He was rejected in favor of another guy who was not there.
Mezzacappa, who is currently hiding her car from the Sheriff, walked down to call Kelly Gross a felon and then left. Some people attending their first ever meeting reportedly walked out, too.
This was my kind of meeting.
Fortunately, Express Times editor Jim Deegan and West Easton blogger Matt Dees attended, and will have factually accurate accounts.
Let me tell you about another tiny borough at the other end of the County.
North Catasauqua is smack dab along the Lehigh River, right above Northampton. Developer Joe Keglovits has been president of a five-person borough council as long as I can remember, though nobody's really sure whether he lives really there or in Northampton. His son John Keglovits and son-in-law Matthew Barber are members of Council, too, giving this family effective control.
Here's an interesting story I heard on Sunday. I got this this from one person, so I can't claim it's accurate, but here goes. About two years ago, when a vacancy opened up in the borough for a PT secretary, the position initially went to Barbara Barber. She's Joe Keglovits' daughter and is married to Council member Matt Barber. Questions of nepotism arose, but the answer was that she was the only person who applied.
Until someone discovered the job vacancy had been advertised in The Brodheadsville Gazette.
I think it's pretty apparent that the problem is not West Easton. It's all small boroughs. Pennsylvania has the second highest number of local governments in the nation, including 958 boroughs. Their residents pay higher taxes than townships, and for less services. It is not the people in the government, but the government itself that needs to change. It is simply too fragmented.
41 comments:
Kelly Gross is no more a felon than Mezzacappa is. Has Gross been found guilty of harassment and defamation? I have no time for hypocrites.
What is going on in DePaul's hair? It looks like a disorganized birds nest. His hair is a menace and needs to be stopped.
For several years now, Kelly Gross has been subjected to vicious attacks, lies, threats, and generally abused, for no valid reason other than certain people don't like to obey duly passed laws. She spends hundreds of hours a year working for the borough, for minimal pay that really amounts to making it a volunteer position, and she consistently accomplishes great things for the borough. Of course nobody is perfect, and government has its inherent problems and limitations, but overall West Easton is run pretty darn well, and just a few years ago Kelly was recognized by her peers as the most outstanding councilperson in Pennsylvania.
To think someone with decades of public service, who has no history of impropriety of any kind (other than the wild imaginary accusations being thrown at her by a certain petulant axe grinder with absolutely ZERO credibility), would have to endure such indignities, is very sad. Politics is a rough game, yes, always has been and always will be, but this situation is extreme and has occurred for no valid or remotely sane reason. I commend Kelly for keeping above the fray and conducting herself in a respectful and dignified way throughout the whole ordeal. There is no better evidence of the high quality of her character than the way she has handled these relentless attacks. She is a credit to her community and they are lucky to have her. And despite the onslaught, the residents know the truth, and verify it at the ballot box every chance they get.
As for the petulant axe grinder, if you don't like the laws, get involved in a respectful way and try to work for positive change. Don't just freak out, go below the belt and try to circumvent the system, or ignore the laws you don't like. Nobody takes that seriously. And above all else, show respect to elected officials unless they actually do something to deserve disrespect. This is a democracy, not a nursery school right before nap time. Direct the negative energy being futilely hurled at Kelly into something positive and maybe life will improve not only for you, but everyone around you.
Sounds like both N. Catty and West Easton are very inbred little kingdoms. Sadly that is the norm around here. Time for major local governmental reform. Fact is there are just to many.
Apathy is rampant. It has become the American norm..politically. All you have to do is look at voter turn out numbers and you will see the problem. We take far too much for granted and get burned repeatedly by corruption and the like. Wise up people! Get involved or get run over!
Time for the people of W. Easton to petition for radical change. Disband the boro and join the civilized free world..Wilson borough. Stop the insanity and just do it. You have every right to take control of the situation and put an end to this experiment.
I actually think the differences of opinion being displayed on WE council could result in some positive changes if personal differences are put aside and discussions, rather than yelling takes place.
What doesn't help is tenant Mezzacappa trying to inject herself into the council's exchanges.
Anonymous personal attacks that obviously come from Tricia "I don't answer my door for Sheriffs" Mezzacappa have been deleted. She has hidden her car in an effort to avoid execution. Tricia, if you have transferred that title, too, you have committed a crime. We are not going away, and as I write this, the wheels are turning on another matter that will force you to pay what you owe.
You are a lone voice of reason Matt and I for one applaud your efforts to hold the elected people responsible down there. Sometimes the only solution is to blow it up and start over..for the sake of everyone. This may now be that moment in time..end it and move towards a brighter future for the people who live there.
"Of course nobody is perfect, and government has its inherent problems and limitations, but overall West Easton is run pretty darn well,"
No you are not perfect. Yes, you do work hard. A tiny government does have inherent problems, and I think it is time to consider dissolving. It is very hard to find good people bc you are too small.
