Northampton County Council is comprised of nine members. Five of them are at-large. meaning they represent the entire county. They are elected every four years, along with the Executive. Whether they win or lose often depends on the national mood. The remaining four Council members represent specific Council districts. Those seats are up for election this year. In these races, the national mood tends to take a back seat to how well district council candidates are known in their communities.
District One: This includes Bethlehem (City), Hellertown, Lower Saucon Township and Williams Township. It's represented by Kevin Lott, a retired trade union agent. He has been a reliable ally to Executive Lamont McClure, but has reportedly decided against seeking re-election.
Unfortunately, Ken Kraft has been telling others he's running. This would be a mistake. He actually resigned from Council to work at the jail. Now that his pension has vested, he wants to retire from that job and return to Council. It's one thing to be a McClure ally, but after working for McClure, Kraft has lost any sense of independence. Moreover, he has no filter and will needlessly insult other Council members.
I have no idea who else might be running, but hope someone does.
District Two: This includes Easton, Forks, Glendon, Palmer, Stockertown,
Tatamy, West Easton and Wilson. It is represented by Kerry Myers, who tells others he is the "head black" in the county. He recently told the Easton Area School District that he just might be the President of Council next year. His comments during meetings are laced with profanities. He is, as Dave Chappelle observed about Hershel Walker, "observably stupid." Myers wanted to place a congressional employee on the Elections Commission even though the member of Congress in question was up for election. He was willing to overlook this obvious conflict because the employee happens to be black. He also uused his position as a committee chair to try and bully both the Exec and Sheriff.
Myers has no place in elected office. Hopefully, he will have a few challengers.
District Three: This includes Allen Township, Bethlehem Township, East Allen Township, Freemansburg, Hanover Township, Lower Nazareth Township, Nazareth, Northampton and North Catasauqua. This district is presented by John Cusick, who along with Ron Heckman, are the most knowledgeable members of Council. Cusick, however, has been redistricted out of a job. He lives in Williams Tp. The latest District changes place him in District One, which is far too Democratic to elect Cusick.
I've heard that Bill McGee, an asbestos union agent who lost the last at-large race, might try a comeback.
District Four: This includes Bath, Bangor, Bushkill, Chapman, East Bangor, Lehigh Township, Lower Mount Bethel, Moore Township, Pen Argyl, Plainfield Township, Portland, Roseto, Upper Mount Bethel, Upper Nazareth Township, Walnutport, Washington Township and Wind Gap. This is both the slate belt and northwestern tier of the county, making it by far the most conservative district. It is represented by IT consultant Tom Giovanni, who has done an excellent job looking out for his district while working with Democrats. I have not asked if he intends to seek re-election, but hope he does.
While District 4 is solidly Republican, District 1 should be solidly Democratic. Districts 2 and 3 appear to be purple.
20 comments:
Allies or rubber stamps you are a McClure toady, so they are allies. Then you go on to not only call Mr. Myers, an African American veteran, a raciest you also compare him to Hershel Walker as stupid? You are really amping up your xmas spirit. Hefner, Myers and who else do you want to trash. Is it because they do not kiss at the altar of McClure?
People are pushing Steve Lynch to run for one of these seats and he stands a great chance of winning. Then, there will certainly be a new oversight power in county government.
District one with Williams and lower Saucon townships, gives a republican a decent chance of winning.
You are the Head White in Nazareth !
Lynch needs to step up and get elected so we can claw back what’s left of our county, Uhuru!
Kerry will dunk on the competition ancient boomers like Bernie who are whiter than sour cream fear a big black man whose been known to have bedded countless white women. Head black, it’s true even top blacks like Esther Lee and Larry Holmes will concede this point
Loud bullies like Meyers do well in elections. Few folks attend council meetings and little to no reporting on local news. All a bully has to do is make sure he is in the party most popular in that area. The folks mark their convenient ballots and sometimes even sign and date it correctly and their civic duty is done. Move on I have shopping to do.
"Allies or rubber stamps you are a McClure toady,"
You must be observably stupid as well. If I were a McClure toady, I would not come down against Ken Kraft. I would not be endorsing John Cusick or Tom Giovanni. In fact, I am not crazy about Bill McGee, who made the Council Clerk's office terrible and voted against retroactive raises for some nonunion workers.
"Then you go on to not only call Mr. Myers, an African American veteran, a raciest you also compare him to Hershel Walker as stupid?"
Not just stupid, but observably stupid. All you need do is watch him at a Council meeting. He is a veteran who has no understanding of General Order No. 1. He most certainly is a racist, and I've explained why I call him one (I consider myself and most of us racists). He regularly uses profanity during meetings. He even did that at EASD, where kids were present. He is certainly a bully. He misses too many committee meetings and asks about things he would know if he had attended. So in addition to being observably stupid, he is lazy.
District one with Williams and lower Saucon townships, gives a republican a decent chance of winning."
Not really. Bethlehem is not cancelled out by the entire rest of the county. Ds still win.
"You are the Head White in Nazareth "
Lol I am despised here bc people know me.
"People are pushing Steve Lynch to run for one of these seats and he stands a great chance of winning."
That would be District 3.
Bernie may or may not be the head white in Nazareth. There are too many candidates. Does Kerry's status make him the head black in Nazareth as well? Big fish in tiny puddle, but inquiring minds need answers. Asking for all the Blue Eagles who own little red rovers.
Oh, hell nah. Time to start ordering those dead people voter registration cards from Etsy…
Lynch belongs in jail and should never hold any office!
Your problem is there are only so many candidates for president of county council. You know with a democratic majority there will not be a republican president, so pour dream boat Cusick is out of luck. Zirinski and Lott are non-contenders due to their tight affiliation with the executive over council. That leaves Myers, Heckman and Hefner. So, the options are limited.
Cusick and Heckman are clearly the most qualified members of Council. Vargo Heffner has been a pretty good Council President. I have no problem with her staying there. Myers could be Council President if he got the Rs to vote for him. They might be inclined to do so to make the county look bad, but I honestly think they might have a bit more integrity. It would be great for me.
I am way more interested in the will he, won’t he regarding Judge Baratta and the DAs office. I’m intrigued as to why Houck is on the hot seat and who may announce to run for judge. Council is minor league drama compared to all of this.
Okay Bernie
What is the true story behind Baratta running against an incumbent fellow democrat. He qualifies for a pension that is almost as much as his $198,000.00 salary and his wanting to unseat an incumbent District Attorney is nothing more than Greed because the DA gets only $1,000.00 less than a sitting judge. Tell us what's going on here.
The only way Hefner is President if she cut a deal with th republicans. Maybe for her votes? The democrats will not support her for another year.
Vargo Heffner is and should be independent, not some bobblehead. I have no problem with that, even when I disagree with her on issues. And she has done well as President. If I had any criticism it would be that she tends to draw things out and she can be snarky. I would give her high grades. If Myers were President, things would be far worse. I have said why in several posts. Lott is never there, Zrinski has no focus. Heckman would be best, but I do not think he has not wanted it and has not had the time. Rs would never support Lott or Zrinski bc both are too partisan and too much of McClure bootlickers. Besides, Lott travels too much and Zrinski is always running for something else. I doubt they'd go for Myers bc they would have to put up with him and would suffer. In reality, the best person for Council President would be Cusick.
Hypothetically if Brother Steve were to land in a correctional facility he would lead a band of ripped alphas and take hold of more booty than the Dred Pirate Roberts, cheeks would clap and commissary accounts woild be forfeited as tithe to big poppa pump
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