Illegal-- No Way, Immoral-- I'd Say So

I am not and have never been a member of the Main Street Marketing and Promotions Committee. I am however a member of the Main St Organization Committee.

I would like to speak about the process by which a volunteer chair of a volunteer committee ended up profiting by the work done by his volunteers.

While I am certain that the City has done nothing illegal, I am equally certain that something immoral has occurred.

I am speaking publicly because two previous private conversations – one in the Organization Committee and one with the Main Street Manager – have not produced visible results.

I volunteered for Main Street because I wanted to effect positive change in this community. I’m certain this is why all of us who came forward with our time did so. As grant money flows into our city, for Main Street and other initiatives and programs, it is important that we make sure that we have proper procedures in place for awarding contracts, and that fiduciary issues are made transparent.

It was a conflict of interest for a volunteer chair to solicit funding for his company to produce a logo based on the work of his committee, pure and simple. But what’s done is done. I only fear that this is the tip of the proverbial iceberg, and that the City has awarded other contracts despite potential conflicts of interest.

I therefore ask Council to work with the administration to put into place a conflict of interest policy for all employees and volunteers, be they on Main Street or any other program or committee in which public monies are involved.

I ask Council to work with the administration to put procedures into place to ensure that not only volunteer committee members but also the community at large is aware of how the money that helps fund Main Street and other committees is being spent.

I am empowered to do no more than speak on these issues, so I ask you who are empowered to act to do so on behalf of us, your constituents.

El Warner

Clear the Agenda

This budget season, council showed their hand.  They believe they have no responsibility. They think their only job is to install the administration’s agenda. Council wants to sit back and blame the administration when things go bad, and join in and celebrate when things go well. This is unacceptable to us taxpayers. Council does have responsibility for the outcome; good or bad.  

     This year, council must identify those responsibilities, and assure the public that they will carry them out; starting with the budget. It was sad to see the administration again backing Council against a wall by not putting forth the necessary information early enough. That would have allowed Council to review and comment on the budget, and send it back to the administration for repair. The need for several months to provide for the negotiation of a real and acceptable budget is obvious. This delay tactic has been used for several years predating even the Mitman Administration, and each year Council says, “We are not going to let this happen”, and every year it happens again. The formulation of the budget must start now.

     The rules must be followed by everyone. Council must set an example by being sure they are operating under the rules and laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. They have to make sure that the administration also operates under the rules and enforces the law in a fair and equal manner. To do this each and every member has to be knowledgeable on the rules, not dependant on the solicitor and the administration to feed them the rules. This practice allows for dubious manipulation.

     In this budget review one thing was apparent, revenues were not being collected. In order to complete the necessary tasks we must have all of our revenues. So Council must keep a very close eye on this process. They cannot wait until October to realize again that we are behind on collection. Council needs to demand that the administration and the Treasurer give them a monthly report on revenue collection at a City Council meeting. It has to be put in the open, for it to be a priority. I think it is only fair to the taxpayers who pay regularly and in a timely manner to know the status of the delinquencies.  

     Then Council must hold the Mayor’s feet to the fire. Have him prepare, with the input of Council, a list of goals with a time line to be met in 2006, and present it to the public in a State of the City address. This will give a measure of progress that can be shared with the public. This will allow everyone-- the Administration, Council, and the public to focus and assist in meeting those goals. The agenda will be clear. If the administration starts to lose focus it can be reminded of the agenda.

     It seems like we’ve been flying blind for the past two years. It’s time we opened our eyes, cleaned our windows, and cleared the air. The status quo is out of fashion. Know that, when you offer the same old excuse next time, you may just be resigning from office. We are watching, and EVERYTHING is on the record.

Bad Apple
     

Bad Decision In = Bad Result Out

City Council’s deferring the floor to the Stevenson Group ahead of residents with children was a subtle reminder of where we (ordinary residents) are ranked. Yes, it is true that The Stevenson Group may have been first to request an agenda spot, but we here at EU are no strangers to Council proceedings. We have seen deference given based on age, status, and the length of debate.

As anxious as we are for good news, we also have the distinct tendency of being victimized by bad luck, bad decisions, and a strange combination of bad luck spawned from bad decisions. In this case it may have been a poor decision offer the floor to a marketing firm over children out on a school night, and coincidentally bad luck struck. True to the saying that “no good deed goes unpunished,” the logo campaign has been saturated with the stink of impropriety.

When will the bloodletting end? Over and over again, some among us fail to let common sense be their guide. During the meeting, Ms. Heffley commented, “Maybe Mike Krill brought this up before, and we didn’t listen.” How many embarrassments, I told you so’s, and uncomfortable moments must we endure before we do something right? Rules and procedures are there to be followed not avoided. When you encourage a system or culture of getting around the rules, you are asking for trouble.

