Bill Hansell - Framers Would Want Gracedale On Ballot

Bill Hansell, one of the Home Rule Charter Framers says that the question should be on the ballot and does not understand what the fuss is all about.

Read full article:
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/easton/mc-northampton-county-gracedale-refer20110325,0,7729830.story

After reading this article, one will really wonder what is being hidden from The People. It is clear according to Hansell that the framers wanted to give the electors an avenue to pursue should they not agree with the decision making of the elected officials, and they did just that, so what's the problem?

What are they Hiding?

Coming Soon!

The Commonwealth Court is soon to render their decision on the Gracedale Initiative - referendum question, possibly as soon as today, and hopefully no later than by months end.

Stay tuned.

Bonusgate - Perhaps This Will Happen In NorCo

Another Scandal: Google Bonusgate, many in Dauphin County find themselves in hot water for doing what Stoffa did - inappropriately using taxpayers money in election matters.

Stoffa would be wise to pay attention, this could happen to him.

Separate trials ordered for DeWeese, Stetler, on corruption charges

Published: Monday, March 21, 2011, 3:11 PM     Updated: Monday, March 21, 2011, 3:41 PM

By MATT MILLER, The Patriot-News

A Dauphin County judge today ordered separate trials for state Rep. H. William DeWeese and former Rep. Stephen Stetler on the public corruption charges against them.

Both men are accused of using taxpayer-paid resources and state employees for political fund-raising and campaign work.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/12/bonusgate_defendant_jeff_forem.html

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/12/bonusgate_hearing_begins_in_da.html

Stoffa - Criminal Intent

Last Thursday night toward the end of the County Council meeting (3/17/11), our County Executive Mr. Stoffa stood before the council and stated clearly...

"Do you know what I'm going to do in my third term? I'm going to twenty five cemeteries, I will take names off of the tombstones, put them on a petition with fictitious addresses and submit them to the election commission, that's what I'm gonna do".

Wow - really...Too bad the Coalition didn't know that taking names off of a tombstone was allowed, perhaps we could have done that! But we have always strive to do things right, following the rules, and we understood that what Stoffa suggested he is going to do during a third term...is illegal. Yes, against the law! Stoffa clearly said he is going to break the law. Should "We The People" support this so called politician with criminal intent, we think not. The People have lost all respect, but most importantly all trust in this miscreant.

Stoffa making his statement can be viewed on-line approximately 2:12 minutes into the meeting. Go back two minutes or so, and you will hear him say that the County used Tax dollars to challenge the referendum petition, which as we understand it, is also illegal. A criminal investigation is reasonable, and hopefully the presence of DA Morganelli who sat in on most of the meeting is an indicator that an investigation is being considered, if not already underway. How ironic that Mr. Stoffa can (from a negative perspective) become part of the system that he is currently overseeing...the County prison.

Mr. Stoffa is misleading the public on Gracedale's wages.

As for Mr. Stoffa 's quote of the salaries  - it is very misleading . He would like you to believe everyone at Gracedale makes that kind of money  and that is far from the truth. The salaries he mentioned were supervisors and administration , that is a far cry from the wages of the people that work one on  one with the residents everyday. That is like comparing apples to oranges.

Their salaries are nothing compared to the upper echelon.

 I would like to see Mr. stoffa , angle, Mr. Cusick do the job the aides and NA 2'S  do every day , or just follow then around for 8 hours and see what it is like and then tell me that they are making too much money.

Over the years the workers chose to take the lower pay and the better benefit's and County approved that.

Tell me who determines the wages of supervisors, career service, administration ???

It is not the union --they don't belong.

It is the County Executive,and the County Council that approved it all these years so don't blame it on anyone else but your self's.  County pays big money for people to sit behind their desk's or walk the halls, and pays little for the ones that do the work that counts.  

And any overtime is do to you hiring  freeze. Mr. stoffa let the people know what the ordinary worker earns it would make more sense. 

One Step Closer

http://www.wfmz.com/lehighvalleynews/27234018/detail.html

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/northampton-county/index.ssf/2011/03/gracedale_will_be_on_the_may_p.html

Orange Jump Suit for Stoffa? Could Be

COAF attorney calls for a criminal investigation:
http://www.wfmz.com/lehighvalleynews/27220600/detail.html

O"hare Lied - He Admits

In a March 3rd, Patch article that O'hare himself wrote relating to DA Morganelli, he openly and candidly admits being a liar.

