Phil Mitman Tries to Make a Difference With a New LVEDC

As Easton's mayor, Phil Mitman never had a chance. Easton was deluged by three major floods in a twenty month span, and few will ever forget the tragic, accidental, Good Friday shooting death of a police officer by one of his own. It's no surprise Phil decided against seeking re-election.

But when it comes to personality, there are few people finer than Phil. Before last night's meeting of Northampton County Council, for example, he made it a point to come back into the cheap seats and talk to me. He and I previously did some work on Easton's Bachmann Publick House, which has the dual distinction of being Easton's first bar and courthouse. I'll never forget the look of excitement on his face when we found some old court records.

Since leaving the mayor's office, Phil has been the President and CEO of The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation. Historically, this nonprofit has been shrouded in secrecy. It has refused to release records to public officials even though public money makes up a sizable part of its budget. At one point, public officials were even subjected to a broadly drafted gag resolution concerning a $70,000 severance package for a CEO who had abruptly "resigned." Express Times publisher Martin Till reacted to this muzzle by leaving LVEDC himself. "To exclude board members from any discussion involving LVEDC is absurd." In the meantime, Council member Ron Angle was begging to be sent there for just six months. "That's a mongoose you'll set loose in the snake pit. Give me six months in the snake pit."

Phil Mitman wants to change all that, and faced a dubious council last night to proclaim a new "climate of collaboration." He assured them that, aside from personnel files, they are pretty much free to inspect records. And he explained LVEDC's role. "We are the Lehigh Valley's only agency paid to market the Lehigh Valley locally, nationally and internationally. We are a one stop resource, a nonprofit that encourages prosperity and job creation."

He reviewed their annual budget, and noted that much of the nonprofit's financial information is now publicly posted on its web page. He even invited Ron to come down and look at their records himself.

He then noted the following accomplishments:

- Over the past two years, LVEDC has helped forty-four companies obtain more than $52 million in financing. This has led to $102 million in total project costs, 1,300 new jobs and 456 retained jobs.

- Northampton County business attracted more than two dozen loans, $29.6 million in financing, $62 million in total project costs, 851 new jobs and 375 retained jobs.

- Over the past five years, the Lehigh Valley has increased jobs at three times the percentage rate in Pennsylvania.

- The Lehigh Valley accounts for 17% of all new jobs created in Pennsylvania over the past five years.

- The Lehigh Valley has added more jobs than any other metropolitan region in the state - 22,000 new jobs over five years.

When all was said and done, some members of council were still suspicious. Wayne Grube told Mitman, "I'm from Missouri and I want to see some projects here." Ron Angle conceded, "You've made some changes. But the puppeteers are still the same people."

Time will tell whether LVEDC is really moving in the right direction. But Phil Mitman is clearly trying to make a difference. Before he left, he made sure to give me a package of materials listing 11 recent success stories in Northampton County alone.