First Posted: 6/29/2013

It was never about the money.

That’s what Pittston Area School Board member Bob Linskey said after it was announced he settled his 2-year-old lawsuit against several current and past school board members last week.

Linskey claimed his rights were violated and the PA board was playing politics when he was ousted as the district’s representative on the Luzerne Intermediate Unit’s board of directors.

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He filed suit against current board members Tony Guariglia and Bruce Knick and past board members Ross Latona, Martin Quinn and Mark Singer.

As part of the settlement, Linskey will receive $75,000: that’s $10,000 from the district because of the insurance policy deductible and $65,000 from the district’s insurance carrier, School Claims Services. The board also unanimously agreed to give him the LIU seat back.

But Linskey’s return to the LIU board will be short lived.

He didn’t run for re-election in the May primary, instead opting to mount a run for Jenkins Township supervisor. He was defeated by incumbent Coreen Milazzo.

So Linskey will only sit on the LIU for a few months.

Was it worth it?

We say no.

The seeds of the lawsuit were planted in July of 2011, when Linskey was appointed to a three-year term representing the district on the LIU board. But allegiances changed and several months later the PA board voted to replace him with Guariglia.

Linskey has often been a thorn in the side to the current school board’s majority and we applaud him for that. He has brought up issues in public meetings that may never have seen the light of day and has often held the board’s feet to the fire.

But surely this settlement will hike up the district’s insurance costs, which will likely fall on the shoulders of taxpayers.

“This is not about the money, it’s about getting my seat back,” Linskey announced at the meeting.

Well, Mr. Linskey, you have your seat back.

Board President Charles Sciandra urged you to return the money and we concur.

Pay your lawyer and return the rest.

We suggest you donate it to the District’s fundraising foundation, the Pittston Area Education Improvement Organization, which is helping bring innovative technology-base programs into the district.

Do it for the students.