Because of the corruption case in Luzerne County, a school board had to put off a vote concerning a member caught up in the scandal.
Allen Bellas agreed last month to plead guilty to accepting a bribe from contractors and resign from his position as president of the Wyoming Valley West School Board.
At a meeting Wednesday night in Kingston, board members were supposed to vote on his resignation but they couldn't because on Tuesday voters re-elected Bellas, technically giving him another two-year term.
The superintendent at Wyoming Valley West said no decision will be made until all the legal issues can be worked out.
Allen Bellas is one of the latest people to be caught up in the federal corruption probe in Luzerne County.
The former director of the Luzerne County Redevelopment Authority agreed to plead guilty to accepting a bribe from contractors. Under that deal, Bellas promised to resign from his position as president of the Wyoming Valley West School Board.
At a school board meeting in Kingston, board members were supposed to vote on whether to accept Bellas's resignation but that vote was postponed.
"Mr. Bellas did submit his resignation but we have contacted some attorneys to get a legal opinion because Mr. Bellas did win the election yesterday," said Wyoming Valley West Superintendent Charles Suppon.
According to Suppon, Bellas had won the primary election in May so his name remained on the ballot for the general election. "He ran yesterday against three write-in votes and had the majority of votes and won the election," Suppon said.
He added if the board accepted Bellas's resignation, because of the way his letter was written, it would only be for Bellas's current term that ends in December.
"He would still be a member of the board coming for a new two year term, so I think it's a matter of terminology as what's in the letter of resignation. So we're waiting for a legal opinion as to how that needs to be addressed," added Suppon.
It is not clear when a decision will be made on Bellas's resignation. The superintendent said there is a possibility of Bellas rewriting his resignation to include the new term.
Allen Bellas agreed last month to plead guilty to accepting a bribe from contractors and resign from his position as president of the Wyoming Valley West School Board.
At a meeting Wednesday night in Kingston, board members were supposed to vote on his resignation but they couldn't because on Tuesday voters re-elected Bellas, technically giving him another two-year term.
The superintendent at Wyoming Valley West said no decision will be made until all the legal issues can be worked out.
Allen Bellas is one of the latest people to be caught up in the federal corruption probe in Luzerne County.
The former director of the Luzerne County Redevelopment Authority agreed to plead guilty to accepting a bribe from contractors. Under that deal, Bellas promised to resign from his position as president of the Wyoming Valley West School Board.
At a school board meeting in Kingston, board members were supposed to vote on whether to accept Bellas's resignation but that vote was postponed.
"Mr. Bellas did submit his resignation but we have contacted some attorneys to get a legal opinion because Mr. Bellas did win the election yesterday," said Wyoming Valley West Superintendent Charles Suppon.
According to Suppon, Bellas had won the primary election in May so his name remained on the ballot for the general election. "He ran yesterday against three write-in votes and had the majority of votes and won the election," Suppon said.
He added if the board accepted Bellas's resignation, because of the way his letter was written, it would only be for Bellas's current term that ends in December.
"He would still be a member of the board coming for a new two year term, so I think it's a matter of terminology as what's in the letter of resignation. So we're waiting for a legal opinion as to how that needs to be addressed," added Suppon.
It is not clear when a decision will be made on Bellas's resignation. The superintendent said there is a possibility of Bellas rewriting his resignation to include the new term.
