Norco Council To Use Gambling Funds for Tax Relief, Not Public Health

In June, during a rare joint meeting of Lehigh County Commissioners and Northampton County Council, a new bureaucracy was born - the Lehigh Valley Health Bureau. Funded exclusively by a private $1 million grant, public health professionals are currently meeting to provide the Lehigh Valley's first ever regional approach to health.

Now, in the wake of a recession as well as a proposed 9.3% tax increase in Northampton County, is a bi-county health department still a good idea? Council members Ron Angle and Lamont McClure, who have both opposed this concept since its inception, last night tried to kill it. Here are excerpts from what different council members said, as well as an exchange between Angle and County Bossman John Stoffa.

Ron Angle: "It almost reminds me of the people who have the guy sizing up the yard for the inground pool when they're eight months behind on their mortgage. ... I make a motion that we abolish the bi-county health agency until such time as we have an economy that we can afford to pay a dime. ... It's criminal that we take those people's time serving there who are believing that somehow, we are going to at some point approve it. ... A lot of you are hoping this somehow goes away or dies. That's not leadership. Leadership is when you take the bull by the horns and you do something that needs to be done and you do it whether it's popular or unpopular, it needs to be done."

Lamont McClure: "There is no money set aside for the bi-county health bureau. What I do notice is that it's projected we are going to take in about $1.2 million in casino revenues that would be discretionary to the county. The only reason I ever supported gaming in Northampton County was because of the original promise of the Act, which was property tax reduction.

"We're now being told that we need to raise taxes a mill. Take the $1.2 million, and knock off some of the $7.3 million, as opposed to what we're doing, because it's not in the budget, is ferreting this money away for future expenses on the health bureau.

"Here's $1.2 million, right off the top. Some of you may think a tax increase is necessary - I do not and I'll explain why - but this is a good start so I'll second Mr. Angle's motion."

Joe Capozzolo: "I have my concerns about it, too, and I don't want tax dollars to be spent on this. The reason I voted for it at the time is because they were using private funds. If it wasn't for the fact they were using private funds, I wouldn't have voted for that budget. I don't like that budget. I don't know if we can actually stop them now. I agree with you that they are wasting time. I don't think you're going to have enough votes. I would agree with your motion even though I voted for it that night and I think they should use the private funds to find out how much it should cost. But when it comes to paying for it with public funds, then it should stop."

Jerry Seyfried: "You're talking about some pretty stiff tax increases. However, you have come this far, why wouldn't you wait and see what the final report is, and also, if there's a dollar amount attached to it?

"This is supposed to be done in the next couple of months if I'm not mistaken. ... [A] lot of time and effort gone into this. If you believe that you are going to have a bi-county health board and you are not going to have to fund it, then I would think you also believe in the tooth fairy and might be living in la la land. It's going to cost money. There's no doubt in my mind. But I want to see what the report says, and if they come in to us with a report that says they have funding from other sources and it's not going to cost you any money, I think you have a decision to make."

Charles Dertinger: "We have charged a group of people to come up with an answer to a question, to provide us a scenario as to how this may or may not work. I think it's incredibly discourteous to tell them, 'Thank you for all your work so far, we really don't want to know the answer to the question.'"

Mike Dowd: "They are volunteers who have spent their time thus far. If they're prepared to continue to do the research, I'm not sure why we would be so discourteous to say we don't want to have the benefit of their research. If we find out the cost is an unacceptable cost, then we have to vote to say yea, we have to vote to say no. I think we're all mature enough to be able to do that."

John Stoffa: "I have never preferred tax money for this project. It would be the casino money if and when we need it. ... [T]o short-circuit that until you know whether or not they can do that [without cost], I think, is foolhardy. We can always say no later on."

Angle: "Do you really believe that the state, in the conditions it's in, is going to furnish the money to run a health department and do you really think we can run this like it's a buffet and we can just pick a little here and a little there? ... You said from square one, which is cockamamie, quite frankly, is you're only going to put the gambling money in, and how far it goes, it goes. You can't run a health department that way."

Stoffa: "Why not?"

Angle: "It would be nUtZ is why."

