T-L file photo Former Shadyside Village Council member Nick Ferrelli has been charged with menacing by stalking in connection with a village employee.

SHADYSIDE — Former Shadyside Village Council member Nick Ferrelli is charged with menacing by stalking a village employee.

Shadyside Law Director Kelly Kotur said Ferrelli was not booked into the Belmont County Jail and was originally scheduled to appear in Belmont County Eastern Division Court on April 15. His lawyer, Ted Tsoras, filed a motion to continue the case that was granted. As a result, Ferrelli’s hearing is now set for 9 a.m. April 24.

“The Village of Shadyside is committed to protecting the safety and security of our employees and we want to ensure our employees are able to work without fear for their safety. The Village

would like to thank Chief (Don) Collette and his department for their work on the matter,” a news release provided by Kotur on behalf of the village states.

Shadyside Police Chief Don Collette alleged that Ferrelli has been stalking this employee for an extended period of time.

“He’s been menacing her for over a year, I mean, stalking her, taking pictures of her everywhere she’s at, and so on and so forth,” Collette said.

In December 2023, Ferrelli stepped down after serving six years on council. Following his departure from his position, he said, “I have been wrestling with my future at the village for a while. This is not how I wanted things to end, but I realize tonight that my time is over. I am proud of the things we have accomplished over the last six years. I said when we made the decision to switch from a board of public affairs to a village administrator that I thought it would make the village much more efficient. Eight months later I stand by that assertion. I stand by everything I have done and we have collectively done in my time on council.”

On Aug. 26 in a closed-door session, the village hired Michael Shaheen of Shaheen Law Group as outside counsel but refused to inform the public or media of why Shaheen was being employed. Now, eight months later, Collette confirmed that Shaheen was hired to handle the case against Ferrelli due to former solicitor Thomas Ryncarz having a conflict of interest after serving the village at the same time as Ferrelli.

“Mr. Ryncarz would have had a conflict of interest because he was our solicitor at the time, and then she filed a complaint on a council member, so it was better to go outside,” Collette said.

Ryncarz had a two-year contract with the village that expired in December. He is now the solicitor for Yorkville Village Council and was replaced by Kotur in Shadyside.