A brief delay in a presentation regarding digitizing Lansford Borough’s rental licensing and code enforcement process allowed for an explosive exchange during a council workshop Tuesday night.

Council President Joe Genits started the meeting while Councilman John Zym prepared a videoconference link with a Virginia-based firm offering the cloud-based platform for various municipal processes including permits and complaints.

During public comment, resident Tommy Vadyak questioned code officer certification and advice given by a previous solicitor, which evolved into accusations regarding the borough’s recent settlement of a federal lawsuit.

Zym, ready to move to the presentation, attempted to interrupt the discourse between Vadyak and Genits, but they ignored him.

“All right, that’s enough!” Zym yelled at them after letting them continue for a few minutes. “I’ve got somebody here waiting to say what he needs to say!”

Vadyak, now also in a raised voice, asked Zym, “Who the hell do you think you’re yelling at?”

Zym replied, “I’m yelling at you, because you won’t stop. I said, ‘Excuse me, I have someone who wants to give us a presentation.’ ”

Vadyak again asked Zym who he thought he was talking to, asserting, “I’m a taxpayer here.”

Zym continuing to yell, said, “I’m a taxpayer also, Tommy. I’m a taxpayer also. Don’t you forget that either.”

Genits attempted to regain order, but then Vadyak and Zym ignored him and continued, and Genits called Vadyak out of order — twice.

“One more rap, and you’re out,” Genits told Vadyak, who calmly responded that Genits could get the police to have him removed.

Genits told him that he would ask him to leave, if he didn’t calm down, and Vadyak responded that he wasn’t the one out of line. And Zym yelled that he was still waiting.

Everyone agreed to move on, and Zym introduced Domantas Backus, an account manager for Cloudpermit, who explained what services his company could provide Lansford.

The company’s online platform and software could be used for a variety of different municipal functions, including permitting, planning, inspections, code enforcement, licensing and public works.

Residents or property owners would be able to apply and pay for licenses or permits online 24/7, as well as file complaints and receive notifications about those complaints, according to Backus.

The system would allow staff to quickly generate reports or queries and allows for unlimited users and data storage. There are no limits or additional fees for online complaints filed, he said in response to a question from a resident.

Backus also pointed out an artificial intelligence assistant, Nova, which allows residents to ask questions, such as, “How do I submit a complaint?” he said.

“It will take me step by step on how to submit a complaint, and what that process looks like,” he said.

The system also allows people to schedule inspections as required for rental licenses online, or to look up public records such as active licenses, if the borough chooses to allow that access, Backus said.

The municipality can build out a system that works best for that community and start with certain modules and add others later, he said.

Zym said that he was interested in the product for rental licensing specifically, which would make the application process easier for property owners.

The borough would pay an annual fee of $6,400 for the service and that would increase 4% each year with renewals on a typical five-year subscription, Backus said. The borough also maintains ownership of all its data, which can be backed up, he said.

Zym said that he uses a system with similar online reporting for his home inspection business, and came across Cloudpermit, which is specifically for municipalities.

Cloudpermit, which has been around for about 15 years, works with 1,300 communities across North America and is in 49 different states, Backus said.