Why Does Kraft Pressure Zrinski To Deliver Quick Reports?

When Lamont McClure was NorCo Exec, he often delivered lengthy addresses, although his focus was usually two or perhaps three matters. I heard no complaints from Council member Ken Kraft. 

Executive Tara Zrinski has provided lengthy reports as well. But unlike McClure, she goes into detail about what is going on in numerous county departments. They are very informative. But last night, as he has done several times before, Kraft pushed Zrinski to be as quick as possible. In an effort to comply, she began speaking fast. When she was done, Kraft revealed he actually timed her. 

I have to wonder why Kraft never complained to McClure during his sometimes-lengthy reports. Could it be because McClure, unlike Zrinski, is a member of the penis club? 

Zrinski is the county executive and should be free to take the time she needs to update Council and the public about what is going on in the county. If this is too much for Kraft, he should resign.

After Zrinski was finished, Council member Theresa Fadem thanked her for these informative reports. I like that. It was one woman sticking up for another in what certainly seemed to me like a perfect example of discrimination against Zrinski because she is just a woman.  

NorCo Council Member Ken Kraft Has Skipped Three of Three Budget Hearings

Northampton County Council has the power of the purse and adopts the budget every year. It's probably its most significant function. The budget is adopted after hearings that go through each department's expenditures. Council members might make changes known as budget amendments but that's impossible if you're not there. Thus far, Council member Ken Kraft, who is retired, has skipped every budget hearing. This is the same guy who wanted to be Council President.  He's also the same guy who made several misrepresentations to the President Judge when trying (unsuccessfully) to have his own choice for a Council vacancy filled. 

NorCo Council: Rowe is In, Myers is Out

Hellertown's Bill Rowe and NorCo Council President Kerry Myers both got knocked off the ballot in their attempts to seek a spot on County Council. Bill Rowef, a first-time candidate, was seeking the Republican nomination in District One (Bethlehem) and made one mistake. He failed to file a copy of his financial statement with the Clerk of County Council. That is unfortunately a fatal error. Unlike Rowe, Myers has experience as an office holder. He was seeking the Democratic nomination in District Two (Easton). He failed to get signatures from 250 Democrats who live in his district. 

District 1 (Bethlehem area)

Rowe waged a successful write-in contest on the Republican side for the Bethlehem area County Council district.  Of 451 write-in votes cast, he got 321 votes. Democrat Ken Kraft, who won the Democratic nomination, attempted a write-in campaign among Republicans. He pulled in 52 votes. There were 67 votes designated as "not assigned."

This race will continue in the Fall, with Bill Rowe squaring off against Ken Kraft. 

District 2 (Easton area)

After being knocked off the ballot as a Democrat, Myers switched parties and campaigned for the Republican write-in nomination in the Easton area County Council district.  Forks Tp Supervisor Kelly Keegan was running unchallenged for the Democratic nomination. 

The Republican party hierarchy backed Myers. Party chair Glen Geissinger, flanked by three Republican members of County Council, endorsed Myers at a news conference. But Myers failed to get the required 250 write-in votes. 

Of 299 write-in votes cast, Myers attracted 197 votes. Democrat Kelly Keegan, who waged a write-in campaign on the Republican side of the aisle, pulled down 34 votes. There were also 68 "scattered write-ins.  

This race is over, Barring an unlikely independent candidate, Kelly Keegan will be the next County Council member in District 2. Myers is now officially a lame duck. 

No Sexism in Kraft's Dishwashing Remarks

At Thursday night's NorCo Council meeting, I could hear a gasp behind me when Ken Kraft made a remark to Peg Ferraro about washing the dishes. Some people evidently thought he was being a sexist, but Kraft and Ferraro had a more benign explanation. At a party at Peg's house, Peg designated Kraft as the dish washer for certain glasses that he was the only one tall enough to reach, and Kraft dutifully washed those glasses. That has been a running joke between the two since then.

Cusick Removes Kraft From NorCo Personnel Committee

Kraft at Council

Last week, I told you that Northampton County Council member Ken Kraft may be violating the county's nepotism policy  Members from the same family or household are barred from county employment if it would create an "actual conflict of interest" or "the appearance of a conflict of interest." Kraft's wife was recently hired to work in human resources, and he chairs the personnel committee. Every time Human Resources Director Amy Trapp wanted something from his committee, it would look as though the fix was in. It is a malverse situation, even if everything is above board. .   

