Kraft, Keegan and Warren Prove They Are Rubber Stamps

When I left you last week, I told you that Northampton County Council was deadlocked in appointing someone to fill the County Council vacancy created by the January 2 resignation of Tara Zrinski. After two failed ballots, they voted to send the matter to the courts. County Council Solicitor Chris Spadoni advised Council that he'd be in motions court on Friday to petition the court to appoint a qualified candidate within 15 days, as required under the Home Rule Charter. Spadoni was there as he said he would be, but so were Council members Ken Kraft, Kelly Keegan and Jeff Warren. They were joined by County Solicitor Missy Rudas, who introduced this troika and presented motions court with a dueling petition seeking the appointment of union business agent Paul Anthony.  They used the County's own lawyer, who serves at the pleasure of the Executive, to file a motion filling the open Council slot with the person Executive Lamont McClure wants installed. Despite their constant denials that they are rubber stamps for the Executive, their actions on Friday prove that is precisely what they are. 

I'll be reading the petitions today, but can tell you I'm more than a bit confused about why the County Solicitor was there. She is supposed to represent the County's interest, not those of a faction seeking to consolidate more power in the hands of the Executive.   

What bothers me even more is that facts were misrepresented. According to Lehigh Valley News, both Rudas and Kraft argued that, while County Council voted the previous evening to declare an impasse, they never voted to send the matter to the courts. 

This is incorrect.

After two failed ballots, this is the motion as stated by Council President Lori Vargo-Heffner. "At this time, I'd like to make a motion to send this to the courts since we're going to have an impasse ... ." 

Kraft actually seconded this motion, the one he now denies was ever made. 

In addition to proving once and for all that the Kraft-Keegan-Warren triumvirate are rubber stamps, they also displayed the behavior of petulant schoolchildren unhappy they did not get their way. 

NorCo Seeks Elections Workers

From Northampton County's Elections Office: Northampton County Elections Office is seeking registered voters who live in Northampton County to serve in poll worker positions for the upcoming Primary Election on Tuesday, April 23rd, and General Election on Tuesday, November 5th.

Every year, elections in Northampton County are made possible by citizens who serve as poll workers. These people do the important work of checking in voters at polling places and setting them up with a ballot. At the end of the night, poll workers deliver the returns to county election officials. We depend on these workers to ensure fair, accurate, and legal elections.

Poll workers must attend mandatory training prior to the Primary Election and are also paid for their training time and work on Election Day. Northampton County poll workers may earn between $175 and $200 for serving all of Election Day, depending on the poll worker’s assignments and training. Typical Election Day hours are from 6:30 a.m. until after the polls close at 8 p.m. Individuals who bring supplies back to the Government Center receive additional compensation and mileage.

The PA Election Code also permits high school students 17 years of age to serve at the polls in specific capacities.

Registered voters interested in becoming poll workers in your community, email the Northampton County Elections Office at election@norcopa.gov or call 610-829-6260. Any 17-year-old high school student who is interested should complete this form and return it to the Elections Office.

Our democracy increases in strength the more we all participate.

Courts Will Have To Appoint Someone to Zrinski Vacancy on NorCo Council

NorCo Council tried and failed for a second time last night to appoint someone to the County Council vacancy created when Tara Zrinski resigned on January 2 to become County Controller. After two failed rounds of voting, County Council voted to send it to the courts. 

The vote was 5-3 to ask the courts to make the appointment. It was supported by Council members Lori Vargo-Heffner, Ron Heckman, Ken Kraft, Tom Giovanni and John Brown. It was opposed by Council members Jeff Warren, Kelly Keegan and John Goffredo. 

Council Solicitor Chris Spadoni advised Council that he would present a petition to the court this morning, asking the judges to make the appointment. Once that is filed, an appointment must be made within 15 days. Spadoni indicated his petition would note that there were 20 applications, but that the courts can appoint anyone who meets the relatively low eligibility requirements. 

Some have speculated that President Judge Craig Dally would pick whomever Judge John Morganelli wants installed because Morganelli helped Dally become President Judge. My own view is that the courts will punt and send this to an out-of-county judge precisely to avoid any political recriminations. Besides, they're pretty busy arranging funerals.

This failure by Council reveals that, whatever it is, it is not a governing body. 

NorCo Council Declines to Rescind Tax Break For Upper Mount Bethel Tp Industrial Dite

By a 5-3 vote, Northampton County Council declined last night to repeal an ordinance granting a tax break for the RPL industrial development in Upper Mount Bethel Tp. This incentive was approved last April by Republicans John Goffredo, Tom Giovanni and John Brown as well as Democrats Kerry Myers, Lori Vargo-Heffner and Ron Heckman.  They bought the argument that this would bring jobs to an economically depressed area. Those who opposed it argued that it would also bring warehouses, increased truck traffic on Rte 611 and would destroy the natural beauty of Upper Mount Bethel Tp.

As tax breaks go, this is the least offensive. It is called a LERTA is an acronym for Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance.

Property owners inside a LERTA zone may apply for a tax break for improvements that increase assessment, upon which all real estate taxes are based. They will continue paying full taxes on the current assessment, but the increase in assessment resulting from improvements like a new manufacturing facility or warehouse can be phased in gradually over a period of ten years.

