Controller Melinda Kantner was escorted by deputy sheriffs from the work session held Wednesday at the courthouse in Pottsville after a verbal confrontation with the Schuylkill County Commissioners.

"I will file a complaint with the state attorney general and you will hear from my solicitor" were her parting words as she left under escort."What happened to the other complaints you filed?" shot back Commissioner Chairperson Mantura Gallagher.The action took place at the start of the work session during the public comment segment on the agenda. Kantner, who had been limited over the last four years to only addressing the commissioners at the public comment portion of the meeting, began reading a statement.She began, "Effective Aug. 1, all county items fitting the description of 'materials and supplies' will be placed on competitive bid. Unfortunately, there is a perception that only certain vendors are allowed to conduct business with the County of Schuylkill."At this point Commissioner Francis McAndrews spoke up."You are making a political statement," he said. "You are out of line."Kantner ignored his request and continued."PA County Code dictates that purchases between $4,000 and $10,000 in value must have at least three quotes obtained," stated Kantner.Both McAndrews and Gallagher told her to stop, again accusing her of making a political statement."If you persist, we will call the sheriff to remove you from the meeting," Gallagher warned Kantner.Kantner said it was the public segment of the meeting and she was allowed to have her say and was asked for specific incidents. She stated that last year Klingaman's received approximately $80,000 in orders without any bids. She also accused the prison warden of purchasing items just underneath the bid request to avoid bidding. She claims bids favored businesses who contributed campaign funds to the commissioners.This was more than the commissioners could stand and Gallagher got up from her chair and used a telephone in the room and called the sheriff's office located on a floor above. Two deputies quickly arrived.Gallagher then told Kantner to "please leave." She repeated the request several times.At first Kantner said, "I'm going to stay for the remainder of the meeting," but then relented and walked out.After things calmed down, Gallagher apologized to those present and rebutted the accusations made by Kantner. Gallagher explained the purchases made at Klingaman's Store were office supplies over a 12-month period and not purchases made in bulk."We were not going to order a thousand pencils at one time, but got them as our supply required. We abide by the county code 100 percent. Also the people she referred to, we don't even know personally and do not know to whom they made political contributions."Mark Scarbinsky, financial officer, commented that he had spoken with the county solicitor prior to the meeting and was advised if Kantner was disruptive she could be removed from the meeting."It was very obvious she was using the meeting to make a political statement," McAndrew commented, "and this is totally out of line."Before Kantner left McAndrew quietly spoke to her across the table, advising her to obtain medical help."Are you kidding?" was her response.Gallagher said had she spoken quietly and not raised her voice and got into a shouting match, she would have allowed her to continue. Kantner was escorted to her office on the first floor of the courthouse by the deputies without any incident.Kantner's term as controller ends in December. She had renounced the Democratic Party, which was the ticket she was elected controller on four years ago, and announced that she plans to run as an Independent in the general election in November. She claims the Democratic political bosses would have tried to defeat her in the Primary Election which concluded two weeks ago.Although she was not on the ballot in the Primary Election, Kantner did received write-in votes. She received 69 votes on the Republican ballot and 156 write-in votes on the Democratic ballot.