Lansford’s former council president sought to censure a fellow councilman for dealings with the Teamsters union, which represents borough streets workers, but a motion to do so failed.

Two other motions — one detailing the decision and costs related to an unfair labor practice claim brought by the police union and another listing the costs of a sewer project that council reversed itself — passed.

Councilman Bruce Markovich asked council to censure Councilman Joe Butrie for actions dealing with current labor negotiations.

Markovich, in the motion read by Council President George Gilbert, claimed Butrie forwarded a document with false and misleading documents to the union which resulted in the union voting on the documents.

Butrie denied the allegations. He said he served on the negotiation committee with Councilwomen Michele Bartek and Jennifer Staines and acted as a liaison between the committee and borough workers.

“I never ever called the union and said that council approved the contract,” Butrie said.

Markovich said that the borough had an email from the union saying that they approved the contract based on what Butrie sent them.

“It’s pretty clear what went on here,” Markovich said.

Before council voted on the censure, Solicitor Bob Yurchak explained what the term meant.

“Censure means that he did something wrong,” he said. “It’s just a reprimand, a slap on the wrist. There’s nothing more than that.”

Markovich told council that he believed Butrie’s actions put council in a bad position going into negotiations with the union this past week.

Council voted 4-3 against the censure. Voting for the reprimand were Markovich, Bartek and Gwyneth Collevechio.

Council approved a motion to post on the borough website and incorporate into council’s minutes of Jan. 14 the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board decision of Dec. 18, and costs incurred by the borough defending the action.

The decision in Case No. PF-C-24-104-E, Fraternal Order of Police Schuylkill-Carbon Lodge No. 13 vs. Lansford Borough, became final this month. A copy of the order will be posted with this story online.

In the case, the union claimed that Markovich interfered with Sgt. Shawn Nunemacher filing a grievance regarding changing the police pension ordinance on Nov. 12, 2024.

The board found the two men argued about another police pension matter, and not a change to the ordinance, and no unfair labor practice occurred.

Markovich wanted Yurchak’s invoices related to the case listed, and the costs for its employees to comply with subpoenas to attend a hearing in the case.

Those specific costs were not disclosed at the meeting, and Yurchak pointed out that his bills spanned several months.

Council voted in favor of the posting, 5-2. Councilmen Jack Soberick and Joe Genits voted no.

Council also approved a motion to similarly list the costs of the Powell Street Sewer Project on the borough’s website for taxpayers to review.

In November, council decided to redesign the project, which was already under contract with Doli Construction of Chalfont, Bucks County, and preliminary work had begun.

Markovich asked for the costs associated with the project to be listed, Doli Construction, $22,000; ARRO Engineering, $8,100; Dick and Ellen Sarge, $5,000 and the return of $25,000 in federal COVID funding.

Council also wanted the cost of unused sewer pipe listed among the costs listed, which Gilbert said amounted to $26,000.

Markovich criticized council’s decision to stop the project that was under contract and redesign the project, directing the line down a street with two water mains and a sewer main in the way.

Council later in the meeting approved listing the unused sewer pipe for the Powell Street project for sale on Municibid, “as is.”