At last night's meeting, Council heard the same pro and con arguments about the LERTA that have been made since last April.

Newly elected Council member Jeff Warren, who sponsored the repeal, must have sensed it was in trouble because he filed a motion to table. That motion failed in a 5-3 vote, In addition to Warren, the Council members who voted to table were Kelly Keegan and Ken Kraft.  The Council members who voted against tabling were Ron Heckman, Lori Vargo-Heffner, John Goffredo, John Brown and Tom Giovanni.   

On the merits, the repeal failed by the same margin. Council members Ron Heckman, Lori Vargo-Heffner, John Goffredo, John Brown and Tom Giovanni voted No to repeal, while Council members Ken Kraft, Kelly Keegan and Jeff Warren voted Yes.    

Later that evening, Kelly Keegan complained that she is not "a rubber stamp. I actually was really insulted by that. I don't know where that came from. There's no evidence of it."

Kelly, your votes show you for what you are. You are in lock step with Lamont McClure's agenda every step of the way, voting in a block of three Council members including Warren and Kraft. It's vary obvious.  

NorCo's "Fake is Real" Fenatnyl Awareness Program Shows Signs of Success

Exec McClure

A year ago yesterday, Northampton County launched a fentanyl awareness program called Fake is Real.  Its purpose is to raise public consciousness of the dangers posed by fentanyl, which is very often laced into illegal pills and other street drugs. An amount as small as the tip of a pencil point can be fatal. Executive Lamont McClure insists that those who succumb to this drug are actually victims of poisoning, not drug overdoses. How successful has Fake is Real been? Yesterday, during a press conference at the  Human Services building, county officials provided a progress report indicating that there's been some real success in reducing the number of people killed. It may very well have saved some lives. 

McClure kicked things off in a conference room filled mostly by about 25 recovery specialists and human services employees. He explained that Fake is Real is actually a three-part program - triage, treatment and triumph. "We are very much in the triage phase," he observed, He added that "fighting fentanyl is one of the top priorities of my administration."

DA Baratta

The funding for this program comes from two sources. First, there's a $2 million settlement from a lawsuit against Big Pharma brought by a statewide association of districts attorney. Former DA Terry Houck committed that fund to Fake is Real. Current DA Steve Baratta, who was present and spoke at yesterday's conference, renewed that commitment.  The second source of funding is $13 million to be paid to the county over 18 years as a result of a nationwide lawsuit against drug manufacturers. 

Why do I say that Fake is Real may have saved lives?  Because that's what the data from the state Department of Health show. In 2020, there were 94 opioid overdose deaths in Northampton County. That trend continued in 2021 (96 deaths) and 2022 (81 deaths). The preliminary figures for calendar year 2023 reveal 45 fatal overdose deaths. While the avoidable death of just one person is tragic, it appears that the county awareness campaign played a role in saving some lives. McClure was a little hesitant to pat himself on the back, noting that drug interdictions at the Mexico-US border may be another factor. 

DA Baratta announced his full support of Fake is Real. He stated that he plans on reaching out to every high school in the county this year to discuss the dangers of fentanyl. "The horrible part about this crisis is that no one is safe," he said. "It is insidious."

D&A Administrator Jiorle

Several readers of this blog have blasted Fake is Real as a waste of time and money, arguing that the real cause of the problem is the border crisis. Baratta agreed that, while a small amount of fentanyl is manufactured domestically, most of it comes from Mexico and China. But he added this settlement money can only be used for education and treatment, not law enforcement. 

I would make this addition to Baratta's argument. We live is a world of supply and demand. If the imported supply diminishes but demand remains high, that will just stimulate more domestic production. Fake is Real is intended to reduce demand, which in turn makes supply irrelevant.  

Drug and Alcohol Administrator Kathy Jiorle, who administers Fake is Real, gave a "by the numbers" report:

15 - Narcan training events
286 - individuals trained to use Narcan
1378 - Narcan kits distributed
14 - events attended by Fake is Real,
131 - agencies have received Fake is Real products. 

At an event in Wilson Borough Jiorle was approached by a grandfather who took a kit and said he wished he had one when his daughter died of an overdose. He now raises her child.    

Kudo's Sarah Clark, who administers the Fake is Real webpage, said it includes a digital memorial for loved ones who have passed away. You can sign up at the webpage for a monthly newsletter that provides up-to-date details ion the awareness campaign.  

McClure's Fake is Real appears to have saved lives. This is probably his most significant achievement as Executive. One of those lives saved might one day save yours.  

Congressional Candidate Kevin Dellicker Addresses Drone Attack That Killed and Injured US Soldiers

On Saturday night, three US soldiers stationed in Jordan were killed and at least 34 were injured as a result of a kamikaze drone launched by Iranian-backed militants. I questioned how we should respond, but received few cogent answers. How about our Lehigh Valley Rep in Washington? Susan Wild was too busy criticizing Republicans over a border security bill to have much to say. GOP Congressional candidates Ryan MacKenzie and Maria Montero were in turn complaining about Wild. But one GOP Congressional candidate, Kevin Dellicker, did have a thoughtful response, and actually sent it to me. 

He's the only one of this quartet who himself was a member of the military. And I appreciate his willingness to address this direct affront to our national security. His reply is below:

Here is my response to your question, “How Do We Respond to the Drone Attack that Killed Three U.S. Soldiers in Jordan and Injured 30+?”

