Angle, Heckman Shine in NorCo Council Debate

Ron Angle had a good night

Though Game 7 of the World Series was about to start, over 100 people attended the only debate among the ten Northampton County Council candidates at the Forks Township Municipal Center last night. Candidate supporters and party leaders were part of this audience. So were Executive John Brown and most of his cabinet. But there still were between 40-50 ordinary citizens in this group. This is unusually large for a County Council debate. At the Executive debate last week, there was an large crowd, too. We'll find out what this means next week, but my sense is that people are dissatisfied. That's usually bad news for the status quo. I suspect change is afoot.

Either that or they hate baseball.

Before getting into the debate itself, let me tell you about Northampton County Council. It is the legislative branch of county government. It is a check and balance on executive power, and has the authority to approve or replace the Executive's spending plan. It is a nine-member body, each receiving a $9,500 annual salary. Members may participate in the pension plan, but receive no medical benefits. The five seats up for grabs this year are "at-large" seats, meaning they are county-wide instead of restricted to a portion of the county.

Northampton County Council currently has a 7-2 GOP majority.

Tara Zrinski and Lori Heffner were formidable

The candidates consists of five Democrats and five Republicans. The Republican candidates are Ron Angle, Peg Ferraro, Glenn Geissinger, Hayden Phillips and Seth Vaughn. All but Angle are incumbents. The Democratic candidates are Ron Heckman, Lori Vargo Heffner, Bill McGee, Peter Melan and Tara Zrinski. You can read about their backgrounds in The Bethlehem Press Voter guide.

Unlike the Executive debate last week, in which Brown and challenger Lamont McClure had the luxury of having 90 seconds to answer a question, the ten candidates were limited to one-minute replies. With ten people answering the same question, it was at times a bit of an echo chamber. It was a situation built for one-liners, and the person who did that best while demonstrating knowledge about the county would have to be considered the winner.

In my view, the winner here was Ron Angle. He was funny, self-deprecatory, fast on his feet, well-informed, willing to mix it up and relaxed.

Before the forum even started, Ron was approached by several League of Women Voter members, who remember him from previous events.

"You're going to be good tonight, aren't you?"

"I'm always good, and when I'm not, I'm great."

When he spied Bill White making his way into the room, Angle told me to bring my camera and then tried to slip Bill a $100 bill for good coverage as people around the duo stood there with their mouths open. .

"You only give me $50," I complained.

"Well, Bill is better."

I tried to photograph the attempted bribe, but all I got was a head shot as Bill laughed Ron off. 

I guess he is better.

Hayden "the colonel" Phillips  

Angle, Heckman, Ferraro and Phillips were clearly the most knowledgeable candidates. I was also very impressed by the passion and fire that Zrinski and Heffner brought. Vaughn, whom I don't like at all, managed to present himself as a likable guy who really cares about people and got some laughter when he spoke about his three children with "one on the way."  Melan seemed to impress people when he described himself as a "city slicker," but his message fell flat with both parties.

I was a bit put off when Geissinger began snickering with Vaughn as Zrinski mentioned that she thought Council needed a woman. It may have been totally unrelated to what Zrinski was saying, but it was bad optics.

Of the ten candidates, McGee has spent the most money and has a good message. But he was clearly uncomfortable speaking to a large audience.

Here's how candidates responded to some of the questions.

Home Rule Charter Study. - By a 6-3 vote, Northampton County Council has voted to support a ballot question asking you, the voter, to decide whether a government study is needed. That study could recommend a return to the Commissioner form of government, could recommend altering the Home Rule Charter or advise that no changes are needed at all. Executive John Brown has vetoed this ordinance, leaving Council with a vote to override it tonight.

Heckman has no problem with putting this question to the voters,  but warns there would be "zero transparency" if the County returned to three-Commissioner rule.

McGee complained about the money involved and said it is best to "leave it alone."  Ferraro said it would cost $500,000. Geissinger said he's opposed to a study. . Zrinski complained a study has no purpose other than to dismantle the Home Rule Charter. "If it's not broken, don't fix it," added Heffner.   

But Phillips and Vaughn called it a "good government" move. "I'm all for it," Phillips said.

Ron Angle said the only reason that both Lehigh and Northampton County have home rule is because it was concocted by a group of industrialists in some back room at the Holiday Inn. He said that Council is nothing more than "the coal firemen on a diesel locomotive. It absolutely needs to be studied."

Ron Heckman

Council attendance - Everyone agreed that Council attendance is very important, both for full council and committee meetings. Melan stressed several times that he has a 100% attendance record on Easton City Council. But that's not saying much. He's only been in office since January 2016. More impressive was Hayden Phillips, who attended 76 of 80 meetings last year and has an overall attendance over the past three years of 83%. Ferraro has an attendance record of 81% over the past three years, while Geissinger (74%) and Vaughn (67%) were hypocritical in their replies. Angle said that in his 12 years on Council, his attendance was almost 100%. "There are two things you can set your watch on. I'll be there, and there will be no tax hike."  .

