Last night, after a lengthy meeting in which Council President Ron Heckman did most of the talking, Northampton County Council unanimously approved two resolutions for the distribution of $27.6 million in CARES Act funding from the state and federal government.
The least controversial measure was an award of grants to several bi-county ventures as well as the State Theatre. Council approved $500,000 to Discover Lehigh Valley; $500,000 to ArtsQuest; $250,000 to the Lehigh and Northampton County Airport Authority; and $100,000 to the State Theatre. Lehigh County either has or will contribute similar sums to DiscoverLV, Artsquest and the Airport. The State Theatre was added at the request of Council member John Cusick, who said this Easton anchor has been hit hard by the pandemic.
Executive Lamont McClure told Council that he and Lehigh County Exec Phil Armstrong had a meeting with State Senators Lisa Boscola and Pat Browne, who strongly suggested steering grant money to bi-county ventures.
Another A $175,000 grant will go to the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) for costs related to assisting businesses during the COVID-19 disaster emergency.
The more controversial measure was the approval of a mechanism under which $4 million will be awarded to small businesses in Northampton County. Executive Lamont McClure had one proposal, under which the Greater LV Chamber of Commerce would actively market the grants, after which applications would be reviewed by a five-person committee consisting of two Council members and two members of the McClure administration. It would be up to the full Council to decide on awards.
Earlier in the week, Council President Heckman had submitted two resolutions of his own. But he agreed to the McClure option so long as three Council members were on the Committee and more documentation was provided to Council.
Under the approved resolution the grant program will be administered by the Chamber in exchange for $175,000. As explained by VP Jessica O'Donnell, the Chamber has a large data base of both member and non-member businesses, is familiar with all the municipalities, and will actively reach out to businesses.
Council member Tara Zrinski noted that the Chamber already administered one grant program with its own cash reserves and one-third of the awards went to non-members. In addition, O'Donnell told Council that the Chamber asked to reduce its original fee of $200,000 so that more money would be available to small business.
Moreover, DCED is a seven-person staff tasked with multiole obligations, from the GPA to gaming grants.
Before the actual Council meeting, this matter was also reviewed by Kevin Lott's Economic Development Committee.
Things got ugly, thanks to Heckman.
Heckman has a tendency to lash out at county employees. He did it to Amy Hess when she was the Elections Registrar, after which she decided she'd rather be a Deputy. He did it again last night to Deputy DCED Director Mark Hartney.
Hartney had just finished explaining that the state has yet to provide guidance concerning these small business grants, when Heckman started cross-examining him.
McClure got up to defend Hartney.
"This isn't a trial, I didn't know you were his lawyer," snarked Heckman.
"I'm not his lawyer, I'm his boss," retorted McClure, who was unwilling to submit an employee to abuse. "If you want to question the motives of the administration, I'm the one you should question."
Then Heckman began complaining to other Council members that McClure won't speak to him.
I'll have more to say next week.
11 comments:
Un-fuckin believable that musikfest us getting a half million dollars and for what? Because they aren't going to have a fest this year? What will that money go towards? And cusik is a real jerk with his reasoning of money for the state theater and Shelly Brown who always has her hand out, first beggar in line! Lvedc, lvia, discover lv, fuck all of them and figure out a way to support the real small businesses! I for one am totally appalled by our elected officials beyond belief!
Shelly Brown did not have her hand out. The State Theatre made no request. Elected officials decided on their own to award this grant. So if you were appalled before, now you should be furious, lol. Having heard numerous of their presentations, the State has won me over. I think it does a lot of good for the community. The Freddies are great for the high schools kids, as big a deal for them as any District XI championship. I commend the State for doing this.
It is not surprising, but still very wrong, that government people want to help other government people/organizations before they help the citizens and small business that fund their government and political activity.
The nonprofits (look at their salaries) mentioned are not essential to this economy. Oh, boo hoo, we might not have some crazy concert.
When will government, ie those getting paid every week, wake up and realize that people are hurting out here because of government activity – closures and nobody pays us unless we work for it?
Clean it up 851 before you punch in as the Clown Car driver.
