Exeter, United.
"The more you tell lies about me, the more we'll tell the truth about you."
NOT FIT TO LEAD: GEORGE BELL PREDICTABLY BLAMES HUGHES FOR HERBEIN LOSS AND OFFERS NO PROOF!11/4/2023 BELL blames Supervisor Hughes as the reason Herbein refused to continue as Exeter Township's Auditor. Makes a claim but provides NO PROOF! WOULD YOU HIRE A FINANCIAL ADVISOR WHO PUTS HIS OWN AGENDA BEFORE YOUR BEST INTERESTS? BELL & VOLLMER'S HATEFUL AND MALICIOUS SLANDEROUS ACTIVITY CONTINUES George Bell is shamelessly flouting every rule and regulation concerning public meetings. Bell, a so-called financial advisor with Fidelity Investments, is at it again, trying to pass off his glaring mistakes in our township's financial reporting onto the only responsible adult present. This clueless individual seems to be conveniently forgetting Article 2 of Public Meetings under 65-2 Rules and Regulations section D(3), which clearly states to "refrain from maligning others", and D(4)(C) that expressly forbids Supervisors from launching personal attacks or questioning the motives of their colleagues or staff members. I urge you to scrutinize this short video clip closely and decide for yourselves: is this a blatant violation of the ordinance? Mr. Bell, who appears to live on social media—even when he should be working as an insurance salesman for Fidelity Investments—asserts he will verify all his falsehoods. What an immature imbecile. His constant deceit has us all questioning who, in their right mind, would entrust their hard-earned retirement savings to such a deceptive clown! Pay attention to the Chair, David LEO Vollmer, who pretends to restore order on the Board while allowing this disgraceful conduct to persist. These two are nothing more than petulant children desperately in need of discipline. When I rise to a point of order, according to Robert's Rules of Order, the Point of Order should take precedence: the speaker must cease, and the chairman must inquire about the nature of the Point of Order. This is how RRO is meant to function, unless, of course, you're part of some pathetic high school clique hell-bent on silencing any opposing voice. David LEO Vollmer didn’t hesitate to quash it. What was his response? That my Point of Order is not recognized? I demand to see the evidence that Herbein withdrew as our Audit firm specifically because of my actions. If that is the case, why? What exactly did I do? The behavior of these two, Bell and Vollmer, who have hijacked the Board for over a year now, is nothing short of DISGRACEFUL! Below is Herbein's letter for your reference. Why did this happen? Not because of what the board did, but what they did not do. Further details on what Bell and Vollmer did not do. Also, what Herbein may have done and should not have done.
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In my Opinion, As an Elected Supervisor of Exeter Township: This is it above, the letter/email from Schnee Legal Services to me claiming attorney client privilege and all that other CRP. But there is more to this that you need to know. Additional correspondence that Schnee Legal Services claims are also attorney client privilege. The RTK process is completed, deemed moot since I have the documents un-redacted. The videos attached are key to this charade that Schnee Legal Services continues to play.. video number one is where Schnee mentions the crime code. The joy he must have felt.... The second video is where he claims all of this was done outside of the context of my position as a supervisor and therefore I am not gong to be provided with legal council.....hmmmm Regarding second censure where they improperly (illegally) removed me from the meeting, Schnee says in this meeting that according to the crime code I should be censured. See the Video attached below. Schnee Legal Services being helpful.....which email? Could you be a little more specific? Still, this is considered by him as Attorney Client Privilege In the meeting Schnee was asked what did I violate? he specified the "crime code" and I am simply which section? See video 1 Schnee mentions Crime Code and subsequently his memory fails. Schnee does this often, pretends not to know in order to generate more emails at $21.50 minimum. Up above (four emails ) I asked him to specify which section of the crime code he was referring to...... All this occurred in an open meeting with regards to my discussion. Again, asked and ignored...this is the guy we are paying $45,000 a quarter...$180,000 a year. Spending much of his time on prosecuting me. Schnee is being his usual self here....I was not asking for legal advice....do any of you interpret my asking for what section of the crime code was he referring to I the public meeting as asking for legal advice? NO! What do you think of his line above claiming all future communications between the two of us will be protected by privilege? On another note, since the signing of the Kozloff Stoudt agreement where he pawns off the obligation and the action to a third party...note in the meeting where this was adopted he claims n these conversations and release of the one email (top above) I was not acting in the capacity of a supervisor and therefor no legal representation will be provided to me....WHICH IS SCHNEE LEGAL SERVICES? See anything in here that is Attorney Client Privilege ? This was additional nonsense communications that Schnee Legal Services considers attorney client privilege. This prompted the email in question....all around the second ridiculous censure. Here is where he mentions the crime code......then seems to forget Schnee Legal Services, a contractor with Exeter Township convince's the BOS to file an "Injunctive Relief" case on 9/11/23. Schnee Legal Service contends I do not warrant legal counsel claiming my actions were not as a supervisor. Here is what stated it all....The illegal removal, the second ridiculous censure and claim that I disrupted the meeting by simply attempting to point out that the Treasury Report should be under the Approvals with Minutes and Disbursement as it has been for several decades.....Bell and Vollmer are not your leaders
