NorCo Council Approves New Term Sheet For AFSCME Union at Gracedale

At last night's very brief meeting (24 minutes), Northampton County Council voted 8-0 to approve a three-year term sheet for the AFSCME union employees at Gracedale. They will receive COLAs (cost of living adjustments over the next three years in the amounts of 4%, 3.5% and 3%. 

While these increases appear small, they follow and agreement between the county and AFSCME last year. They addressed the two most important issues raised in a County Council-ordered operational assessment of Gracedale by Affinity Health Services - the need to pay more money as well as an ability to hire experienced nursing staff at levels commensurate with their time on the job. 

The changes made last year are as follows: 

CNAs. - The previous starting rate for a CNA was $14.28 an hour. (Pay grade 4, step 3). The new starting rate is $16.61 an hour. That's a base pay of $34,538 a year. CNAs working the second shift already get an extra $1.50 an hour, and those who work third shift get an extra $1.00 an hour. On top of that, CNAs get an extra $0.75 an hour just for showing up on weekdays, and $3.00 an hour just for showing up on weekends. So, a new CNA who works second shift on a weekend will actually be getting $21.11 an hour. 

It gets better. The bottom three steps have been eliminated so that all new hires will start at $16.61. Moreover, three new steps have been added to the top of the scale. 

A CNA who has 5-10 years of experience in that role at another facility will start at $17.80 an hour. One with 10+ years on the job can be hired at $25.38. 

LPNs. -  The previous starting rate for a LPN was $21.35 an hour. (Pay grade 9, step 3). The new starting rate is $23.69 an hour. That's a base pay of $49.269 a year. LPNs who work the second shift already get an extra $2.50 an hour, and those who work third shift get an extra $2.00 an hour. On top of that, LPNs get an extra $3 an hour just for showing up on weekdays, and $4 an hour on weekends. So, a new LPN who works second shift on a weekend will actually be getting $27.85 an hour. 

As with the CNAs, the bottom three steps have been eliminated so that all new hires will start at $23.69. Moreover, three new steps have been added to the top of the scale. 

A LPN who has 5-10 years of experience in that role at another facility will start at $25.38 an hour. One with 10+ years on the job can be hired at $27.17. 

The new term sheet for Gracedale workers was approved 8-0. Council member Ron Heckman was absent. 

The meeting did start off bizarrely enough, with Beverly Hernandez attempting to deliver a diatribe during courtesy of the floor. She was shocked to learn that she gets only five minutes and is barred from using other speakers to waive their time in favor of her. Last time she was in front of County Council, she threatened them with the curses of Leviticus and the wrath of an Old Testament God.

This time, she suggested the county does nothing about the homeless and that she went out herself and gave a blanket to one of them. "First they came for the Catholics," she said, and then asked if anyone has read the Constitution." She also complained about the price of eggs. She also claimed she speaks for the people and complained about a lack of interpreters or someone who could use sign language. She then said she wanted to talk about Gracedale but her time was up. 

I knew Beverly Hernandez when she was a nice Republican person. She is now officially off the hook. 

When she was done, she was admonished by Republican John Goffredo. "When you come up here and attack us as if we're automatically the enemy, it makes us automatically not want to listen. It's the same thing I say to people on the other side of the aisle. ... If we're fighting each other, we're never gonna; fix anything."

Later that evening, Executive Lamont McClure addressed Council about both Lehigh and Northampton County spend millions every year to address the issue of homelessness. "If money was the only answer, we wouldn't have a homelessness problem."

Hernandez was not there. 

She left right after her rambling lecture.

Every right has a corollary duty. The right to speak includes a duty to listen. 

Trump's SOTU: The Moment Congressional Democrats Disgraced Themselves

One of the nicest gestures during President Trump's SOTU on Tuesday night was when he honored a 13-year-old boy who survived a battle with brain cancer. He always wanted to be in law enforcement and got his wish when he was made an honorary Secret Service agent, complete with credentials. Even I smiled when I watched this, and I also liked when Trump announced that another young man, a high school athlete who lost his deputy sheriff father when he was just a boy, had been accepted at West Point. 

Yesterday, I received a large number of comments from readers who were angry that Democrats sat on their hands when the 13-year-old was appointed to the Secret Service as an honorary agent. I did not notice this at the time and went back to check the video. 

Unfortunately, the accusation is true, at least of a large number of Democrats. One Congressman refused to stand because "Trump [is] ripping cancer research to shreds in order to give billionaire tax cuts, firing doctors and nurses who are caring for kids with cancer right now in order for them to take their salaries and put them in their own pockets.”

Let's assume this is true. The young man is in no way responsible for any of these mistakes. 

What happened actually makes Trump look good. 

And that's pretty hard to do. 

Daryl Hendricks To Seek Re-Election to Allentown City Council

Daryl Hendricks is one of a very few normal people left on an Allentown City Council filled with no-shows like Natalie Santos and Mayoral wannabes like Ce-Ce Gerlach (she ran last time) and Ed Zucal (it's his turn now). Gerlach, who was placed on ARD after she dropped an underage boy off at a homeless camp, has done her best to minimize a police presence. Zucal has been out to get Mayor Tuerk since he took office and will use anything, even ridiculous claims of racism at City Hall, to go after him. In the meantime, the Queen City is slowly burning. Its government is caught up in far too many nonsense issues to accomplish anything. 

Hendricks is one of the increasingly few voices trying to right a sinking ship. Below is his re-eelction announcemnt:

I am announcing my candidacy for re-election to Allentown City Council.

Now, more than ever, Allentown needs leaders with vision and experience.

Leaders who are committed to Allentown and care deeply about its future.

I will continue to govern with an open mind and a strong effort toward fiscal stability and transparency, and a keen eye toward economic development throughout the City to include the expansion on the Waterfront area, as well as the ongoing and future development of the former State Hospital site on the East side of the City.

