Dormont solicitor Deron Gabriel has been exonerated of any wrongdoing by borough council following its consultation with the Local Government Academy, an independent non-partisan organization that educates public officials and promotes excellence in local government.

Mr. Gabriel, of South Fayette, came under fire during a Sept. 28 council meeting at which Pitcher Park president Mary Pitcher accused the solicitor of underhandedly attempting to have the Pitcher Park Memorial Foundation stripped of its non-profit status.

Mrs. Pitcher said the solicitor, under the guise of a "concerned citizen," called and sent multiple e-mails to New Sun Rising, Pitcher Park's 501(c)(3) sponsor, to complain about signs displayed in the window of Mrs. Pitcher's antique shop along West Liberty Avenue.

Mr. Gabriel said that he reported the shop's window signs because they represented a form of political campaigning -- an action non-profit organizations must avoid.

Mrs. Pitcher, who has since taken her signs down, disputed on the counsel of an attorney that they had to be removed because her antique shop is not affiliated with the Pitcher Park foundation.

The issue escalated at the following week's meeting when Mayor Tom Lloyd confronted the solicitor, telling Mr. Gabriel that he had overstepped his bounds by acting without the approval of council.

Council member Laurie Malka announced that further investigation into the matter would be taken.

At last night's agenda meeting, Mrs. Malka reported on the finance and legal committee's ruminations on the solicitor's actions.

"We had a brief review on the matter that started with the solicitor, but it really turned into more of a discussion of the process that we have as a council as to how we go about acting on certain things.

"The finance and legal department is going to [review our business procedures] so that we're sure that any actions that we are taking are done with the knowledge of all of council."

Council hopes to adopt new procedures that will require borough officials to act only on the knowledge of council, rather than independently, at its December voting meeting. In the mean time, Mr. Gabriel said that he will respect the wishes of the finance and legal committee and bring all future issues to council's attention before taking personal action.

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