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Thursday, May 14, 2015

Zawarski Reaches Out to Bethlehem Township Democrats

Marty Zawarski is running for re-election to Bethlehem Township's Board of Commissioners. He is seeking the at-large seat, but is facing opposition from former Commissioners Bob Birk and Paul Weiss. If he makes it out of that gauntlet alive, he may very well be facing yet another opponent. Green Pond Marsh advocate Jack Glogola is waging a write-in campaign as a Democrat. What's a Republican to do? In Zawarski's case, it's reaching out to Democrats. He has sent this letter, asking them to write him in.



I must say I'm very impressed by the handwritten style. More importantly, he reveals his philosophy ("I am a Republican, not a Tea Party Member) and his specific position on several projects that have come up within the past four years.
  • He voted NO to the development of land next to Housenick Park, which has since been preserved. 
  • He was the sole NO vote to a 48-unit apartment complex next to Farmersville Elementary School.
  • He successfully opposed the near elimination of nearly $1.2 million in recreation fees to be generated at Madison Farms, a major development on Freemansburg Avenue. 
Jack Glagola
His "let the courts decide" position on the Traditions of America development being proposed at Green Pond Marsh, however, troubles Malissa Davis, an astute Township resident. I spoke to Zawarski, who reiterated that, whether the plan is ultimately approved or rejected, it will end up in the courts. He added he supported the deferrals granted to Traditions because they allow for a larger  conservation area.

Democrat Jack Glagola strongly disputes Zawarski's assertions, and questions why a Democrat would support a Republican developer. He also makes clear that he's no single-issue candidate. He is also concerned about "smart growth, transparency on the current Board, traffic, congestion, lost of quality of life, parks and natural resources." He told me last nightthat people "moved to Bethlehem Township for those reasons and now see those resources being squandered away by commissioners with ties to developers."

It's likely that this conversation between Glagola and Zawarski will continue after the primary. It's increasingly likely that Zawarski will win the Republican nomination. He has worked harder. But I doubt he can convince Democrats to write him in when one of their own is engaged and passionate about his beliefs.

In other Township races, incumbent Tom Nolan is facing two Republican challengers in Ward 1 - Art Murphy and Wayne Buller. He appears to be safe. Incumbent Phil Barnard is being challenged by Fran Blatz on the Republican side and Democrat Kim Jenkins.
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12 comments:

  1. KokomoMay 14, 2015 at 3:20 AM

    Martee Zawaesmki has greggys easing from the level 4 yard where there and 3 suitcased shivs waiting to be extracted to inflict maximum damage to the slabs ripply torso, he is a known cutter that is the only way to cope with being railroaded by so many sadists from Salisbury

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  2. AnonymousMay 14, 2015 at 6:24 AM

    Oh, I guess I spoke too soon. Just got done flushing the toilet and zawarski's manifesto.

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  3. AnonymousMay 14, 2015 at 6:36 AM

    Too bad you should have flushed Martee with it

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  4. AnonymousMay 14, 2015 at 6:38 AM

    Got the same "what would the Township do without me mailer" from Zawarski. He indicates that he is NEEDED to solve complex problems that no one including Board members and professional staff can do! Really?

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  5. AnonymousMay 14, 2015 at 6:44 AM

    If I remember correctly, when Zawarski beat Art Murphy in the Republican primary a few years ago, Murphy got enough write-ins to be put on the Democratic ballot. Zawarski blasted him for doing this because he had already defeated him in the primary. Maybe he should remember what he did then and send out a retracted letter to everyone.

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  6. AnonymousMay 14, 2015 at 6:47 AM

    Looking at that letter and having a life long career developer write to Democrats asking for their vote because he keeps other developers in check is patronizing crap! Can someone ask Zawarski when he threw a fit about having his development along the creek rejected by the Township because he wanted homes to be placed in a floodplain? He is not genuine in this letter and is playing serious games. If Zawarski were the developer of all of those things he mentions, he would have tried for the exact same relief. He champions nothing other than some warped agenda. The fox in the hen house comes to mind with this fellow. Hoping John Glagola can beat this guy in the write in on the Democrat side!

