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| Bethlehem Landfill in September |
At a time when pay-to-play has caught the attention of federal authorities in Allentown and Reading, and has even raised eyebrows in Bethlehem, IESI Corporation has quietly dumped $95,600 into the Lower Saucon Township Council race, according to campaign finance reports on file at the Northampton County elections office. Its goal is to remove landfill opponents Priscilla M deLeon and David Willard, who currently sit on Council. It is supporting incumbent Tom Maxfield and challenger Sandra Yerger.
Who is IESI Corporation? It's the owner of the Bethlehem Landfill located in Lower Saucon Township. But how much longer it stays there is unclear. It will reach capacity sometime next year. If the state grants permission to stack garbage on top of 29 acres at its 201-acre site, it can remain operational for another six years. But what then? IESI has purchased 83 acres on the western side of its property, and wants to use 58 acres for garbage. Its problem? Zoning. That would have to change from residential to light industrial, and the current Council is no hurry to grant this wish. In an effort to get a more complaint Council, IESI has inserted itself in the electoral process.
Three Council seats are up this year. Two are held by Priscilla deLeon and Dave Willard, Democrats who have tended to be anti-landfill. The third Council seat is held by Republican Tom Maxfield, who has generally been supportive. If deLeon and Willard can be knocked off by a slate of pro-landfill Council members, IESI would be that much closer to an expansion.
Before the primary election, the landfill contributed a total of $40,000 to a political action committee (PAC) calling itself Responsible Solutions for Pennsylvania. This PAC supported a slate consisting of Maxfield and two other pro-landfill Republicans, Bill Ross and Sandra Yerger. It funded robo calls, live calls, five mail pieces and the creation of a web page. It also paid somewhere around $13,000 to a Philadelphia law firm (Obermayer, Rebmann, Maxwell and Hippel) who took care of filing the pre- and post-primary election reports.
The Supreme Court's ruling in Citizen's United prevents any restriction on independent political spending. .
When the dust had settled on the primary, two of the three members of this slate had won. Sandra Yerger had 468 votes, and Maxfield garnered 441 votes. But Bill Ross, the third member of this slate only attracted 345 votes and lost out to Republican Donna Louder, who is anti landfill.
IESI spent $31.90 for every vote cast in support of the pro-landfill candidates.
deLeon (487 votes) and Willard (382 votes) captured the Democratic nod, along with Gary Gorman.(323 votes).
Now new campaign flyers are out, directly paid for by the landfill, promoting Yerger and Maxfield pro-landfill team. Campaign finance reports just filed in the elections office indicate that IESI has directly spent $55,100 for polling, research, canvassing door-to-door, and the purchase. It is using Mercury LLC, which bills itself as a "high-stakes public strategy firm" with "extensive must-win campaign experience."
As of the second Friday before election day, IESI has spent $95,600 in what increasingly appears to be an effort to buy an election. Whateverit spends between now and election day mist be reported in what are called 24-hour reports.
deLeon, Willard and Louder have formed their own bipartisan anti-landfill team. "We've spent hundreds," laughed deLeon. Their finance reports pale in comparison, and most of their small sums come from family and friends Whether this trio can win against vast amounts of corporate money remains to be seen in what appears to be a David v.Goliath race
deleon and Willard decided against teaming up with Democrat Gorman because his wife Cathy is the Township's Finance Director.
35 comments:
This story should be headlines in the local dailies. Is it?
Money talks!
Money is the root of evil in politics, local & national...
"This story should be headlines in the local dailies. Is it?"
i don't tell them what to write and they don't tell me. But if they are the safeguards of our democracy, they're doing a shitty job.
While the money is outrageous, at least there's transparency and publicity (thanks to this blog). The bought and paid for pols have been identified and voters can now make an informed decision.
I agree that there is transparency here. The landfill has done nothing illegal or dishonest. But it is clearly an attempt to buy an election. legally.
The amounts don't bother me (because as someone else noted, there is transparency), but the purpose of the contribution (buying support for a government approval) does.
The current township Council members would be wise to pass anti-pay-to-play legislation similar to what Mazziotti is proposing in Lehigh County, and modify it to include a two year time limit to apply before IESI (or anyone else) can gain any approvals from the township.