In my Opinion, As an Elected Supervisor of Exeter Township: DEPUTY CHIEF CHRIS JORDAN, Son of longtime Fire Chief Jordan tells supervisors you can't attend any of our meetings. Financial information is sketchy and incomplete says me. No oversight on the millions we provide them. The mere audacity of Jordan's attitude and Vollmer's support of such behavior makes me skeptical. I get paid to be skeptical when the taxpayers monies are hidden by secret meetings! J. Chadwick Schnee is a big proponent of eliminating transparency where ever he can and this fits into his philosophy. (My opinion) Call and write your supervisors and tell them you want oversight from the supervisors over the fire company. We give them a $million a year and provided them recently with almost $2 million for a ladder truck. Tell them you want financial transparency and you want oversight!!! It's your money!!!
In My Opinion As An Elected Supervisor About my right to speechI am deeply committed to my role as a Supervisor in Exeter Township. My dedication extends to all our residents, not just those who voted for me. My actions and decisions stem from genuine concern for all of you. In contrast, individuals like Bell, Vollmer, and Kirsher often seem ill-prepared and unaware of the issues at hand during our meetings. Despite facing obstacles from our Solicitor who seems intent on keeping me in the dark through abuse of attorney-client privilege and excessive redaction, I tirelessly gather information. This ensures that my decisions are well-informed, especially at a time when it seems there's a concerted effort to hide the township's governance and financial standing. Everything I share on social media or my official website reflects my viewpoints as an elected official. There is no distinction between my personal and elected official persona; they are one and the same. Schnee appears to be trying to artificially separate my online actions (as a citizen) from my duties as a Supervisor, possibly in an attempt to challenge my immunity as a public official. His obsession with this differentiation misses a fundamental point: free speech is a right that all should respect. About documents that Schnee deems privileged: here’s the truth that Schnee is trying to hideWe're concerned about a novice lawyer who seems to misuse key legal principles to hide the negative impact he's having on our community, our values, and the very essence of the legal profession.
Let me break this down:
Despite these clear guidelines, this lawyer, Schnee, claims every interaction he has falls under attorney-client privilege. Moreover, he labels any document he touches as work-product, even if it has nothing to do with a legal matter. It seems he's trying to control the township's decisions and, more importantly, control what the people of Exeter are allowed to know. We've invested considerable time submitting Right-To-Know requests, resulting in numerous appeals forced by Schnee and addressing Schnee's consistent efforts to obstruct our access to information. Schnee has made the Right-To-Know process painstakingly slow, with an average wait time of over 65 days for us to receive any documents. This delay is particularly frustrating when contrasted with Schnee's "preferred" associates, like Jupina and The Exeter Informant, who are affiliated with the majority party of Bell, Vollmer, and Kirsher. They often receive documents in under 5 days, especially if these materials align with Schnee's objective of defaming Hughes. We've chosen to highlight Schnee's unsavory tactics by publishing documents he wrongly labels as privileged. The content of these communications doesn't pertain to legal matters, litigation, or requests for legal counsel. We aim to shed light on Schnee's maneuvers, especially considering that his law practice seems to be struggling with Exeter Township as its sole client. His financial predicament appears to have led him to disregard professional ethics and expected conduct for an attorney, prioritizing self-preservation over impartiality and integrity. We want to emphasize that Schnee’s methods are not only troubling but also extremely manipulative. We've grown tired of his inappropriate behavior. We've decided to shine a light on his questionable ethics. It is absolutely striking to see the amount of energy that Schnee is spending at taxpayer’s expense to make sure that the public doesn’t know anything about anything. People of Exeter, We've had enough of this absurd conduct. FIRE SCHNEE! In My Opinion, As an Elected Supervisor of Exeter Township: Chadwick Schnee of Schnee Legal Services has been caught making false statements on multiple occasions. Here are the three most significant instances, captured on video:
And the most concerning:
Lie #1: On video, Schnee claims that Hughes is suing the township. Chadwick, can you provide any specifics on that? As it appears, Supervisor Hughes has never initiated a lawsuit against the township. Schnee, instead of portraying yourself as the victim, perhaps it's time to stop spreading falsehoods and refrain from your condescending and passive-aggressive behavior. Here's the audacity of Schnee's appalling game: While a right-to-know request isn't viewed as litigation, an appeal certainly is. Predictably, Schnee constantly pushes for an appeal, simply to falsely claim, "Hughes is suing the township." This is a blatant lie! All Hughes is striving to do is fulfill his duties, but Schnee manipulatively orchestrates these appeals. It's utterly reprehensible! Lie #2: Schnee suggests, in his usual manner and without proper context, that all of the township's legal expenses are due to right-to-know requests, implying they all come from Hughes. Let's delve into this claim further. There's a troubling account of a junior attorney, Schnee, misusing attorney-client privilege and the work-product doctrine. He's using these to hide the negative impact he's having on our community, our democratic principles, and the legal field itself.