A felon? Really Tricia? OH..I see..takes one to know one? Naw..
What will the excuse be when TM has finally been neutralized and sanitized? It is still the same people in charge of the borough. I agree that TM has been a horrendous detriment to forward progress but she is not the totality of what ails W. Easton borough.
"overall West Easton is run pretty darn well"
Don't know what council meetings you have been going to, but WE's government is a damned circus and a sham. Citizens are not getting what they are due. No recording of proceedings, nobody assigned to take minutes, nobody staffing the office, except your cherished Kelly Gross who isn't supposed to be doing that job since she in on council. It takes a month to get a photocopy of two pages of the damned zoning ordinance! That's completely unacceptable. In a town this size, that's a walk-in request as long as the person who is making it isn't threatening to shoot everyone in sight.
Wait for Deagan's and Dee's articles on last night's meeting before you do any more boasting about how well WE government is being run.
Dees needs to get off his high horse and join forces with MeZZ, the pair screams power couple even more than the JG pairing. Maybe MeZz can be a polyamorous play girl with a bevy of bloggers and boy toys at her disposal, soothing her 7 year itch and ushering in a new era of prosperity for everyone in WE
north catasauqua is the fiefdom of the harharts. people there think good representation is a birthday card. they have been down so long, it looks like up to them. people talk of reform and political alternatives, but don't seem to ever put the pedal to the metal. i will concede no area of the 183rd to the 20 year incumbent, including her home town of north catasauqua.
To Bernie's 9:13 comment about my 2:02 statement, I say that I have no affiliation with West Easton government or politics. I do agree that small governments have inherent limitations, but big government has serious consequences as well.
My statement that the borough is run well is my opinion based on my observations of it and other governments, and I respect different opinions. An unruly council meeting is disappointing, but does not change my opinion of things being good in the big picture, and its irrational to think it would.
No government is perfect, and no politician ever enjoys 100% approval. We deal with our problems at the ballot box, and the majority controls who leads. Anyone with a desire to change things can try to do so, but they need to understand that their neighbors may have a different view, and if they don't like the majority view, they are free to move to a more suitable community for them.
There is no Gross cartel in West Easton. There is a nearly continuous legacy of public service that has been created by the majority of voters being satisfied with their leadership for decades. When the majority of voters wants a change, then things will change. Until then, they won't, no matter how loud the minority screams. If you want change, convince the voters, and it can happen.
The Nodoline Gross alliance is well documented, when dissenting voices sought office they were systematically targeted by rogue bloggers in a sadistic vortex of mischaracterizations and distortions.
Now there are two bloggers who crouch on their bully pulpits braying to their readers about who is and isn't to be trusted.
West Easton and other such places will ultimately be merged into governments that have more sane leadership and less of a clannish mentality.
Just a reminder to everyone. Tricia Mezzacappa ran for West Easton Borough Council in 2011 and 2013. She lost both times. She was defeated by Kelly Gross in 2011 and Tom Nodoline in 2013. The electorate wasn't interested in having her in office. Even the leadership of her Republican Party disavowed her. She can bitch and moan all she wants but the fact remains that she is a loser.
@9:25 AM said: "I agree that TM has been a horrendous detriment to forward progress but she is not the totality of what ails W. Easton borough."
Of course Mezzacappa is not the totality of the problem. But she is a huge impedement to efficient government in West Easton.
Instead of taking care of regular office business the small staff has to spend way too much time processing her many, many records requests, appeals and other nonsense. Instead of dealing with normal municipal legal issues, the solicitor must spend countless hours responding to her pro se legal filings. She manages to turn the "public comment" part of the monthly Council meetings into a circus with her usual name calling and false accusations. She has even been escorted out by police on occasion.
Who brings a gun to a Borough Hall and wants to know whether it is a gun free zone? Who writes a letter to the editor sympathizing with a guy who killed innocent people at a Ross Township supervisors meeting and then compares that township with West Easton?
And then there is the matter of Mezzacappa's hate blog. Give it a read sometime and consider whether you would want to be the target of her venom?
The First Amendment is a beautiful thing but she crosses the line on a regular basis. She's a liar and that's why she owes Bernie more than $67,000.
Calling Kelly Gross a felon when Kelly has never been charged or convicted of anything is legally actionable defamation per se. Even an "actual malice" defense probably would not protect her because she knows that the felon accusation is false. But filing suit would be a waste of time for Kelly since Bernie is going to take everything Mezzacappa owns.
Hurry up, Bernie. Send her packing.
Bernie,
FYI: The guy who was appointed to the vacant council seat in West Easton is Vernon Moore. It is my understanding that he is the first African-American ever to serve on the Borough Council.
The $67,000 in question is not written in stone, Bernice has won some battles along the way when venues are changed there will be some serious retractions from him and his attorney (for now).
"We are not going away, and as I write this, the wheels are turning on another matter that will force you to pay what you owe. 9:10 AM"
I can't wait for that shoe to drop. I hope it happens soon.
"The $67,000 in question is not written in stone, Bernice has won some battles along the way when venues are changed there will be some serious retractions from him and his attorney (for now)."
In 2011m, when you first started this nonsense, you made these kinds of threats. Now there is a $68,000 judgment against you (with interest). It is written in stone, has been indexed as a judgment, and execution has commenced. You know this, which is why you hide as much as you can, have transferred title to your home illegally and have your car stashed somehwere. You also failed to show for depositions in this matter.
Bernie, please tell me you have read the latest "mouth that roared" letter on the WEF. It is brand new. It is great. I hope you read it and even do an entry on it. Bill White if you are listening you must check it out. I would love a psychologist to read it and give their opinion.
"You also failed to show for depositions in this matter."
Mr. O'Hare, Is she able to simply ignore depositions with impunity? That doesn't seem right. Aren't there any consequences? Whatever happened to the rule of law?
There will be consequences.
Her
Neighbors love her, if you actually end up living there don't expect a warm welcome not everyone in WE drinks the Gross/Nodoline/Dees kool-aid
I have Easton police reports telling me what her neighbors think of her.
This woman is a train wreck. She can't admit anything to herself that is not self serving. Kelly Gross is a "felon", even though she hasn't been charged with anything. Tricia Mezzacappa has been found to be a defamer and a harasser in the eyes of the law, yet she hasn't done anything wrong.
Typical Republican who can't admit facts.
"please tell me you have read the latest "mouth that roared" letter on the WEF"
Who the hell cares about what a rodent who thinks we should sacrifice journalists has to say?
I just read the Gregory letter. It is the best of the bunch. The guy is amazing. I hope he runs for something next year. It will be the better entertainment then the Sands.
Is UNITY Pac still running?
Gregory's Unity PAC is alive and well there is still some money left over no telling what he will do with it but I hope he buys his moll a set of DD's which would make her the hottest thing in WE besides Kelly G
So. that's 817 Ridge, right? Is that the one with the people trying to live nice and get along with the neighbors, or is it the half double that look like a prison? Just askin...
@6:23 & 6:28
Love your sense of humor! Unity PAC... The Gregory plan to live off donations. "Hope he runs for something next year."
You have me bustin' up. Stop!
ROFLMAO
In fairness this is not just the little towns. It is true that most of Penna. is messed up with far to many little kingdoms. Outside of third class cities, the county should be the local level of government. It would be more efficient and serve people better. It would be tough to ever break through the local parochialism of the little kingdoms
However, not all cities are free from the entire family rule nonsense. Look at Bethlehem. There are a few names that will always be elected. Also the city is actually more like a small borough in the way people get elected.
Change would be great but probably years away if ever. Wait till next years elections, more of the same.
Nepotism and voter apathy go hand in hand. Both are despicable traits but like the weather..everybody talks about it but nobody can do anything to influence it one way or the other. Shining a light on it is the best course of action and then hope people wake up and get involved.
"that's 817 Ridge, right? Is that the one with..."
It's the one with the lights out and car hidden from view, because the tenant doesn't plan to honor her debts.
anon 8:01 and 1:45, you ruse of a private address on this blog is wrong. You are promotion the use of harm towards someone and their property. The individual has the right to have you investigated. Be advised you are promoting potential violence by such an inappropriate and irresponsible act.
I generally prefer to avoid the use of specific addresses, and under most circumsatances, would delete comments of that nature. But Tricia Mezzacappa has published her own address, phone number and email on her own blog on numerous occasions. In addition, she is hiding her car and is making things difficult for the Sheriff. She has refused to allow Sheriffs to levy on her assets. I appreciate the increased scrutiny by West Easton readers. As I warned, it is criminal to hide assets from levy. These readers are doing their best to make sure you are held accountable for your actions.
I posted the comment at 1:45. I did not mention a name.
I note that neither did the person who posted at 8:01.
You're a raving lunatic, 2:30 PM. Carry on, it's apparently a skill of yours. I didn't promote anything but a debt being collected.
Bernie - have you seen the video of the WE meeting two nights ago? Apparently the Solicitor and Council president discovered the transfer of Mezzacappa's old house to her mother, and are sending official correspondence to the mother, as they should. Mezzacappa is trying to inquire about stuff and she is now being treated as a non-resident LOL.
Also, Mezzacappa throws a Mezzacrazy episode, raving about how Gross is a "felon" (false) and Morganelli blah blah blah, and storms out. Mezzacappa is constantly trying to spin her own story with her own facts, and can't tolerate even listening to a different tune.
"I hope he buys his moll a set of DD's"
Delirium and Dementia?
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