City Council Appointment Interviews

Here's the link to the public interview session of the six residents who submitted their interest to be appointed to City Council.

The candidates were interviewed in this order:
John Border
Mike Fleck
Theresa Miller
Pamela Panto
J. Spike Rogan
Roger Ruggles

As many of you may have heard, Spike's used his time to make a very well thought out and mannerly political protest statement. His statement was against having Mayor Sal and Councilwoman Pam Panto serve on the new Council.

Audio (1 hour 10 minutes 8.06Mb)

City Council Meeting Audio 11/14, 11,28, & 12/12/07

Once again, my apologies.

Here are the last three City Council meetings.

November 14, 2007

The Mayor presented the administration's budget proposal.

Allan Raisman, of Lafayette College, presented his "One-Word" project before Council. Several Lafayette students performed readings of submissions to the project. My personal favorite was the submission for the word "Eventually".

Audio (1 hour 19 minutes 1.02Mb)
Agenda
Minutes

November 28, 2007

John L. Boscia's (a retired City employee) passing was recognized in a resolution.

The Easton Rumblers soccer team was recognized for their undefeated season.

The Planning and Economic Development Director (Barb Kowitz) gave an update on the progress of the Palmeroy and Lincoln Textile projects. Some council members seemed less than satisfied with the report on the projects. There was also vigorous discussion on the obstructed sidewalk in front of the Palmeroy building. The Mayor reported on his meeting with the developers. He was as confident and as supportive as ever in the developers' intentions. There was a good deal of discussion on the development projects and the taxpayers liabilities.

Audio (1 hour 18 minutes 8.96Mb)
Agenda
Minutes

December 12, 2007

Council discussed presenting a non-binding resolution to have the Easton Parking Authority cease spending in relation to the Riverwalk project until a pending financial audit is completed by the City Controller.

The sledding ban was lifted.

Audio (2 hours 2 minutes 14Mb)
Agenda
Minutes

25 Minutes with Mayor Elect Panto

Sal Panto gave us first shot at a sit down interview. Our interviewer and the Mayor-elect cover 20 questions about things to come.

Congratulations Mr Mayor! We look forward to working with you to create a cleaner and safer Easton.

Interview (25 minutes 38 seconds 2.91Mb)

Your neighbor

Vote

Ignored, Neglected, and Taken for Granted

“Why should I vote for candidates that obviously do not care that I am a constituent?”

That is a question all of us Eastonians should be asking ourselves when it’s time to choose between Peg Ferraro and Tony Branco.

One. That’s the number of Ferraro signs I’ve seen within city limits.

Zero. That’s the number of Branco signs I’ve seen in Easton (And coincidentally, that’s also the number of times I’ve encountered either candidate)

I mean, even Mike Dowd stopped by my house when he was petitioning (Although he hasn’t made a campaign knock at my door). Does Branco or Ferraro even know how to get any place in Easton that is not the Government Center?

The interests of Easton’s everyday people are constantly and consistently ignored by people we endorse to advocate for us. I am in no way thrilled at the attention that Easton has received from the Government Center over the past four years—or even the past two that John Stoffa has been at the helm. The “County” (meaning Government Center elected officials) has ignored the very neighborhood that it works in. Streets are seriously damaged from the (completed) construction of the prison expansion. The County has no presence or influence in that neighborhood beyond its campus. Stoffa wants to move the 140 employees in the Governor Wolf building out of the city. And the county government failed to pay special attention to Easton’s needs as the county seat when considering the negative social effects of slots in Northampton County.

They’ll get their votes, but neither Dowd, nor, Ferraro, nor Branco will receive my vote. They didn’t seem to care enough to ask.

Candidate Question #10 Codes

Question#10: Codes

The quality of neighborhood living has been negatively affected by the persistent, and often ignored, decay of properties. Detail a plan using current code regulations to immediately improve the appearance of under maintained properties?

Strong Neighborhoods Make Strong Cities. Our city is a city of neighborhoods; they are the lifeblood of our city. The strength of those individual neighborhoods creates the vitality of our city. Each neighborhood has its unique characteristics and needs. I know all of our neighborhoods and will assist neighbors in identifying their needs and resources and in mobilizing programs to meet those needs. We will rebuild our city from the neighborhoods up ensuring that the residents play a vital role in the rejuvenation that is so sorely needed in many areas.

To strengthen our neighborhoods we will:

§ Establish the “Clean It and Lien It” program. We will secure vacant structures, cut weeds and grass to reduce rodents and unsightliness and secure the building envelope to prevent further decay. Once the property has been secured we will execute on the lien and either get paid or we will take possession of the structure, sell it to a proven developer who will then sell it as a restored single-family residence.

§ Initiate the “Curb Appeal Task Force” as a part of the Code Department. We will equip the code department with hand held computers loaded with exterior code violations. As they walk down a street they will input, simply by using a stylus, to check off violations such as peeling paint, broken windows, trash, etc. This will eliminate blight and will protect these vacant structures from becoming the problems of the future.

§ Property owners that do not make necessary repairs must be dealt with swiftly but fairly and in a uniformed manner. We will declare war on blighted properties.

§ Initiate discussions with local bankers to create a revolving loan fund to assist low and moderate-income families, especially seniors, in making necessary improvements to their home.

§ Create a “Neighborhood Network” homepage on the city website where residents easily identify what is happening in their neighborhood and how they can be involved in its progress.

§ Encourage more involvement and leadership in the neighborhoods and work with those leaders in creating a comprehensive vision for the city.Actively communicate and meet with neighborhoods on a regular basis holding at least one “town meeting” per quarter in one of the neighborhoods.

The city needs to develop a database of buildings that are determined to be under maintained. This can be accomplished by city officials walking throughout the city and documenting structures that do not meet Article 1193 – Existing Structure Code. This data can be stored on a data collector in the field and then downloaded to a computer system back at city hall. If a structure is identified as violating the Existing Structure Code then a meeting with the structure’s owner needs to be scheduled and a plan developed to bring the structure into compliance. The city should monitor the progress of the plan and if no work is accomplished then the enforcement procedures of the ordinance should be implemented. This plan does take a significant amount of code enforcement officer time but I believe that it will provide for greater citizen cooperation in getting the structure up to code.

An audit of the labor pool and how it is being used will be first on the agenda. The other thing that we need to do during this time is to have all offending property owners sent certified letters stating that they have 30 days to comply with repairs in order to bring their properties up to code. If they do not comply, the city will perform these repairs and either bills the owners, or they will forfeit their properties. Once we know how and where the labor is being used, and where we have extra manpower, then we can proceed with phase two.

Phase two will consist of getting extra manpower from the labor pool to start performing the repairs on the properties that are not following the order. If the properties are vacant, then once the work is started, the property owner will be billed for all manual labor, and administrative labor involved with each property, at the maximum rates allowed by law. These rates are usually called prevailing wage rates. Figure about $100 an hour for general laborers. Once repairs have been completed, the property owner will have 30 days to make restitution, or the city follows through with either a Sheriff's sale, or property seizure, due to foreclosure, or whatever other legal means we have at our dispossal. Average turnaround time for the city to foreclose will be less than 1 year. Considering it has taken the city over 20 years to buy or seize other properties that have been blighted, that is a massive improvement.

Phase three will consist of initially offering to the local neighborhood residents the property at cost. Secondly, offering it to city employees that don't live in the city at cost, so long as they move in and claim it as their primary residence. Thirdly, offering it up for sale at fair market value to the general public. If it goes to the general public, the city makes the highest profit, and brings more money into the coffers, and actually has city employees from the labor pool making money for the city, instead of just being an expense. If it goes to a city employee, or a resident of the neighborhood, then it will still bring a profit, because at the prevailing rate, the city will still be making a profit off of the labor.

This plan may not be 100% perfect, but it is certainly better that what we currently have. The Citizens Oversight Committee will be the most ideal in this aspect, because current employees that are doing the bare minimum for their jobs will step up their work, and stop whining about being overworked, when they know for themselves that they are performing a substandard service.

This question really belongs to the mayoral candidates, who will oversee city hall and its employees. That being said, I do think that the code department needs to be separated from Planning and Economic Development and restructured so there’s more accountability, and so that codes are enforced uniformly. Vacant and decayed properties that can be seized under current law must be seized. I propose then offering those properties to police, fire, and city hall new hires at a discount, in exchange for those new hires agreeing to live in the city and improve the properties. Similar programs have had great effect elsewhere, would induce city employees to live in the city, and would help our neighborhoods.

Candidate Question #9 Enforcement

Question#9: Enforcement

It has become fairly common practice to resolve problems of the moment by creating new legislation. Easton has a comprehensive set of ordinances already on the books. How can we more effectively enforce the laws/rules that already exist?

Government is of laws, not of men. Enforcing the codes of the city must be done in a uniform, fair and consistent manner, regardless of individuals. The Codified Ordinances of the City of Easton contain all of the necessary codes to provide a safe and clean environment for all residents. We will increase the effectiveness of the code department by making the Code Administrator a Cabinet level position directly under the Mayor, using technology for increased efficiency and providing enhanced training for the staff.

Audit the city. Let's give ourselves an audit from stem to stern, from tip to tail, and from head to toe. I propose to remove legislation that is outdated and antiquated. I also propose to follow up on all of the 90 day resolutions that have not been rescinded when they got out of date.

We need new laws, but we need laws with teeth and laws that don't insult the public's intelligence. We need to remove laws that are unenforceable. We need to make sure that the codes department, the board of health, the fire department, and the police department have a working knowledge of the city codes and ordinances. I'm not saying they have to be experts, but experts in their fields, and at the very least a working knowledge of all of the other areas. These departments are our eyes and ears, and need to use a significant amount of common sense when outside to enforce what is enforceable.

Let's make the laws that stick, the laws that will bring in money, and the laws that will protect our citizens.

Some of this would seem to be a matter of cleaning up existing ordinances so that they are enforceable. For example, we currently have an anti-loitering ordinance on the books, but it is my understanding that, as written, the police can’t enforce it. There’s an easy remedy: rewrite the ordinance. More care needs to be taken in writing new ordinances so that they are immediately enforceable and don’t need revision months, and then years, later. Council writes the legislation, the administration must enforce it. Council needs to work more closely with the administration to make sure that laws are enforceable as written, and that ordinances are being enforced down the road.

The answer to this problem would require nearly a book to begin to scratch the surface. More enforcement officers, increased technology, fewer rules, and better education of the public are just a few of the things that can be done to more effectively enforce or trim our excessive number ordinances. We need to also assess what we do to enforce the ordinances. If the punishment for breaking an ordinance is too light then individuals will continue to break the ordinance requiring greater effort in enforcement. If the penalty is too severe we are placing too great a burden on the citizen.

Candidate Question #8 Authorities, Boards, and Commissions

Question#8: Authorities, Boards, and Commissions

The city’s 20 (or so) authorities, boards, and commissions significantly impact the progress and the quality of every facet of life in Easton. Because the authorities, boards, and commissions are sanctioned city government subdivisions, how can we better ensure that the nominated appointees are qualified and representative of the needs of taxpaying residents?

Authorities, Boards and Commissions are an important element of local government. This level allows multitudes of people to become involved in their city, making decisions that affect the future of our city. First and foremost, we will advertise openings by all means possible to recruit as many applicants as possible. We will interview each candidate to review their commitment to the position and the skill set they bring to the appointment. When a decision is made the individual’s name will be submitted to City Council for their approval. We will meet semi-annually, in public, with the members of the ABC’s to review and update the city’s strategic plan and how well we are achieving the goals and objectives.

It is council’s job to vet mayoral candidates for the ABCs. First, council needs to ensure that openings on the ABCs are somehow advertised – on the city website, in the Bugler, etc. – so that all interested residents have a chance to come forward. Rather than just passing a name onto council for approval, the mayor should be asked to also pass along a list of qualifications, and a letter of interest from the candidate. If necessary, council should also meet with the candidate for a discussion. Strengthening this process should not “scare” away interested citizens, but instead help strengthen the membership of these ABCs.

Nominated appointees are typically confirmed by council. I believe that council needs to interview each candidate and identify their expectation of the individual being nominated for that position. Each authority, board, and commission should be assigned to a council member and that council member should monitor the appointee to determine if she/he is meeting the expectations. If they are not a mechanism should be established to allow council to remove an individual from that position.

I just answered that in my previous statement. Citizens Oversight Committee will have the power to remove from office, employees who are doing substandard work. Every department needs to have an annual independent audit. If there is no improvement from one year to the next, without any major problem being the cause, that department needs to be cleaned out and replaced with employees who have not gotten complacent in their jobs.

An idea that I am very fond of and highly in favor of, will be for an annual reapplication of all city employees. It has worked in major corporations, and it will work for city governments too. If we keep applications on file of qualified individuals for at least 1 year at a time, we will be able to replace substandard workers with little effort. The reapplication process is fairly easy and straightforward. Every year each employee must submit a resume for review, to include what accomplishments they have made in the previous year, if they have not grown in their present position, then they will be brought up for review, and other prospective candidates will be interviewed at that time for that job. If another candidate has better qualifications we release the former employee, and hire a new employee. It not only keeps salaries down, but it also better qualifies us as a city of professionals. I am sure that no resident has a problem paying a higher salary for a more qualified individual, if that individual is willing to continue their education and training.

Candidate Question #7 Infrastructure

Question#7: Infrastructure

Failure to reinvest in the maintenance and upgrade of the city water plant was a key factor in the decision to relinquish responsibility and oversight of a significant municipal asset. How can we prevent losses of this magnitude in the future?

I disagree with the basic premise of this question concerning the Water purification plant because the plant is still an asset of the city, still wholly-owned by the City, leased to an Authority of the City, with all members appointed by the Mayor of the City. An asset is something of value that gives the owner a return on the asset. The leasing of the plant is using an asset to get a return; in this case outright lease payments equal to or higher than the amount earned when it was operated by the City and at least $1 million per year during the term of the lease in infrastructure improvements to our water distribution system.

However, I do agree that we cannot allow our assets to deteriorate to the extent of the water plant. There was no capital replacement program in this important asset and much needed service and upgrades needed were delayed for lack of proper capital budgeting. We need to be more proactive in our capital budget planning. Coupled with our multiple-year general fund budget, our 5-year capital replacement budget program will protect our assets for future generations of Eastonians to enjoy.

Additionally, time must be set aside to give employees an opportunity to perform preventative maintenance on equipment, vehicles, buildings, furniture and all other assets of the city.