When all the shouting was over, the only two council members who voted to kill the bi-county health bureau were McClure and Angle.

That's when Angle pulled out his real play, proposing that casino money be dedicated to tax relief. Dertinger called the motion "intellectually dishonest," stating we'd just get the money for public health from somewhere else. Angle objected to what he considered a personal attack, at which point junior college grad Dertinger snarked, "I understand these may be big words for you."

McClure agreed with Angle for the second time in one night, noting the resolution is meaningless but would tell the Executive that Council wants gambling money restricted to property tax relief. The three incumbents seeking re-election - Dertinger, Ferraro and Cusick - voted against the motion, joined by Dowd.

Is Bi-County Health Bureau in the Morgue?

I'm beginning to think Lamont McClure is a fiscal conservative. At the end of last night's Northampton County Council meeting, Ron Angle had two suggestions on how to save money. He recommended dumping Gracedale, the county nursing home, and privatizing the county jail. McClure, while he disagreed with those two suggestions had a few of his own.

"The bi-county health bureau, let's not pretend we can afford that. The new treatment center, out in Bethlehem Township, that will be between 3 and 5 million dollars a year. Let's not pretend we can afford that going forward. I understand there is talk of creating a new organization within county government called a child advocacy center. I don't know that we'll be able to afford that. Let's focus on our core functions of government as opposed to continually expanding what our obligations are when we have no opportunity to fund them."

This, of course, was music to Ron Angle's ears, who revealed that two Lehigh County Commissioners have privately assured him . "I would like to add something to that. I detest gutless people, so I like Mr. McClure. He and I have been clear from square one about the health bureau. We didn't buy into it, we've been honest about it and said no, and took the beating from the public cuz' ya' said no. That's where we're at.

"I've gotta' tell you, I have talked to no less than two Lehigh County Commissioners, for obvious reasons I can't mention names, who both said to me they're not going to support this in the end, either. And I said to them, 'Why did you push this thing ahead?' They said because we don't want to make the public mad. So we are not prepared to pay millions of dollars for a health department in Lehigh County at this point in time because we're broke.

"This is what I mean about gutless people. You people who went along with this bi-county health agency - this la la land, pipe dream craziness - you didn't want to hurt the people in the audience.

"Stop to think a minute. I have set here and made it clear from square one. This will never pass and it won't. And you people setting here won't ever admit it, but you knew it would never pass either, but you went along to git along. The problem with all that is, is that you've got a group of people now meeting on that health board, who I think finally woke up by the way, because they talked to a few people now who have said honestly - behind the scenes they told 'em - it isn't going to fly.

"I will give anyone here who wants to bet me money five to one odds - I'll cover whatever you wanna' bet - there never will be a bi-county health agency.

"Now what have you people done? You've led some people to believe there was, you put a board together, ... and in the end you're going to shoot it down for the reasons Mr. McClure just said. We can't afford to do this."

I've posted a video of Angle's remarks above.

LV Health Comm'n Needs More Deputies

When the Lehigh Valley Health Commission met on June 3, it was only for 92 seconds. That's because Northampton County Council failed to supply a quorum. Lamont McClure decided to boycott the meeting, but never bothered telling anyone. Charles Dertinger claimed the dog ate his email notifying everyone of his absence.

And so on.

Aside from a few health care professionals, nobody was there, not even the press.

But at the rescheduled meeting in Peanutville last night, the house was packed. A TV camera whirred in the front of the conference room. Reporters anxiously took notes, and a photographer gave his flashbulb a workout. Around forty vocal spectators were on hand, too, along with a deputy sheriff ready to shoot anyone who misbehaved.

This time, Northampton County Council was able to produce a quorum. Six of its nine council members actually showed up. Eight of nine Lehigh County Commissioners were on hand as well. Northampton County Exec John Stoffa quietly took a seat.

As expected, the LV Health Board's initial budget was overwhelmingly adopted, with only Ron Angle dissenting. Just as important, a financial intermediary was unanimously authorized to accept a $1 million grant from the Dorothy Rider Pool Health Care Trust and the Two Rivers Health & Wellness Foundation.

