As it does annually, Northampton County Council will reorganize today. That's when it elects a President, Vice President and Solicitor for the upcoming year. In addition to reorganizing, it should also reflect on what has actually been a very bad 2024. It's nowhere near as bad as the circus at Lower Saucon Tp Council, but it's headed in that direction.
Last year, the animosity started at the very first meeting, when Lori Vargo Heffner and Ron Heckman were elected President and VP. Ken Kraft, who apparently expected Council to just make him President, immediately began to throw darts. He told WFMZ-TV69 that the election of Vargo-Heffner and Heckman was part of a deal with Republicans, with Executive Lamont McClure adding that the Heffner-Heckman duo is actually being led by Republican John Brown. Heckman retorted that McClure "had branched into comedy."
Things went downhill from there. Council started 2024 with three new Council members - Kraft, (Bethlehem District), Jeff Warren (Nazareth District) and Kelly Keegan (Easton District). Despite a plethora of worthy candidates, Council was unable to agree on one person to fill the Council vacancy created by the January 2 resignation of Tara Zrinsk, who had become Controller. The fumata bianca never billowed from the courthouse smokestacks.
The three newbies insisted on IBEW Business Manager Paul Anthony, which would give Executive a fourth vote. Council member Ron Heckman voted for teacher Deb Hunter. The rest were all over the place. Council eventually had to ask the courts to do it, something that I believe has never happened in the history of home rule. In a hearing before President Judge Craig Dally, Kraft asserting incorrectly that there never had been a motion to send the matter to the courts even though he had seconded the motion himself.
President Judge Craig Dally appointed Jeff Corpora, someone who was not among the numerous candidates.
The bad relations continued. McClure, who is Executive and not a Council member, complained about Council member Tom Giovanni's appointment as Chair of the Courts and Corrections Committee, referring to him as a "MAGA Chairman of Committees." He also pointed out that rookie Jeff Warren chairs no committees. He uploaded a picture of Tom Giovanni posing with Republican State Rep. Ann Flood: "And this Fella was just appointed Chair of the Personnel and Courts and Corrections Committees of Northampton County Council by the President. You good with that?"
Yes, I am. As McClure most certainly knows, most of what a county government does has very little, if any, connection to party politics. The attempt to inject politics after an election is what makes good government turn bad.
As the year progressed, the bitterness got worse. Kraft accused Vargo Heffner of being a Queen, with some justification. She at another meeting suggested that the Kraft-Warren-Keegan troika were monkeys.
Council voted again to reject McClure's voluntary employee health center, as it did in 2023. It also voted to reject a county bond that would have financed a new and badly needed parking deck as well as a new office building. A majority was willing to finance a new parking deck, but Warren wanted a vote on everything. This unwillingness to compromise resulted in him getting nothing. Kraft was quick to take Vargo Heffner to task for attending a week-long conference about county government in Florida, even though I know few people who go to Florida in July to have fun. In the meantime, he was absent from the budget hearings at which the real business of Council is done.
While sniping at each other, Council took no action about serious staff shortages at the jail and in human services. But it did manage to propose several budget amendments that were clearly illegal.
Notwithstanding the dearth of accomplishments, Warren recently went on Facebook to pat himself on the back for getting things done. This included several toothless resolutions like recognizing pride month and a cap on trailer park rents, although that is a function of the state government. He lauded an ordinance to provide feminine hygiene products in county bathrooms. Though this was originally promoted as a way to help many impoverished women who are unable to afford menstrual products, it eventually became a LGBTQ+ issue for some odd reason. Warren fails to address the Council's numerous failures, which include its inability to properly staff and compensate much needed 24/7 operations.
For her part, Keegan used social media to insult members of Council outside of the Kraft-Keegan-Warren triumvirate. She also instructed her followers, and there are hopefully few of those, that "You don't have to read the newspaper. A lot of people just don't read any more."
What Warren and most members of my tribe fail to recognize is that they have exalted the culture wars over the needs of the working class. That used to be the base of the Democratic party, but it has been neglected by a party that would rather appeal to elitists and underclass instead of the very people who work for a living. This neglect is why Trump won in 2016 and why he won again in 2024.
