Council Candidate Rips Vargo-Heffner and Heckman For Considering Race in Vacancy Appointment

Melanie Christopher, a teacher with Allentown School District, is an Independent seeking an appointment to the County Council vacancy.  She was in the audience when four Council members voted to appoint  flamethrower Kerry Myers to the open slot, despite being rejected on both sides of the ballot. He was arguably the worst of the 20-plus candidates who applied, but came just one vote short of getting the nomination because he'd be a reliable vote to oppose anything the Executive wishes to accomplish. A vote for him was a vote for obstruction, not balance. Christopher had another reason to be upset with the votes for Myers, and she expressed them in an email to County Council President Lori Vargo-Heffner.  

Dear Commissioner Vargo-Heffner, Thank you for the time you took to review my credentials and for the question posed to me during my interview. I was present last night for part of debates, and arguing, that took place in an attempt to choose a candidate to replace former Commission Zrinski. While I appreciate that the Council did not think I was the best candidate, I did find a comment made to be quite offensive and irrelevant to the process: Vargo Heffner noted of Myers: "He is the only person of color in this room." Heckman said Myers is sometimes accused of playing "the race card," but added, "He's lived that race." Unfortunately, this statement reflects a "judging a book by its cover" type statement. While I am not sure what the purpose of pointing out anyone's race was, your statement was 100% incorrect. You see, I too am a person of "color." While I do have blue eyes and a lighter complexion, the assumption that I too, could not be a person of color who has had to deal with, and whose family has had to deal with, race and/or ethnicity issues, prejudice, or anything along those lines, was unfair and inequitable, to say the least. Mr. Myers may have been the only "male" candidate of color, but he was not the only candidate of color. Had I known that race would be a point used in choosing a candidate, I too would have shared my heritage. Unfortunately, I did not read that in the Charter or the posting on the County website for the County Council position. Since you have been elected to represent ALL individuals in Northampton County, I would think race would not be something that would be considered in rulings and hiring practices and, rather, qualifications only would be considered. I also would think that in following EEOC rules and guidelines, such a statement would never be made. For point of reference, specifically, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission states: "The law forbids discrimination in every aspect of employment. The laws enforced by EEOC prohibit an employer or other covered entity from using neutral employment policies and practices that have a disproportionately negative effect on applicants or employees of a particular race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), or national origin, or on an individual with a disability or class of individuals with disabilities, if the polices or practices at issue are not job-related and necessary to the operation of the business." Consequently, while I can accept that I may have not been the best candidate and that I may not have given the answers the Council "wanted" based on my beliefs of what Northampton County needs and/or does not need, it is difficult for me to accept that perhaps you overlooked any of my potential qualifications because I was not a candidate who is a "person of color." In the future, I hope that you think twice before making such statements if for other reason than it could be such statements that keep people like me from participating more in County government whether as a volunteer, potential candidate, or otherwise. Sincerely, Melanie Christopher