Mundie's Flip Flop On Solicitors

 



At the last Hazleton City Council meeting Councilman Kevin Schadder introduced a new noise ordinance for consideration.  He made a very professional presentation to fellow council members on the need for the new ordinance.  He invited them to bring their amendments if they were so inclinded to offer one.  Schadder was very clear that he was flexible on the ordinance.

Councilman Jack Mundie said while he didn't think Schadder's ordinance was "bad" he questioned the need to introduce a new ordinance since the last ordinance was passed in 2006.  Mundie asked Schadder why he simply didn't introduce amendments to the existing ordinance.

Mundie questioned Solicitor Chris Slusser on the charge for his time reviewing the ordinance.  He stated "Chris was it two hundred, three hundred. four, five, six, seven?".  Attorney Slusser told Mundie that he "didn't have that much time in the ordinance."  Mundie retorted that he was trying to save money.  He didn't like paying expenses especially for "lawyers."

It was Mr. Mundie who insisted a solicitor attend City Council meetings regardless of whether there was a need for the solicitor or not.

In this article written by Sam Galski of the Standard Speaker Councilman Mundie tried to introduce a resolution to mandate Slusser's attendance at council meetings.  Although the resolution was improper and carried no weight even if passed, Mundie chose to seize the opportunity for political purposes.

 Each council meeting generally lasts about 2 hours.  Attorney Slusser's rate is $125.00 per hour.  There are 21 council meetings a year.  Mr. Mundie doesn't mind spending $5,250.00 of taxpayer money to have the solicitor babysit him during council meetings regardless on whether he is needed or not.

Attorney Slusser attended the March 10, 2013 meeting arriving at 4:30 P.M.  The meeting lasted until 9:30P.M.  Attorney Slusser's bill for that meeting was $625.00.  It is amazing Mr. Mundie had the gall to attack Schadder over at most a $125.00 bill.  Taxpayers paid for Slusser to listen to Mundie's nonsense.

Evidently Mr. Mundie wants to chide his fellow member for allegedly costing the taxpayer's money for doing exactly what a council member should do.  Mr. Schadder ran his legislation past Attorney Slusser so its legality was proper before bringing it before Council.  If Mr. Mundie did the same with his resolution it wouldn't have seen the light of day.  But then again that wasn't Mr. Mundie's intention.  He wanted to banter to the public over a fabricated issue taken from Politics 101.

Councilman Mundie didn't mind when the taxpayers paid for his healthcare for seven years.  I guess his saving money is more important than the taxpayer.