The failure to reinvest in the maintenance of the city water plant was a key factor, but a factor that was just as key (if not more) was the financial situation of the city where we were not able to borrow the money needed to upgrade the plant. Both of these are significant problems. Our first priority should be to move the city to a very stable financial position. Once we reach this position our bond rating improves and we have the capability to finance the 20+ million dollar renovation to the water plant.

In assessing the city’s assets we can identify our infrastructure and the maintenance required to maintain each asset. The waste water treatment plant is currently in excellent condition and the capacity of the plant is estimated to be sufficient for the next 10 – 15 years. We need to start developing plans now on how that upgrade might occur. Our parks system is extensive and in many cases the parks have fallen into disrepair and in many cases are unsafe for children to play. Our sewage collection system is very old is most likely providing inflow and infiltration into our sanitary collection system increasing flow to the waste water treatment plant. Our road network is being over burdened by increasing traffic. These and other components of the infrastructure of very old cities (like Easton) will be in constant need of repair and replacement. We need to develop a line item in the budget for these repairs and/or replacement of the infrastructure of the city and in addition develop a better management system to manage the entire infrastructure system. This is best accomplished using a geographical information system or GIS. A well developed GIS has been repeatedly shown to increase efficiency of infrastructure management resulting in overall savings. I have significant experience in the development of GIS for local municipalities and have been working with the city to develop a system. Through conducting an inventory of the infrastructure assets, developing plans to provide ongoing maintenance (with budgeted line items) and enhanced management form GIS technology we will be better able to understand what we have, maintain it and manage it.

The simple answer is to stop wasting money on nonsensical projects, and work our wallets closer to our vision. I wish the answer was that easy.

The reality of the situation is that we need not just financial audits of the city, but also performance and structural audits as well. We need to know well in advance, when we are going to need a new fire truck, or street sweeper. We need to know 5 years ahead of time, if it will be cheaper to rent a building for city hall, or to purchase one and maintain it ourselves. We need to remove supervisors who cannot properly run a department, and replace them with qualified individuals that aren't getting these jobs because they're not friends of whatever politician is in office.

The biggest and best thing that can be done is to implement a Citizens Oversight Committee. They will have the power to remove people that are inept or just plain lazy, and to keep this city moving ahead.

The city’s finances need to be put in order so that, should we need a bond issue, our bonds could be rated well enough for such an issue to take place. Improving the tax base by improving property values in undervalued neighborhoods, collecting past due revenue, and cutting consultants out of the budget would all help, but it’s important to note that remedying the projected deficits of the next five to 10 years can’t happen overnight. We need to begin planning now.

Candidate Question #6 Budget

Question#2: Budget

For years the city’s annual budget was planned and discussed over a few weeks. Devise a 12 month budget development program.

Spending the last sixteen years in senior executive management positions with multi-million dollar budgets I will bring a new perspective to city finances and find ways to reduce the cost of providing services through increased efficiency and innovation. We will shape an Administration that works harder and smarter on behalf of its residents.

To improve fiscal management of the city we will:

§ Develop a multiple year budget for better financial planning and to avoid last minute decisions that react to a financial crisis rather than using solid financial planning to avoid the “December crisis” in our city.

§ Work with the City Treasurer to consolidate all finances under one individual for more effective cost tracking, revenue forecasting and avoid duplication of effort.

§ We will hold finance meetings each month and invite financial leaders and residents to attend and participate.

§ Create an efficiency task force made up of residents, business leaders and city
employees to analyze city services and assist the city in finding new, more-efficient ways of providing services. The task force will conduct a fact-based approach to identifying best practices used in other cities and how they can be incorporated into our city.

§ We will provide incentives to departments that find new ways to cut costs and improve efficiency. Our financial problems can not be addressed from the pockets
of our resident, we must find ways to decrease the size of government and increase the efficiency of services.

§ Decrease the physical size of city hall by at least one floor creating better
communication among staff, easier access for residents and more income for the
city with the additional rental space to the private sector.

§ Better utilization of existing software, or new software, to make sure that all
departments are interfacing to increase the collection percentage of money owed
to the city and to capture money that may be outstanding in other departments.

§ More emphasis on obtaining federal and state grants to fund city projects, training and equipment. We will utilize an experienced grant writer to train city
department heads on researching, writing and obtaining grants.

I can't believe that in all the years the city has been run, nobody has come up with a simple idea such as this, but here goes. Make quarterly meetings mandatory. The quarterly meetings will need to be like this; By the end of December, the treasurer and controller will have met with ALL department heads simultaneously, to have their departments current books in order, and find what is lacking or exceeding, and where. By the end of January, the treasurer and controller will meet with city council and have both basic and detailed breakdowns of each department, and proposed expenses for the following quarter, and an update on where they are within their budgets.

The mayor will be involved with the earlier meetings, and have proposed budgets at the same time as the treasurer and controllers reports. In a meeting or two, taking slightly more time than usual, we should be able to approve a budget for the following year, because we should already be working off of a budget approved at least one year prior to this year.

The basic breakdown will be for the layperson's benefit. The detailed version will be for anyone that wants to do a detailed review of any particular department.

First, I think the city’s fiscal year should be changed to July 1 to June 30, to be in line with state and federal government. In order to effectively budget for 12 months, you really need to have a two-year plan, with a line budget for the first year, and projections for the second. You also need to have a five-year capital plan. Budgeting with both the short and long term in mind will make the annual budget easier and (more importantly) more accurate, and would help to avoid a last-minute scramble each December.

First, I believe that the budgeting process should be over a two year period. This provides for better planning within departments. The Treasurer and/or Director of Finance should develop projections for revenues during that two year time period. The impact of these revenues can then be discussed with all interested parties. As an example in this last budget the increase of parking meter rates was a revenue stream that had limited review by individuals impacted by this increase. As a result the impression that the city is just trying to get money in any way it can was reinforced, several people were upset, and the parking meter rates stayed the same. Discussion of proposed revenue increases or decreases should be presented with time to determine the full impact of the move and to provide the opportunity for input from all those affected by the move.

In the budget process an initial budget for the following year and an overall departmental and individual revenue budget for the second year should be developed within the first 3 months of the new year. This budget would then be published and public comment in the form of hearings would be heard over the next 3 months. The council, mayor’s office and the Treasurer/Director of Finance would develop a revised budget based on public input and updated projections of revenues and expenses for the current year. This process would occur over the next 3 months. A revised budget would then be available near the beginning of September at which time another round of public hearings would take place. This round would be shorter than the first round because it can focus on the changes made to the initial budget. Following the public hearings the mayor, city council, and the Treasurer/Director of Finance would again meet and develop a final budget that would be adopted during the month of December.

Candidate Question #5 Open Government

Question #5 Open Government

Give us an example of something you will do to make Easton’s government more open, accessible, and/or accountable.

Effective communication is an essential ingredient for a better community. The city needs to develop new tools for improving two-way communication with the residents of the city. In addition, various city departments, commissions and boards need to have more meaningful dialogue so that a spirit of cooperation can emerge.

The plan to improve communication and provide for a more transparent local government, we will:

§ Maintain an “Open Door and an Open Mind” Policy that all Department Heads will also follow.

§ Use the city website more effectively to communicate with residents including regular email newsletters. Also, use the city website to announce various city events and economic development projects to keep residents informed. People need to be involved on the front end of all major developments.

§ Work with City Council to suggest a change in the format of the meetings to address city issues in a proactive way. For example, use the workshop session for discussion on a specific topic or issue and invite input. These would be scheduled in advance so residents and interested parties are aware of the opportunity to participate.

