Sitting in the back, I was unable to hear what was being said, and walked out to ask one of them to move down the hall a little. He told me to move myself.
He's a doctor.
County Council, of course, is intent on setting the world record for flip flops on one issue. Presented with a goofy proposal to buy swampland and steep slopes in Upper Mount Bethel 6 weeks ago, it tabled the matter. Four weeks ago, it untabled the matter and agreed to the purchase even though the only appraisal for these properties came from the Nature Conservancy, and was questionable. Two weeks ago, it halted that purchase and demanded two more appraisals, to be paid for by the seller, after learning that this salamander country is valued more highly than prime farmland. Last night, it reversed course again, and decided to go ahead and buy more swampland anyway, especially after the DCNR dude told them the application is already 91 days late.
Amazingly, the person who decided to go ahead and made the motion was Ron Angle, the person who wanted independent appraisals. He sensed he had a loser, and made the motion with the understanding that open space guidelines about appraisals will be revisited for future swamp land purchases.
The Nature Conservancy's Ellen Lott was there, and told Council she's still speaking for the trees. Northampton County's Federation of Sportsmen's Mike Topping was there, and he claimed he was speaking for hunters. Landowner David Broad was there, and he was speaking for his wallet.
Ann McHale and Ron Angle tried to speak for the taxpayer, but the taxpayer really has no special interest group. So they lost a battle. But if open space guidelines are changed to require truly independent appraisals, and not those from the Nature Conservancy's select group, McHale and Angle will have scored one for the people.
He's a doctor.
County Council, of course, is intent on setting the world record for flip flops on one issue. Presented with a goofy proposal to buy swampland and steep slopes in Upper Mount Bethel 6 weeks ago, it tabled the matter. Four weeks ago, it untabled the matter and agreed to the purchase even though the only appraisal for these properties came from the Nature Conservancy, and was questionable. Two weeks ago, it halted that purchase and demanded two more appraisals, to be paid for by the seller, after learning that this salamander country is valued more highly than prime farmland. Last night, it reversed course again, and decided to go ahead and buy more swampland anyway, especially after the DCNR dude told them the application is already 91 days late.
Amazingly, the person who decided to go ahead and made the motion was Ron Angle, the person who wanted independent appraisals. He sensed he had a loser, and made the motion with the understanding that open space guidelines about appraisals will be revisited for future swamp land purchases.
The Nature Conservancy's Ellen Lott was there, and told Council she's still speaking for the trees. Northampton County's Federation of Sportsmen's Mike Topping was there, and he claimed he was speaking for hunters. Landowner David Broad was there, and he was speaking for his wallet.
Ann McHale and Ron Angle tried to speak for the taxpayer, but the taxpayer really has no special interest group. So they lost a battle. But if open space guidelines are changed to require truly independent appraisals, and not those from the Nature Conservancy's select group, McHale and Angle will have scored one for the people.
32 comments:
Mr. Brad made a great deal of sense. It was sad he had to endure this incompetent bunch of idiots. Mr. Brad put Ron Angle in his place with honesty and knowledge. Angle could only mumble and groan. In the end only Angle and his shadow voted their petulant anger.
Council has to stop being intimidated by Angle. Why he scares them is beyond most people. Angle is a school yard bully who barks but runs when a bite may be involved.
Ignore him like you would a spoiled child. Get on with the peoples business.
Very disappointed in Angle. When council flip flops, it's usually Angle leading the flip.
I have found when in a room with several people all of whom I think are assholes, that it's usually me and not them.
Seamus
Last night's meeting was true democracy in action. The pro-Kirkridge crowd was polite, and presented a strong argument to approve the open space easements. They were relentless and passionate without bullying like the Gracedale mob. Cusisk did a nice job with time mangement and there was no pouting or postering by the Kirkridge advocates. The only nauseating moment came when after the vote approving their cause, the head tree-hugger felt compelled to make an appearance at the podium to thank council on behalf of the trees. But this was certainly a case study in civil discourse.
Salamanders rule!!
Are they talking about Gracedale? Isn't Gracedale more important?
Seamus, My assholeishness is a given. When a Deurt Sheriff has to talk to you, it's time to consider your own behavior.
Bernie
Has there been a huge influx of cash into Northhampton County that I don't know about? How dumb are these folks to give these green fools money to save trees and newts. They might want to turn the trees into firewood and sell it to dave their bloody land. One more flop in the right direction to end this foolishness.
My trees are telling me they want to die. As an admirer of Dr. Kevorkian, I shall chainsaw them with dignity this weekend and commit them respectfully to my log splitter for their reincarnation as BTUs this winter. Thank God for trees.
The tree-murderers are out in force this morning. Trees convert CO2 to oxygen, provide a cooling canopy and are the homes for birds, squirrels and other creatures. The forest was in fear but can rest easier tonight knowing that the Norco taxpayers have spared them.
Hug a tree today!
Aren't trees a renewable resource? Plant new ones. What's the BFD?
Voters wanted open space, and willing to pay for it, so about time council stepped up to the plate.
Yes trees are a renewable resource, but it takes 100 years to replace the benefits of a mature oak tree. So have a heart and spare that tree from your evil chain saw.
William Penn wanted one acre in five to remain wooded in PA. We're fine and don't need it. Go out on I-80 to the Allegheny Forest. No shortage of trees. Suburbanites want pretty looking places to drive their Hummers to on weekends to see cows and stuff while antiquing, or some other illegitimate verb. Cornfields that sprouted developments 20 years ago are now teeming with birds as newly planted trees mature. This program is a typical government boondoggle and the idiots who approved it deserve to pay. I just wish the assholes didn't cost me so much.
