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Friday, February 05, 2010

Ann McHale Turns Motion Into Commotion

Last night's Northampton County Council meeting was the first ever meeting webcast for viewing by the general public. In fact, during the meeting, I received a few text messages from friends who were watching the show. This meeting will be available for you to view yourself here. (Just click on "County Council Meetings").

What should have been a relatively uneventful meeting was disrupted by former President Ann McHale, who is obviously still bitter after her primary loss to Executive John Stoffa. After having gone through all the business for the evening, McHale insisted on revisiting a pending decision to use a different law firm as outside counsel.

Ron Angle, as Council President, had already referred the matter to the Finance Committee. He allowed some dialogue on the topic at the end of the meeting, but put his foot down when McHale called for a vote on a motion to approve the outside contract. You see, there was no resolution or ordinance that she could move to support.

McHale: "I can make a motion."

Angle: "We're past new or old business, quite frankly."

McHale: "It doesn't matter, the meeting's not over."

Angle: "Well, it matters. You're not the President anymore, quite frankly ..."

McHale: "I don't care."

Angle: "We're past old and new business."

McHale: "You've done it many, many times."

Angle: "If you want to put it on in two weeks, put it on. In the meantime, the Finance Committee will have met."

McHale: "I'd like to make a motion that we approve the contract for the law firm of Flamm, Walton. Is there a second?"

Lamont McClure: "Second."

Angle: "Just a second ..."

McHale: "There's a motion and a second."

Angle: "And you know what? One more time, you're not the President. Mr. Flisser [Clerk of County Council], do you want to explain to Mrs. McHale what's wrong."

Frank Flisser, Clerk of County Council: "I believe the Administrative Code requires you do this by Ordinance or Resolution."

Angle: "Thank you, now ...."

McHale: "Even though the County Executive has already signed the order."

Angle: "That's what it says, Mrs. McHale.

McHale: "Yeah, I understand [sarcastically]."

Angle: "I know you choose to do it your way. I want to do it the right way."

McHale: "Oh. Since when?"

Angle: "Now if you want to put it on for two weeks, I'll put it on myself. In the meantime, the Finmance Committee is going to meet and deal with it in two weeks on a Wednesday. Now, that being said ... "

McHale: "There's a motion and a second."

Angle: "Mr. Solicitor, do you have anything under your report."

Solicitor (Phil Lauer): "No."

McHale: "There's a motion and a second."

Angle: "As President, I'm ruling it out of order because we're not meeting the codes. I don't intend to accept it. You've got to meet the book, what it says. That's what the laws are."

McHale: "Is that the case, Mr. Lauer?"

Solicitor: "If it requires either resolution or an ordinance, then I think yeah, absolutely ...

McHale: "OK, we can still have a verbal vote on this. It may be nonbinding, but there's a motion and a second."

Angle: "Man oh man. You're on a fishing trip there now. OK, anything else."

McHale: "I'm trying to give the Executive the opportunity to go forward and deal with the huan resouce issues that are before him."

Angle: "And you know what? Under my presidency, we regularly meet. Mr. Stoffa, did you and I agree, prior to the meeting, to move it to the Finance Committee, and you' be satisfied?"

Stoffa: "Yes."

Angle: "Thank you very much."

Blogger's Note: Blogger comments enabled.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

seems to me like annie's using something out of ron's own playbook.

Anonymous said...

seems to me like it didn't work. I thought Angle was supposed to be the loud-mouthed rabble rouser.

Anonymous said...

Payback's a ________

Anonymous said...

Per Ron's own words, I am the greatest con man around, no one can play both sides as does he!

Bernie O'Hare said...

I thought Angle handled her well. He maintained control of the meeting, and without losing his cool. McHale obviously intended to be disruptive. She had no real point.

To be fair, Angle pulled stunts like this all the time before he was President, with two important differences. One, he always had a point. Two, he often succeeded.

Anonymous said...

I find it funny how you only enable blogger for specific posts. Just another way for O'Hare to censor those who disagree.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps she should have scribbled something on paper and then she would have had a resolution that had to be considered.

But what's the real story behind this minor parliamentary moment?

Why is Angle stalling on Stoffa's request for new counsel of his choice?

Surely, you are not naive enough to think that he motivated by public interest in this instance? This is just the latest example of cloaking his petty, vindictive personal agenda under the guise of advancing the public good.

Anonymous said...

Councilwoman McHale made a motion that was properly seconded. she was within her rights to so. It was not binding, merely a gauge on the feelings of Council. Unnecessary? In the sense it would have no binding effect on the County, certainly. However, motions , most of which are meaningless and have no weight of law, are made all the time. Mr. Angle made more than anyone. Usually silly things that never even got a second. Still he would hollar and scream about freedom and democracy.

Angle is now in charge and capriciously and wrongly stopped a vote on a proper motion, outside his rather limited jurisdiction as President of Council. If he continues on this method a censure vote by Council is in order.

He also reveled that he and Stoffa violated the Sunshine Act by mentioning the motion was unnecessary because he(Angle) and Stoffa had,"discussed and decided on a course of action earlier". That was County business done behind closed doors and not in an open meeting. That is beyond Mr. Angles limited authority and as such both Angle and Stoffa should be censured and reported for the violation.

We will continue to watch and report the Truth!

L.U.V.
(Legions United in Values)

Bernie O'Hare said...

The motion was out of order and properly ruled out of order. there was no resolution or oridnance in front of council. What are the hourly fees? What is the length of the contract? So council would have been voting on nothing. On top of that, the Admin Code is very clear. McHale was rukled out of order by the Council Prez, and the Clerk as well as the Solicitor agreed with him.

As far as the Sunshine Act goes, you are out of your mind. The Sunshine Act applies to secret meetings by council or a committee. it has no application at all to the Executive and certainly has no application to a meeting between th Exec and the Council President.

That's just good government.

Anonymous said...

I guess the Sunshine Act only works for you O'Hare. If they made decisions that affect the County it should have been public. That's it...no ifs, and's, or buts about it. I am sure you will spin it Angle's way, but those of us that know the Act as well if not better than you know the truth. Have a great night.

Bernie O'Hare said...

The Sunshine Act has abslutely no applications to meetings of the executive branch or between the council president and the exec.

Anonymous said...

Still deleting the truth about the Sunshine Act. That's OK, now that the meetings are broadcast people will learn the thruth. They will also learn that you are indeed a hypocrite.

Anonymous said...

Funny, I thought making an executive decision to be aired in a Financial Committee was further opening government.

Bernie O'Hare said...

And that's exactly what is going to happen. It will be aired out in detail before the Finance Committee bc Angle has concerns, and those concerns are that McHale and McClure were tryinmg to steer the work to this firm. Those concerns are probably w/o merit, but they need to be examined. Once that is done, the full Council can air the matter out again.