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Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Bassil, Warner, Brown & Ruggles Stand Out at Easton Town Hall

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at PhotobucketLast night, nearly sixty Easton citizens met at St. John’s Lutheran Church, in Easton, to watch eight candidates wrestle over three seats on Easton City Council and the Controller's slot. This event was sponsored by The Lehigh Valley League of Women Voters and the Easton branch of the AAUW. Among those attending were some students studying English as a second language. One facilitator proudly noted they came to see "democracy in action." Another person who came to watch was Easton's next mayor, the affable Sal Panto.

What is Easton City Council?

Easton City Council includes five members: Sandra Vulcano, President; Pamela Panto, Vice President; and councilpersons Ken Brown, Carole Heffley and Joe Corpora. They meet twice monthly and are paid an annual salary of $9,371. In addition, these part-timers get full medical coverage and a pension. As I learned last night, the actual compensation per member is $21,000.

The four year terms for Carol Heffley, Pam Panto and Ken Brown expire this year, but only Ken Brown has decided to seek reelection. His seat and two open seats are in contention. Jeff Warren and Elinor H. Warner join Brown in completing the Democratic ticket. They face off against Republicans Roger Ruggles, Peter Melan, and Bill E. Timmann.

Easton City Controller

Republican Tony Bassil, Easton's current controller, is facing Democrat Vicki Davis for Easton's $28,389 controller position.

After last week's slugfest in Pen Argyl, last night was a real letdown. It had nothing to do with the candidates or the audience, but the format. The LWV would lob a softball, and then candidates would answer, one by one. Of course, by the time the third candidate was speaking, everybody was agreeing with everything. The audience was permitted to submit written questions, but none could be addressed to any specific candidate.

In their introductions, a few of the candidates began to impress me. Tony Bassil, in halting English, was still quite eloquent as he told us he's "here to protect your investment." Ken Brown, although the incumbent, was humble, complimenting his opponents. By contrast, one candidate turned me off. Jeff Warren, who must have mentioned his association with the Boys and Girls Club 1,000 times, demonstrated his humility by saying, "I have great potential and great ideas."

How do they feel about Riverwalk?

Easton's $27 million Riverwalk condominium, parking and bus facility, located in the Delaware River floodplain, has been controversial from the start. Ken Brown, part of the city council that approved this project, mumbled that their role was very limited. El Warner flatly stated she does not like Riverwalk, and that the city's community block grant money should not be sent there. That drew some applause. But Jeff Warren, whose campaign is heavily funded by developers, just loves it. "We need to move forward," he claimed.

Republican Roger Ruggles, who is actually an engineer, claims this project is just too big. Pete Melan echoed him. Bill Timmann loves it. But if twenty people come in and say they don't like it, he'd vote against it. He feels a councilperson is just there to do the bidding of whoever screams the loudest, and said as much several times.

Are Benefits and Pensions Appropriate for Part-Time City Councilmen and the Controller?

Of course, no one spoke in favor of medical benefits or pensions for themselves. Incumbent Ken Brown simply stated, "I have it because I need it." But he claimed to have no problem with seeing it taken away. Bassil pointed out that he has actually declined health benefits and a pension, which will save taxpayers $21,000 per year.

How Will You Reduce the City's $4.5 Million Debt in 2012?

Ruggles gets a pop tart for the best answer here. He notes there are $2 million in uncollected revenue, and thinks the city needs to concentrate on capturing that. Ken Brown thinks the city also needs quarterly reports and a five-year plan.

In View of Costly Lawsuits, How Will You Improve Police Conduct?

Bill Timmann complained that council is always "rolling over" whenever the city sees a lawsuit, and that it needs to "fight a few of them." "We need to support the police." But Warner thinks the city would most benefit by seeing a few more beat cops all over town instead of just in the downtown. The other candidates agreed with her, and Ken Brown added he'd like to see a few cops out of uniform. Before you get any goofy ideas, he quickly added that he'd like to see more officers playing sports with area kids. Brown also commended the changes from Easton's new chief.

How Can Council Communicate Better with the Mayor Over Finance?

Roger Ruggles claims "It's got to be a two way street," and requires work from council and the mayor. El Warner, in a pointed criticism of the Home Rule Charter proposal, claimed the mayor need not sit on city council to work with them. Ken Brown gave the best answer here. He noted problems are inevitable because there is a separation of power, but that council needs to work directly with the controller and treasurer. Tony Bassil added that communication can improve best if there is a Director of Finance. "This is the key."

Should City Employees Live in Easton?

El Warner had a quick response. Noting that it's a collective bargaining issue, she would like to make vacant properties available to city employees to encourage residency. Bill Timmann suggested separate payscales for residents and nonresidents, which is obviously illegal. Roger Ruggles said that our administrators and cabinet official should be city residents, and favored Warner's plan to offer incentives to encourage other employees to move into Easton. "We provide incentives for Hotel Easton, why not for employees of the city?"

