Coplay will hold a "public" committee meeting tonight, Thursday, Oct. 25.

"I want to have this thing at least advertised enough that I don't get caught in a Sunshine Act violation," Councilman Bill Leiner Jr. told The Press Sunday.

He asked that a meeting of the insurance and health committee be listed in the "Happenings" section of the Whitehall-Coplay Press.

"You can run the ad in Happenings or Rap [of the Gavel] but it will not comply with legal notice requirements of the Sunshine Act," said Melissa Melewsky, an attorney for the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association. "It's nice when agencies want to get the message out, but public notice required by laws like the Sunshine Act must appear as legal notices ads in authorized newspapers."

Legal notices as required by law, appear in a separate, defined page or area of the classified section of a "newspaper of general circulation" in the area in question, she said.

"Also, 24 hours advanced notice is required for Sunshine Act notices. Same day legal ads do not meet the act's requirements," she said.

Leiner acknowledged Monday that he knew his efforts to get the word out would not meet the requirements of the law. Still, he said, he wanted to give the public a chance to be involved.

The morning of Oct. 18, Leiner emailed Councilmen David Royer and Matt Recker to schedule an insurance and health committee meeting at 6 p.m. tonight in council chambers.

According to Leiner's email, the committee will discuss the budget for the committee, the role of the deputy health officer and "any other pertinent committee matters."

Borough Secretary-Treasurer Sandra Gyecsek and Code Enforcement/Zoning Officer Ron Helman also were copied in.

Leiner's email said he would be posting a meeting notice on the borough bulletin board and asked Gyecsek to post one on the borough website. The notice was on the website Tuesday.

After emailing other borough officials, Leiner forwarded the email to The Press, asking to have the meeting listed in Happenings.

Mayor Joseph Bundra said he had no problem with Leiner calling an open meeting and indicated his joint safety committee meetings are always open to the public.

Coplay Councilmen Matthew Recker and Charles Sodl declined to comment.

Council President Lou Bodish and Councilmen David Royer, Michael Mazur and Joseph Groller did not return phone calls by press time.

Comparing Coplay government to a cockroach, Leiner said, "It operates with the lights out. As soon as the lights are on, they hide."