Local Government TV

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Forks Tp Resident Assails NorCo Council Candidate Kelly Keegan

Blogger's Note: As most of you know, I consider NorCo Council President Kerry Myers a terrible public servant. Because he's lazy, he failed to acquire enough valid signatures to be placed on the ballot as a Democrat. After being tossed, he decided to flip parties and seek a Republican write-in. I am perfectly happy to see him replaced by Forks Tp Supervisor Kelly Keegan, who now is running unopposed for the Dem nomination in the Easton County Council district. But Keegan has her critics. Below is an essay submitted by Ed Reagan, a top commenter on the Easton Facebook page, followed by Keegan's response:

Ed Reagan:

On November 18, 2021, at the Forks Township Board of Supervisors meeting Chairman John O'Neil asked Supervisor Kelly Keegan to chair a task force to look into preserving open space in the township and return to the board with options and ideas.

In early March 2023, Supervisor Keegan started posting about open space in the Forks Township Information and Discussion group on Facebook and a newly created Forks Township Open Space Committee Facebook group.

Supervisor Keegan's post advocated for the Board of Supervisors to put a referendum on the ballot to raise the local earned income tax by 25% to pay for an open space program, the only option she presented, even though she was tasked 16 months earlier to return to the Board of Supervisors with options.

When people, including myself, started asking questions about the work and analysis done by Supervisor Keegan and her group, she started blocking the people on Facebook, asking questions, asking for copies of the agendas, meeting minutes, and data compiled by the open space committee.

Since Supervisor Keegan was not forthcoming with her committee's work, I had to file a right-to-know request to access her committee's work over the past 16 months. There were agendas and minutes but no inventory of properties to target for open space preservation, no analysis, and no other options than an EIT tax increase.

When I filed the open records request, I began grabbing screen shots from Facebook in case I needed to appeal with the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records.

I realized that Supervisor Keegan was making many social media posts while working at the Easton Area School District, where she is a school nurse and her husband is an elected member of the Board of Education.

One hundred twelve social media posts were made from work violating the district's policy prohibiting using social media on school property.

The school district's policies prohibit employees from posting about alcohol and drugs online where students can read it. Yet, Supervisor Keegan has posted on social media about alcohol and commented on a few newspapers' Facebook posts about marijuana.

The district has a policy prohibiting political activity on school property, but this did stop Supervisor Keegan from engaging on social media related to the business of Forks Township and posting to her Northampton County Council campaign page from work, including announcing her kick-off of collecting nomination petition signatures. She also announced her campaign fundraising event while at work.

When my right-to-know request was returned by Forks Township related to the open space committee, there were 23 emails sent during the work day by Supervisor Keegan while at work in violation of the district's policy prohibiting the use of external email systems.

Is this the type of politician the residents of Northampton County want on the county council?

Unfortunately, Supervisor Keegan's husband challenged the nomination petitions of her opponent in the Democrat Party primary, making her the only candidate on the primary ballot since the Republican Party did not field any candidates.

Current Northampton County Council President Kerry Myers was the candidate challenged off the ballot by Supervisor Keegan's husband. Mr. Myers has recently switched parties to Republican and is mounting a write-in campaign.

Kelly Keegan, as documented above, is not fit to serve any elected positions due to her willful violation of multiple EASD policies, her censoring of opposing voices, and the lack of following through on tasks assigned to her.

Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, please write in Kerry Myers for Northampton County Council District 2.

Kelly Keegan's Response:

In 2021 the Board of Supervisors voted to update our 10-year comprehensive plan. To complete the plan we needed resident input and the overall reaction and responses indicated that the residents liked the mix of suburban and rural areas within the Township, they appreciated the availability of green/open space and parks, and generally are fond of the sense of community they feel living in Forks Township. However, they also expressed a concern with uncontrolled development, specifically industrial development and the impact of this on the community, i.e., loss of farmland, increased (truck) traffic, and stormwater issues. There was a general feeling of “rapid growth” occurring in the Township negatively affecting the things residents love about living in Forks. Residents stated that they want to preserve open space and farmland and limit high density residential and industrial development. The township spent approximately $85,000 to update this plan and I felt it was our duty as elected officials to value the data that was collected by the residents, to hear their concerns, and to look into what can be done to make sure that this community remains the place they enjoy and to even possibly improve upon it.

