In September, Northampton County Controller Steve Barron was publicly censured after hinting at some kind of government retaliation against T-Mobile, a non-union company that refused to meet with him, Allentown City Council Prez Mike D'Amore and a union rep. He has never apologized for his remarks. One thing Barron has done is ingratiate himself with every union in a 50-mile radius. He's injected himself headfirst into the Gracedale dispute, where he sat with unions at several judicial hearings, busily passing notes to their lawyers.
Although he thought nothing of devoting his time as Controller to AFSCME, he was outraged at the activities of a County law firm specifically authorized by a County Council resolution "to facilitate and expedite all issues that will result in the alternate ownership (sale/lease) of Gracedale." You see, they talked to me. They edited my Complaint before I filed it. They even forwarded a spreadsheet the County no longer needed.
Instead of talking to anyone in the Stoffa administration, Barron immediately went to the press and union lawyers. Next thing I know, Gracedale lawyer Larry Otter starts screaming about Bonusgate, tells Channel 69 that people might be going to jail and makes at least two requests for a criminal investigation. Last, but not least, he files multiple motions for attorney fees, surcharges, injunctions and the death penalty.
Ron Angle finally confronted Barron, who made the mistake of appearing at a Finance Committee hearing.
"You want to bad mouth Mr. Stoffa? I never seen him take a nickel from anybody he shouldn't take a nickel from. But you take that money and you want to make comments to the newspapers that there's something wrong because Eckert Seamans made four telephone calls to me, to update me on the sale? Are you saying that was wrong?"
Not only did Barron have no answer, but he eventually walked away from the podium.
Having ingratiated himself with the Gracedale unions, he's apparently decided to give up being Controller and is acting as their union agent. At yesterday's Personnel Committee, Angle accused Barron of "stirring up the pot" over there. "He's now over screaming Gracedale is full of asbestos and the employees there are getting sick," said Angle who claims Barron is now a "waterboy for the unions."
Public Works Director Steve DeSalva told Council that the County takes a very "proactive" approach to asbestos complaint and has conducted between 50-100 tests. He assured Council nobody has been exposed to asbestos.
Unsatisfied wannabe union agent Barron has reportedly complained to the EPA. In fact, this supposed Controller of finances wants the County to establish a fund for sick AFSCME workers.
"Is there any truth to the accusations being made?" asked Council member Tom Dietrich.
"I don't know because I don't know what the accusations are," answered DeSalva.
When Executive John Stoffa was asked about Barron's claims, he declined to discuss it publicly, and Council conducted an Executive session.
But Angle is furious, and has called Barron "the most dangerous person in public office in the Lehigh Valley."