To put it plainly, attorney-client privilege ensures that conversations between a lawyer and their client remain private. This protection is meant for situations where the client is either in legal proceedings or seeking advice. Using this privilege outside these scenarios is inappropriate. Similarly, the work-product doctrine protects materials an attorney creates while preparing for a case. It's meant only for use within legal proceedings. Any other application is improper. However, Schnee claims every interaction he has, digital or otherwise, is protected by attorney-client privilege. He also views any document he touches as work-product, even if it's unrelated to legal matters. It appears he's trying to control the township's activities and the narrative the public receives. In essence, he's determining what Exeter's residents should know. In the case of Supervisor Hughes, Schnee and the unelected super-majority are determined to block Hughes from accessing necessary information to fulfill his supervisory duties. They often delay providing him with documents, and when they do, these documents are heavily redacted, rendering them nearly useless. This obstructive approach was also a hallmark of the former Township Manager, Betsy McBride, who, for over a year, collaborated with Schnee and the super-majority to withhold information from Hughes. Because of this, Hughes began seeking documents directly from township employees to effectively perform his supervisory role. In response, the super-majority, McBride, and with Schnee's backing, spun tales of Hughes' alleged harassment. They voted to funnel all Hughes' information requests through Gardella, and later Bell, and then Vollmer who, likely in collaboration with Schnee, ensured Hughes remained in the dark." Due to barriers placed in his way, Hughes was left with no alternative but to use Right-To-Know (RTK) requests to access the documents essential for his supervisory duties. It's important to note that the records Hughes seeks have no litigation context. Schnee's frequent invocation of attorney-client privilege seems more like a recurring tactic to obscure public records. Currently, Schnee isn't handling any township litigation, and given his questionable public behavior, one might wonder who would seek legal counsel from such an inexperienced attorney. To be clear: Hughes' reliance on RTK requests is a direct consequence of Bell, Vollmer, and Kirshner's smajority stance, aided by Schnee, to ensure Hughes remains uninformed in his role. The information Hughes seeks through RTK should be easily accessible to him without hurdles, especially as they aren't part of any legal case or associated with litigation work. The financial implications of this obstruction are significant, and Schnee shoulders the blame. It's astonishing to witness the extent to which Schnee goes, using taxpayer funds, to ensure the public remains in the dark. People of Exeter, We've had enough of this absurd conduct. FIRE SCHNEE! In my Opinion, As an Elected Supervisor of Exeter Township: From: J. Chadwick Schnee <chadwick@schneelegal.com> To:David Hughes CC: David Vollmer; Michelle Kircher, ;George Bell;, Larry Piersol Good afternoon, Supervisor Hughes. I caught your latest disparaging post. As I’ve mentioned more than a few times, I continue to have no idea as to how I ever drew your ire, and, as I’ve also offered more than a few times, I’d love to put aside whatever personal animosity you may hold for me and work together for the benefit of the Township and its residents. Can we schedule a time to sit down and hash this out? Thank you. J. Chadwick Schnee, Esq. Schnee Legal Services, LLC 74 E Main Street #648 Lititz, PA 17543 Here we go again with yet another baffling email from Chadwick Schnee of Schnee Legal Services. It's borderline comical how Chad consistently fires off these passive-aggressive missives, trying desperately to paint himself as some kind of martyr at the hands of Supervisor Hughes. The repeated attempts to alter the narrative - especially with the looming threat of legal repercussions - don't escape our notice. "Look at me, the innocent victim," he seems to cry. Let’s cut through the noise: Chadwick, the evidence is overwhelming. Video after video reveals your open hostility and unapologetic condescension towards Supervisor Hughes. It's astounding how quickly you unravel when confronted by my truth-telling, revealing yourself to be less of the seasoned attorney you claim to be and more of a novice struggling to keep up. Your brazen attempts to rewrite history – particularly by misusing legal tools like attorney-client privilege and the work product doctrine – are transparent. It's evident that you're trying to shield the Exeter public from whatever dubious dealings you're part of. And let's not forget your blatant use of board of supervisors resolutions as a weapon: propping up your shaky business, taking jabs at me, and even trying to silence and intimidate me and other Exeter residents. Chadwick, drop the act. The curtain was pulled back on your charades long ago, and your reputation in Exeter Township - and the wider legal world - looks precarious at best. Further, you Chad claim to have caught my latest "disparaging" post?
