Its top heavy 15-member board is meeting this Tuesday at, of all places, the very posh Saucon Valley Country Club. A "haven" for most of its blueblood members, it's billed as "one of the largest private clubs in North America." Initiation fees start at around $30,000 for a higher-end memberships.
I suppose the unwashed masses will have to be admitted if they can figure out where the Weyhill Guest House is located.
When business is concluded, members are supposed to have a "retreat" for "strategic planning"
Now I have no problem with board members disguising some sort of golf outing as a retreat. I do have a problem when they also plan to conduct a full blown meeting before doing whatever it is that bluebloods do. And I really have a problem when one of the things planned at this meeting is switching legal teams.
It appears that Executive Director Charles Everett is trying to squeeze out Bethlehem-based Florio Perruucci and replace it with a firm more to his own liking. Or should I say his wife's liking?
Everett was on a team of three that sought proposals from nine different law firms for legal services, including pay-to-play forms like King Spry and Norris, McLaughlin and Marcus. Now of course, everyone was judged by "objective" criterion, all of which are rated subjectively. Everett made sure that the highest score, as you can see in the ratings of all nine firms here, went to a law firm called Barclay Damon.
Did I mention that Everett's wife, Jean Everett, is "of counsel" at that firm?
No conflict there.
What's really ironic about this is that Everett used this firm, without a formal board vote, to determine that there were all kinds of conflicts at the airport authority. That ridiculous conclusion was correctly disputed by the current Solicitor, Florio Perruucci. It was a red herring designed to force some board members out.
Now, the very same firm that found conflicts everywhere sees no appearance of impropriety if the Board hires a firm where the Executive Director's wife is "of counsel."
That's different.
More good government in action.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that you lump Bethlehem Township's massive tax increase in with recent scandalous actions by other local governments. Is there something cooking in Bethlehem Township?
ReplyDeleteBut Bernie
ReplyDeleteIsn's this club private? Do they even have to reveal minutes? And while you're talking about good government, did you see the story about a Sheriff sale property bought by a couple for their future home being taken by Upper Saucon government. If this couple's land can be taken, aren't all of us at risk?
How did the current firm get selected? Is TJ Rooney still on the board and is that not his consulting partner Florio? The fix is always in play...
ReplyDeleteAren't these meetings public? I plan to attend and bring my clubs.
ReplyDelete"Is TJ Rooney still on the board and is that not his consulting partner Florio? The fix is always in play."
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, another conflict of interest to investigate! Sounds like someone is trying to get rid of the entire board. By the way, what is a consulting partner?
6:16, a 37.6% proposed tax hike is not scandal, but it certainly is unusual.
ReplyDelete7:28, I am unaware of the soty you mention. The minutes of the LVIA are online.
ReplyDeleteBernie -
ReplyDeleteHow do you access their minutes? Could you provide the link?
I may just go to hurt their feelings that some ordinary schlep from Allentown was able to enter the hallowed grounds. Excellent article! Thanks!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flylvia.com/stay-connected/board-governors/lnaa-meetings/
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flylvia.com/stay-connected/board-governors/board-meeting-minutes/
wow this is pretty bad. how does this stuff continue to happen? this should be stopped. Everett can get in real trouble here. this is a real not perceived conflivt. there is no way charles should have been part of the evaluation and honestly the law firm she is "of counsel" for really should not even have a chance to bid.
ReplyDeleteBernie,
ReplyDeleteThis picture is a good indication of the circus Acts now inhabiting and the arrival of nue Acts yet to come as the Brown Hole luvers infect the triboro as a whole¿!($
who represents Bethlehem on this board?
ReplyDeleteanother scam coming from an over bloated Govt entity. this is as shocking as water is wet. Yet people , for some reason, keep voting for bigger Govt, more Govt and so on. this is what you get when you keep pushing and voting for more govt. once again, it doesn't matter what party is involved, most politicians and hack Govt workers, are on the take in one form or another. the track record of LVIA is nothing to be proud about...
ReplyDeletethe airport, both director and board, seem to make one bad decision after another. Although it's vastly underused, they keep expanding and modernizing, for no apparent gain. currently, they plan on building a new center for rental cars, away from the current location by baggage, Why? to inconvenience the few customers they have? while they build unneeded new features, they increase parking rates. it's almost as if there is an intention to make the airport fail.
ReplyDelete