Lansford Borough Council will continue to discuss forming a policy requiring borough officials, such as code, zoning and police, to attend monthly council meetings and provide verbal reports.

Council on Thursday tabled action and referred discussions to committee even as Mayor Denise Leibensperger raised concerns about the police officers attending.

The mayor usually provides council with a report on police activity, she said, and the borough’s officer-in-charge is a union position. Sgt. Shawn Nunemacher currently serves in that position, in lieu of a police chief.

“He’s a union employee,” Leibensperger said. “It’s not in his (standard operating procedures) and it’s not in the union contract.”

Council President Joseph Genits said the requirement could be added, as the borough will be negotiating a new police contract. The current contract expires at the end of the year.

“He’s not coming here,” Leibensperger said.

Councilman Jack Soberick pointed out that these are borough employees and are under no obligation to be interrogated by the public at a meeting.

“They’re here to answer our questions,” he said, referring to council noting that council doesn’t have to answer the public’s questions, but should. “That would be for committee.”

The mayor also accused Genits of overstepping onto her responsibilities and duties and directing police officers. Genits flatly denied those allegations.

Council moved the discussion regarding a possible policy to committee.

Other business

In other business, council:

• Approved a resolution updating the names of authorized signers for the bank accounts following the new appointments of president and vice president of council.

• Approved Genits, council president, and Councilwoman Michele Bartek as grant administrators/points of contact for outstanding grant applications.

• Tabled a review of an employee agreement with Shane Monk, code enforcement officer. The matter was referred to committee for review.

• Tabled action on readvertising for a cleaning person for the borough building and police station. This was referred to the municipal administration committee for review of current applicants and background checks.

• Approved the attendance of Bartek at a grant writing seminar sponsored by the state Association of Boroughs on March 10 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Delaware Valley Trust in Horsham.

• Referred a discussion about the removal of dead wood from borough property to the public works committee.