A Political NorCo County Festival

The annual luncheon for centenarians was recently cancelled as a result of the state budget gridlock, but the annual county festival was held on Saturday despite the rain. 

During the festival, County Executive Lamont G. McClure presented awards to outstanding individuals and organizations whose service, leadership, and dedication strengthen our communities. This is undertandable because he represents the Executive branch. But what bothers me is that McClure was joined by County Controller Tara Zrinski and County Council member Jeff Warren. Neither Zrinski nor Warren have anything to do with administration and play no role in deciding who gets awarded anything. But Zrinski is running for Exec and Warren is running for the state house. Their involvement is pure politics. The gods must agree because they made sure everyone got drenched.

NorCo Human Services Caseworkers Plan to Rally Before Tonight's County Council Meeting

Yesterday, I received a news release from SEIU Local 668, the bargaining unit for NorCo's Human Services Caseworkers. Here's what it says:

County workers and community supporters will gather outside the Northampton County Council Chambers at 5:00 PM on Thursday, October 16, before the evening meeting. Participants will rally outside, then attend the meeting to speak during the public comment period about the announced layoffs and the broader funding crises driving them. Northampton County recently announced layoffs in its human services workforce, citing a lack of state reimbursements caused by the ongoing budget impasse in Harrisburg and the federal government shutdown. Workers and their union say those cuts are unnecessary and avoidable. SEIU Local 668 members are calling on Congress, Harrisburg, and the County to take responsibility for protecting critical public services and the workers who provide them.

Executive Lamont McClure assured me in a telephone conversation yesterday that he has no intention of laying anyone off and believes the county has enough funds to pay caseworkers through the end of the year. He explained that the union was given a 30-day notice because the collective bargaining unit requires it. He also told me and advised County Council last night that he's asked for an interest-free loan of $10 million from the state treasurer.

There's no denying, however, that if the state budget impasse continues much longer, the well will run dry, and the county will be forced to make difficult decisions. Instead of laying off caseworkers, I'd furlough as many exempt positions (these are political appointees) as possible and temporarily reduce wages to cabinet officials. I'd also sit down with SEIU and other unions to see if workers are willing to take a temporary paycut so that human services can continue. 

County Furloughs Begin

In Northampton County, Executive Lamont McClure has notified SEIU, the bargaining unit for human services caseworkers, that furloughs are on the horizon as a result of the gridlock over a state budget that has been overdue since July 1.  This decision has been met by widespread criticism from both caseworkers and public officials, including both of the candidates who want to succeed McClure. In his most recent statement on the topic, McClure said he believes the county has enough cash on hand to stave off furloughs until the end of the year, which coincidentally is when his term expires. He said he has inquired about a loan from the State Treasurer but believes it should be interest free. What's going on elsewhere? 

According to Lehigh County Comm'r Jon Irons, his county was seeking a loan.  It is unknown precisely how much interest will need to be paid or the exact sum being borrowed. In Cambria County, Comm'rs have borrowed $8.5 million with a 4.49% interest rate and no pre-payment penalty. About 30 organizations, including as many as seven counties, have applied for a loan from the state treasurer. That loan originally required repayment with 4.5% interest, but the Pa Senate has passed a bill making the loans interest-free. That bill has yet to pass the Pa. House.  

In Westmoreland County, 125 employees have already been furloughed. They include human services caseworkers, workers in row offices and aides to elected officials. That way, vital human services can still be provided. In Armstrong County, human services caseworkers have been furloughed and senior centers that provide hot meals have been shuttered. Carbon County officials think they can hold on to the end of the year. 

In the meantime, the Pa. House has passed yet another budget bill. Though it spends less than Governor Josh Shapiro had hoped, he said he'd sign it if the Senate passes it when they reconvene on October 20.

No hurry. 

Josh Siegel Should Think Twice Before Attacking Allentown's Former Top Cop

Lehigh County Exec candidate Joshua Siegel likes to tell anyone who will listen that he's outgrown his immaturity and has learned from previous mistakes that include participating in night rallies that chant, "F--- the Police!" They also include voting No to grants for Allentown's police. But one of his more recent ads indicates that Siegel has learned nothing. The man who wants to "F--- the police" and who wanted to burden you with both a sales and county income tax is claiming that his opponent, Roger MacLean, "failed to keep us safe" as Allentown's top cop back in 2010. 