Newsflash: I’ve been at the helm of exeterunited.com for years, consistently updating our residents about the happenings within our local government. Way back, I called out the blunders leading to the hikes in our sewer and water bills. While only a handful took notice, I stood firm. While my blog melds hard facts with personal opinions, you seem to believe you're the self-appointed referee of what constitutes as "disparaging". And let's talk about that absurd clause in your contract, where you slap the township with a $1,000 fine each time you "feel" an employee or supervisor steps out of line on social media or blogs. This isn’t legal vigilance; it’s EXTORTION. I’m convinced that this clause emerged after I publicly rated your first-year performance as a 2nd class township solicitor with a failing grade. Did I hope for improvement? Absolutely. Did I get it? Sadly, no. Let’s dive into the mystery that is your role, Chad. According to your oh-so-vague contract: "This firm has been retained to serve as the Solicitor for Exeter Township." But when we reference the 2nd class township act, it clearly underlines that Schnee operates at the behest of the Board. Yet, here you are, brazenly drafting a "resolution" aiming to sidestep this very act, transferring power to the manager and yourself. Are you here trying to cure your misdeeds with Betsy McBride for the past 12 months? Your contract further states: "The scope of our representation does not include advice or services regarding accounting, tax, personal financial matters, business management, and related non-legal matters and advice..." And yet, you seem unable to resist meddling in areas way beyond your purview. Case in point: Unsanctioned Acts:
Mr. Schnee, perhaps it's time to reacquaint yourself with your job description and act accordingly. In my Opinion, As an Elected Supervisor of Exeter Township: Here's the unsettling story of an inept, greenhorn attorney whose only experience is clerical work, exploiting attorney-client privilege and work-product doctrine to conceal the extensive harm he's inflicting on our community, democratic values, and the legal profession itself. To clarify, attorney-client privilege is a legal safeguard that keeps communications between a lawyer and their client confidential. This rule is intended to protect the client, whether they're in court or just seeking legal advice. Any use outside of these contexts is not legitimate. The work-product doctrine operates similarly, shielding documents or notes generated by an attorney in preparation for legal proceedings. This protection is only applicable within the scope of a legal case. Any other use is out of bounds. Yet Schnee categorizes every interaction with him, whether digital or otherwise, as falling under attorney-client privilege, and deems any document he lays a finger on as work-product — regardless of whether it's even related to a legal issue. It's a blatant attempt to monopolize control over the township's actions and, more critically, to dictate the public narrative. In simple terms, he wants to control what the people of Exeter should and shouldn't know. We find these tactics not just objectionable but egregiously manipulative. We've had enough of this absurd conduct, so we took it upon ourselves to give him a crash course in legal ethics. Not because we think he's capable of learning, but to publicly expose and dismantle his deception. And let's just say, we hit the mark spectacularly. Our game plan was straightforward: we filed a right-to-know request with Exeter Township for specific documents that we knew existed, were not part of any litigation, and that Schnee was desperate to keep under wraps. These documents reveal Schnee's inappropriate meddling in township management and politics, which is absolutely not the role of a contractor funded by Exeter's taxpayers. The documents also expose how Schnee is picking sides, tipping the scales in favor of the Gardella-Bell-Volmer supermajority. He's doing everything in his power, even breaching the Attorney's Code of Conduct, to ensure this supermajority stays in place come the November elections, all to secure his cushy $15,000-a-month job. We simply asked for a letter Schnee sent to me on June 28th of this year—something I wanted to share openly with you, the citizens of Exeter. What followed was 65 days of utterly pointless back-and-forths with Schnee, culminating in a ruling from the Office of Open Records—the Pennsylvania authority on public record transparency—confirming what we had argued all along. So what transpired over those excruciating 65 days? Schnee kept hiding behind his bogus "attorney-client privilege" claim to repeatedly deny the release of the document. We argued that there was no privilege attached to the document because its content was neither seeking legal advice nor part of any ongoing litigation. But hold on, there's more! Upon close scrutiny of Schnee's denials, he even had the audacity to claim — an outright lie — that the letter didn’t even exist! Can you fathom the sheer arrogance of this man, lying to the Office of Open Records? It's outrageous! How can the people of Exeter tolerate this? Ultimately, the Office of Open Records agreed with us: No attorney-client privilege existed. Above are my requests for information. Below, you'll see Schnee's initial refusal to comply. I'll spare you the multitude of back-and-forth digital exchanges with the Office of Open Records in the interim. This pattern of behavior is indicative of what our solicitor is primarily engaged in: an internal crusade aimed solely at undermining me. Astonishingly, around 20% of his billable hours are dedicated to generating conflict and muddying the waters, costing our township both valuable time and money. The email Schnee sent me reveals his blatant political agenda, showing he's an integral part of the Gardella-Bell-Volmer supermajority clique, actively working against the interests of Exeter Township's citizens and taxpayers. If you've endured the train wreck that Supervisor Bell orchestrated twice a month for a full year during board meetings, you'll know their latest claim that I disrupted a public meeting is an absolute farce and an outright lie. See the nonsense for yourself! As the footage clearly shows, I'm not some random audience member; I'm an elected supervisor doing my job by asking crucial questions. Unlike Bell, who was appointed rather than elected, I was put in this position by the very taxpayers and citizens you'd expect me to represent.
This letter lays bare Schnee's deep involvement with this Gardella-Bell-Volmer cabal, actively colluding to spread outright lies and defamation about me and my family. I could dissect Schnee's ludicrous letter line by line, but I'll just point you to my handwritten notes. The guy is meddling in township management and has the audacity to inquire about my plans, as if he's genuinely offering help? This is nothing but a sham. He's laying down fake olive branches in our communications, probably to use them as supposed evidence of his "proactivity" should there be litigation against him. To top it off, he's giving an elected official—me—unsolicited personal and political advice, coupled with veiled threats about my family. These are mob-like tactics, and let me make one thing abundantly clear, Schnee: you're messing with the wrong Marine. Listen up, Exeter—Schnee is the root problem here. He's the architect of the discord and dysfunction we're seeing on the Board of Supervisors, and he's doing it to line his own pockets. Schnee is supposed to focus solely on legal matters as directed by the board. At this point, there are zero justifiable issues to warrant his obscene $15,000 monthly salary, nor his utter incompetence, malice, and abject failure to maintain professional impartiality. Fire Schnee! In my Opinion, As an Elected Supervisor of Exeter Township: It would almost be laughable if it weren't so outrageous that this is happening at the taxpayer's expense. Schnee seems to have forgotten that his role is exclusively to execute tasks assigned by the Board of Supervisors—nothing more, nothing less. Yet he continues to shamelessly bill taxpayers for actions not sanctioned by the board, actions that, incidentally, amount to very little of substance. Isn't it simply marvelous when our inept solicitor decides to produce an unsolicited piece, trumpeting his marketing prowess? A piece so riddled with glaring falsehoods and dripping with hypocrisy, it lacks even a shred of self-awareness or humility. It's an affront that demands the full attention of our citizenry. Before we dissect this travesty in detail, let's first expose Mr. Schnee's pompous communication sent to the Board of Supervisors just a few weeks ago. From Chadwick Schnee, Of Schnee Legal Services: Good morning, Supervisors. In addition to providing you with a list of legal activities in which I am currently engaged, I also wanted to keep the Board apprised as to Solicitor legal costs. As the Board knows, I am currently providing services to the Township on a flat fee basis amounting to $15,000 per month, and the payment for the 4th quarter will be due by the end of September, to the extent that the Board wishes to continue with the flat fee arrangement. To the extent that the Board wishes to switch to hourly billing starting in October, I’m certainly always willing to have a discussion. In the interest of providing some factual information to inform the Board, I’ve provided the information below. In 2019, the Township paid over $1,300,000 in legal costs. In 2020, the Township paid about $650,000 in legal costs. In both 2021 and 2022, the Township paid approximately $250,000 in legal costs. Under the current flat fee arrangement, the Township would pay $180,000 for its solicitor. For illustration purposes, please see the below chart. SEE: Image labeled IMAGE 1. I also wanted to compare the difference between using the flat rate versus billing on an hourly basis. For illustration purposes, I’ve maintained my $215/hour rate for the number of hours I’ve expended on the Township’s behalf since April. In April, I spent 77.2 hours performing work for the Township. Hourly, I would have billed the Township $16,598; however, I instead billed a flat fee of $15,000, which saved the Township $1,598. In