Council members like John Goffredo and Tom Giovanni, who actually live in the slate belt, draw a bleak picture. In my opinion the slate belt and Upper Mount Bethel in particular, are the most beautiful areas of Northampton County. Yes, there are old quarries, but there are also beautiful woodlands, farms, rolling hills and mountains. But there's no jobs. According to Goffredo, "The slate belt is an area where there are no stores, no restaurants, no nothing." Upper Mount Bethel Supervisor Robert Teel described it as a depressed area that never recovered when the garment industry died. Giovanni said that his aging father-in-law lives in Evergreen Village and struggles to pay taxes. He recently learned that Executive Lamont McClure was holding up the LERTA because of his opposition to warehouses. "This has to go through." said the normally laconic Council member. "That northern tier of our county is suffering and we need to help them."
Manager Ed Nelson, who clearly was uncomfortable, gave what at first was a plodding presentation. He noted that, of the township's 28,166 acres, only 4,788 acres pay the full tax rate. The rest of the land is either tax exempt or tax reduced by state lands, county lands, a federal park, churches, cemeteries, railroads, utilities and farmland. The LERTA, which only applies to 3% of UMBT lands in an industrial park a stone's throw from the highway and a bridge into NJ,
Nelson said that developer RPL is foicused an manufacturing, not warehuse. His assertion was backed by Teel, who has been UMBT's chief negotiator with RPL. Lisa Pekto, speaking for RPL, stated, "We have always worked at making this a manufacturing-focused site."
Council member John Cusick was dubious. Noting the opposition, he apologized for being "jaded and cynical," but noted that developers always promise manufacturing and then bring in warehouses like Chrin did in Tatamy. Agreeing with Cusick, Council member Tara Zrinski pointed to a LVPC letter warning that RPL will bring high cube warehouses.
Nelson, who frankly admitted to having made mistakes in the past, stressed the importance of an industrial park that will actually create jobs. Instead of plodding, he started to become passionate. He said there's no place for kids who get out of school to get a job and stay in the community. They just leave. He saw that as a security officer at Bangor Area School District for 10 years. He added that he coached 40 years. Now he can't get a volunteer. They all want to be paid because people who do live in community have to commute long distances to their jobs. "It's all I, I, I, I. And it's not from the kids, it's from the older folks."
Former State Rep. and NorCo Council President Rich Grucela also spoke in support of the LERTA. "We never received any marketing support over the years from the LVEDC (Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation). He said the slate belt lost 3-4 prospects while he was a state rep. because there was no marketing and no sites. He added that the rail inside the industrial development should alleviate should alleviate truck traffic.
Goffedo said Council members should listen to members who actually live in the slate belt. I agree with him. A possible $1.6 million annual benefit should help a township whose land is 83% tax exempt or tax reduced.
The vote on this LERTA, which already passed, will take place in April.
24 comments:
Develop another plan - any plan. No LERTA. No warehouses. No lies about manufacturing jobs that will never materialize. Ed Nelson is still a simpleton with ethics issues. Your years long assessment of him is still correct. A government picking winners that will result in more warehouses is insane. McClure is certainly a broken clock. But he's right on this issue at this time. What part of "no more warehouses" does Ed Nelson and his ilk not get? Santa is all heart and a yard thick. That's always a tragic combination in government.
Thank you for this post regarding UMBT and the Slate Belt on your blog.
We enjoy living in an area that still has dairy farms, verdant fields, orchards and unfortunately, probably a fading sense of rural living. That's why we live here. Soon, trucks will crowd roads unfit for their numbers. And the whole UMBT will change for the worse, at least for some of us. People move here for the farms, fields and quiet. Yet, we are close to transportation that enables commuting to other areas.
You can't get volunteers? Really? How hard have we reached out to the community? The world is changing all over but there are still many good people locally that would be glad to help.
As far as the industrial area, how many local jobs will it truly create? Especially if we have no local talent to fill those lines. But, that's not what we are in UMBT or in the Slate Belt at this time.
Local politics is incredibly un-transparent. It almost seems that they are hiding true agendas. Ya think?? Mismanagement of funds to a paving company and a ridiculous one sided trash pick up contract that favors the carting company are the latest blows against the town. I don't know. Maybe I am just being old fashioned. Sorry for the rant.
Slatebeltonians shoot down every project that comes their way!
If the Pektors say it's a good thing and will bring manufacturing, I say we all just believe them.
Sincerely,
Everybody In The Area Who's Not Familiar With History
" People move here for the farms, fields and quiet. Yet, we are close to transportation that enables commuting to other areas."
Bingo. You are a commuter who wants a BR community in the sticks and don't give a rat's ass about the numerous people who are leaving bc there are no jobs and those who are unable to afford the taxes. I get it.
"They now want the County to reneg"
That's inaccurate. The county LERTA was only approved for 5 years. They don't want it renewed.
9:25, Until I see the supporting documents, which the Clerk's office failed to attach to the agenda, I'll go with what I said. During the meeting, Giovanni and others stated that the county only required that UMBT update the County on its progress after five years, not that a new LERTA was required. It might have been interpreted that way by the Exec, but I can only go by what I see and hear.