There were two resolutions to this mess. The first would be to transfer Kraft's wife, who is still in her probationary period and is an at-will employee, into another department. The second would be for Kraft to step down as Chair of the Personnel Committee.

Kraft said he would abide by whatever decision is made by Council President John Cusick.

Cusick has made that decision. He has removed Kraft from the personnel committee completely. Kraft is being replaced by Bob Werner. Mat Benol will chair the October meeting.

On Monday, Kraft was also blocked from participation in the #NoJailatGracedale Facebook page, ostensibly because he jumped on there to insult and mock Nazareth area residents. He insulted and mocked me, but that's the way we talk. 

In the course of his attacks, he let the precise location of the new jail at Gracedale slip. That's hardly the sign of someone with a xyeresic intellect. .

Now Kraft has decided to shut down his Facebook page completely.

Ken Kraft's Good Side

Ken Kraft is a member of NorCo County Council. I criticize him all the time on this blog, but that's nothing compared to what I say to him in person.  I think this would be perfect for his next election.

Ken Kraft Seeks Re-Election to NorCo Council

From his Vote Ken Kraft Facebook Page: "I am announcing that I am running for Re-election for the District 1 Representative on Northampton County Council. Petitions will be going out in the new year, so if anybody who lives in District one (Bethlehem, Hanover Township, Hellertown & Freemansburg) and is a registered Democratic voter that would like to circulate for me please send me a Private Message."

Kraft's seat is widely regarded as a safe seat for Democrats, given Bethlehem's heavily Democratic population.

Unions Thanks Stoffa For Rollback on Healthcare Hike

Ken Kraft

I lost a $5 bet last night. Unions swooped down on County Council after Northampton County administrators announced plans to increase health care costs to avoid being classified as a "Cadillac" plan under Obamacare. The changes were draconian, and in many cases, would have erased any financial gains made by workers in the past several years. Executive John Stoffa put the brake on these plans, opting instead to seek a second opinion and form a committee to see if there is some way out of the mess. I bet County Council member Ken Kraft that the unions would not thank Stoffa.

I lost.

Though the crowd was not as huge, a fairly large contingent of county workers came to last night's Council meeting and thanked Stoffa. AFSCME union agent Justus James and union leader Sean Carson (sp?) both gave Stoffa credit, even shaking his hand. James acknowledged that "The Affordable Care Act is complicated,"  and said that he is praying for better communication.

Nobody seemed to notice that his Director of Human Resources, Pat Siementioski, was absent. She did not appear at Wednesday's budget hearing, either.

I paid Kraft with a marked bill.

He is currently in custody on bribery charges.

Shouldn't Northampton County Take Care of Its Buildings?

Flags at half mast in memory of Boston Marathon victims

When Executive John Stoffa proposed a centralized human services building in Bethlehem Township, one of the reasons advanced was the poor condition of the Governor Wolf Building in Easton, where 173 human services employees are located. Children and Youth workers presented a jaw-dropping power point. It depicted grisly conditions that endanger not only the people who work there, but innocent children who are already the victims of abuse and neglect. Obviously, the County does a terrible job taking care of its buildings. Yesterday's Finance Committee hearing provides a glimpse into just how that happens.

At issue was a contract for a preventative maintenance plan for the corrections buildings in Easton and West Easton. This includes the old prison, which has been standing since 1871. As Council President John Cusick observes, "Duct tape only does so far."

A three-year contract with D'Huy Engineering was proposed at a cost of $119,000 for the first year, followed by $40,000 retainers for years 2 and 3. If dissatisfied, Council could vote not to fund the retainers in years 2 and 3. Under the proposed contract, D'Huy would provide an overall assessment of existing systems to help the Corrections Department develop a plan to keep everything up and running.

There was some confusion concerning the terms, so the matter was tabled. Ken Kraft also balked at "throwing money" for yet another plan, and mocked the notion of paying an annual $40,000 retainer to D'Huy for the "privilege" of letting them charge the County hourly. Those points were well made.

But then Kraft suggested that the County should just let this go because we'll have a new Executive in January. "The Executive had 8 years to put a new plan in place," he complained. "Now they want to bring up all these things and do the right thing."

Let's assume Council decides it better wait. If it does, it will take at least two years for that Executive to understand what the hell is going on. And when he does, he may have a Council that is unwilling to work with him. That problem plagued John Stoffa in his first term. And that's how County assets deteriorate. So my answer to Ken is that it's never too late to do the right thing. John Stoffa is the Executive until the end of the year.