May, I spent 78.6 hours performing work for the Township. Hourly, I would have billed the Township $16,899; however, I instead billed a flat fee of $15,000, which saved the Township $1,899. In June, I performed 80.9 hours of work for the Township. Hourly, I would have charged $17,393.50; however, I instead billed a flat fee of $15,000, which saved the Township $2,393.50. In July, I performed 69.9 hours of work for the Township (I took a vacation this month). Hourly, I would have billed $15,106.50; however, I instead billed a flat fee of $15,000, which saved the Township $106.50. My billing is not yet complete for August, but I believe we’ll be in the $16,000 to $18,000 range. For purposes of illustration, please see below. SEE: Image labeled IMAGE 2. I also think it make sense to compare the amount of work I’ve performed in April-July in comparison to two other rates from local firms. When proposals were sought in 2022, the next closest bidder proposed charging $265/hour, and that amount times the number of hours of work performed during those months is reflected as “Local Firm - next closest bidder” below. Additionally, Supervisor Hughes proposed using Cornerstone Law at one point, with a rate of $325/hour – that amount times the numer of hours is reflected as “Cornerstone” below. For the 306.3 hours of work performed, I billed $60,000. Compared to Local Firm – next closest bidder, that resulted in a savings of $21,169.50. Compared to the Cornerstone rate, that resulted in a savings of $39,547.50, as illustrated below. SEE: Image labeled IMAGE 3. IMAGE 1: Schnee is blatantly distorting the true extent of our township's legal expenses.Legal costs can indeed be unpredictable, but it's generally the case that for a township of our size, legal representation and associated costs are minimal under normal circumstances, typically involving the review of bids and contracts. Yet Schnee is not only distorting the legal costs but also audaciously claiming that he is saving us money. This is a gross deception. To clarify, in 2019, the township was embroiled in an exceptionally unusual and incredibly expensive litigation with Viva, resulting in a million dollars in legal fees. This was a one-off situation, not anticipated to recur. Schnee, however, persists in his attempts to deceive us by ignoring that the subsequent year also involved additional, non-recurring legal fees. In 2021 and 2022, we made a concerted effort to rein in legal fees, even though it necessitated a change of solicitors. Schnee then expects us to buy into his fiction that he is currently billing us for only 17 hours a week. This is patently untrue, and it is exceedingly difficult for me to ascertain the extent to which the township is incurring costs above his $15,000 monthly salary. Schnee is going to great lengths to obstruct my access (and by extension, the access of the people of Exeter) to his itemized time sheets. Despite our best efforts, we have only managed to secure the sheets for April and May. Schnee is vehemently resisting the release of the June records and beyond. What, one must wonder, is he so desperate to conceal? Overbilling? Undertaking unauthorized work? Both? IMAGE 2: Schnee is deliberately obfuscating the truth about fixed retainer fees as opposed to hourly chargesFor clarification, Schnee's existing contract—crafted by himself and approved by the supermajority of Gardella, Bell, and Vollmer—claims a flat monthly salary of $15,000, while deceptively implying unlimited billable hours. Let's dispel that illusion right now. Numbers can be twisted to serve deceptive narratives, and Schnee is doing precisely that. His self-constructed graph is an outright fabrication. I managed to secure time sheets for his work in April and May (he's stonewalling the release of June and July records), and these documents strongly suggest the likelihood of overbilling—echoing his previous tenure working alongside Tucker Hull. Consider this glaring example: in April, Schnee billed for nine emails sent to an individual who filed an ADA complaint, at a minimum charge of $21.50 per email. Yet there were zero responses. Why persist in a futile endeavor? The answer is that the individual couldn't respond—something Schnee was fully aware of. That's because when an ADA complaint is in mediation and a confidentiality agreement hasn't been finalized, the defendant's attorney—Schnee, in this case—is prohibited from directly contacting the complainant. He should be communicating with the mediator. This is just one of several instances of unwarranted charges incurred, thanks to a slipshod contract that doesn't even include page numbers. So what's the supermajority of Bell, Vollmer, and Kirscher doing about this egregious situation? Absolutely nothing. In their eyes, Schnee can do no wrong—we even have this absurd sentiment documented. But let's not forget: the quality of work should matter, Chadwick! Fantasy-Based Comparisons, Brought to You by Schnee Legal Services.More fabrications from Schnee—it seems deception is second nature to him. Contrary to his public claims and communications, I never put forth Cornerstone as a prospective township