A high-profile attorney found evidence of harassment by the mayor and deep, politically paralyzing divides in the township.
Lopatcong Township is considering what discipline may be appropriate following a scathing report that found evidence the mayor made sexually harassing statements about the township clerk.
The report, obtained this week by lehighvalleylive.com, described a feud between Mayor Tom McKay and Clerk/Administrator Beth Dilts as a symptom of deep, political divides paralyzing the township government and preventing it from functioning.
Some actions were taken based on the investigator's recommendations.
"Our job is to mitigate liability to the township," Council President Lori Ciesla said after proposing that the clerk report to her rather than the mayor.
That vote passed, though McKay and Councilwoman Donna Schneider abstained. The council was unanimous in a vote to begin engaging employees about proper conduct.
Ciesla said no discipline would be meted Wednesday, and any vote would follow discussion with the township's attorneys.
MORE: 'Nasty' political feud causing dysfunction, investigator finds
The investigation
The township in June hired high-profile attorney Lee Vartan, a partner in the New York City-based international law firm Holland & Knight, to investigate a complaint by Dilts.
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Beth DiltsThe complaint alleged McKay and two employees questioned the sexuality of Dilts and a township volunteer while they were away for a conference in May.
Vartan's investigation could not find enough evidence to verify that specific complaint, but did determine through interviews that the mayor has made disparaging comments about the clerk -- including, by McKay's own admission, calling Dilts and another woman "man-haters."
The investigation report recommended the mayor be disciplined for his comments. It also suggested immediate counseling for all township employees on harassment and discrimination policies.
The report stated that Dilts and various political factions within the township also bear responsibility for the dysfunction. It recommended that the chain of command in the municipal building be more clearly defined and that an independent mediator be hired for interactions between the mayor and Dilts.
The animosity described in the report on display in spurts Wednesday night as council members snapped back and forth with each other and residents in the audience on unrelated topics.
Past problems
It's been a rocky year for McKay, who took office in January.
At his first meeting, there were legal questions over his planning board appointments.
In March, he was criticized for accessing municipal building security footage, though he was eventually allowed to continue.
Before he took office, a police report was filed against McKay, then mayor-elect, when he tried to attend an closed-session interview for the township's chief financial officer position.
Dilts has also faced trouble in her official capacities. In April, she was fined for twice using municipal resources to campaign for council and school board candidates.
She is the township's highest-paid employee, working several positions. In 2013, she made a total $165,336. The township eliminated her $15,600 administrator salary this year.
Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
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