My proof? Scott Ott. He's sent out a mass email entitled, "All I Really Needed to Know About Being County Executive I Learned as a Bus Driver, Camp Director and People Greeter." In it, he explains that we all start out low and learn valuable lessons along the way.
The problem, for Ott, is that he seems to have stayed there.
His camp director job, for example, is a position he held just four years ago, in a failed campaign against then Executive Don Cunningham. I understand that his salary there depended on how many "prayer buddies" he could recruit. He was kinda' like an Amway for Christ.
One thing Ott fails to talk about is the still unopened Embassy Theatre in Lewistown. Just two years ago, he was taking credit for saving it. The truth is he left the place in shambles, and in a bad position financially.
Paul Fagley, President of Friends of the Embassy Theatre, tells me,
When I came on the board in the fall of 1992, Scott was already gone from the group, and things were falling apart. The original purchase deal with the local banks was that, although they had enough to purchase the theatre, they were given a 2-year demand mortgage of $35,000 to tie the group over (to pay the bills, so to speak) while it incorporated and raised funds to get the project moving. At the end of two years, the mortgage was to be paid off. However, there was no followup to the original appeal, and no significant funds had been raised. The new roof that was supposed to have been put on the building was only half completed, with only tarpaper on the other half, which caused more interior damage. When I took over as President in August of 1993, the ship was literally sinking. After rebuilding the board, and finishing the roof, it took a few years for the board to stabilize the finances of the project just to keep it afloat, then working with various agencies to do the necessary work to bring it back. We are now poised to begin the major work. The mortgage is still there, 20 years later, although we have paid it down to $25,000.So do you want an accomplished Executive who understands how government works? Or would you prefer a person who couldn't pout a roof on a theatre and then blew town, leaving it with an unpaid mortgage?
Muller is so competent he engineered the 16% tax increase. he is so competent, he had to get a government hand out job.
ReplyDeleteHe is so competent he had to have the hatch act reformed to run to keep his county job.
Time for a fresh start in Lehigh County!
I am sure the federal government amended the Hatch Act just for him.
ReplyDeleteAs for that tax hike, why hasn 't Scott Ott and his so-called reform team rolled it back? That was his promise when he ran , and he has not only broken his word , but is spending more money now than at any time in LC's history
He is deficit spending too.
ReplyDeletemore of barney fifes hate. you should really stick to covering picnics. your political guesses are hit and miss at best.
ReplyDeletebernie, this story about the embassy theater in 1992, was commissioned as oppositional research against ott when he ran against cunningham four years ago. the story is 21 years old.
ReplyDeletethank you MM for being a breath of fresh air in this stale atmosphere
ReplyDeleteGee, this sounds just like how IDI - OTT ran the Republican party broke as our executive Director. It doesn't look like he has learned much at all in 20 years.
ReplyDeleteAnother hit pieces; this time on a two decades old story. Bernie, if we're looking back, let's get the real story on the money you stole and the clients you ripped off. You haven't completed the forgiveness step until you've made a full confession to all you've wronged. Let's start dragging out decades old stuff. Let's start with your miserable failure of a life. You aren't better. You're still a dark and sick drunk who hates himself and directs that self hatred at the rest of the world. Call your sponsor. Complete your steps. Get better.
ReplyDelete6:36,
ReplyDeleteQuit telling bo the truth. he'll either deny it or delete it
"bernie, this story about the embassy theater in 1992, was commissioned as oppositional research against ott when he ran against cunningham four years ago. the story is 21 years old."
ReplyDeleteThus story is not 21 years old., It is about 1 year old. I am aware that CC did opposition research, but this was my story. The fact is that Ott took credit for saving some theatre that still is closed. After raising money for repairs, he ran off with tarpaper on half the rood. I know the source of my own stories.
bernie, when you first used this material on August 10, 2011, i was under the impression that chris casey had gone out to lewistown, did the research, and printed the story two years earlier, on poly blog posts which are now deleted.. if i'm mistaken, my apology. at any rate, he certainly is part of the comment debate back in 2011, on this blog, about an incident which was then 19 years old.
