A Godbolt to Build Strong Children

A Godbolt evokes images of fiery power and thundering omnipotence. But it's also fleeting. Gone almost as soon as you've noticed it was there. A human Godbolt was honored over the weekend when nearly 150 people gathered in the Marvine Village to see the playing fields behind the Marjorie B Fink Building dedicated to the late Steve Godbolt, who passed away last September. He was the Executive Director of the Northeast Ministry.

Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan called him a "special person" who "threw himself into the service of others." In the heart of the Marvine-Pembroke community, Godbolt dedicated his adult life, thirty years, to the needs of disadvantaged youth and families. He started "homework clubs" for the kids, and then recruited adult volunteers to act as mentors.

Steve's brother, Michael, and his niece, Natalie

Hundreds of kids benefited and were able to crawl out of their surroundings. At Godbolt's Memorial service in September, they could be seen, both in business suits and working clothes.

Callahan noted that Godbolt's name was not one you'd see in the paper every day, but it is people like him that make any community a success. Then the Mayor, a former Head Start kid with a speech impediment, uncharacteristically broke down in tears, apologizing to everyone. But The Bethlehem Housing Authority's (BHA) Mark Iampietro refused to accept it, stating that Callahan's heartfelt emotion was perhaps the finest tribute that Godbolt could receive.

Godbolt's niece, the petite Natalie Seier, was in his office shortly aftyer his death, and noticed a saying her uncle had written down. "The purest joy in life comes from trying to help others," was inscribed among his papers. Clara Kendy, Executive Director of the BHA, noticed the words of Frederick Douglas, hanging on Godbolt's wall. "It's easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”

Bethlehem ZHB Wants Decision on Elias Expansion Now

Back in May, when Judge Edward Smith first heard the zoning challenge to a proposed expansion at Bethlehem's popular Elias' Market, he urged owners and neighbors to resolve their differences. Planning Chair Lawrence Krauter echoed that concern in August. Since that time, the Elias family has conducted an open house, at their Linden Street business. "We'll have as many meetings as we need," said Najwa Azar. Not to be outdone, homeowners are planning their own open house. But instead of open houses, Bethlehem zoners want a decision, and they want it now.

In an unusual move for a quasi-judicial body, ZHB Solicitor Mickey Thompson has fired off a letter to Judge Smith, pressuring him for a ruling. "The Board requested that I contact you so that this case may be resolved. Can you please let me know when we can expect a decision to be filed?"

Under Pennsylvania law, zoning hearing boards are subject to the open meeting provisions of the Sunshine Act, except for their actual deliberations during appeals. Interestingly, there is no record that Thompson was directed to contact the Court. When asked to explain this apparent discrepancy, Attorney Thompson declined comment, directing all inquiries to Zoning Chair Constantine "Gus" Loupos. Attempts to reach Mr. Loupos have been unsuccessful.

In Thompson's missive to Judge Smith, he complains about "several negative" news accounts. He grumbles that the Planning Commission "chastised the Zoning Hearing Board in public for this decision." He even laments that a proposed ZHB expansion, from three to five members, is a "manipulation" stemming from dissatisfaction over the Elias decision.

During a lengthy Planning Commission meeting on August 18, Elias Market did agree to give Bethlehem Planners additional time to review the proposed business expansion. But at no time did any planners offer any derogatory remarks about the ZHB. Neither Attorney Thompson nor any zoner attended that meeting.

Bethelehem City Council is considering a proposal to expand the ZHB from three to five members. But it has nothing to do with the Elias zoning appeal. Council President Robert Donchez first floated the idea in January 2008, long before the Elias matter. In fact, Donchez advocated increasing the size of the ZHB when he himself was a member of that body.

Attorney David Backenstoe, who represents Bethlehem homeowners in this zoning appeal, declined all comment.

Below is Mickey's Epistle to Judge Edward:
Thompson to Judge Smith Letter 2010-09-17
Photo Credit: Public portion of Mickey Thompson's Facebook page. Ladies, he's not just a lawyer, but a model, too!

