A physician, Dr. Van Wirt also has both prior experience and training in urban planning, low-income housing development, and municipal finance. She was Project Manager for the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. There she managed the selection, development, and approval of low-income housing. She also worked as a municipal bond analyst for Moody’s Investors Service.
Currently, she is co-founder of a medical practice that cares for the region’s elderly in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, including Gracedale.
She claims that before casting a vote, she asks, “Is this in the best interests of the citizens of Bethlehem?”
Since her appointment, Dr. Van Wirt has worked to develop stronger lines of communication between City Council and the citizens of Bethlehem. She regularly meets with local businesses and residents to hear concerns and increase overall engagement. For example, she solicited ideas and feedback from over 60 downtown businesses to better inform her decision around a key parking issue. Dr. Van Wirt has also developed a strong social media presence on Facebook, where she keeps her constituents informed about upcoming council meetings and decisions.
She believes Bethlehem needs to attract young people and businesses by creating a city where people want
to live and work. "There is much work to be done to fulfill this goal, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on council to get the job done," she said.
Based on my own interviews with her, I consider Dr. Van Wirt the most qualified candidate in the Lehigh Valley for municipal office.
Four Bethlehem City Council spots are up for grabs this year. Aside from Dr. Van Wirt, other Council members whose terms end this year are Michael Colón, (Gracedal Admssions Coordinator), Shawn M. Martell (Nazareth High School teacher) and J. William "Willie" Reynolds (William Allen High School teacher). Martell has decided against seeking a second term while Reynolds and Colón are seeking another term.
Retired firefighter Davd Saltzer, Easton Area High School guidance counselor Grace Crampsie Smith, motivational speaker Carol S Ritter and former Aldi Exec Bill Carpenter have also announced their candidacy.
So there are seven people running for four seats.
31 comments:
She may be all that and more but she is no Zirinski! What is her position on plastic straws in Bethlehem?
Looks like she will be bring lots of wonderful progressive ideas to Bethlehem... Hello big city, big government, section 8 housing and all the those wonderful NYC people.
https://www1.nyc.gov/site/hpd/about/about-us.page
Straws will be the least of our worries.
How refreshing, actual knowledge.
American's need to cut down on there use of toilet tissue too!
She'll be a predictable vote for the only team on the field. Yawn.
Comrades, Forward To Progress!
Bernie, forgive me. I tried to post my comment on a four year old opinion you offered about the North-Co Prison staff, administrators, etc. in regards to a drug sweep, but couldn't.
I understand it isn't necessarily relevant here, on this topic, but at the same time on a deeper level the scourge, the plague of illegal, potent, life-destroying drugs is always relevant.
Imagine what would happen to our crime rate? Imagine what our streets would look like? Consider the families that would be intact? Think of the money we would be able to spend on other projects or save, if we could Stop the sale of and availability of heroin, speed, and other damnable street drugs.
America doesn't like to lose wars. Americans don't like fighting wars half-assed. We are losing this war on drugs because we're not totally committed. It is time to surrender or go ballistic and defeat this metastasizing monster.
This too is wrongly placed but I'm desperate.
Bernie, the federal judiciary in PA on the district level consists of many fully corrupt and organized mobsters with law degrees.
Currently, she is co-founder of a medical practice that cares for the region’s elderly in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, including Gracedale. Oh boy, another politician sucking off the County. What care does she provide to Gracedale guests. How much does the county pay her medical practice. Is it cost effective.
No thank you! I cannot vote for any of the "do-gooders" from the historic district. She is too close to Bruce Haines.
Why do you pick on these poor, young women?
Haines is a right wing conservative & avid Trump supporter while Van Wirt is a left wing liberal & you think they are too close?
Don’t think 3:13 is very credible in assessment of Van Wirt. She is tough on the city asking tough questions that only Olga Negron has been willing to ask & the city needs both of them.
I don't think you sir have got a clue, itZ all about treatment and the sale of such facilitiez and we can never forget the advertiZemental stamp of approval!