But the real story is the contrast between two county legislatures, seated at opposite sides of the room, sometimes glaring at each other. Lehigh County Commissioners were cordial and professional, but were clearly put off by what they saw from their neighbors to the East. Northampton County Council certainly lived up to its reputation as the most dysfunctional legislature in the Lehigh Valley.

I was very proud.

An exasperated Percy Dougherty at one point threatened to have a petulant Ron Angle removed. Big mistake, Percy. Shadtown always beats the shit out of Peanutville. Sure, a Deputy Sheriff was ready to spring into action. He even had his revolver. But Angle would have rolled him. For one thing, Ron wears bulletproof vests whenever he visits downtown Allentown. For another, he's been working out a lot at the Y lately. Finally, I'm not sure he's human. Once, Hickey accidentally ran him over at 70 mph. Ron's skin broke open and it was all titanium underneath. You just don't want to mess with that.

The highlight of the evening has to be the roll call vote on the budget.

Clerk: "We will vote on the adoption of an initial budget for the Lehigh Valley Board of Health."

Commissioners Dean Browning, Glenn Eckhart, Gloria Hamm, Dave Jones, Bill Leiner, Dan McCarthy, Sterling Raber and Percy Dougherty all answered with one word - "Yes." Very nice.
Clerk: "We have eight votes in favor from the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners."

"Councilperson McHale?"

McHale: "Yes."

Clerk: "Councilperson Angle?"

Angle: "No."

Clerk: "Councilperson Capozzolo?"

Capozzolo: "I have a question on this vote. Does this have to be five votes? Am I like the guy in the middle ..."

Dougherty: "Yes you are."

Dertinger: "Yes."

Capozzolo: "... because I don't think that's really fair."

(Audience starts laughing.)

Dougherty: "That's why you get the big bucks."

Capozzolo: "What would Mr. Grube [Capozzolo's predecessor] do if he was here?"

Angle: "He wouldn't have come over to Lehigh County." [Audience starts laughing again.] "Mrs. McHale, you'll agree with that."

McHale: "Yes."

Angle: "He wouldn't have came [sic] here."

Ferraro: "It moves the process forward so we can get information. It's not ...."

Angle: "It grows a life of its own."

[At this point, Angle, Ferraro, several other council members and various members of the audience begin talking at the same time. Commissioner Leiner's jaw drops to the table.]

Dougherty: "It's a yes, a no, or abstain. No discussion."

Capozzolo: "I'm going to abstain."

Ferraro: "Come on, Yes. Come on, we need a Yes or it's gonna' die. We worked for twenty years , I've been thinking about a health bureau. And we just, we just, it's not fair ..."

[Audience members begin yelling at Capozzolo to vote yes. "Come on, it's the people's health." Once again, several people are talking at the same time. Jones reaches for his bible while Browning passes a flask to Hamm. One nurse menacingly pulls out a syringe.]

Capozzolo: "All right, I'll vote Yes."

[Audience applauds.]

Clerk: "Councilperson Cusick?"

Cusick: "Aye." [Hey, it's better than "present."]

Clerk: "Councilperson Dertinger?"

Dertinger: "Yes."

Clerk: "Councilperson Ferraro?"

Ferraro: "Yes, with pleasure."

During a roll call vote, Northampton County Council members repeatedly interrupt each other. Even the audience gets into the act. Capozzolo votes to abstain, then changes his mind after a browbeating by Ferraro and all the nurses in the room.

I'm not sure what the hell happened, but I doubt Lehigh County Commissioners will ever be the same. Several were reportedly hospitalized. No wonder we need a public health bureau.

Update: The Morning Call and Express Times both have informative, well-written accounts of last night's meeting.

RenewLV: Support Regional Public Health on June 16

RenewLV, describes itself as "a diverse coalition of business, agriculture, environmentalists, urban, suburban and rural government officials, education and other civic leaders." Its members include PPL's now retired Bert Daday and Brown Daub's L. Anderson Daub. Many members are also part of the advisory committee behind the plan to widen Route 22.