The Eye of Mordor is Fixed on Bethlehem Area School District

The relentless and fiery glare of the Eye of Mordor - Morning Call columnist and blogger Bill White prefers that title - is currently fixed on the top administrative salaries at Bethlehem Area School District. Here's the top ten.

Joseph Lewis, superintendent, $164,800.
Stanley J. Majewski Jr., assistant superintendent for finance and administration, $130,223.
Robert Gross, assistant superintendent for human resources, $123,488.
Richard Agretto, director of special education, $123,572.
Robin Lutcher, director of information technologies, $112,793.
Dean Donaher, director of special programs and athletics, $105,493.
Joann Durante, Liberty principal, $104,293.
Mike LaPorta, Freedom principal, $104,293.
Scott Gilliland, director of facilities and operations, $103,086.
Thomas Washington, director of student services, $102,588.

It's almost as much as a blogger, and still lower than most plumbers.

Bill White Casts Public Spotlight on Possible "Pay to Play" Scheme at BHA

Nearly a month ago, I told you about the latest shenanigans at Bethlehem's Housing Authority (BHA). It plans on rejecting the advice of a $35,000 consultant to select a politically-connected energy savings contractor. BHA member Joe Long just happens to chair the local Dems.

The Morning Call's Bill White has published an excellent two-part exposé, shedding light on what increasingly appears to be a "pay to play" scheme.

A frustrated Larry Kisslinger, who had resigned from BHA a few months earlier, had this to say to Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan. "Bible says: the more you know, the more you worry ... and ... I worry a lot for you and BHA! Go figure!"

Today, at 4 PM, the BHA made its decision. Did it go with the outfit recommended by its own consultant? Or did it pick the Democratic campaign contributor?

Update: The Express Times reports the Bethlehem Housing Authority, in a 3-2 vote, went with Ameresco, the outfit recommended by its own consultant. Happy ending for good government. Lousy ending for Boss Long.
Update 2: The Morning Call also has a well-written account of the 4 PM meeting.

Pay to Play at BHA: Campaign Finance Reform Needed

Yesterday, I told you Bethlehem's Housing Authority (BHA) will soon award a lucrative energy savings contract to an outfit whose owner has given obscene amounts of money to Democrats seeking higher office. It will ignore its own staff and a paid consultant, who advised them to give the deal to someone else.

Such is the power of money in Pennsylvania politics. It's legal bribery, and it's rampant.

"So basically you'd be happy if those who donate to Dems don't get any public business?" That's what one commenter asked. No, I happen to be a Democrat. But we've reached a melting point. Wealthy developers, lawyers, engineers and prospective contractors know campaign contributions help their bottom line. They spread money and get noticed. Others, who don't have thousands of dollars, are ignored. Orwell's warning rings true - some animals are more equal than others.

Money has become so important to pols that even locally elected officials never stop fundraising. Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan is a prime example. He was just sworn into office for his first four-year term on January 3, 2006. Yet last year, in an off year, his campaign raised over $13,000.00. He didn't get that money from bake sales and car washes. Most of it came from lawyers, developers and prospective contractors. Tom Beach, executive VP of Conshohoken engineering firm Remington & Vernick, kicked in $1,000. Do you honestly think he gives one Philly cheesesteak about Bethlehem?

Pennsylvania has no limit on how much anyone can contribute to or spend in a political campaign. And although both pols and vendors deny a connection, any cursory examination of local campaign finance reports will reveal the same players, and guess who is always rewarded with contracts, jobs and tax concessions. Coincidence? Office seekers are so busy raising money, they have no time to interact with voters. Our campaign finance laws need reform. Here are a few ideas.

First, we should consider contribution limits. Home Rule governments like Northampton and Lehigh County have a right to impose these restrictions. Are any candidates for county office willing to study this kind of legislation?