Let’s take the campaign to hire a police chief as an example. When the administration decided to be “creative” in order to get around the laws that pertain to the head of Easton’s police department, they opened Pandora’s Box of bad precedents and waste. Joe Blackburn made the Mayor and our city a laughing stock, and there is still no one running our police force. The common sense contingency says, “MAKE CAPTAIN SMITH POLICE CHIEF.” Give the job to Capt. Smith, give him the full authority to establish change, and if you continue to search for a “Chiefmissionor” at least we won’t be in limbo. What else needs to happen? The scapegoat pen is close to empty.

So, as you make plans to give a private, closed-door State of the City speech to the Chamber of Commerce, please be aware that the excuse that it’s been done this way before will not make it right. We are aware that the Optional Charter of the Third Class City Code doesn’t state the format or forum of the State of the City report, but we don’t believe you’ve earned the luxury of shutting us out. Give us a break; the Chamber members don’t all vote in the city. Address your constituency.

Please Mr. Mayor, use a good measure of common sense, and spare us all the embarrassment of another bad decision.

City Council Meeting Audio 01/25/06

The audio from the January 25, 2006, meeting is ready. This was one of the best City Council meetings I have ever attended (with the exception of the overblown logo presentation). We had interaction on every level from small children to native children returning to help-- from residents to resident business owners-- from the alive and well to the spirit of Mr Kleppinger.

Logogate was officially unveiled, and the wind was sucked from the Stevenson Group's sails. Some citizens demonstrated the power of the petition (hmmm I wonder who they were?!). And the droves of families that attended and spoke to save the Eddyside pool were impressive.

The bad part... This is probably the worst audio we have to date. The microphone wasn't placed well, so we did what we could to enhance the volume. Sorry, we'll get better.

It's three and a half hours. The first hour of monotonous drivel about the makings of an already stigmatic logo campaign has been separated from the rest of the meeting. Logo Presentation (5.7Mb)

The rest of the meeting is here. Meeting (19Mb)

Easton Undressed Audio Blog (podcast) #6

Here's Easton Undressed Audio Blog Episode #6 (9.6Mb)-- Media Marriage.
EU gets the help of the very funny and articulate ladies of the Elucidator; El & Easton Girl. The team-up tackles the upcoming Logogate scandal, they discuss the Mayor's perceived disconnection, and ramble through unions and editorials. HoC learns a new word-- ephemeral. I certainly hope that the delicious fruits of our activism do not make an ephemeral impression within our beloved home.
Enjoy.

And please send your comments.

Your Neighbors

Great Minds Think Alike

Hello Neighbors,

We recently had the very good fortune of becoming acquainted with the Elucidator. For those of you looking for more; look for Easton's premier free publication. No scratch that-- look for Easton's premier publication. It is available quarterly for free "in fine establishments everywhere (or at least in Easton)".

One result of our fast friendship was instant cooperation. The Elucidator and Easton Girl teamed up with Bad Apple and House of Crayons for an extended podcast (available later today). And we found out how much the Elucidator values public opinion.

The Elucidator wants letters to the editor. The next issue, due March 1st, is dedicated to the lives and issues of the West Ward. Submissions need to be in before February 1.

El Writes:

Submissions can be emailed to me at elucidator@rcn.com. They need to be signed, and I need a phone number for verification. Anything over 750 words may be edited for length, but none will be edited for content, so everyone can feel free to say whatever it is that they want to say.

Be sure to use the word "delicious" at least once in your letter.

Your Neighbors

Big New Additions

Hello Neighbors,

EU has grown exponentially in the past few days! Phases II and III are out of the box and functional.

What, you ask are phases II and III? Well, they are the long awaited EUW & EUBB. That's right, you guessed it we now have a website Easton Unlimited and a bulletin board (forum) Easton Unleashed. Use them, they are yours.

Your Neighbors

It Ain't Cute, It's My Home.

