OLYPHANT - Tensions among some council members came to a head this week when a motion to unseat the council president failed narrowly.
A day after Councilwoman Dina Harrington's motion to remove Robert Hudak as council president failed, she and other council members expressed concern about his leadership, which Ms. Harrington likened to a dictatorship. Mr. Hudak said the claims were political.
Jo Ann Jason, Dave Mitchko and Ms. Harrington voted to remove him from the position at Tuesday's meeting. Councilmen Michael Abda, Robert Hooper, Jerry Tully and Mr. Hudak voted no.
After the meeting, Ms. Jason also asked why Mr. Hudak denied her request to be on a committee negotiating with PPL EnergyPlus. Mr. Hudak, borough manager and solicitor C.J. Mustacchio and borough electrical engineer Alan Kosydar are negotiating how nearly $360,000 of electricity the borough wasn't charged for will be repaid, after a faulty meter failed to register the use.
"I want to hear it with my own ears," Ms. Jason said Wednesday. "I want to be able to ask questions and make sure I have answers."
Mr. Hudak said it is the president's duty to appoint committees, which report back to the council and a smaller group was preferable during negotiations.
But both councilwomen said issues they raise are regularly disregarded.
"He feels as though what we say doesn't count," Ms. Harrington said, adding she believes he will be unseated when the council reorganizes in January.
"Quite frankly we're tired of getting bullied around," Ms. Jason said.
Mr. Hudak said the criticism has come after he didn't support Mr. Mitchko, who failed to win a nomination in the primary election.
"They're trying to do anything they can to find fault with me," he said. "I'm not a dictator and I try to run a sensible meeting."
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