corrected to accurately reflect Miller’s degree, which was previously listed as aerospace engineering.