Wilkins Commissioner Michael Szoko has filed suit against the township to determine the legality of its manager's contract.

Mr. Szoko filed an Action for Declaratory Judgment last Thursday, asking Common Pleas Court to determine whether Manager Rebecca Bradley's contract violates state law because of its length.

Ms. Bradley's two-year contract runs through Dec. 31, 2010, and includes an automatic one-year extension. If her contract is not extended beyond 2011, Ms. Bradley will receive one year's salary plus the cash value of vacation, personal and sick days as severance.

Mr. Szoko's suit argues that any contract exceeding two years locks newly elected commissioners into retaining Ms. Bradley as manager. Wilkins' five commissioners are elected to staggered four-year terms, putting at least two of them up for re-election every two years.

"This is about the length of the contract and binding future boards to an employee they may not philosophically agree with," Mr. Szoko said. "No contract should be longer than two years [for] an at-will employee."

This is not the first time Mr. Szoko has raised questions about the terms of Ms. Bradley's contract. Her initial contract, which was not scheduled to expire until October, was renegotiated and approved in December by a board that did not include Mr. Szoko, then a commissioner-elect.

That contract gave Ms. Bradley a five-year term with an automatic one-year extension; subsequent extensions through 2013, unless Ms. Bradley or the township provided written notice of the contract's termination; and a salary of $77,500.

Ms. Bradley volunteered to renegotiate terms of her contract in February. An amended two-year agreement with a one-year extension was approved by commissioners Feb. 13.

Mr. Szoko voted against the amended contract, citing its length and the possibility that it may violate state law.

Township Solicitor Gary Matta said he is not certain Mr. Szoko has legal standing to file suit, but declined further comment without speaking to Mr. Szoko's attorney.

Ms. Bradley declined to comment, citing pending litigation. But William Wilson, president of the board of commissioners, sent Mr. Szoko a memo Friday, questioning his motives for the suit.

"Michael, I am requesting you stop the constant harassment of the manager, Rebecca Bradley, under the guise of doing what is best for the township's taxpayers," the memo reads. "It is my opinion that you are carrying out your personal agenda against Ms. Bradley that has nothing to do with the operation of the township."

Mr. Wilson said Mr. Szoko has targeted Ms. Bradley and the manager's office since his electoral campaign last year, and that his continued actions could leave the township open for even more litigation.

"It seems [Mr.] Szoko [is] always on Rebecca Bradley for something. I feel like he's creating a hostile work environment," he said.

Mr. Szoko called the idea that he harasses Ms. Bradley "laughable" and said his primary concern is ensuring the township is being fiscally responsible.

"People have to realize in this commissionership that people are allowed to ask questions," he said. "You shouldn't try to intimidate people when they disagree with you and ask questions about how we spend our money.

"I want to get this cleaned up for the township. It doesn't matter who the manager is."