Gallagher Township Supervisor McCoy Ordered to Repay Thousands Over Ethics Violations
By Emily Wright
GALLAGHER TOWNSHIP— A longtime member of the Gallagher Township Board of Supervisors has been ordered by the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission to repay more than $2,700 to the township after an investigation found he improperly used his public office for personal financial gain.
William “Bill” L. McCoy, who has served on the Board of Supervisors since 2012, was the subject of a recently published final adjudication by the Commission. The ruling, published online on October 23, 2025, found that McCoy violated multiple provisions of the state’s Public Official and Employee Ethics Act—a law meant to ensure that public officials act in the best interest of their constituents, rather than themselves.
The heart of the issue, according to the Commission’s order, was McCoy’s decision to assume a paid position of township employment for himself, which sources say he referred to as a “working supervisor”. Records indicate McCoy did so without securing proper appointment, authorization, or oversight from his fellow supervisors or the township’s Board of Auditors. Once in the role, McCoy allegedly set both his own duties and his work hours, ultimately approving payments to himself for tasks that went beyond his responsibilities as an elected Supervisor.
Through an anonymous source, The Record/therecord-online learned that McCoy “was never appointed to the position, which would have had to be done at the January Reorganizational meeting where the Auditor sets the wages.” The source further added that from January to March 2025, McCoy was paid between $4,000 and $6,000, and “He was not appointed to the position, nor was a job description created”.
The Ethics Commission found this self-appointment and subsequent self-payment to be in violation of Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act. This section specifically prohibits public officials from using their position for private financial gain beyond the compensation established for their official duties.
Further complicating matters, the Commission concluded that McCoy also submitted bills to the township—and was paid—for administrative duties that, as Supervisor, he was already obligated to perform as part of his elected position. In effect, McCoy double-dipped, receiving extra pay for the very work voters entrusted him to do.
As a result of these findings, McCoy has been ordered to repay a total of $2,757.02 to Gallagher Township. The restitution must be submitted through the Ethics Commission by the thirtieth day after the official mailing of the order. Additionally, the order strictly forbids McCoy from accepting any form of reimbursement, compensation, or alternative payment from the township to offset the financial penalty.
In the event of noncompliance—failure to repay the required amount or attempt to seek reimbursement—the Commission stated it would initiate further enforcement actions, which could include court proceedings or additional penalties.
While the Commission’s order did not specify the exact nature of the work for which McCoy was paid, the same anonymous source asserted, “I don’t know what his job would have been… Maybe opening mail, talking to people who come in, maybe sitting in the office and claiming work hours.”
The Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission, based in Harrisburg, urges any public official or municipal officer with questions regarding ethics law compliance to proactively seek guidance to avoid similar issues in the future.