It might not help them in this election, but it would keep this from happening in the future.
Bernie,
I hope the other media outlets jump on this story before it is too late. The residents that choose to be influenced by IESI are only looking at the short term benefits to the township, not the long term impact. It is difficult to comprehend that the residents of a popular rural community would permit a foreign corporation like Progressive Waste Management to influence the well being of their community.
If you dig into the last general election, you will see that IESI had started to buy the seats on council through their contributions to the campaigns of Ron Horiszny and Glenn Kern. Kern has been missing in action since after he proposed the map and text amendment to rezone Applebutter Road and if you check recent council meeting minutes you will find that Ron Horiszny was surprised that the rest of the council considered the amendment stale because too much time lapse between the hearing and the council to have a majority to vote for the rezoning.
IESI is giving the REPUBLICAN PARTY a black eye in Lower Saucon Township and as a REPUBLICAN I am truly offended.
Is a draft of the Lower Saucon Township 2016 Budget available yet? The meeting is next week. The administrative staff should have completed it by now. It would be interesting to see what they expect the landfill to contribute to next year's revenue and it they are proposing any tax increase.
It is almost two days since Bernie asked Gary Gorman is position on the landfill and still no response. But, I see his supporters have taken to Saucon Source Facebook and are blasting deLeon and Willard without facts.
Bernie,
Has IESI paid off any of the administrative staff to gain their support to expand the landfill? Dig a little! It won't be too hard to find the answer. What happens in the courts is a matter of public record. You have the names of all the administrative staff from the township website.
Np offense, but it annoys the hell out of me when some anon tells me to "dig a little." What do you think I have been doing? Seriously! I will say this for the landfill. Everything has been out in the open. The company has followed the law in its campaign finances. i personally am offended that it is buying an election, but I have no evidence at all to suggest any improper behavior as you suggest. Also, I have absolutely no opinion on the expansion. Are you telling me court records will reveal that the landfill paid off claims made by township staff? What exactly are you telling me? Can't you be more clear? This isn't frickin' Watergate. You're already anonymous, so tell me what the hell you mean.
Excellent reporting as usual Bernie. Thank you.
Although this is new mess and the cash flow is outrageous, I do believe this is much more transparent than the criz mess and the niz mess. again, this is nothing but anther attempt for a outside influence to buy another election in the Lehigh valley. Again, it makes the voters wonder, does their votes really matter any more.
Most of the digging is done. Chief Lesser's home is on Applebutter Road along with his kids and fathers. It just so happened that Lesser was against the rezoning at the beginning. Lesser now is for the rezoning but only because himself and his family will receive nearly one million for their properties from IESI if the rezoning happens.They also get to live in their homes tax free until the landfill would get closer. Donna Louder's husband Tom as you well know is on the police force was demoted by Lesser for speaking out against the landfill in public. A lawsuit followed which Louder won. Something also important to mention along with Lesser being against the rezoning so was Maxfield. He himself voted as a Planning Commission member against the rezoning until Kern wanted to send it back to the planning commission again. Then Maxfield flipped his vote and Yerger also on the PC did not show. Since then Maxfield has been a very bitter man something has made him turn away from his values and I do not know what it is. The landfill I know wants to cut deals for votes and will call council members in private. I also want to point out I am not talking money, that I do not know. I did not make the comment 8:33 above also not afraid to sign my name.