I have and always will strongly support our emergency services to include Police, Fire and Allentown EMS Services.

I am a native and life-long resident of the City of Allentown, who attended Allentown Schools, raised my family in Allentown and have served the citizens of Allentown continuously for the past 47 years. My career for 36 years was with the Allentown Police Department retiring as a Captain. I hold a degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Lehigh Carbon Community College and have completed numerous degree courses from Muhlenberg College’s Wescoe School. Currently I serve as 1st Vice President of “Dream Come True”, a local organization that grants dreams for seriously, chronically and terminally ill children in the Lehigh Valley. It has been my privelege to be a founding member of the Lehigh County Child Advocacy Center. I was elected into the Union Terrace Hall of Fame as a former youth baseball/basketball coach, where I served for over ten years. I was elected to Allentown City Council in 2012 and have served continuously since that time.

President Trump's State of the Union Reveals a House Divided

President Donald Trump delivered his first State of the Union address of his second term last night. He laid out an ambitious agenda in a lengthy speech and touted his achievements since taking office, claiming to have accomplished more in 43 days than Democrats did in the last four years. What's more, "we are just getting started."

That worries me. A lot. In just 43 days, he has embraced our enemies and has savaged our closest allies with the help of his Vice President. He has gleefully imposed tariffs on Mexico and Canada. He has allowed an unelected oligarch to run rampant over our social security and other sensitive records. He has threatened to annex the Panama Canal, Gaza, Greenland and even Canada. I will say that he is an effective communicator, managing to speak in a plain and unvarnished style as he touts what he calls his "common sense" revolution. It lacks polish, but I think his supporters like his bluntness. even when it is used to embellish or stretch things. His big problem, and one that was evident during his speech is that, contrary to what he said, he really has no mandate.  

Trump did win the popular vote. He won the swing states. He has a majority in the House, Senate and even the Supreme Court. But it's a slim majority. He lacks the mandate of the people that Ronald Reagan or FDR had. I saw no Democrats greet Trump on his entrance, and he pretty much ignored them. There's mutual disdain. Whatever does get passed will be by the slimmest of margins. 

His reversal on foreign policy is what bothers me most. He has embraced thugs like Putin, who murders his political opponents. At the same time, he castigates Zelensky, who stood up to the thug when everyone was sure that Ukraine would be wiped off the face of earth in a matter of three days. Except for his steadfast commitment to Israel, he is actually making the United States less secure now than it ever has been. His gold dome proposal is probably a good idea because at the rate he's going, we're going to need it. It is no help when JD Vance taunts Britain and France (without specifically naming them) as random countries that have not fought in a war for 30 years. Will they have our back if we need them? 

His presidency is still in its infancy, so it's unfair to blame him for rising prices on consumer products and groceries. But his recent imposition of tariffs, and his intention to impose more of them on April 2, is going to eventually be a tax on those of us who can least afford to pay for them.

His desire to cut government waste with the creation of a new agency headed by the world's richest man is actually a good one. I think we all could get on board with that. But the problem is that Elon Musk has been using a buzzsaw instead of a scalpel and has hurt our national security by firing nuclear workers and then scrambling to unfire them. 

The pendulum did swing in Trump's favor in 2024. But that's the thing about the pendulum. It's always swinging. 

10:15 Update: A transcript of the SOTU speech is here. 

Online Payment of Property Tax Bill Finally Comes to NorCo

From Northampton County: Beginning Tuesday, March 4, Northampton County is pleased to announce the launch of online payment options for all current tax bills. This new system aims to provide residents with a convenient and efficient way to manage their tax payments from the comfort of their homes. 

Residents can choose to pay their taxes via credit card, which incurs a 3.5% fee charged by the payment vendor. Please note that this fee is not collected by the county and goes directly to the vendor. Additionally, an e-check option is available, with a flat fee of $4.00 for payments under $29,999.00. For amounts exceeding $30,000, a fee of $15.00 will apply for e-check payments.

 

We encourage residents to take advantage of the discounted tax rate available through March 31, 2025. To benefit from this discount, please ensure your payments are submitted before this date.

 

For more information on how to make an online payment, please visit https://www.norcopa.gov or contact the Northampton County Revenue Office at 610-829-6186.

Thank you for your continued support as we work to improve service delivery for our residents.

Blogger's Note: I find it simply astonishing that NorCo property owners had no online payment option until now, especially since the county will get it more quickly this way. Most medium-sized municipalities have offered this for decades. 

Blogger's Note #2: I received this message from Fiscal Affairs Director Steve Barron: "Bernie we did have online payments until the 2023 tax year base period ended for current year taxes. We did not have online payment in 2024 for taxes due to our current system end of life and the system from Tyler being completed. We now will be able to take online payments on taxes up until a property is subject to sale. We are only doing current taxes right now to assure that all fees, penalties and interest are applied online consistent with PA law. Once that is done we will allow online payments for past due taxes as well. "

I do recall having a conversation with sSteve about this last year, but was under the mistaken impression that online payments had never been possible.

NorCo's Communications Should Be About the County, Not McClure

When he was first elected county executive in 2017, Lamont McClure decided to use one of his assistant administrators to act as a communications director. Some of you thought this was just an opportunity for the Exec to publicize himself, and I'll agree it's good politics. But it's also good government. The public is kept apprised of what is happening at a county level. It's transparent and informative at a time when the dailies no longer have the staff to cover local government. But I received a news release yesterday that crosses the line from good government to pure politics. 

The release is below:

[Northampton County, PA] – Northampton County is proud to announce that County Executive Lamont G. McClure has been selected as the Grand Marshal for the 2025 Parade of Shamrocks. This festive event, organized by the Celtic Cultural Alliance (CCA), will take place in the streets of Historic Downtown Bethlehem on Saturday, March 15, 2025, at 1:00 PM.