§ Host quarterly mayoral neighborhood meetings to meet with residents in a neighborhood setting to receive their input and concerns.

§ Schedule strategic planning workshops with the various Authorities, Boards and Commissions to discuss policies and a common vision and hold them accountable to the goals of the strategic plan.

§ Explore evening or Saturday morning hours for City Hall.We will establish neighborhood “Mayor Hours” at key locations throughout the city at flexible times for the residents.

First, I’d attempt to have either RCN or Service Electric (or both) broadcast council meetings and public hearings live, to make them more accessible to residents. I also think that, whether or not the charter passes, one council meeting each year should be held in each of the residential districts not only for better citizen access to meetings, but to bring elected officials to those neighborhoods. As a publisher, my phone and email has always been public and available; this won’t change. I think one of council’s biggest tasks is to balance power and hold the administration accountable, not only in terms of budget but also in terms of follow-though and mayoral appointments, but you cover these issues in later questions.

I have outlined several things in previous answers including:

1) making city hall more user friendly and opening city hall at least one night a week until 8:00 P.M.
2) development of goals and objectives that are published and reported on to the public annually.
3) promote greater citizen involvement in development and carrying out of policy by formation of citizen committees.

In addition, I personally will be available to the citizens of the city. My home phone number is listed in the phonebook, and I welcome calls form individuals. During my time in office I will spend on the average one evening a week walking through neighborhoods to allow people to voice their opinions in a one-on-one forum. I will encourage city council to hold public meetings in the various neighborhoods of the city in order to gain greater citizen participation.

My city hall voicemail will have my personal and business phone # on the message with a message stating that if you need to contact me, then call me there, because I will rarely check my voicemail at city hall. I will propose legislation that will require a voice response from any city office within 48 hours. Too many times people call in, and a week later call in, and a week later call in, and then hopefully get some sort of an answer to their questions. This is ridiculous. The city employees are employees of the citizens. The citizens are the bosses, and therefore need to be answered to in a timely manner and professional fashion.

I also want to make a Citizens Oversight Committee. This committee will not just review certain departments, but also have the power to fire personnel for poor or improper conduct. This will need to be set out in all of the collective bargaining agreements, but no city employee should be afraid, if they aren't doing anything wrong. It's the employees that are doing wrong things that will fight the hardest against this, and those employees are the ones that will need to be watched the closest.

Candidate Question #4 Strategic Planning

Question #4 Strategic Planning

In recent years we have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on consultants resulting in a sizable stack of reports and critiques, while not resulting in any type of strategic plan. Propose a method to develop a strategic plan in more economical, more comprehensive, less fractured, and less consultant dependent way.

Simply put, operating without a strategic master plan in turbulent times commits our city to reactive rather than proactive leadership. Our team has a strategic plan developed with the collaboration of residents, business leaders, civic, religious and community groups over the last six months. This plan will be a start for our administration. It will be a working document that all departments refer to on a daily basis. The plan is flexible to meet the changing needs of our community. We will discuss the plan at each and every quarterly Town Meeting with a written report on the status of each goal and initiative.

We do not need consultants during these difficult times. We need a solid plan based on public input identifying the basics that we need to concentrate on in the next four years. It is time to get our own house in order.

There will be times when a technical consultant may be needed for specific tasks relating to an issue that requires an expertise in certain areas for a specific task. However, it is my sincere belief that a Blue Ribbon Task Force comprised of local and area individuals with a vested interest in our community could have produced the $100,000 Early Intervention Plan that the city commissioned three years ago.

We will take a bottoms-up approach to local government. Local government cannot be a spectator sport; we need residents that have a vested interest in our future helping to shape that future. They are waiting for their invitation into their City Hall.

I would answer this question but if I did I would have to charge you a consultant fee for the advice that I would provide you. Just kidding!

I believe that the new Comprehensive Plan is one of the very first things that are required of the new administration and council. Without a plan we do not know our direction, goals, or objectives as a city. But since the plan is for the city it should be created by the residents of the city. In the same way that we have neighborhood economic development committees we need to assemble regional committees of the city to develop a comprehensive plan. I believe that the new comprehensive plan needs to be developed within 6 months of next year. Citizen input to this plan is critical to develop a consensus on the future direction of the city and to gain citizen cooperation to implement the plan. The plan needs to establish goals and objectives and also develop mechanisms that allow the city government to measure the success of each goal or objective. Reports of the success of the Comprehensive Plan should be made each year by the mayor. The plan should also be updated each year (this should be a minor update) and have a major update every five years.

The first and foremost idea we need to look at is this: We need to know that before we pay one dime for a consultant, for any project, that we have the funds to follow through with whatever they recommend. If we don't have the funds, then there is no need to hire a consultant, and waste even more money on something that will not be followed-up on. The second idea is to have a citizen's advisory committee come up with ideas. Once we have that committee's ideas, if we still feel the need to hire a consultant, then we put in the contract that the consultant must come up with at least 10 -15 ideas not proposed by the committee, and the consultant must also propose ways to get funding for these ideas from other sources, other than the city government. If they do not fulfill these requirements, then they don't get paid. The third idea is to look back at all of the formerly proposed ideas by other consultants in the past. Before we hire a new consultant to go over what a former consultant had said to us 5 -10 years ago, let's make sure that we have already attempted all of the former consultants’ ideas and options.

The WRT study funded over two years ago did provide a strategic plan. Now that plan needs to be followed. This comes under the province of the GEDP, and both council and the mayor need to make sure that the GEDP does its job. Beyond that, I look at the recent zoning rewrite, done by a committee of citizens along with city hall staff, as a model of how strategic planning can be done without simply hiring consultants.

Candidate Question #3 Neighborhoods and Economic Development

Question #3: Neighborhoods and Economic Development

Economic development efforts have been focused on the city’s central business district for the past quarter century, while the residential neighborhoods have received less attention. Propose a residential neighborhood development program.

Our city is a city of neighborhoods; they are the lifeblood of our city. The strength of those individual neighborhoods creates the vitality of our city. Each neighborhood has its unique characteristics and needs. I am a product of our neighborhoods. We will assist neighbors in identifying their needs and resources and in mobilizing programs to meet those needs. We will rebuild our city from the neighborhoods up ensuring that the residents play a key role in the rejuvenation that is so sorely needed in many areas.

Our plan for strengthening neighborhoods will:

§ Establish the “Clean It and Lien It” program. This program will clean our neighborhoods of vacant and deteriorated buildings that decrease the quality of life in the neighborhood. We will clean the property and secure its building exterior, lien the property to recover costs and finally execute on the lien to sell the property to individuals willing to restore the property to a single family home.

§ Establish the “Curb Appeal Task Force” – This program will equip the code enforcement officers with a hand-held PDA loaded with the exterior code violations that give our city a soiled appearance. As they walk down the street they will record properties that do not meet the standard for things like peeling paint; dirty and/or broken windows; trash not properly stored; sidewalks; etc. If we want our neighborhoods to be good, they must look good.

§ We will implement the “Neighborhood Pride Program” in Easton. This effort is a total concentration by every city department in one area during a one-week period of time.

§ Create a part-time position of Director of Neighborhood Development for the purpose of mobilizing neighborhoods to address their concerns and celebrate their strengths. This individual, along with the Mayor, will encourage more involvement and leadership in the neighborhoods. We work with those leaders in creating a comprehensive vision for the city. This individual will also oversee the Neighborhood Pride Program.

