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McAdoo Borough Council defends 'wait-and-see' approach on IIRA
Thursday, 14 September 2006
By SAM GALSKI
galski@standardspeaker.com
McAdoo Borough Council members publicly defended their reasons for delaying a vote on an Illegal Immigration Relief Act. Mayor Steve Holly Wednesday picked up where he left off earlier this month regarding the IIRA – hammering council at Wednesday’s work session for not adopting one.

But council members Ed Bielen and Brian Kolbush contend that McAdoo council supports actions taken by officials in nearby Hazleton City to adopt the IIRA – and say they want to see a final version of the city measure before adopting their own.

The issue surfaced when Holly asked where council stood with adopting an IIRA-type ordinance.

Kolbush said that council is working to obtain a copy of Hazleton’s ordinance, which was adopted in final form Tuesday.

Tempers flared as Holly continued calling on council to enact an ordinance.

“You have to fight for what’s right,” Holly said. “You people say you’re afraid of being sued and in the mean time, more and more (illegals) are coming.”

Kolbush reiterated that to McAdoo council, as well as elected officials from the boroughs of Freeland, Weatherly and Beaver Meadows, have all publicly said they support Hazleton Mayor Louis Barletta’s push for the IIRA, but preferred to take a “wait-and-see” approach to acting on their own measure.

Officials in those communities have said they wanted to see what legal ramifications would accompany Hazleton’s adoption of the IIRA before enacting similar legislation.

But Holly said he doesn’t want to wait.

Kolbush said that borough council would have to vote to first publicly advertise such legislation before voting on whether or not to adopt it.

The remark drew further criticism from Holly.

“It’s coming – believe me,” Bielen shot back. “There’s no one here who doesn’t support it. Our country has slowly been given away. There’s 11 million (illegals) here now. We wouldn’t be in this fix if the federal government got involved.”

But Holly continued pressing for a vote.

“We should’ve been here with our own solicitor drawing up our own ordinance,” Holly said. “We have to protect our citizens now. You say you support Barletta. You aren’t backing him. You’re standing behind him. He’s not waiting for some other city to adopt an ordinance.”

Kolbush ended the debate, asking Holly if he had anything else to add.

Meeting attendee Marion DeBalko commented on the issue, saying council shouldn’t have a problem obtaining a copy of Hazleton’s IIRA ordinance. All it takes is a phone call, she said.

“You all stand up there and say you’re in favor (of an IIRA) – bring it to a vote,” DeBalko said.

“We don’t need you calling our shots,” Bielen fired back.

“It will be passed.”