Reta Howell’s Jan 13 letter to the Express Times addressing the renaissance of the City of Easton was well written, but very limited in its scope. She generalized our city of 26,000 residents down to “a wonderful downtown area filled with small businesses striving to succeed. Art galleries… stores to enjoy… home to some wonderful artist… studios… music and entertainment venues.”
Easton is a city filled with wonderful families trying to succeed. Decaying lots that used to be playgrounds… Over fifty-percent rentals… The highest taxes in the Lehigh Valley… Fewer public workers… And one low-quality supermarket.
Easton is home to 26,000 people, of which an overwhelming majority don’t own or operate any of those “wonderful downtown” things. Our home is continuously sold short by people whom only recognize value in the architecture or arts. The value of the roads, housing stock, and lives in the four square miles of Easton that doesn’t include the 4 to 6 square blocks of downtown is far greater by every measurement.
Most of Easton is residential, but an inordinate amount of our efforts are focused on the whims of our neighbors and the social elite; who only care to recognize one neighborhood and its “obvious architectural treasures”.
Easton is a whole lot more than the Downtown, the College, and the Government center. It is four square miles with twenty-six thousand souls that pay a whole lot and receive a lot less.
I beg your pardon Ms Howell, but Mr Gingold was right. We are definately in need cleaner and safer streets. Your compliments are appreciated, but if you’d really like to help; buy a home here and live in it.

Terrance E Hand
Resident
City of Easton

Easton Undressed Audio Blog (podcast) #5

Here's Easton Undressed Audio Blog Episode #5 (9Mb)-- We ain't geeks, we just play one on pc.
The boys stay in their own homes and podcast via Yahoo Messenger. Topics include the Hollis-Ruggerio parking scofflaw, the Home Rule Charter chatter, the Chief of Staff as Acting Mayor, and recent editorials. Enjoy.
And please send your comments.

Your Neighbors

Council Meeting Audio 01/11/06

This is the first regular Council meeting of 2006. Topics of interest include the Hollis-Ruggerio parking scofflaw, the Chief of Staff as Acting Mayor, and violent crime.

File (1hr 55mins - 13Mb)

We will also make the meeting agendas available whenever possible. I will update this after I scan this meetings Agenda.

Nickel and Dime Us One Quarter at a Time.

Left Click to Enlarge

14,000.00 here 2 or 3 thousand there... What's the big deal? Anyone can make a mistake. She wouldn't have to pay all of that money anyway, because the meters were uncertified. Heck it's Christmas, and we really need the good press (even though we need the money more). I just did what Council suggest we do. "I think the mayor made a mistake. I think he should have at least advised council of this before he made the decision."
Who's gonna have the guts to give away revenue while we raise taxes...?

I know... Lets get the Chief of Staff to sign off on it. Heck, it's not his tax money. Please forward all correspondence for the "Acting Mayor" of the City of Easton to Lower Mount Bethel.

Give me something positive to post please. I am very tired of being embarrassed.

Leave the Car, Take the Cannolies

The Bugler, he sleeps with the fishes.

Council Reorganization Meeting Audio 01/03/06

Here is the audio from the City Council Special Meeting. This meeting is known as the "reorganization meeting". Members are sworn in for the next four years, and the committees are reformed.

There was the required Audience Comment time, and the sole off-agenda topic was about the Mayor appointing the Chief of Staff the Acting Mayor. That was tied to a request for press conferences from the Mayor and Council to answer our questions and give us some confidence.

Listen for yourself 38 minutes (4.5 Mb)

Easton Undressed Audio Blog (podcast) #4

Number four is out of the box and in the can. So, here's Easton Undressed Audio Blog Episode #4 (7 Mb)-- Have you seen our Leader.
The smart and lovely Just Asking makes her return. We discuss the prison breaks, and the Mayors lack of leadership. We dish the dirt on a new smoking gun and a political scapegoat.

Goober 38 minute mark is a little praise for you.

Your Neighbors

State of the City

The Mayor needs to call a press conference. We are losing more and more confidence in the Mitman Administration each day. We have been bombarded with significant events over the last year. And with little exception, the events have negatively impacted life in Easton.

We have listed the events over and over again. Easton Undressed: Voodoo Leadership We have asked for answers about events that no one wants to talk about. We get no answers. No answers with any substance. Meanwhile we sit and wonder, “How can they just act like nothing has happened?”

The Northampton County Prison fiasco isn’t even the straw to break the camel’s back. We know we can expect more ridiculous unspeakable acts in the future. And we also know we will get more inane magic eight ballish answers and responses. “Hey folks go back to bed; the Mayor himself is looking into it.” If there was ever a time to have a mayor that really lived on the 600 block of Ferry Street… Wait scratch that… There has NEVER been a time when having a mayor live on the 600 block of Ferry Street wasn’t an asset to the residents of the city. Mister Mayor, thanks for the information and reassurance. I know… I know… Your just doing the job we elected you to do.

We deserve to know. We have a right to know. It is time for a State of the City address.

Every time I think of the term “lame duck”, I think of the old one-liner, “Can a one-legged duck swim a circle?”

Here’s another I heard from an old republican friend, “Back to the store in ‘84”.

Déjà vu all over again… AFLACK!