A Carbon County court hearing in a civil lawsuit seeking the removal of Palmerton Area School District Board member Earl Paules has been pushed back more than two months after one of the plaintiffs requested more time to secure legal representation.

Carbon County Judge Steven R. Serfass issued a scheduling order March 30 continuing the argument hearing from Thursday to June 5 at 9 a.m. in Courtroom 3 of the Carbon County Courthouse in Jim Thorpe.

The continuance came after plaintiff Danielle Jones filed a motion March 17 asking the court for additional time. “To obtain legal counsel,” Jones wrote in her motion, was the reason for her request.

The civil action was filed in January by Jones, Deborah Kleckner and Amy Strohl, all proceeding at the time without a lawyer, against Paules, who is represented by attorney Drew P. McLaughlin. The suit grew out of a community petition calling for Paules’ removal from the school board.

That petition, signed by dozens of Palmerton area residents and notarized by Carbon County Notary Public Wendy S. Borger, alleged Paules engaged in unprofessional actions toward the district’s superintendent.

“As tax-paying citizens, we are entitled to a higher standard of municipal service and he is a liability to the tax-payers, the children, and the entire district,” the petition states.

The petition cited unprofessionalism, bullying tactics, gross use of authority and lack of ethical standards as specific areas of concern.

Petitioners requested, “a formal resignation or removal from the board be implemented immediately.”

Jones served her continuance motion at Palmerton’s March 17 school board meeting by handing it to a KRE Security officer, who then took it to Paules. Palmerton contracts with KRE to provide security on school grounds.