McClure: "We All Work for the People of Northampton County"

When Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure was first asked to deliver a "State of the County" address, he wondered what he'd be able to say because he's been in office for only two months. So he decided to speak about the challenges he's facing. In conversational style, he made his focus pretty clear in his March 2 address to a packed house of at least 150 people at Historic Hotel Bethlehem. "We all work for the people of Northampton County," he said after introducing his staff.

I was one of the first ones there. I told people that I'm hungry for good government But what I was really hungry for was free bacon. I loaded my plate with a small mountain and made my way to a table right in front, I do this so I can get good pics  But no one was willing to join me. I was sitting at a table laid out for at least ten people, but except for me, it was completely empty.

"I have to compliment you on your ability to keep a table empty," said former Lehigh County Exec Tom Muller, a fellow bastard who is not hated nearly as much as I.

Let's face it, I'm as mean as cat shit.

Hotel Bethlehem Managing Partner Bruce Haines must have felt sorry and sat next to me. But even he had to leave because I kept quoting Obama speeches to him. Lovely Marta Gabriel was there and I usually bother her, but the PFAs she has taken out against me are still open. Alicia Karner was ignoring me because she was still miffed about Bangor's loss to Central Catholic the previous night and my observation that everyone in the slate belt looks just a little bit like Ron Angle.

Right before the festivities started, my table filled up. Jerry Seyfried said he was under orders to sit next to me.

Then Don Cunningham ascended the podium and said how nice it was to "see people sitting with Bernie O'Hare." He introduced McClure as a "highly energized, highly focused" Exec. From what I've seen of him over the past two months, I'm inclined to agree.

McClure, incidentally, is a cracker. Like my parents and many others who live here in the Lehigh Valley, he's originally from the coal regions. His father, with whom he was very close, was himself  involved in local government his entire life. So when McClure said that county government is his "highest ambition," I believe him.

Instead of speaking formally from a prepared script or power point, McClure adopted a conversational and even friendly tone.Over the years, his formality has been the biggest knock against him. You never got a glimpse at the real Lamont McClure. But that picture is beginning to emerge, and he's likable and willing to laugh at himself.

"When your grandmother is at Gracedale, you want people who care," he observed.  Before he came into office, the County's Area Agency on Aging received an "F" in a state assessment. He said that was unacceptable, noting that the elderly are among our "most vulnerable population."

He was particularly bothered that the agency had lost three files."Those aren't files, those are people who were lost,"he said.

He pointed to a child protection agency that had been hamstrung by 22 state laws enacted in the wake of the child abuse conviction of Penn State Assistant Coach Jerry Sandusky. He said the office is consumed by red tape, delaying caseworkers from getting into the field. "If we don't go, nobody goes to check on that child," he warned.

So for now, his primary focus is on rebuilding morale and appropriate staffing, what he called "blocking and tackling."

His staff is working on a plan to deal with the opioid crisis. He said the biggest problem he's seen is a lack of inpatient care for young people.

McClure's address was attended by most members of County Council, DA John Morganelli, Controller Bucky Szulborski and former Executive John Brown. He also pointed to several officials from municipalities throughout the County. Judges were absent because of miscellaneous hearing court on Fridays. The event was open to the public, and at no charge. It was sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation.