It's official. Northampton County Controller Steve Barron has dropped his teaching gig at Northampton Community College, effective immediately. Council president John Cusick confirmed the resignation in an email to media outlets this afternoon.
"Earlier this afternoon, I spoke with County Controller Steve Barron and he confirmed with me that he will no longer be teaching at NCC effective immediately. As a result of our conversation, at this time I have decided not to pursue legislative or legal action regarding allegations of him having been in violation of the Home Rule Charter."
Updated 5:11 PM
62 comments:
You cannot "un-ring" the bell....you cannot put the wine back in the bottle after it is spilled....you cannot give the money back after the bank robbery to achieve innocence...
That's true, but I'm a realist. Acrimonious hearings that Barron would eventually lose are great blog fodder. But it is not in the best interests of the County to get bogged down on this matter if the Controller agrees to start following the Charter. It will now be up to the voters whether they want to keep him in office.
I guess he really didn't care about the students after all? Must have been about the money. We could have seen a bright future ahead if he would have parlayed his PT teaching gig (because it is not an occupation or a business) into a FT thing.
I think that's a terrible precedent.
You're basically saying the law is the law when County Council feels like enforcing it, and there are absolutely no consequences for breaking the law.
That's the wrong meesage to send.
Agree with 3:21. County Council dropped the ball on enforcing its own laws with the Ross Marcus scandal and now with the Steve Barron scandal.
Why have laws if they can't or won't enforce them. Of course we all know they are selective on what they do. Time for a new group of people to get elected. This crowd is a real disappointment.
All they know how to do is spend money, yet can't govern worth a darn.
I know what ye all are trying to say. Please tell that to Ron Angle. He was not even getting paid and was on the School Board when they selectively decided to push the issue with him holding two offices at once. And neither office was in comparison or a conflict to the other.
I understand your point, but know what happens when an issue like this dominates local government. Always give your opponent room to escape.
If he did indeed quit, then you're right this goes away. Except as campaign fodder for his opponent.
Barron really is an idiot for thinking he'd get away with this.
The Banker
Well, it's about time. This unsavory incident was embarrassing NCC as much as Little Stevie Blunder (who blundered AGAIN). They did not want anything to do with the controversy and HAD to be mollified to see him teaching a class in beach wear. And, to be accommodating his employment in violation of the Home Rule Charter. So if Barron hadn't resigned from his teaching post, he probably would have been dismissed by the college. Now, we must keep an eye on him or next semester he will be right back in the classroom, at NCC, LCCC or some other school making a buck at the expense of his full time controller duties. This clown has lost all credibility with his staff, county council, the public and perhaps even those misguided voters who voted for him.
Bernie, I hope you never come after me!!! You caused the students in his class to not have a Professor?Whoooo, I got loose skeletons in my locker , I'd be in trouble ,for sure pal of mine.
The pols are all running away. Barron has the power to harass them, being the controller. I bet that is why he got away with it this long.
Oh and thank you Bernie for doing the dirty work the pols won't do.
5:30, NCC did nothing wrong.
While I think it is a good thing this Barron screw-up is put to bed, I also think he should have been made to reimburse the county for every hour he was away from his desk and working at the college. That would make the next person think twice before trying to scam the taxpayers.
6:28..you are correct. Tax payer fraud has been committed and council shrugs it off. He has stolen from all of us and you wonder why nobody respects government. Man up Cusick/council..full reimbursement is required here..FULL!
Shame on me for voting for this turd.
Lets see if I got this straight. Barroom lobbies for a full time position with medical bennies, pension bennies, unlimited vacation time, unlimited sick time with this Bennies package costing the tax payer about $35,000.00 added onto his 65 thousand dollar salary and he feels he needs a part time job on County time to augment his income. Is there something wrong with this bloody picture? He owes us, the voter and taxpayer, an apoligy for what he did. Council cannot let him off the hook without an apoligy.