REthink your theory of RElativity as itz not a left or right thing it's just hospital wars at its best seeking the maximum federal dollars for the least amount of ricidiviZms?!)$
She is adman cite better than that Ritter who is a dopey Callahan clone. People can't stand Callahan and his self-righteous rage. If this name wasn't Callahan he wouldn't have a prayer.
I like her fancy frames, has my vote.
NORco Twinky
Another Historic hysterical! Bethlehem is a hard working blue color Dem town. She is a left wing elitist who just moved here and doesn't know the City!
If Bethlehem is a blue collar dem town then how did they elect Susan Wilde? They should have voted for Nothstein once Morganelli lost.
Amen 10:57! The greatest Politian in Bethlehem history was indeed the Mediterranean manslab. That Gregorian Giant was the best city councilperson ever. Imagine how great Belo helm could have been if he had been elected Mayor. Yes, please Mr. Gregory come back to Bethlehem and save us from the corruption and insider cronyism. We need the tanned wonder more than ever!
3:13 Olga Negron asks tough questions? Really? I worked with her for a year. Wow!
"Haines is a right wing conservative & avid Trump supporter while Van Wirt is a left wing liberal & you think they are too close? "
Yeah, they are both anti-development. Haines is more anti-competition but against development.
Anyone know or have info why Martell isn't running for reelection? Heard some skeletons in the closet were coming out? True???
Think you are confusing development with business intrusion into residential neighborhoods where these two come together despite their completely opposite political views.
Business intrusion into residential neighborhoods? Van Wirt moved here a few years ago and moved in literally She right next door to a law firm business! She is anti business and anti development even in the business districts!
What’s your basis for assuming Van Wirt is anti-business in Bethlehem business districts of the city? Again you are likely misinterpreting her challenge of code enforcement as anti-business. Those are 2 separate issues & the failure of Bethlehem to enforce their ordinances is well known & especially for favored developers. Sounds like you just might be one of those developers or a city council member beholden to them!!!
Van Wirt should concern herself with the fiduciary duty she owes to the taxpayers of Bethlehem. Her main job is as keeper of the purse not the enforcer of ordinances. Enforcement of ordinances is outside the scope of her role as a council person. Her role is to pass ordinances and allow the administration and executive to enforce them as they deem appropriate.
She also seems to have a problem understanding authorities are independent of city council.
8:58 sounds like Van Wirt trying to defend herself.
10:41 you hit the nail on the head. She doesn't agree with some of the Authorities decisions and wants to control them. Bethlehem brought it self back from ruins in just the last 15-20 years just fine without her. Bethlehem has been rated as one of the best and safest cities to live in America. That was done without her. The people who are getting to know her now know she is pushy, arrogant and a know it all. Bethlehem will remain a progressive city without her.
City Council job includes holding the city responsible for enforcing its ordinances. City Council is supposed to be the watchdog & counterbalance to the Mayor. If the Mayor isn’t doing his job, city council has a key role to play.
Anon 10:23:
Where in the optional 3rd class city code does it state that?
Bethlehem has a strong mayor form of government. Council is weak and has no real power.
The duties you describe are actually the duties of the City Controller.
10:23 must be Van Wirt again, she constantly makes false statements. Then she apologizes for being new to the area for not knowing! Isn't that the point?
The city controller is a joke & if the Mayor is king why does he have to get City Council approval for budgets & ordinance implementation? Clearly to are one of the rubber stamp councilman or some other uninformed citizen!!
Very interesting comments. I wonder how many commentators have (a) attended City Council meetings regularly (I have); engaged one on one with Dr. Van Wirt to ascertain her views (I have) or for that matter any of the other candidates for City Council (I am working on it). Leave your baggage and preconceived ideas about Dr. Van Wirt (just because she lives in the Historic District) or any so-described "new comers" at home. Bethlehem is no longer defined by "the Steel". It has done an amazing job re-inventing itself - really, a model for other rust-belt cities - and to continue evolving in a positive way, requires an educated, engaged citizenry to step up and be counted. So, get involved in the process of better government. On line rants don't count for anything.
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