The motto of Pen Argyl Area Concerned Citizens? "Democracy is not a spectator support." That group hosted the Lehigh Valley's finest series of debates last year. The're doing it again, and will host a candidates' night on Thursday from 7:00 to 9:30 PM at Pen Argyl Borough Hall (Lookout Fire Hall). It's a great format. Each candidate is permitted to make a brief opening statement. After that, a three member panel poses challenging questions, followed by inquiries from the public. After we all have our say, candidates are allowed to cross-examine each other.
Here's the fight card.
Plainfield Township Supervisor : Randy Heard & Glenn Borger will tussle over an open seat.
County Controller: Newcomer Stephen Barron & John Schimmel will debate whether the county needs a new set of eyes looking at the books, and a set of eyes that pledges to be there full-time.
County Council at large: Peg Ferraro, an icon in county politics, will face nice guy Tony Branco, who has to defend both a lousy work record on committees as well as a goofy vote that would have cost the county $1.8 million but for a Stoffa veto.
And for the main event, John (I love Joe Long) Maher will face the Beast from the East, Ron Angle, in the battle over County Council Region 4. I'm sure Ron might have one or two questions about the push polling that Maher is having Severson do at, of all places, Angle's own home. I hope Maher brings some extra pampers. He's going to need them.
I will try to get a front row seat. I have a few questions of my own.
I see you found a picture of Casey training for his next visit to a buffet!
ReplyDeleteDOUBLE DIPPING
ReplyDeleteAt the same time he was elected to the County Council in 1999 Angle was also elected to the Bangor Area School Board. Despite laws against holding two elected offices at the same time, Angle fought tooth-and-nail against efforts to remove him from one office or the other. This tied up an incredible amount of time on both the council and school board - time that could have been spent addressing important issues of concern to local residents.
ADVANCE WARNING
Warning bells were sounded months before the November election. A May 20, 1999 editorial in The Morning Call “Double Dippers" noted that Angle had won nomination to the school board in that week's primary and that he had tied in the council primary and might win in the re-count (Obviously, he did). The editorial noted: "Now, the law prohibits council members from holding another elective office. So if Mr. Angle comes out on top and wins in November, the school board members have been handed an exercise in futility - nominating and perhaps electing a director who cannot hold the seat. It's always better for candidates to restrain themselves from running for more than one office at a time."
Promise quickly forgotten
Of course, Angle didn't restrain himself and he was elected to both positions. He decided he wanted both jobs, even though he had earlier promised he'd give up one if elected to both. "Angle has said that if he wins the County Council seat, he will surrender his place on the school board," The Morning Cull noted ("Bangor Area School Boards, November 3, 1 999). The paper assumed that there wouldn't be a problem because Angle would keep his promise. They were wrong. Now that he had been elected, Angle quickly forgot his promise. "Angle, who on Tuesday won both council's District 4 seat and another term on the school board, said he intends to serve on both bodies because voters want him in both places," wrote Bryan Hay of the Morning Call ("Solicitor to study eligibility of Angle to fill two positions," November 5, 1999). "Contacted after the (November 4) council meeting, he (Angle) said he will drop one seat if he can't give 100 percent to each office" the article noted. As will be explored below, this is another promise Angle didn't keep. Angle claimed he wasn't in violation of language in the Home Charter which stated "no elected official shall hold any other elective public office or hold other employment with the county, for which he receives compensation." Angle said that he donated his pay from the school board to charity; therefore he was qualified to hold both offices "As far as I'm concerned, the people have spoken I don't see any problem with doing both jobs," Angle explained (The Morning Call, November 5, 1999). Solicitors for both the school district and County Council were soon researching the legal issues surrounding Angle’s serving in two positions at once. The school code said anyone who held any of a number of elected positions - including "county commissioner" - "shall not be eligible as a school director in this Commonwealth." ("Get ready for some weirdness, The Morning Call, November 15, 1999).
Solicitors rule against Angle
On November 18, 1999 the County Council's solicitor ruled that state law and the
county home rule charter prevented Angle from serving on the council and the school
board at the same time. Angle immediately replied that he had no intention of abiding by the ruling unless forced to do so by council. "The ball is not in my court. The ball is in their court. They have to prove I can't sit there (on the school board). ("Angle is still refusing to vacate one seat, 7he Morning Call, November 1 9, 1 999). Referring to the section of the charter cited by Angle, solicitor Karl Longenbach wrote. "I believe it is reasonable to interpret this section as barring any county elected official from simultaneously holding any other elected public office including that of school director, whether or not compensation is received, declined or donated." Bangor Area School Board solicitor Donald Spry came to a similar conclusion. Donald Spry 111 said the state school code clearly stated that Angle could not serve on both elected bodies at the same time. However, Spry also noted that the board was under no obligation to challenge Angle in court. Only one school board member, Angle-foe Ivan Nusic, thought the board should file such a challenge (Angle sitting pretty for now, the Morning Call, December 7, 1999). The board's lack of action has been widely attributed to the fact that they did not wish to incur the cost of a lawsuit to remove Angle.
County looks at challenge
The County Council didn't share these reservations about challenging Angle. They voted 9-0 on December 9, 1999 to send letters to the district attorney and the state attorney general asking whether the county could stop Angle in court. Angle, who had not taken office yet, didn't attend the meeting but later criticized the council for spending time talking about him. "Eight members of council made a fool out of themselves in the end," he said. "The worst part about this is they shirked their responsibility." ("Angle won't give up post on school beard," The Morning Call, December 10, 1999) Shortly after Angle joined the council, that body decided to go to court to force him off. The councils seven Democrats voted to pay up to $1 0,000 to seek an opinion from county court as to whether or not Angle could serve in both offices. Republican J. Michael Dowd voted no and Angle abstained. Angle said he'd stay on the council no matter what. If the court ruled against him, he said he would resign his seat on the school board. "So you haven't got rid of me," Angle said. "I just thought I'd let you know that." ("County board going to court about Angle," The Morning Call, January 14, 2000) A few days earlier Angle himself had filed a motion with Northampton County Court seeking a declaratory judgment on his status.
"Resignation" rejected
Angle proposed to the Bangor Area School Board that he resign conditionally while the courts decided if he could serve in two offices. Angle said he would temporarily resign based on two conditions -that his wife serve as a school board member during his absence, and an "agreement by Northampton County Council that this resignation removes any impediment to my serving as a member of council pending final resolution" of the matter. The board voted 6-1 to table Angle's proposal. ("Briefs from Easton, Hometown, Stroudsburg, Perkasie," The Associated Press, January 26, 2000). A month later Angle submitted a letter of resignation, effective June 30. The board voted 6-2, with Angle abstaining, to accept his resignation. The move came two weeks after County Council approved a conditional resolution to drop legal action aimed at removing Angle from council if he agreed to resign from the school board. “Briefs from Easton, Bangor and Allentown," The Associated Press, February 29, 20003. County Council President Wayne Grube later said he didn't think council should drop its lawsuit even if Angle did resign from the school board as he had promised. Grube said he wanted a court ruling on the issue regardless of what Angle did. Grube's statement came despite a 7-1 vote by council to drop the suit if Angle resigned from the school board. Angle believed the council's suit was actually intended to remove him from council and that members had lied about its intent. "They are spending the taxpayers' money," Angle said. "They never wanted a decision on whether I could serve in two offices, they never wanted me on council because I cause trouble." ("Dual officeholder suit vs. Angle stands, The Morning Call, April 19, 2000). George Heitzman, the attorney hired by Council to file the action, admitted that its intent was to remove Angle from council and that he had made that decision. Angle questioned who had authorized the action and said he did not believe it was solely Heitzman's decision. Several council members responded that they did not know that the point of the suit was to remove Angle from Council. When Heitzman was hired he was given the option of filing an action to remove Angle; filing another appropriate action; filing a declaratory judgment action or defending the lawsuit Angle had filed seeking a declaratory action. (‘Lawyer says he chose to seek Angle's ouster. The Morning Call April 21, 2000). Angle made a new offer to resign from the school board at a May 4 council meeting. He said he would call a special meeting of the school board the following Monday and tender his resignation, on one condition. Council had to agree to meet the following week to accept the resignation and drop the lawsuit it filed. Council President Grube would only promise that, if Angle tendered his resignation that Monday, he would confer with council and solicitor Karl Longenbach to discuss whether or not to hold a special meeting to decide whether to accept the resignation and drop the suit (Angle offers to quit school post. The Morning Call, May 5, 2000). Angle then withdrew his offer to resign from the school board.
