Instead of existing to serve the best interests of Northampton county, the GPA has become a platform from which P3 deals are being marketed so that board solicitor John Lushis, yet another Norris McLaughlin Marcus lawyer, can line his pockets. Board Chair Shawn Langen is now billing the county for his services on P3 projects. The GPA spent between $60,000-70,000 to market not just P3, but former Executive John Brown, right before the election. Lushis is also telling them that they, and not NorCo Council, are the ones who must appoint a replacement for a GPA Board member who recently resigned. In the meantime, Lushis is dragging his feet on three Right-to-Know request that will answer how much money he has been paid.
During yesterday's meeting, Langen hypocritically made a point of stressing that the GPA is completely apolitical. Really? The GPA paid between $60,000-70,000 to Kim Plyler, Brown's ex propaganda machine, so she could make a splash for the ribbon cutting on Brown's P3 project. This groundbreaking occurred on October 21, right before the election. Plyler made sure to include photos of Brown, Peg Ferraro, and Glenn Geissinger, all of whom were seeking re-election.
So much for apolitical.
Fortunately, Plyler is incompetent. The only publicity was on the GPA Facebook page. I saw nothing in either daily.
Langen stated yesterday that he is willing to donate his salary to charity. He has also told me that the way the P3 law is written, county employees are unable to review the work, and he appears to be qualified from his years of experience at Arcadia as a project manager.
I have no problem with Langen, who appears to be well-intentioned. But he should have realized that Brown was using him to promote his re-election, and spent public funds to do so.
I do have a problem with Lushis.
After the meeting, he approached Administrator Charles Dertinger and began wagging a finger in his face. Dertinger Not a good idea.
21 comments:
Are you stating that there is absolutely nothing county council can do to curb this travesty? The meeting time is horeshit designed to keep people out. They claim they can appoint their own members?
If asked to attend a council meeting, do they even have to come? Can anyone stop their actions in any way?
The GPA is a creature of the Municipal Authority Act and hence has a life of its own. Council can take control, board member by board member, over five years. They should all be asked to resign.
This story has nothing to do with Authoritarian Donald Trump.
When is McClure going to ask All these board members to resign? It shouldn't take this long to get a reply to a "right to know" request. Why is Peg Ferraro on this Board? What does she have to say about all this? How long does this nonsense go on before the Attorney General is asked to come in to look at their activities?
8:15 in the morning. Lucky you got a seat. How can taxpayers insist this time be changed?
"Why is Peg Ferraro on this Board? What does she have to say about all this? "
I love Peg but she needs to resign. She was MIA in January and agin yesterday, although she phoned in yesterday. She is NOT looking out for the people.
Also, Mike Dowd needs to resign. he already sits on the Airport Authority. One is enough.
They appear to me i the sights of "O'Hare". Only a matter of time now till the authorities start smelling around for sure.
There are a few things that bother me. First, I think Brown used them, not as a conduit for some worthy loan, but as a tool for his re-election. Public money was very clearly paid to Kim Plyler to re-elect him. Second, Lushis engaged in a clear conflict by simultaneously working for both the GPA and John Brown. He adamantly denied this yesterday, but this is something Shawn Langen himself told me when I met with him. Third, it is very clear to me that Lushis intends to stall the RTK requests made both by me and The Morning Call. So I just filed a separate RTK with the county. The county has many of the same records.
Never trust a Catholic lawyer.
very interesting, thank you for your efforts. we owe you a cup of coffee.
Meeting at 8:15 am.? That is an old chamber of commerce trick. These people don[t want any "regular folk" anywhere near them.
Over the years, I've noticed that people who think they are very important always want to meet early in the day, at some ungodly hour, to impress upon you how important they are. And to me, anything before noon is an ungodly hour.
Is Peg's daughter going to take over the Budget Administrator position? Does she have anything to do with GPA dollars?
She is a CPA and is more than qualified, but as I understand things, her skill set is better applied to othe county accounting needs. She is very good, and Steve has a very high opinion of her. She is much more than Peg’s daughter.
Thanks for covering this, Bernie.
Over the years she is just one of many Ferraro relatives taken care of by the county. Yet on that score you look the other way.
No other Ferraro relative has worked for the count6. You are a liar.
Other employees have more than adequate degrees to do their jobs but don't get a $20,000 bump from mommy. She should also adhere to the dress code policy and not be able to wear jeans when she wants. Comes in late and then takes a lunch, cutting work hours with the bump. All great for morale and fairness.
"anything before noon is an ungodly hour."
I'm pretty sure all civil servants agree... that aside, this is a entertaining read.
11:29, check your facts, I believe you are wrong. Daughter is no the only relative that benefited.
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