solicitor. What I did say was that Cornerstone would represent me personally should the township, under Schnee's guidance, decide to take legal action against me. And let's be clear: Schnee would never dare do that; he's fully aware he'd face yet another humiliating loss, akin to when he recklessly sued a journalist and was forced to withdraw his lawsuit in shame within a fortnight. To set the record straight, Cornerstone was never in the running when we were searching for a solicitor firm and chose Tucker Hull. Schnee's comparison is utterly baseless; we never even negotiated rates with the firms he's contrasting with his own. Moreover, Schnee conveniently overlooks that he runs a one-man operation—without support staff, with a mere three months' existence, and led by an inexperienced, self-employed attorney. He has no paralegals; he works from home; his limited experience lies in Right-to-Know (RTK) law as a clerk. Approximately 30% of his billings stem from RTK because he routinely rejects requests and obscures his correspondence under the guise of attorney-client privilege—a blatant ruse enabling him to rack up thousands of dollars in additional billings. Rest assured, Schnee's tactics will be progressively exposed, both to the public and, eventually, to disciplinary authorities. When it comes to RTK requests—often straightforward to process—other, more reputable firms utilize paralegals at significantly reduced rates, around $80 an hour. And let's not forget that Exeter Township already employs an RTK officer. So, what is Schnee actually doing? The answer is clear: inflating his billings! With a fully staffed law firm, not only would we benefit from greater service availability, but we'd also undoubtedly enjoy a markedly higher standard of quality, AT A FRACTION OF SCHNEE LEGAL SERVICES COST! In closing, here's yet another glaring testament to Schnee's relentless deceit and staggering incompetence. How much longer will we, the taxpayers, put up with this costly charade? Wake up, Exeter Township—enough is enough!
Aug. 14 2023 Board of supervisors meeting Schnee Legal Services caught in a lie to the public.8/28/2023 In my Opinion, As an Elected Supervisor of Exeter Township: A glaring two minutes of sheer absurdity courtesy of Schnee Legal Services. The TL;DR: The roles of Chairman and Vice Chairman on the board aren't elected positions. They're designated solely at the Board of Supervisors' discretion. Hence, it's absolutely permissible for any supervisor to put forth a motion to remove the Vice Chairman during a public meeting, regardless of whether it's listed on the published agenda. This is elementary knowledge for even a novice attorney acquainted with the 2nd class township code. And yet, here we have Solicitor Schnee Legal Services, muddying the waters and contradicting himself in an extraordinary display of incompetence
In my Opinion, As an Elected Supervisor of Exeter Township: ![]() Buckle up folks, it's time to dive into the intriguing world of Schnee Legal Services! This is a place where subtlety takes a backseat as direct and indirect bullying, intimidation, and retaliation become the flavor of the day, especially against those bold enough to voice opinions they don't fancy. The irony? This negatively impacts the open conversation between citizens and their government, all while the spotlight-hogging, Chadwick Schnee plays the victim card, despite being the main instigator. Oh, and let's not forget, all of this drama unfolds while your hard-earned tax dollars keep his pockets lined. The image you see above is a screenshot from Facebook, illustrating an event as commonplace as posting a review about Schnee Legal Services on Google - an activity within the right of every citizen. However, it appears that any review expressing an unfavorable opinion towards Schnee Legal Services triggers an immediate impulse in them to silence differing perspectives. This persistent trend is omnipresent, whether it pertains to a Google review or ensuring the citizens are adequately informed about their local governance. Schnee Legal Services seem to exert extraordinary effort, even working beyond regular hours, to suppress any content they deem as contrary. Such actions are inappropriate for a public forum and shouldn't be financed by Exeter taxpayers. And now, for the pièce de résistance (drumroll, please)... below you'll find a message from Mr. Schnee himself, dated August 4th, 2023, served to you verbatim, fresh and unedited! I'll hold my peace for now, choosing not to comment on his bewildering and erratic allegations. It's important to highlight that Mr. Schnee appears to overlook the fact that his role is within a local government, not a private entity. As such, Mr. Schnee should be aware that the standards and scrutiny applied to an average law practitioner and his firm are indeed high, extensively shared, and aimed to inform the public, who are footing the bill for his lackluster services. Needless to say, the bar is set much higher, Chadwick... And that's without intending a pun. Supervisor Hughes, As you are aware, the Township’s agreement with my firm contains the following non-disparagement