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Luzerne County Councilman Rick Morelli withdrew his motion to suspend and proceed with the termination of county Manager Robert Lawton.
Morelli said he discovered in closed-door executive session before the meeting that he did not have the seven votes needed under the home rule charter to oust Lawton.
Councilman Stephen A. Urban had seconded Morelli’s motion to put the matter on the agenda, but it’s unclear if the other members of Urban’s minority — Stephen J. Urban, Eileen Sorokas, Kathy Dobash and Edward Brominski — would have voted for it.
Morelli said the council members who have repeatedly called for Lawton’s termination should not “complain anymore” because they had an opportunity to take action. He said they were not supporting the motion because he proposed it and “it’s just politics.”
Morelli had said before the meeting he would not proceed with the suspension vote if Lawton confirmed chatter that he will be resigning Wednesday, but Lawton has declined to discuss his job plans.