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Salem Township hires MBM Law as solicitor; residents question firm model
Summary
Salem Township supervisors voted Jan. 5 to retain MBM Law as township solicitor at $175/hour and no monthly retainer; residents asked whether a firm‑based model will reduce continuity compared with a single longtime solicitor. Supervisors said two attorneys will be assigned and praised outgoing Solicitor Falatovich.
The Salem Township Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Jan. 5 to retain MBM Law as the township solicitor at no monthly retainer and $175 per hour for non‑meeting work.
Supervisor Kerry Jobe addressed the board and residents, noting the departure of Solicitor Falatovich after 24 years of service and saying the change was intended to bring attorneys who could be more available to answer township questions quickly. "This is not a referendum on Solicitor Falatovich. He was there for us when we needed him for a very important portion of the Township to get to point A to B," Jobe said, adding that MBM would assign at least two attorneys to work primarily with the township.
Resident Debbie Perino questioned whether hiring a firm would mean rotating attorneys from a large staff: "If it is a firm, it could be a group of 10 or 12 employees. You may not know who the solicitor is and who isn't." Kerry Jobe responded that the township intends to work primarily with two attorneys (he named Falco Muscante as the seasoned attorney and Ryan Thomas as a younger colleague) and that the firm will introduce the assigned attorneys over time.
Former Planning Commission Chair Jack Dunaway and current Planning Commission Chair Connie Mattei both praised Solicitor Falatovich for his prior service. Dunaway thanked Falatovich for his leadership while serving as chair, and Mattei was commended for doing due diligence in planning matters. Resident Lisa Segina said she welcomed the change in hopes of restoring balance and fairness to township decisions; Resident Tom Ridella called term limits "a step in the right direction."
The board’s adoption of MBM Law and other annual appointments was unanimous. Supervisors noted they will ask MBM Law to introduce the specific attorneys who will handle Salem Township business and that meeting dates may be adjusted based on the attorneys’ availability.
The meeting record shows the board approved the solicitor arrangement and numerous other organizational actions that set staffing, bank depositories, inspection and permit arrangements, and the township’s 2026 meeting calendar.