Within the last 10 years warehouse proliferation has been a concern for not only our township, but for the entire Lehigh Valley. The residents stated that they want to preserve open space and farmland and limit high density residential and industrial development. While some people feel that zoning is the answer, it is not. Zoning is one avenue for township planning, but there are others, such as an Open Space Program. Simultaneously while these results came out other townships in the area were approving their Open Space referendums or talking about one. Trying to come up with solutions for our resident’s concerns I suggested an Open Space Program to the BOS and Chairman O’Neil appointed me to investigate this specific topic. NOT all options for preserving open space, but the Open Space Programs that the neighboring townships were voting on at that time.

I contacted experts that work for Northampton County and a supervisor at Bushkill Township who currently has had a successful program. I coordinated two public presentations with experts. The Planning Commission and the BOS were invited and the BOS attended. ONLY an Open Space Program with EIT funding was presented. At the public presentation there were approximately 20 residents who were interested in getting involved and an informal committee was formed. A formal committee was never voted on and approved by the township so formal minutes were never required from the group who supported an Open Space Program with an EIT tax. We met on a monthly basis since January and we discussed how we would initiate public outreach for the residents to become aware of what the program is about so they would be able to make an educated decision and be able to vote whether “they”, the residents, wanted to adopt the program.

My whole point was that the Supervisors paid a lot of money for the 10-year Comprehensive Plan, we asked for resident input, and then when we received the input, I was the only Supervisor that wanted to find a solution for their concerns.

Does the Open Space Program have an increase in the EIT tax? Yes, the increase would go from our current 1% to a 1.25% tax. Did I vote to increase taxes as I have been accused of on Facebook? No, I was in support of the Open Space Program referendum question to be place on the General Election Ballot in Nov. 2023 so the residents could decide whether they wanted it or not.

As for Ed Reagan’s allegations, I have been strongly advised to not engage with him, and at this time I am following that advice.

33 comments:

  1. Mr. Reagan will face a smear attack on him, but it was good for the voters he stepped forward. The Keegan candidacy was a combination of a feud with Myers and her husband as well as the McClure gang's determination to dump Myers (with the help of their buddy O'Hare). Keegan when confronted with this man's charges claims she got "county advice." In other words, she asked her patron McClure what to do. Maybe he had Barron help her with a response.

    Just what th county needs another Zirinski clone. Preaching virtue signaling all the while supporting more and more taxes and fees on residents. How many bobbing heads does McClure want on council? Given her lax attitude towards rules and regulations and transparency, she will do as she is told. Better a gruff old man than a bought candidate.

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  2. Williams twp added .5 mil to the local property tax for open space preservation about15-20 years ago. This isn't rocket science.

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    1. This information is incorrect.

      Williams Township in 2004 placed a referendum on the ballot to increase the local EIT by 0.25% to fund an open space program.

      In 2014 the residents of Williams Township asked the Board of Supervisors to put a referendum on the ballot to repeal that extra 0.25% EIT for open space.

      The referendum to repeal the open space EIT passed and Williams Township since then not collected any EIT tax for an open space.

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  3. Who is Ed Reagan? is he a developer? Did he attend any of the public meetings on open space in Forks? The EIT tax is the most widely used method for protecting open space in this area. If Mr. Reagan has other ideas for limiting warehouse proliferation by all means list them.

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    1. This is because until Governor Wolf signed a bill in 2022 allowing for local municipalities to use real estate taxes to fund open space programs the only option local municipalities had was to utilize an earned income tax increase.

      The use of real estate taxes to fund open space is a more equitable solution since it allows municipalities to the opportunity to collect funds to support an open space program from the commercial real estate owners in the municipality.

