LOWER SAUCON TWP., Pa. — A Lehigh County law firm has been chosen to consult Lower Saucon Township in labor matters.
Township Council voted 3-2 on Wednesday to appoint Hoffman and Hlavac of the Allentown area as its new township labor attorney.
Councilmen Jason Banonis and Thomas Carocci opposed the motion.
Hoffman and Hlavac will charge $225 per hour for its consulting, compared with the $290 per hour for the services of former attorney Michael Miller of Harrisburg-based firm Eckert Seamans.
Banonis said that based on the information provided to the panel and the situation at hand, he saw the new attorney to be a “jack of all trades” who “magically appeared here before us,” as opposed to former attorney Miller’s work focused on labor law.
“[Michael Miller] provided competent labor attorney services to the township for a number of years, negotiated a number of contracts very favorably to the township residents and taxpayers."Lower Saucon Township Councilman Jason Banonis
Banonis also said he wasn’t aware of Miller and his firm ever having been terminated.
“He provided competent labor attorney services to the township for a number of years, negotiated a number of contracts very favorably to the township residents and taxpayers,” he said.
Miller had negotiated the last police union contract and other non-police matters for the township, according to Carocci.
Regarding the new attorney, Councilwoman Victoria Ophthof-Cordaro later said, “I think every member of council had the opportunity to speak with this attorney and call him and ask questions that they have this evening — so if they haven’t done that, it’s on them.”
'Putting taxpayers at risk'
Councilwoman Laura Ray, who was overseeing the meeting because council President Priscilla deLeon was attending by phone, said she recalled the Eckert Seamans rate being “a lot higher,” and mentioned the $290 hourly charge.
“There’s value added in that because [Miller is] efficient,” Banonis said in response.
“He understands the township personnel and the issues; there’s no need to get up to speed on the issues.”
Councilman Thomas Carocci then said he remembered the former deal with Eckert Seamans didn’t require the township to cover travel charges to come from Harrisburg.
“We had a very good labor attorney. [Opthof-Cordaro is] trying to punish our labor attorney for his actions in the library litigation. She’s putting taxpayers at risk.”Lower Saucon Township Councilman Thomas Carocci
Councilwoman Victoria Opthof-Cordaro then said H&H has an Allentown address.
And Eckert Seamans billed the township for “hundreds of thousands of dollars” to handle litigation with the Hellertown library, she added.
“We had a very good labor attorney,” Carocci said.
Opthof-Cordaro is "trying to punish our labor attorney for his actions in the library litigation," Carocci said.
"She’s putting taxpayers at risk.”
'Crickets'
Township resident Dave Boulin said he wanted to know why the former firm was on tap to be replaced, and that no one during the meeting up to that point had really specified a reason.
A few seconds of silence went by.
“Crickets,” Banonis said.
“This is for labor attorneys specifically, so it’s nothing to do with the library or those cases,” Ray then said.
“This is for labor attorneys specifically, so it’s nothing to do with the library or those cases."Lower Saucon Township Councilwoman Laura Ray
Earlier in the meeting, Banonis made a motion to approve the same attorney approval letter as outlined, but with Eckert Seamans “and/or” Michael Miller in place of Hoffman and Hlavac.
That motion would end up failing 3-2, with Banonis and Carocci dissenting.
“Leopard never changes its spots,” Banonis said following the vote.
