During a special meeting Wednesday, Coaldale council members hired a grant writer and vowed to work together for the good of the borough.

But before that "work together" stuff could start, they rehashed some old arguments: Is the mayor the mayor, were votes taken during past meetings done properly, and even who sits next to who during meetings.By unanimous vote, council voted to work with Mary Linkevich of Tamaqua, who is director of communications and grant for Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Drehersville. Linkevich said once council members provide a list of the top two or three pressing projects, she'll put together the list of opportunities and deadlines, any matching fund requirements, and research that must be accomplished.She said she'd also work with members of council to help teach them to participate in grant writing."All these communities around us are getting tons of money," said council President Thomas Keerans. "I know this is new, but I think we have everything to gain and very little to lose."Councilwoman Angela Krapf said, "I think it would be helpful to have somebody who knows what they are doing." Krapf heads the grant committee for the borough.Councilman Frank Hutta said the borough needs a lot of infrastructure work, in particular regarding its aged sewer lines."We need to do something," Hutta said. "There's a lot that needs to be done and we need to get started."Hutta heads the Coaldale Complex committee. The Coaldale Complex is the former Coaldale High School, which is owned by the borough and rented to Pathstone, a Head Start organization from Carbon County.Hutta, who is a contractor, said he'd done some work at the complex, closing up 22 windows and fixing 30 windows. He is not charging the borough for the work.Hutta suggested that groups that rent the complex's gym provide certificates of insurance and/or nonprofit status. Also, he wants the committee to develop written rules and regulations regarding the use of the complex.Acting on Hutta's request, council voted to allow the purchase of replacement screens and locks for the complex windows.Public CommentDuring the public comment portion of the meeting, resident Paul Koppi addressed Mayor Joel Johnson. In December, council had appointed Francis Rodriguez, but during a meeting earlier this month ousted him because he could not prove that he'd resided in the borough for a year, which is a requirement."I have a feeling you're not really the mayor," Koppi said to Johnson. "That man (Rodriguez), he voted, he took the oath and was appointed, and he should have served until the next election."When Koppi continued, implying that Johnson hadn't provided all the needed credentials for the position, including a background check, Johnson handed him a sheaf of papers. Koppi took a look at the papers, and had no further comment. He left the meeting.Keerans and Krapf argued about the council votes regarding the appointments of the mayors, both Rodriguez and Johnson. Krapf pointed out that she'd been taken to task for improperly voting in favor of Rodriguez. According to borough code, when the mayor position is vacant, the council president becomes the acting mayor and assumes those duties.Krapf was council president when she voted for Rodriguez during a December meeting. Earlier this month, council members voted to remove Rodriguez, meaning that Keerans then became acting mayor, but Keerans then voted in favor of Johnson.Keerans pointed out that Johnson was appointed by a 4-3 vote. If he hadn't voted, the vote would have been 3-3, and as acting mayor, he'd have cast the tie-breaker vote.During the Dec. 16 meeting, council had deadlocked on appointing Johnson to council, with Krapf, Brenda Hosler and Harry Hontz voting against the appointment, and Keerans, Mike Doerr and Yvonne Stoffey voting in favor. Council then deadlocked on the Rodriguez appointment with the same votes, convened the vacancy board, and Skip Miller cast the tie-breaker vote in favor of Rodriguez.Keerans said that although the vote in favor of Johnson turned out the same, either way, "It was an oversight on my part."Hosler asked why she'd been asked to change her seat, a move that lines up her, Krapf and Hontz across from Stoffey, Hutta and Doerr. Some residents also commented, saying that it looks like a three-against-three setting.Keerans responded that a council member had requested the move. Although Keerans seemed to want to end the discussion there, Hutta responded that he'd requested the change. Hosler formerly sat to Hutta's right.Hutta said that during meetings, Hosler had been talking to him, offering him candy from the desk drawer in front of her. He said that he'd found it distracting, and requested the change."I like to pay attention to what I'm doing," he said.Keerans closed the meeting with a plea to council."The lines of communication need to be open," Keerans said. "Everybody's at fault, and we need to start working together."