The first-term council member was arrested last year after being stopped by Stone Harbor police for driving without headlights. According to police, he flashed a badge, pretending to be an officer in an attempt to get out of the violation.
Police searched him and his car and allege that Servis was intoxicated, and had some marijuana and a small handgun. Servis is licensed to carry a gun in Pennsylvania, but not in New Jersey.
In exchange for Servis' plea, prosecutors will drop the following minor charges: possession of marijuana in a quantity of less than 50 grams, possession of drug paraphernalia, impersonating a public servant, driving without headlights, using false identification, and hindering an arrest by providing false information.
Servis did not return numerous calls and pages, nor did his attorney, Joseph Rodgers.
It was uncertain whether Servis could be removed from office for this plea, but it was clear council members wouldn't try to force him out. According to Pennsylvania's Constitution, elected officials may be removed if convicted of an ``infamous crime,'' including embezzlement, bribery and perjury.
Shelly Houk, director of research at the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs, said this could include Servis' conviction.
Dean Fernsler, local government policy specialist for the Center for Local Government Services, said the term infamous crime ``can be construed to include a felony.''
``I think in this particular case, if there is a conviction - not a charge, but a conviction - it would be possible to remove him from office according to state statute,'' Fernsler said.
But Jack Sirott, Tullytown's solicitor, disagreed. He said infamous crimes deal mostly with issues of trustworthiness. Servis' two charges don't relate, he said.
``I haven't been asked to examine the question, but based on what I know of the law, I don't think it's a basis for removing him from office,'' Sirott said.
Council members said they weren't interested in removing Servis. Political allies and enemies said this issue was a personal one and didn't involve his job.
``Do I think it's going to be the cause of any major change? I don't,'' said Council President Patricia Carroll, who usually opposes Servis. ``I don't want to sit in judgment of anybody.''
Councilman Richard Wells, a Servis ally, said the guilty plea does nothing to hurt his constituents or the borough.
``I don't think it does anything to interfere with his career as a politician,'' Wells said.
Servis had maintained a not guilty plea over the last year, but changed it this week. Last week, prosecutor Johnson said he didn't know what to expect from Servis. Rodgers, contending the search of Servis' car was illegal, had filed a motion that it be ruled inadmissible, but that motion failed.
``They lost their motion to suppress, and that was something they had to consider,'' Johnson said. ``I guess they did.''
Sentencing is Sept. 10.