Scott Parsons took issue with Ken as well. "Are we supposed to sit here on our hands, waiting for a new Executive?" he asked.

When that happens, things don't get done. Buildings deteriorate. The Gracedale parking lot looks more and more like a moon crater.

NorCo Suspends Payments to Jail's Chaplain

Ken Kraft

One of Chris Santos' gravy trains has come to an end. Up until now, the Norco Jail's chaplain was getting $1,000 every month from the County. The money went to his church, the Rock Church of Easton. That way, Santos could evade avoid taxes and the County has no responsibility to pay benefits.

But as first reported on this blog, Santos' Rock Church is a real estate tax deadbeat. And since the contract for chaplain services is actually with Rock Church, it's in violation of a provision requiring it to stay current on taxes.

Controller Steve Barron told Council's Finance Committee yesterday that Rock Church owes about $12,000 in back taxes for two properties in Easton. His inquiry, believe it or not, was prompted as a result of what he read here.

As Barron mentioned that, President John Cusick did his best to keep from laughing.

After confirming that Rock Church is, in fact, delinquent, Barron went to the Disbursements Division. He stopped clerks just as they were folding the latest $1,000 check for Rock Church.

Executive John Stoffa then told Council that payments to Rock Church have been suspended, at least for now.

Barron told Council that every vendor doing business with the County needs to be checked to ensure it is current on taxes.

Council member Ken Kraft publicly thanked me. "Nobody found it until Mr. O'Hare found it in his research." Barron also commended me with "Good job!" before going into Council.

Well, that's a first. I'm much more comfortable being called what I am, a despicable bottom-feeding blogger.

Following the Money in the Kraft, Vaughn Race

Pre-election campaign finance reports were due on Friday. Here's how the money looks in the County Council Bethlehem-area race between Ken Kraft and Seth Vaughn.

Second only to Angle in the money-raising department, Ken Kraft pulled in $18,400 this reporting period, giving him $29,699.78. Most of this money comes from private sector unions, with $10,000 coming from IUPAT alone. Kraft is a business agent at that union.

So far, Kraft has spent $20,734.75, leaving with $8,365.03, enough for one more mailer.

That's a lot more than the $194.33 in Vaughn's till. During a County Council debate last week, Vaughn twice stated that he refuses to accept any money from "special interests." Since just about everyone is a special interest, that leaves just himself as a donor.

It appears that the $4,400 raised this reporting period comes right out of Seth's wallet, which gave him a $5,401.09 total.

He spent most of it, too, which is why he is down to $194.33.

Norco Council (Bethlehem): Ken Kraft v. Seth Vaughn

"Seth and I are the only ones here for an open seat. I'd like to first say thank you to the LWV for having this tonight and everybody for coming out tonight in this horrible weather we have outside.

"I'd like to say that I got involved in government many, many years ago with the Monocacy Creek stabilization thing in Bethlehem. I was appointed by a Republican mayor to the Monocacy Creek Watershed Association. Since that time, I spoke in public numerous - I can't even count how many times - for, you know, they wanted to privatize garbage. That gt me involved. They wanted to do all kinds of things that I didn't like at the City level. So I started speaking there; I started getting involved.

"I started making myself available for boards, commissions, whatever government needed. Mr. Stoffa has appointed me to committees. I served on them proudly. I never missed a meeting. I think I've been to one, Joan [in the audience] can attest that I was there with the flu one time because I didn't ant to miss the meeting. So I'm one of those guys who never misses a meeting. I haven't had a sick day from work in twenty-five years.

"So I have the time to put in, I will be here, I'll be here all the time. I feel that at this age in life - 50 years old, my kids are grown up, I have the time that this job takes.

"This is an all-consuming job. It's not just two nights a month. There's committees, there's subcommittees, there's all kinds of things we have to make ourselves available for, and I'm available for that. I'm available to work for the voters and the taxpayers because I'm a taxpayer, too.

"I'm one of us. I'm not a career politician. I'm just somebody who likes to come out and help, and I've always been there for everyone, and I'll continue to be here for anyone who needs it. Thank you."



"I'd like to start off by saying that I've knocked on a lot of doors throughout this campaign. I worked very hard. I've listened to a lot of concerns of the citizens in District 1, and I do understand where they're coming from. My pledge to you tonight is that I will exceed your expectations if I'm elected.

