Morrisville’s mayor, council settle lawsuit [The Philadelphia Inquirer]

Oct. 31--MORRISVILLE Two months before her term ends, Morrisville's mayor finally will be getting her own office in the borough hall and a borough-issued phone.

She'll no longer have to file right-to-know requests -- and pay 25 cents a page -- to access government records. And if she gets the chance, she'll have a say in the hiring of the borough's next police chief.

That's all according to a court agreement reached this week between the mayor and council of the Bucks County borough of about 8,700 residents. It's the first sign of peace in a town that's been rife with conflict for months.

In the last year, police officers have sued each other over claims of harassment and a hostile work environment. After only two weeks on the job, an interim safety director resigned over the turmoil, telling officials that the borough is headed toward "tragedy or catastrophe" if changes aren't made. The borough still is looking for a police chief while a lieutenant runs the department.

Mayor Rita Ledger, who is not seeking reelection Tuesday, sued council and the police department in April over allegedly denying her access to government files. Ledger, elected in 2009, also claimed that individual borough officials harassed her with sexist comments.

Chris Gerber, an attorney for the borough's insurance company, said the suit "arose out of a breakdown in communication."

Both sides claimed partial victory Wednesday.

In a news release, Ledger said the agreement, approved by a county judge, compels council and borough officials "to obey the law, allowing me to oversee police operations, an area that deserves our help."

Her attorney, Martha Sperling, said Ledger was denied access to such documents as a lawsuit against the borough that named the mayor and council.

Gerber said in an e-mail that the agreement clarifies the mayor's authority -- as well as limitations under the law -- regarding access.

Gerber said he hoped the agreement led to more cooperation. But unresolved are Ledger's contentions that borough officials harassed her.

Sperling said that borough officials had removed the sign that said "mayor" from the former mayor's office and would permit Ledger only to work out of the council's conference room.

Said Gerber: "I would hope that the mayor will now withdraw the balance of her lawsuit in the spirit of cooperation, now that these protocols have been clarified. It is my view that political differences should be resolved in the board room and not in the courtroom."

Ledger's suit contends "she has been berated when she tries to tell the police what to do, being told that she is useless and that they don't need a mayor, they have mayors at home."

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