 

County Executive McClure, a lifelong resident of Pennsylvania, has dedicated much of his career to making a positive impact in his community. He takes great pride in his Irish heritage and has consistently supported the mission of the CCA. In regard to this honor, he stated, “I am truly honored to have been chosen as the Grand Marshal of the Parade of Shamrocks. I can’t wait to celebrate with all of you.”

 

The Parade of Shamrocks is a significant cultural event that highlights the rich traditions of the Celtic community.

Join us in celebrating this vibrant event and honoring County Executive Lamont G. McClure as the Grand Marshal. We look forward to seeing everyone in Downtown Bethlehem for a day of fun, culture, and community spirit!

 

For all media inquiries related to this announcement, please contact Jessica Berger, Deputy Director of Administration at 610-829-6250 or JBerger@norcopa.gov.

Amazingly, this "news" release asks us to join in "honoring County Executive Lamont G. McClure as the Grand Marshal." A county news release should never be used to fawn over a county exec who has incidentally just announced he's running for Congress. This was a misuse of county resources. 

The Trump-Vance-Zelensky Shouting Match - My Take

I prefer sticking to local topics but occasionally will ramble into other areas. Friday's shouting match involving Donald Trump, JD Vance and Volodymyr Zelenskyy is something I've thought about all weekend. I actually watched the entire blow-up in its entirety three times. I thought I'd give you my own analysis. for what it's worth. 

1) The meeting started pleasantly, with Trump saying he worked well with Zelenskyy and has known him a long time and that it was "an honor.". He said the minerals deal, which will allow American companies to harvest Ukraine's rare earths, is a "big commitment" by the US. - I'd disagree because the US has frozen Russian assets and could use those to recoup the money spent to finance Ukraine. The minerals deal smacks as colonialism and, quite frankly, would take many years before any profit was realized. Nevertheless, Zelenskyy went along with it. 

2) "If I were President, this war would never have happened." Trump made this statement during the get-together and made it many times on the campaign trail as well. He may be right. When Russia first invaded Ukraine in 2014 and seized both Crimea and portions of the country, former President Obama did very little. Moreover, Biden botched a withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. This undoubtedly emboldened Putin. Trump failed to mention that he is the one who negotiated that deal with the Taliban. He failed to bring in the Afghan government, just as he has failed to bring in Ukraine or Europe in talks with Russians. 

3) Trump complimented Ukraine's military as "unbelievably brave." He complimented Zelenskyy as well for his stiff resistance to Russia's invasion. 

4) When Trump invited Zelenskyy to speak, the very first thing he did was thank him. He made clear at the onset that he viewed the minerals deal as the first real step to security agreements for Ukraine. (We'll come back to that). Zelensky said they are fighting to "save our country, our values. our freedom, our democracy and, of course, no compromises with a killer about our territories. ... ." He added that Russians have kidnapped 20,000 children, changed their names and even changed their families. He also showed photos of what Russians have done to Ukrainian POWS and clerics, which Trump acknowledged is "tough stuff." He even had photos of children. "We want to get that ended," said Trump. 

6) Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine has the best drone production in the world and is willing to share its licenses with the US but needs air defense, at which the US excels.

7) The assembled press bothered me. Trump, who has become increasingly authoritarian in his first few weeks as President, banned both Reuters and AP, which are highly respected media outlets. He replaced them with fawning correspondents like Marjorie Taylor Greene's boyfriend, who wondered whether Trump will go down in history as the Peacemaker. He also dismissively asked Zelenskyy why he does not wear a suit and whether he can afford one (Zelensky dresses as his soldiers dress) Another reporter fawned about whether Trump should be compared to famous historical figures. After joking about it, Trump to his credit said he doesn't compare himself to anyone and is just "here to do a job." A third reporter asked Trump what gave him his "moral courage and conviction."

8) Trump said the US would continue to provide military support. "Hopefully, I won't have to send very much." Zelenskyy said the US has been on Ukraine's side from the beginning. Trump would later say he is on nobody's side and just wants to solve the problem. In response to a question, he said he remains committed to Poland and to NATO.

9) Trump said that any peace arrangement will require compromise.

10) The mineral agreement provides for Liquid Gas terminals for Ukraine, which Zelenskyy said would enable Ukraine to provide heat to Europe.

11) About halfway into the news conference, the topic of security agreements was brought up again. Zelenskyy claimed they are essential because Putin has a history of ignoring agreements. He broke ceasefire agreements 25 times. As they were speaking at the White House about peace, Zelenskyy noted that Putin was firing ballistic missiles into Ukraine. He said that without security agreements, "Putin will never stop." Trump said security agreements are only about 2% of the overall deal.

12) Zelenskyy insisted that Ukraine would have to be involved in any peace talks. "This is not a war between Russia and the United States This is a war of Russia against Ukraine and Ukrainian people." 

13) Zelenskyy corrected Trump when he said much of Ukraine has been destroyed. "You have to come and to look," said Zelenskyy. He said most cities are very much alive with people working and children going to school. "Ukraine is fighting and Ukraine lives."

14) A reporter suggested Europe is arresting Americans for exercising free speech and thought crimes. 

15) After 40 minutes, VP JD Vance decided to blow things up. He asserted that diplomacy would solve this dispute. Zelensky countered that he signed a ceasefire agreement with Putin in 2019. He broke the ceasefire and refused to exchange prisoners despite promising to do so. "What kind of diplomacy are you talking about, JD, what do you mean?" Vance responded that diplomacy would end the destruction of Ukraine and then accused Zelensky of being disrespectful. He added that Ukraine is using conscripts. Zelensky asked if Vance has ever been to Ukraine, and Vance responded that he has watched what is happening. 

