Lansford Borough Council plans to decertify the current civil service eligibility list and move a part-time officer to full-time status at a special meeting this afternoon.

Council President Bruce Markovich said that civil service commission made too many procedural mistakes with the current list, and the borough’s solicitor feels the list is tainted beyond repair.

Council will also entertain a motion to hire part-time officer, Randy Schlatter, as a full-time officer on the provision he passes his background, polygraph and physiological tests.

“Under the borough code, if you have less than three officers, civil service does not apply, therefore we can hire without the list,” Markovich said in an email.

The borough currently has two full-time police officers, and five part-time officers, three of which were hired in the past year.

The borough police department is also without a police chief since Kyle Woodward left in March. Council has been reviewing applicants and plans to interview top candidates.

Vacancy

Council also has two motions on its agenda regarding the unexpired term of Jay Doyle, who is serving 42 to 84 months in state prison for a 2023 felony assault that left a man hospitalized for five weeks.

A Carbon County judge last month ruled Doyle is unqualified to hold office and ordered his removal during a hearing last month.

Doyle acknowledged he could not continue to serve as council vice president during the hearing, but refused to voluntarily resign from council.

President Judge Roger Nanovic ruled on his removal June 12, and council has 30 days to fill the vacancy.

The two motions include appointing a member of council to fill his unexpired term, and advertising for people to fill his term.

Quality of life

Council will also consider allowing its code enforcement officer to issue quality of life, code enforcement and property maintenance tickets.

In the past, the police union representing the borough police department raised jurisdiction concerns regarding quality of life tickets.

Meeting

The special meeting is set for 4:30 p.m., and the council’s regularly scheduled committee meetings will follow at 5 p.m.