Second, we must eliminate "pay to play" abuse. It's already led to two years in Club Fed when Michael Solomon, as a Norco official, was shaking down county contractors. Individuals who contribute to county candidates, for example, should be barred for one or two years from seeking no-bid contracts with the county. Philadelphia has recently adopted legislation directed at eliminating this shady practice.

Third, we need to experiment with "clean elections." How do they work? A candidate collects a number of small dollar qualifying contributions ($5 or $10), agrees to strict spending limits, and refuses further private money. Her campaign will then be publicly funded. Participation is voluntary, so no one can claim an unconstitutional infringement on free speech. This enables elected officials to concentrate on issues instead of endless fundraising.

Fourth, campaign finance reports should be more accessible and better explained. In the last primary, for example, there was a bitter four-way battle for the seat ultimately won by state rep Joe Brennan. Although campaign finance was a hot issue in that race, reports were unavailable online until after the election was over, when it no longer mattered. That is unacceptable. Reports for those seeking local seats should also be available online. Let's face it. Without online access, it's nearly impossible for a working person to follow the money. And those local elections are often more meaningful than anything on the state level. How much money do you think KOZ King Abe Atiyeh has given to local candidates in the Lehigh Valley? I see his name everywehere, but it's impossible to tell without taking each report and manually adding the sums. That system must change.

Finally, those reports should have detailed explanations when a candidate spends money on himself. In December, Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan gave himself $3,600 for "political travel" and "miscellaneous expenses" during an off-election year. Is it that expensive to drive in Bethlehem? And what kind of expenses are Callahan spending on himself when his next election is three years away? I think we're entitled to better itemization instead of an expense that raises more questions than it answers.

Bethlehem: The Best Democracy Money Can Buy!

Last week, the Express Times told us that Bethlehem's Housing Authority (BHA) wants energy-efficiency upgrades that will reduce both utility bills and global warming. That's good news. Who can complain about that?

Me.

Let me explain what's going on. The Guaranteed Energy Savings Act allows a municipal body like BHA to borrow money to hire an approved energy consultant to reduce energy costs. The debt is funded from the money saved on utility bills. If no savings are realized, nothing has to be paid.

In principle, this sounds very good. But in practice, Bethlehem is perverting a good idea for political purposes.

Eighteen firms are state-certified for energy savings contracts, including Allentown's DMJMHarris. But the only firms seriously considered for a $7 million BHA energy savings plan were North Carolina's Ameresco and Pittsburgh's CLT Efficient Technologies. Given the amount of money involved, I'd expect to see more than two companies interested. This lack of competition might be troubling, but BHA had already paid Enlightened Energy Consultants, to recommend the best outfit for this energy savings deal. Their recommendation? Ameresco. It currently has fourteen public housing clients. It's experienced.

But last Monday, BHA chair Dave "Lumpy" Sanders had no interest in this recommendation. He had already made up his mind. When the resolution to approve the contract came up on the agenda, Sanders immediately asked that the contract be awarded directly to CLT, the second highest scorer. Commissioner Joe Long, who chairs the local Democratic party and is notorious for back-room deals, seconded this motion. They had no interest in their own staff's recommendation!

An Ameresco rep, sitting in the peanut gallery, asked and was permitted to address the authority. He raised enough questions about the contract that the other BHA commissioners, Paul Reitmeier and George Samuelson, voted against awarding the contract to CLT.

The decision to award the contract to CLT was defeated by a 2 to 2 vote. Commissioner Iris Linares, a member of the Democratic state committee and the deciding third vote, was absent. Had she been present, the contract would have been awarded to CLT. And when she shows up for a second vote in May, that's what will happen.

Here's why. CLT's owner, Charles Zappala, is heavily connected to the state Democratic party and isn't afraid to throw his money around. Since 1997, he's contributed over $90,000 to Democrats seeking federal office. He's donated a whopping $208,000 since 2000 to mostly Democratic candidates seeking state office. Beneficiaries of his largess include indicted state senator Vince Fumo ($44,000) and the Guv, Ed Rendell ($25,000). Now gee, why would a dude from Pittsburgh be giving money to two boys from Philly?