§ Create a “Neighborhood Network” homepage on the city website where residents easily identify what is happening in their neighborhood and how they can be involved in its progress.

§ Actively communicate and meet with neighborhoods on a regular basis holding at least one “town meeting” per quarter in one of the neighborhoods.

§ We will create “Mayor Hours” in key locations throughout the city and at flexible times of the day and take City Hall to the people.

First and foremost, we need to get more money into the city coffers. In order to do that, an impact fee on any new development will greatly increase the money for the parks and recreation departments. One of the biggest ideas I have in mind for the neighborhoods, is to propose a resolution to help fund neighborhood gardens. There is vacant property within 2-3 blocks of every single block in this city. Let's get the neighborhoods together to help beautify the area. The other idea I have in mind, is for an adopt a park program. Let's get corporations in to help fund the parks, and keep them clean and up to date.

The main component of my platform is the creation of programs to promote first-time home ownership in the residential neighborhoods to deconvert rentals back to owner-occupancy, and the creation of some sort of tax credit to promote owner-occupancy of one unit in a multi-unit building. This would be funded by pursuing state and federal monies, as well as through a portion of an impact fee charged to developers of larger projects. I believe this will not only make the neighborhoods cleaner and safer, but will also promote economic development by attracting businesses to serve these homeowners.

Neighborhoods throughout the city are very unique and each needs to develop and implement their own plan for economic improvement. I would propose the development of neighborhood committees that could identify the needs of the neighborhood and then develop a plan that could be implemented to achieve the needs. These committees would work in conjunction with various departments of the city to insure that the plans conformed to city zoning, historical, and building criteria. Once the plans are developed the city government working with the citizen committee would work to implement each plan.

As the neighborhood plans are developed the city needs to develop a Comprehensive Economic Development Plan that integrates the plans of each of the neighborhoods while at the same time charts a course for future economic development throughout the city. I believe that the only way that taxes can be significantly lowered in the future is through steady economic development.

City Council Meeting Audio 10/24/07

What ever he did, that we don't know about, if it were that bad then we would know about it.
-Laini Abraham on the issues behind the Administration's
recomendation to fire Officer Vince Bruneo. (audio 3 minutes 16 seconds 383kb)

City Council was near capacity. Citizens filled the room to save the job of Officer Vince Bruneo. Most of the speakers and attendees were downtown residents and merchants that Vince served. The Mayor lobbied hard to take Bruneo's job, and at one point he let everyone know that there would be no fill-in downtown beat cop as long as Bruneo lingered on the books. (Translation: You want your cop back soon, give me what I want). God Bless the LVEDC!

Council did the city a great service by retaining Bruneo. The man is a credit to his job. Just ask the people he protects.

Audio (2 hours 13.7Mb)
Agenda

Your Neighbor

Candidate Question #2 Finances and Collections

Question#2: Finances and Collections

Collection of taxes and fees has been identified as a major financial issue in the city. Provide a few tactical solutions that would positively impact our collection deficiencies.

The first initiative will be to consolidate all financial matters under a qualified Director of Finance. This consolidation will allow for better tracking of expenses, forecasting of revenues and streamline the collection process. Delinquencies will be reduced with collection calls being made in the first 30 days of non-payment when an effort can be made to pay them. We cannot allow a delinquency to go beyond 60 days because they become harder to collect by the city and harder to pay by the customer. We will be swift but fair in our collection process and problem properties will be identified and a lien will be placed against the property. The lien will then be executed and the property owner will either pay their bill or we will flip the property to a new owner who will pay their fair share.

This administration chose to hire a collection agency to address this problem. Should the new charter pass, the addition of a Director of Finance, the creation of a finance department, and the elimination of the elected treasurer should improve our collection deficiencies. If the new charter doesn’t pass, the treasurer needs to be held more accountable – by the mayor, by council, and by the voters. And a finance department should be created nonetheless, requiring reports on collections and expenditures at each council meeting.


First we need to identify the problems. The first problem is that taxes and fees are too high. We currently pay the highest millage rate of any municipality in Northampton County and second we pay nearly the highest utility fees in the country! When a person on a fixed income is faced with a 16% tax increase when their increase from social security was on the order of 2% they are forced into a decision of what doesn’t get paid. All too often it is the taxes. Another problem is people who can afford to pay but choose not to. This is a very difficult problem. How do we collect from each of these groups without adversely affecting the individual on the fixed income? I believe we need to develop incentives such as long term payment plans which would allow the individual on a fixed income to distribute payments over a 20 year period as an example. This would allow collection of taxes from the estate of the individual but provide a means in which the individual can live in their house without the burden of excessively high taxes. For those who do have the ability to pay we need to be more aggressive in collection of taxes. Not paying real estate taxes suggests that the owner is not maintaining the property and therefore it is a signal for the codes office to insure that the property is meeting all current codes. In addition, council should develop greater financial penalties for over-due bills. The Treasurer’s Office should also implement mechanisms that make it easier for individuals to pay their bills. This includes automatic bill payment and payment through credit cards.


The very best and fastest way to collect, is to immediately go after any and all properties that any delinquent account has. Whithin 90 days, all delinquent accounts WILL, not should, but will, have papers filed against them and be on their way to being seized by the city for Sheriff's sale, or claimed under PA forfeiture of property laws. This would be the fastest and most adventagious way, if only we could force the treasurer to do his job.

An alternate way to get this done, is to bring the treasurer in front of council, and ask for his resignation or else he will be brought up on charges of dereliction of duty, and be forced out of office, and replaced with a competant treasurer. It may not be nice, but when someone continually refuses to do their job, I tend not to be a nice guy.

Candidate Question#1: Human Resources & Management

Last week we sent out a 10 question questionnaire to the 2 Mayoral and 6 City Council candidates. Exactly half of the candidates took the opportunity to elaborate upon their platforms by answering the questions.

Each day (for the next 10) we will publish one question with all of the candidate responses. The respondents were Sal Panto, El Warner, Bill Timmann, and Roger Ruggles.

Question#1: Human Resources & Management

Are you satisfied with the way city hall functions? What issues need to be addressed to improve interaction between departments?

No, I am not satisfied with the way City Hall functions. City Hall has some very dedicated, talented, hard working employees but there are two areas that will be addressed, one on the first day of our Administration and one within the first year. The first is an increase in customer service including attitude, phone call protocol, voice mail etiquette, etc. The second is the fact that the physical facility hinders intra-department communication, cross-training and efficient use of office equipment. We will reduce the size of city hall by at least one floor in our first year to improve interaction between the departments and increase revenue to the city with the additional floor rental.

No, I am not satisfied with the way city hall functions and neither are most of the residents of the city. City hall is not a people friendly place. Most people when entering city hall find it confusing and not a welcoming atmosphere. In addition, the layout of offices in city hall is not conducive to critical communication between departments. I am in favor of consolidating city hall from 5 floors to 4 floors of the Alpha Building, organizing those floors to enhance productivity, and providing a reception area that directs individuals to the proper area for the service desired. This will improve the welcoming atmosphere of city hall, increase productivity, and also provide one additional floor that the city can lease for office space. I also believe that city hall needs to be open at least one night a week until 8:00 P.M. to better serve the residents of the City of Easton.