Short Term:

1. We must take immediate steps to protect U.S. troops in the region who are deployed at remote outposts throughout the Middle East, Southwest Asia, and Africa. These brave men and women have been the target of more than 150 attacks from Iranian-backed militias since October and now three Army Reservists are dead. The Biden Administration must remove restrictive rules of engagement and weapons limitations, withdraw vulnerable troops to more fortified locations, and/or reinforce forward operating bases with additional firepower. That means ensuring that enough assets are immediately moved to the U.S. military hubs in the region to respond if remote troops are in trouble. Currently, we are at risk of another Mogadishu or Benghazi.

2. We must strike at the Iranian-backed terrorists who have waged these attacks. Most of these groups are operating in areas where the U.S. has air superiority. We must target fighters, weapons storehouses, command-and-control, logistics infrastructure, and warfighting capabilities in multiple places against multiple militias. This not to “send a message.” It is to degrade the militias' ability to attack American troops in the region and deter them from attacking again.

Near Term:

1. The Biden Administration owes the American public an explanation of why we have all those remote outposts in the first place, what our troops our doing there, and when their mission will be accomplished. Most Americans didn’t even know we had troops in Jordan.

2. The Iranian militias are likely to reconstitute and reattack even after a devastating strike. The only way to stop them long-term is to sever their supply networks and dissuade their benefactors in Iran. This requires a combination of military, diplomatic, economic, and information operations against Iran that will be expensive, difficult, and long-lasting.

3. Bombing Iranian sites that produce the drones, rockets, and missiles is an option, but the American people are not ready for a war with Iran, and neither is the U.S. military. We hardly have enough resources to meet our current challenges. I don’t support this course of action right now.

Long Term:

1. The Iranians are poised to have nuclear weapons aimed at Israel and American military bases in the region. A nuclear-armed Ayatollah will pose unprecedented risks to world peace and prosperity. We have three options to prevent it: destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities before they are fielded, change the regime, or engage the regime. President Biden has tried the latter, and it has failed miserably. The President must level with the American people about his failed appeasement policies and the severity of the threat we face from a nuclear Iran. There are no good options.

2. We must rebuild our military. We have lost our deterrence. Our military is stretched so thin that we are sending reservists from Georgia to remote outposts in Jordan. Did you know that hundreds of soldiers from the Pennsylvania Army National Guard are heading into the region right now? We can’t produce enough ships, submarines, missiles, or aircraft. We can’t even produce enough bullets. Our weapons are too expensive. Our supply chains are too dependent on other countries. Our military wastes millions of dollars on progressive priorities that have nothing to do with fighting and winning wars. We are not ready to counter China.

Our sovereignty is being challenged, our interests are being attacked, and our sons and daughters are dying. We are failing in our responsibility to defend our country and protect our troops.

We need strong leaders in Washington with national security experience to fix our military and keep us safe. That’s a main reason why I’m running for Congress.

What Success Have We Had Concerning Fentanyl?

At this time last year, at a news conference attended by 25 people, Northampton County launched its "Fake is Real" awareness campaign concerning the danger posed by fentanyl. The program is funded with $2 million received by then DA Terry Houck as a result of his participation in a lawsuit brought against Big Pharma by state District Attorneys. The county will receive another $13 million over 18 years as part of its share of a national settlement. 

The primary goal of  "Fake is Real" is to educate people, and the younger the better. 

Money will be spent to upgrade recovery centers, expand veteran outreach services, conduct substance abuse prevention programs aimed at student athletes and train certified recovery specialists at local colleges.  The county will also acquire a mobile outreach vehicle called Hope1.   It will travel the four corners of the county to provide drug and alcohol assessments and mental health referrals. It also has a billboard on Route 22. 

Fentanyl kills, especially when it masquerades as something else. In Northampton County, over 6,000 people suffer from a drug disorder. In Lehigh County, it's 6,700. They are especially at risk. Statewide, over 89,000 doses of Naloxone have been administered since 2018. 

On the one-year anniversary of the launch of Fake is Real campaign (Jan. 31), the county will host a 1:30 pm news conference and progress report st the county's Human Services Building at 2801 Emrick Blvd. Participants will include Executive Lamont McClure and District Attorney Steve Baratta.

According to Governing, fentanyl and the larger opioid crisis is one of the top issues being faced by state and local government. Drug overdoes deaths have doubled since the pandemic. I personally am acquainted with several people who lost children to this scourge. 

One approach has been to crack down on dealers and even those who possess a small amount of fentanyl.  But that approach has flaws. Even if the import of fentanyl is completed halted from Mexico and China, there still is a lot of domestic production. There are also new synthetics like nitazene, which is 40 times more powerful than fentanyl. 

Pennsylvania recently enacted a law that requires acute care hospitals to test for both fentanyl and xylazine when conducting a drug screening.   

How Do We Respond to Drone Attack That Killed Three US Soldiers in Jordan and Injured 30+?

Three US soldiers stationed in Jordan near the Syrian border were killed on Saturday night by a kamikaze drone attack that also injured at least 34 more. According to President Joe Biden, "we know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq.” 

How should we respond? 

President Biden: "[H]ave no doubt — we will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner our choosing."

