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Salem Township hires MBM Law as solicitor; residents ask for single‑attorney clarity
Summary
The board approved MBM Law as township solicitor at $0 monthly retainer and $175/hour for non‑meeting work; residents questioned selecting a firm instead of an individual attorney and supervisors named two firm contacts.
The Salem Township Board voted to retain MBM Law as the township solicitor, approving terms of no monthly retainer and $175 per hour for work performed outside monthly meetings.
Supervisor Kerry Jobe explained the decision during discussion, noting the township's long relationship with outgoing Solicitor Falatovich and praising his 24 years of service. Kerry said the change was intended to secure faster, more readily available legal support from a group with multiple attorneys rather than relying on a single, often unavailable individual.
Resident Debbie Perino asked how the township determined it would hire a "firm," expressing concern that a larger firm could mean different attorneys appearing interchangeably. "She doesn't care about the idea of a firm. She thinks it should be one individual," the minutes record. In response, supervisors said MBM Law would assign primary contacts; Todd Paulich named Falco Muscante as a seasoned attorney and Ryan Thomas as a younger colleague the firm would make available to the township.
Multiple residents, including former Planning Commission chair Jack Dunaway, praised outgoing Solicitor Falatovich for his service but accepted the board's decision to transition to the new firm. The board recorded unanimous approval of the solicitor appointment.
