Northampton County's District 3 is a hodgepodge of Allen, East Allen, Bethlehem, Lower Nazareth and Lower Saucon Townships. It also includes the Boroughs of Nazareth, North Catasauqua, Northampton, Bath and Freemansburg. Its council seat is currently occupied by asbestos lawyer Lamont McClure, a Wilkes-Barre native appointed to the post after losing in the election.In his losing campaign, McClure raked in about $10,000 from big city lawyers. Unions kicked in another $3,440. DA Morganelli, who employs McClure's wife, donated $1,500, and one of his detectives provided an additional $500. Reibman sweetened the pot with $1000 in pool party dough, and Council Prez Grube dropped $500. Despite this money, McClure was rejected by the voters. So he owes nothing to us. His allegiance is to unions, lawyers, the DA and Grube.
Perhaps that's why he's done next to nothing on council. Council's standing committees conducted twenty-two meetings last year. He attended just four of them, less than anyone on council except Dertinger. He's ignored pledges to start a child exploitation unit and to yank a $3 million county grant for a road to Walmart. He's violated the Sunshine Act, and attempted to bully me for pointing it out.
He doesn't belong on council.
But someone in the third district does. His name? Jerry Seyfried. Jerry is no dragonslayer, but is an expert bowhunter. His years in county government made him an expert at slaying wild pigs like the one pictured above. He's been begged to return to county service by Democrats and Republicans alike. We sure could use him. Let me fill you in on his background.
Northampton County Council
(1978 through 1989)
* 1978 and 1979 at large member of council
* 1980-1989 District 3 member of council
* Chair of council's finance, human services, personnel and intergovernmental committees
* Chair of ad hoc committee that wrote personnel section of county administrative code and career service employees manual
* Vice President of council for four years
* President of council for four years
Northampton County Executive
(1990 through 1993)
* With tight fiscal control, Jerry left the county with nearly $20 million in surplus, and dedicated huge sums to develop county parks before "open space" became popular.
Northampton County Director of Civil Services
(1998 through 2006)
Boards and Commissions
* Northampton County Retirement Board (4 years as vice-chair, 4 years as chair)
* Lehigh Valley Planning Commission (8 years, including 8 years on the transportation committee)
* Northampton County Development Corp., ADC & IDC (4 yrs)
* Director and Chief Fund Raiser for Northampton County's 250th Anniversary Committee
* Solid Waste Authority (voting member)
Despite his achievements in government, Jerry is actually a blue collar guy. He was a machinist at Bethlehem Steel, and managed to juggle swing shifts with county service. He knows what it's like to come from nothing.
Believe it or not, Jerry was told his services weren't needed last year. Although there were two council vacancies, party boss Joe Long and Council Prez Grube told Seyfried not to bother applying because the position had already been filled. And these guys would have you believe they follow the Sunshine Act.
Let's hope that one of the nation's premier archers takes aim at District 3 on Northampton County Council.
Run, Jerry, Run!
The only question I have is why Jerry would want to go through this again. He's served his time. Isn't their something in the county home rule charter about double jeopardy?
ReplyDeleteLVDEm, Jerry's wife doesn't want him to run and he's enjoying his retirement. But Jerry cares about the county. If we're lucky, he'll run.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Jerry's as washed up politically as he is in the field of archery. Hell ya gotta scroll all the way down to 2001 on that "nation's premier archers" link you provided before you find his name as a champ.
ReplyDeleteYou're just jealous. A champ is a champ. When he was in Africa last year, he single-handedly wrestled a rino and grizzly bear at the same time. That should be on the net soon, too. Really!
ReplyDeleteOK, I made up the part about the rino.
ReplyDeleteAnd since grizzly bears aren't found anywhere on the African continent, I guess you made that part up, too, huh?
ReplyDeleteOopsie! I meant a polar bear. And he was wearing a blindfold and had one hand tied behind his back, too. Really!
ReplyDeleteHow proud Jerry must be to have shot a blindfolded polar bear with one of its "hands" tied behind its back. And in Africa of all places!
ReplyDeleteI suppose it had an apple ball gag in its mouth too as Jerry mounted & pile drove the poor thing before shooting it.
I think I've just paid a price for poor grammar. But it's nothing compared to that poor polar bear.
ReplyDeleteOkay, so this polar bear had a bad night and somehow ended up on the African Continent. Are you telling me that you haven't had one of those nights that makes you ask, "what happened?"
ReplyDeleteBesides, Jerry cheated in that fight. He kicked me square in the boys. If he would have faught fairly, I'd have torn him up. As it is, I'm now sterile.
(satire posted by LV Dem)