Frackville council members voted Thursday night to pay former Police Chief Paul Olson a severance package for accrued vacation time, personal time off, and sick time.
Olson was fired from the job in December following an internal investigation into an alleged wrongful arrest and imprisonment in August 2025.
On Thursday, council members voted 4-2 to approve a $15,425.21 payment to Olson. That payment includes $3,195.66 for 78 hours of vacation time, $1,720.74 for 42 hours of personal time off, and $10,508.81 for 513 hours of unused sick time. All are being paid at the rate of $40.97 per hour.
Councilmen Brian Russell and Stephen Tertel voted against Olson’s severance payment. Councilmen John Matern, Ed Beneshunas, Steve Kuzio, and Ron Jordan were in favor of it.
Last month, Russell, Jordan, Tertel, and Russell Cunningham III voted to fire Olson. Charlie Berger, Beneshunas, and Kuzio voted against termination.
Earlier this month, Olson filed a lawsuit against Frackville in Schuylkill County Court of Common Pleas seeking reinstatement as the Chief of Frackville Police.
Currently, Brian Reno is serving as Officer-in-Charge at Frackville.
In his lawsuit, Olson claims not only that he was just the supervising officer – and not the responding officer – on the incident in question, his termination violates the terms of his contract with the Borough.
That litigation was among several items discussed in a two-hour, closed-door executive session held on Monday evening, Frackville council members announced Thursday. What was discussed was not disclosed to the public and council members as well as Solicitor Mark Semanchik declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Also on Thursday, council members accepted the resignation of Patrolman Bryce Dragna. On Monday, Dragna was hired to a Patrolman position with Pottsville Bureau of Police. Dragna’s resignation from Frackville is effective Jan. 24.
Frackville also voted to extend the deadline for applications for full-time police officer jobs until Feb. 6 at 5 p.m. Jordan tells The Canary that Frackville is currently looking for at least two, possibly three new officers to join its ranks.
READ THE FULL STORY ON OLSON’S FIRING THAT YOU’LL ONLY SEE ON COAL REGION CANARY BY FOLLOWING THESE LINKS:
- Frackville Fires Police Chief, Officer Resigns Following Wrongful Arrest, Imprisonment Investigation
- Olson Sues Frackville: Ex-Chief Claims Firing Violated Contract
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