16) Vance then accused Zelensky of attacking the administration that is trying to help his country. This is absurd. There was no attack by Zelensky. The conversation up to this point was frank, bbut polite and respectful. 

From this point on, we all know what followed. 

My view is that until Vance's attack, Trump was actually enjoying the exchange. I also think he ws sincerely interested in negotiating an end to the war, but Vance has a bug up his ass about Ukraine and Europe and would prefer to just let them all rot away. 

I Stand With Ukraine

NorCo Exec Lamont McClure to Run For Pa.7 Congressional Seat

It's official. Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure announced late yesterday afternoon that he's seeking the Democratic nomination to Congress' Pa. 7th District, currently held by Republican Ryan Mackenzie. He did so in an after-hours announcement from the courthouse rotunda before a crowd of at least 100 supporters, including a Who's Who of local Democratic leaders, county staffers and an alphabet soup of trade union leaders. 

Up until this point, McClure has served in county government both as a Council member and as Executive.  He was initially appointed to a County Council vacancy in 2006 and thereafter won and held the seat for two terms. He was elected County Executive in 2017 and is in the final year of his second term. He previously announced he would not be seeking a third term. Now we know why.

As Executive, McClure steered the county through a pandemic and a statewide shutdown. He insisted that county offices remain open and found a way to funnel $25 million to small businesses in the county that were hanging by a thread. He's never proposed a tax increase and actually cut taxes in 2022 while simultaneously reducing the size of county government by nearly a third. He restored medical benefits to employees after they had been cut by the pervious Executive. 

As a member of county council, he was at the forefront of the battle to save the county's nursing home, which he has always called "a moral obligation." As Executive, he made sure it is now also county operated instead of through a private administrator. He has also persuaded Council to start a daycare at the nursing home for the children of employees.

He has had failures, too. Most notably, there were problems in the 2019 and 2023 elections. Though the county purchased the best voting machine available - the ExpressVote XL- the vendor failed to align about a third of the machines before the 2019 election and botched the coding of the machines prior to the 2023 election.  He has also had to deal with a County Council that, unlike many legislative bodies, has been flexing its biceps in a much-needed demonstration that there are actually three, and not one, branch of government. Most of them were no-shows at yesterday's announcement. 

Before Mackenzie's 1% victory last year, the seat had been held by Susan Wild. Whether she herself is running is unclear, but I'm told that she has been beating the bushes to find a woman with a STEM background to take on Mackenzie. She was MIA at yesterday's announcement.

Susan Lawless, who chairs Hanover Township's Board of Supervisors and was one of the introductory speakers, cited McClure's accomplishments but said there was one overriding reason to support him. "He can win," she declared. 

McClure condemned "the chaos that Trump and Elon Musk are causing in Washington, D.C. today. It's completely unnecessary." He said he was able to cut taxes and reduce the growth of county government by 31% over 7 years "without creating chaos. We don't need a bully like Elon Musk to come into the courthouse and fire people. We did this in a sensible manner. And not only did we do it in a sensible manner, we did it without cutting core services. In fact, we expanded core services."

He also discussed what he called Ryan Mackenzie's "values." "Mackenzie has shown us a little bit about what he values ... Let's take his focus on Medicare repeal. That's a value, right? Let's take his vote on Medicaid repeal. That's a value. He's showing his values. His assault on Americans' health care, he's demonstrating his values."

"What has he said to condemn the pardon of the January 6 insurrectionists?" McClure asked. "He's always lecturing me about support of law enforcement. By the way, I support law enforcement. Since I've been county executive, we have funded the police and fire and EMS to the tune of $2 million despite the fact that that is not part of our core responsibilities. So we support law enforcement, but Ryan Mackenzie did not criticize President Trump when he pardoned those insurrectionists. That demonstrates his values.

He also asked why Mackenzie has failed to criticize "Putin's aggressive invasion of Ukraine. I have not. Have you heard him say 'I stand with Ukraine' onto victory. I have not. But I stand with Ukraine onto victory. These are my core values."

McClure said he learned his values from his late father, a former director of Carbon County Housing Authority, "who lives on in my heart every day." From his father, he learned that "one of the most dignifying things in life was to be able to provide a roof over your family's head."  

It's on. 

$80,000 in Overtime Abuse By Top Clerical Staff Suspected in NorCo DA's office.

Three of Northampton County DA Steve Baratta's top clerical staff are currently on paid administrative leave. Human Resources is investigating whether the $80,000 in overtime they claimed over the last year was inflated in what amounts to possible theft by deception. If this is substantiated, the Attorney General will be notified. All because of a simple right-to-know request. 

Early this year, one of the local dailies filed a right-to-know request, seeking the salaries of every county employee. It's a good space filler. In the past, I've been critical of LehighValleyLive, which likes to publish what local government workers are paid, by name and wages. I've argued that just because you can file a right-to-know for this kind of information does not mean you should. Sure, I'd support publication of the highest salaries paid but consider publication of how little money is paid to most public employees is a bit intrusive. I was wrong. It is precisely because of such an inquiry that county officials discovered that top clerical officials in the NorCo DA's office may have been receiving overtime to which they had no right. 

One of these top clerks authorized the OT paid to two others. Her own overtime must be approved by the DA or First Assistant, but she may have disguised what she was seeking. The amount paid to her in 2024 was nearly as much as her own salary. 

She also claimed about $8,000 in OT in 2023, but administration officials concluded this extra work might have been necessary as the result of a transition from former DA Terry Houck to current DA Steve Baratta. 

I happen to know and respect all three of these clerks. If these allegations are true, it is very disappointing, especially in an office charged with the responsibility of enforcing criminal law. 

Because this is a personnel matter, there is no point in asking Executive Lamont McClure or District Attorney Steve Baratta exactly what is happening. But I've substantiated this story from current and former employees whose names must remain confidential. 

