Ann McHale Turns Motion Into Commotion

Last night's Northampton County Council meeting was the first ever meeting webcast for viewing by the general public. In fact, during the meeting, I received a few text messages from friends who were watching the show. This meeting will be available for you to view yourself here. (Just click on "County Council Meetings").

What should have been a relatively uneventful meeting was disrupted by former President Ann McHale, who is obviously still bitter after her primary loss to Executive John Stoffa. After having gone through all the business for the evening, McHale insisted on revisiting a pending decision to use a different law firm as outside counsel.

Ron Angle, as Council President, had already referred the matter to the Finance Committee. He allowed some dialogue on the topic at the end of the meeting, but put his foot down when McHale called for a vote on a motion to approve the outside contract. You see, there was no resolution or ordinance that she could move to support.

McHale: "I can make a motion."

Angle: "We're past new or old business, quite frankly."

McHale: "It doesn't matter, the meeting's not over."

Angle: "Well, it matters. You're not the President anymore, quite frankly ..."

McHale: "I don't care."

Angle: "We're past old and new business."

McHale: "You've done it many, many times."

Angle: "If you want to put it on in two weeks, put it on. In the meantime, the Finance Committee will have met."

McHale: "I'd like to make a motion that we approve the contract for the law firm of Flamm, Walton. Is there a second?"

Lamont McClure: "Second."

Angle: "Just a second ..."

McHale: "There's a motion and a second."

Angle: "And you know what? One more time, you're not the President. Mr. Flisser [Clerk of County Council], do you want to explain to Mrs. McHale what's wrong."

Frank Flisser, Clerk of County Council: "I believe the Administrative Code requires you do this by Ordinance or Resolution."

Angle: "Thank you, now ...."

McHale: "Even though the County Executive has already signed the order."

Angle: "That's what it says, Mrs. McHale.

McHale: "Yeah, I understand [sarcastically]."

Angle: "I know you choose to do it your way. I want to do it the right way."

McHale: "Oh. Since when?"

Angle: "Now if you want to put it on for two weeks, I'll put it on myself. In the meantime, the Finmance Committee is going to meet and deal with it in two weeks on a Wednesday. Now, that being said ... "

McHale: "There's a motion and a second."

Angle: "Mr. Solicitor, do you have anything under your report."

Solicitor (Phil Lauer): "No."

McHale: "There's a motion and a second."

Angle: "As President, I'm ruling it out of order because we're not meeting the codes. I don't intend to accept it. You've got to meet the book, what it says. That's what the laws are."

McHale: "Is that the case, Mr. Lauer?"

Solicitor: "If it requires either resolution or an ordinance, then I think yeah, absolutely ...

McHale: "OK, we can still have a verbal vote on this. It may be nonbinding, but there's a motion and a second."

Angle: "Man oh man. You're on a fishing trip there now. OK, anything else."

McHale: "I'm trying to give the Executive the opportunity to go forward and deal with the huan resouce issues that are before him."

Angle: "And you know what? Under my presidency, we regularly meet. Mr. Stoffa, did you and I agree, prior to the meeting, to move it to the Finance Committee, and you' be satisfied?"

Stoffa: "Yes."

Angle: "Thank you very much."

Blogger's Note: Blogger comments enabled.