I tend to agree with 8:51 am regarding ArtsQuest, though I can’t come close to being as eloquent. ArtsQuest cries poverty a lot (usually because it rained on it parade), yet there are no apologies for the money charged to vendors whose merchandise was swept away or for the ridiculous cost of things. Guess you can’t blame ArtsQuest for the latter when people are willing to fork over the money. I may be an anti-masker today, but I was an anti-fester before it was cool.
I think it's a fair question, how much of a pay cut did Don, Shelley and others take? The Banana Factory is out of touch.They, like everyone else, have to make cuts and they may have to do with and keep only a few successful programs.
I felt Ron Heckman was a bit out of control last night with his comments and authoritarin demeanor last night. As for Mark Hartney, he has a degree in Geography? How is he is his position? Lamont McClure and his "pandemic progress" comment shows he does not take the virus seriously, so, the deaths at Gracedale should not be a surprise. McClure needs to spend some time with you Bernie, take him for a few bike rides, tandem, perhaps so he can lose some weifh. He looks like you once did and that's concerning to see someone so unhealthy.
The State Theatre receiving 100,000? That won't even cover the salary of Shelly Brown. And what employee at the State Theatre drives a Cadillac SUV? Several times I have noticed it parked on the roof top parking lot when driving by. And 500,000 for Arts Quest? How many employees over there are making six-figure salaries? And money to the Chamber of Commerce. This is a organization dedicated to big business and crushing the little guy. The president of the local chamber is nothing more than a conservative stooge also making a six-figure salary.
I think you have the Chamber all wrong. It is far from dedicated to crushing the little guy. That is nonsense. Kevin Lott, who until recently was a trades union rep, is not the kind of person you'd expect to say nice words about the Chamber. But he did. He praised the staff and Jessica in particular. He noted it is very diverse. The only Council member who was critical of the Chamber was Heckman. He claimed this is just what he has heard and is not what he thinks. And he was very complimentary to Jessica O'Donnell. But he mentioned the criticism, often enough to make me wonder if he heard it from himself. His snarks at Hartney, like his insults to Amy Hess a few months before, were totally out of line. He has no supervisory authority over county workers, and if he has a complaint, should take it to McClure. He needs to knock that shit off. Also, two weeks ago, when McClure tried to explain the Chamber fee, Heckman basically told him to sit down. Yes, it is Council's show, but if the Exec wants to explain something they are all asking about, it's kinda' dumb to tell the person who can answer that he has not been recognized. Also, his constant bloviation is really unfair to his fellow Council members. Much of the time, he isn't really saying anything. Those who can are basically denied the opportunity. I have previously taken Tara Zrinski to task for her failure to use the mike and constant interruptions. I've noticed in the last two meetings that she is making an effort to improve, but I almost felt sorry for her at the way Heckman treated her during the meeting. He is Council President, not King.
I agree completely that Council should assert itself. Legislative bodies on the county, state and national levels have abdicated their powers over the years, giving the Exec too much authority. Who gave Trump the authority to divert funds for his wall by claiming an emergency? Who gave the Pa. Governor the right to declare a 90-day emergency that he can renew on his own? The General Assembly. So I get Heckman's assertion of Council's power. But he himself is more of a dictator than McClure has ever been. Actually, he's a King Lear.
He talks so much that, before we all became politically correct, he was often called Heckwomen.
6:05, Over the years, I have occasionally poked fun at someone's weight, but it's mostly been Steve Barron and myself. I sign my name, but it's still kind of mean, don't you think, especially since you're anonymous.
It's also basically untrue. McClure is a big guy but has done a better job over the years of maintaining a constant weight than I have. I am a yo yo. If I can exercise, I become trim. If I can't, I gain it back quickly and then I don't want to exercise. Then I gain more. So actually, I am the worst person to seek out on weight.
I know a searcher who lost a ton of weight and has kept it off for a good ten years. That is a role model, not me.
I am very proud of Steve Barron. He has dropped 60 and looks 10 years younger. I now seek advice from the man I used to mock.
Watch your language, or stop commenting.
Heckman must have gotten to close to the game being played by the insiders if McClure had you write such an over the top hit piece on another dem. We all know who the real king is.
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