President Trump: "This terrible day is yet more proof that we need an immediate return to PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, so that there will be no more chaos, no more destruction, and no more loss of precious American lives. Our Country cannot survive with Joe Biden as Commander in Chief."

Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (on Thursday, before the attack): ""Until Iran feels that its own interests and its own IRGC officers across the region are threatened, attacks on U.S. forces will continue."

Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer: "We must work to hold those responsible accountable."

So far, as McConnell has observed, we've been playing whack-a-mole with Iran. 

Rogue Elections Comm'r Dislikes My Criticism of His Refusal To Certify NorCo Election Results

Yesterday, I took NorCo Elections Comm'r Scott Hough to task for his refusal to certify the 2023 election results. Despite going rogue and refusing to follow the very election law he is required to administer, he was re-appointed by County Council last week by a 7-1 vote (Ken Kraft being the sole dissenter). The appointment of an elections commissioner who selectively decides which elections laws he's willing to follow is a mistake, at least in my view.  Late last night, Hough took me to task for my criticism. I responded. This is our exchange:

Scott Hough: "For the record, no one, including Glenn Geissinger, had a conversation with me on how to handle the certification. I made a decision based on not having all the information I felt the commission needed to make a certification. This includes the concerns of dozens of voters who showed up that day. I was requesting (as I had previous to that meeting) to investigate the situation and information gather. Moving forward, please don’t assert that I am beholden to anyone. No one is pulling my strings."

"Secondly, when the documents were handed to me, I told the solicitor, Mr. Santee, that I couldn’t sign them in good faith. I was taught a long time ago not to sign anything I was unsure of, I was not sure those machine results were correct PERIOD and therefore was not comfortable.

"You have my phone number and email, next time feel free to call and ask me questions before you defame me in posts by stating I broke the law and implying I’m a criminal. The election was certified. I have not been charged or arrested. I’m thankful to the Commissioners and the County Executive for reappointing me. There is work to be done to get to the bottom of last year’s fiasco and to do everything we can to not lose anymore faith from the voters.

"I hope you’ll join in reporting on the Election Commission actually being able to do its job and run a fair and transparent election."

My response: - Listen Scott, There was no need to call you. The facts are quite clear. You went rogue. You refused to certify the election results even though it is a statutory obligation and you were quoted the law by your solicitor. You were urged not to certify by a mob at the elections commission hearing and that included the urging of GOP Chair Glenn Geissinger, who spoke publicly. There were several GOP lawyers at that meeting, and not one of them advocated that you refuse to certify.

Nobody defamed you, but if you feel that I defamed you by reporting truthfully that you went rogue and did so after the public urging of your party chair, please knock yourself out and sue. See where that gets you.

Your refusal to certify might have been more damaging to those who who wished to challenge.

Throughout your tenure as an elections comm'r, you have made some worthwhile suggestions, which I have noted in the past. But I'd never vote for someone who choses for himself which laws he will follow and which he won't concerning an election. Your refusal just continued to undermine public confidence in our elections.

It is not a "commission" that confirmed your nomination. It is county council. They may call themselves commissioners, but are still known as county council.

I did not call you a criminal. I said you broke the law, and you did. Had a majority refused to certify, they would have been subjected to a mandamus requiring certification or contempt of court.

The simple reality is that you went rogue and played to the mob.

What Practical Suggestions Do You Have for 2024 Presidential Election

I'm unsure whether any Council members have been appointed to Northampton County's "Election Integrity Committee," to say nothing whether any meetings have been scheduled. In the meantime, the Presidential Primary is coming at the county like a freight train. Moreover, despite an internal investigation that resulted in the resignation of Administrator Charles Deringer, there's been no public airing from the administration about precisely what went wrong and what steps are being taken to guard against it happening again. We know the Express Vote XL was improperly coded. We know that the coding error was somehow missed during logic and accuracy (L&A) testing. We know that there was chaos on election day because the county failed to provide precincts with a sufficient number of emergency ballots. The purpose of this post is to solicit practical suggestions that can be implemented in time for an election just three months away. 

Scrapping the Express Vote XL and switching to another system at this late date is totally impractical. It would be impossible to solicit bids for a new system and train people in time for a new election. Also, the county has no say in issues like Voter ID, early voting or mail-in ballots. That is a matter for the state legislature, not a county government. 

Here are some practical suggestions I'd urge the following:

1) The county administration, which has been fairly transparent about what went wrong, should release a public report detailing all the errors discovered and describing the corrective measures taken. 

2) Elections workers are paid the statutory maximum on election day. I believe that they should be paid for two days and should be required to visit the polling place the evening before the election to set up and ensure that they have the right machines and right epollbooks for the precinct. They should also be required to send a text message from the county-supplied phone to the elections office to ensure that messages are being received.  This may not be possible in every precinct. to the extent it can be done, it should be done. 

3) At the last County Council meeting, Executive Lamont McClure laid out a number of mandatory training dates for elections workers. Though it sounded impressive, the reality is that there is only one training date required for each worker. There are numerous dates to accommodate the schedules of elections workers. The County should actively solicit county employees to participate in these training sessions and assist other elections workers. 