It is important to note that these are county employees but are under the direct supervision and control of the District Attorney, an independently elected office. 

McClure to Make "Major" Announcement Tomorrow. Is He Running For Congress?

NorCo Exec Lamont McClure is expected to make a "major" announcement tomorrow afternoon, 5 pm, at the courthouse in Easton.  I believe he intends to announce he is running for Congress.

Late last year, McClure decided against seeking a third term. He claimed then that he was bothered that doing so would defy the will of the people as recently expressed in a referendum limiting the county executive to two terms. Under this new Charter provision, McClure could have still legally could sought a third term.

I believe he intends to announce he's running for Congress, which is an open secret at the courthouse. 

First, the email notifying me of McClure's announcement comes from a Madison Plamer, who was spent her young career after graduating from the University of Iowa as a professional campaign worker for Democratic Congressional candidates Will Rollins (California), Katie Hobbs (Arizona) and Cora Neumann (Montana).  

Second, McClure was snubbed by former Congress member Susan Wild at a recent MLK celebration in Easton. Wild has denied this and has suggested that I defamed her, but I stand by what I wrote. I'm told by people who know her that she's furious that any Democrat but her would run for the seat she just lost to Ryan Mackenzie.  

Third, Mackenzie has been critical of the way NorCo handles illegal immigrants who are incarcerated. They always notify ICE and tell them when the inmate will be released and even will hold the inmate an extra 48 hours beyond that time. After that time, a warrant is required. This is consistent with both federal law and the Constitution's requirement of due process, which despite what Trumpers may think, is still the law of the land. Mackenzie is vocal about this matter because he perceives McClure as a threat. Otherwise, he wouldn't care. 

Wild insulted Carbon County, but McClure is one of them. His father Lamont was the Executive Director of Carbon County Housing Authority for nearly 40 years. 

I personally believe it's too soon for McClure to announce. By waiting a bit longer, he would be more effective as Executive. But I laud him for deciding against seeking a third term. Although Pa has no "Resign to Run" law, it would be very difficult for him to simultaneously be a Congressional candidate and the county's top administrator.  

Upper Mount Bethel Tp's Acting IT Director States 53% of Email to Tp Was Blocked in 2024

I've just finished watching Upper Mount Bethel Tp's (UMBT) latest Supervisors' meeting, a three-hour affair on Monday night, which is actually conducted in a garage. I sometimes wonder whether carbon monoxide affects the thinking of both the board and the large number of people who are always there. I heard complaints from neighbors about Mikey Stine, whose stump farm is burning all kinds of things, from vinyl siding to insulation in violation of a township ordinance that the fire chief has no authority to enforce. I thought it might be the fumes of a Ron Angle cigar, but he told me he stays away from plastic these days. Concerns were raised about PLANSlateBelt, a multi-municipal comprehensive plan that might stick Upper Mount Bethel with most of the least desired uses. And something besides Stine's burn farm really stinks. A park foundation seeded with township money as well as contributions from private donors has failed to appear at a Parks and Rec Board meeting for eight years straight but somehow is $30,000 in debt.  These are all stories, but I thought I'd start with an easy one brought up by Stavros Barbounis, who chairs the Parks and Rec Board and is also the Township's acting IT Director. 

Barbounis addressed rumors that the Parks and Recreation Board is corrupt and controls the emails coming into the township. He called this rumor "wildly inaccurate," noting that the township uses a third party cloud-based threat intelligence system to screen emails. 

In 2024, 53% of all emails sent to UMBT - 48,003 emails - were blacked as "inappropriate." "Those are confirmed threats," he said. He also explained that when an email is blocked, the recipient is notified nd can release the black to read it anyway. 

This sounds to me as though the third-party screener probably is identifying a lot of what you and I would call spam, not threats. That has a more ominous tone. 

I also think that if 53% of the email is blocked, the spam filter is set too high. This actually hinders a local government from being responsive to the citizens it is supposed to be serving. UMBT Chair John Bermingham calls himself  "The Voice for the People" on Facebook. Until the Township relaxes the filter on its email screens, he's really only the Voice for 47% of the People.

Stan Margle Suggests He Was Framed at Wilson Borough Meeting in Which Helps Violate Pa Constitution

Last week, I told you that prominent Easton area attorney Stan Margle, age 67, has been charged with possession of both controlled substances and drug paraphernalia.  These are misdemeanor charges and were lodged on Tuesday by Edward Fox, a detective in the Northampton County DA's office. At Monday  night's meeting of Wilson Borough Council, according to WFMZ-TV69, Margle publicly addressed the charges. 

According to law enforcement, Margle appeared in Juvenile Court earlier this month, and when he departed, he left his satchel behind. In an attempt to determine the owner, Sheriff Deputies opened the bag and discovered that it belonged to Margle. They also discovered what was later determined to be cocaine, along with the paraphernalia facilitating its use. There was also video surveillance showing Margle bringing a satchel into Juvenile Court and then leaving without it. He later returned for the bag, only to discover it had been turned over to county detectives. 

At Monday night's meeting, Margle said he had told a Council member he knew nothing about the matter at first. That assertion stretches credulity inasmuch as Margle had been told that the bag had been turned in for county detectives to inspect. He knew something was up.

Although he expressed embarrassment, he also hinted that he had been framed. 

"It doesn't matter whether the allegations are true at this point because the damage is done, and the person behind it has won," he reported said. This is a suggestion that the illicit drug was planted. It's hardly a remorseful comment or a sign that he seeks help. 

Wilson Borough Council, the very same crew who recently voted unanimously to give the Dixie Cup developer a massive tax break for apartments that no one in the Lehigh Valley can afford, of course decided to keep Margle as their legal advisor. 