I'm suspicious of its ties to the aristocratic and normally secretive Lehigh Valley Partnership, but they sure know how to put on a spread. During a rail summit at the Hotel Bethlehem in 2007, RenewLV supplied expensive cheeses and wines. All the foo-foos networked as a piano played ever so softly. RenewLV did it again during the inaugural meeting of the Lehigh Valley Health Commission early this year. This time, there were assorted pastries, left over cheese and coffee. No booze. Ron Angle filled his pockets and briefcase and later sold his stash in downtown Allentown.

As you may have guessed, RenewLV is a bit upset about the trouble Northampton County has in assembling a quorum for a second meeting of the LV Health Commission, which consists of the legislatures of Northampton and Lehigh Counties. Lamont McClure purposely blew it off and said he would do everything he could to kill this Health Commission. He must have eaten bad cheese.

Steve Bliss, RenewLV's Executive Director, is urging supporters of regional public health to attend and show their support. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 16, at 6:30pm at the Lehigh County Government Center, 17 South Seventh Street, Allentown [map]. It will be held in conference rooms 43A and 43B on the basement level. But even if 1,000,000 people are there, it means nothing unless there are five members from both Northampton County Council and the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners.

So regional public health advocates would do better to contact their Commissioners and Council members, asking them to attend this meeting. Bliss makes the following points:

"1. Allowing the Board of Health to move forward does not commit the counties to actually establishing a regional health department. It simply allows the Board of Health to finish the work the counties appointed them to do.

"2. The start-up work of the Board of Health is being funded almost entirely by a generous $1 million grant from the Dorothy Rider Pool Health Care Trust and the Two Rivers Health & Wellness Foundation. The counties do not have to use county funds for the planning efforts of the Board of Health.

"3. Your participation can make a difference, and county officials need to hear from you. Please consider attending on Tuesday and offering some brief remarks (during Citizens Input) as to the importance of allowing the Board of Health continue its work."

Will LV Health Comm'n Ever Meet Again?

Last week's second ever meeting of the LV Health Commission was over before it ever started. Northampton County Council failed to provide a quorum. One of the absent members, Lamont McClure, refused to attend because the very idea of a regional health department annoys him. That's fine, but how about a little courtesy? McClure not only refused to attend, but refused to tell anyone he would be absent. As a result, four Northampton County Council members and seven Lehigh County Commissioners made a trip to downtown Allentown for nothing.

The meeting has been rescheduled for June 16th, but whether it actually occurs is anyone's guess. McClure has announced he will boycott any meetings as a LV Health Commissioner. Ron Angle is boycotting downtown Allentown, too, unless he runs out of Rolexx watches. The beating readers gave him over his comedy bit has really hurt his feelings. Diane Neiper, who has previously announced her intention to resign, has apparently already flown the coop.

That leaves six. Five are needed. Any bets?

Norco No Shows Explain Absence at LV Health Comm'n

Wednesday evening's scheduled meeting of the Lehigh Valley Health Commission was a bust because Northampton County Council was unable to produce a quorum. Prior to the meeting, Council Prez Ann McHale was called by Diane Neiper, who is preparing to move to Cumberland County, and Rev. Dowd, who is recovering from pneumonia. She expected Council's seven remaining members to be there. Ron Angle, John Cusick and Peg Ferraro made the trip. But as Angle noted last night, "we looked like a bunch of jerks." Charles Dertinger, Lamont McClure and Joe Capozzolo were MIA.

How good are these excuses?

Excuse No. 1 (Joe Capozzolo): I was Watching My Four Children.

Joe the Mayor's wife is out of town so he's watching his four children. He called Percy Dougherty on Monday, but never called McHale. He admitted he should have called her.

Excuse No. 2 (Charles Dertinger): Didn't You Get my Email?

"I had actually emailed Mr. Flisser [Council Clerk], responding to one of the emails I had about three days ago and unfortunately, I did not think to print that out today. ... I will forward the email that I sent to everyone here on council and then you can apologize at the following meeting."

Council Clerk Frank Flisser acknowledged that since the county's computer system switched, "things have been missed, things have been lost, things have come in triplicate, things have disappeared and we don't have a record of it. None of us has it. He may very well have sent it and none of us have received it."

