Lansford’s mayor is calling for an investigation into illegal wiretapping at the borough building.

Mayor Denise Leibensperger issued a statement Thursday stating that the borough’s video and audio surveillance system for more than two years has been recording “conversations including executive sessions.”

Those conversations include police department matters and contract negotiations with the police union, she said.

“Three members of borough council knew that the surveillance system was recording audio,” Leibensperger alleged in her statement without naming any specific council member.

She stated that she did not know about the audio recordings and did not consent to having any confidential conversations recorded.

Leibensperger also stated that Councilmen Joseph Genits, Joseph Butrie and John Zym were unaware and did not give consent.

“This raises serious legal concerns under Pennsylvania’s Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Control Act,” she wrote, noting that intentionally capturing oral communications without authorization or consent is a third-degree felony.

“I want to be perfectly clear: Knowledge of the recording system, authorization of audio interception and consent from the individuals whose conversations were recorded are three separate legal questions,” Leibensperger said.

“All three must be investigated,” she said.

Leibensperger demanded an independent investigation to establish who authorized the audio interception, who knew about it, who accessed the recordings, and why other participants were not informed.

She also demanded the immediate preservation of all recordings, vendor records, access logs, correspondence and system settings.

“No evidence should be altered or destroyed,” Leibensperger said.

She stated that this matter does not involve a political disagreement, and that no council member is above the law or entitled to special treatment.

“This is a serous matter involving potentially unlawful surveillance of confidential government discussions,” Leibensperger said.

Genits agreed with an investigation, if Leibensperger had a specific case or reason. He stated that he recently learned about the issue with the borough’s camera system and had the audio shut off.

He did not know what the date was that he sent the request, or when it was officially discontinued.

Genits noted that he has also posted signs in the borough building advising people that surveillance cameras were in use inside.

Last month, Zym admitted to inadvertently livestreaming an executive session with representatives from Kafferlin Strategies.

Kafferlin is the consultant working on recommendations for a five-year strategic plan under the state Strategic Training and Management Training program.

Zym had livestreamed an earlier budget session and did not successfully shut off the livestream before the executive session.

That livestream ran for more than an hour and a half before it was discovered and discontinued.