And then they promptly violated the Pennsylvania Constitution by removing a Council member who has missed 15 meetings, thanks to bad advice provided by Margle. 

The Pa Constitution specifically provides that an elected official, from Borough Council members to State Senators, can only be removed (1) on conviction for misbehavior in office; (2) on conviction of an infamous crime; or (3) by the Governor, after impeachment by the House and conviction in the Senate. (Article VI, Section 7). 

Wilson Borough Council has no authority to remove a council member notwithstanding the Borough Code. 

Panto's Remarks About Illegal Immigrants Taken Out of Context

At their February 12 meeting, Easton City Council took up a proposed welcoming city ordinance that was recently adopted in Allentown but rejected in Bethlehem. While the proposed ordinance still requires the city to comply with state and federal law, it bans the use of local personnel to assist in federal immigration enforcement. It does require a certifying city to shell out $12,000 to a nonprofit. Frankly, it strikes me as just the latest, and rather tone-deaf attempt at virtue signaling during a time in which voters have just elected a President who has vowed to deport undocumented immigrants who commit crimes. 

Easton Police Chief Carl Scalzo warned against this proposal. While he said he was empathetic to the cause of helping people who have come to this country in search of a better life. His worry is that with these law-abiding immigrants, "there are also individuals who come here without that good intent." He suggested some would be here to commit crimes and hurt others, including citizens and law enforcement. He worries that "welcoming city" legislation would be used by criminal aliens who "fly under the radar." "Legislation like that can be a beacon for those individuals to come here."  He also observed that his officers could face legal consequences if the ordinance were unintentionally violated. 

Chief Scalzo went on to say that Easton has a long history of supporting immigrants and that Mayor Sal Panto himself just spoke last year in support of DREAMERs. Panto also promoted a city resolution calling on the state to provide driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants. 

In response to questions from Council member Taiba Sultana, who said that a welcoming city just embraces diversity, he maintained that there are individuals who "will see that and ... They're going to go to those places where they feel like they can fly under the radar and then our officers are the ones left dealing with those individuals." Chief Scalzo conceded that most immigrants are law-abiding, but "we are seeing in our communities ... the Tren de Aragua gang and those types of elements get mixed into all of this. For sure that they do and they're looking for places where they can fly under that radar."

That was all Mayor Panto, who has used the mantra "clean and safe" since he was first elected to office, needed to hear. "I can't stand that we're here trying to do an ordinance to protect illegals. These people commit crimes. We don't want crime in our city. If you vote for this ordinance you are voting to have crime in your city."

That was that. 

Except it wasn't. Sultana used Panto's remarks to complain, in a letter to The Morning Call, that Panto's remarks about immigrants were hurtful and xenophobic. Armando Moritz-Chapelliquen, a Wilson Borough activist, said Panto's reaction was "blatantly racist" in a Morning Call op-ed. 

While I'll agree that Panto was inartful in the way he expressed himself (he was angry), he was taken out of context by both Sultana and Moritz-Chapelliquen. When he said he was opposed to illegals, it was in response to Chief Scalzo's warning about illegals who commit crimes. He has a good record of supporting immigrants who may have come here illegally but are otherwise productive members of society. 

Local government should focus on local government, not the flavor of the day. 

Will Philadelphia Eagles Visit White House?

The heads of MAGA world are exploding. "GO F YOURSELVES EAGLES,” proclaims right wing podcaster Megyn Kelly. supposedly in response to an Eagles snub of a White House invitation. Here's what I know.

Only one source, The Sun, has made this claim, citing just one anonymous source. I am unable to locate the story and am unsure whether it it's still there. Nevertheless, in the very fast world of 15-minute news cycles, this rumor is now all over the net and mainstream. 

I have no idea whether the Eagles have been invited. Trump disinvited the team in 2018 after several players said they would boycott. So I have no idea whether he's even invited the team for a visit. 

I do know that following the AFC championship, Trump congratulated both the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills but had nothing to say concerning the NFC championship game played early that day between the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders. Trump is petty like that, a small man, but this could simply have been an oversight.

I do know that Trump rooted for Kansas City in the Super Bowl, and lavished praise on QB Patrick Mahomes before the game. But after the game, he acknowledged that the Eagles played "flawless football."

I do know that Eagles OT Lane Johnson said it would be an "honor," to be invited, but added these are team decisions. 

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts said Trump was free to do what he wants when asked about Trump attending the Super Bowl, but I believe that is just his way of blocking out the noise before a big game. I would not conclude animus based on one guarded remark by a QB known for a stoic approach. 

Eagles' owner Jeff Lurie contributed to Hillary Clinton in 2016, and his ex-wife is a Democratic donor. He has contributed to both parties. 

My conclusions? 1) We have no idea whether the Eagles have been invited to visit Trump. 2) We do not know for certain that the Eagles have voted to snub a visit if an invitation has been extended. 3) Trump rooted for the wrong team in the Super Bowl. I previously stated a President should stay neutral. ... Unless he's rooting for the Eagles. 

NorCo Council Approves Four Contracts, Applaud Eagles

At its February 20 meeting, Northampton County Council approved four contracts.

First, it approved a $422,522 contract with Computer Technologies LLC to provide managed cybersecurity at the 911 centers in Northampton and Lehigh County. This is a joint project involving both counties. The funding comes directly from the state in the form of a grant, with NorCo acting as a fiduciary for both counties. This was approved by a 8-0 vote, with Council member Lori Vargo Heffner being absent during this vote. 

Second, it approved a $167,442.36 contract with TuWay Communications to maintain NorCo's 911 network. This is also being funded completely by a state grant. This was adopted by all nine Council members (Lori Vargo Heffner, Ron Heckman and Ken Kraft participated by phone).  