"I will remain focused on the issues presented to me, and I will research the issues before I vote on them. I will also do my best to try to keep the voters involved in the decision-making process, and keep their suggestions at hand.

"I ask you to consider me, to vote for me, in District 1, as your representative. I hope you not just consider my political party, but actually me specific motivations, my intentions and my objectives.


"I think I made my objectives very clear. They're on my web site. I'm for preserving Gracedale, and I think that my health care background can help Council do that. I'm for keeping taxes stable, cut wasteful spending, and revitalizing our parks and preserving farmland. I'd also like to expand our veterans' benefits from $100 for funeral reimbursement to about $500. I think our wartime veterans deserve a little more money than $100.

"I'd also like to preserve the ideology that County government was established for the people to serve the people.

"As I stated before, I do not accept any special interest group money or political action committee money. I think that creates a bias within our politicians, and I'm completely against that.

"I will make sure that your tax dollars are well spent. I will not squander them on senseless programs like swaptions, and, if you would like, a new, fresh perspective on county government. I urge you to vote for me in November.

Can't Beat a Supporter Like This!

Ken Kraft and Seth Vaughn are both running refreshingly positive campaigns for County Council in Bethlehem. With supporters like young Delaney Barron, how can Ken lose?

Ken Kraft Makes It Official

Whenever I eat macaroni, and that's nearly every day, I think of Ken Kraft. Instead of letting a seriously deranged person like me continue to write about him, he's decided to make it official and announced his candidacy for the County Council seat being vacated by the imperious Ann McHale in a news release yesterday. That's a District seat, covering Bethlehem, Hellertown and Hanover.

"Ken Kraft has dedicated his life to public service. After graduating from Freedom High School, he enlisted in the Unites States Marines, where he served his country faithfully and attained the rank of Sergeant E-5 in Cryptology and Information Technology. Ken has served as Chairman of the Northampton County Elections Commission for two terms as well as various boards and commissions in our community including the Bethlehem Zoning Hearing Board and the Monocacy Creek Watershed Association.

“'As a person who believes in community and public service, I look forward to serving the residents of Bethlehem, Hellertown and Hanover as their voice on County Council. I will be a strong advocate for the needs of our region and will always be available to listen to their concerns' Kraft said.

"Ken has a strong history of working in the private sector as well in both the Computer and the Construction Industries. Since 2001, Ken has represented District Council 21 International Union of Painters and Allied Trades and is currently the President. As President of IUPAT DC21, he is proud to fight for the working families he represents and looks forward to fighting for the families of District 1as a member of Northampton County Council.

“'As a Council member, I will work tirelessly to attract quality, family sustaining jobs, keep taxes stable and deliver high quality services to the residents. I love Northampton County and I want to help keep it a great place to live, work and raise a family,' Kraft said.

Ken lives in Bethlehem with his wife, Lisa, and two children, Ken and Max."

Ken's opponent in the Democratic primary will be Ladd Siftar. I have not heard if any Republicans are running.

Ken Kraft, Man in Black, Eyeing NorCo Council Vacancy

He's a Man in Black. I'll bet that even his underwear is black. And he just may be running for Ann McHale's Northampton County Council seat in Bethlehem, Hanover and Hellertown.

I'm speaking of Bethlehem resident Ken Kraft, who wears quite a few hats. He's a Marine (there are no ex Marines) who graduated from that to a stint in the NSA. These days, he's a business agent for the building trades unions, Chair of the Northampton County Elections Comm'n and a member of Bethlehem's Zoning Hearing Board.

Although Ken and I are on the opposite side on most County issues, I'm still encouraged to hear he's testing the water. He's smart, hard-working and is able to make his points passionately without getting too personal. Last week, for example, he spent a good half hour giving me a tutorial on his new iPad while he and Bethlehem zoners were waiting for the court stenographer.

Will his union employment hurt him? In Bethlehem and Hellertown, it will probably help. If he were a public sector union agent, I'd be very concerned. But the building and trade unions tend to pay their own way. They self-fund their medical insurance and pension plans, unlike the public sector. Even Governor Chris Christie recognizes that private sector unions, who must deal with high unemployment and property taxes, are more like us than their counterparts in the public sector.

The only other announced candidate for Ann McHale's seat is former Council member Ladd Siftar, a Democrat.

I can see the fliers now. "Protecting Northampton County From Bottom-Feeding Bloggers."