4) Although most people who work elections do so for patriotic reasons, there are some who have a history of making partisan remarks and belong to organizations that undermine public confidence in elections.  If these are elected elections officials, they cannot be fired. But the county should refuse to use them. This danger needs to be reviewed in every precinct. At the last elections commission, I heard two elections workers from a Hanover precinct admit that they knowingly gave incorrect information to voters, saying there would be a special election when nothing of that sort was intimated. Those people need to go away.   

5) Training concerning the use of provisional ballots must intensify. Too many elections workers are completely unfamiliar with them or their purpose. If a voter wishes to cast a ballot and insists he is registered when you have no such record, he must be afforded the option of voting provisionally. 

NorCo Council Re-Appoints Election Comm'r Who Refused to Certify 2023 Results

At their meeting last Thursday, Northampton County Council voted to re-appoint Scott Hough to the Elections Comm'n. Julie Geissinger, wife of GOP Chair Glenn Geissinger, was also appointed. These are the Republican designees to the five-member Elections Commission, and are the persons recommended by Geissinger. 

Under the Home Rule Charter, the party chairs are required to submit the names of five individuals who are willing to serve. The Executive nominates from that list, with the majority party getting three members and the minority party getting two. County Council must confirm the nominations by majority vote. 

In order to ensure that his two picks received the Executive's nomination, Geissinger only provided two names. They were his wife and Scott Hough, an elections commissioner who refused to certify the 2023 results.

The elections commission appointments were included in a slate of appointments to various boards and agencies. 

County Council member Kelly Keegan asked to have the vote for the elections commission conducted separately, but her motion failed. Keegan was joined by Council members Ken Kraft and Jeff Warren in seeking a separate vote. 

Though there was no discussion, Hough refused to certify the elections results despite being advised by the attorney representing the elections commission that the vote to certify was mandatory and not discretionary. 

A vote to certify the elections results simply means that those are the figures computed, niot that they are accurate. It is what starts the clock ticking for legal challenges that could make that determination. 

All Republicans were joined by Democrats Ron Heckman and Lori Vargo-Heffner in voting No to a separate vote. 

Having failed to separate the vote on the elections commission from other agencies and boards, Council voted 7-1 to confirm all appointments, with Ken Kraft being the sole No vote. 

Council's action reappoints an elections commissioner who violated the law by refusing to certify the election results even though he is mandated to edo so under the Elections Code. 

NorCo Council Should Be Careful What it Wishes For

Perhaps the biggest complaint I hear from some members of Northampton County Council is that, all too often, they are the third wheel on the county government bicycle. I agree. One-man rule has been a trend on the state (emergency powers) and federal (executive orders) level as well. County Council is the first branch of government described in the Home Rule Charter. To me, that's a telling indication where most county power should be vested. But if County Council is unable to appoint a person to fill a vacancy, it will have demonstrated that it is, after all, the weakest branch. 

If County Council is unable to make an appointment at its February 1 meeting, any Council member or any five registered voters can petition the court to make an appointment. If such a petition is filed, the court must make an appointment within 15 days.  At that point, County Council loses control over its destiny.

Contrary to what some Council members seemed to have thought, the courts can appoint anyone who is qualified (US citizen who has resided continuously in the county for a full year prior to the commencement of the vacated term). The court can reach beyond those who filed applications with the county and select anyone. 

Because the court interacts with County Council on a regular basis, it might even ask an out-of-county judge to do the honors. I think any appointment made by Northampton County's bench would be immediately suspect. 

If County Council is serious about its desire to be relevant, individual  members need to put aside differences and appoint a person who will inform himself or herself on county issues and be their own person. Unfortunately, Councilmembers have been more interested in hearing the right answers to questions about the LERTA or the health center than they are in finding the best person. I frankly feel those questions are a disservice to the candidates and the residents if the county. 

Dixie Cup's Supposed Buyer Lends $442,000 to Owner

 Yesterday, I shared Armando Moritz-Chapelliquen's take on the latest proposal for the redevelopment of the blighted Dixie Cup factory in Wilson Borough. What I neglected to tell you is that, contrary to what has been reported in some media sources, the property is still owned by Joe Reibman's WilsonPark,LTD. Although a memorandum of an agreement of sale has been recorded with Syyline Investment Corp, no Deed has actually been conveyed.

Even more interesting is that the Seller has actually borrowed $442,000 from Skyline. I have never seen a commercial buyer loan a seller money and have no idea why they would do this.

Sultana To Seek State House Seat

Two weeks ago, I told you that Easton City Council member Taiba Sultana was looking for a political consultant to help her take on popular incumbent Bob Freeman, a State Representative for  the 136th state house district. Freeman has already announced plans to seek a 20th term. 

In my view, 20 terms as a State Rep is about 15 terms too long. But I'd support him for 40 terms over a divisive character like Sultana. 

Sultana currently faces assault charges over a domestic incident with her adult son over the summer. Her criminal case is currently scheduled for April 29, although Attorney Ettore "Ed" Angelo said at her preliminary hearing that he was applying for a special program for first offenders called ARD. 

In her time on Council, she has sparred with Council members Israel's invasion of Gaza, and has asserted several times that she is a victim of their racism and sexism.   

The 137th District includes Easton, West Easton, Glendon, Freemansburg, Hellertown and portions of Palmer, Williams and Lower Saucon Tps.  