ReplyDeleteHe did something about this two years ago when Ott was running. But this story is my independent research, and nobody paid me for it. I do not do opposition research for hire.
ReplyDeleteMy opposition research is called blogging. It is for my readers. You and i have had this discussion. I do not feel comfortable covering politics if I am paid to research different people, so i won't do it. It is contrary to the code of bottom-feeding bloggers.
ReplyDelete6:36 has just shocked the world, revealing for the 6,000th time that I list my license to practice law. Except I never lost my license for stealing from clients. It was forgerty. Get it right, damn it.
ReplyDeleteUnqualified as an Executive because of his experience? Sort of like a community organizer becoming President of the united States. But that would never happen....oh wait...
ReplyDeleteThe three questions MM failed to consider are:
ReplyDelete1. Does Ott ever finish anything he starts?
2. Is there any place on his resume where he shows progression with a particular company?
3. Where in his background does it show that he has developed and demonstrated the experience needed to run a $360 million organization that has 2,000 employees?
As we know from our community organizer president, being articulate and saying the right things to your base does not mean you have the skills to actually implement what is promised. To look at that at the local level all you have to do is consider Ott's failure to roll back the 16% or to cut spending or to balance the budget. All of which he promised he would do if he was elected Commissioner and had a Board with 6 or more R Commissioners
Add to the mix the more current and more damaging stories of his actions as republican party leader here in the valley. I will go along with Scott Armstrong on this issue and not support Ott.
ReplyDeleteanon @9:43&10:10, my purpose for coming on the blog was to point out that the accusation about the embassy theater was about an event 21 years ago. but, for my final comment here, accusations are an issue. the problem with tom muller isn't his business experience, it's that with him it's business as usual. one need only look at the three negatives expensive fliers he sent out about ott. he has no imagination, just a pass along rubber stamp guy. that's way he can recommend a bill which costs the taxpayer $228,000 to remodel each apartment. people like ott, with imagination and guts and the interests of the taxpayer at heart, are pictured as wanting to starve 85 year old widows to death, business as usual, with muller and fleck.
ReplyDeleteJesus would feed the elderly and poor......but not Scott Ott. Didn't he object to pass trhough grant cor meals on wheels? Just what does he teach in bible studies?
ReplyDeleteOtt's mailer seems to suggest other PTO's are mismanaged if they are not buying book shelves. What does he mean?
What is Ott's educational background?
ReplyDeleteOur region had a similar choice in 2001. Voters in Allentown picked a former cab operator (Afflerback) and rejected a PHD and broadly experienced corporate executive (Lovette) for mayor.
ReplyDeletePopularity and other soft credentials resulting in a $160 million pension fiasco.
Just switch the names Ott for Affleback and Muller for Lovette. Taking chances on unqualified candidates can be expensive.
Mike the theater story may be 20 years old but it is relevant because Ott keeps bringing it up - it has been part of his stump speeches so it is fair game. A legitimate question is why did Ott cut and run?
ReplyDeleteSince you brought up the housing situation, the job of County Executive (and of Commissioner) is to have the interests of the citizens at heart. Can Ott really say he is acting in their best interest when he refuses their tax money from Harrisburg and Washington?
Did you know that the $200,000 housing units will go forward regardless of whether or not the County participates? Saying no to the proposal did nothing to stop it. Yet did you know that by not participating, that the County loses the opportunity to use those units as housing for disabled individuals (some of who are former Allentown Hospital patients) for the next 30 years? Did you know that the County will STILL be responsible for placing those individuals and that cost will be borne directly by County tax payers? So in this instance, Ott's "concern for the taxpayer" has lead to a situation where our tax money still goes to Harrisburg and Washington but is not used by us to meet a local need and we have to pony up more local tax dollars to cover the difference because that local need did not go away. Heckuva job Scottie.
1:05, ott has a degree in journalism, and attempted to lecture me on my poor skills a few years ago. I know he attended a seminary, but am uncertain whether he was ever awarded a degree .
ReplyDeleteOtt has a BA in Journalism from Penn State - 1983
ReplyDeleteIn the mid 90's, He attended the Midwest Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City but did not graduate.
