Joe Kelly: Kids Matter More Than Politics

Joe Kelly

Bethlehem's former DCED Director, Joe Kelly, is now working for State Senator Lisa Boscola. He's counsel on one of her committees. On top of that, he serves on the Gaming Authority and Bethlehem's newly-formed CRIZ Board. The last thing he needs is more nights away during the week to sit on Bethlehem City Council. There's no doubt in my mind that Joe would be a great asset, but I told him several times that he should hold off until his kids are just a little older. Apparently, that's the decision he's made. Below you will see his letter to Council Prez J. Willie Reynolds:

I am writing to ask that you remove my name from consideration for the vacancy on City Council. Since submitting my application a month ago I have been weighing how a position on City Council will impact both my family life and professional life. Given the age of my twins and the commitments in my new job, I do not believe I will have the time necessary to commit to the position on City Council in the manner I believe such a position deserves.

Additionally, in speaking with several lawyers whom I respect, it was unclear whether I could remain on City Council and the CRIZ authority at the same time. Over the next four years, I think I can best serve the City by focusing with my fellow Authority members on a successful implementation of the CRIZ for the City.

Rest assured, it was not an easy decision and my request is offered with some reluctance. However, I do believe it is in my family's and my own best interest. I look forward to working with all of you in the future and if I can be of any assistance to you please do not hesitate to contact me.

Speaking from experience, I believe Joe made the right call. Every minutes he misses with his twins is a minute he'll never get back.

Bethlehem can wait.

Can You Say Councilman Jim Gregory?

Several sources tell me that Jim Gregory, who currently is receiving the hospitality of our state correctional system, is among the applicants for Bob Donchez' job on Bethlehem City Council. The policeman of love, Gregory had the book thrown at him for repeated contempt of a Protection From Abuse Act Order. Over the Summer, both his sister and his ex-girlfriend had to seek judicial protection from physical abuse. At that time, he was also a write-in candidate for Bethlehem Mayor.

After his third contempt conviction, which amazingly included appeals to his ex on a radio show that he purchased, Judge Leonard Zito imposes a 15-month sentence. He found Gregory to be both arrogant and manipulative, even to the point of using county inmates to send letters to his ex. She was even contacted by one of them after his release. Gregory was kind enough to provide her home address.

Gregory believes he is a political prisoner, incarcerated as a result of some scheme involving Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan, Northampton County Executive John Stoffa, DA John Morganelli, the Bethlehem police and yours truly. I may have missed a few of my co-conspirators, but you know who you are.

Gregory has appealed the sentence imposed by Judge Zito.

He did receive four write-in votes in November.

If Council appoints Gregory, they'll have to wait awhile.

I will try to get a copy of his application today.

On a more serious note, here's what I'm hearing. (I have not yet spoken to Council members, who likely are unwilling to discuss this for a blog)

Outgoing DCED Director Joe Kelly already has three votes lined up. His candidacy is apparently being pushed by Bethlehem City Council member Mike Recchiuti, who also chairs the city Democratic committee. Rechhiuti needs four votes, including his own. If he gets that fourth vote, the possibility of an anti-Donchez Council is very real. Incoming Mayor Bob Donchez decided against keeping Kelly in his administration.

You might think that fourth vote would come from J.Willie Reynolds, one of Mayor John Callahan's biggest supporters on Council. But Reynolds apparently is opposed to the idea. Maybe he is concerned that the Council could easily become anti-Callahan. Or maybe he's worried that Kelly is a potential Mayoral rival.

I personally feel Joe should take a sabbatical from City politics. My reason has nothing to do with his qualifications or his attitude, which I've always admired. I just feel he needs a break, and don't see a position on Council doing him any good. He took the Callahan loss hard, and that's the wrong frame of mind to have coming into government.

Is there another interested person?

I'm told Sonia Vazquez, principal at Donegan Elementary School on the City's Southside, is interested. She has devoted her life to children, families, and her community.

I know some may actually dislike seeing another teacher in public office. But she has deep roots in Bethlehem and obviously understands the plight of many struggling families on the South side. She also adds some sorely needed ethnic diversity.