      Delete
  4. I like how Kelly tries to find solutions to problems, versus constant whining about problems such as the author of the essay written above. I want to be heard by the twp Supervisors, not dismissed or belittled. This twp is fortunate to have Kelly representing what we want, investigating various ways for the twp to remain beautiful and unclogged. I proudly stand by her and will vote for her in the upcoming primary election. I seriously question the agenda by the essay’s author published above. Become part of the solution instead of the problem!
    https://www.change.org/Forks-Open-Space

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  5. “As for Ed Reagan’s allegations, I have been strongly advised to not engage with him, and at this time I am following that advice“

    Great advice, although I’m certain you have unknowingly done so many times on this blog

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  6. I do not know either of these folks but Mr. Reagen has the look of and sounds like a blowhard! Mrs. Keegan’s response to his complaint does not address(wisely) his specific allegations regarding EASD policy violations but very nicely provides sufficient facts to refute his chief complaints regarding her alleged pattern of inaction and censorship.

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  7. https://www.change.org/Forks-Open-Space

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  8. Some of these comments make it appear that the Keegans have united their comrades for damage control.

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  9. So if true, the EASD taxpayers are paying this lady while she’s campaigning and doing TWP business. Interesting. She’s a liberal democrat and their answer to everything is to raise taxes so no surprise there.

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  10. Is this person a stalker, he seems obsessed with Ms. Keegan. I am slightly concerned. We are blessed to have someone run that had so much passion for their community. We need change and Kelly Keegan is that change!

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  11. Ed Reagan tried to crucify Keegan on Facebook's Forks Info and Discussion Group yesterday and he got roasted! People see right through the smear campaign against her. It was entertaining to watch.
    I love how Ed is all about following policy and rules but then supports Kerry Myers who broke all the rules to get on his own party's ballot. Myers did not witness resident's signing his petition, he allowed out of district residents to sign it, and he admitted it.
    How can Reagan support a candidate who does the very thing he is accusing Keegan for at her place of employment? Sounds hypocritical to me. I bet if Keegan were a man Reagan wouldn't have gone to all this trouble.

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    Replies
    1. You obviously have not seen my posts about Sal Panto in the Easton PA Post Facebook group.

      I voted for Nicole Shultz for Lt. Governor in 2022, Jo Jorgensen for President in 2020, Jennifer Moore for Pennsylvania Auditor General in 2020, and to retain State Supreme Court Justice Sallie Updyke Mundy in 2017.

      I will gladly take your bet.

      This is not about the candidate's gender.

      This is about a candidate seeking higher elected office who lead an open space task force/committee at the township level that produced nothing other than cutting and pasting the work of other organizations.

      A candidate that failed to compile an inventory of properties to protect through an open space program.

      A candidate who failed to contact the owners of those properties to find out if they were interested in being involved in an open space program.

      A candidate who only presented we need so put a referendum on the ballot to raise the earned income tax rate as the only deliverable from the 16 months of work since she was tasked with organizing and leading an open space task force/committee.

      A candidate when asked by other members of the Board of Supervisors what other options were explored related to open space, her reply was this is what everyone else is doing.

      A candidate who went on to say at a public meeting that all 11 municipal open space programs in Northampton County are funded through earned income taxes, this was an untrue statement since there are only currently 9 municipal open space programs in Northampton County some taxes.

      One would figure after being in charge of something for 16 months she would have done some research and known that. Just cutting and pasting the work of others and not verifying its validity is the definition of lazy.

      Northampton County's open space program is funded through real estate taxes and not an earned income tax.

      If it's good enough for the county to fund open space through a real estate tax increase, why is it not appropriate for the township?

      Regarding Kerry Myers nominating petitions, yes they had issues, which is why they were challenged.

      Though what I find most interesting about the challenge of his nominating petitions is that they were challenged by the candidate's husband Edward Keegan, and the treasurer of her campaign committee.