As a resident who has attended more council meetings than any other resident the past three years I can honestly say this township is in deep financial trouble. That is the driving force behind this rezoning. This council needs to put the shovels away and bring the axes out. You don't have to be a financial planner to understand this township has had spending problem for far to long. Pet projects and giving anything the department heads wanted led to this. It is sad to say we are broke. After all of the years while still paying taxes close to the rest of the neighboring townships along with the extra $1 million+ from the landfill there is no money saved, only debt along with a bloated government. It is pathetic the taxpayers shelled out nearly $2million in interest payments for loans since 2008. We had to borrow more money for storm water improvements on black river road along with refinancing our debt to lower the payment on the loans this year. Why is it we can't operate on a $7,000,000 dollar budget and a township like Lehigh with the same amount of residents and the same size can operate on a 4,000,000? Do those residents all have poor quality of life because they government does not spend as much? Our elected officials have built a mansion, hired a landscaper, built a pool, added an addition, hired a maid, and bought a BMW knowing damn well they are going to lose half their income whether it is tomorrow or in 20 years. When they do lose it the burden will have to be carried by everyone. The reason I am pissed is because now that the game might be up no one will take responsibility for the mismanagement, they would rather shove a rezoning though not based on sound land and planning but on money. The law is that the decision first and foremost needs to be base on sound land use and planning, The LVPC which is developer friendly did not vote this down because of politics they voted it down because it does not follow sound land use and planning. Nearly 10% of the township lives around this landfill and a majority are opposed to the expansion. If this land was zoned light industrial and the landfill had the right to expand I would have shut my mouth a long time ago, but the fact is it is zoned rural agricultural which means one house to two acres. At the meetings over the years IESI brought their employees to speak against residents along with their developer buddies like Spirk who at this very moment probably owes the township taxes. And he’s got the nerve to tout fiscal responsibility. He is also responsible for holding a gun to the townships head on the Silver Creek development saying that if he can’t build the townhouses he will close the golf course and build the whole property out. Developers hold property all over this township and are enrolled in act 319, the millionaires have houses in other states to shelter them from EIT, and the in crowd get’s their property bought for open space all why none of them are paying their fair share. Then some of these so called environmentalists want to screw me and my neighbors out of our quality of life when they can spend my money near their property to only raise the value. It’s not gonna happen and hasten’t happened in three years. Maxfield got his start on council opposing a cell tower near his house, Deleon a quarry, and Williard Phoebe. Everyone is
is NIMBY’s in this township included our elected officials. Maxfield has his hands in so many environmental groups and has started his own groups in the past. He is the definition of a hypocrite beating up resident’s about impervious coverage variances, cutting trees down, disturbing wetlands, and himself opposing an FAA tower, Penneast Pipeline numerous developments all the while wanting to continue dumping millions of tons of garbage in our township. It’s an addiction that has lasted far to long in the past the rules never had to be bent because only a few people on Applebutter Rd. complained about the landfill expansions. Now with the landfill encroaching on a community and we have fought it shows the real character of some of these people and skeletons have come out of the closet. The developers, landfill and the media have portrayed us as anti business. Nothing can be further from the truth in Steel City we are home to a dozen auto shops, three excavation companies, half a dozen landscape companies, tree service companies, and numerous small businesses. Lets see this type of business spread in the township the kind that builds communities and has a lasting effect with little repercussions. We are doing our part to support this community all I ask is that the township follows the rules when it comes to zoning. Blasting apart the mountain our homes foundations are on and filling it with a short sighted solution to waste more money all over this township is not the answer to our problems. This solution goes against what this township is. For three years I have beat my head against the walls at these meetings defended not only my community but others as well. The sad part is the majority of people do not care what goes on in the township nor have the time to. They raised taxes last year but a 1.25 mils no one was in the audience with torches and pitchforks . They voted on the non uniform contract at the past meeting three people were there. Maxfield and Hornisky both voted for the contract and Deleon the D voted no because she felt it cost to much. I can guarantee if this landfill closes it will not be the apocalyptic end to our township if people care enough to change, but it sad to say that if it does we will be in the same position down the road as we are now looking back saying where did all the money go.
Let's see these landfill supporting hypocrites put our money where their or I mean IESI's mouth is next Wednesday at the budget meeting. Raise taxes a million to totally take the landfill money out and see how many people come running to complain. I can almost guarantee it won't be as many people that have packed that room for Phoebe, the Landfill, or another development residents opposed in this township including our elected officials. And if it is more it will be because IESI, Maxfield, Hornisky, Spirk and company bring their buddies.
