Penn Hills councilman Jim Getsy resigns

Penn Hills councilman James Getsy has resigned from office because of medical reasons, according to Mayor Pauline Calabrese.

Getsy submitted his resignation before the June 20 council meeting, so accepting the resignation wasn’t on that night’s agenda. Council had to vote to add it, as well as accept it.

“I would like to thank councilman Getsy,” Calabrese said. “I spoke with him this afternoon. We had a very good conversation. I wish him the best and I thank him for his service.

When I moved here so long ago, Mr. and Mrs. Getsy, who are my neighbors, were some of the first people I ever met. This afternoon, I asked Jim to do me a favor and make sure that he keeps looking over my shoulder, because we always want to do the right thing and it’s nice having someone watching over us.”

Councilwoman Catherine Sapp added commentary.

“I would like to thank councilman Getsy for all of his hard work on council for the time he has been seated. When I came to the council in 2016, councilman Getsy and his wife were in the audience, and they looked over every item on the agenda,” she said, calling Jim and Andrea Getsy “the real watchdogs” who made her job “a lot easier.”

Jim Getsy was not at the meeting and could not be reached for comment.

The resignation opens a seat on council. The remaining council members and mayor met after the meeting in executive session to determine how to replace Getsy. A call to the administrative office in the Penn Hills Municipal Building on June 21 confirmed that nothing has been decided in terms of replacing Getsy. Council will continue to work with four voting members until a replacement is determined.