If he publicly admits he is does not always tell the truth, then how can we say when he is telling the truth, or why should he be trusted in anything he says?

O'hare Quoted in Easton Patch saying:
"No," "I lied. "

Read third paragraph from the bottom:
 http://easton.patch.com/articles/how-you-can-stop-election-fraud

Talk About A Miscreant

Mr. Angle is always looking for an angle:

Check out this article:
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/easton/mc-mount-bethel-golf-course-angle-20110314,0,986462.story

A Disgrace Disclosed

"Stoffa said he sees nothing wrong with attorney Mark Stewart and other Eckert Seamans staff consulting with Angle and O'Hare."

Why would Eckert Seamans consult with Bernie O'Hare? Is BO A councilman? NO HE IS NOT! Stoffa believes that it is okay because he is selling out NorCO and Gracedale.

Norco - you have to read this article...what a disgrace!!!

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/easton/mc-northampton-county-gracedale-attor20110314,0,5492424.story

We must now prepare to fight even harder for what is right...until what is right is done.

Stoffa's Blunder

A few weeks ago Mr. Stoffa  made the statement that was on TV and was printed in the local newspapers,"If we aren't able to sell Gracedale, Gracedale will be CLOSED or downsized significantly." The fallout from this statement has been tremendous.

With one statement , he managed to instill a great deal of fear into residents and their families.

This was very irresponsible with seemingly no regard  for the residents seeing that there are 38 residents that subscribe to the

Morning Call and 22 residents to the Express -Times. These residents also share their paper with other residents throughout the day. Families as well as residents are anxious about their future and where they will go when and if Gracedale is shut down.

Not to mention the impact it has on prospective admissions, who is looking to place a loved one in a facility that will possibly be closed? It is in the hope  and request of many at Gracedale that Mr. Stoffa give more thought in the future before making such a statement whether it be out of anger or frustration.

The staff at Gracedale has made every attempt since the conversation about a possible sale was initially made public to assure both families and residents that no matter what happened, they would have a place to live and they would not be made to leave.

Then Mr. Stoffa makes a statement that reverses all the reassuring we have done.

Please, Mr. Stoffa, think about the impact such a statement has on the people it affects the most.

An Open Letter to the Reverend Mr. Dowd

As you well know, we have had the opportunity to both speak with you at Council Meetings, as well as view your personal participation as a councilman on the video provided by the County.

In view of your life’s professional calling, we have paid a great deal of attention to your manner of handling the various county-wide issues which come before you.

We have never been very much interested in local politics until the Gracedale issue. We also felt a similar calling or mission to protect the residents at Gracedale from “private hands.”

We have never seen a private nursing facility which permitted the family members of any given resident the opportunity to be totally involved with the care of a loved one.  We would imagine that if you would consider an elderly loved one who has all of his/her faculties and is able to lead a normal life with someone “around” to care for basic and simple needs, then any facility would be acceptable.

However, when one must deal with many residents who can do nothing at all, including all bodily functions, rational thinking patterns, speaking, moving, and any other aspect of living of which you can think, one now has a completely different perspective as to the issue of private vs. public ownership of a nursing facility.

If our County is currently in a financial bind for all areas, then we believe that all of you should find other ways—besides a tax increase—to remedy the situation.  With what we’ve seen since just August, 2010, Council has spent money, in our opinion, on items which are in no way comparable to the saving and proper care of lives.  If we should ever have the opportunity to speak privately, i.e., away from the cameras, lights, and political posturing, we would be more than pleased to be more specific.

As  members of COAF, we profoundly believe that the County owes its most beloved citizens a home which would provide families with real, truthful, and heartfelt inclusion in the personal healthcare of every resident.  The public sector allows for more personal family participation because it MUST.  A private sector company can find many ways around this in order enhance the bottom line profit.  This is their very reason for existing.

There really are certain times and conditions when government can operate more efficiently and, at the same time, stay in budget.  If the County hires a management organization who knows how to manage this type of process, this new and certified team has to be knowledgeable in both the care of our sick and elderly and allow as much family in-put as is possible, and every case is unique!

Giving  Gracedale the opportunity to prove that it can become solvent once again by reorganization, this would be the role which we would be so very happy to see you take.

As we stated earlier, we consider our participation in COAF as a spiritual mission or a calling to help those Gracedale residents who can no longer do or say anything for themselves.

We firmly believe that this is your mission as well when Jesus Christ called upon you to do the very same thing.

If we had not taken note of the way you voted last Thursday evening—March 3—at the Council meeting, we would not be writing this letter.

