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Posted on 04/30/2026 6:42:44 PM PDT by lightman
WILLIAMSPORT — The township in Lycoming County that is embroiled in controversy with the developer of a Bass Pro Outpost store is looking for a new solicitor.
Joseph F. Orso III resigned Wednesday after three weeks citing irreconcilable differences regarding legal strategy in the development case at the site of the old Lycoming Mall.
The township and its supervisors are under court order to sign a subdivision plan needed by Famvest, a State College developer, to proceed with its plans for a Bass Pro on the site of a former Best Buy.
Famvest is consolidating two parcels it owns to accommodate a larger building and additional parking on an out-parcel of the closed Lycoming Mall along Interstate 180 in the Pennsdale area.
Orso on Thursday filed a motion in county court seeking to withdraw as counsel for the township and supervisors in pending litigation involving Famvest.
A hearing will be required on the motion unless replacement counsel enters an appearance, according to rules of the court. Terri Lauchle, chairwoman of the township board of supervisors, said the search for a new solicitor has begun.
Following a telephone conversation during which Orso told her he was resigning, Lauchle said she received a letter from Orso that reflected his perspective.
“From the township’s standpoint, this is a matter of ensuring that the board has independent legal representation aligned with its responsibilities and obligations to the law,” Lauchle said.
She and fellow supervisor Denise Artley have refused to sign the Famvest subdivision plan the former board approved in December.
Famvest, concerned it might lose Bass Pro as a tenant, sued and sought a preliminary injunction requiring the supervisors to sign the document.
County Judge Eric R. Linhardt on April 17 granted the injunction and ordered the supervisors to sign the subdivision plan.
The supervisors have conflated land development and subdivision, the judge said after Orso claimed if the plan was signed, the township would lose oversight on issues such as wetlands, sewage and land development.
The township appealed the judge’s order to Commonwealth Court and asked Linhardt to stay his signing order but he refused to do so on Monday.
Afterward, Orso said he would seek stay from Commonwealth Court but as of Thursday afternoon no such a request had been filed.
Unless a stay is granted, Linhardt’s order requiring the supervisors to sign the subdivision plan remains in effect. His verbal order denying the stay did not include a deadline for that to occur.
Lauchle and Artley maintain the subdivision plan was not lawfully approved at the supervisors’ Dec. 10 meeting because it was not on the agenda, thus preventing public comment before a vote was taken.
The approval was conditional on the township engineer reviewing the consolidated deed, which he did, and advised the supervisors on Dec. 30 it could be signed.
Since Lauchle took office in January, she and Artley have refused to sign it.
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The Township supervisors are heroes in my book!
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I HAVE ALWAYS HEARD THAT PTO BASS WAS A VERY GOOD TENANT.
LOCAL SALES TAXES WILL BE LOST IF THEY GO ELSEWHERE.
No. The judge is right.
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