Cecil solicitor resigns
Attorney John Smith, who held the title of Cecil Township solicitor for nearly eight years, resigned from his position this week.
Smith, who also is the solicitor of Peters and East Finley townships, said he recently notified the board of supervisors in Cecil he did not want to be reappointed next year and submitted his resignation letter this week.
“Our insurance carrier has asked that I provide a training seminar to the supervisors as to how to properly conduct a public hearing before the end of the year,” Smith said in an email. “Since a change was going to be made in January, I thought it best that their new counsel conduct that seminar, which meant a change should be made sooner rather than later.”
Township Manager Don Gennuso said he was not yet given any direction by the board to interview candidates for the job. Smith said he plans to continue offering legal advice to the township until a new solicitor is hired in order to create a smooth transition.
Smith, who lives in Cecil Township, said he was grateful for the opportunity.
“I wished all the supervisors well and thanked them for the opportunity to represent my hometown for so many years,” he said.
Prior to being appointed township solicitor, Smith served as the Cecil zoning board solicitor for more than three years.
Smith represented the township in the Act 13 case, which he did pro bono, and also worked on legal issues pertaining to Klinger Park free of charge.
Smith said he would continue to offer free legal services in the ongoing Act 13 case pertaining to oil and gas development in Pennsylvania, if supervisors agree.
He also is the attorney representing the township in a case against MarkWest, which was granted the right to construct a natural gas compressor station in Cecil by a state Commonwealth Court decision last month. Supervisors voted not to ask the court for a reconsideration, but also did not take action to remove itself from the case.
The township’s zoning hearing board did, however, ask the court for a reconsideration, and a decision on that is pending.
A supervisors meeting Monday grew contentious when residents criticized Smith and two members of the board for backing the township’s involvement in the case against MarkWest.
Smith said he is obligated to continue representing the township in that case unless a new solicitor signs on, or if the township removes itself as a party altogether.