41 comments:
It’s funny. You admit that Trump is meeting the needs of the working class but lament that your party is losing elections because they’re not doing the same.
How very partisan of you, which is what your post accuses everyone on council of.
If you’re looking for a major part of the problem in Northampton County government, maybe it’s time to take a look in the mirror.
McClure could not work with an easy-going guy like Heckman or a strong woman like Hefner, so of course he wants a rubber stamp like Kraft or Warren to be president. As much as they attack Trump supporters, they follow Mclure's every whim like puppy dogs.
Democrat party is a thing of the past Biden, Pelosi ,Harris and others ran it into the ground.
You are the biggest shit stirrer in the county who hasn't done one thing to help anyone but yourself. You use this platform to protect those you like no matter how bad they are and you talk out of both sides of your mouth. Your opinions create more animosity among the council which only aggravate situations, and unfortunately you influence some commissioners. And for that reason you are merely a self serving blogger with intentions to hurt the county all while typing away behind your keyboard. Good for you and your opinions. 2025 should give you lots to write about and keep you busy. I love that for you!
This post makes no sense. What is your point ? Apparently gridlock is what people want.
You long for a bipartisanship that once existed. But this is the new state of play in all politics, and it's very polarized all the way down to the local level. You became radicalized, as well, through the Trump and CoViD years. It's where we all are, now. We're never going back. You contributed as much as anyone.
Bernie you are responsible for the dysfunction. You cheer on Lamont’s ideas which drives County Council bonkers.
This blog is responsible for the bad behavior of Council. This Council can’t get anything done because dim witted members like Ron Heckman take their direction from what’s written here.
This blog is irrelevant. Everyone Bernie endorses loses. And, everyone he despises prospers. See Zrinski v. Cusick for the most recent example. Go Tara Go !
What a hilariously stupid post. Meanwhile there are 3 council members Brown, Giovanni, and Corpora who don’t do a thing but collect a paycheck from taxpayers. Giovanni and Corpora in particular don’t even speak.
what a tangled web you weave Mr. O'hare you shit stirring heathen
You only influence LVH and her rubber stamps. Kraft, Warren, and Keegan couldn't give a crap about you or your blog.
i Wonder if Cusick is going to make a comeback, he seems bored at home doing nothing in retirement.
Goffredo made the tampons an “LGBTQ” thing.
Keegan and Warren specifically discussed how feminine hygiene products in county restrooms was a human dignity issue. And you say for some odd reason it became a LGBTQ+ issue? That’s because Goffredo made it one, and made it a culture war issue. Nice of you to give him cover.
NORCO council - the major benefit of living in Lehigh County
Have to say, this sums things up nicely. The present Democrat Party (at least on the Federal level) has completely destroyed the reputation of every other Democrat down the line. That party is now being shunned by many voters. Even more voters turning away, as more dirty tricks and illegal activities get revealed. Truly a dark period in American history.
What I said is that my party is ignoring the working class, which used to be its base. This started during Clinton with NAFTA and has continued to the present. That is why my party lost in 2016 and 2024, but I never said that Trump is meeting their needs. Also I have seen firsthand that some members of Council ignore the working class, including those who work for the county. Kraft accused COs of sob stories when one noted he had to choose between his disabled daughter and the county when being forced to work OT. It is far from partisan to suggest that the county should start caring about the people wjho work for it. That should be bipartisan.
Cusick could have won that race had he accepted and spent $,. Fortunately for the county, Zrinski has turned out to be quite a good controller. She has avoided the temptation to make it political like Pinsley has done.
Giovanni is the person I see most often at the courthouse., He makes sure he finds out what is going on, probably better than I do bc he is more likable. Amazingly he gets criticized for being there. At meetings he does not speak as much as the rest of you but does not need to bc when he does, he tends to make more sense than the rest of you. Corpora says little, which I would expect bc he is new to the role. Warren is a bloviator and Keegan and Kraft are attack dogs, just not very good ones.