provision: Non-disparagement: You, on behalf of the Township, its public officials and employees, agree to not disparage or make any defamatory or slanderous statements about this firm and/or Attorney J. Chadwick Schnee, Esq. through any means, including but not limited to social media postings, conversations or written materials. Any violation of the non-disparagement provision of this Agreement shall entitle the other party to bring a legal action for appropriate equitable relief as well as damages. In addition to any other rights or remedies available at law, in equity, or by statute, the parties consent to the specific enforcement of the non-disparagement provision of this Agreement through an injunction or restraining order issued by an appropriate court, without the requirement of posting a bond. Further, we agree that this firm may assess an additional fee up to $1,000.00 per violation, up to an annual maximum of $10,000.00, of the non-disparagement provision of this Agreement. On Sunday, July 30, 2023, I became aware of a Google Review that you listed on my business page stating as follows: I have watched this "attorney" and his work at Exeter Township. Don't ever consider hiring this "attorney". Exeter is like a mess. I am familiar with how Solicitors operate in township environments and this guy is still in school. If I could give less than one star, I would. I am a supervisor in this township and have had the unfortunate experience of working with this biased, hypocritical, passive/aggressive unprofessional so-called "attorney." He should never have been hired after he left the firm we originally contracted with, Tucker Hull, LLC. If you want to WASTE money on unnecesary legal fees, if you want your solicitor to participate in your politics and if you want your solicitor to insert himself in management ....hire Schnee. Otherwise, hard pass. Attached is a screenshot from your Facebook page where you chose to further disseminate your musings. While Google removed this review, others have seen this review and re-published it on the Exeter Examiner Facebook page. On Monday, July 31, 2023, I learned that you had filed an appeal with the Office of Open Records (a copy of which is attached here) in which you published the following statements to the OOR as part of its official public record: a. The Solicitor “exhibits corrupt practices and incompetence;” see Official Notice of Appeal at 15; b. The Solicitor “has entangled himself in both the administrative and political spheres of the township’s operations;” id. at 13; c. The Solicitor’s “actions are driven by personal financial motives;” id.; d. The “three appointed, as opposed to elected, supervisors [have] ceded unchecked control of our township’s operations to [the] Solicitor…;” id.; e.The Solicitor was “dismiss[ed] from his previous position at Tucker Hull due to alleged malpractice and overextension involving Exeter Township;” id.; f. The Solicitor has a “under-resourced, nascent legal practice, lacking in experience, capital, and supportive infrastructure…”, id.; and g. The Solicitor has “manupulat[ed]… public records like meeting minutes … turning these factual records into politically biased commentary and tools for character defamation.” As a result of your false, disparaging, unconscionable and entirely irrelevant statements, the Township was forced to file a Motion to Strike these odious allegations. What makes these statements all the more troubling is that (1) you are aware that these statements (in particular, the fiction that I was “dismissed” from Tucker Hull or that there was ever any allegation of “malpractice” or “overextension involving Exeter Township”); (2) you are aware of the existence of the non-disparagement provision of the contract with Schene Legal Services; and (3) you actively decided to violate it anyway. Your comments are unquestionably disparaging and defamatory in nature, especially where such comments are clearly intended to harm the reputation of Schnee Legal Services and discourage potential clients from engaging in services with my firm. Accordingly, your Google Review and published statements to the OOR are in violation of the non-disparagement provision of the Township’s agreement with Schnee Legal Services. I want to provide you with an opportunity to immediately retract your statements to the OOR so that the Township taxpayers can avoid being assessed an additional fee of $1,000.00 solely due to your disparaging and defamatory remarks. I’d also note that, under Section 907 of the Second Class Township Code, the Board of Auditors has the power to “surcharge any elected … officer for the amount of any loss to the township caused in whole or in part by the officer’s act or omission….” I would respectfully suggest that you should consider refraining from making disparaging comments about or my firm in the future. Thank you for your attention to this matter. J. Chadwick Schnee, Esq. Schnee Legal Services, LLC 74 E Main Street #648 Lititz, PA 17543 (717) 400-5955 chadwick@schneelegal.com http://www.schneelegal.com Let's Chatdhughes@exetertownship.com
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