Excuse No. 3 (Lamont McClure): We Don't Need no Steenkin' Health Commission.

"I had no intention of attending and have no intention of attending any others. Specifically, if I can grind the process to a halt - and five of you who support it can't get there - I now am very pleased to be able to try and do that.

"I support universal health care as a national solution. ... We want to form a bi-county health bureau using real estate tax dollars paid by people who won't be using it so that we can have - and it's an inconvenient truth - poor people treated at the health bureaus and get them out of our not for profit hospitals, who are sitting on enormous cash reserves. I'm just not willing to say to my constituents that you're going to have to pay more in real estate taxes to do that. It's not fair to them.

"We have a couple of very well endowed, not for profit, hospitals who should be treating poor people, quite frankly.

Stoffa: "Do you think it's wrong to make sure kids have inoculations? Do you think that's wrong?"

At this point, Stoffa and Angle began sparring over a favorable report prepared by the University of Pittsburgh. McClure claimed he read the report and his point was made in a footnote.

Stoffa: "Who said tax money was going to be used for it, other than you [Angle]?"

Angle: "You're full of crap if you think state money is going to fund it. ..."

Stoffa: "Read the report."

Angle: "You're full of crap."

Stoffa: "Get a couple of cigars and I'll read it to you."

Ron has agreed to let Stoffa come to his house Saturday night and read the report to him as a bed time story while taking his weekly bubble bath.

Norco Council Members Get Lost on Way to Allentown

Last night's meeting of the Lehigh Valley Health Commission, scheduled for Allentown, lasted all of 92 seconds. Only four members of Northampton County Council bothered showing up, so there was no quorum. Several elected officials, unwilling to do their jobs, have forced these unfortunate consequences:

* Health professionals left busy practices for nothing.

* The LV Board of Health's Initial Budget remains unadopted.

* A financial intermediary who can accept some generous donations from the private sector remains unauthorized.

* The appointment of two members to the LV Board of Health will have to wait.

* Advertising costs for this meeting, which come out of your pocket, have been wasted.

* Missing Northampton Council members demonstrated a flagrant disregard for the time of Lehigh County Commissioners.

An unusually subdued Norco Council Prez Ann McHale announced, "This is embarrassing." Hey, that's Northampton County!

How did this happen? Council members Diane Neiper and Mike Dowd, to their credit, told Prez Ann McHale they would be unavailable. Rev. Dowd is recovering from pneumonia and Neiper is preparing for a move to Cumberland County. So they get a pass.

But where the hell were Council members Charles Dertinger, Lamont McClure and Joe Capozzolo? They never bothered to show. They also lacked the courtesy to call in advance. Some say they were at the casino. Others claim that Lamont and Charles were strolling up and down Hamilton Street as mariachis.

Lehigh County Commissioners sat with quiet looks of astonishment on one side of the room, but Northampton County Council members on the other side were a little more vocal. "Hey, I made it here driving on a donut," groused John Cusick. "That's why Lamont and Charles don't want payraises," noted Peg Ferraro. "Lamont and Charles are afraid to come to Allentown," explained Ron Angle.

Lehigh County Commissioner and Chair Percy Dougherty offered his apologies and suggested a "healthy discussion" among those members present. But Angle, no great fan of a bi-county health board in the first place, quickly put a stop to that notion. "In my opinion, you're having a workshop that wasn't authorized. I make a motion we adjourn." LC Comm'r Bill Leiner quickly seconded Angle's motion, which passed unanimously.

Game over.

Update: Joe Capozzolo explains his absence by stating he was home watching four children. He tells me he called Dr. Dougherty on Monday, although he failed to call McHale. Lehigh County taxpayers paid about $160 to advertise this meeting. The Northampton County Council members whose unexplained absence resulted in this lack of a quorum should be asked to pay that fee out of their own pockets.