MM - I have no idea why you waste your intellect and time arguing with the barney fife of blogging.
ReplyDeleteHis blog is only slightly lest twisted than his mind.
I always liked Barney Fife. Why are you wasting your time telling MM that he's wasting his time?
DeleteLest try and be a little fair, even for a hit blog.
ReplyDeleteYou supported Jerry Seyfried for county executive and his experience was as a laborer at the Steel. You support John Callahan even though you ran the pieces form Dent, only two years old that prove Johnny Casino is a terrible mayor and can't be trusted. You support John Stoffa who has only been a tax sucking bureaucrat his entire life, never holding a real job.
Just a few examples. Also apparently Fleck may be involved in the Muller campaign, why not condemn that.
Your hatred means Ott must be a breath of fresh air. Muller is an arrogant old country club Republican who wants to pad his county pension with another tax increase.
Another hatchet job $$$$
ReplyDeleteAdmit it, you are doing this to save the Cunningham cronies jobs.
ReplyDeleteMuller is a terrible administrator that can only live off big tax increase.
I guess he wants more pension to put gas in his new corvette.
You paid for it, taxpayers!
1) before Jerry became Exec, he spent many years on Council, served as it's President, and had a 100 per cent attendance record. Ott has served two years as a comm'r and has never stayed at any one job or even any one residence for very long. If he was running for King of the Gypsies, he'd have my support.
ReplyDelete2) I supported Dent over Callahan for Congress. At the time, I said I would probably support Callahan over Dent for an Exec position like Mayor. I was deeply troubled by Bethlehem's finances, but like the way Callahan has addressed those issues. I believe he learned a lot in his race against Dent, and is one of the few people out there in politics who actually can learn.
3) I do support John Stoffa, who has had the most integrity and personal honesty I have ever seen in an elected official. We will all miss him when he is gone.
4) Mike Fleck is a very effective campaign strategist. I do not care for his consulting work, but believe he has been a boon to local Dems. He is no Tom Severson. I do like to torment Fleck, but he has always been straight with me, which is more than I can say about many others.
5) I do not hate Ott. I think he 'a a bad Comm'r and will be worse as Exec. He will likely be elected, and will give me plenty of blog fodder as he ruins Lehigh County and I say I told you so.
6) this is no hatchet job, nor am I being paid by anyone for what I write. Believe me, I have gone easy on Ott.
The above comment comes courtesy of West Easton wackadoodle Tricia Mezzacappa, who fantasizes about putting hollow point bullets through my skull. I am sure Ott is delighted to have your support, but would prefer to have you focus your energy on more productive things, like taking your drug cocktail. Toodles.
ReplyDeleteI am really thirlled that you are taking the moral high road on this issue. Especially about divorces and second wives. I wonder what your friend the reverend would say about you forging and stealing money from a needy man? How can you morally deface anyone especially with all of the skeletons in your closet? Especially when your angry priest buddy never came out of the closet.8
ReplyDeleteTM cut and pasted my post. She's an evil cunning runt. My post was and is accurate, however. She should give it proper attribution. My name is Anonymous.
ReplyDeleteCharlie Dent warned us that Callahan was a lying ethical mess who pretty much had an open door to bribery in Bethlehem (you can look up his quotes on this from the 2010 debate). I read it here on this blog, as well. Since then, Callahan has berated a youth sports official and been thrown from a kids' wrestling match, much to the embarrassment of his friends, family, school, and city. Yeah, he apologized when called on it. You know, the old, I'm sorry if I offended anyone lie. Charlie warned us about John. He warned us on this blog. Charlie is a mensch and it's well known he thinks Callahan is a tawdry sleazy punk and liar. You continue to attack Scott Ott for decades old stuff and ignore Charlie Dent's admonishments of just two short years ago. WTF?
I think you ARE still drinking. I'll check you out more closely next time. I can smell Stoly and single malt at 40 paces. I don't believe you.
Love,
Anonymous
I endorse Scott Ott!
