Pottsville city official faces felony theft charge

Yahoo

03-04-2025

POTTSVILLE — The executive director of the Greater Pottsville Area Sewer Authority has been suspended from his job and was removed from several city boards and the Humane Fire Company amid a felony theft charge, authorities confirmed Thursday.
Joe Spotts, 65, has been charged with felony theft by unlawful taking, and receiving stolen property, according to Pottsville Police. Spotts told police he borrowed the money and intended to pay it back, according to the police report.
Reached Thursday, Spotts said via text message that he had no comment.
AJ Alves, president of the Humane Fire Company No. 1, said the police were notified Tuesday about an incident involving Spotts. He did not elaborate.
'He's no longer a member,' Alves said, referring to a motion taken by the fire company to remove Spotts as a member, which he had been for 48 years.
In all, $2,100 was stolen from the Humane Fire Company from a skills machine money box over a span of three weeks, according to police. Spotts was seen on camera taking the money, according to the police report. He then paid back the money on March 22, police said.
Police said Spotts told officers that he returned the money to the fire company after applying for a loan. He didn't have a response to why he didn't apply for a loan in the first place, police said.
Pottsville Mayor Mark Atkinson, who is a member of the Phoenix Fire Company, confirmed that Spotts was interviewed by the police.
Atkinson said he is 'disappointed' with the recent developments.
'The city took very swift action to remove him from all positions,' the mayor said.
Spotts was the director of emergency management and a member of the Pottsville Redevelopment Authority. Dan Kelly Jr. is the acting director of the emergency management until he can be officially appointed at Monday's city council meeting, Atkinson said.
City council will also need to fill Atkinson's spot on the redevelopment authority, he said.
Dorothy 'Dottie' Botto confirmed Thursday that Spotts has resigned as head of the city Democratic party. She said he wrote a letter to Thomas Campion, treasurer of the city Democratic party.
A meeting will be held to see who is interested in being the next head of the party, Botto said.
Barry DeWitt, chairman of the sewer authority, said Spotts was suspended with pay earlier this week. A special meeting was scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the sewer authority headquarters in city hall for personnel matters.
'We were told a police report will be forthcoming,' DeWitt said, adding, 'We are trying to be very transparent to the public.'
Spotts had been the executive director of the Greater Pottsville Sewer Authority since Oct. 30, 2024, when he was unanimously hired at a salary of $110,000 per year, plus benefits. Prior to being named executive director, Spotts was a project manager earning $105,000 a year.
The Pottsville resident has extensive experience in the industry, having worked nine years for D.G. Yuengling & Son as an environmental health and safety manager, and before that, as an operations manager with Miller Environmental in Reading. In that role, he oversaw 11 projects in Berks and Lehigh counties with a staff of 20 people.