New Jail - Melan said a new jail is needed and should be located outside of Easton, where he said it is an "eyesore." Phillips, Ferraro, Vaughn and Geissinger all say a new jail is needed, which has been estimated to cost $185 million. Zrinski and Heffner are not so sure. Zrinski complained that Brown awarded a $72,000 contract and no one on Council held him accountable. Heffner added that 40% of the beds are empty and that there has been "no transparency."  Phillips said he will be sponsoring a resolution tonight to ask the National Institute of Corrections for a second opinion before spending a lot of money. Heckman warned, "You're not going to build yourself out of a prison problem," and was incredulous that Brown has conducted a study without even talking to the judges and the DA. "County executives are all Pharaohs and they all want a pyramid," he complained.

"You gotta' love government," observed Angle. He noted that the county wants to spend $180 million on a jail and is fixing 33 brides and is claiming that it has saved us $17 million.

Asked where he'd put a new jail, Angle had a fast answer. "Warren County."

During the jail discussion, Zrinski at one point bragged that she was one of the few candidates to tour the jail. She also credited herself with suggesting a separate jail study by the National Institute of Corrections. Her claim to be one of the few to tour the jail was disputed by several Council members. 

"I've been in the prison many, many times," said Angle, and everyone started laughing, as what he said is not quite what he meant.

"Me, too," wisecracked Heckman, and someone suggested they may have been cell mates.   

Gracedale - No Northampton County debate would be complete unless everyone paid homage to Gracedale, and they all did so. Even Angle. He said that he is a great believer in democracy, and that thanks to John Brown, Gracedale is in the black "I'm not sure why it's even a topic," he suggested. 

Heffner agreed."It's 1/1/17, and I agree with Ron Angle.I don't understand why it's still an issue."

It's still an issue to Zrinski, who said Gracedale is in the black because workers there gave up $3 million in wages. "Why can't we give them back their wages?" she asked.

DaVinci Aquarium. - This is a proposed $130 million aquarium, located in downtown Easton, on a flood plain.  "It's really a science center supporting STEM," said Ferraro.Vaughn said he "can't see a better way to use hotel tax." Phillips supports the idea but not the $15 million that DaVinci wants from the county Geissinger called it a "wonderful project," but that it needs more study and examination. McGee said he is leaning towards it. Melan said he supports it, and that building in a flood plain is no problem. He also said that DaVinci has $1.1 million of the $1.2 million needed for a feasibility study.

That money was supposed to have been raised already, so that is hardly an endorsement

Angle said he always gets skeptical of public private partnerships, and worries about this kind of spending when the county is also looking at 33 bridges, a $180 million jail and is still paying off a $111 million bond. 

"It should be able to fly on its own," he concluded.

Heckman had reservations, too. He warned that developers dazzle you with charts and then give you a bill  Zrinski said she has three children and they all liked shiny new toys. "I don't know if we should be spending taxpayer dollars for a shiny new toy," she said. Noting that the aquarium is in a flood plain, she always instructed her children not to leave their toys out in the rain.

Heffner objected to there being a "county ATM on all the projects for everyone."

Opioid Epidemic - This is one question that had everyone stumped. Angle and several others acknowledged personal experience with it. "If I had just two weeks to live, I'd track down a few drug dealers and kill them." No one really had an answer.

Farmland Preservation - "We fund to the need," explained Philips. "There's not a farm that needs funding that does not get it." Angle, who supports farmland preservation, noted that Upper Mount Bethel has reduced its tax for open space because applications have dropped. 

But Heckman countered, "We can promote it better." Heffner suggested "new initiatives," such as training farmers.  Zrinski complained that Brown has cut finding 84% and said full funding is "imperative" to reduce urban sprawl.

She also complained about sludge, both Class A and B. 

"Are you an expert?" asked Angle, a farmer who has used Class A sludge.

"Not yet."

"Talk to me when you are."

Of the Republicans, I'd rate them from best to worst as Angle, Phillips, Ferraro, Vaughn and Geissinger. Incredibly, Geissinger stood up at the end and said the Democrats basically agreed with the Republicans. That just opened him up to pointing out numerous areas of disagreement.

Of the Democrats, my best to worst is Heckman, Zrinski, Heffner, Melan and McGee.

This forum would never have happened but for Beverly Hernandez and the Northampton County League of Women Voters. We owe her and her group a big thank you. Once again, Lafayette professor John Kincaid added some dignity.