Latest Dixie Cup Proposal

Blogger's Note: Armando Moritz-Chapelliquen is a Wilson Borough resident very interested in the redevelopment of the blighted Dixie Cup factory located between S 24th and S 25th Sts. He attended a presentation on Monday night that describe the project in detail. You can post your thoughts in the comments. 

Good Morning Neighbor,   [Monday] night, two representatives from the prospective buyer of the Dixie Cup site presented updated plans to Wilson Borough Council. While some things remain the same, there were some substantive changes that I want to highlight.   What's New The biggest differences since the August presentation were in the details provided. Below is an image I drafted up to try and convey some of the new details that were shared.

Retail and Community Space (Red Circle): The development team has proposed to activate the old boiler room for the site as a retail and community space open to the public. The idea is that people could access this space from either the bike path (which currently runs along the building) or from a newly activated roadway on the southern side. Reactivated Roadway (Blue Rectangle): The gray line on the map represents a roadway that has not been in use but would be reopened to allow for the public to access the retail and community space. Fire Lane Around the Building (Orange Line): The orange line is a poor approximation but is meant to convey that there will be a fire lane all around the building, allowing for emergency vehicles to access the building from any side. I believe this would also allow for greater pedestrian and bicycle flow off of Washington Blvd and the bike path.   In addition to these changes, the developer is not (yet) requesting a tax benefit in the form of a LERTA or TIF. This is different from August's presentation, where a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) was floated as a potential request.

Unchanged Proposal Elements Several elements of the proposal remain (largely) the same. A quick rundown is below: Market-Rate Residential Units: There are 405 units proposed for the building, 76% will be 1 bedroom, 24% will be 2 bedrooms (August unit count was 422). All units are expected to be market rate. Target demographic is still "young professionals". Resident-Only Amenities: Amenities for residents include a rooftop lounge, co-working rooms, club rooms, pool on the western side of the building, and courtyards that will be between the "fingers" of each building.   According to a traffic study done by the development team, impact on traffic could be mitigated with updated timing on the signal lights at 25th and Butler. Additionally, with the reactivated roadway, parking around the building and use of the adjacent lot for resident parking, there is minimal concern for increased competition for on-street parking.

What About The Cup? The development team indicated that the existing cup is not safe to stay in its current location. They are proposing bringing the cup down to the proposed community and retail space and building a replica cup with new materials to put in the original's place.

What's Still Unclear In August, I indicated that the developer was considering a contribution into Northampton County's Affordable Housing Fund. Whether that is happening (and how much would be contributed) is still unclear. Additionally, there are still questions as to who exactly the developers of this site are.

What Do You Think? The development team is looking to start work on the project in April of this year and completing work by 2025 or early 2026. There is a lot to digest from this update, but I'd love to know what you think about what's changed and what's remained the same. This is a massive development that could fundamentally transform our community. Do you think it will change it for the better?   As always, thanks for the collaboration! Armando

The Pros and Cons of Upper Mount Bethel's LERTA

Last week, Northampton County Council introduced an ordinance that would repeal a tax break for an industrial development in Upper Mount Bethel Tp. This corporate welfare was approved last April by  Republicans John Goffredo, Tom Giovanni and John Brown as well as Democrats Kerry Myers, Lori Vargo-Heffner and Ron Heckman.  They bought the argument that this would bring jobs to an economically depressed area. Those who opposed it argued that it would also bring warehouses, increased truck traffic on Rte 611 and would destroy the natural beauty of Upper Mount Bethel Tp.

As tax breaks go, this is the least offensive. It is called a LERTA is an acronym for Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance.

Property owners inside a LERTA zone may apply for a tax break for improvements that increase assessment, upon which all real estate taxes are based. They will continue paying full taxes on the current assessment, but the increase in assessment resulting from improvements like a new manufacturing facility or warehouse can be phased in gradually over a period of ten years.

In his report to County Council, Executive Lamont McClure stated that the ordinance he drafted for consideration would rescind the current law and replace it with another that would enable Council to incentivize manufacturing. 

"[I]t's good to incentivize manufacturing," he said. "Also, we want to incentivize brownfield development. ... What I don't think is appropriate to incentivize is warehouses.... We don't need any more warehouses in NorCo and we certainly shouldn't be incentivizing them. But this is not merely a repeal. We're going to have a replacement and we're going to replace the LERTA, but the difference is going to be that, when a permit is filed, you will decide if that parcel gets a tax break. No one else. Right now, under your current law, Upper Mount Bethel gets to decide which parcels get your taxpayers' tax break."

Lou Pektor, a developer of the site, argued that the LERTA should remain intact, noting it demonstrates the support of the local community. 

Pektor said he is competing for tenants on a national and regional level. "This is not a site where we are pulling people out of the Lehigh Valley and moving them 35 minutes north. ... The world has changed and it's not about price. It's about infrastructure, the ability to grow. The changes in what's happened since COVID have accelerated consolidation, have accelerated thinking on plans about long term growth, No longer do you see warehouses removed from manufacturing operations. You see integration of activities, hopefully under one roof or very proximate to each other. Also, transportation between facilities has grown immensely. The cost of labor, transporting people back and forth, has grown immensely.. ... We've designed the site to deliver footprints that are bigger than what a lot of us are used to talking about. .... We believe we'll land one or two data centers at the site until we're done. ... We got great connectivity, we got a great location, we're close to population centers, we have most importantly, power. Power you're going to hear more about if you're attuned to the commercial and industrial world. We have the ability to get up to 400 megawatts. That's almost unheard of." He added the development is close to Route 80 and rail, and that he is putting in water and sewer. ,ned to maximize and compete at a high level. 

