The monthly Slatington Borough Council meeting dissolved into a heated exchange between council members when the search for a borough manager was suggested.

Councilman Joseph Wechsler recommended the board begin a new search for a manager in hopes of finding someone who can improve the town's image."We're losing a lot of time and money. We are doing a great disservice to the community and we need to hire someone to steer the ship," he said.He told the board someone who would work well as a go-between for council and residents is needed."Our administration has done great but we need to hire someone. We needed to concentrate on cleaning up the borough. We can't see why anyone would want to buy property or storefronts. No one wants to come here," he said.Fellow board member Jon Rinker agreed with Wechsler, listing several examples of "unsanitary" conditions within the municipality."There are a stack of pictures and complaints on (borough secretary Duane) Dellecker's desk for four months that haven't been addressed. We need someone on full-time staff to get these things done," he said."We speak to these people and they laugh about it. There are health hazards," Rinker said.Rinker told the board that the future manager needs to be someone new, "and not friends with someone to see what they can get away with.""We don't put in full-time hours here," Wechsler said. "A borough manager would put in full-time hours.""Drive up here, or to Victory Park or Main Street and take a good, hard look and ask yourself, 'would I stay in this town to eat at the any of these places?' There's no reason for it to look like this. Look at all the pictures," Rinker said before turning to fellow councilman Bryon Reed."And Reed, half those properties are yours," he said."With all the things you picked out, you are saying public works aren't doing their job," Reed responded."No, I'm not. Don't put words in my mouth," Wechsler said."We've had enough years of this baloney," Rinker said.Council President Gwyneth Jones rapped her gavel on the desk to regain civility in the room. A motion began to form to put out a request for applications to get the interview process started with all in agreement that a manager is needed."Jon, when you want to open your big mouth and condemn me, just remember I spend more money here, more time here than you ever will," Reed said.Rinker stood from his chair, "I spent 25 years in the volunteer fire department, six years as a Scout leader. I've spent hours on the Sons of the American Legion. I've volunteered in this community," he said.Jones again rapped her gavel on the desk to quell the argument."I've worked in this borough for 15 years," Reed said. " And saved this borough money.""I don't care how many apartments you've built. I want the ones built cleaned up," Rinker said.With tempers still smoldering, the board ceased fire and grew quiet."We want to do this now, not wait till it's Thanksgiving," Wechsler said.Authority was given to the finance committee to begin a preliminary screening process for the potential hire.Before the argument, during public comment, Brian Ruth of First Street handed the council a petition signed by 42 residents from First and Second streets to have Chestnut Alley paved."It's in poor condition," he said. "There have been washouts from rainstorms and heavy traffic from Verizon trucks traveling this street. Numerous patch repairs have been tried but have been washed out. It needs to be fixed."Along with the signatures, Ruth handed over a folder of photographs of the alley between Franklin and Church streets. No action was taken.