It's the Lehigh Valley Health Board

At last night's first ever combined meeting of Northampton and Lehigh County's legislative bodies, nobody was killed. Charles Dertinger and Lamont McClure, perhaps chastened by a Bill White column and blog excoriating their recent petty behavior, were very quiet. Not the Northampton County Bulldog. Ron Angle was quick to point out that recently deceased council member Wayne Grube would be delighted to see Lehigh coming to Northampton. "But I'm not so sure he would be happy to see you [Lehigh County Commission Chair Percy Dougherty] setting in his seat." At that point, he gave Dougherty a cigar and everyone chuckled. After the meeting, Angle called DA John Morganelli to report that Dougherty has an illegal Cuban with some strange-smelling seeds inside.

I'm not sure if Dr. Dougherty made it past the APB.

Inside Northampton County's star chamber, a dubious Ron Angle also groused about the bi-county health board's official name. Noting that a Morning Call preview had called this body the Joint Lehigh-Northampton County Health Board, he argued it should really be the other way around.

Lehigh County Executive Don Cunningham, sitting in the peanut gallery with the rest of us, blurted out, "It's the Lehigh Valley Health Board." That's what this is really about. The Lehigh Valley.

County Execs John Stoffa and Don Cunnigham get it. Cunningham called the combined body a "foundation or building block on which we can do lots of things together - prisons, nursing homes." Combining to address common problems will also result in cost efficiencies. For his part, Stoffa added that disease does not stop at a boundary or river. "This is the only area in the state that has done this. Perhaps the country, we don't know. We have to make sure this thing works."

But will it?

Angle was the sole person to ask, "What's all this going to cost?" That's a question going through everyone's minds, but nobody has an answer. After cost, the next big question is what services will be offered? Bethlehem and Allentown have already made very clear they will kill any health board, no matter what it's called, if it dilutes services already being offered by city health boards to their residents. At the same time, Lehigh County Commission Chair Percy Dougherty wants all Lehigh Valley residents to receive the same health services. "It's about time those of us out in the suburbs get the same coverage as those in the cities." Dougherty believes both Allentown and Bethlehem should be represented on the health board.

Williams Township teacher Lilly Krejewski (sp?) wished the newly-formed health board "good luck," calling it "testimony to what an open mind and open heart can do."

Before last night's combined meeting of Lehigh and Northampton (or should I say Northampton and Lehigh?) County legislators, there was a lengthy, inaugural meeting of the Lehigh Valley Health Board. It appointed Dr. David Lyon as its chair for the next year and also spent some time trying to figure out how to form committees, like finance, that can meet privately. It can't, although it does not seem to know that ... yet. It will be meeting twice monthly and its work will answer the big questions. Northampton County Council member Diane Neiper and Lehigh County Commissioner Gloria Hamm will serve as liaisons, or watchdogs, for both counties.

After the meeting adjourned, RenewLV put on a nice little spread of coffee, assorted cheeses and pastries. Most of the suits there avoided the treats. So Angle filled his pockets and I went for my thermos. Lehigh County Commissioners tried vainly to find an exit out of the building. Most are still there, but Angle left them some food.

Is the Bi-County Health Department Going Anywhere?

Last night, Northampton County Council considered the membership of its newly established bi-county health department. Council members Lamont McClure and Ron Angle, concerned we'll never be able to fund an admittedly worthy idea, asked that the health board not meet until definite costs of operation are ascertained. But according to Council member Neiper, the only way that can be answered is by having the board get together and meet. Angle and McClure's rare bipartisan motion was rejected by the other six council members.

The chief problem here is that Allentown and Bethlehem both already have their own active health departments, which will merge in this bi-county venture. Neither city will tolerate a dilution of the services they currently offer their residents. But people in Lynn or Upper Mount Bethel Township will be upset if their county taxes pay for a health department that offers city residents services it is unable to offer them.

Angle asks some good questions. "Why create a health department when we can't afford the level of government we have now?" "Why lead people on such a trip if you don't have the ability to buy a car?"

Norco Council Inches Towards a Health Department

He claims he's just a citizen like you and me. But at last night's Northampton County Council meeting, he was a bit more than that. In a room packed with at least sixty health department cheerleaders, Forks Township resident Ken Nagy was the one of the few to question its wisdom.