Based on election results, it appears that a majority of Upper Mount Bethel residents oppose the LERTA. In fact, I wonder why their Board has failed to take steps to repeal it. 

County Council members Goffredo, Giovanni and Brown all live in other parts of the slate belt. They argue that jobs are badly needed and people are leaving the area. 

I am philosophically opposed to business tax breaks unless they are for a brownfield. What's your take? 

McClure: No Structural Deficit at Gracedale

Last week, during interviews of Northampton County Council aspirants, Council member John Brown twice stated that there was a $20 million structural deficit at Gracedale, the county-owned nursing home.  He made this statement in questions posed to candidates David Holland and William Krzemien. Holland, a nurse once employed at Gracedale, stated that residents at long term care facilities are entitled to the best care they can get, without directly answering Brown. Krzemien, a retired FBI agent, said he'd oppose a tax increase to continue supporting the home under those circumstances. Both of these candidates subsequently received votes from several Republican Council members. They voted in unison for Krzemien for three or more rounds. But was Brown's statement even correct? Is there really a $20 million deficit at Gracedale?   

"There is no structural deficit,"  said Executive Lamont McClure during his report to Council on Thursday evening. "We must pass a balanced budget every year. So that is not a fact. There is not a $20 million deficit for Gracedale; there is a $0 deficit for Gracedale because we must pass balanced budgets every year. That's just not true. ... In my administration, we have not had a county contribution from the general fund, and the general fund, for people listening on Youtube, is the real estate tax revenue we collect. My administration has not once contributed from the general fund  to Gracedale. Gracedale has been self-sustaining since I have been in office. That's through a global pandemic that affected nursing homes the most. The last time there was a county contribution, and that was was $2,453,000, was in 2015, and I was not Executive."

The person who was Executive in 2015 was Council member John Brown.

Brown had no response to what McClure stated. 

I am forced to conclude that Brown was spewing misinformation in an attempt to scare county residents and set the stage for a sale of the nursing home.  

Council Candidate Rips Vargo-Heffner and Heckman For Considering Race in Vacancy Appointment

Melanie Christopher, a teacher with Allentown School District, is an Independent seeking an appointment to the County Council vacancy.  She was in the audience when four Council members voted to appoint  flamethrower Kerry Myers to the open slot, despite being rejected on both sides of the ballot. He was arguably the worst of the 20-plus candidates who applied, but came just one vote short of getting the nomination because he'd be a reliable vote to oppose anything the Executive wishes to accomplish. A vote for him was a vote for obstruction, not balance. Christopher had another reason to be upset with the votes for Myers, and she expressed them in an email to County Council President Lori Vargo-Heffner.  

Dear Commissioner Vargo-Heffner, Thank you for the time you took to review my credentials and for the question posed to me during my interview. I was present last night for part of debates, and arguing, that took place in an attempt to choose a candidate to replace former Commission Zrinski. While I appreciate that the Council did not think I was the best candidate, I did find a comment made to be quite offensive and irrelevant to the process: Vargo Heffner noted of Myers: "He is the only person of color in this room." Heckman said Myers is sometimes accused of playing "the race card," but added, "He's lived that race." Unfortunately, this statement reflects a "judging a book by its cover" type statement. While I am not sure what the purpose of pointing out anyone's race was, your statement was 100% incorrect. You see, I too am a person of "color." While I do have blue eyes and a lighter complexion, the assumption that I too, could not be a person of color who has had to deal with, and whose family has had to deal with, race and/or ethnicity issues, prejudice, or anything along those lines, was unfair and inequitable, to say the least. Mr. Myers may have been the only "male" candidate of color, but he was not the only candidate of color. Had I known that race would be a point used in choosing a candidate, I too would have shared my heritage. Unfortunately, I did not read that in the Charter or the posting on the County website for the County Council position. Since you have been elected to represent ALL individuals in Northampton County, I would think race would not be something that would be considered in rulings and hiring practices and, rather, qualifications only would be considered. I also would think that in following EEOC rules and guidelines, such a statement would never be made. For point of reference, specifically, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission states: "The law forbids discrimination in every aspect of employment. The laws enforced by EEOC prohibit an employer or other covered entity from using neutral employment policies and practices that have a disproportionately negative effect on applicants or employees of a particular race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), or national origin, or on an individual with a disability or class of individuals with disabilities, if the polices or practices at issue are not job-related and necessary to the operation of the business." Consequently, while I can accept that I may have not been the best candidate and that I may not have given the answers the Council "wanted" based on my beliefs of what Northampton County needs and/or does not need, it is difficult for me to accept that perhaps you overlooked any of my potential qualifications because I was not a candidate who is a "person of color." In the future, I hope that you think twice before making such statements if for other reason than it could be such statements that keep people like me from participating more in County government whether as a volunteer, potential candidate, or otherwise. Sincerely, Melanie Christopher

NorCo's New Website Attracts Criticism

Last week, Northampton County rolled out a new website promoted as being more secure and user-friendly. Given that this is a presidential year, having a secure website is essential. Four years ago, county IT officials intercepted thousands of efforts to hack into the county system. But is the new website more user friendly? When I'm unable to access basic documents like the county's Home Rule Charter or Administrative Code from a supposed link at the Executive's page, I'd have to say No.  

