Twp. Supervisor Votes to Approve Strip Club on His Land Despite 3 Attorneys Telling Him Its Illegal

[JPZenger]

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110823/NEWS/108230330

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In Middle Smithfield Twp. in the Poconos, one supervisor owns a bar and has been working to have someone develop a strip club on the property. Two of the supervisors have repeatedly weakened the zoning regulations to make it easier to develop the strip club.

Yesterday, it came for a final zoning vote. It was a 1-1 vote, which is considered a denial. Despite three attorneys telling him that it was illegal for him to vote, the supervisor who owns the land cast the deciding vote to approve it. The Township's own solicitor warned him he faced a year in jail.

[JPZenger]

1. Update: District Attorney Seizes Recording of Meeting to Prepare for Criminal Charges

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20110823%2FNEWS%2F110829887

Despite repeated pleas from residents over a year long period, then Attorney General Corbett had refused to do anything despite there being multiple reasons to investigate.

The Supervisors tried to suspend the Township Solicitor before the meeting and ordered her not to attend. She showed up anyway to warn them that their vote was illegal.

Excerpt of article:

"District Attorney Detective Eric Kerchner obtained a search warrant Tuesday from Magisterial District Judge Brian Germano and seized the township's digital recorder and recording of Monday's meeting.

“Because Spano and Schaller have a history of disregarding rules, regulations and court orders, a search warrant is requested for the seizing of the original recording of the township meeting held on Monday...” the detective wrote.

While Kerchner would not elaborate on details of the probe, he did say: “This is an ongoing investigation; it's been going on for some time. The actions he took (Monday) gelled with our investigation and we acted accordingly.”

An affidavit Kerchner submitted to Germano details a history of Spano's efforts since 2009 to build a strip club. The affidavit noted Spano took out a 2009 ad in an adult industry magazine — before his 8.7-acre Werry's Motel property was zoned by the township as a possible adult use location — touting the site as ideal for a strip club. The asking price was $2 million."
"

[JPZenger]

2. Supervisor Was Arrested This Morning and Taken Away in Handcuffs

Supervisor Spano showed up at a Township meeting this morning. A detective for the District Attorney was waiting for him. He arrested him and took him out of the Twp. Building in handcuffs.

If only then-Attorney General Corbett, a county judge or the State Ethics Commission had addressed this mess a year ago when they were asked to intervene by many residents.

[Glassunion]

3. So...

Does this mean no strip club?

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[Divernan]

4. Maybe the supervisor will be forced to put on a little show for the boys in the Big House?