Yesterday, there was quite a stir about the four-hour lockdown at Liberty High School, which was prompted by a 911 call that three armed men had been seen entering the building. Fortunately, the matter turned out to be an elaborate hoax, but was one that upset even the parents of students at nearby schools. Mayor Bob Donchez, whose father was a detective, asked Police Chief Mark DiLuzio and Fire Chief Robert Novotnack to brief Council at last night's scheduled meeting. And most of them were quite interested. Council member Adam Waldron, for example, is married to a Liberty High School teacher. But while the Chiefs explained exactly what happened, three Council members were more busy carrying on private conversations behind the dais than in listening to what was said, to the point where it was actually difficult to hear the persons who had the floor.
Let me tell you what the Chiefs said. Forty police officers, firefighters and EMS personnel responded to the lockdown, along with the FBI, in accordance with a national protocol established for these scares. While they searched the building, two additional hoax calls were received.
During the lockdown, three people required medical assistance. One was a diabetic. Another suffered heat exhaustion. The third was a local resident who just walked up and requested assistance.
"It ended the way it should have," noted Chief DiLuzio. Mayor Donchez was happy with the "level of cooperation between the City and school district."
While this was going on, Karen Dolan was carrying on a loud whispered conversation with fellow Council member Bryan Callahan, making it difficult to hear. No sooner were Dolan and Callahan done than President J. Willie Reynolds was involved in another loud whispered exchange with a substitute City Clerk. Whatever they were discussing, it should have waited until the persons who had the floor were done. Their conduct was both insensitive and rude, and may have violated the Sunshine Act.
So much for a civil Council.
29 comments:
Please elaborate. Was this in front of you at city hall? Were they in a briefing room not paying attention? Or were they having a private conversation?
I made some changes to my post to make it more clear. During a public meeting, the chiefs were asked to brief Council on what had happened during the lockdown. Common courtesy should require them to listen. Besides, what the Chiefs were talking about was quite important. But while the chiefs stood behind the podium and spoke to Council, Karen Dolan and Bryan Callahan were having their own whispered conversation. Not only were they ignoring these public safety professionals, but were doing so in a way that made it difficult to hear. It was completely disrespectful. Then Reynolds and the substitute clerk of council had another whispered conversation. This is insulting to these professionals. It is insulting to other people, who did not come to a council meeting to hear council members whisper. And it is insulting to Liberty students and parents.
For a council that prides itself on its civility I was appalled.
Agree. Is it impossible to find or elect any honest responsible adults for these posts in Bethlehem? The city should be ashamed but they keep electing these people over and over again.
This is news?
This is what we have come to expect.
They do the same things during the public comment periods. Then they rarely answer or comment on the publics questions/comments.
Let's face it, you constantly elect teachers and lawyers and this is what you get.
now you have at least 4 anti donchez hacks on council so they are going to make as much trouble as possible
there's a major stick rising in bethlum and it's coming from the rotunda
It's bad. Real bad.
But it could be worse,it could be Allentown.
Nothing new here Allentown council does this often to public.
Since Willie and Bryan know everything, I'm sure they felt as if they ha no reason to pay any attention. Disrespectful to the public and to Mayor Donchez and his cabinet.
Who cares? The members you mention have no serious political opposition. The details ere readily available on line. Simmer down and be quiet.
Why do we suspect Dolan would have given her students an F if they spoke while she was teaching.
What a symbol she's become.
a symbol of greed, arrogance cronyism and religious hatred
Stop with the religious hatred nonsense already,3/4 of them are Roman Catholic. It's bad enough with this shill at 7:34 and his religious harping for gosh sakes!
Just plain disrespectful. Especially to those in the community concerned about Liberty students.
The arrogance is really quite remarkable.
I was put off. First, when you address a body,and you can see that two of them are more interested in talking to each other than listening to you, that has to be insulting. What i would do is stop speaking and just stare at the offending council members and say I'll wait until they are done with their private conversation.
In Willie's case, the Chief offender was the substitute clerk, who clearly had a problem with an item on the agenda. Since she is not a member of Council herself and does not usually sit there, I can understand her mistake. Willie was kinda' dragged into that, but should have postponed his discussion with her.
I can conceive no excuse for the Dolan-Callahan coffee clatch.
THIS IS NOT the BEST that Bethlehem has to offer!!!!!!
City Council is a DISGRACE!
Simple arrogance.
Dolan still can't control it,even now.
Young Mr Callahan is utterly clueless.
Watch this video of Dolan and the condescending way she speaks. Skip ahead to 14:55 and just listen. She voted to close a firehouse to save money, yet meanwhile was diverting funds to float her mill.
firehousehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYzIaGWevB4
Allentown has a cool hockey rink.
Bethlehem IS paying for it.
WHO is worse off???
Time for a Callahan Rah Rah piece, BO!
What's up with all the hate for a Democrat woman?
I just listened to Councilwoman Dolan's comments on the youtube tape posted at 10:31. Based on the comments so far, I was expecting condescending comments but instead was struck by how thoughtful her comments were. This is a public official who clearly tries to understand concerns of the entire city. What's wrong with that? And she shares her personal perspective as a woman. Is that the underlying problem here? The mean mumbling by the videotaper and friends recorded at that point make me think it is. I now question the level of viciousness behind all of the recent posts about Dolan, including her apparent mistakes with Illicks Mill. I am sorry I let myself be swayed by this tribe of fist-shakers. You should all be ashamed.
I heard her say.
"I don't live in a poor neighborhood. [audience grumbles]. Excuse me, they're not supposed to me talking back to us."
It was a long-winded condescending speech. Never heard it until last night.
"You should all be ashamed."
....and there you have it!
How dare you draw attention to these goings on?
Shame on you.
Unbelievable.
Did she make any additional Anti-Catholic statements, thoughtfully, of course? She's a hateful bigot and unethical piece of shit. She should resign, but she won't give up the benefits. That's how unethical pieces of shit roll.
2:12 Go to Stations of the Cross and chill out. Its getting really really old.
Really.
The only thing getting old is that hateful Dolan and her vicious bigotry. Now, we know she's a lying crook, too. And she doesn't give a shit about the safety of kids in Bethlehem or the report of those charged with protecting them. That's because they're either Catholic or will never attend one of her self serving cocktail parties, or both.
Did she host cocktail parties at the mill?
The 3 council members mentioned are all arrogant officials that are in office to do nothing more than cause problems for Mayor Donchez. Reynolds wants Donchez job and most of council with the exception of Evans are his cronies. They are all a disgrace to the city.
Police are behind the MILITARY curve for Active Shooters response. However Bethlehem's police appeared to do a great job of occupying hazardous space and controlling it in short order. Great job, be proud you were on the ground fast,and in place. My hat off to you.
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