HEGINS — Fireworks erupted at a two-hour Hegins Township supervisors meeting Wednesday, most notably between two supervisors and the township’s solicitor.
Supervisor Brad Carl raised concerns about the connection the current township’s solicitor, Donald G. Karpowich, has with John Dean, Wilkes-Barre, the attorney the board appointed to represent the township in the Act 537 appeal brought by the group Concerned Citizens. Karpowich is the attorney representing the Concerned Citizens.
“This Dean guy in Wilkes-Barre ... what I heard is that he’s a buddy of yours,” Carl said to Karpowich.
“I don’t know why you’d say that,” Karpowich, Drums, said. “To me, it flew up a red flag,” Carl shot back. “You made allegations that aren’t true,” Karpowich replied.
According to Karpowich, John Dean is not a “buddy,” but is someone who he knows and is a fellow lawyer who practices law in Luzerne County, similar to Gretchen Sterns, who had also been a prior solicitor for Hegins Township.
“Those were just questions that came about,” Carl said.
Last month, the supervisors voted 3-2 to have Entech Engineering, Pottsville, review the existing Act 537 plan and present a report, with supervisor Chairman Gary Harner, Vice Chairwoman Sandra McCullough and Supervisor Bruce Klouser voting in favor. Karpowich said Carl may have assumed that he (Karpowich) would have access to that information. Karpowich said Dean would have access to that report, not him.
Carl and Supervisor Mike Begis also had an exchange with Karpowich in regard to bylaw resolution information Karpowich had prepared for Wednesday’s meeting. The bylaws addressed how meetings would be run, and who and when someone could place items on the meeting agenda.
“Who up here told you to make it up?” Carl asked.
Harner said it was discussed at last month’s meeting, and the attorney said he would get in touch with him, which he did.
A former Hegins Township supervisor, Sue Troup, was in the audience and addressed the board, saying she believed a supervisor should be able to add something to the agenda if needed.
“I feel like that’s micromanaging and spending more money for an attorney to write it up,” Troup said.
“Does the chairman then decide what gets on the agenda, or not?” she said.
Begis said he believed much of the paperwork Karpowich drew up was regurgitated. “A lot is a regurgitation of the second class code, and I’m familiar with it,” he said. Begis said the way the information was written, it implies the chairman has the power when it comes to what’s on the agenda. Begis requested that the words be added to include “the chairman, upon authorization by the board.” He also requested the agenda items be prepared more than a day prior to the meeting, suggesting the agenda items be in place three business days prior to the meeting.
Carl had asked the Act 537 plan be placed on Wednesday’s agenda, but Harner did not put in on, because “the plan is under litigation,” Harner said. Another former Hegins Township supervisor in the audience, LeRoy Shuey, said he had asked for items to be placed on the agenda a week before the meetings, and they were often left out.
Begis also requested that if work sessions are held, that there be minutes taken. Karpowich said it’s not required, since no votes are taken at a work session, and typically municipalities do not do that.
After a lengthy discussion, McCullough said, “This is not brain surgery, folks. I’m trying hard to get more people to come to the meetings and you’re putting everyone to sleep,” she said, making a motion to accept the bylaw resolution with the changes Begis had requested. It was unanimously approved.
Another exchange erupted when Shuey asked for clarification of a $6,654 bill from Alfred Benesch & Co., Pottsville, and who signed to pay it. Carl said he probably did, and the bill was actually twice that amount, with Hubley Township paying the other half. Begis said the bill was for the township’s response in regard to questions submitted by the Concerned Citizens in their Act 537 appeal litigation.
Wetzel said the Department of Environmental Protection should have its own attorneys, and asked why a plan submitted by Benesch be defended by Benesch. Begis said it was Hegins’ and Hubley’s plan and DEP approved the plan.
Karpowich said the bill Benesch sent was not itemized, at which point Begis asked Karpowich, “Are you working for Shuey, or the board?”
In other business, McCullough made a motion to adopt a resolution having Ann Schiliro fill the vacancy on the township planning commission, and it was approved. Schiliro relocated back to the area from Berks County, and has experience in community revitalization, McCullough said.
Under the public comment period under old business, Leon Maurer, Hegins, urged the supervisors to re-examine the option to ban brake retarders in a portion of the township. He used the scenario that motorists frequently try to dart out from the Tri-Valley Pharmacy along Main Street when they see a piece of heavy equipment coming down the road, or a big truck, so they don’t get stuck behind it. “When you remove that engine brake, you’re taking away twice the braking power of that vehicle,” Maurer said.
Maurer also announced a review of the Act 537 Plan by Ebert Engineering Inc., Skippack, is available for public view at the Tri-Valley Public Library, Hegins.
The next township board meeting will be 7 p.m. March 2, and the next food pantry will be offered March 16.