Mayor elect Bob Donchez is reportedly staying away from the decision over his replacement on the board, believing it is Council's call.

Bethlehem DCED Director Joe Kelly Behind Simao Smear

On Monday, I told you about Blogger Jonathan Geeting's attempt to smear Bethlehem City Council candidate Tony Simao with a 2007 bad check charge. No attempt was made to contact Simao and get his side of the story. Geeting never bothered to report that the birthdate is not Simao's birthate, or that Tony has a cousin with exactly the same name. Most important of all, he never even bothered to mention that there's been no conviction on what is, after all, a summary matter.

I guess the presumpton of innocence only applies to Democrats.

Investigation is not Geeting's strong suit. In fact, I'm not really sure he has a strong suit. He relies on information fed to him by Democratic operatives, and then just pukes it up on his blog, like he did to Steve Salvesen.

But I know the source of Getting's information, whether it's direct or indirect. It's none other than Joe Kelly, who just happens to be Bethlehem's DCED Director. He is effectively the second in command in Bethlehem, right after Mayor John Callahan.

Kelly made sure this information was passed on to John Blankstein, who fancies himself as the Lehigh Valley's James Carville. His LinkedIn profile tells you he's the CEO of Market Street Strategies. That's a front for a dirt-digging operation for Democrats.

Once Blankstein got the information, he made sure it was passed around the all the right people, except that one of them knew me.

Uh oh.

Another person doing what he calls "opposition research" is none other than Democratic City Council candidate Michael Recchiuti. He was digging into the personal life of one of the candidates, and passing the information along to people like Bethlehem City Council candidate J Willie Reynolds, in hopes he could smear Simao, too. In fairness to Reynolds, there is no evidence he did anything with the information sent to him.

One of Recchiuti's emails found its way to me.

Uh oh.

I have contacted Recchiuti, Kelly, Reynolds and Blankstein with this question: "Would any of you care to enlighten me on the smear campaign you have orchestrated thru Geeting?"

The only person who responded was Recchiuti, who attempted to justify going into the gutter.

Here's the Blankstein and Kelly email.

On Thu, Oct 13, 2011 at 1:22 PM, John Blankstein <blanksjc@gmail.com> wrote:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Joseph Kelly <joek1216@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, Oct 1, 2011 at 5:49 PM

http://ujsportal.pacourts.us/DocketSheets/MDJReport.aspx?district=MDJ-31-1-05&docketNumber=MJ-31105-NT-0000747-2008

Poor Tony Hanna must be rolling over in his grave. Oh wait, he's still alive.

Joe Kelly, Bethlehem's New DCED Czar

It's official. Assistant City Solicitor Joe Kelly is now Bethlehem's Director of Community and Economic Development. His appointment by Mayor John Callahan was unanimously approved by City Council during their January 4 meeting. "I've grown to trust him over the last seven years," explained Mayor Callahan. "He's hardworking, capable and I have great confidence in his ability to do the job."

Dave DiGiacinto, perhaps Callahan's harshest critic on City Council, echoed the Mayor's endorsement. After interviewing Kelly three times and speaking to other employees, DiGiacinto stressed that Kelly has already had some experience in economic development issues over his seven years as an Assistant City Solicitor. He added that the Mayor "has first dibs on picking his direct support, so to speak."

Karen Dolan voiced some concerns over the $89,868 salary. That amount was budgeted for Kelly's predecessor, Tony Hanna, who served as DCED Director over the last eleven years. Noting a "disparity in experience" between Kelly and Hanna, Dolan will introduce a resolution to reduce Kelly's salary by ten per cent.

Callahan, however, explained that he prefers to pay all department heads approximately the same salary. "We worked hard to get the department heads' salaries level." Callahan also pointed to Kelly's law degree, seven years of experience, and the $30,000 pay cut Kelly took when he first started working for the City.

If Kelly needs any pointers, Tony Hanna will only be a stone's throw away, as the new Executive Director of the Bethlehem Redevelopment Authority.

Kelly's position as Assistant City Solicitor will be filled by Christopher Cooper, a lawyer who had been working for the City as a paralegal. Cooper resides in Ambler, which bothered some Council members, but they still unanimously confirmed his appointment.