Lower Saucon, in raucous meeting, moves to pursue ending legal fight with Hellertown Library

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Lower Saucon Township Council on Wednesday made moves regarding the township's litigation with Hellertown Library, but spent more time arguing about an underlying conflict.

The nearly four-hour meeting came with a fair share of chaos among the panel and audience.

Council President Priscilla deLeon made a motion to waive any potential conflicts of interest for interim solicitor Steven Goudsouzian and his firm “with regard to any litigation or other interaction with the borough of Hellertown or any other related entity including but not limited to the Hellertown Area Library.”

Goudsouzian served as the solicitor for the Hellertown Zoning Hearing Board but not the borough administration. Hellertown officials approved his resignation at its council meeting Monday evening.

Goudsouzian did not share more on the situation at Lower Saucon's meeting on Wednesday.

He was brought on to serve as the township’s interim solicitor after the former attorney, Mark Freed, resigned after just two weeks on the job.

That conflict-of-interest motion passed 3-2, with councilmen Jason Banonis and Thomas Carocci dissenting.

Prior to the vote, Banonis said the motion didn’t pertain to litigation or personnel matters, and the fact it was discussed during an executive session should be flagged as a violation of the Sunshine Act.

He said it also would violate conflict-of-interest rules of professional conduct that apply to attorneys.

“If I didn’t bring this to you now, nobody would know about it,” Banonis said to the public.

He said to council: “I brought this up when you were hiring Mr. Goudsouzian and this conflict of interest and the risk that he has, that he could be reported to the disciplinary board for this.

"I have not undertaken any of those steps. Somebody in the public may.”

He also said Goudsouzian “couldn’t give me a straight answer” when asked if he’d consulted Hellertown officials regarding the waiver request.

'Gavel Nazi'

Carocci said the geographic locations of both clients among the pending litigation between the two is problematic.

“It’s disgraceful that even [Goudsouzian] doesn’t see that he’s taking money out of his neighbors’ pockets for these shenanigans and ridiculousness of this conflict,” Carocci said, referencing that Goudsouzian is a resident of Lower Saucon.

DeLeon then said that Banonis and Carocci never ended up leaving the “illegal” executive session that took place prior to the official 6:30 p.m. council meeting.

“Yes I did. I walked out of it,” Banonis said.

Carocci asked deLeon why they would “put their heads in the sand” when there’s an obligation for them to call out the behavior publicly.

The whole matter as described by Banonis and Carocci was mischaracterized, Councilwoman Victoria Opthof-Cordaro said.

“I’m 100 percent comfortable with this particular motion made by Ms. deLeon,” Opthof-Cordaro said.

“I am comfortable with the fact that Mr. Goudsouzian represents the Zoning Hearing Board of Hellertown, not the borough of Hellertown. And I’m inclined to vote ‘yes.’”

Council Vice President Laura Ray chose not to comment on the motion.

Banonis and Carocci then asked Goudsouzian who in particular signs his checks when he’s paid for his work advising the Hellertown Zoning Hearing Board.

After some back-and-forth, Goudsouzian said he chose not to comment.

Among the chaos and deLeon trying to control the situation, Carocci called her a “gavel Nazi.”

That continued throughout the evening.

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Lower Saucon Township

'Potential settlement' in the works

Following that vote, Opthof-Cordaro made a motion to authorize Goudsouzian to pursue “potential settlement” among the township, Hellertown Area Library and other related entities, such as the Office of Commonwealth Libraries and Hellertown Borough “to the extent it relates to the Hellertown Area Library.”

Following discussion, that motion passed 3-2.

“You blew the lid off of that; you blew any confidentiality off of those discussions,” Banonis said, referring back to the executive session before the meeting.

He also said the council majority now wanted to “recategorize” the previously approved $98,000 payment to Hellertown Area Library for past-due payments as a “gift.”

The documents to which Banonis referred to weren’t made available for public viewing before the meeting.

DeLeon said that was a separate discussion from the motion on the table.

“We have to start somewhere,” deLeon said. “And I think this is a good start to get our relationships back.”

'Stupid'

Here’s Banonis’ synopsis of the relationship between Lower Saucon Township and Hellertown Area Library.

“It is utterly unconscionable that some in this council would advocate rewarding this mismanagement, this malfeasance and this corruption,” Banonis said, after referencing financial and staffing issues among some of the borough’s various departments.

“Stupid, this is stupid. This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard, and I’ve heard a lot of stupid things from some people on this council.”

Carocci agreed soon after, saying the library is “100 percent guilty of fraud in one way or another.”

He even said Goudsouzian’s wife served on the Hellertown Library Board at the time of some of the issues.

Council Vice President Ray said the special counsel previously brought on under the former administration to address the library litigation would step aside for the time being under the new motion.

She said the firm has been paid more than $200,000 “for going around in circles so far.”

“To end this, we want to re-establish our relationship" with the library, Ray said. “We do need library services.

“It has been known that there are no other libraries wanting to work with us.”

Carocci said that $200,000 charge came from having to keep the firm on call while the library “wasn’t cooperating.”

“This is not a settlement offer,” Carocci said. “This is a cover-up offer."