Wait. It gets better.

On September 29, 2005, Zappala picked up the $652 catering bill for some event in honor of Lehigh County exec Don Cunningham. That same day, Zappala and his wife each kicked in another $2,500. Do you honestly think this Pittsburgh gazillionaire is just interested in good local government, far from his own home? Has Zappala also contributed to Bethlehem Mayor Callahan's campaigns? I don't know. I'll be checking.

Zappala does spread his money locally, and it seems to pay off. In Pittsburgh, his firm was one of just two companies considered for an energy savings deal. Guess who just got the deal? CLT. Zappala had contributed $10,000 in the Pittsburgh mayoral race, and another $500 to a city council campaign.

Funny thing. Zappala is neither a populist nor an environmentalist. His investment firm has interests in large waste treatment facilities in largely black and poor Chester, Pa. In 1997, a federal court concluded that the concentration of so many waste facilities in one area constitutes environmental racism.

I've been informed that board members have already received calls telling them to vote for CLT in May. "It's what the Mayor wants." Aside from an obvious Sunshine Act violation, it begs the question whether Mayor John Callahan is really looking out for Bethlehem or Democratic campaign coffers.

Isn't this just the latest example of "pay to play" under our archaic campaign finance laws? It occurs under the radar, largely unnoticed, especially on the local level. But it's destroying our democracy. A nonlocal moneybag like Zappala becomes far more influential than Bethlehem's own residents.

Whistleblower Larry Kisslinger Calls it Quits at Bethlehem Housing Authority

Bethlehem Housing Authority Commissioner Larry Kisslinger is a good government watchdog. He blew the whistle when its chair, Joe Long, insisted on conducting back room meetings that violated the Sunshine Act.

That whistle has been silenced.

Kisslinger resigned at the end of Monday's meeting, frustrated by an unresponsive leadership unwilling to face a growing need for affordable housing. South side Bethlehem, we all know, is the planned location for a new casino. And as it gentrifies into "a haven for yuppies with lattes," BHA's affordable housing plan appears to be this - move to Allentown, bippy! Although BHA sits on over $8 million in cash reserves, Kisslinger claims it has no new housing plans for folks with low incomes.

In an email, Kisslinger tells us this.

"During the last two years of, term limited, Chairman Joe Long, and Vice Chairman Dave Sanders' tenure, I have only received a grand total of a half dozen calls or so, about BHA's future plans to service the low-to-moderate income folks within our community. Most of the calls were simply 'personal attacks' on my character and integrity. Long and Sanders merely changed positions at today's meeting with newly appointed Commissioner Ms. Iris Linares supporting their positions."

Kisslinger was supported by Paul Reitmeir, the only commissioner who actually resides in BHA housing. Let's take a quick look at the other three housing commissioners - Joe Long, Dave "Lumpy" Sanders and Iris Linares.

Iris Linares, BHA's newest commissioner, was just confirmed by city council on December 19. She's a Democratic state committee member. She's a secretary at the Peter Angelos law firm, which just happens to employ appointed Northampton County Councilman Lamont McClure. Peter Angelos is a major Democratic campaign contributor whose control in Maryland is so legendary that legislation is actually called "Angelos' bills." Linares herself is a frequent Democratic contributor. Somehow, she and her husband were able to cough up $1440 for Ed O'Brien's congressional campaign in 2000. That's a lot of money to be coming from one secretary!

Joe Long, BHA's new vice chair, chairs the Northampton County Dems. He's been implicated in nearly every bad instance of bad government occurring in Northampton County over the past few years, from his violations of the Sunshine Act at the BHA to his own election as party chair, which miraculously occurred five days before certificates of election were actually mailed to elected committeemen.

