Gilbert Attends Committee Hearings

It's been a rough few days for Bruce Gilbert. Some speculated he'd disappear for awhile. But yesterday, when Northampton County's Personnel Committee met at 4 PM, he was there. He remained for the Finance Committee Meeting that immediately followed, although the Express Times reports that he's decided to resign from that and focus on Ron Angle's Long-Range Planning Committee.

Despite Financial History, Gilbert Certain He'll Be Confirmed

At a hastily called news conference late yesterday afternoon, Northampton County Council member Bruce Gilbert addressed concerns about his qualifications to serve as the County's new Fiscal Affair Director. Nominated by Executive John Stoffa earlier this month, Gilbert is scheduled for confirmation by Council on Thursday. But questions about his personal finances were raised in an Easton Patch column just a few hours earlier.

During the news conference, Gilbert explained the details of seven small judgments filed against him between 1988 and 2007. He also discussed bad check charges filed in 2003, as well as a 2001 citation for failure to pay EIT in Palmer Township, where he resides.

In the case of two credit card companies who filed judgments in 1988 and 2007, Gilbert's explanation is that interest rates went up, and he fought the extra fees. But there is no record of any Answer or other pleading in which he raises this defense. In an earlier conversation, he claimed to have never owned a credit card, but one of the judgments is only against him.

He blamed accountants for a $9,895.57 federal tax lien filed in 2002, as well as the 2001 EIT citation.

A $12,360.30 judgment by Ford Motor Company, filed in 2005, is the result of an excessive leasing fee that Gilbert claims he still disputes. Yet he filed no appeal.

According to Gilbert, the bad check charges were the result of someone stealing his checkbook from his unlocked car, and passing checks at numerous local businesses. Yet, in response to a question from Easton Patch editor Tom Coombe, Gilbert admits he never filed a police report. "I ended up paying that. When you work in that industry, you can't have that," explained Gilbert.

"Is it financially responsible to leave your checkbook in a car?" asked a reporter.

"It's supposed to be locked. Let's put it that way."

"So that's an indication of financial irresponsibility, correct?" continued the reporter.

"No, It's not. It's completely irrelevant. It has no impact on the ability to be the Director of Fiscal Affairs."

Unless you leave a County checkbook in the car.

According to Gilbert, publication of his financial troubles has only "intensified" his support from other Council members. He told The Express Times' Sarah Cassi he's "certain" he has five votes. In response to further questioning, he said he was unsure he had the support of Council's two Democrats. He later conceded he has not asked 5 Council members directly whether they will vote for him, but he has a "good enough commitment or understanding" that he will get five. He added he is "supremely confident" and will move "full speed ahead," even if he lacks the requisite support by Thursday.

Other County officials tell a different story. Gilbert does have the support of Council Prez John Cusick, who wants to replace Gilbert with someone he can control. He can also count on Council member Barb Thierry. But Democrats Lamont McClure and Ann McHale are solid Nos, as is Northampton County Bulldog Ron Angle. The rest are wavering.

The Morning Call's Peter Hall has a third version of how the votes will do down. (Yes - Cusick, Thierry, Dietrich; Leaning No - Ferraro and McClure; Undecided - Angle; Unavailable - Dowd and McHale).

It's never easy predicting how Northampton County Council will vote, but my guess is Bruce is toast.

If Gilbert's intention in calling yesterday's news conference was to reassure people about his ability to manage County finances, it's safe to say he might just have made them even more concerned.

Patch: Dark Clouds Over Gilbert Appointment

Easton Patch details some serious problems - from passing bad checks to credit card judgments - with Bruce Gilbert's appointment as Northampton County's new Director of Finance. If he is unable to manage his own finances, can he be trusted with a $300 million County budget?

I sat on this story for over a week, hoping that Gilbert would realize that he's just not right for this job. Instead, he used the time to solidify his support among Council Republicans.

It's certainly true that Gilbert's Republican colleagues owe him some loyalty. It hurt me to write that Patch column because I know Bruce is a good man and consider him a friend. But primary loyalty should always be to the taxpayer. This is a bad appointment in an area where no mistakes can be tolerated.

Bruce Gilbert Nominated to Head NorCo Fiscal Affairs

Executive John Stoffa has just nominated Northampton County Council member Bruce Gilbert to take over Fiscal Affairs. Gilbert was first elected in a Republican sweep of County Council races in 2009 and currently serves as Finance Chair on Council. He is employed in the banking industry and is an MBA.

Bruce is a former player on a Wayne Grube championship football team. Now his sons are playing at Notre Dame.

Norco Council Takes Another $25k From Cookie Jar

If you give legislators a pile of dough and don't watch them, they're gonna' spend it. That's exactly what has happened to Northampton County Council's contingency fund. Originally set up for unforeseen emergencies requiring quick action, like empty food banks or a sinkhole requiring immediate action, Council members have perverted it into a source for annual grants to their pals.

Late last year, Tom Dietrich, who happens to be a volunteer fireman and an EMT, wanted to spend $50,000 for five chest compression devices at Bethlehem Township's Volunteer Fire Company. Worthy cause or not, it's no sudden emergency. At the time, I questioned whether Dietrich was just trying to ingratiate himself with his EMT pals. His proposal failed 6-3, with only Lamont McClure and Ann McHale joining him.

This failure is the exception. More often than not, Council members use this fund to show off with your money. The most egregious abuse of this fund occurred in 2008, when Ann McHale proposed giving Easton's State Theatre more than the $25,000 requested for a marquee. Eyeing a bid for County Exec, McHale was trying to ingratiate herself with the high rollers and country-club types who fund this rich man's charity.

There's never any sudden push to give the money to the Salvation Army.

Last year, when Angle cobbled together a budget, he trimmed the contingency fund from its usual $250-500k to just $100,000. That should make Council members think twice about raiding this cookie jar, right? Also, the new Republicans on Council were going to end this foolishness, right?

Wrong. In December, it was Dietrich, the candidate who promised the League of Women Voters he'd end "corporate welfare with taxpayers’ dollars, and political paybacks, etc."

Now it's Bruce Gilbert's turn. In December, like Dietrich, Gilbert wanted $50,000 from the contingency fund for The Butterfly House, a new transitional living center in Easton for female jail inmates. "You give them their life back," argued Gilbert, noting this would reduce recidivism and save money.

He's right, too. But is this some sudden emergency?

This proposal might have passed anyway, but was tabled because Council members had concerns about founder Anne Houston's previous public statement that the center would run independent of taxpayer dollars. There were also some zoning concerns.

Last week, Houston was back, and this time, they gave her $25,000 in seed money, with another $25,000 to come down the road. It passed 7 to 1, with Ron Angle being the sole No vote and VP Peg Ferraro off on vacation somewhere. Asked about zoning, Houston assured everyone that she already had a certificate of occupancy.

Here's what was discovered the following day.

1) Houston does have a certificate of occupancy, but it's for two apartments. She does not have zoning approval for a treatment center, and some neighbors are understandably concerned.

2) Houston is using the money to pay her salary and other operating expenses, not for improvements to the property.

3) Houston is daughter to the late Charles Spaziani, a distinguished and politically connected attorney.

4) Houston is married to a tipstaff at the Courthouse.

5) The Houstons and Gilberts are apparently on very friendly terms, and those terms are probably more friendly now.

I bashed Dietrich before and am bashing Gilbert now. But I have to add myself to the mix. I was irritated with Wayne Grube when he opposed the use of contingency funds for Nazareth's skate park but he was right. A contingency fund, to the extent it exists at all, should be limited to real emergencies.

Correction: Houston is not married to the tipstaff, but to his son.Updated 11:10 AM, Angle Press Conference, 2 PM: Anne Houston's Butterfly House, located at 134-144 E. Nesquehoning Street in Easton, is owned by UAM Episcopal Church of Easton. According to Preston McMillian at that church, there is no lease. It's "in negotiation. we're discussing that right now."

Northampton County Council just gave $25,000 to a woman who has no real interest in the property, but who has the right connections.

Democrat Grucela Praises Republican Gilbert

"Wayne would be proud of you."

It's about the biggest compliment that State Rep. Rich Grucela could give someone. You see, Wayne Grube was more than a great Easton High School football coach, powerful County Council President, or legislative aide to Rich Grucela. He was also his closest friend, and I think Wayne's sudden passing is the real reason why Rich decided to give up his House seat.

But that's the very first thing Democrat Rich Grucela said to Republican Bruce Gilbert yesterday as he approached the podium at the tail end of a 2 1/2 hour County Council budget hearing. Bruce played football for one of Wayne's championship Easton teams. "He was a good student, too," teacher Rich whispered to me later in the meeting.

Grucela was complimenting Gilbert, not because he shares his ideology, but because he respects and admires the work ethic and civility this freshman Council member brings to Northampton County Council.

In a time when partisanship rules, it's refreshing to see this unexpected display of bipartisanship from my state representative.

Rich, it looks like you're still teaching.

Is Bruce Gilbert a Racist?

At Wednesday afternoon's meeting of Northampton County Council's Personnel Committee, the County Exec's choice for Human Services Director went through the wringer. Morning Call reporter Michael Duck, who has an excellent account about that meeting, likened it to a firing squad. Patricia Ann Siemiontkowski, a Kintersville attorney who once served as an Allentown Assistant Solicitor, survived this gauntlet, even managing to smile. When it was over, I'd say she had seen the worst of it, and expected to see her Thursday night confirmation by a full Council, go off without a hitch. But this is Northampton County, baby, where nothing is over until it's over.

Council member John Cusick played prosecuting attorney on Wednesday, peppering Siemiontkowski about her involvement in Mayor Afflerbach's idiotic police pension agreement that pretty much ruined Allentown financially. What did she know and when did she know it? As it developed, she had "counseled strongly" against it, believing it would cause the City to go bankrupt. It's "one of the reasons I decided to leave the City," she concluded.

Cusick bought it. "Roy Afflerbach not taking good legal advice would not be a surprise," he snarked.

Siemiontkowski was also queried about her lack of human resources accreditations, but her legal skills and public sector experience appeared to outweigh those concerns.

Council Prez Ron Angle told her she is a "notch above" what is required.

Things were looking good.

But at last night's County Council meeting, where Siemiontkowski was unanimously confirmed, things suddenly got a little dicey.

Penny Himel, Frances Ketchen and other members of Easton NAACP were there as part of an African American committee, who had their own candidate. They were kind enough to give me her resume, and it is very impressive. Unlike Siemiontkowski, this candidate does have direct Human Resources experience. But she also has no legal experience in the field and no public sector background.

Diminutive Frances Ketchens, addressing Council in a pink sweatsuit, was quite forceful. "The African American community is not satisfied with what's going on." She mentioned that when she walks through the halls of the Northampton County Courthouse, she sees few faces like her own. "We'd like some answers."

When Council Prez Angle suggested she make an appointment to see Stoffa, she declined, saying she had met with him enough. "It's time to act," she declared.

She also rejected the notion that Council just votes on the Executive's nominee. "You vote. We vote, too."

Them's fightin' words.

County Exec John Stoffa told Council, "I think you have the most qualified candidate." Of 38 applications, Stoffa acknowledged that the candidate selected by the African American committee was one of the top three, "but I don't think she was the top candidate. She did not have public experience at all. ... I think I have given you the best candidate that we have found in that group of people."

Bruce Gilbert, Northampton County's first black Council member, was the first name called tonight to vote on Siemiontkowski. He voted for her, and the rest of Council followed suit.

Will "Glenn Beck Show" Appearance Help or Hurt Bruce Gilbert?

According to Sarah Cassi, the show airs on Friday at 5 PM. I don't watch TV, so I miss all the talking heads.

Already, a Racist Slur at NorCo's First Black Councilman

In recent months, I've managed to upload 206 of the worst video clips you'll ever see on YouTube. I'm certainly no cameraman, and sometimes get dizzy watching them because my hand shakes so much. As poorly as they are done, they do show local government and pols in action.

Three of these clips capture Northampton County Councilman-elect Bruce Gilbert, who happens to be the first black person elected to county office. Now he is without question the most brilliant man I've heard in this election cycle, but he's also the lousiest politician. It's a miracle he was elected.

Now Gilbert is very conservative and very Republican, so I guess it must be OK to make racist remarks about him. Someone posted a bigoted remark attacking both Gilbert and his children. "Look at this Uncle Tom negro. No wonder his kids are so whitewashed and are grateful for slavery. I bet he is even accepted into the KKK. His kids sure are (or wish they were!)."

I mention this for two reasons. First, racism is alive and well in the Lehigh Valley. Second, many people feel that racist slurs are entirely appropriate when their victim is conservative.

We need more Bruce Gilberts and fewer bigots.

Defined Benefit v. Defined Contribution Pension Plans

Pension costs take huge chunks out of municipal budgets. Allentown's three pension funds have tanked in the past two years, leaving taxpayers to make up the difference. Northampton County is no different. In his 2010 Budget message, County Exec John Stoffa warns that "[c]ounty-wide retirement related costs (retirement and retiree healthcare) are expected to rise from $13.1 million in 2009 to $19.9 million in 2010, an increase of $6.8 million (52%)."

Anyone working for Northampton County gets free medical care for the rest of his life after retiring. Pretty nice perk, eh? Stoffa, aware of how this drives up cost, has asked County Council to consider eliminating the new perk for new hires. He was flatly shot down by the same Council members who now shriek about the proposed 9.3% tax hike. A year ago, when Council member Ron Angle warned colleagues that the retirement fund needed a big cash infusion, he was ignored.

So how do Northampton County Council candidates feel about defined-benefit pensions? Municipal retirees currently receive pensions based on some formula regardless of the economic conditions. The risk is on the government's shoulders. This is unlike a defined-contribution plan, in which that pension is more dependent on the economic conditions and the markets, placing the risk on the employee. Should defined benefits be replaced with defined contributions, which is what increasingly is occurring in the private sector?

Lorraine Pasquali: "Obviously, the County has the taxpayers to answer to so defunding of the pension plans really needs to go along with the county budget and should be directed that way rather than private sector profit margins."

Obviously, Pasquale has no clue what she's talking about, and just tried to sling baloney sandwiches. This will happen when she attends no meetings despite having no job.

Charles Dertinger (see video here): "Just like every other pension fund out there, it's invested ... most of the money is invested ... and our investments, just like everyone else's, has seen shortfalls. And the only difference is that we have a certain period of time to make up those shortfalls unlike other pension funds that can just simply go defunct. ...

"We have a significant fund balance. We have a significant surplus in our rainy day fund. That's where the money has been coming from presently. It's been coming from that rainy day fund."

The rainy day fund again. First, Dertinger is using it to balance the budget. Now, he's using it to contribute to the pension fund. Incidentally, his assertion that the rainy day fund is already being used for the pension fund will be news to the Stoffa administration.

Like his protege, Pasquali, Dertinger has no idea what he is talking about, not even mentioning defined contribution plans. He's only marginally more adept at serving up bullshit burgers.

Bruce Gilbert: (see video here) "In a defined contribution plan, the employee gets to decide what percentage of their income is going to go into their retirement plan. They can do that based on their household budget. In a defined benefit plan, what happens is that based on your tenure, within that said organization, you are given a defined benefit, usually up until you pass away, and/or including if you want to pass it on to your spouse.

"Now if you look at the legacy problems that companies like GM are having, and if you look at the revenue that would be saved if they did not have that as an outstanding debt, and think about who is the largest employer currently in our local area, that would be the County.

"Imagine, in a time where we see lower revenues based upon lower values of property, and state funds that are going to be lower coming in, and imagine the largest employer continuing to put people out who are going to have a defined benefit that we must pay for.

"If you allow the individual, by empowering them, to save on their own, not only will they have that retirement plan for themselves, but you will take much of the burden off of the County."

Gilbert, in this single answer, demonstrates why he deserves a seat on County Council. At least he understands the issue.

Republican Candidates for Northampton County Council

Jeff Stoffa is a whirlwind of energy and is the person who shot the video clips I posted for Democratic Northampton County Council candidates. But even Jeff is unable to be in two places at once. So I apologize for the lack of video clips, but know enough about these candidates to rate them.

1) Peg Ferraro - everybody's mom - is far and away the best of this crop of candidates. As a matter of full disclosure, I must tell you that she and her late husband, Dominic, were close friends with my mom and dad. When they became ill, Peg often came down to Hellertown from Nazareth with all kinds of food.

Peg, whose personal style is nonconfrontational, has nevertheless become a forceful voice. When Council voted to ask its Human Resources Director to resign, Peg refused to participate in the attempted assassination. "This is not in our purview and I feel this is inappropriate. I've been around here since 1989 and I think there have been more problems with Directors of Human Resources than any other job here. It's not an easy job and it's not easy to please everyone. I just feel this is inappropriate." Although she called a proposed $75,000 passenger rail study "visionary," she urged fellow Council members to wait. "I don't feel the timing is right. . . . We should hold off on this for a few months until we see that the economic stimulus package comes into being, if the financial markets get a little better, where our pension fund is. I just feel that we should hold off on this for three, four, five months." She urged council to hold off on trying to appoint a solicitor with only eight members, and was proved right.

Peg provides very candid responses to questions posed in The Express Times Voter's Guide. She supports the bi-county health department and believes that more drug and alcohol counseling will actually reduce county costs in the long run. As far as partisan bickering goes, she has always maintained that "[o]nce the election is over, all parties must forget labels and work together. In my years on County Council there have been years where differences of opinion were just that and not personal attacks."

2) John Cusick, County Council's workhorse. In his three years on council, Cusick has dedicated himself to county business. He attends more committee meetings than any other council member. He has used vacation days to attend County Commissioners Association of Pa (CCAP) meetings and even attends classes at the Academy for Excellence in County Government. The result has been a very informed council member.

You can see this in the specific answers he provides to The Express Times Voter's Guide. He'd like to consolidate the Department of Human Services into one office building, preferably located in the City of Easton. He lobbies the state for adequate funding of mandated programs. He advocates using state contracts for purchases.

You can read more about Cusick, a 42 year-old schoolteacher from Williams Township, at his web page. Bi-partisan, he halted an executive campaign when he heard Stoffa was running.

3) Jane Mellert, the meek. "Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land." Last week, I made the mistake of telling Mellert she is too meek for the hardball politics of Northampton County Council. She glared at me and told me to look up the definition. I did and there's actually two. Meek is defined as "easily imposed on; submissive." But it's also defined as "showing patience and humility; gentle." I have a feeling that a fist of iron is inside her velvet glove.

Mellert began attending county council meetings several months ago and even attends committee meetings. She obviously does her homework. She also maintains a detailed campaign blog detailing her twenty years of experience as both elected official and municipal employee in Plainfield Township.

Raised on a dairy farm, she should have no trouble dealing with the bullshit coming from Council.

Mellert has spent money for campaign signs.

4) Barb Thiery, the dark horse. Not much is known about Bushkill Township Planning Commissioner Barb Thiery. She's trying to change that with campaign signs. But in Bushkill Township, she owned and managed commercial and rental properties, supervising 38 employees. Here's what she tells The Express Times Voter's Guide:

"Very young in life I learned the value of earning and stretching a dollar. As a young married couple with 2 children there was just enough, and that was with multiple jobs between us. We simply did not buy what we could not pay for. It was a cash only time, and a no frills way of life, but I would not change a thing. Some years later we were able to purchase the first of many properties with our own money, a $15,000.00 retirement fund. It was a commercial building, purchased for me to operate my business. Within a few months my husband opened our second business. Through proper planning and common sense spending, I learned to make a budget work for me. Within a few years, between growing the business to 38 employees and making smart and timely purchases we ended up with a total of 9 commercials rentals, 11 apartments and 2 large warehouses. After 20 years we were debt free and retired. I have the skills needed to work through a budget. I would be a fresh addition to Council."

I agree.

5) Bruce Gilbert, the MBA. Bruce is a former player on a Wayne Grube championship football team and successful banking executive. He would be Northampton County's first ever black council member. But the only times I've ever seen him are the two times he applied for appointments to council vacancies.

Ive been told that Gilbert is possibly the most qualified of all the candidates, Democrat or Republican. But he sure is a lousy politician. He's made no effort to tell the community about himself. He also failed to participate in The Express Times Voter's Guide. He does provide some details to the LWV.

6) Tom Dietrich, the Hellertonian who unsuccessfully challenged Ann "Nice Guys Finish Last" McHale last year, is in the fray again. He has a web page, but I haven't seen him at a council meeting for some time. He tells the LWV he'd like to eradicate the "unprofessional conduct" in county government with better customer service and professional responsibility. Like Gilbert, he failed to participate in The Express Times Voter's Guide. Unlike Gilbert, he has no MBA.