Back then, Siegel was still living in Jersey and attending Phillipsburg High School. So there is no "us." 

If Siegel wants to know who has failed to keep Allentonians safe, all he needs to do is look in a mirror.

Where Are Tom Giovanni's Mailers?

So far, I've received four mailers from Tara Zrinski's campaign for county executive. Two appear to be directly from her campaign. Another two, which also ask you to support County Council candidates Jason Boulette and David Holland, come from the DemocracyFIRST PAC. But I've received nothing from Tom Giovanni, Zrinski's opponent. 

If Tom wants to be elected, I'd think he'd have reached out to Democrats and independents by now. This is because mail-in ballots have already been sent out, so it's almost too late at this point. Zrinski can win this race without GOP support. But I doubt Giovanni can do so without attracting a few Democrats. That will not happen if he fails to reach out to them. As my friend, Bishop Ron Angle once told me, "People like to be asked."

Former Custody Master's Federal Lawsuit - The Court Strikes Back, Claims She Was Biased For Attorney Accused of Drug Possession

I've written several times now about the federal lawsuit filed by Lisa Tresslar, Northampton County's former child custody master. She initially sued the entire court and county as well, but her lawsuit now is only aimed at Court Administrator Jermaine Greene and President Judge Craig Dally (I'll refer to them henceforth as the NorCo Court).  A previous motion to dismiss was partially granted. Federal Judge John Gallagher ruled that Tresslar failed to allege properly that she was a victim of discrimination.  But he allowed Tresslar's claim of retaliation to stand. She argues that she was effectively terminated for voicing concerns about revisions to child custody guidelines. After exhaustive discovery, NorCo Court has filed a motion for summary judgment based on the undisputed facts of record. It claims that the revised custody guidelines were adopted "to alleviate several concerns of reported conflicts of interest [and] favoritism based on complaints NorCo Court had received about Tresslar's bias toward certain attorneys. These include Attorney Stan Margle, who has now been charged twice with bringing cocaine and drug paraphernalia to court and then forgetting it there.  

Tresslar has filed a competing motion for summary judgment, but I'm unable to tell you about it because she requested that it be sealed. I've outlined her arguments in the past. I believe she may have sought to seal her motion to keep individual cases from being publicized. But up until now, I've never really heard  NorCo Court's side of the story. It's a doozy. 

According to NorCo Court's motion, its concern about bias turned out to be accurate. Through discovery, it learned of "ex parte communications between Tresslar and Margle in which she worked actively to undermine the opposing party, provided legal counsel and acted in a manner "completely contrary to her role as neutral Court employee." It calls its revised custody guidelines a reasonable attempt to limit the appearance of impropriety that arose from her dealings with her friends. Had it known then what it knows now, the actions taken would have been far harsher. 

NorCo Court contends it has "an affirmative duty to address any appearance of impropriety when it arises." That was the reason for revised custody guidelines. Discovery revealed that she made several statements to Margle that are clearly beyond the pale. 

Here's an example from one of her texts to Margle:

"Seriously, the day you cross-examined Dr. B----, and the day you cross-examined U-----, I got weak in the knees. I, like, wanted to have your baby. ... When other lawyers complain I have a special relationship with you because you were once my lawyer, I always scoff at them, but privately I'm thinking, 'If you only knew ... ."

While I believe a judicial officer can certainly compliment good lawyering, Tresslar appears to have gone a bit beyond mere puffery. The record reveals she shared confidential information with Margle and disparaged an attorney who was squaring off against him. "He is none too bright. You will be splendid tomorrow. I wish I could be there to see it. Please delete these text messages!" Discovery also revealed that she gave him advice on how to present cases and who to call as witnesses. Margle himself said he had "help from a little birdie who sometimes work[ed] in the Courthouse." 

Other custody masters were concerned. Brian Panella, now a judge, said that attorneys complained to him of being "stonewalled" with an "endless cycle of co-parenting counseling." This apprehension was shared by another former custody master (now retired) who called Tresslar's insistence on co-parent counseling a "roadblock" that "added months, and costs, to any given custody matter." Panella was concerned that this was effectively denying due process. He made these concerns known to NorCo Court. 