      To quote infomercial pitchman Billy Mays, "But wait, there is more!"

      The candidates campaign committee, "Kelly Keegan Cares" paid for the $1,250 legal bill to file this challenge, not the two qualified electors who filed the challenge.

      The candidate's campaign received these contributions among others:

      - Lamont G. McClure for County Executive - $1,000
      Current Northampton County Executive's campaign Committee

      - Friends of Tara Zrinski - $100
      Current Northampton County Council Member's campaign committee

      - Melissa Rudas - $100
      Current Northampton County Solicitor

      - Janet Jackson - $100
      Current Northampton County First Assistant Public Defender

      - Kevin Deely - $100
      Current President of the Easton Area Education Association (teachers union)

      - Becky Bartlett - $75
      Former Chairperson of the Northampton County Housing Authority and former Deputy Director of Operations for Northampton County

      Makes one wonder who she will be representing on County Council.

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    2. Ed Reagan, I heard you died!!!

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    3. There are assholes in this world, and certainly you are one of them. RIP Ed.

      Delete
  12. Keegan is a great supervisor and has facilitated great change. This man is a stalker. Maybe he is in love with her? Seems like it…..

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  13. I wonder if these comments praising KBK are coming from the nursing office at EAHS. We know that at least one nurse has plenty of downtime on her shift.

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  14. Vladimir Ill-itchMay 11, 2023 at 2:19 PM

    re: Anonymous 7:56 AM:

    "Is this person a stalker, he seems obsessed with Ms. Keegan. I am slightly concerned."

    I don't buy your ignorance, you know exactly who Ed R. is. If you live in Forks and put a plug in for Keegan on this blog you sure as heck know who Ed R. is

    Performing a RTK request and providing information to the public is stalking?

    We need ALL elected officials "stalked" to this level of detail. ALL. ALL. ALL. All elected public officials should be scrutinized, questioned, investigated, with RTK requests for anything an everything that is considered public business. RTK requests should be relentless and without pause.

    If anything, you should thank Ed R. for doing what any citizen can do but so few do it - doing homework on their elected officials. We need more citizens like Ed R. especially in a time when local news covers very little of value to us.




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  15. Vladimir Ill-itchMay 11, 2023 at 2:20 PM

    Er, I meant Anonymous 9:40 AM. My mistake! Sorry!

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  16. That's a lot of social media posting while supposedly at work on the taxpayers' dime. Please explain the difference between that and stealing. She needs to put that phone down and grow up. She should also confess and repay her stolen time. That's what decent people with a modicum of ethics do.

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  17. "I bet if Keegan were a man Reagan wouldn't have gone to all this trouble."

    First, he is called a stalker than the now over used phrase, "if she were a man"...

    WOW, just what we need another fake progressive, liberal middle class white woman riding that tired old horse. Let's guess what other virtue crying victim excuse the fake liberals will come up with. These champions of the underdogs and as sone of them claim they speak for people of color; she is going after an African American's seat. Wonder if she feels bad about that or as a progressive woman, she is exempted from any guilt.

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  18. Vladimir Ill-itchMay 11, 2023 at 7:07 PM

    "As for Ed Reagan’s allegations, I have been strongly advised to not engage with him, and at this time I am following that advice."

    Maybe McClure, who donated to her campaign, is advising her pro bono. Maybe not illegal but certainly unethical and both should know better if that's the case. Or, maybe she just made that up since it seems she has no defense.

    Since she's unopposed and will likely be elected to county council, hopefully she will continue to be on the receiving end of this level of scrutiny.

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  19. Ed Reagan is no stalker. And yes, he would have gone to the same trouble if Kelly were male. Ask Sal Panto. I do think his personal smears are unnecessary. Also, in his comments, I see he has some facts wrong. But he does raise an interesting point. Is it better to fund open space with EIT or real estate taxes? I can see arguments both ways, but tend to learn towards EIT. Though commercial business might yield more, an increase in real estate tax for open space would be unfair to seniors and retirees on fixed incomes.