Conclusion

The candidates who distinguished themselves last night, despite a lousy format, were Interim Controller Tony Bassil, incumbent council member Ken Brown, Easton businesswoman Elinor Warner and Lafayette College's Roger Ruggles. Bassil understands finance. Ken Brown understands people. El Warner is a source of new ideas. And Roger Ruggles is a voice of reason.
Update: The Morning Call has a thorough account of last night's debate here.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

I skipped last night's Easton's city council-candidates debate.

I opted for the Bethlehem Planning Commission meeting, instead - the meeting I urged as many Northampton County residents possible to attend.

I addressed the Commission for the record, which the Commission me would be available to the public in both the form of an audio recording and a transcript.

After I spoke, and the Commission meeting went into overtime, conflicting with a scheduled City Council meeting, and was debating moving to library from the City Hall's Round Building the City's library, I stood and urged the Commission to adjourn and reschedule to adjourn the meeting and re-convene at a later date.

At that point the Commission seemed inclined to do just that. Sensing that, and panicking, the City's planner and attorney went into action with arguments supportive of the Sands BethWorks lawyer instead of the best interests of the public.

I accused Sands BethWorks of hustling its project so that the casino could "start raking in the money" as soon as possible.

The sickening disgrace of St. Luke's Hospital is that its board of directors and administration have allowed itself to become a partner with Sands BethWork for this purpose, as reported in yesterday's edition of The Morning Call: TO "ALLOW THE CITY TO FORGO FEDERAL REVIEWS THAT COULD DRAG ON FOR FIVE YEARS.

These reviews would be imposed by the fact that improvements to Route 378, like Route 412 and integral to the Sands BethWorks project, would impact a neighborhood that's listed on the Register of National Historic Places.

St. Lukes has no respect for historic places. It leased from Fountain Hill Bourough the homestead of poet Stephen Vincent, Benet, for the purpose of razing this historic home for a parking lot - just as in the lyrics of the Joannie Mitchell song.

I will make a copy of this comment.

P.S. Millions of dollars will go into the coffers of the National Democratic Party to help get Ed "Fast Eddie" Rendell on the ticket as Hillary Clinton's running mate - just as Sands owner Sheldon Adelson and his wife Miriam donated $1 million to George W. Bush's inauguration.

Anonymous said...

Easton should be so lucky as to have a public servant of the caliber of Tony Bassil. He's brilliant, he's honest, and he's a gentleman's gentleman. I can't vote in Easton, but I recommend that those who can, vote for Bassil.

Anonymous said...

Unrelated topic - delete if you must, but I'm disappointed that this blog was silent on the tremendous fund raiser that took place over the weekend in Nazareth.

"Quarters for Military Families" raised $5,700 for the Lehigh Valley Military Affairs Council and Blue Star Mothers.

What a credit to the Nazareth area to continue to attempt to help military families despite the unpopularity of the current wars.

Donations are still being accepted. Until or unless either party brings them home, their sacrifice should not be ignored. I can't help but think how much more money would have been raised with a little help from quality blogs like this.

First Star Bank
14 South Main St.
Nazareth, PA 18064
(Designate "Quarters for Military Families")

Bernie O'Hare said...

Anon 6:55, Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. Actually, the time for me to have posted about this was before it happened. I am embarrassed not to have done so as it happened right under my nose on Sunday. I even put some quarters on the tape going down the middle of Main Street and briefly considered stealing a few as the crowd moved away. I took a picture but it did not take, and will post a blog about it.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Anon 3:37, aka Billy, Please do me a favor and ID yourself so people know you.

Anonymous said...

I have attended every candidate's night but last evening due to a prior commitment. If every voter attended a night to see and hear the candidates there are clear selections. Panto has it all over Bertsch. Panto comes with a plan of action, definitive positions and shows the public he is ready to take the challenge. His opponent offers little other than answering every question with the same lines - sidewalks, trees and his efforts in the West Ward. I live in the West Ward and see little if any improvement and most of the grant money going to his fellow landlord buddies.
For COntroller yes, it has to be Bassil. Qualified to the limit and is already helping the city.
For Council the shining stars so far are Ruggles, Brown and Warner.
It will be interesting on election day to see which three individuals win the seat on Council and we can only pray that Panto and Bassil win. We need them for Easton.

Anonymous said...

Your post reminds me why I am so torn over Warner. She says so many of the right things and yet has done so many not so good.

As a progressive, on paper to me she is the nearly perfect candidate. Add to that she adds well needed diversity to city council and brings in muchneeded new blood.

With that said, I have a hard time overlooking Warner's unswerving support for the Hotel Lafayette which is the biggest open sore in downtown Easton. In the Hotel Lafayette you have the single largest concentration of felons (incl. those convicted of violent felonies & sex crimes) in . Add to that the HL leads to the general level of unsavoriness in certain areas of downtown & has served for years as a major impediment to urban renewal. It is also among the most blighted properties in downtown Easton. Add to that it has apparently entered into an agreement with Warren County social services to house the homeless and recently incarcerated from across the Delaware. With everything wrong with the HL Warner's unswerving support for, and acceptance of advertising money from, leaves many downtown resident understandably uncomfortable with her and give many grave concern about Warner's apparent lack in judgment in supporting the HL.

Add to that Warner's legendary toxic personality. Don't believe me? Just add alcohol. She has been overheard one too many times trash talking people behind their backs at the River Grille, Ocean, etc (and then leaving a 1 dollar tip on a $70 dollar order). Too many people, (such as waiters, bartenders, office staff, etc.) who interact with her have told me she is abrasive and unduly rude to anyone who she deems as below her station in life. Like I said, I am a progressive and such rudeness (or as it was called in my undergrad days classism) in the 21st century is unacceptable

Even with all the negatives she says all the right things, her heart appears to be in the right place, and I really, really want to vote for her, but I am desperately afraid to.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Anon 11:40,

I dont know Ms. Warner personally. In fact, I don't know any of them, and only am going by what I see and their campaign finance reports.

I saw a bit of her personality last night. I like it. I hate the phonies who smile at you and then slip a knife in your back, and most pols are exactly that. I'd rather have someone in my face, challenging me to prove my points.

I'm not sure I'd form any conclusions about her behavior at a downtown restaurant unless you saw it yourself.

I had a friend a few years ago who was really mad at me. It went on for weeks. We finally talked and he told me he was really angry bc I had not left a tip for a waiter at an Easton restaurant where he and I had eaten. The waiter and he were good friends, and this dinner was my treat.

I always leave a twenty per cent tip whenever I go out. I even leave tips when I'm buying something from the counter. I appreciate that waiters and waitresses depend on them. But on this one occasion, I simply forgot. It was completely unintentional, but I don't think I ever convinced the waiter about that.

She was not just mouthing mantras, except for her frequent use of the word "proactive." She impresses me as an independent thinker. A lot of people don't like women who speak their mind. There may be bit of that going on in what you hear.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Anon 11:34, Wow! We agree right down the line. You better seek psychological counseling immediately.

Anonymous said...

I endorse El Warner for Easton city council, and anonymously so since I don't wish to give her the kiss of death. while the Lehigh Valley Ramblings and its readers may speculate that the writer of these anonymous comments is Billy Givens, they do not know that for a fact.

I endorse El because she has publicly opposed downtown Easton's Riverwalk project

I, too, oppose this project for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that its proposed site lies within the flood plain of the Delaware River - and Bushkill Creek.

The proposed Riverwalk site lies directly below the Delaware River-Bushkill Creek estuary and is one the first to be inundated when the two streams flood.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Billy, Now that you and I both support her, she's certain to lose.

J. SPIKE ROGAN said...

Bernie<

A few corrections DAN COPORA not JOE is on council. You don't know Joe.

Remeber Dan was slamed by those sleazey mailers.

Also Elinor Warner is Elinor or EL. NOT ELI! I am a freind of El's. Eli sounds like a dudes name.

I make many errors often in my diatribes.

But most of the time your posts unlike your comments are well written.

Many years ago I met Billy in Center square for a anti invading Iraq rally my now ex and I put together the sunday before the invasion.

As time went on regardless of Billy's support most opppose being there now.

J. SPIKE ROGAN said...

Also you missed the Minuteman at many other candidates nights in Easton. Him and I had a little disagreement at the NAACP event.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Spike, I do know Joe. I met him long before I met Dan, and I must have had a Freudian slip. I'll fax that error, and thank you for pointing it out.

I will also clean up the reference to Elinor as Eli. I think you're right. I should be calling her El or Elinor.

Thank you for correcting me.

Anonymous said...

Didn't Toni Basil sing a song in the 80's

J. SPIKE ROGAN said...

I don't want our controller in a cheerleader outfit.

Right Bernie?

Anonymous said...

Since you asked...

Dan Mcneill Lost the Primary Democratic Nomination for Whitehall Township Executive to Ed Hozza Jr. by double digits. Mcneill claimed in the Whitehall Coplay Press a couple of weeks back it was a too close to call election despite a 13% margin of defeat. IMO the voters rejected him once and he should be out and the Democratic party should honor the peoples decision. I heard he is now trying or has muscled his way on next weeks Chamber of Commerce debate. Meanwhile Ed Koren the Republican nominee is delighted, so I am told. Imagine what the precedence it sends for future elections.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Anon 10:42, Thanks for filling me in. I will check it out and write it up. You are right.

Anonymous said...

You have it right, they are the standouts and I hope the rest of the voters in Easton realize it

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