Third, it approved a three-year contract with Tyler Technologies for $1,025,599.85 for the assessment software used for the county's 125,000 properties. Tyler also does the billing, collection and annual flyovers. This is a state contract. It was approved by all nine Council members, with Lori Vargo Heffner, Ron Heckman and Ken Kraft participating by phone. 

Fourth, it approved a commercial use agreement with Twin Rivers Tubing for the limited use of county property (Frost Hollow Overlook launching area) along the Delaware River between May and September at a weekly rate of $250. There has been a commercial use agreement since 2021, which has resulted in employment and increased business for merchants in downtown Easton. The agreement includes an indemnity and hold harmless clause in the event of a liability claim. It was approved by all nine Council members, with Lori Vargo Heffner, Ron Heckman and Ken Kraft participating by phone. 

At the conclusion of this unusually collegial meeting, Council member Jeff Warren congratulated the Philadelphia Eagles on their Super Bowl victory, noting that Nazareth and Whitehall furnished wide receiver Jahan Dotson and record-breaking running back Saquon Barkley. Council member John Goffredo was quick to join in the accolade and even attended the parade. 

NorCo Council Upgrades Chief Public Defender to Full-Time Position

Last night, Northampton County Council voted that the position of part-time Chief Public Defender be upgraded to make it a full-time position. This vote followed a meeting yesterday in which Chief Public Defender Nuria DiLuzio justified the upgrade. 

As a part-time Chief Public Defender, Di Luzio is paid an annual $78,188 salary. As a full-time employee, she will be paid $107,482 a year. 

The position is "exempt," meaning that she serves at the pleasure of the Executive and can be replaced as Executives change. 

The upgrade was adopted by a vote of 7-1. It was supported by Council members John Goffredo, Tom Giovanni, Jeff Warren, Jeff Corpora, Kelly Keegan, Ken Kraft (by phone) and Ron Heckman (by phone). It was opposed by Council member John Brown with no explanation. 

Council President Lori Vargo Heffner was absent from this part of the meeting but participated by phone later. 

John Goffredo, Council's VP, chaired his first meeting, and kept it down to 27 minutes. 

NorCo Council Briefed on Bird Flu Outbreak That Has Killed 163 Million Poultry

Northampton County Council was briefed on the nationwide avian flu outbreak yesterday by Hope Kossube, an animal welfare expert from Penn State Extension. This is spread primarily by direct bird-to-bird contact, including wild birds, as well as through contaminated materials. The virus could be airborne as well. If a bird is infected with what is known as high path avian flu, no treatment is available.

The current outbreak started in February 2022, infecting 163 million birds in 754 commercial and 828 backyard flocks. In the past 30 days, the virus has infected 23.33 million birds in 102 commercial and 49 backyard flocks. 

In Pennsylvania, four counties - Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster and Lebanon - are under active control by the state Department of Agriculture. It has affected 2 million commercial poultry. (Lehigh County was in active control as well but has since been removed). A control zone is the infected farm and anything within a 6.2 mile radius. 

When bird flu is suspected, the farm is quarantined, and the birds are tested. If infected, they are "depopulated."

Is there a concern that this can be spread to humans?. According to Kossube, the risk of transmission is low. Nationwide, 69 people have been infected by avian flu. Most of them worked with poultry or dairy cows. One person did die but was suffering from autoimmune deficiency. There is no detected instance of one human infecting another. 

To avoid contagion, Kossube recommends that all eggs be cooked to at least 160 degrees and that we should only drink pasteurized milk. This would kill the virus. 

Kossube predicted that the outbreak should ease during the hotter months of the year.

Obviously, bird flu is the reason for soaring egg prices, not Trump or Biden. 

Bethlehem Mayor Willie Reynolds to Seek Re-Election

Blogger's Note:  Bethlehem Mayor Willie Reynolds announced his plan to seek re-election last night at the Boyd. Below is his announcement, which includes an enviable record of 50 accomplishments over his first four years. 

BETHLEHEM, PA – J. William Reynolds has announced that he will be seeking re-election to another term as Mayor of Bethlehem. “Four years ago, I laid out a vision for our city’s future as I announced I was kicking off a campaign to earn your support to be our next Mayor. You placed your faith in that vision, and I am so grateful and proud of all that we have accomplished as a city since that day. I am humbly asking the people of Bethlehem for their support for a second term to continue the important progress we have made in creating an even more thriving, vibrant city – where neighborhoods are safe and filled with activity and possibility, where residents have economic opportunity and a sense of belonging, and where City Hall plans for the future and promotes sustainability, from its finances to its climate action initiatives. ”

Reynolds stated that he is proud of everything that his administration has accomplished over the past three years including

• Consistently being named as one of the best places to live in America

• Ranking as the safest city in Pennsylvania

• Receiving international recognition as the 26^th World Heritage Site in America

• Holding the strongest overall financial position in City history

• Making record levels of public investment in parks, trails, and streets

• Implementation of Bethlehem’s award-winning Climate Action Plan

• Maintaining a commitment to increasing opportunities for all residents

If re-elected, Reynolds stated that his priorities would include continuing to invest in Bethlehem’s public safety departments and building financial stability within City Hall as well as

• Working to increase housing attainability and affordability within Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley

• Implementing Bethlehem’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan

• Building a South Bethlehem Community Center

• Making streets safer by executing major roadway improvements and implementing a Complete Streets and bike infrastructure strategy

• Continuing to implement and execute Bethlehem’s climate action plan

• Continuing to build cooperative strategies with the Bethlehem Area School District

Reynolds Administration Accomplishments 2022-2024

City Finances:

1. City of Bethlehem focuses on economic sustainability

Source: The Morning Call

2. City of Bethlehem cuts debt by almost 50 percent since 2015

Source: City of Bethlehem Budget Address 2025

3. City of Bethlehem’s bond rating ranked #1 in Pennsylvania among most populated cities

Source: City of Bethlehem Budget Address 2025

4. City of Bethlehem maintains lowest Earned Income Tax percentage in Pennsylvania among most populated cities

Source: City of Bethlehem Budget Address 2025

5. City of Bethlehem saves millions by avoiding capital borrowings

Source: City of Bethlehem Budget Address 2024

6. City passes one billion in private investment since 2021

Source: WFMZ

Parks, Trails, and Street Infrastructure:

7. City of Bethlehem rebuilds Fairview Park

Source: Lehigh Valley News

Source: Youtube Video Summary

8. City of Bethlehem to rebuild Friendship Park in $1.5 million overhaul

Source: Lehigh Valley News

Source: Project Website

9. City of Bethlehem acquires last section of South Bethlehem Greenway to close critical regional trail gap

Source: WFMZ

10. City of Bethlehem awarded nearly $10 million to make major safety and pedestrian improvements to Broad Street

Source: WFMZ

11. City of Bethlehem increases street paving by nearly 50 percent in two years

Source: City of Bethlehem Budget Address 2025

12. City of Bethlehem opens Monocacy Way Trail connection

Source: Lehigh Valley Live

13. City of Bethlehem improves Saucon Park in south Bethlehem

Source: WFMZ

Public Safety:

14. City of Bethlehem Fire Department works with International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 735 to fill vacancies quicker

Source: Lehigh Valley News

15. City of Bethlehem purchases new fire engines to update fleet

Source: City of Bethlehem Budget Address 2024

16. City of Bethlehem spends millions to update Bethlehem Police Department vehicle fleet

Source: City of Bethlehem Budget Address 2025

17. City of Bethlehem adds new paramedics for the first time since 2007

Source: WFMZ

18. City of Bethlehem expands Community Connections initiative that partners Bethlehem Police with Health Bureau employees

Source: Lehigh Valley News

19. City of Bethlehem partners with State of Pennsylvania to offer recruiting bonuses to new police officers

Source: Lehigh Valley News

Housing:

20. City of Bethlehem partners with Lehigh Valley Industrial Park to launch Gateway on 4th mixed-income housing development

Source: Lehigh Valley News

21. City of Bethlehem and Bethlehem Housing Authority partner on planned transformation of Pembroke neighborhood

Source: Pembroke Choice Website

Source: Lehigh Valley News

22. City of Bethlehem releases Opening Doors - a comprehensive housing attainability and affordability strategy

Source: City of Bethlehem Website

23. City of Bethlehem partners with Lehigh Conference of Churches to create new housing

Source: City of Bethlehem City Council Memo

Community Development:

24. Patillas, Puerto Rico announced as City of Bethlehem’s sixth sister city

Source: WFMZ

Source: City of Bethlehem Video

25. City of Bethlehem becomes 26th American World Heritage Site

Source: Lehigh Valley News

26. Bethlehem named top 100 place to live in America three years in a row

Source: Livability.com

27. Bethlehem named one of the top 15 Christmas destinations in the world

Source: CNN

Sustainability:

28. City of Bethlehem launches Bethlehem Climate Challenge

Source: WFMZ

Source: City of Bethlehem Video

29. City of Bethlehem hires first Sustainability Manager

Source: Lehigh Valley News

30. City of Bethlehem implements Climate Action Plan

Source: Lehigh Valley News

Source: Event Video

31. City of Bethlehem and Bethlehem Parking Authority partner to bring bike culture downtown with new Coalition for Appropriate Transportation retail space in Walnut Street Garage

Source: WFMZ

Source: City of Bethlehem Video

32. City of Bethlehem announces 2025 Bike Master Plan and Complete Streets Plan to make roads safer for pedestrians and bicyclists

Source: City of Bethlehem Budget Address 2025

Neighborhood Investment:

33. Northside Alive neighborhood revitalization initiative

Source: Project Website

34. SouthSide Tomorrow - a neighborhood investment partnership between Community Action Development Bethlehem and the City of Bethlehem

Source: Project Website

35. City completes South Bethlehem Community Center feasibility study

Source: Lehigh Valley News

36. City of Bethlehem launches We Build Bethlehem, a community investment strategy

Source: Project Website

37. City of Bethlehem establishes Community Recovery Fund to assist non-profits following Covid

Source: The Morning Call

38. City of Bethlehem launches Live in the Garden concert series

Source: Lehigh Valley Live

39. City of Bethlehem reopens Westside Pool

Source: The Morning Call

40. City of Bethlehem eyes Linden Street two way conversion to improve safety and cohesion of neighborhood

Source: WFMZ

Other Accomplishments:

41. City of Bethlehem hires first Director of Equity and Inclusion

Source: Lehigh Valley Live

42. Bethlehem joins Allentown and Easton to partner with Lehigh Valley Health Network on Blue Zones initiative

Source: Lehigh Valley Business

43. City of Bethlehem joins Three City Coalition with Allentown and Easton to tackle regional issues

Source: The Morning Call

44. City of Bethlehem modernizes special event permit process, shortens approval time

Source: City of Bethlehem Website

45. City of Bethlehem launches citywide equity plan

Source: Lehigh Valley News

46. City of Bethlehem brings back St. Patrick’s Day Parade in conjunction with Celtic Cultural Alliance

Source: The Morning Call

47. City of Bethlehem works with Artsquest to bring Musikfest back to Payrow Plaza in City Hall Complex

Source: Lehigh Valley Live

48. City of Bethlehem launches The Bethlehem Corner to tell community leaders’ stories

Source: City Of Bethlehem YouTube Channel

49. City of Bethlehem debuts new health van to provide neighborhood services

Source: The Morning Call

50. City of Bethlehem launches “Better Blocks for Bethlehem," a cross-departmental program to promote violence and injury prevention at the neighborhood level.

Source: WFMZ