Tensions between Slatington Borough council members has escalated to one member filing a civil harassment complaint.

On March 9, longtime councilman and lifelong borough resident Bryon Reed filed the charge against newly appointed council member Melvin Gildner for harassment with a threat of physical contact for an incident that occurred Feb. 17 in the municipal building.Reed quoted Gildner in the complaint as saying, "If I was not a Christian I would take a chair and put the leg through your stomach."Though the pair have known each other for over a decade, Reed said he was reluctant to let the threat pass over."I was going to let it go, but then I thought about it. You hear on the news all the time that people you didn't think will do things do them," Reed said. "It's not normal behavior for someone to say something that graphic.""It's been a back-and-forth for some time," Reed said.Gildner had a history of contention with the board before he was appointed to a council vacancy left by Robert Steets in January.Gildner was the only resident to apply for the position.During the board's monthly February meeting Gildner worked with councilmen Joe Wechsler, Jon Rinker and David Schnaars to remove the council's president, Gwyneth Jones, and replace her with Schnaars in a 4-3 vote.Jones resigned almost immediately, citing the "unethical" actions of the board.The harassment incident took place late last month when both councilmen were present in the borough building's office."He was sitting at a desk behind the glass just behind the door. I was speaking with one of the women in the office and said, 'It must be something in our water up there on Kuehner Avenue,' because Gildner and Rinker are on the same line," Reed said.Reed said Gildner got up and said, " 'Don't talk to me, stay 5 feet away from me.' I said, 'I'm a councilman just like you. I can be in the office.' "Reed said Gildner got up to go to the phone and said he was going to call the police.Reed said that was when Gildner made the remark about the chair leg."Then I went downstairs to the police department," Reed said.An officer then came upstairs to the office to speak to Reed in the hallway.Reed informed the officer of Gildner's comment."The officer then went back in the hall and talked to Gildner again before coming back into the office and calling me back out into the hall."Reed said shortly after that, the officer left. No police action was taken at the time.Reed filed the complaint shortly afterward when he said he was told by a fellow Slatington resident that "Gildner has it out for you.""After I heard that, I thought about the incident at the borough, and because you just never know how these things can end up, I filed with the magistrate."Gildner has pleaded not guilty to the charge."I'm going to fight the issue," Gildner said."The man is lying. At 71 years old, I don't have anything on my record. He did this so that he could drag my name through the mud."Gilder said he has filed two separate harassment charges against Reed through the police, though no action was ever taken."I didn't take it in front of the magistrate because he's not worth my time or my money," Gildner said."This town has big issues right now, and me getting on council is their worst nightmare."The councilman alleges the current round of auditing for the borough's bookkeeping is uncovering discrepancies."We are spending all this money for auditors but no one is coming forward. It's costing the borough thousand of dollars," he said."This is Reed's game now. But he better be very careful, because if he damages my reputation it would be a lawsuit. I have witnesses and I definitely want to meet him in front of the judge. I have nothing to hide."Slatington Magistrate District Judge Rod R. Beck has recused himself from the case, and the incident will be presided over by Judge Robert Halal in Whitehall.A date has yet to be set for the case.