We haven't even called in outside groups to fight the expansion such as the Sierra Club, highlands groups, and the historical groups this was just residents against a billion dollar corporation and a couple of money hungry politicians. Ron won an award for friend of the Lehigh River from the Sierra Club. Maxfield started an group called the Saucon Creek Water Shed Association and helped in a study that identified the landfill as a major source of pollution. Yerger holds a job at Wildlands Conservancy which protects properties and is paid by the township all the time. I could see if the landfill hand picked these candidates before the election but they did not these people have turned on the very things they have volunteered some of there lives for. They constantly complain about residents going over on impervious coverage. The landfill is already nearly all impervious something like 200+ acres. This is what the landfill does to these waterways that these people got awarded and volunteer to protect. Right into the East Branch Saucon Creek, Saucon Creek, then the Lehigh. Whats in the water? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFheDTFZt1Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfxwt64UMd4
Matt, Thanks for this wealth of information. I will begin looking into it. It seems so ironic that the very people behind a landfill expansion just happen to be open space advocates who seen to benefit personally from their advocacy.
Bernie,
Couple of corrections to my ramblings, Yerger works for heritage conservancy Ron got the award from wildlands conservancy.
The other point I wanted to mention is the absence of Mr. Kern. I do feel for the guy and his illness is not something I would every wish on anyone. It has been a very long time since he has been to a meeting. I attended one of our economic development meetings and was totally disgusted by the whole thing. First it was basically run by Sam Donoto the former landfill manager who probably got shit canned from the landfill for doing such a terrible job. Spirk was on it along with other people with ties to the landfill and I don't blame them for pushing the issue. They actually pushed having Kern phone in the vote after a one year absence. Beyer asked the question and at the time her son was running for some kind of seat. Well you know Donoto contributed the campaign. Minutes Below
Update on Task Force Motion and Council Discussion
Dave Willard said he presented the Task Force motion to Council with the recommendation that Council approves the rezoning of Applebutter Road. The conclusion of Council was that they really shouldn’t vote on the matter until they have a full Council of five people. If there were only four present, there is a possibility that it would be deadlocked at 2-2. The Council member who can’t attend the meetings put this back on the agenda last year and Dave Willard feels he should be part of the final decision.
Karen Beyer asked a question about the Council member phoning in. Dave Willard said on the Gaming Authority he was able to participate on the phone as he was out-of-town, and that is a possibility, but we haven’t taken the step. Leslie said we’re working on the audio and tested a couple of things. We are trying to work within the system we have and we need to be able to have an audio transcription that doesn’t cut
out. Someone said you can rent a phone and he can attend the meeting if he’s capable of doing that. Dave Willard didn’t want to go into the details of the medical condition of the Council member for privacy reasons. He said the Council minutes will be posted soon if you want to look at them.
Full Name of Contributor
Samuel Donato
MO
DAY
YEAR
$ 250.00
Mailing Address
The above comment is a very accurate description of the process that took place regarding the Economic Development Task Force recommendation. Thank you for posting it to clarify the situation.
I have seen Mr. Willard several times bc he is a member of the NorCo Gaming Authority that awards slots grants. He is a careful and deliberate thinker who puts in the time in what is really a volunteer position. Any municipality that has him in its board should consider itself lucky.
Gary W. Gorman responds:
Some candidates running in this election are making this into a "Lower Saucon Township vs. IESI Landfill; Do or Die; David vs. Goliath, All or Nothing" campaign. This is unfortunate. I support local Business and I support our hardworking laborers. I don't support PAC's and am the only candidate who has not been supported by any outside monies, despite offers- as I am running a 100% self-funded campaign. At this point, I do not favor re-zoning the western part of IESI, but I do support their business. Some candidates have stated that their goal is to not only stop the rezoning, but to completely shut down the business. This is short-sighted and will force our township into a financial quagmire. The company has been in business for 60+ years, creates local jobs, contributes money to emergency services and sponsors local events and generates millions of dollars to our Township's budget. I would be willing to re-visit the rezoning if and when IESI is able to demonstrate that the benefits to our township outweigh the disadvantages
Eight people work at the landfill. The small businesses alone in Steel City employ ten times that amount. The question of rezoning cannot be made on finances, just that thought alone can get the township sued. Linc has made clear that this rezoning is not even about iesi. The decision must be made on sound land use and planning. And any planner will tell you moving a landfill or any high intensity land use closer to a community of 200+ families is a bad idea. That is why the LVPC voted unanimously to not recomend this. I have stated in previous comments that I am not anti business but I am against zoning changes based on money not on the law, especially when my home and families quality of life is at stake. Between Pheobe the Landfill and numerous other proposed zoning map/text amendments there has never been so much community involvement within this township. The landfill and pheobe alone probably drew nearly half the population of our township. All of them having a majority of current property owners surrounding these amendments against any changes to the zoning code. If an amendment would pass without the support of the nieghboring communities and does not follow sound land use and planning it would set a very negative precedence throughout the township. We are a township that supports open space and from what it looks very environmentally conscious. By the way IESI's host fee only made up 16% of the budget last year. That number is even lower because of current and future engineering fees, legal fees, an other expenses the township faces now or post closure.