Dave "Lumpy" Sanders, BHA's new chair, is one of those perennial candidates for public office. He was most recently rejected by the Bethlehem School Board. Less than a year ago, he was upset when a citizen disclosed, during a city council meeting, where Bethlehem pols got campaign dough. As Lumpy sees things, our poor politicians already work too hard. He thinks we must support city council members instead of scrutinizing their every vote. This yes man is BHA's new chair.

Is it me, or don't you think Bethlehem could do just a little better than this?

Update:Kisslinger's resignation is reported today both in The Express Times and Morning Call.

Norco Dem Chair Joe Long Promotes Government in the Dark

Joe Long, who chairs Northampton County's Democratic Party, is rated among the worst by PoliticsPa. "Joe Long has become a curse!" I agree. His basic problem? He's one of those who prefers smoke-filled back rooms to an open and accessible government. You can see this in his actions as Norco Dem Chair and as chair of the Bethlehem Housing Authority. He prefers Democrats to democrats.

His own reelection as local party chair is questionable. He was elected by committeemen chosen in the last primary. But his election occurred five days before certificates of election were actually mailed to the elected committeemen. And some elected committeemen were thus denied the opportunity to cast a vote for someone else. He was not democratically elected.

Long was part of the back-room deal that resulted in the appointment of Democrats Lamont McClure and Tony Branco to Northampton County Council, a violation of the state's Sunshine Act.

When I challenged Wally G, aka Walter Garvin, on a WGPA talk radio show over his dual involvement as Democratic area chair and local elections commission chair, it was Joe Long who immediately called the show to proclaim it's perfectly OK for a partisan party officer to head an elections commission. Garvin has since resigned his party positions.

And now, thanks to The Morning Call, we know that the Bethlehem Housing Authority is planning a private meeting tomorrow with Congressman Charlie Dent, a "clear violation" of the Sunshine Act in the view of both a media lawyer and the Authority's own solicitor. An email that BHA Commissioner Larry Kisslinger has sent to a large audience reveals Long as a chronic Sunshine Act offender.

In Kisslinger's own words,

"Chairman Long insisted that 'all' BHA commissioners shall be at the meeting with Congressman Dent, thereby, violating the Sunshine Law, in my opinion. Chairman Long in concert with BHA Executive Director Clara Kendy, has had many similar meetings in the past, repeatedly, ignoring my advice to the contrary....ie. audit reports, budget discussions, and the like. Regarding all said meetings, I have no idea if Chairman Long, and/or BHA Executive Director Clara Kendy ever sought the advice of our BHA Solicitor while doing so...but if he or she did so...and was approved by Solicitor....was wrong advice, in my strong opinion...as I always advised Chairman Long & others to no avail...he is Chairman and we all must listen, is all we are advised by Mr Long."

Kisslinger's email is a violation of a Long policy that bars other commission members from discussing their jobs without first getting his clearance. "Chairman Long ... declares that "any and all" communications from me and any other Commissioners "MUST FIRST CLEAR" any and all communications with him, and/or, our Executive Director, BEFORE any Commisssioner can ever communicate anything to anybody on the planet."
I'd like to know how many junkets Joe Long has taken as BHA chair at taxpayer expense. Long represents everything that is wrong, not with Democrats, but all politicians. He stands for government behind closed doors, and that's where democracy dies. According to the BHA website, commissioners serve at the will of the Mayor. If this is really so, it's time for Mayor Callahan to get rid of this troublemaker. Local Dems should dump him, too.

Update: Dent Refuses to Be Part of Sunshine Act Violation

Late this afternoon, Congressman Dent's office contacted yours truly to let us all know that Charlie Dent will gladly meet with executive director Clara Kendy, the only person he was scheduled to meet with in the first place. He won't be meeting Long or any other BHA commissioners. Dent has made the right call. He had every right to assume that a public board follows the law, and in any event, had no idea that the entire BHA was descending upon him. After reading that the entire BHA plans to appear, Dent has made clear he refuses to be a willing participant in a Sunshine Act violation.

I wonder if Joe Long can borrow some signs from the Dent Nine.

Free the Long Five!