ReplyDeleteSpartacus Maximus
Scott Ott seems to be very likable, quick witted, and fiscally prudent. He has my vote and most of the 9-12er's that really follow LC politics. Muller has a great mustache but apart from that I'm not impressed with his pulling a serious "Arlen" and defecting to the libtards.
ReplyDeleteScott Ott is a racist teatard. Bernie has this bigot pegged. All teatards are racists. Their arguments on anything else should be dismissed as one would dismiss the mentally unstable KKK in any political discussion. Scott is a racist teatard. They all are. Bernie is right to expose him and them. I fully support Muller. We don't need racist, window licking, drooling, mongoloid teatards. I'm with Bernie and the footsoldier. Enough is enough.
ReplyDeleteGot the Brown truth mailer on Callahan. Good piece he is telling us all about the "real Callahan" record.
ReplyDeleteHe is telling us what you and Dent told us Bernie. You can't trust the boy Casanova mayor.
I can't believe anyone would ever think of voting for Ott, I am a life long Republican and I would never vote for him. He has no substance and doesn't even own real estate in Lehigh County.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry Bernie I have a 24 pack of coronas and some strippers. We'll party at stoffas crib :-)
ReplyDeleteWe partying now with some strippers....he's cool and the girls likey
ReplyDeleteScott Ott is a nice trustworthy man.
ReplyDeleteBernie O'Hare isn't a trustworthy man.
ReplyDeleteDoes Bernie have qualifications to write about qualifications? What are his motives?
ReplyDeleteScott Ott shoveled my grandmas snow while Bernie was throwing snowballs at her and cute little fluffy the dog. Now fluffy wont go pee outside because of Bernie and doesn't like men who look like snowmen.
ReplyDeleteI heard he kicked Earl the pig too
ReplyDeleteScott Ott doesn't abuse animals
ReplyDeleteScott helped a bunch of baby ducks cross the street becauste Bernie ran their mom over.
ReplyDeleteScooter Octavius lord and master of web based satire has laid the ground work for a new age righteous governance led by church going people who have the guts to turn down Uncle Shames dirty Chinese renminbi even if that means Greggy's Eugenia has to relive her Dachau days.
ReplyDelete"I can't believe anyone would ever think of voting for Ott, I am a life long Republican and I would never vote for him. He has no substance and doesn't even own real estate in Lehigh County."
ReplyDeleteHaving seen him in action, I just don't see the likable, sel-effacing person I am always told is there, Instead i see a condescending, snarky blogger, kinda' like me. We have our place,but it's not at the head of $390 million operations. Do yourself a favor and talk to two fellow Rs. If you cannot convince them to vote for Muller, convince them to skip pulling the lever in this race.
Teatards and retards should be aborted before they drool on the rest of us. Vote Muller and the entire Democratic ticket.
ReplyDeleteI want to make a few clarifications. I did not have anything to do with this post, other than I gave Bernie info in the past. He followed up on it. That is what a journalist will do.
ReplyDeleteOtt attended a Bible College in Kansas City Mo. While out there on business, I visited the college and learned that he only earned 57 of the 81 credits needed for a degree in Divinity. He was not an ordained minister, but at one time in the mid 1990's, he acted as pastor of the Siloam Springs Baptist Church in Excelsior Springs, Mo. The present Pastor told me that Mr Ott was well liked by the community and could give a great Sermon. They were disappointed when he left. The Church merged with others in the area, because their finances were not in the best shape.
BTW, Excelsior Springs is a lovely little town with an impressive WPA built Water building. MM would appreciate that. The church Ott and his second wife, Stephanie, were married in has become a Goodwill store. It is close to becoming a Ghost Town, but the old timers keep it going.
Bernie isn't a journalist
DeleteBernie gets really nice gifts for his point of view.
DeleteJournalists don't accept computers from people they write about
ReplyDeleteMezzacappa and her Blog Mentor are off their meds again. The sad thing is they don't give a shit about this race or anything else, for that matter. They just want to attack me.
ReplyDeleteMuller is a fake. He and his dirty campaign will go down.
ReplyDeleteYou have also gone very easy on Callahan.
ReplyDelete