NorCo Councils Tom Giovanni and John Goffredo Are Preganant

Unless you have a reserved parking spot, it can be pretty tough to find a parking spot around Northampton County's Courthouse. It sits atop a hill, too, which means those who arrive late get plenty of aerobic exercise as they scale the mountain. Executive Lamont McClure has reserved a few spots for expectant mothers at the main parking lot. That's actually a very good reason for getting pregnant. I have tried, but have thus far been unsuccessful. But where I have failed, two members of Northampton County Council have both been successful.  John Goffredo and Tom Giovanni both parked in the spots reserved for women in a family way, and I want to be the first to congratulate them. 

Giovanni and Goffredo both fessed up, not to being pregnant, but to hogging a spot meant for pregnant women. Giovanni said he parked there because of parking deck construction as well as the large number of persons attending an award ceremony. Goffredo said it was the only place he could park his big ass truck, which he said is so big he's unable to pull into the lower deck.  

I have written before about county employees parked in the "30 minute" spots reserved for courthouse visitors. I have stopped short of naming names. But County Council members are an exception. They should be setting a good example for the county workforce and have a little more respect for pregnant women offered this very small favor. 

I was at the courthouse on Thursday as well. I was even in my car instead of on my bike, I was unable to find a spot in the parking deck or in the adjoining lot. So I parked a block away and walked. 

I have a picture of the cars, but since the Council members involved admit what they did, there is no reason to post it. 

Werner's Wife Running to Succeed Him

Sandy O'Brien-Werner has to decided to seek her husband's seat on Northampton County Council. Unless they are getting a divorce, this is a pretty clear indication that Werner himself is calling it quits after two terms representing District 2. This includes Easton, Forks, Palmer, Glendon, West Easton, Wilson Borough and Stockertown.

Werner is politically very active, and I have seen her at all kinds of Democratic events over the years. As she makes clear on her Facebook candidate page, "I am an elected member of the State Dem. Ctte., EADC, NCDC, and am a member of the Northampton County Council of Democratic Women. I am wildly partisan when it comes to national politics but not so much at the local level. I'm looking forward to working with all members of Council, both Ds and Rs, and toward maintaining Gracedale and assisting Area 2 citizens."

One place I have never seen her is at a Northampton County Council meeting.

Though she has been extremely active within her own party, I am unaware of any public office Werner may have held.

She is a retired educator who studied at Wilson Area High School, Clarion University and UConn. She taught at Easton Area High School.

Former Easton Area School Board President Frank Pintabone may also be seeking this seat.

I am unaware of who is running on the Republican side.

Poor Tara Zrinski

Tara Zrinski is in her ninth month as a new member of  NorCo Council. She's an eco-warrior. I fully expected that by now, we'd all be praying to Mother Earth at the beginning of every Council meeting. But she's been a multi-dimensional Council member. She is one of very few people who is smart enough to know what she does not know. But she had a real crisis on her hands yesterday enroute to the Council meeting.

She got stuck in an elevator.

With me.

I had pressed the button for the third floor and nothing happened. I tried pressing all kinds of other buttons and they failed, too. Then I pressed one with a firefighter hat. Some alarm sounded. .

She screamed and jumped about 15' in the air.

After settling down, she decided to press the door open button and it worked. We had never moved. We both got out and onto the next elevator.

As I waited for the Council meeting to start, I could hear her in the back room, discussing her adventure. Ken Kraft came out and accused me of assaulting her.

What Kraft did not know is this is my week for men. So I molested him on the way down after the meeting.

NorCo Elections- "Primed and Ready to Go"

Acting Northampton County Administrator Cathy Allen said that the county is ready for Tuesday's presidential election. "We're primed and ready to go," she said at Council's November 3 meeting.

There are 149 polling places in the county, and county workers have begun to move sealed and locked voting machines there. About 15 voting machines are being stored at strategic locations in the event of a breakdown anywhere. Allen also stated that 15 people have been trained and certified in the operation of voting machines,compared to just one person at the primary.

A generator is located at the elections office, and will be activated if there is a power loss.

A Deputy Sheriff will be stationed at the elections office, starting at 6:30 am, and will remain there until the votes are counted.

In addition, police departments have been alerted, but must remain 100' away unless their assistance is requested.

Council also voted, unanimously, to approve a new contract for the registered nurses at Gracedale,who are part of Steelworkers Local 2599.  Ken Kraft said he was glad that the county "finally got this done after all these years." The nurses there had been working without a contract since 2010. "We have to be competitive if we want nurses to work at Gracedale," added Council President John Cusick.

Council also voted, 8-1, to hire Reinsel Kuntz Lesher as the county's new outside auditor. Peg Ferraro was the sole No vote, although she provided no explanation.