May God Have Mercy on the GPA

At their Aug 2 meeting, Northampton County Council voted unanimously to appoint Administrator Charles Dertinger to the County's beleaguered General Purpose Authority (GPA). He replaces  Executive Lamont McClure, who served for exactly eight days. McClure quipped that he now holds the record as the GPA  board member with the least amount of service.

McClure resigned in response to a complaint by GPA Chair Shawn Langen, who argued that a 1941 Pa. Supreme Court decision precludes the Executive from service. Rather than litigate the matter, McClure bowed out.

Langen will rue the day he objected to McClure. Despite the bow tie and "Good Day!" greeting, Dertinger is a proper bastard, precisely the kind of person an Executive wants to get down in the gutters and roll around. I speak from personal experience. I used to mix it up with Charles regularly.

How is he as an Administrator? Let me give you and example. A few months ago, he stepped out of the elevator with the County's Director of Public Works.I was minding my own business, sitting at a bench reserved for PFA Defendants and bloggers, when he suddenly turned and asked me,

"When is the last time you saw someone smoking in here?"

"How the Hell would I know? Do I look like Frank Flisser?"

(Flisser knows everything)

Dertinger then pointed to ashtrays that are built into the wall and asked why we have them. Then he pointed to fire extinguishers next to the elevator, encased in glass about 6" thick, and asked how anyone would be able to access them in the event of a fire.
He pays attention to things.

Little things that could save someone's life.

Might explain why he was a Project Manager at numerous big construction projects in NYC. Like Madison Square Garden.

On Tuesday, he and Council member Lori Vargo Heffner will join Frank Pintabone and Paul Anthony at the next GPA meeting.

Council member John Cusick said he is frustrated that the GPA's meetings are constantly being canceled, and asked McClure to start thinking about two other "zombie authorities" - The Higher Ed and Hospital Authorities. The GPA appears to have swallowed them. McClure said these authorities might have to be kept on life support if they have floated outstanding bonds, but he will end them as soon as he can. He has a good reason to do so. One of these authorities is sitting on $900,000 that could fill the county's coffers.