At the start of the Aug. 19 Catasauqua Borough Council meeting, Councilman Eugene Schlegel made a request of emotional regulation, control and respect from his colleagues.

He noted there has been some friction between council members but asked them to remember they all share the same goal — the betterment of the borough. Quoting Abraham Lincoln, Schlegel requested his peers take a deep breath when they are frustrated to avoid lashing out.

“This is my plea for unity,” he said in addressing the other council members.

Emotions did run high at one point when discussing the appointment of the new police chief. At the Aug. 5 special council meeting, Ray Anthony was selected as council’s choice for the new chief. Anthony already serves the borough as the emergency management coordinator, fire marshal, fire code official and part-time police officer.

Since the naming of Anthony as council’s nomination for the role, the process reportedly hit a few roadblocks and reached a stalling point.

During the June 17 meeting, council approved changes to the Civil Service Commission regulations and standards. Additional amendments were approved Aug. 19 via ordinance 1438.

One of the biggest changes was having the option of flexibility in hiring a police chief. Council could either go through the Civil Service Commission or hire the chief via a private contract. According to borough Solicitor Charles Smith, this change allows for more flexibility and better aligns with the borough code.

During the Aug. 5 meeting, council voted to send the approval of Anthony to the Civil Service Commission, reportedly in line with Anthony’s wishes.

During this time, the new Civil Service standards were being approved and put into action. Since this was happening during a time of transition, Anthony believed he was working from the Civil Service standards he signed in 2022. Because of this misunderstanding, Anthony reportedly told council he would prefer to go with a contract through council instead of the Civil Service Commission.

Anthony said he believed this move would simplify the process and help move things along. However, the decision had already been sent to the Civil Service Commission, so council did not have the authority to approve the hiring of Anthony at the Aug. 19 meeting.

There were also concerns about a Sunshine Law violation. Since the hiring of the new police chief was not publicly available on the agenda 24 hours in advance, council could not act.

Civil Service Commission Solicitor David Knerr noted Anthony could withdraw his original application, which was sent to Civil Service. Then he can put in a fresh application and start the process anew. This would open the opportunity for council to approve him separately.

Council members shared their frustrations that this process is ongoing. There were heightened emotions as council members discussed their options and disappointments before refocusing on what steps need to be taken to resolve the issue.

There was discussion on forming a small committee to discuss contract terms with Anthony, so council would be ready when the time comes.

Additionally, it was decided to hold a special meeting during the workshop/committee meetings Sept. 3 to allow council to vote in accordance with Sunshine Laws. The committee meetings begin 6 p.m.