He In previous filings, Tresslar has maintained that Judges Jennifer Sletvold and Paula Roscioli refused to look at counseling reports because they wanted to be able to claim ignorance if a parent abused a child after an order was entered. They both deny this, saying they find these expert reports helpful. They simply decided it would be improper to read these reports before a trial because it might make them biased. 

The Tara Zrinski Story

Earlier this week, I shared the Tom Giovanni Story with you. He and Tara Zrinski are the two candidates seeking your vote for NorCo Exec on November 4. Both have appeared, in 12-minute segments, on  Tony Iannelli's Business Matters program. They've also responded to five questions posed by The Morning Call. I've decided to take a different approach and try to understand what makes them tick. They both have strikingly different personalities. Tom is quiet and unassuming, perhaps too quiet at times. Tara is loud and assertive, perhaps too loud at times. As different as their personalities might be, they both want to make things better for people. 

Tara is from Bethlehem and graduated from Freedom High School before attending Drew College and Moravian's Theological Seminary. She has a gay brother about 10 years older than her. He taught in Bethlehem's schools, and at a time when being gay was far from popular. She was alienated by her classmates, who would assume she must be gay, too, or must have AIDs. 

This never stopped her. She played in numerous sports, from soccer to field hockey to softball. And like many student athletes who must learn to manage their time, she got into the habit of being very disciplined in her personal approach. Even today, she often gets by with only a few hours of sleep. She starts the day walking her dog, works out, goes through her emails and is "out the door." 

She played soccer at Drew University as well, where she majored in Philosophy. And to those of you who think this is a useless major, you ought to read Plato's Republic. In addition to being a student athlete, she worked at a nearby cafe and was actually taking graduate classes in her senior year. 

She had an unhappy marriage. I chose against discussing that topic with her in any detail though she was willing to do so. 

Her attitude was influenced by time spent abroad, both as a student and after graduating. In Costa Rica, she witnessed the impact that deforestation had, not just on the environment, but on people who lived there. In Germany, she experienced what it's like to receive free medical car after she injured her hand, even though she was not a citizen. In Hungary, she actually spent a month at a train station after per backpack and passport were stolen. There she met numerous refugees escaping the genocide in war torn Bosnia.  She met people from Poland and East Germany who were returning to their countries after the wall had been torn down. She considers that month "just an amazing education for me. And the resilience of people, what they've been through, what somebody will do to survive, you know?" That experience is what led her to want people to have better lives, "to thrive."

"I want them to have opportunities, and I want them to have dignity and justice and equity, and all those all those lofty things that we talk about in politics, but it seems like they never happen. At Moravian Theological Seminary, she considered becoming an ordained minister and got degrees both in Theology and Pastoral Counseling but was non-denominational and by then she was a single mother of three children whose first priority was putting food on the table. This included trips to the local food banks. 

Her interest in local government began with her participation as a local coordinator for Food and Water Watch, where she was opposed to the PennEast Pipeline. She recalled having a meeting set up with a township supervisor, who refused to speak to her but was willing to speak with a male who accompanied her. He actually told her he was unwilling to speak to her because she is female. "This is insane," she said. "And I thought more women have to get into politics."

And so she shifted gears from activism to politics with a whirlwind approach to campaigning that is hard to match. 

She condemns the partisan and adversarial approach she's seen in county government by both sides. She said she can talk to John Brown, John Goffredo and Tom Giovanni, the County Council Republicans. The only problem she has is when she sees personal attacks. "I don't think that's helpful, because now you're not talking about the issues anymore. You're sidestepping the issues and making personal attacks. I want to address what it is that is going on in the room, and I don't want my integrity or judgment questioned because we're all supposed to be there to make solutions"

She said this toxicity just makes people angrier. "People are dissatisfied with the way government is going, and they're dissatisfied with this dysfunction that doesn't allow anything to happen. Trump does get things done. Whether you believe that he is effective or whether he is doing what you want him to do, he's doing stuff every day."

She said that by listening to voters, she knows we have to recognize that "both Republicans and Democrats come here so that we could find what's best for everybody." 

Like Tom Giovanni, she listens. Like Tom Giovanni, she wants people to have better lives. So on a personal level, I think both would be fine as Executive.