After hearing from advocates like Easton Mayor Phil Mitman, the League of Women Voters and Lehigh Valley Partnership Secretary Bert Daday, Nagy noted he belongs to no society. "I'm just a taxpayer." And as members of the peanut gallery shook their heads in disbelief and engaged in some low-toned cat calls, he proceeded to list just some of the unanswered questions. "What will it cost? Will all municipalities be included? We've gone 275 years without it, why do we need it now?"

After the people had spoken, council member Ron Angle interrogated county executive John Stoffa with many of his own doubts. Chief among these is that, at least initially, there will be two tiers of service - one for Bethlehem and another for everyone else.

That's just fine with Charles Dertinger. He actually argued, in a lengthy speech, that this country was founded on the principle that there are different levels of freedom for different groups.

Huh? Let's put that pesky Declaration of Independence and Equal Rights clause aside for a moment. That's a justification for a health department? That might justify slavery or suppression of women, but not a health department. Dertinger must be mixing up the American system of government with his masonic lodge. Rarely have I heard someone say so little with so many words.

Angle and Nagy are both right. There are many unanswered questions. But last night, county council was just taking a baby step towards the formation of a health department. If their legitimate doubts aren't answered, council can simply pull the plug. As expected, the proposal to establish a health department passed seven to two. Only Angle and Lamont McClure voted against it. Grube had intended to vote NO, but was actually swayed by a Morning Call editorial. He gruffly warned, as only he can, "All you people want to talk in flowery terms but we got meat and potatoes." I'll get back to you when I figure out what the hell he meant. It sounds pretty tough.

Grube said something else, and this time I understood him. "I have one more vote and I'm going to make it count." There better be details before this baby is funded.

Another council member who spoke last night was the usually quiet and unassuming Mike Dowd. Unlike Dertinger, he spoke very briefly, but his argument defeats Angle and Nagy. "A vote to say NO tonight is not a vote to get more information. It's a vote to say NO forever."

Sarah Cassi's well-written account is here.

Update: Joe Nixon also has a detailed account of last night's meeting.

Public Health Getting Contagious in Northampton County

Standing room only!

That was the scene at last night's Northampton County Council, where nearly seventy people crammed into a jury lounge serving as a makeshift meeting room. All the heavies were there, from Bert Daday, on behalf of the aristocratic and normally secretive Lehigh Valley Partnership, to Alan Jennings, on behalf of the CACLV. They were on hand to promote a "Joint Northampton-Lehigh County Department of Health" ordinance.

As Council Prez Grube told them before the meeting ever got under way, they all pretty much wasted a trip. Since the actual public hearing on this ordinance must wait for two weeks, Council Solicitor Lenny Zito suggested they might want to save their best arguments for that day.

Five people spoke anyway.

One of them was LVP honcho Bert Daday, who probably should have listened to Grube. He instructed Northampton County Council that a regional department of health has been one of his group's priorities since 1995. That made council member Ron Angle curious.

"Is your group public or private?"

Daday: "Private. We include 35 CEOs."

"Where do you meet, in some hotel room or something?"

Daday: "We meet quarterly --"

"Are your meetings open to the public?"

Daday: "Our meetings are not open to the public, we're a private organization --"

Lamont McClure came to Daday's rescue with a "point of order" or something before Angle could really get started, and Grube shut Angle down. But I know where Angle was headed. He resents the idea that a bunch of back room aristocrats think they can dictate public policy.

Although I share that resentment, a good idea is still a good idea. And a regional health department is a very good idea, even if it's supported by the Lehigh Valley Partnership.

Dr. David T. Lyon, who chairs the Northampton County Interim Board of Health, drove that point home last night. Here are some of his arguments.

1) Areas with local health departments tend to be healthier.

2) $3.2 million in state taxes paid by Lehigh Valley residents are being used to fund public health elsewhere simply because we lack a health department.

3) A regional approach to public health is economical, provides better access to grants, and will make this area more responsive to public health threats like communicable diseases, that don't stop at county boundaries.

Sounds like a no-brainer. But this is the People's Republic of Northampton County, so stay tuned.

The crowd evaporated as soon as Council Prez Grube said, "First order of business, public hearing on the 2008 real estate tax millage ordinance." At that point, county bean counter Doran Hamann got up and complained, "I thought everyone came for the budget hearing."

