LEBANON — The former city manager of Lebanon — pressured into resigning six months ago — has been hired to run a community near Pittsburgh.

Patrick

        The Plum Borough Council voted unanimously this week to hire James Patrick, 50, according to Maria Gingery, interim borough manager. He'll start Monday.

        “He was very qualified for the position, and everyone liked him,” Ms. Gingery said. “We need a professional manager.”

        Mr. Patrick left Lebanon's employ in late November, days before the City Council majority that supported him left office. Former Service Director George “Pat” Clements was named to replace Mr. Patrick in April.

        Controversy dogged Mr. Patrick's 2 1/2-year tenure, climaxing with his indictment in July 2001 on felony charges related to early-retirement buyouts taken by two former employees. The charges later were dropped.

        Plum officials are no strangers to the legal system themselves: Their previous manager, Denise Herceg Rumbaugh, is accusing them of sexual harassment in a federal lawsuit filed last fall, according to Pittsburgh's Tribune-Review.

        The borough — Pennsylvania's equivalent of a small city — has a population of about 26,000, larger than Lebanon's 18,000. However, it has half as many employees — 76 — Ms. Gingery said. Mr. Patrick is taking a pay cut, from $80,000 annually in Lebanon to $75,000 in Plum.

        “I'm glad that he's moving on,” said Lebanon Councilman Ben Cole, a Patrick supporter. “I'm glad that the things that happened to him here in Lebanon didn't ruin his career.”

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