I don't want the apology..give back the money you were not entitled to..ALL of it!
He has disgraced his office and the county electorate and himself. just resign Steve and walk away with whatever dignity you have left. Just pathetic and sad. How you gonna explain this to your family? Have you no shame at all?
As Bugs Bunny would say, "Whata maroon!!"
1046 don't worry about Steve's family. They are well aware of the entire situation and have no issues with him. They are aware of Bernie's bullshit since he plastered them on this blog. He has mocked them while mocking him multiple times and there is nothing Bernie or Steve could do to change their support-after all he isn't a disbarred drunk. And 1016, learn to spell moron. It's APOLOGY.
What a maroon!
Bernie,
I do enjoy your blog and you always break important news first but your vendetta against Gregory, Mezzacrapa and Barron is an unwanted distraction.
The former two are of no importance and not newsworthy other than that Gregory's sentence is unduly harsh even though he is a complete jackass.
Exactly what negative impact did Barron's teaching at NCC have on the county. A technical violation is all it was. He should not have been doing it and should have quit at the end of the semester. But now there's a group of NCC kids who probably work to pay for their classes who are without an instructor halfway through the semester.
I just fail to see the point to these petty things.
Dear Mr. Barron,
How does it Feel to be bested by a bottom feeding blogger????
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1MgDvXzgl8
Dear 12:05 AM,
Can you minimise criminal behavior any further?
"But now there's a group of NCC kids who probably work to pay for their classes who are without an instructor halfway through the semester."
I'm suiting up and will be there tomorrow.
Poor kids are the ones that suffer over this partisan witch hunt.
How is criminal behaviour, Partisian???
The poor kids were already being short changed by being instructed by a dishonest political hack.
Once again, when political bullies get involved, it's the kids that are made to suffer. Good job!
Please. Those kids just caught a break and learned a valuable lesson on ethics.
And a bad example it was
For the future of American and we the people, he did it to keep his students safe from this crazy ass bastard. So think before you speak idiot.
DEAR ANONYMOUS,
I AM ONE OF THOSE KIDS AND MR. BARRON WAS A GREAT TEACHER WHO CARED FOR HIS STUDENTS, HE WAS PROTECTING US. AND IT IS NOT A BREAK IT IS TORTURE. IF MR. O'HARE HADEN'T STALKED HIM INTO THE CLASSROOM THEN MR. BARRON WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO DO THIS. ALL OF YOU ARE FUCKING IDIOTS!!! BARRON CARED FOR US, FOR OUR SAFETY AND YOU ARE JUST TOO BLIND TO SEE WHAT A GREAT MAN HE IS!
This "bitch" posted her comment at a time when Barron's classes are supposed to be taking place. So either this "bitch" is not a student or she has learned to play hooky like Barron.
Given the poor grammar and spelling, I'd suggest that this "bitch" return to grade school.
For your information the class was canceled, I don't play hooky I show up to every class I take. KEEP BARRON'S NAME OUT YOUR MOUTH. YOU WILL FIND OUT WHAT IT'S LIKE TO NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE A SHIT WITHOUT SOMEONE WATCHING. TAKE A BOW MR. O'HARE YOU ARE THE BIGGEST SLIMEBALL IN THE WORLD AND YOU BETTER WATCH YOUR BACK.
Poor grammar, poor spelling and a threat. You must have been heading for an A.
That is NC at its usual best. The bad get rewards and the good get unnoticed.
You canned our teacher and expect us to have class the next day??
Thank you anonymous!!!!
"You canned our teacher"
You had barron, not a teacher.
He is a teacher and he taught us many things. Things that your crazy ass could never understand no matter how hard you try. Go back to the loony bin Mr. O'Hare. Maybe they have stronger medicine for you.
I see he taught you how to be an anonymous coward and how to make threats of violence .
No those are my own actions. Trust and believe if I see u I will make myself known. You call yourself a realist, ha, all you are doing is making assumptions dick.