As stated earlier in this answer a rearrangement of the office space in the Alpha Building will be a significant improvement to interactions between departments. I also believe that we must develop a new Comprehensive Plan for the city. The current plan was adopted in 1997 and is not a document that reflects the current nature of the city. In this new Comprehensive Plan we must identify the interactions between departments and establish mechanisms that will promote that interaction. This will lead to greater efficiency in government, reduce costs and provide efficient service to the public.

Who in their right mind is satisfied with the way city hall functions? The way it functions is one of the biggest reasons that I am running. The short answer is, "NO" I am not satisfied with the way city hall functions.

The issues that need to be addressed are as follows: 1. Mandatory centralization of records. If we can link up all the departments into one centralized server, then when one person or company's name comes up in one department, it will put a flag up in all departments. 2. Streamlining the departments. Instead of having multiple departments doing similar but different jobs, let's combine those departments, and cut back on excessive management. 3. True Cabinet meetings, open to the public. At least 1 time a month, the mayor should be meeting with all of the heads of the departments at once. These meetings should be public record, and open for public comment so that the administration knows and learns what and where it's deficiencies are.

These are just ideas off the top of my head. I am sure that in 4 years, I can come up with a lot more.

I’m not happy with the way city hall functions, but City Council doesn’t run city hall. The departmental directors report to the Mayor. Council committee chairs work with directors, but don’t oversee them, or the departments they run. I would support streamlining city hall and professionalizing human resources in city hall, should the next mayor choose to do so.

The Missing City Council Meetings

City Council Meeting 08/22/07

The police command staff gave an accreditation presentation. Heidi and Iggy Markow followed with a proposal for a domestic violence memorial in Easton. There was lots of discussion on the domestic animal ordinance.

Audio (2 hours 1 minute 13.8Mb)
Agenda
Minutes

Community Development Block Grant Meeting 09/12/07

This is the first of two CDBG allocation decision meetings. 14 groups petitioned for funds, with the City of Easton being the 14th. The City asked for more than is expected to be alloted. The City's interest in the GEDP and CACLV was once again glossed over.

Audio (49 minutes 30 seconds 5.66Mb)
Minutes

City Council Meeting 09/12/07

The City recognized the accomplishments of the late Elsie Luciano. Police Officer Sam Smith was recognized for his service and retirement. The Police/Shiloh Intramural Basketball program was honored, and Chief Palmer presentented awards. The domestic animal ordinance passed.

Audio (1 hours 34 minute 10.7Mb)
Agenda
Minutes

City Council Meeting 09/26/07

Mr David Woglam of Lafayette's Meyner Center presented the City with the "Meyner Report". The report drew a good deal of comment and discussion.

Audio (1 hours 33 minute 10.7Mb)
Agenda
Minutes

Community Development Block Grant Meeting 10/10/07

The second of two allocation assesment meetings. The City did not adjust its requested funds.

Audio (23 minutes 56 seconds 2.74Mb)
Minutes

City Council Meeting 10/10/07

Council honored the accomplishments of the late Bruce Zanzitis. A resolution passed to waive City fees for the development plan and building construction of the L’il Rovers Field House.

Audio (52 minutes 43 seconds 6.03Mb)
Agenda
Minutes

Group Maps City Access to Healthy Foods

This is a from National Public Radios archive. My intent is to give some of you another perspective of Easton's supermarket issue.

It's a little more than "mom & pop" and space. This issue is actually a catalyst in diet related disease in people of lower socioeconomic stature.

In a city with greater than 50% rental residents ordering out is a way of life. Our neighborhoods successes are incumbent on our placing higher quality AFFORDABLE goods and services in the neighborhoods.

Your neighbor

By Dan Charles for NPR Day to Day January 31, 2007

Day to Day, January 31, 2007 · A group in Philadelphia is using high-tech mapping technologies to show that people in poor neighborhoods need more places to shop for healthy food.

In the late 1890s, the civil-rights pioneer W.E.B. Du Bois created a map of houses in a narrow strip of central Philadelphia. The map showed houses where African-Americans lived, highlighted and color-coded to indicate their class. For Amy Hillier, professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Design, Du Bois' map is a professional inspiration.

Hiller is trying to walk in the footsteps of Du Bois. Using a technique called Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Hillier draws maps of urban landscapes built from mounds of data — statistics on wealth in particular neighborhoods, traffic patterns, crime, & anything that has a location.

Hillier's maps are turning out to be very useful for neighborhood activists such as Duane Perry, who founded an organization in Philadelphia called the Food Trust, dedicated to helping city residents gain access to nutritious, affordable, food.

In many urban neighborhoods, particularly low-income ones, well-stocked grocery stores are hard to find. Perry says grocery stores abandoned these neighborhoods in recent decades in favor of suburban areas, where there was more space for big supermarkets and parking lots.

Hillier computed a map that produced a splotch of red across the face of Philadelphia — a broad swath of low-income neighborhoods that lacked places to buy good food. In many of them, people were dying in greater numbers from diet-related diseases.

Duane Perry says when he put that map in front of local leaders, the information hit home in a way he'd never seen before.

Dwight Evans, who chairs the appropriations committee of Pennsylvania state legislature, pushed through a new, $30 million fund that provides subsidies to build supermarkets in neighborhoods that most need them.

"I already knew that there was a problem," Evans says. "The map just made it real. It put a face on it. It was like an exhibit in a courtroom."

More than 20 supermarkets have since opened in Philadelphia and other Pennsylvania cities, with the aid of state funds.

Download audio http://eastonundressed.org/eufiles/audio/food_trust.mp3 (5:04 594kb)

City Council Meeting Audio 08/08/07

I was absent for the July 25th meeting. All I have to offer is the agenda for that session.

The August 8th meeting began with Easton Police swearing in ceremonies for new officers and two new lieutenants.

Mr Gene Pambianchi (Executive Director, Easton Housing Authority) gave an hour long dissertation on Easton's Hope VI program. Very little was cleared up in that hour. We were basically told that the Hope VI project may look entirely different than the plan we were sold on.

Nadine Loane gave her Weed & Seed annual report. As usual (since she's been involved), the program's accomplishments were both many and admirable.

Candidates in attendance: Ken Brown, Sal Panto, Roger Ruggles, El Warner, & Jeff Warren

Audio (2hour 30 minutes 17.2Mb)

Documents:
Agenda 07/25/07
Agenda 08/08/07
Minutes (when available):
Minutes 07/25/07

You Want Something From Me, I Expect Some Things From You

Some very important issues have been, and are being, hashed out at various city public meetings this summer.

The City’s work is NEVER done, nor is the people’s.

Question #1: If an Eastonian is running for City Councilperson is it reasonable to expect them to (at a minimum) show up at City Council meetings?

I believe “yes”.

Question #2: Is it necessary for a candidate to engage in dialogue on City issues and to advocate for potential constituents?

I think “certainly”.

Question #3: Should we expect the Mayor and Council members to be at very important public meetings?

I say “absolutely”.

Actually, I am of the mind that candidates should be at EVERY important public meeting, and they should be participants. I am not saying that I think a single candidate should be at every public forum. I am saying that there should be candidates at all of the meetings, and each individual candidate should strive to be at as many important public meetings as possible. And the one’s that do attend should participate.

Let’s analyze this in parts. As a candidate for the City Council of the City of Easton you would like me to cast a ballot for you in the November general election. When I cast a ballot for you I expect that you will represent me, and meet the minimum requirement of attending City Council meetings. How can I, in good faith, trust you to fulfill your basic duties if you do not make a satisfactory effort to do so during your campaign?

