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Pocono Township accepts commissioner resignation; fellow commissioners publicly rebut criticism in meeting remarks
Summary
The board accepted Commissioner Mike Velarde’s resignation. A sitting commissioner used his time during the meeting to rebut statements in Velarde’s resignation, disputing claims that the board rejects development broadly, that it created roadblocks for MCTI, and that the board aims to raise the amusement tax.
The Pocono Township Board of Commissioners voted to accept the resignation of Commissioner Mike Velarde. The motion passed by voice vote.
During the meeting a commissioner (speaker 1) read a prepared statement responding to claims made by Velarde in his resignation letter and in prior public remarks. The speaker disputed several assertions: that the board has been saying "no to everything" (he noted the board has only acted broadly on data center regulations and that Velarde voted for those measures), that the board is blocking MCTI (he said the board has supported rezoning multiple MCTI parcels), and that the board is working to increase the amusement tax (he said the amusement tax is capped at 5% and that the board’s enforcement is intended to collect revenue already owed rather than raise taxes).
The responding commissioner also defended personnel actions and said some disciplinary or personnel details are confidential and cannot be fully discussed publicly. "When accurate claims are made publicly... those claims should be corrected," the commissioner said. He concluded by expressing optimism about the township and a commitment to responsible governance.
Why it matters: a commissioner’s resignation prompted extended public comment and a forceful response from colleagues, which the board placed on the record at this meeting. The exchange addressed charges about governance style, personnel matters and revenue policy that have been the focus of recent local debate.
What happened procedurally: the board moved and accepted the resignation by voice vote; the rebuttal was a statement read at the meeting and does not by itself change personnel records or formal actions beyond acceptance of the resignation.
Next steps: the board announced a special meeting on July 14 to interview applicants for the open seat and will continue to process related personnel and governance matters in executive session as needed.
