Schuylkill Commissioners’ Chairman Barron “Boots” Hetherington shouted for Jeff Dunkel, the former mayor of Mount Carbon, to leave the commissioners’ meeting Wednesday after Dunkel repeatedly made comments he didn’t deem appropriate.

“Out. Out. Out,” Hetherington said to Dunkel, of Palo Alto, who left the board room on his own.

It was the first time the public was permitted to attend since the start of the pandemic. Zoom meetings are broadcast, but only listening is permitted.

At the start of the meeting, Hetherington said they welcomed public participation.

“Comments that are not acceptable will not be tolerated,” he said.

He also asked those in attendance to limit their comments to three minutes.

Dunkel was the only member of the public to speak. Among other things, he said the audio system is lacking, questioned the qualifications of the new chief assessor, mentioned why county officials were going to Hetherington’s farm in Ringtown to pick strawberries and alluded to sexual harassment in the courthouse.

“The sexual harassment that goes on in this courthouse is pathetic,” Dunkel said.

“You’re done. You’re done. You’re done,” Hetherington said.

Commissioner George Halcovage Jr. has been sued in federal court by four women, all Schuylkill County employees, who have accused him of sexual harassment. Their names are not in the lawsuit, where they are identified as Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2, Jane Doe 3 and Jane Doe 4. Other defendants are also named in the suit.

Dunkel also claimed other county officials had sexual harassment allegations against them.

He said Kent Hatter, who was hired in May as the chief assessor, wasn’t qualified. He said Hatter isn’t a certified Pennsylvania evaluator. The requirement is needed according to the Assessors Certification Act. However, a three-year grace period is given when hired, according to the Assessors’ Association of Pennsylvania.

“I need to educate you on the fact that the assessment office has nothing to do with the tax claim sale,” First Assistant Solicitor Glenn Roth told Dunkel, who talked about the sales.

He told Dunkel twice about the rules of the meeting.

“The chairman is in charge of the order of this room,” Roth said, adding Hetherington has the power to make him leave.

Dunkel said county officials should not be picking strawberries while working for the taxpayers.

“Not on county time. I think that’s despicable,” Dunkel said.

After the meeting, Hetherington said he isn’t the one who thought of the idea. Treasurer Linda Marchalk, Controller Sharyn Yackenchick, and Prothonotary Bridget Miller approached him. Hetherington said he would donate the strawberries if they volunteered to pick them. Marchalk said they would be donated to the Shenandoah Manor kitchen, a nursing center.

“We wanted to do something nice,” Yackenchick said.

She is volunteering on her lunch hour.

Sheriff deputies did not attend the meeting. Hetherington said he will talk with Halcovage, Commissioner Gary Hess and County Administrator Gary Bender if they should be there. Hetherington said he will not place a limit on the number of people from the public who can attend the meetings. He said Dunkel was asked to leave the meeting last week because the commissioners had not discussed the public being invited back to attend.

Public comment limited

Commissioners curtailed public comment in October. The motion set guidelines for participation, and among other things, requires those attending virtually to submit their comments to the county clerk in writing within a specified time frame. Speakers are limited to three minutes in person. Hess voted against the measure.

At times, decorum was lacking when residents would call in.