Matt, Your comments have been very helpdul to someone like myself. I plan on putting them together for a separate entry.
Gary W. Gorman responds:
Some candidates running in this election are making this into a "Lower Saucon Township vs. IESI Landfill; Do or Die; David vs. Goliath, All or Nothing" campaign. This is unfortunate. I support local Business and I support our hardworking laborers. I don't support PAC's and am the only candidate who has not been supported by any outside monies, despite offers- as I am running a 100% self-funded campaign. At this point, I do not favor re-zoning the western part of IESI, but I do support their business. Some candidates have stated that their goal is to not only stop the rezoning, but to completely shut down the business. This is short-sighted and will force our township into a financial quagmire. The company has been in business for 60+ years, creates local jobs, contributes money to emergency services and sponsors local events and generates millions of dollars to our Township's budget. I would be willing to re-visit the rezoning if and when IESI is able to demonstrate that the benefits to our township outweigh the disadvantages
Mr. Gorman is claiming that some candidates running in the election are making this into a “Lower Saucon Township vs. IESI Landfill; David vs. Goliath, All or Nothing” campaign. GARY NEEDS TO WAKE UP! None of the candidates made this that type of campaign. This was done by IESI PA Bethlehem Landfill Corporation. Until this past year no one ever heard of Gary Gorman in the township. The only Gorman that the residents recognized was the name Cathy Gorman who is the township Finance Director, a very influential position within the township administration. I agree with Bernie, for that reason alone, Gary should not be seeking a seat on Lower Saucon Township – talk about conflict of interest. Gary also needs to get his facts straight. IESI PA Bethlehem Landfill Corporation has not been in business for 60 plus years. It was originally owned and operated by the City of Bethlehem, who then sold it to another company in the 1990’s, and that company sold the landfill to IESI in the late 1990’s. Since Gary’s wife is the finance director for the township, he should have a pretty good handle on how much money IESI contributes to the township. Provide specifics. What emergency services? What local events have been sponsored? Define millions! Wasn’t the township finance director supposed to make sure a portion of the landfill revenue went into a reserve account to prepare for the eventual closing of the landfill? Was that done? How much has been put away? How much was used to buy, build, and maintain parks? Why were loans refinanced and there was no real savings. I look forward to Gary’s response.
At the present time, IESI has a proposal before Council and the DEP to expand into the Southeastern corner of the existing landfill by stacking new trash on top of existing. Since the expansion is within the existing landfill, and if it meets all the requirements of the existing DEP regulations, all of the current council members and campaigning candidates have indicated that they would support this expansion. That would add another 6-7 years to the existing landfill or about $6,000,000 - $7,000,000 to township revenue over that time period. However, they must meet all DEP regulations. Since the proposed budget only provides for 10% of the total revenue to come from the landfill, that means the $6,000,000 - $7,000,000 can actual be ear marked to pay down the township debt over that period of time so that the debt is gone when then the landfill closes in 6-7 years.
IESI has failed to mention this in all the propaganda they have dumped in the residents’ mailboxes and door steps over the last two weeks. I realize what IESI is doing is legal, but if they are paying people to handout information door to door, don’t they need a Peddler’s license? And what about entering private developments that have clear no solicitation policies posted?
