Is Will Power Challenging McClure For Norco Council?

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. He was finally appointed to the post after losing an election . . . twice. In my opinion, the fix was in.

In his last 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. In fact, DA Morganelli is Godfather to one of McClure's children.

McClure's work record in his year on council has been insulting. Council's standing committees conducted twenty-two meetings last year. McClure attended just four, less than anyone on council except Dertinger. He's also 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's pontificated about criminal fines collections and a theft in the criminal division, but has never even visited the office.

He's a political hack. He doesn't belong on council. His friendship with DA John Morganelli is the only reason he's there now.

Jerry Seyfried, a former county exec and walking encyclopedia of Northampton County knowledge, is the logical choice for District 3. Party boss Joe Long told Jerry the position was already taken when Long was "clearing the field" for Lamont last year. (He does that sort of thing). And Jerry has had enough. I can't persuade him to run for an office he'd easily win.

But there's a fellow from Freemansburg who's now interested. He's no stranger to political controversy. Northampton County's deathmatch politics should not phase him a bit. In another lifetime, he was Darin "Will" Stofko. You may know him as Will Power.

Unlike McClure, Power is a Lehigh Valley native, an 1984 Freedom High grad and honor roll to boot. At Moravian College, he was a Dean's list student who graduated with degrees in political science and business management. He even earned a professional certificate to teach secondary social studies. He's forty years old, married seven years, and has a two year-old son.

Although he's never held public office, he can win. He was elected to serve Pennsylvania's Democratic State Committee in 1988 and 1998, and served in 1992 as a Delegate to the Democratic National Convention.

Yep, he's the same guy who simultaneously ran for Northampton County Executive and Bethlehem Controller. Everyone laughed at that. Ha. Ha. Will even made it into Bill White's Hall of Fame after that. But then Northampton County party bosses decided last year there was nothing wrong with one person holding two offices, and actually appointed Hellertown Borough Council Prez Tony Branco to Northampton County Council. When it involved one of the insiders, it was good government. I guess the joke's on us.

Will has matured over the years, and I hope he decides to run against McClure. With Will Power, we could at least be assured that he's his own man. He would not be taking orders from the DA or party bosses, but would be following his own conscience. We could do with a bit more of that. And let's face it, McClure has done the bare minimum on council.

Oh, I almost forgot. State Senator Lisa Boscola is his sister. But I think he deserves a shot at council on his own merit.