Lansford Borough Council voted Wednesday night to authorize its solicitor to contact the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General and the Auditor General over the Lansford-Coaldale Water Authority members collecting salary and benefits.

Council Member Tommy Vadyak said, "The authority members have been collecting benefits for years; it is clear violation of the Municipal Authorities Act."Members said the issue has previously been referred to the Pennsylvania Ethics Commission; however there was no action taken by that body.Council hopes that contacting the Attorney General and Auditor General of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will result in some investigation and clarification of the matter.It's not the first time council has sought to rein in salaries and benefits given to water authority board members.Water authority officers are appointed by the borough councils, two from Coaldale and three from Lansford. Vadyak has often said boroughs had originally set compensation at $25 a month or $300 a year.According to 2009 water authority records, the board chairman earned $15,000 a year; the vice chairman/superintendent $47,000; the treasurer $8,000; the secretary $8,000 and the assistant secretary/treasurer $6,800. In addition, the chairman received a $2,250 annual stipend; the vice chairman, treasurer, secretary and assistant secretary-treasurer each received an annual $2,150 stipend.The officers' salaries were increased in 2006 after they began assuming more responsibilities in the wake of the arrest of a longtime employee who admitted embezzling about $80,000 over five years.The employee's $38,000 a year job was eliminated and the wages used to offset some of the officers' pay increases, according to then-board chairman Toby Krajcirik.The Carbon County District Attorney's Office in 2008 determined the practice was not illegal, and suggested taking the matter to the state Ethics Commission.Vadyak did just that. But Ethics Commission Executive Director John J. Contino wrote back to him, saying,"Your complaint fails to provide sufficient specific information to allow a determination as to whether these matters should be further processed. As such, no investigation will be commenced."The state Local Government Commission also weighed in, saying that municipal authorities may award their members compensation as officers, according to the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Act.They may also vote for their own appointment to an officer position and also vote to set their own salaries as an officer. However, if they created the office in order to receive compensation, it could be a violation of the state Ethics Act.Concerns over the salaries and benefits prompted the towns in 2011 to consider selling the water authority to either Aqua Pennsylvania of Bryn Mawr, Montgomery County, a subsidiary of Aqua America Inc., or Pennsylvania American Water, based in Mechanicsburg.Those plans, however, were dropped.Streamline servicesLansford Borough Council also made strides to reduce expenses and improve services.Following an emotionally charged presentation by Council Vice President Mary Soberick, Council voted to remove the borough's zoning duties from Barry Isset and Associates.Soberick questioned billing procedures and charges for services."Are the borough and the taxpayers getting the service for money being spent?"Soberick said, "We charge $45 for a zoning permit and are being charged $55 per hour for service."In addition, Soberick said, "The only information retained by the borough is the initial application for a zoning permit, from that point on all documentation is not kept on file with the borough and that is not right for our town."Solicitor Michael Greek said to council, "You are paying a lot of money for a few phone calls."After a lengthy discussion regarding the concerns over the quality and quantity of services for the fees being assessed, borough council passed a motion to start the process of providing these services in-house.Approval was given to advertise for applicants interested in becoming a zoning officer.In an effort to enhance the services provided by the borough to the residents, Mayor James Romankow reported that all of the current police officers, both full time and part time have become members of the Lansford Fire Department.This is so the officers can receive training and serve a dual purpose while they are working patrol in the borough.As they respond to fire incidents regardless, with the training they have and will be receiving they can assist the fire department with exterior firefighting duties in the event manpower is low.Other topics discussed, mainly during public comment were the issues in the borough regarding snow removal, enforcement of the parking conditions during snow events, as well as road conditions due to the harsh 2015 winter.Council stated during discussion that the roads are being addressed and the public works department has already deployed 10 tons of material to patch potholes throughout the borough.