2006 council minutes copied below
They all new the day was coming in fact it's late. Like the 3:19 stated they might actually get more money from the eastern expansion. It is hard to oppose because IESI has the right to expand because of zoning. If we've known and have planned for this why is it we keep borrowing money? Have we created fire equipment replacement fund? NO we took out a loan recently to pay for a new truck only to pay with that truck with a new fire tax. Have we created a capital reserve fund? Don't know, if we did why did we just borrow more money for storm water improvements. What did we do with the money? The municipal building and parks. Eight parks now along with other open space properties. The construction maintenance and purchasing of land for these parks is where the money went. Now how many parks does a township need? I don't know, I went to the park with my friends as a kid because my yard was the size of my living room and we could walk there. Steel City is the most densely populated area of the township and my kid could probably ride his bike blindfolded from one side of the neighborhood to the other without getting hit by a car. How many people use these parks and how many can kids can even walk to them? Most kids in this township have yards myself and my friends only dreamed about having. If everyone has to drive to a park why not drive to one? We borrowed millions for Polk Valley park and they did not borrow enough to do what they wanted to do. We are still paying down some of that debt from 2004. In the plans was a recreation center with a price tag of another 2 million back then. Maybe that is what the landfill told Maxfield they would do for his vote, finish his park.
Cahalahan and Gorman budget below
For 2007, there are several goals and objectives that we are trying to address with this budget:
1.
Our first goal with this budget is to take the income received from the Landfill tipping fees and invest and grow these funds for the future. Anticipating that the landfill will reach capacity in 2013, we are proposing the creation and funding of an Operating Reserve Fund and also increasing the funding of our Capital Reserve and Fire Equipment Replacement Fund to ensure the growth and longevity of this funding.
Mr. Gorman would like to at stab at responding to 7:07 pm? Why didn't your wife see that this happened? Hmmmmm. Maybe she should start updating her resume! Mr. Gorman thgank you for drawing our attention to your wife's failure to do her job! A job she is paid very well to perform!
Part I
At last night's budget meeting, the Lower Saucon Township residents learned that the IESI PA Bethlehem Landfill Corporation's contribution to the the 2016 township budget is only 16% of total revenue and there will be NO TAX INCREASE! However, that has not stopped IESI PA Bethlehem Landfill Corporation from filling the residents' mailboxes with false and misleading information about Priscilla deLeon, David Willard, and Donna Louder.
Residents who support Tom Maxfield on Election Day should have been at the Budget Meeting to observe his latest performance before the residents. For the first time in years, Maxfield recommend take a look at the Consulting Fees in the budget and see where they could be tightened up. He was particularly interested in cutting the landfill engineer from the budget! If he is successful, that would eliminated the township's watchdog at the landfill. However, his final performance was the best! When resident Gene Boyer questioned him about why he suddenly changed his position on making budget cuts, he got up and left the room (check the audio of the meeting - Maxfield's performance begins at 158:00)
Part II
Check out this letter to the editor of the Morning Call for Karen Samuels:
Vote Maxfield, Yerger in L. Saucon
Through the leadership of Tom Maxfield and Sandra Yerger, Lower Saucon Township residents have enjoyed low property taxes, smart responsible growth of development and the preservation of open space. We need these good, proven managers to be re-elected as they have the best interests in mind for all the residents of the township.
Be aware that there is a team of three candidates, running for election to council, who represent a small reactionary group of residents. We don't need the headaches (higher taxes, angry outbursts and mud slinging) that these three will surely bring if elected. By voting for Maxfield and Yerger, we can continue to afford and enjoy living in our beautiful rural township.
Karen Samuels
Lower Saucon Township
Hmmmm. Looks like the "BLUEBLOODS" of Saucon Valley Road don't care about their fellow residents on the other side of the township. They don't see it or smell it, so they do care. Kind of let them "eat cake" attitude. Don't take any money out of my pockets, but they don't care that the pay an Open Space Fund tax that preserve over 200 acres of land surrounding Maxfield's home at a cost of over $2,000,000 to the taxpayer. Has Karen Samuels ever attended a Lower Saucon Township Council Meeting.
Part III
As for Maxfield's behavior, here is what was in an article in the Valley Voice about how Tom Maxfield treats residents.
By Paul Bealer
Editor, The Valley Voice
August 2, 2013
IT WAS THE JAW-DROPPING MOMENT OF A TEDIOUS LOWER SAUCON
Township Council meeting, when the group met July 24.
Steel City resident Gene Boyer had the floor during public
comment. He decided to update council on his recent visit to Town
Hall, where Boyer said he studied township budgets dating back to
1998, and township audit reports.
