BANKS TOWNSHIP - A Township Supervisor and the Solicitor of a community in Carbon County say somebody threatened to hurt or even kill them at their next meeting.
Their response: Moving that meeting 80 miles away to Harrisburg.
Solicitor Joe Woitko says the December meeting won't take place its usual spot, the Banks Township Street Department building in Treskow.
That's because of a call last week to Township Supervisor Walter Bobowski.
"The threat was very specific in nature," said Woitko. "That one or more individuals were going to attack our security guard, one was going to attack Mr. Bobowski, and one was going to attack me."
Woitko and Bobowski say no one should take this threat lightly because of recent behavior at township meetings, which often turn into screaming matches, laced with personal insults.
In moving the meeting Banks Township leaders expect criticism. When they move a meeting to Harrisburg, in December, and hold it in the middle of the day, very few members of the public will likely even make the drive to attend the meeting.
"Its nuts. Its crazy," said retired Dentist Joe Deblonde, who thinks township leaders are taking the easy way out, by shutting the public out.
"I think they should have more security and hold it here (in Banks Township)," said Deblonde
But Woitko says the shooting death of three people at a meeting in Ross Township in Monroe County in August, forced all communities to look at security in a differently.
Woitko says moving the meeting was the community's only choice.
"Regardless of the criticism, at the end of that criticism, we`ll still be alive," added Woitko.
The Banks Township meeting is officially scheduled for Friday December 20th, at the Hilton in Harrisburg at 1pm.
Voitko says the move will cost township taxpayers $424.