    I have been very vocal about my opposition to Kerry Myers. So I thought it important to both give readers a different perspective and also gauge how well Keegan holds up under fire. I thought Keegan handled herself very well and especially appreciate her responsiveness. That's very important.

    Ed is a very bright man. I told him yesterday that he's a bit mean-spirited and makes me look like a nice guy. Part of it is that he basically has no emotion, he tells me. I am enrolling him in the Michael Molovinsky School of Diplomacy. Having said that, he cares about local government and does his homework. I am unable to find the comment in which he got several facts wrong. It had to do with Keegan's finances. He misidentified many of the campaign contributors. But I appreciate his different perspective.

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    1. He has no emotion? Of course he does. Keegan hurt his feelings so badly he is wasting all his time on her smear campaign. You are right in one respect Bernie, everyone does know who he is and his campaign against Keegan is probably going to help her. We will see soon enough.

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  20. The real issue here is Mr Reagan has presented credible evidence that this woman was engaging in political commentary and TWP business while on the clock at EASD. That’s ILLEGAL! It’s stealing and she needs to answer for it.

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  21. Lost in all this back and forth is a unmet need to address and manage growth in Fork's Township that has suffered from the uncontrolled growth in surrounding townships. Lost in all this is the need to address the clearly desired and expressed desires of Fork's Townships residents in the 10-year plan. From my prospect, the supervisors gave Ms. Kelly a poorly defined task that now "Is not what we wanted." Two of the township supervisors (another of the three naysayers is just always befuddled), have been very antagonistic towards her efforts and yet their answer is to let a graduate student working for his degree work on a plan that projects future growth. Duh! I can tell you what is looks like. So, after the dust settles and with the wink and nod from these supervisors towards the ad hominem attacks on Ms. Kelly, what are we left with. We will have over 600 apartments approved on Sulivan Trail and around 350 condos and houses on Mitman Road. So, I ask you, what have your township leaders done in the past years for you?

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    1. The of the parcels on Mitman Road on both sides of Ardnt Road had been approved for residential development since at least the mid-2000s. If you have old copies of the Forks Township newsletter laying around the used to publish a Township map in there that actually had the entire Road layout already approved by the township for the northern parcel.

      The new developer has changed the plan for the southern parcel from single family homes to an over 55 community.

      As a taxpayer in the Easton Area School District, I am glad that these developers are proposing to build age restricted communities which won't add students to the school district but will add tax revenue to the school district's budget.

      What I find most confusing is the fact that Edward Keegan who's a member of the Easton Area School Board in Upper reelection this year, has been a vocal advocate against the development of age restricted communities I like the one proposed for the southern parcel along Mitman Road.

      Delete
  22. Becky Barlett donated to her? That's all I need to see, her and the weed smoking teacher Deely are Marxists! She's an AOC wanna be.

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  23. He should have attended the committee meetings if he was so concerned.

    She showed that she is not mature enough to respect the rules of her employment.

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    1. How hard of a task would it have been for Supervisor Keegan or Supervisor Turner to used the resources of the township to compile an inventory of the undeveloped land that could be targeted by an open space program.

      How much effort would it have been for the township to contact these landowners either via email or a letter to ask them if they were open to the idea of getting involved in selling their land or the development rights to a township open space program?

      After the above steps are done then the committee could have compiled a list of properties where the owners were interested in participating in an open space program and then figure out how much money they would need to raise to fund the program.

      Organizing an open space committee to advocate for a referendum question being put on the ballot to raise the local and income tax by 25% to pay for something and hasn't been defined yet, is the textbook definition of putting the cart before the horses.

      Yet here we are.

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    2. You clearly have no idea how an open space program works. It would take years before the township could afford to do anything. How do farmers possibly know when they would want to sell and if the price was right AND if they property would even be eligible? Your prerequisites are not how it works and you condemning Keegan is a smoke screen.

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  24. Myers breaks election “law” vs Keegan breaking workplace policy? Really Dude?

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You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.