A Lansford resident on Wednesday questioned borough council’s committee meetings, because there are four or more members of council present and open discussion.

Council designates the first Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. for its committee meetings, which are a week ahead of the regular council meeting. Council members discuss matters under each committee, but do not take any actions or votes at these meetings.

“All that discussion you’ve held the week before is considered council discussion, not committees,” resident Mary Soberick said. “Committees should … only have three members.”

She said if there is discussion with four members or more at the designated committee meeting, it’s a council meeting. She said that if four council members went for breakfast, and there is discussion of borough business, that is also a council meeting.

“Every committee meeting you’ve had is illegal,” Soberick said.

Solicitor Robert Yurchak said there are different ways to hold committee meetings, such as workshop meeting or committees as a whole.

“There’s no one set way to do it,” he said.

Resident Rose Mary Cannon asked him to explain a workshop meeting, which she said was a non-voting meeting with all council members. Yurchak said that it’s just another name for a council meeting.

Yurchak said that council cannot make a decision at a meeting advertised as a workshop meeting, but can if it’s advertised as a council meeting.

Upon additional questions, Yurchak said if held together, there should be demarcation marks between the committees and should be handled as though there are just the three committee members.

“There’s all different ways to do it,” Yurchak said.

Markovich said that they would take the discussion under advisement.