Last-minute appeal
Angle filed a last-minute pre-emptive appeal with Commonwealth Court right before the scheduled hearing in Northampton County Court on the Council's lawsuit to remove him from council. He also subpoenaed every member of County Council to appear in court that day just in case. "We are switching gears, we are going big time on the offensive," Angle said. (Angle steps up defense to suit by Northampton County Council. The Morning Call, May 12, 2000). Angle said he would call every Council member to the stand to be questioned about what he said was an attempt to remove him from office. Angle's 11th hour attempt succeeded in gaining him more time. Berks County Senior Judge Calvin Smith put off the scheduled hearing on the suit pending a ruling on Angle's appeal for dismissal. The maneuver indefinitely delayed the lawsuit and made it more likely that Angle would resign from the school board before a court ruled on the case. “Angle’s resignation (see above was now scheduled for June 1 9). Many council members wanted to continue the suit, even if Angle resigned to get a court ruling on his holding two positions at once, However, Angle no doubt reasoned that this would be politically difficult after he resigned (Angle stymies council's bid to remove him, The Morning Call, M ay 13, 2000)
Angle resigns
Angle resigned from the school board June 18 as scheduled. Less than three weeks later the council voted 8-0 to drop the suit. The unanimous vote came after council
President Wayne Grube added a paragraph to the resolution committing council to push for a state law that would bar members of Northampton County Council from holding another public office at the same time. (Northampton County drops suit vs. Angle, (The Morning Call, July 7, 2000). Board members wanted to continue the suit, even if Angle resigned to get a court ruling on his holding two positions at once, However, Angle no doubt reasoned that this would be politically difficult after he resigned (Angle stymies council's bid to remove him, The Morning Call, M ay 13, 2000) In a January 5, 2000 editorial (Elected official thinks he deserves 2 positions") the Pocono Record said. "Now he (Angle) contends he can hold two elected posts, even though the county solicitor told him this is clearly in violation of state law and the county charter. The solicitor also said one of the boards would have to take action to remove Angle. We think the Northampton County Council should take it a step further by contacting state Attorney General Michael Fisher."
NCC appointment
But the problems arising from Angle's insistence on holding two offices didn't end there. In March 2000, while the controversy raged, Angle asked his colleagues on the Bangor Area School Board to reappoint him to the Northampton Community College board of trustees. The council voted 6-2 to reappoint Angle. In making his request, Angle neglected to tell board members that the trustees met on the same day as Northampton County Council, the first Thursday evening of the month, and that he had not attended a trustee meeting since he began his term as a county councilman in January. When asked why he had asked to be reappointed when he knew he couldn't make the meetings, Angle said he planned to have the meetings moved to fit his schedule. ("School directors rethink decision, The Morning Call, March 3 1, 2000). Indeed, at the April meeting Angle asked the board of trustees to permanently change the board's meeting date to accommodate him. Several of the other 12 trustees doubted another night could be found that would accommodate everyone's schedule. NCC's board of trustees had met on the first Thursday of the month for nearly three decades. Angle was able to attend the April meeting to make the request after County Council agreed to move it's meeting to Wednesday. But several council members were angry when they found out the meeting had been moved to accommodate Angle (Angle asks NCC to alter its meeting," The Morning Call, April 7, 2000). The time change was discussed at the June trustees meeting (which Angle did not
attend). With the condition that County Council meets at 6:40, the board proposed moving its meeting from 7:30 to 8 pm. The board agreed to vote on the item at its next meeting in August. The proposal died at the August meeting when no one made a motion to accept it. Angle wasn't there because he was at the council meeting. ("Not voting, NCC runs ahead of Angle time," The Morning Call, August 4, 2000).
The following January Angle said he had decided to resign as the Bangor Area
School District's representative to Northampton Community College's board of trustees, despite school directors' promise to retain him. (Ang1e quitting NCC trustees, citing conflicts," The Morning C all, January 9, 2001.) On January 22 he changed his mind after members of the School Board said they were satisfied with his representation even though he didn't attend the meetings. Three days later he changed his mind again, saying at a news conference that he would resign if the board would accept his resignation. (Angle to quit trustees - if board OKs, The Morning Call, January 26, 2001).
The preceding political announcement was paid for by County Council candidate John Maher, who has hired consultant Tom Severson to run a negative smear campaign, thus ensuring Angle's easy reelection.
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, Angle received no compensation from the school board and his county council salary is in escrow. So there was no double dipping. Moreover, Solicitor Lenny Zito recently ruled that a county councilman can hold other public offices, and specifically said that Democrat Tony Branco could sit on borough and county council simultaneously.
Anonymous 11:12 AM DOUBLE DIPPING?
ReplyDeleteI thought zero compensation was the norm for school board members which was the case when I served as a director in Bethlehem. Every budget season some nitwit would ask us to give up our (no) pay to reduce taxes...go figure. How can anyone be double dipping if there is no pay or benefits? In my opinion, if someone is duly elected to nine offices and can do the job...what's the problem? Anon 11:12 AM spends too much time bashing others! Why not give us some ideas on how to promote the public good, instead of all the stupid blather ANON posted here? larry@kisslinger.com
Annon 11:12
ReplyDeleteWOW!!! I haven't seen that much written since BO explained how Easton smells better now that Stoofa is County Executive.
Gee, I thought you missed that post.
ReplyDelete