PITTSBURGH — Neva Stotler, an attorney hired by the Butler County Housing Authority, is testifying today at the Civil Service Commission appeal hearing for former authority executive director Perry O’Malley, who was fired in March.

Stotler, who was hired by the authority board to investigate O’Malley, testified that O’Malley had inappropriately used vacation time and sick time to extend weekends, and was out of the office more often than would be usual for a person running such an authority.

The hearing broke for lunch at noon and was to come back into session at 1 p.m.

O’Malley of Cranberry Township, who was the executive director for 23 years, was placed on paid administrative leave in January while an investigation was done. After being terminated, he appealed to the commission, alleging that he was fired because of his age and politics.

The authority maintains that O’Malley was fired for using authority resources for personal and private business endeavors that are a conflict with the authority, abusing authority travel time, travel expenses, leave time and neglecting his duties.

On Aug. 24, the board hired Ed Mauk of the Pittsburgh Housing Authority as the new executive director.

This is the second day of O’Malley’s hearing. There was on Sept. 9.