SUNBURY - Northumberland County Commissioner Chairman Vinny Clausi claimed Tuesday that fellow Commissioner Rick Shoch "charges the county to come to work" because he submits mileage reimbursement for travel involving the role of commissioner.
The resulting uproar led to attorney Gregory A. Stuck, after his defense of Shoch, being led from the meeting room by security at Clausi's request.
In the end, however, Shoch joined Clausi and Stephen Bridy in approving a motion that says commissioners will no longer receive such reimbursement.
That topic arose from a motion earlier in the meeting by Shoch, who suggested commissioners hold one meeting each in the Milton area and the Shamokin area before the end of the year. Not all county residents are able to make the drive to Sunbury, he said.
Clausi and Stephen Bridy, however, cited concerns about costs for county employees and having equipment for meetings outside the administration building.
"I don't think it's wise at this point to spend the money," Bridy said.
Shoch said he would like to revisit the issue in January, after which Clausi leveled his criticism about Shoch.
"I never seen any commissioner charge mileage when we work for the people in the county. I never took mileage from nobody," Clausi said.
That prompted Stuck, who had represented former county planning commission Chairman Montie Peters in a public hearing minutes before the mileage discussion, to level his own criticism at Clausi.
"Let's talk about something important!" he shouted. "How much money is paid for by the county for lawsuits you got us into?"
Stuck was then escorted from the room.
Clausi then provided the media with copies of Shoch's travel details. County employees receive 55 cents a mile, and Shoch had submitted reimbursement for 731 miles between Jan. 27 and June 25, a total of $405.71, plus $7 in parking fees.
The mileage total was for 20 trips, which included identification such as "1/27-CPWDC Lewisburg-28 mi.," and, "5/29-Ranshaw rail tour-36 mi." The longest trip was 110 miles to the Capitol in Harrisburg on June 25.
"You abused the taxpayers," Clausi said.
"I object to the word abused," Shoch said.
Shoch and Bridy made and seconded the motion to hold additional meetings in other parts of the county, but only Shoch voted in favor of the motion. It failed 1-2.
Clausi and Bridy made and seconded the motion to eliminate mileage reimbursement for commissioners only. It passed 3-0.
When Shoch voted, he shrugged and said, "Why not?"
Later Tuesday, he added, "If after six months of Mr. Clausi and Mr. Bridy trying to nail me with something, the best they can come up is that I submitted some of my mileage for reimbursement with compliance of county policy," he said. "I think that's saying something."
Shoch said he has made other trips in his role of commissioner with his own vehicle for which he did not seek reimbursement.
Bridy said he originally submitted his mileage for reimbursement, but changed his policy after a conversation with state Rep. Kurt Masser (R-107).
The legislator told him that he never accepts mileage reimbursement because there are plenty of citizens who travel to Harrisburg for work and don't get compensated for their traveling expenses.
Bridy reads letter
Bridy, saying he was responding to Friday's publication of a letter to the editor written by Shoch, read and provided a letter of his own. He called for an end to Shoch's concerns over Clausi's disposal of a hard drive from his work computer.
"I truly dislike and am disgusted in having to waste time in responding to Mr. Shoch's press release and statements that are not true," Bridy said.
In the first half of the year, Bridy said Shoch has directly mislead the people three times without apology.
"Mr. Shoch is an attorney by trade and has been trained to manipulate and turn words around in an attempt to fit his agenda," his letter reads.
Bridy called for the commissioners to get back to the job they were elected to do. (His letter will be published in its entirety in Thursday's edition.)
Shoch said it is difficult at times to bring up his concerns at public meetings, which is why he chose to submit a letter to the newspaper.
"When I ask questions that get uncomfortable, he (Clausi) has the power of the gavel to shut questions down," he said. "I represented what was brought to me (by the county's IT director, David Fisher), and there was avoidance."
Clausi cut him off, saying, "You lie so much."
Shoch said he took an oath to uphold the law and he couldn't ignore something like this.
"I'm not getting into who is lying and who is not," Shoch said.