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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Meet LC Commissioner Candidate Geoff Brace


Geoff Brace, downtown revitalization guru, LC Comm'r candidate, you are definitely a wonk. Am I right?

Geoff: "You can call me a geek, Bernie. That's OK."

You applied for the position. I think you came in pretty well when it was open for appointment.

Geoff: "Yeah."

You grabbed quite a few votes that time from Republicans, and now you're running for the position, an at-large seat. Why should the voters select you as opposed to a very strong Republican team in what appears to be a Republican year?

Geoff: "When I talk to voters, I talk about two parts of why I think I'm a good candidate.

"The first is my passion for communities, and I'm not just talking about Allentown or Bethlehem., but our small twns, the farmlands, the suburbs. I'm passionate about our communities.

"I also talk a lot about fiscal responsibility and the fact that I manage, very hands on, a small nonprofit organization, watching every penny, squeezing every nickel that we possibly can.

"So I'll bring my passion, I'll bring my fiscal responsibility with me to the job as Lehigh County Comm'r".

Will you be an independent voice or will you be another vote for Executive Cunningham?

Geoff: "Anybody who knows me knows that I'm an independent-minded person. While the three other [Democrat] candidates and I agree on the importance of keeping Cedarbrook in Lehigh County hands because it's so effectively managed and because of the resurces it provides for LC taxpayers, we disagree on other issues.

"At the end of the day, I've always said a good idea is a good idea. I don't care if it's a Democratic idea or a Republican idea. If it's a good idea, it merits attention and I'll look for the good ideas.

How do you enjoy married life and living in downtown Allentown?

Geoff [laughing]: "My wife is a true saint. I'm laughing because Sarah [I hope that's his wife] has tolerated my weekends knocking on doors evenings, going to candidate forums, taking care of the dog we just adopted ... We're enjoying married life."

What kind of dog?

Geoff: "He's a Bichon miniature poodle mix, a little cottonball."

One of those little designer dogs.

Geoff: "Certainly not a designer dog. He's usually dirty. He's got leaves all over him. But he's a good dog."

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mr. Brace seems like a good guy, I just can't buy the independance claim for Mr. Brace. He's too closely tied to Pawlowski for me and strikes me as a rigid idealogue. I may bullet vote for Brad Osborne, a candidate who seems like commissioner material. Something about the "reform team" makes me uncomfortable, possibly Ms. Scheller's husband being the Republican County Party Chair.

Anonymous said...

how is he tied to pawlowski?

Bernie O'Hare said...

I don't think Geoff has anything to do w/ Pawlowski, though he was appointed by him to the ZHB in Allentown as an alternate. After watching the abuse heaped on ZHBs, I'm not so sure that was a favor.

Brad Osborne seems like a great candidate.

Anonymous said...

He is in with the Iannelli camp. Another pawn for the Public health Department.

Anonymous said...

Just call him rubber stamp and be done with it. He doesn't possess an original idea.

Anonymous said...

Check the facts. Iannelli contributed to the gang of 3. They are his sheep. Also, hamm is the only one supporting the health dept. The only rubber stamps in this election are scheller and mazziotti who gladly say or do everything scott ott tells them.