I'll be at your school on 10/22. I am at the courthouse every day.
What time
I'll be at the courthouse all afternoon today.
No the school on the 22 dumb dumb.
8:45, College Center lobby. I will photograph you and ask college officials to take action against you for your threat
"THAT BITCH THAT WILL BRING YOU DOWN MR. O'HARE said...
DEAR ANONYMOUS,
I AM ONE OF THOSE KIDS AND MR. BARRON WAS A GREAT TEACHER WHO CARED FOR HIS STUDENTS, HE WAS PROTECTING US. AND IT IS NOT A BREAK IT IS TORTURE. IF MR. O'HARE HADEN'T STALKED HIM INTO THE CLASSROOM THEN MR. BARRON WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO DO THIS. ALL OF YOU ARE FUCKING IDIOTS!!! BARRON CARED FOR US, FOR OUR SAFETY AND YOU ARE JUST TOO BLIND TO SEE WHAT A GREAT MAN HE IS! 12:45 PM"
As an Individual, you sound as if the Teacher touched you....in a sexual way.
Definately not. Mr. Barron cared for his students and he would never put us in harms way. You are just sick in the head
Have fun with that mr. O'HARE, they are aware of you stalking mr. Barron. So I doubt you will be there
Ha
These students have to be liberals already. They blame Bernie for exposing the truth to the taxpayer. They obviously do no own a home. Barron is the one who did the wrong thing here but these babies want what they think they are entitled to even if it is wrong. These are tomorrow's. So called adults who will be victims looking for something from the rest of us. If that were not true they would put the blame on their teacher for stealing from the taxpayer. Once again we take it on the chin for them. And yes all this talk about caring and protecting made me wonder too. He was there to teach. The fact that he certainly is not very man like is probably what some of them picked up on. They see he needs protection from Bernie. What a joke.....
I doubt very much that those comments come from a student. The person seems to know to much about me.
Is accusing someone of sexual misconduct an off topic remark?
Bloggers can't be held responsible for comments on their blogs unless they announce they are going to police the comments that appear. Opening the door as McCoy would say. If they do delete some comments, then it is assumed that's what left is there with the express permission of the blogger. And if a comment is challenged and the blogger answers that challenge, or deletes it, then any supposition of an extended window for deleting comments is gone.
My invoice is in the mail.
I'll get a screen capture of this the moment it goes up, for future reference.
Nobody has sent me an email asking me to remove the comment. "Bitch" does seem a bit irrational, and Clinton Oxford suggested there might be a relationship. Had I made that suggestion, it would not be defamatory bc (1) the statement that two people are sexual is not defamatory as a matter of law (2) bitch has not identified who she really is and (3) Barron is a public official and (4) nobody would believe it.
I did not post the comment in question and am not terribly bothered by it.
If I get a request from a real person to remove the comment, I will give it more thought. Until then, it stays. Do what you do best - nothing.
Public officials can be libeled, it's just more difficult to prove and the accepted area of public interest in the individual is obviously much wider than that of a private individual.
If an opinion can be proved true or false, then it is subject to the laws of libel. Opinions are only protected when they can't be proven true or false. Truth is the absolute defense against libel but proving a falsehood results in a de facto assumption of libel.
You really should check up on the exceptions to bloggers protection from comments made on his/her site.
Thank you for your anonymous and unschooled legal opinion.
I've been told by a source that I believe, and that I understand you have found reliable in the past, that you know who I am, and therefore know my legal qualifications.
Verbal sleight of hand is not going to work. Name calling is only going to make you look foolish.
Remember,hubris is the ultimate self inflicted wound.
Look, all I know is that you are an anonymous coward, playing the game all anonymous cowards play when something is written that they dislike. Based on your comments here, I 'd say your legal knowledge is nonexistent. You should sue your law school for your money back.
Yes, a bad case of hubris.
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