Last week, County Council candidate Daniel Dewey voiced his own frustration with accessing the new site. "Please fix it," he implored Council at their Thursday night meeting. "There are lots of links that are broken. There's a lot of information that Google is linking that you just can't get to. If information is inaccessible, it doesn't exist." 

Later that evening, Executive Lamont McClure assured Council that the new website just went into operation on Wednesday and all broken links have been fixed. Perhaps he should try to access the Home Rule Charter from his own page. 

Council member Ron Heckman said the new design "looks like it came from middle school. The one we had was so easy to navigate. It was right there in front of you." 

Fiscal Affairs Director Steve Barron, who spearheaded implementation of the new website, caught a bit of flack from Heckman. Barron explained that the old system was built on a program called Microsoft Sharepoint, That system reached the end of its useful life in April, and no longer receives security patches, updates or support from Microsoft. Because of security concerns with a .gov domain, links that were working just fine on the old system apparently need more time to be operable. 

Heckman insisted that the new website is "unworkable for our average residents. It's just a very poor design." 

My own view is that the new website will eventually be more user friendly after it goes through some growing pains. 

Executive Lamont McClure said that people who have issues with specific problem should notify Communications Director Brittney Waylen (bwaylen@norcopa.gov).  

NorCo Council Deadlocks on Council Vacancy Appointment

Despite a plethora of highly capable candidates, eight members of Northampton Council were unable last night to agree on one person to fill the Council vacancy created by the January 2 resignation of Tara Zrinski, who was sworn in that day as County Controller. Despite numerous ballots, nobody was successful in getting the five votes needed in an acrimonious and lengthy conclave. No white smoke, the fumata bianca to signify a new Council member, billowed from the courthouse smokestacks. 

A triumvirate of Democratic Council members consisting of Ken Kraft, Kelly Keagen and Jeff Warren remained steadfast in their support of IBEW Business Manager Paul Anthony throughout every ballot. Council member Ron Heckman voted for teacher Deb Hunter on every ballot. The rest of Council changed their votes several times. 

Republican Council members Tom Goivanni and John Goffredo initially voted for psychotherapist Gennaro Landi, while Republican Council member John Brown voted on the first ballot for David Holland, a nurse who was once involved in the management team at Gracedale. President Lori Vargo Heffner, a Democrat, cast her first vote for former Council member Kerry Myers.. 

On the second ballot, all three Republicans switched their vote to Myers, a Democrat who opportunistically turned Republican in an unsuccessful attempt to get on the ballot last year. Perhaps unknown to them, he recently switched back to Democrat. 

And so it continued through two more rounds of voting. 

After the fourth round, Goffredo said he's be unable to vote for Anthony because he'd be a fourth vote that would prevent Council from overriding a McClure veto. "It would very much compromise the integrity of this Council," he said. Keegan retorted, "I don't understand why you find that so important." (referring to Council's ability to override a veto,) Heffner explained that she supported Myers because she know he would vote to override vetoes. "If you want to play partisan, just go home," she said to Kraft. "I'm tired of it."

Heckman explained that he was voting for Hunter because of her experience as an elections commissioner, in which she went against the grain and advocated for paper ballots instead of the Express Vote XL, which was improperly aligned in 2019 and improperly coded in 2023.  He added that Hunter, like Zrinski, is a Democratic female. He said he could support Paul Anthony, "but thereis no path for a fifth vote." 

In subsequent rounds, Vargo-Heffner switched her vote and joined Heckman in supporting Hunter. The Republican Council members switched their support from Myers to William Krzemien, retired FBI agent who told Brown in his interview that he'd support the sale of Gracedale.   

After remaining deadlocked through nine rounds, Heckman complained, "It's frightening to me that, at this early stage, we haven't been able to consider compromise." 

Kraft insisted that Anthony is bipartisan because he belongs to the Chamber of Commerce, but that misses the point. The real concern of the five Council members is that Anthony would be the fourth vote in a McClure coalition who would make it impossible for Council to override Executive vetoes.  

Heckman confronted Kraft at one point over his insistence on Anthony. "Do you really think the bullying tactic will work with these people (referring to Council members opposed to Anthony)? It doesn't work anymore. 

Goffredo also suggested John Cusick, who did not apply but said he would serve if appointed. 

The Kraft-Warren-Keegan trio adamantly denied they are rubber stamps, with Ken Kraft insisting that "[i]f you're basing your opinion on some crap from a blog that we're going to be rubber stamps for the administration you're sorrily [sic] mistaken." Goffredo later told the troika that their united actions makes it difficult to believe these denials. 

After numerous failed attempts, Council eventually voted to table the appointment until they meet again on February 1. The vote was 7-1, with Ken Kraft voting No.

If Council is unable to agree on a replacement for Zrinski, this matter will go to the courts, The court can appoint anyone who is qualified, regardless whether an application is filed. 

"I'm actually saddened by the state of government today," said Heckman. 

The candidates sitting in the audience would undoubtedly agree. 

The position pays $9,500 a year.