Pennsylvania. Penn's Woods. NOT Penn's Housing Development. There is too much open space in the LV which contributes to its solar profile. We should be like the woods of the planet Endor.
At least they flopped in the right direction..Any flop in the direction that takes them away from Angle is usually a flop worth flipping to.
Notice how Ann McHale dropped the dime on the secret talks between Stoffa and Attiyah on selling the Wolf and Bechtel buildings and Attiyah getting involved in Gracedale. Stoffa was taken off guard and quick played dumb.
Another little behind the scenes deal making by The Stoffa regime.
Reality Now
I find it interesting to drive in the country side (anywhere outside of Easton and Bethlehem) and see the signs that say "another farm preserved with your taxdollars). Or something like that. Did you ever try to get permission to throw a trout fly in the stream that runs through that property? Did you try to get permission to hike on that preserved farm? Better yet, try to get permission to hunt on that preserved farm. The owners tell you to get lost. They laugh at you because they got your tax money and their precious farm too. I'd rather have my money going to acquire open space land that giving it to farmers so I can drive by their farm and say...Oh look, there's a cornfield, or look...there,s a soybean field, or look...there's two cows fornicating just like the farmer fornicatd the taxpayer.
green people are nothing but poor schmucks who think the government must pay for their fantasies.
Seamus - your total loyalty and ass kissing of the boy blunder (JC for the uneducated poor fools of norco)blinds any common sense your family might have tried to instill in you.
Trees fornicate as well. But their acorns are eaten by the squirrels they house. Very knotty.
Who is the "boy blunder"? Educate me!
Nice spin Bernie. Your headline should have read Angle's attempt to advance private interest foiled.
The cumulative corrosive effect is: If you dont like the appraisal number, attach the integrity of the appraiser. Angle has taught the children of Council well. Using his logic, whoever requests an appraisal can only obtain one biased in favor of the payor because appraisers have no professional ethics or methodology.
The man of laws attempted to attempt to arbitarily alter the long standing application and appraisal process for two purchases he didnt like.
Does Angle have an option to purchase any nearby property? Would it suit his private purpose to have the two properties appraised as low as possible?
Angle wasnt trying to save taxpayers anything. The fact that you take this bullshit hook line and sinker again and again makes you a dupe and a joke.
The undevelopable land with perc tests.
Thank God Council had enough sense to thwart the latest attempt of Angle to destroy a rationale process.
Hopefully they don't mess with a system that has worked well for years in order to placate Angle's megalomania. this county council is pretty thick.
This was a great example of Ann Mc Hale stupidity. She wanted 2 appraisals paid for by the land owner which would have resulted in 4 apppraisals for each property. As the land owner i`m sure the property owner would have gotten the lowest appraisal they could. DUHHHHHHHH how dumb can she be ? Answer:pretty dumb. Angle also went for this and Dowd Ferraro followed suit.After serving as prison liaison for years she stil doesn`t know that the population swells in the summer and not the winter. And she wanted to be county executive ? She got her rotter dendrum why should she care about any one eelse? Thank the stars above she`ll be gone at the end of the year.
She and Angle will be gone at the end of the year. Stoffa will be gone whether he wants to or not at the end of 2013. Good riddance to bad news on all counts!
Home come McClure is getting a pass on his behavior Thursday night? He grandstanded with a report from Gracedale about admissions that no one else seemed to have. And Angle brought up again that LaMutt has failed to attend ANY committee meeting. Instead he prefers to showboat at a council meeting for political gain. He is a joke.
He has knowledge. All the fake meetings in the world won't get that. As he said, I will continue to come up with solutions, Angle can continue to go to meetings.
With a rubber stamp council going to meetings where the Stoffa gang feeds them bullshit, whats the point?
Mr. McClure had a solution to Mr. Stoffa "crisis", but there is no real crises and he caught Stoffa and Angle flatfooted. Of course the council rubber stamps came through for Stoffa.
I am glad at least one of the nine is thinking for himself.
McClueless ambushed Stoffa and Marcus with data that should have been common knowledge. I agree that he caught them flat-footed, but why use that forum? Why not forward the report to his council colleagues to bring up at the finance committee meeting the day before if he wass unable to attend? He did it for one reason only - to showboat. He is the epitome of trial lawyers, always trying to put his adversaries on the defence. He serves his region and constituents poorly. Most of the people in his region don't even know who he is! And he was the sole "no" vote on a non-controversial ordinance changing the Norco regions based on the 2010census. Why did he do that? Once again his actions are designed to inflate his large ego, nothing more. He is a poor excuse for a public official.
McClure did his job. In the face of lying Administration officials who are covering up the facts, McClure disclosed them. The Clueless Director of Administration doesn't know anything about Gracedale, so it was news to him. It shouldn't have been.
No one trusts the Angle/Stoffa government including the rubber stamp council anymore. What difference do a hundred phony committee meetings make when everyone just nods their heads like a toy.
Thank you Mr. McClure for keeping the public in the know.
Next, let us know the real story behind the Attiyah/Stoffa deal to have Gracedale, Bechtel and the Wolf Building in a deal that will net Attiyah millions.
Thankful for Truth!!
What does the Director of Administration have to do with it? He wasn't even there and is not responsibile for Gracedale anyway. Just shows your ignorance. Kiss McClueless's butt if you must, but at least try to lnow what the hell you are talking about.
Thank you Mr. McClure bravely for telling the truth when the other elected officials are hiding behind a wall of lies and incompetence.
I agree with anon 11:01,don't blame the Director of Administration, blame Stoffa and Angle. They picked all the clueless Administration officials and they are the worst in county history. The Human Service Director knows less about Human Services than the man on the street.
McClure the Peoples Champion
McClueless, the Absentee Councilman
Angle, the I go to meetings and do nothing constructive councilman.
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