Later that night, as council churned through tax abatement ordinances, Angle was still undecided over the notion of a regional health department. Finally, he asked Stoffa whether he supported the idea.

Stoffa: "Yes, very much."

"Can we get together sometime in the next two weeks?"

Stoffa: "If you promise to listen."

Update: The Morning Call's Joe Nixon provides the background leading up to last night's pproposal, and The Express Times' Sarah Cassi notes that some complain there are unanswered questions.

Can LV Health Department Overcome Norco Council Chainsaw Massacre?

If there's any one group that gets the third degree from Northampton County Council, it's the Interim Health Board, established in 2005, to study the feasibility of a regional health department. On March 1, Dr. David Lyon, who chairs this group, tried to make a friendly presentation to council. But when he was done, he must have felt like he had just walked into a chainsaw.

Szzrum-rum-rum!.

Assurances that a regional board could be created without additional tax dollars, were completely dismissed. Claims that Bethlehem residents - who have their own health department - would not suffer, were also ignored.

Lamont McClure suggested that this was being foisted on local governments by hospitals tired of providing emergency room care to indigents. Szzrum. Ron Angle refused to believe it could be done without more county tax dollars. Szzrum-rum. John Cusick believes state services would be better than anything done regionally. Szzrum-rum-rum. Tony Branco complained it would not be fair to have a regional or county health department whose offices are located only in Bethlehem. Szzrum-rum-rum-rum. Ann McHale complained that Bethlehem residents, who already have a health board, would suffer.

Leatherface would be proud!

Although the devil's always in the details, there is much to be said for a regional Lehigh Valley health department, which would be the first of its kind in the state. RenewLV notes these advantages:

Access to a larger pool of state public-health funds;

Greater consistency in public health services across the region--without diminishing services in Allentown and Bethlehem, the two cities currently served by local health bureaus;

Improved regional readiness to response to a natural disaster, epidemic/pandemic or other health emergency;

Increased capacity to address health risks that cut across city and county jurisdictions;

More efficient use of public health dollars through economies of scale and reduced duplication of services; and

Increased ability to obtain major government grants for public health services.

The bi-county workgroup will be meeting publicly on Monday, September 17, 1:00 PM., Bechtel Building (basement conference room), 520 East Broad Street, Bethlehem.

A Lehigh Valley Health Board is in the Works

It was late September when people began to get sick. In days, the disease spread across the state, from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Government collapsed as the illness ripped through firemen, policemen and garbage collectors. There was no room for the bodies.

Public gatherings were banned. Schools, churches and movie theatres were all closed. Mothers watched their children die, before they themselves went gently into that good night.

Sounds like one of those disaster movies, eh? No. It really happened back in 1918. It's remembered as the Great Pandemic. As suddenly as it come, it was gone.

Are we ready for the next one? We better be, because we're overdue.

Northampton County's Interim Health Board, formed in July 2005, is exploring formation of a bi-county health board with LehighLehigh County. Last night, Board chair Dr. David Lyon told Northampton County Council it would be the first bi-county health board in the state. It would be financed by leveraging state grants with private donations from area hospitals.

Margaret Potter, associate dean at Pittsburgh's Center for Public Health Practice, explained how we could all benefit from a regional health bureau. Restaurant inspections, drinking water tests and infectious disease watches, are just a small part of a public health department. They also provide immunizations, STD investigations and nutritional programs. They also take some of the pressure off local hospitals.

What's most amazing about this program, and a surprise to Dean Potter herself, is that we might be able to form a bi-county health department without spending any local money. Ron Angle hounded Potter for specifics, but she's still working out details, and those won't be ready for a few months.

When Angle kept insisting that we would end up paying for this, a board member (his name escapes me) explained that we already pay taxes for a health board. "We're already being taxed. We just want some money back."

Lehigh County recently adopted a resolution creating a Lehigh County or bi-county bealth authority. Last night, Potter explained that the existing health bureaus in Allentown and Bethlehem would be left intact, and the health department would be expanded in small phases around those departments.