Can't have your cake and eat it too. The SB region has been in crisis for decades now. Jobs? Sure that would be great but this ain't silicon valley here. The mills were destroyed and shipped out due to greed! Cheaper goods in S. America and now..China! Those jobs are long gone and not coming back. Joe Cap the only owner who refused to sell out. Region is a toxic waste dump and garbage containment site. LVDC has done very little to ease the situation other than saying..the warehouses are coming and you better be prepared for that eventuality. Nothing is gonna change here despite the desires of a few sane people.
No matter what the cause is, UMBT has always found a way to shoot themselves in the foot.
The Slate Belt should be a Federal Super Fund site. Waste dumping has been going on for decades now including harbor dredging's from NY/NJ, Coal ash dumping of the past into unlined quarry holes, WM's continued dumping of garbage and who knows what else on top of the watershed running thru or near their ever growing in height dump. Who in their right mind wants to bring up their children and live under these conditions? The glory days of the region are long gone and we are left with what? UMBT has a chance to save themselves from this fate if they act now with the counties help. Choose wisely and save what you can for future generations to enjoy about the area we once championed.
A fired career cell phone salesman, who is a Mall Santa and Bangor School Crossing Guard handling a township? Why don't you report about how this buffoon is being investigated along with UMBT Supervisor's by the ethics commission right now for spending 600K to his buddies blacktop business and the two different State and Federal agencies that are also investigating criminal acts??? 20 years an elected supervisor and he thinks no bid need because the blacktop will melt if he doesn't give his buddy the job? In UMBT soon the rats will eat each other! Its a corrupt cesspool tol! We need Ron Angle to clean this corrupt bunch of creeps out of there! PS Santa already knows since he doesn't have a contract he is done at the re-organization meeting. What a swamp UMBT is
The reality is that this is more than about UMBT. It’s about the Bangor Area School District’s efforts to lessen the property tax burden in all municipalities. The irony is the objectors may bring the very warehouses they don’t want. The reasonable approach is to work on the means to control the traffic.
I'd be interested to know if the LERTA could be written to only provide real estate tax abatement for manufacturing uses and not warehouses.
"A fired career cell phone salesman, who is a Mall Santa and Bangor School Crossing Guard handling a township? Why don't you report about how this buffoon is being investigated along with UMBT Supervisor's by the ethics commission right now for spending 600K to his buddies blacktop business and the two different State and Federal agencies that are also investigating criminal acts??? 20 years an elected supervisor and he thinks no bid need because the blacktop will melt if he doesn't give his buddy the job? In UMBT soon the rats will eat each other! Its a corrupt cesspool tol! We need Ron Angle to clean this corrupt bunch of creeps out of there! PS Santa already knows since he doesn't have a contract he is done at the re-organization meeting. What a swamp UMBT is"
I wrote about Nelson quite a bit at the time of his appointment. I knew then he was a poor choice. But I misjudged him. He is a sincere and likable fellow who cares about his community. I did not write about the ethics investigation.
I'd certainly agree that a LERTA and even more might be needed to tear down that hulking Met Ed power plant.
Is it wrong Bernie to want to live in a quiet farmland area where you can ride a bike without being next to a tractor trailer? Should there be no farmland. No suburbs?
"I'd be interested to know if the LERTA could be written to only provide real estate tax abatement for manufacturing uses and not warehouses."
According to Stan Margle,No. I believe he's full of shit. Conditions are placed on LERTAs all the time. Moreover, you could include language stating that any legal attack an a LERTA ends it.
Where is the LVEDC on this issue? Or as usual they will disregard the Slate Belt .
When we lost the scion Sherwood Grigg in 2019 I knew things would continue to deteriorate in the Slate Belt a pillar of the community whose trip to see St Peter came much too soon, RIP my friend
Bunch of NIMBY's who want preferent treatment. They doesn't give a rat's ass about th many, many poor people living up there. Seniors and young needing real jobs. Shame on people like Zirinski who panders to this nonsense. Also shame on your boy McClure who pushed this five years ago and is now suddenly against it. Stop pandering Big Mac, we know you want pt be state senator but for once be about what's good for all th people.
Our own version of Mississippi. Funny how red it is up there too.
The Slate Belt is a unique area with its own set of issues and challenges. A summary of observations is provided below.
1. There is a clear delineation between the “haves” and the “have nots”. This has become exacerbated by the influx of those that have moved to the area after then pandemic and either work from home or commute to their high paying jobs that are located elsewhere. Meanwhile, many of the existing residents have low income or rely on family legacy inheritances.
2. Citizens expect lush farmland, freshly paved roads, and full municipal services for little to no taxes. There is a disconnect between understanding that the preferential assessments tied to farmland and undeveloped areas causes taxes to go up on those properties that do not have such assessments.
3. Any and all development is opposed. Even development that could bring jobs. The overall reasons for the expressed opposition vary, but it really comes down to a perception that development will damage the quality of life of the residents that have lived there their whole lives.
4. The waste industry has both infiltrated and enriched the area. Some benefit while others suffer on a daily basis. Pulling the plug on the industry will have a negative economic impact in the short-term but may force creativity on bringing new development and opportunities into the area for the long-term.
5. The elected officials need to become less short-sighted and think about the long-term needs of the overall community.
"Where is the LVEDC on this issue?"
Where they have been for years. More warehouses and unaffordable apartments everywhere.
I just read the LERTA law. It is relatively short. It doesn't say whether you can or cannot apply it to certain types of business uses. the whole intent of LERTA is to target the tax breaks to where they are needed, so I don't think a judge would overturn a limitation that the tax reduction can only apply to manufacturing.
10:34, Spot on!
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