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  7. AnonymousMay 14, 2015 at 8:14 AM

    Concerning Green Pond Marsh:

    The mention of the "bigger conservation area" that the developer and two commissioners (including Mr. Zawarski) keep referring to is rather disingenuous. The real area of concern is an 8 acre seasonal wetland that is used by over 160 species of birds and has been declared an Audubon Important Bird Area. (There are no other other Audubon Important Bird Areas in the Lehigh Valley region!) The "conservation area" they keep touting will consist of detention ponds abutting the wetland on three sides. This will essentially destroy the wetland and Bethlehem Township will loose something special. But a "conservation area" will remain! Whoopee-dee-do.

    After hearing the spin doctoring of the developer, the Director of Conservation at Audubon Pennsylvania, Paul Zeph, had this to say, "I want to make it clear that the National Audubon Society is not in favor of the proposed development, or any development at this site. Any development will diminish the wetland system that supports the many birds, and the proposed development by Traditions of America will probably result in the area supporting only a fraction of the birds that have been there annually, thus destroying the site as an IBA (Important Bird Area)."

    Remember, the developer and even the commissioners who support this project are, after all - - developers!! They want to develop that land.
    If they were truly concerned about Bethlehem Township, they would use their power and ability to save the 8 acre wetland and buffer area around it (the IBA) without altering the landscape there. That would still leave plenty of area to put their houses outside the IBA. But they have shown, and keep showing everyone, that they are not to willing to do that.

    If you are a registered Democrat in Bethlehem Township, you can help SaveGreenPond Marsh by going to your local polling station on May 19, 2015 and casting a write-in vote for John Glagola. There are NO CANDIDATES listed on the ballot on the Democratic side. John needs your write-in vote because Mr. Zawarski, in addition to running on the Republican side, is also running a write-in campaign on the Democratic side!!! Please cast a write-in vote for John Glagola. And get your neighbors and friends to vote too! Besides his goal to SaveGreenPond, John will be a good steward for Bethlehem Township.

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  8. AnonymousMay 14, 2015 at 8:53 AM

    Marty is a snake who can't be trusted. Paul Weiss is even worse!
    The concern is Glagola is only running to try and stop the development of Green Pond, what else will he do for the Township?

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  9. AnonymousMay 14, 2015 at 9:05 AM

    Yikes!!!!!!! And then you have the TEA PARTY candidate Kassis running for Judge! What a mess!

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  10. AnonymousMay 14, 2015 at 9:36 AM

    John Glagola is NOT running on the single issue of Green Pond but on the greater platform of issues which he has heard time and time again from the residents of Bethlehem Township while he has been working to SAVE GREEN POND MARSH. Residents are asking to preserve what is special and wonderful about Bethlehem Township: saving the Audubon Important Bird Area, open space/recreation areas, traffic issues, transparency in government and just plain giving a VOICE to the residents of Bethlehem Township who have been requesting less development. Commissioners need to remember that they are elected to represent the residents that elect them and NOT their special interests giving special privileges to developers who come to the Township because they know they will get a free ride, get what they want, bend the rules and the Zoning/Planning LAWS and make their MILLIONS and then go home.
    This is OUR COMMUNITY dammit, go out and FIGHT for it and get JOHN GLAGOLA on the ballet on TUESDAY, MAY 19th.

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  11. Bernie O'HareMay 14, 2015 at 10:10 AM

    "Martee Zawaesmki has greggys easing from the level 4 yard where there and 3 suitcased shivs waiting to be extracted to inflict maximum damage to the slabs ripply torso, he is a known cutter that is the only way to cope with being railroaded by so many sadists from Salisbury"

    This is very creepy.

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  12. John GlagolaMay 14, 2015 at 10:29 AM

    Thanks 9:36 AM

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