Brookhaven council appoints Acting Chief Tim Havoc after split debate; council records multiple routine approvals

Brookhaven Borough Council on March 3 voted to appoint Acting Chief Tim Havoc as chief of police following a contentious debate about whether the borough had adequately advertised and interviewed candidates for the permanent post.

The roll‑call vote to appoint Havoc (the acting chief) carried 4–3. Council members in favor said promoting the department’s senior officer would provide continuity after a turbulent staffing period; members opposed said their “no” votes reflected concerns about process and the absence of an open hiring search and candidate interviews.

Process and objections

Councilwoman [first reference] Miss Fovio said she opposed holding the vote that night because the borough had neither opened the position to outside applicants nor discussed the hiring in executive session. “I don’t think we should be taking a vote on this tonight,” she said, arguing the council should follow a normal hiring process. Several other council members said they were not aware of the appointment before the agenda was released Friday and expressed frustration at the timing.

Supporters of the appointment said Havoc has long service in Brookhaven and local knowledge that would be hard to match from an outside hire. Councilman Joe Pappas (council member) and others said promoting from within was appropriate given Havoc’s tenure, training history and prior investigative work.

Roll call and vote

The council performed a roll‑call vote. The transcript records the following responses: Mr. Heller — aye; Miss Fovio — no; Mrs. Heller — aye; Mr. Duplicky — aye; Miss Suwicki — no; Mr. Pappas — aye; Mr. Burke — no. The council president announced the ayes have it and the motion carried.

Other votes at the meeting

Council approved multiple other routine items during the March meeting. The meeting record shows motions and their outcomes as follows (votes recorded in meeting minutes or roll call where available):

Votes at a glance

- Resolution approving a stipulation to settle a tax assessment appeal for Brookhaven Self Storage (121 E. Brookhaven Rd.): Motion moved, seconded; motion carries (voice vote recorded). - Motion to authorize advertisement of the 2025 street resurfacing project (list of streets read into record): Motion moved, seconded; motion carries (voice vote recorded). - Authorization to submit a PennDOT traffic signal review request for the Edgemont and William intersection: Motion moved, seconded; motion carries (voice vote recorded). - Motion to approve the minutes of the Feb. 3, 2025 council meeting: Motion moved, seconded; motion carries (voice vote recorded). - Motion to approve the March bill list (general fund $213,321.09; sewer $15,592.99; road $860.50; total $229,774.58): Motion moved, seconded; motion carries (voice vote recorded). - Motion to extend a conditional offer of employment to civil service commission candidate Adam Viola (police department): Motion moved, seconded; motion carries (voice vote recorded). Offer conditional on medical, psychological and background checks. - Motion to appoint Timothy (Tim) Havoc to rank of chief of police, conditioned on execution of an employment contract: Motion moved, seconded; roll‑call vote 4–3 (ayes: Heller, Mrs. Heller, Duplicky, Pappas; noes: Fovio, Suwicki, Burke). Motion carries. - Motion to retain five seasonal public‑works employees for the 120‑day window at $22/hr: Motion moved and seconded; motion carries. - Motion to hire full‑time public works employee Andrew Guthrie, retroactive start Feb. 26, at $24.72/hr plus benefits after probation: Motion moved and seconded; motion carries. - Motion to waive the annual Lowe’s seasonal corral permit fee (100‑day period): Motion moved and seconded; motion carries. - Motion to approve a DCNR grant application and resolution for Garcia Park improvements: Motion moved and seconded; motion carries. - Motion to retain General Code to codify recent ordinances into the code book at a cost not to exceed $7,340 (includes two hard copies): Motion moved and seconded; motion carries.

What council members said

Council debate repeatedly separated two issues: the candidate’s qualifications and the council’s process for filling a high‑level, highly paid position. Several members who opposed the appointment said their “no” vote reflected concerns about the hiring process rather than the candidate’s competence. “My reason for voting no is not based on the person. It’s more so based on the process,” Councilwoman Fovio said. Supporters emphasized Havoc’s long record in Brookhaven and argued internal promotion would preserve institutional knowledge.

Next steps and contract conditions

The council’s appointment is conditioned on the successful execution of an employment contract and the usual pre‑employment checks for other hires. Council also discussed budget implications: one member noted the acting chief could be earning more as acting chief than as chief on the approved budget line; the council indicated they would manage budget impacts by not backfilling positions or by other internal budget adjustments.

Ending

The appointment closed a chapter of debate that several speakers said had been building since late 2024. The council’s 4–3 vote to promote from within underscores the political divisions on council about process and communication, even as the body continued with routine administrative votes and hiring approvals at the March meeting.