LVIA Exec Director Wants Wife to Take over Legal Reins

It's a busy time. There's a federal investigation into pay-to-play in Allentown, which might just be what's needed to stop the rampant crony capitalism in the Queen City. Bethlehem merchants are rightfully worried about a third and publicly subsidized downtown at Martin Tower. Bethlehem Township is pondering a 37.6% tax hike. A landfill has dumped $95,600 in a brazen attempt to buy Lower Saucon Township Council. Elections are just eight days away. It's a perfect time to slip something under everyone's nose. That's exactly what is happening at the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority.

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.