Citizen activist Steve Antalics is calling for a Grand Jury investigation into the mismanagement of the Fox Environmental Center (Illick's Mill) under the stewardship of City Council member Karen Dolan.
Antalics has uncovered a 2010 letter from Parks and Public Works Director Ralph Carp to Dolan, concerning the Mill's $127,000 debt. In this letter, Carp states the City would be providing no further services until that debt was settled.
What happened?
What changed between 2010, when the City wanted its money, and 2013, when the City was providing all utilities, even heating oil? Were promises made?
Antalics believes the only way that all the layers of this onion can be peeled is through the subpoena power of a Grand Jury, and intends to ask District Attorney John Morganelli to investigate. Whether he does so is another matter.
City Council members sat there, like deer caught in the headlights. Council member Karen Dolan, who was accompanied to Council by her husband, had nothing to say.
31 comments:
Antalics is hitting the nail on the head. She may be the most visible but not the only not most important part of the rotten onion that is insider Bethlehem government.
Makes you wonder how such a nice town got such rotten government.
The worm is turning........
morganelli will never investigate his cronies. too much inbreeding in the Norco dems
Look, it's another day ending in "y," which means John Morganelli is running for (insert office name here) office. He'll no sooner investigate Dolan than stop running for something - anything - to get the hell out of Northampton County. John is far too partisan and political to be bothered investigating a Democrat. She has lots of Democrat defenders whom John doesn't want to offend lest they refuse to donate to his campaign for (insert office name here) office. Asking Napoleon the Fox to guard the Dolan Hen House is beyond ridiculous, no?
Amazing what these politicians get away with, and you hear this crap all the time. Disgusting what our government has become! Seems like they all have a personal agenda.
Just imagine what goes on at a much bigger level. Washington, D.C., for example. Big, and growing, government control of our lives, our dollars, when left unchecked has a tendency to sometimes work against us.
Move off mainstream media.
Fred Windish
From what I've read, the City Admin. and Council doesn't seem to have a problem with the small amount of tax payer money spent on the Mill in comparison to what the facility is now worth. The City still owns the facility and the value of the property is now a huge asset to the city. If any of them thought it was a concern or a political issue that they could score points on , they would be attacking each other with a vengeance.
The City Council is pretty much mum about this. They aren't saying diddly. The admin has made it clear the free ride is over. They want to get paid.
The $127,000 is not a small sum. It could be as much as $254,000 to the taxpayer bc it is mostly borrowed money.
Let's say that i decided to use my tax money in Bethlehem to buy a police horse, or get them the best possible bicycle. Or i use that money to put a diving board in at the pool.
I still owe the tax.
I do not have the right to decide how to spend the City's money. That is Council's job.
In effect, you are saying Dolan and her nonprofit had the right to decide how to spend the City's money, and that is illegal.
Show me where funds were embezzled. Otherwise, its just a story of a city spinning off a problem to someone unqualified to manage it. Now, it's "let's destroy this person with a nuclear bomb". It's sad what the tea party mentality has brought out in people.
Obviously, what happened here in inexcusable without total transparency. But the lady resigned and now it's up to the city to explain how the debts were settled. Enough with the character assassinations.
I believe I have explained the law. Nobody has suggested embezzlement. What is clear is that the City's money's was spent without the approval of Council. What is clear is that it was spent by a person who was obviously abusing her office. What is clear is that, as a matter of law, she engaged in a conflict of interest as defined in the Ethics Act.
There are numerous unanswered questions. Why did the City change its position after that 2010 letter? Why did Dolan suddenly start lobbying for pay hikes for carp's crew? Why was she voting for the Mayor's agenda? Who made the decision to forgive this debt? What was the reason?
It could be that the answers are all innocent. Or it could be that this is the tip of the iceberg.
Investigate a real story going on in Bethlehem, the brewing infighting with the Mayors staff and Community/Economic Director Alicia Karner. Karner has her entire department up in arms, including several departments in City Hall. Her incompetence and horrible management of the department is causing a huge rift within the Admin. She fired two long term widely respected and hard working members in the Commun. Econ. Devel department and still has not filled the positions months after the firings.
