Leetsdale officials may be adding a new top administrator.

Council plans to work with the Allegheny League of Municipalities to find a borough manager.

The issue was raised at recent borough meetings; however, no agreement with ALOM has been struck and starting a search was not listed on this month’s council workshop agenda.

Leetsdale has not had a borough manager since January 2012, when the top administrator at the time, Paul Scimio, was ousted after a few years and Elizabeth Petalino returned to her role as secretary/treasurer.

Petalino retired at the end of 2014 after serving the borough for more than 20 years.

Jennifer Simek took over as borough secretary/treasurer in January 2015. She also serves as the borough’s Right-to-Know officer.

Council President Maria Napolitano said seeking a borough manager has nothing to do with Simek’s performance.

“Jennifer does great work,” Napolitano said Feb. 6. “Jen has always been very helpful with any task that was required.”

Council in December updated its borough manager ordinance to include the following:

“The manager shall be chosen on the basis of executive and administrative qualifications, with a minimum of five years of municipal administrative or related management experience and a four-year college degree, or its equivalent, in public administration, quantitative, or financial fields, from an accredited university.”

Napolitano and other council members could not confirm if Simek met the updated borough manager qualifications. Simek declined an interview.

The council president believes having an experienced and well-educated manager will build on various borough successes including infrastructure and facility upgrades, expanding community events and being awarded nearly $500,000 in grants the past few years.

“It would be great to have some help, and professional management will help give consistency and continuity to these efforts and take them to the next level,” Napolitano said. “I envision this to be a restructuring that will be beneficial to the borough. I don’t want to leave anything on the table.”

Council Vice President Osman Awad said he would like to hire someone with grant writing and managerial experience while keeping Simek with the borough.

“Nobody’s going to chase her out of there,” Awad said. “We need somebody to help write grants, take charge of things, micromanage stuff.”

ALOM’s mission is to foster local government in Allegheny County and Southwestern Pennsylvania by educating elected officials, delivering essential resources and advocating for sound policy and legislation, according to the nonprofit’s website.

Napolitano said their professionals will be instrumental in finding the right manager for Leetsdale.

“They know exactly the job requirements,” Napolitano said. “They know exactly how to look for qualified candidates and where to look for them.”

It is unclear when a search may start or how long it would take.

Councilman Roger Nanni said hiring a new administrator is not on his list of priorities. He is concerned about what the move may mean for current staffers.

“I don’t even know if it’s a really serious thing,” Nanni said. “I don’t believe we need one right now, but for as much as we pay the secretary we might as well have one. I don’t have any issues with her. If they bring in a manager, we might have to let one of the current staffers go.”

Council in June hired Deborah Vougias as a part-time office clerk at $21 per hour.

Borough secretary wages were listed at about $71,200 in last year’s budget and about $73,300 this year.

It is unclear how much may be allocated for a borough manager salary.

Napolitano said it may be possible to keep the current borough workers and add a manager “with some adjustment of responsibilities on both sides.”

Council voted unanimously Dec. 12 to pass the $2.9 million 2025 budget and maintain the millage rate at 9 mills.

Of that, 8 mills are planned for general purposes and 1 mill for road reconstruction and infrastructure.

All borough programs and services remained intact. Trash collection bills also stayed the same.

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