You simply don't get it, do you? On the list of issues that matter to people, having tampons in restrooms is pretty much near the bottom. Having people on hand to answer 911 calls or send caseworkers to investigate abuse she be a top county priority and is one that you've all missed bc you spend far too much time squabbling about putting tampons in men's rooms or making NorCo a sanctuary for abortion. I personally agreed with the op-ed written by Warren and Keegan and believe it is important to have hygiene products for women unable to afford them. But I do not believe that men suffering from incontinence need this protection, as Warren asserted in his Facebook missive. There are no studies showing that 60 yo men who suffer from incontinence are unable to afford diapers.
wow, you are so expressive
Democrats are going the way of the Bull- Moose party.
Bernie did you see the award winners who Biden gave the highest civilian awards to --They are the reason the democrats are falling apart.
There are still some very good Democrats who understand that we need to help people, including the working class.
I’m sure you are right, Bernie. Especially on the LOCAL level. Democrats at the Federal level, in my opinion, are a lock-stepping, ultra radical mess, more interested in their own power and personal gain. Those types need to be rooted out as soon as possible. I was a Democrat for many years, by the way. Now registered as No Party.
It's funny how you don't mention which commissioner pushed for the feminine hygiene products to go in the men's rooms. So I'll tell you. It was LVH. But you constantly cover for her.
And boo hoo to anyone who feels incontinence products shouldn't be in the men's room. Are you not big enough men to just look away because you don't need them? You have to make a point to berate them? Being in the courthouse and having incontinence issues is pretty embarrassing and it's stressful enough to be there in the first place, so I don't understand why it's such an issue for people who don't need them. Consider yourselves lucky then.
Bernie, you just seem to be all about money and providing for those people who don't have it, but what about just providing for people who have a need for something that is for a biological function?
I find it pretty pathetic that anyone criticizes the County for providing people with products that help with their incontinence and menstrual needs.
Anon STFU
You just spent three paragraphs continuing an argument on a subject that I'm sure is at the bottom of anyone's list of what is considered important on any level. This focus on extraneous matters is precisely why there is no voluntary employee health center or a bond issue for a badly needed parking deck. Moreover, if you really care about helping people, you'd make sure that 911, jail, Gracedale and JJC are fully staffed. You'd be devoting your energy to helping McClure solve that problem. You soak all the oxygen out of the room with your virtue signaling instead of focusing on what the county really needs, and I assure you, it's not diapers. You really need to reflect on your priorities.
That video Jeff posted is embarrassing- he should be ashamed of himself! What an ugly human being! And McClure is turning out just like him!
Now let's argue over who pushed Feminine products in bathrooms- God help us with these losers!
Working In the courthouse is stressful? Please explain and explain that to the employees of 911, the jail, juvey and gracedale. They will tell you what real stress is mostly the jail
Bernie the no good democrat governor of New York in taxing the people who has to drive into Manhattan 9 more dollars All Democrats do is tax and tax anyway they could Democrats are not going away fast enough.
Yes. Never mind that she’s not qualified for the position. But hey, why not?
Goofredo said this afternoon Gridlock is Good. Don’t take my word for it go watch the video. He said, “Sometime no progress is progress.”
1. Never once have I given a thought to feminine hygiene products made available to me. For MANY years, I have just bought them and moved on, not expecting the government to provide those things for me.
2. Government has lost the script. The elected person is a servant of the people, not the other way around. Start working FOR the betterment of all, rather than looking at what is in it for me.
3. Jimmy Carter was a poor president because he thought of other first and was just too darned honest. What a sad thing to write about someone.
Bernie summed it up beautifully. McClure’s Three Stooges just followed his orders. The voters will remember come November that McClure hand picked these stooges to work for him. Vote out McClure and things will begin to get better. Nobody likes a dictator.
Gridlock, as designed by the Founders, is a wonderful thing.
Wow…Totally agree with Bernie on .the local Dems not tapping or connecting with working class . They have a short list of qualified up and coming candidates. They need a serious MO reset and are desperate for new leadership to replace their current stale and lackluster performing top talking heads. County Council should be about County business, not personality. Adult bipartisan communication sets the pace for good governance, not renaming councilmen as commissioners, or petty personal sniping. Time to put the D, R, or MAGA label aside and learn the job description and responsibilities of a legitimate council.
Keegan, Warren, and most of all Kraft, what a bunch of losers. C’mon democrats can’t you do better than those sssholes. Sick of woke crap to push national politics. Concentrate on the county.
Warren, Keegan, and Kraft- the 3 stooges of Northampton County!
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