On top of that she wants the City to hire two additional staff members for her department on top of the two positions she has yet to fill to help her through her "transition", LOL.
Her reasoning for the 2 new hires? She is to busy being the volunteer director of the new CRIZ, so she wants the City to hire two new people so they can do the job that she is supposed to be doing and is getting PAID TO DO for the city.
The resignation is the way smaller half of it. Shenanigans have been going on in council----insider trading,back room deals,political fixing,fast and lose dealing.
To add insult to injury it's been done by a bunch of haughty snarky entitled creeps.
Even after the fall from grace for the last mayor,the mis-steps of the councilwoman, the whole unraveling ------ they can't even pretend to pull it together.
This has just started----wait!
10:02
Spot on !
Those who know KNOW.
The star city is now Chicago. That is what happens when people vote for a corrupt administration.
Chickens coming home.
Past mayor Callahan will not be able to get elected for dog catcher in dark town. I wonder how many people in the Lehigh valley know where that is.
I've heard the same thing about Karner. Arrogant and obnoxious. I think the Mayor made a lot of great choices for his cabinet, but this one is going to cause him alot of problems. I've heard things are totally messed up in her dept. Not a good thing!
And this has what to do with the mismanagement of the Dolan nonprofit and her abuse of her office? This is just an anonymous smear designed to deflect attention away from Dolan's cozy little arrangement.
Oh, please, 9:34AM - stop with the Tea Party charge. I realize this time it's difficult to pull-out the race card, but I'm sure someone will try.
A question has been raised about fiscal responsibility, proper use of taxpayer dollars, and open government. What's to attack in that? Surely, if everything was done properly, a current or past official will quickly step-up and explain why all of this concern is unwarranted. Ya, think?
The reality is, everyone is taking care to craft their response, allow time to pass, etc. It's the way things are done in America. Taxpayers deserve more respect.
Bernie, I think their point is about all the mismanagement and disorganization in the City.
It's an attempted deflection.
....yet another attempt at deflection.
Weak. Very weak.
I think someone hit a nerve with Bernie. I saw a post awhile ago about Karner and him being good friends and now its gone?
Bernie, picking on Dolan or any Democrat simply confirms you're a teabag racist.
I saw it too. Is Karner married? Maybe they have something going on.
They are good friends. I worked with her at the County. They post on FB together. She is a bully and not well liked by many. She is a train wreck for Bethlehem.
I normally delete this anonymous crap. But I love being accused of having an affair with an attractive woman. So yes, it's true. True, I'm a quarter century older and broke, but Ron Angle tells me I'm very handsome. Eat your hearts out. In fact, I hope she files a PFA so I can admit it again. If you have any other attractive women you want to link me with, let me tell you now that I admit it all. Here in the courthouse, I am regarded by the ladies as someone akin to Brad Pitt. I'm having several affairs right now. It's not easy being me.
BO, why even allow the anonymous BS. Don't allow the anonymous option and make everyone be responsible for there comments. Problem resolved.
You can start your own blog and not allow it. Personally, I like being accused of having affairs.
You and Steve A. are mean dudes.
Shameful
Bernie, the ladies know well that you're hung like a farm animal and don't require blue pills. You go, man. I'll live vicariously through you. Being married and on the ABC (anniversary, birthday, Christmas) plan, I'm jealous.
You have no idea how hard it is to be so handsome. I am constantly turning women away. Today alone I had several women throw themselves at me at the courthouse. It's embarrassing.
All you gays love it when women simply look at you and you thinking you wish you were man enough to satisfy them.
Now, now, I understand your jealousy. Bur hate the game, not the playa'. I wish there was something I could do for ugly people like you, but i can only do so much.
By the way, I thought you Dolanites and Willie Reynolds types were all for treating the gay community equally with all kinds of human relations commissions and other bullshit. I opposed this bc I knew it was a phony idea. You'll still make the gay remarks. Thanks for proving me right.
I guess you really must be ugly.
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