The Muncy Township board of supervisors has voted to hire a firm from Hazleton to give it legal advice, leaving the existing solicitor firm to question their status.

Two township supervisors recently voted to hire Slusser Law Firm to assist the board with its legal needs. Supervisor Heath Ohnmeiss voted no.

Since the start of the year, the township has been without the presence of a solicitor to answer any legal questions that arise.

“We’re sitting in purgatory,” said Attorney Zachary DuGan, with Perciballi & Williams, of 429 Market St., Williamsport, an associate township solicitor, who works with township Solicitor Scott T. Williams. “We have not received a firm response that would confirm our continued representation,” he said.

“We have had no billable work since January,” DuGan said. There has been “limited to zero” contact from the township supervisors, he added.

DuGan noted the item for hiring one was properly listed on the most recent township agenda and that he did not know the purpose of the alternate legal counsel.

Supervisor Terri Lauchle and Supervisor Denise Artley voted for the “temporary engagement for limited advisory purposes.”

“No engagement letter has been executed, and no permanent solicitor has been appointed,” Lauchle said. “The agenda properly listed consideration of temporary interim legal counsel during the township’s administration transition.”

Moreover, “Perciballi & Williams has not been “formally terminated by board action,” Lauchle said.

“This was simply an authorization step to allow further review and discussion during the transition,” she said.