If you are not around to gain firsthand accounts of the issues and their disposition why should I wait for you to catch up in January?

If you are not dedicated enough or capable of (for whatever reasons) being at important City meetings then, to me, you are unelectable. And if you are banking on voters not knowing that you are not engaged; you are a fraud, and we all need to question your motives for seeking public office.

OK, I am done with the no shows—on to the silent representation.

I intend to vote for advocates. Meaning I expect my candidates to be actively engaged on my behalf. I will cast my votes based on the way you deal with the City’s issues. It angers me to see smart, articulate citizens withhold their offerings in the name of campaigning. I say start building your record now. Aren’t your neighbors worth it?

In the case of those to whom our trust has been placed, we have a reasonable right to expect you to be where the action is. It is your burden to work for us. And I understand it is not an easy one; but it is, in fact, the one you asked us to bestow upon you.

I was very disappointed to see only one City Council member, and not one member of the administration, present at the two most important Home Rule Charter Commission meetings on July 12th and 14th. These were the meetings where citizens could impact the final disposition of the charter proposal. It was equally disheartening that the four City Council candidates not on the commission failed to participate even by written correspondence in a City issue of such a great magnitude. (Mayoral candidate Gary Bertsch did attend and participate)

The Mayor and City Council members need to be at Charter Commission meetings. After all, the Mayor and Council unanimously endorsed, presented, and voted to place the commission on the ballot in May of 2006.

The final 3 Home Rule Charter Commission meetings are on July 23rd, 24th, and 26th. Written comments are also currently being accepted.

Your Neighbor

Home Rule Charter Commission Public Comment Meetings 07/12/07 & 07/14/07

The City of Easton Home Rule Charter Commission held two public meetings solely for the purpose of receiving citizen input on the draft charter proposal. The meetings were sparsely attended, but those who did attend and comment gave productive feedback to the commission.

Councilwoman Vulcano was the only elected official in attendance, and the Gary Bertsch was the only city candidate in attendance that was not on the commission (El Warner, Roger Ruggles, and Sal Panto Jr. are Commissioners). Commission Chair, State Representative Robert (Bob) Freeman was in session in Harrisburg (I watched the Saturday session on PCN-- all talk; no action).

Please, read through the draft Charter(http://eastonundressed.org/hr_charter/HRCdraftcharter.pdf) and send the commission your input before July 23, 2007. The draft will be final on July 26, 2007. Email the commission at charterstudy@easton-pa.gov

Audio:
Tuesday, July 12, 2007 (2 hours 13 minutes 15.2Mb)

Saturday, July 14, 2007 (1 hour 08 minutes 7.01Mb)

Your Neighbors

City Council Meeting Audio 7/10/07

The $30,000.00 proposed closing of North Bank Street dominated the meeting. Council voted down Councilman Corpora's motion to remove the funding from the CDBG reallocation. The vote was 3-2 against the motion (Corpora and Heffley for). The reallocation vote was identical. The "yes" votes offered no comments on their votes; both Councilwoman Heffley and Councilman Corpora explained their decisions.

The proposal to extend the police early retirement incentive for the command staff was unanimously passed. FOP Washington Lodge #17 President Dominick Marraccini requested that council table the vote. No councilperson commented.

Audio (1 hour 26 minutes 9.85Mb)

Documents:
Agenda
Minutes (when available)

Real vs Special: Needs Go Toe to Toe (Again) in Easton

On Tuesday, 6 p.m., July 10th, Easton’s City Council will convene. On the agenda is the question of how to reallocate CDBG funds from previous years that were not expended.

This money is YOUR tax money.

It should be used to benefit the most Easton residents possible. Several of the reallocations do that as with the request to purchase a sorely needed new command vehicle for the Easton Fire Department. Other requests are not that clear as to benefiting the greatest number of Easton taxpayers.

As a Council Member, I will be voting no to the $30,000+ request to turn the first block of North Bank Street into a pedestrian mall.

While the plan has merit and conforms to my objective of a clean, safe, and green Easton, it does not benefit a great number of Eastonians. The same result could be had by simply closing the block, not refurbishing it.

Easton has greater needs.

It is essential that we do everything we can to take children off the street before they are enticed by gangs and that we do everything we can to curtail drug activity in our neighborhoods.

Requests such as kitchen upgrades for Easton Neighborhood Center (Formerly St. Anthony’s Youth Center) for a new kitchen and air conditioning so that it can more effectively serve meals to children and adults who otherwise go hungry in our city is a priority that cannot be ignored in my opinion. And there are other agency requests that attack the root causes of kids becoming gang members and curtail drug activity. These must be addressed before I can vote for a plan that is attractive but not a priority over our people and neighborhoods.

How do YOU want YOUR tax dollars spent?

Plan to attend this Council meeting.

Carole J. Heffley

Stealing from the Low-Mods and giving to the capable

It would simply be wrong for the City to reallocate $30,000.00 of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG years 2001 - 2007) funds for the North Bank Street pedestrian walkway project.

The project does not clearly fit any of the three national objectives necessary to be eligible for CDBG funding (as noted by Ed Gepner to Council on September 13, 2007 5min 53 second 691kb Mp3). The project is NOT in response to a public safety need that has developed within 90 days of the request. The project does not meet the requirements of area or “spot” blight redevelopment. And the project will not meet the requirement “that at least 51% of the people benefiting from the project are low and moderate income people.” (Gepner 09/13/07).

“The CDBG entitlement program allocates annual grants to larger cities and urban counties to develop viable communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment, and opportunities to expand economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons.” (Taken from the HUD CDBG website http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/communitydevelopment/programs/)

As good as this project may seem to anyone. It does not meet the national objectives to be funded though the highly competitive CDBG process.

Our city is far from being short on need. The fact that the entire city qualifies as “low-mod” is a sobering reminder of just how much need we have. This project immediately benefits people with the resources and finances to either own buildings in downtown Easton or to own businesses in downtown Easton. The street is a mere alley that is less than one tenth of a square mile in a city of 4.2 square miles (0.1 mile is 2.38% of 4.2 miles). To spend $30,000.00 of the $315,000.00 reallocation (~10%) on this project like stealing fro 98% of the city.

We can not allow our special interest and self serving selfishness rule. If the street's safety is truly the issue, close it-- by all means. Just find the money elsewhere. We're pretty sure that 4 to 6 poles will cost us a lot less than $30,000.00.

Your neighbors

City Council Meeting Audio 6/27/07

NEXT DAY SERVICE!!!

There were several important issues hashed over at this meeting. The $33,000.00 proposed closing of North Bank Street, The proposal to extend the police early retirement incentive for the command staff, and the Housing Authority's changes to the Hope VI plan.

The commentary was lively and informative.

Audio:
Meeting (1 hr 28 min 10.0 Mb)

Documents:
Agenda

Minutes: (when available)

Just a note: There were only three City Council candidates in attendance Ken Brown (on Council), El Warner, and Roger Ruggles. To us this is a honest measure of commitment to be a City Council member. Mr Brown has a very good attendance record (he missed one last year to honeymoon). Ms Warner and Mr Ruggles are both members of the Home Rule Charter Commission, and their attendance is also admirable (the HRCC meetings are many times long arduous affairs).

We see the continued absence of Bill Timmann, Peter Melan, and Jeff Warren as indicators of both their ability and willingness to actively participate in the resolution of the City's issues.

