Lansford Borough Council put its dysfunctional culture on full display a week after a consultant told members it needed to change to govern effectively.

Council members along with the public placed blame for a federal lawsuit that ended in a $230,000 settlement with a part-time police officer after council President Joe Genits asked if anyone had questions about it.

They sniped over using employee names in open discussions, complained about complaints and Right to Know law requests, and anyone defending another person then became the victim on another onslaught.

“No wonder we make the newspapers,” resident and former Councilwoman Rose Mary Cannon commented from the floor.

Councilman Joe Butrie agreed with her, saying simply, “Yes.”

One week earlier, consultant Ben Kafferlin told council a culture of hatred, distrust and bitterness was not conducive to progress and needed to change for the community for progress.

Kafferlin Strategies was hired to map out a five-year strategic plan and planning process under a state grant. Kafferlin suggested council’s culture needed to change before structural change could take place.

On Wednesday, following public comment, council moved onto its business, but the disagreement didn’t end there.

Council was set to move on enrolling its borough secretary Ashley McLaughlin and code officer Shane Monk in the Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System in accordance with their work agreements, but tabled action.

Councilman Bruce Markovich questioned which plan they were choosing, and Councilwoman Michele Bartek said she contacted the actuaries, Foster and Foster, for more information.

They agreed to discuss the matter further in their October workshop meeting, when Markovich mentioned the pension plan the water authority has for its employees being one of the best.

Resident Tommy Vadyak, who sits on the water authority board, agreed, and said that Markovich, a former council president, had all the information.

That prompted questions from Genits regarding the time frame for granting McLaughlin a pension, which was promised when she was hired more than two years ago.

“OK, but my question is, you say you had it over there, why is it taking so long if you have it?” Genits asked Markovich.

“I don’t come into this office, Joe. I have no reason,” Markovich responded, as Genits asked why not.

“Because I can’t stand you,” Markovich asserted, “It’s as simple as that. I cannot stand you. I can’t stand to be in the office with you if you want the truth.”

Genits then thanked Markovich for an email earlier that day and asked if he wanted him to pass out copies.

“I don’t care what you do with it,” Markovich said.

Genits did not disclose what the email was about. He then asked Markovich how many times he complimented the work that he had done in the past and asked for his help.

“You don’t like it because George (Gilbert) was elected president and I moved up the ladder,” Genits said, referring to the former council president who resigned in January after two weeks in the post, leaving him to take over as vice president.

“And look at the mess we’re in right now,” Markovich said.

Genits asked what mess and then blamed Markovich for the same.

“Because you caused it,” Genits said. “Including the Diaz lawsuit.”

Genits earlier blamed Markovich for not reviewing or signing an insurance renewal, which was completed by the former treasurer, Maria Ahner, for the lack of insurance for the lawsuit.

During that same volley, Mayor Denise Leibensperger also blamed Markovich, who was council president at the time, for not reporting a claim to the insurance company, leaving the borough on the hook for the settlement.

Then residents Vadyak and Erin Soberick blamed council for not taking proper action regarding Diaz and preventing the lawsuit and need for coverage.

Following the Genits-Markovich blowup, council slid into finishing the pension discussion, noting that there was money owed retroactively, and Bartek saying she had the code officer’s information.

That topic exhausted, Butrie then quietly asked council to “Continue, please.”

Council was just concluding the second item on its agenda and the meeting, which began at 7 p.m., was already nearly an hour in duration.

Council began earlier in the day with an executive session for personnel for Monk, the code officer, to discuss a “hostile” work environment and the interviewing of secretarial candidates following the resignation of its treasurer.

Council had planned on hiring someone at the special meeting but decided to withdraw a motion to offer one of the five candidates the full-time position to give members time to discuss and consider them all.

Immediately before, council agreed to grant its borough secretary McLaughlin unpaid leave from Oct. 9 to Oct. 18.

She will not attend the next council meeting Oct. 14. McLaughlin will return Oct. 19 to process payroll. Council did not discuss whether the borough office would be open during her absence.