Macungie Council Leaves VP Hutchison's Resignation on the Table

As some members of Macungie Council fought to keep the public at bay at Monday night's meeting, others engaged in a bit of in-fighting. One of them even resigned. Or tried to resign. Or is still thinking about resigning.

At the beginning of the meeting, Greg Hutchison was vice president of council. He was at the end, too, but somewhere in the middle he quit, though not enough other members took him seriously enough to vote on it and make it stick.

Council member David Boyko, who missed the last two meetings, challenged Hutchison to repeat the suggestion Hutchison made that Boyko should be replaced as Macungie's Emergency Management Director.

Boyko is revising the borough's Emergency Management Plan, a lengthy process. Several council members commented at the time that it would be good if Boyko could step up the process a bit.

Boyko was not there to hear it, but word found its way back and he challenged Hutchison on it. Boyko was appointed to the director's job by the governor several years ago. Replacing him would take some time since the governor would have to appoint somebody else.

Boyko pointed out the irony of Hutchison's accusations by saying that Hutchison has not completed the two weeks of emergency management training required for council members across the state. It would take Hutchison two weeks to complete these trainings, Boyko said.

"Then I quit," Hutchison said, seemingly out of frustration with the situation.

But Boyko questioned him about it and when Hutchison repeated the statement, Boyko seconded the "motion." Council did not take it as a serious motion, but may have to reconsider.

After the meeting Hutchison said he may not only have to step down as vice president, but as council member, too. His employer will not allow him to take two weeks for the training, he said.

Also after the meeting, in a phone interview, Boyko said the required emergency training sessions are tied in to the funding the federal government allots after a disaster. If any council member does not have the training, the borough could have to forfeit emergency funding in the event of a disaster.

Hutchison is not the only council member who does not have the required training, Boyko said.