Your neighbors

City Council Meeting Audio 5/23/07 & 6/13/07

Again, I must apologize for my lack of timeliness. My laptop doesn't work well in the pool.

Today I give you the last 2 City Council meetings.

The May 23rd session was a short meeting. Fire Department officers were sworn in, & the mayor rubber stamped another board member.

The June 13th meeting was short but important. Planning held a public hearing to discuss the reallocation of $300,000.00 of leftover CDBG funds. One of the proposed expenditures (closing the 1st block of North Bank Street at $33,000.00) drew a good deal of scrutiny.

Audio:
05/23/07 Meeting (1 hr 17 min 8.85 Mb)
06/13/07 Meeting (1 hr 14 min 8.50 Mb)

Documents:
05/23/07 Agenda
06/13/07 Agenda

Minutes (when available)
05/23/07 Minutes

City Council Meeting Audio 5/09/07

Sorry for the tardiness. But it's getting nice outside, and the sun glares off of my laptop screen.

This was a relatively short meeting. Council honored two of the City's retirees that passed away. Crime was a topic (3 shootings, one fatal, and one mugging).

Audio:
Regular Meeting (1 hours 40 minutes 11.4Mb)

Documents:
Agenda
Minutes

2007 Primary Candidates' Interviews

The final three interviews are posted!!!!!
*NOTE: Ken Brown declined to participate in the interviews

This is where we will post audio interviews with candidates for the May 15th primary. The interviews will added as they occur (with the most recent listed first).

Each interview will last 15 to 20 minutes. The questions will be selected from our question pool prior to each interview. The interviews are neutral and issues only.

Send us your questions to add to our question pool. Email eu@eastonundressed.org put “Questions” in the subject line.

Candidates schedule your interviews! Email eu@eastonundressed.org

May 8, 2007, Terrance Hand interviews Bill Timmann(R) primary candidate for Easton City Council. Bill Timmann interview (25 minutes 28 seconds 2.91Mb)

May 7, 2007, Terrance Hand interviews Peter Melan (R) primary candidate for Easton City Council. Peter Melan interview (13 minutes 36 seconds 1.56Mb)

May 7, 2007, Terrance Hand interviews Nadine Loane (D) primary candidate for Easton City Council. Nadine Loane Interview (23 minutes 46 seconds 2.72Mb)

April 16, 2007, Terrance Hand interviews Jeff Warren (D) primary candidate for Easton City Council. Jeff Warren interview (18 minutes 26 seconds 2.1Mb)

April 10, 2007, Terrance Hand interviews Gary Bertsch (R) primary candidate for Easton Mayor. Gary Bertsch interview (12 minutes 53 seconds 1.47Mb)

April 7, 2007, Terrance Hand interviews Sal Panto Jr. (D) primary candidate for Easton Mayor. Sal Panto Jr. interview (14 minutes 37 seconds 1.67Mb)

April 5, 2007, Terrance Hand interviews Roger Ruggles (R) primary candidate for Easton City Council. Roger Ruggles interview (17 minutes 24 seconds 1.99Mb)

April 4, 2007, Terrance Hand interviews Mike Fleck (D) primary candidate for Easton Mayor. Mike Fleck interview (18 minutes 59 seconds 2.23Mb)

April 2, 2007, Terrance Hand interviews Elinor Warner (D) primary candidate for Easton City Council. El Warner interview (14 minutes 26 seconds 1.65Mb)

City Council Meeting Audio 4/25/07

This meeting was an epic four and a half hours! The first 45 minutes was the City Treasurers report (very disappointing). That was followed by 2 hours and 20 minutes of public comment on the Riverwalk project. The actual meeting was 39 minutes, and it was followed by 40 minutes more of public comment.

Every minute of this meeting was important and interesting. The Treasurers report was very disturbing to me. The Treasurer, his staff, and the Business Administrator spent the majority of the 45 minutes explaining why their performance was the way it is. There wasn't any talk that I can recall about improving performance.

The Riverwalk fight was as heated as it has ever been. It culminated in a borderline fist fight (shouting match) between a councilman and an anti-Riverwalk activist at the 5th floor elevators. Council voted 4 to 1 in favor of the Riverwalk project.

For your convenience (and at great inconvenience to me) I have divided the meeting into segments:

Entire meeting (4 hours 28 minutes 30.7Mb)
Treasurer's report (45 minutes 12 seconds 5.17Mb)
1st comments segment (2 hours 22 minutes 16.2Mb)
Meeting segment (38 minutes 59 seconds 4.46Mb)
2nd comments segment (39 minutes 59 seconds 4.57Mb)

We hope you find this helpful,
Your neighbors

NAACP Candidates' Night

On Friday, April 20, 2007, the Easton branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People hosted a Candidates' Night at the Third Street Alliance. 15 candidates participated. The candidates were seperated into 4 panels based on the elected office. There were 3 District Justice(Magistrate) candidates, 1 of the 2 Controller candadites, 7 City Council candidates, and all 3 Mayoral hopefuls.

The candidates were allowed short introductions (2 to five minutes dependant on office), and when all of the panel members were introduced a question and answer session followed.

District Justice candidates (15 minutes 59 seconds 1.82Mb)

Brian Monahan
Cindy Greene
Dan Corpora

City Controller candidates (7 minutes 13 seconds 848kb)

Vicky M. Davis (Controller D) (not in attendance)

Tony Bassil (Controller R)

City Council candidates (51 minutes 51 seconds 5.93Mb)

Ken Brown (Council D)

Roger Ruggles (Council R)
Elinore Warner (Council D)

Peter G. Melan (Council R)
Nadine Loane (Council D)

Bill E. Timmann (Council R)
Jeff Warren (Council D)

Mayoral candidates (54 minutes 56 seconds 6.28Mb)

Sal Panto, Jr. (Mayoral D)

Gary Bertsch (Mayoral R)

Michael P. Fleck (Mayoral D)

College Hill Neighborhood Association Candidate's Night (Mayoral)

On Tuesday, April 17, 2007 our neighbors from the College Hill Neighborhood Association hosted a Candidates' Night for Mayoral candidates.

We did our best to clean up and amplify the audio, but the acoustics of the church and no microphone in the audience made the audience questions difficult to improve. In any event, the candidates can be heard pretty well. We hope this audio is useful to you.

Intro & Gary Bertsch (16 minutes 45 seconds 1.91Mb)
Mike Fleck (18 minutes 35 seconds 2.12Mb)
Sal Panto Jr. (18 minutes 21 seconds 2.10Mb)

Closing Remarks

Gary Bertsch closing (2 minutes 49 seconds 331kb)
Mike Fleck closing (1 minutes 52 seconds 220kb)
Sal Panto Jr. closing (3 minutes 12 seconds 376kb)

APPLY FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT for the primary BEFORE the close of business May 8, 2007
VOTE in the primary May 15, 2007!!!

NAACP Candidates' Night

Flier

Itinerary

The Easton Branch of the NAACP is hosting a Candidates' Night at the Third Street Alliance (41 N 3rd St Easton, PA 18042 (610) 258-6271) on Friday, April 20, 2007 from 6:00pm until 8:30pm.

The forum is for Easton's Mayoral, City Council, Controller, and Magistrate candidates. There will be 16 candidates participating.

The event will be hosted by WFMZ's Jaciel Cordoba.

The event is organized by the Easton Branch Political Action Committee.

For the Political Action Committee,

Terrance Hand
(610)923-9160
temano@aol.com