He seemed focused on the bottom line and income from the
township’s host tipping fee agreement with IESI Landfill.
After about five minutes, Council Vice President Tom Maxfield
cut Boyer off with a comment he, council President Glenn Kern and
Township Manager Jack Cahalan often ask Boyer at public meetings:
“What’s your point?” Boyer asked Maxfield to bare with him
a bit longer.
Handling the president’s gavel in Kern’s absence, Maxfield
obliged to hear a bit more history, his bearded face getting a bit red
in frustration as the history lesson continued. Maxfield cut Boyer
off again and told him to “come in and talk to the people who work
on the budget every day.”
Boyer tried to continue getting to his point and he was cut off
Part IV
several more times by the frustrated man behind the gavel. Apparently
Boyer wanted to discuss financial impacts of landfill revenue.
Maxfield said several times he did not want to have a discussion on
the matter without the township finance director’s figures and facts
before him. “We’re here to conduct business. We’re not here to
answer a million questions. We’re not here to teach school,” Catholic
school teacher Maxfield chirped.
Fair enough, but his backlash did not end there.
MAXFIELD USED HIS MOMENT WITH THE GAVEL AS A BULLY
pulpit, tossing insults Boyer’s way. “I get the feeling
from you that you’re digging for some kind of dirt,”
Maxfield snorted at Boyer. Some audience members sat stunned
that the township taxpayer was verbally assailed by the council vice
president.
Maxfield has done this occasionally toward residents during hot
discussions on landfill issues. But this night he went over the line
in public meeting decorum.
After a little back and forth banter between Boyer and Maxfield,
Boyer yielded his seat at the public microphone and was headed
back to his seat. “I feel like that teacher that gets that one student
who asks that same damn question day after day,” flustered
Maxfield said to the crowd of township taxpayers.
Councilwoman Priscilla deLeon twice told Maxfield she wanted
to hear Boyer out. “You shouldn’t feel intimidated to speak to
council,” she told audience members.
Part V
“I don’t want to sit here and listen to this,” Maxfield retorted.
Councilman Dave Willard chimed in, “We need to create an
atmosphere where you can come here and say what you feel.”
Maxfield sniped, “It goes both ways.”
Maxfield also ranted at two more taxpayers that stood up to
defend Boyer’s right to speak. “I’m just tired,” he said before resting
his head in his hand and quieting down.
There were no apologies from flustered Maxfield at the rest of the
public portion of the meeting.
AFTER THAT NIGHT’S EXCHANGE, I HOPE COUNCILMAN MAXFIELD
remembered that he was once in Boyer’s seat: a taxpaying
resident concerned about the township’s future. Once
a township resident goes to the other side of the council dais, they
must answer to more than 10,000 other residents and set aside their
own agendas. They should respect concerns and opinions, and not
try to squash public input— whether they want to hear it or not.
Section 710.1 of the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act requires local
agencies to provide an opportunity for public comment at all public
meetings. Lower Saucon Township Council has always been good
about yielding the floor to residents and hearing them out.
In covering Lower Saucon Council meetings for nearly 15 years,
I can’t count all the times council allowed the public to have the
floor, unimpeded, to share their concerns about happenings in the
township. There were many and most of that time council members,
including Maxfield, have been cordial in allowing two or three or
four hours of public comments.
That is rare among municipal boards, and many have passed
rules limiting public comment. But Lower Saucon has not, so Boyer
and others have the right to speak to their council representatives.
PUBLIC SPEAKING IS SCARY ENOUGH FOR ANYONE. THAT FEAR
should not be heightened by a township representative
exhibiting poor attitude and intimidation toward residents.
At a time when more Lower Saucon residents are attending
meetings regularly, and getting involved in local government,
snippy attitude by a council member creates a chilling effect on
public discourse.
Maxfield needs to remember where he sat before he was elected
and appointed to his council, planning commission and environmental
advisory council seats. If remembering that does not act as
a lesson in public meeting decorum, at re-election time voters with
a long memory may just give him a hard lesson.
Then he may have his Wednesday nights free to get some rest.
And by the way, YERGER AND GORMAN (the candidate) didn't have time to attend last night's budget meeting!
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