Former Lehigh County Commissioner Dan McCarthy remains the county interim Director of Administration.

The board of commissioners at the Jan. 31 special meeting failed to appointment McCarthy to the post full-time.

At issue for Commissioners Vic Mazziotti, Scott Ott, Lisa Scheller and Mike Schware was allowing Commissioner Percy Dougherty to vote remotely. Commissioner David Jones Sr. brought a motion forward to allow Dougherty to cast his vote via telephone. Jones said it was necessary to give every board member the chance to vote on the McCarthy appointment. The motion failed 4-3, with Mazziotti, Ott, Scheller and Schware opposed.

"I believe it's important for a critical appointment like this to have a full board vote," Jones said. "Because of the nature of the appointment, citizens should know the appointment was due to a full board vote."

Schware expressed disagreement with Jones' motion, stressing the commissioners have a duty to Lehigh County citizens to ensure all board members are present during a critical vote. He also said the commissioners do not make accommodations for citizens who are unable to attend a meeting.

"I think if we are going to allow this, it should come because of a development of policy," Schware said.

Scheller said she could not support Jones' motion as a similar motion in the past was proposed to allow for a board member to vote remotely which Dougherty opposed. Commissioner Geoff Brace told Scheller he was left with the impression the commissioners would do everything in their power to permit Dougherty to vote on McCarthy's appointment. Brace said he would not have deferred his vote on the appointment had he known the commissioners would not allow Dougherty to vote.

"I can't say one way or the other," Scheller said.

County Executive Tom Muller later in the meeting pulled McCarthy's appointment. Mazziotti and Ott questioned Muller's power to pull McCarthy's name off the agenda. "He's [Muller] just engaging in a stalling tactic," Ott said.

Deputy Solicitor Catharine Roseberry said Muller may remove McCarthy's name and resubmit it up until a vote is taken on the appointment. Muller said he intends to keep McCarthy in the interim position until he brings forth another motion for an appointment.