Before Council’s election of a new president, the yelling, the screaming, an occasional curse word, the constant interruptions, the rudeness, the name-calling have made us aware that we, as citizens, need more and more people serving us who are willing to leave this type of conduct at the threshold of the hallowed halls of government. This experience has made us more in tune with the importance of the election and voting process.  Voting is  our most powerful weapon which demonstrates that we are, indeed, a free people.

As a resident of Northampton County, we implore you and to be mindful in your heart of those who cannot think or do for themselves, to be more diligent in attempting to take a better look for funding, and to persuade others to give a County-owned Gracedale a chance to survive, so that others may live their final days in the HANDS of people who love them, especially the families who want to be an integral part of their care.

We must also add that there are those residents who have no families remaining.  The County and the entire staff will always be there to help them.  In addition, volunteers have and will continue to support Gracedale’s long history of care to the poor and elderly at the Upper Nazareth facility. 

Not only should the Home Rule Charter be guiding your decisions, but also your mind and heart as you consider those of our County citizens in need, in keeping with the greatest of charters-- the Constitution of the United States of America.

Reverend Dowd, please be who you really are in keeping with your high calling by helping others who cannot help themselves.

The Truth About Stoffa

The Coalition spokesperson Rev. Mario Martinez during last nights CC meeting - openly stated that Stoffa had in fact encouraged COAF to get the petitions names - Why didn't Stoffa deny it? Because it is true. Stoffa stated after the meeting to 69 News that this issue is not about Gracedale, he said it is about the Home Rule Charter and what it allows and does not allow.

What? Is Stoffa serious or is he delirious? This matter has always been about Gracedale, and always will be about Gracedale. It only became a HRC issue to Mr. Stoffa or anyone else for that matter, after we collected 23,391 petition names. If we were in fact violating the HRC, why then didn't Mr. Stoffa say that during the October 2010 Meeting? Why did he encourage the Coalition to spend 90 days pounding the pavement to collect the requirements for a referendum? Simply stated, because he didn't believe that Gracedale really meant that much to The People. Well it does...and yes we did it - to Mr. Stoffa's amazment.

It is now apparent that Mr. Stoffa among others have been spooked by this new high level of taxpayer participation. A level that clearly sends the signal to our elected officials that desire to control the county beyond their authority, that we have discovered the rules, we will learn them well, and apply them whenever our elected officials go astray.

No, this is not about 23k county executives materializing at will as suggested by the CE...its about the CE doing what is right, it is about CC doing what is right, and we must say that last night we observed some changes that may, and perhaps will inspire all concerned to put an end to this madness.

And someone really should inform Mr. Stoffa that the HRC does not trump the Constitution of our great democratic society. It is quite clear in the last paragraph of the first amendment that The People have the right to petition government for redress of grievances.

The Saga Continues Link:
http://www.wfmz.com/lehighvalleynews/27073729/detail.html

March 3rd Council Meeting

Patch report link:
http://easton.patch.com/articles/anger-at-county-council-executive-over-gracedale

Express Times link
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/northampton-county/index.ssf/2011/03/residents_in_favor_of_keeping.html

Why Won't They Listen?

Bill White of Mcall recently said - "Zany twist are nothing unusual" - speaking about Northampton County politics. Well, for most of us who live in NorCo, usual politics are just embarrassing.

We have politicians in NorCo, namely the County Council and the Executive, that truly do not comprehend the significance of their bullish behavior. They cannot fathom their inability to grasp and destroy the spirit of the people, but yet...they will try one more time. Well, when is enough, enough?

They tell us "we can't continue to spend money on Gracedale!!!" but yet it's alright to waste taxpayer money suing the taxpayers...now does that really make any kind of sense?

Who in local government, in their right mind of course, would want to go down in history as the political clowns who could not discern the will of the people? Who? Which one? Angle, Dowd, Theiry, Gilbert. We feel the others are more sensible, and understand that they simply can not ignore 23k+ of their electors.

As much as we don't want there to be any corruption in our County, this behavior surely appears suspicious. Why won't they listen to their constituency? The county executive can't really be so fatuous, or could he? Is it possible that Mr. Stoffa is deficient in common sense? If so, that puts him right up there with Angle who is clueless and senseless, as demonstrated by his imprudent act of stirring up controversy for a headline. Worst yet, he is unconscious to the reality that the headlines are negative, and by way of those same headlines he will lose his position on Council.

All We The People want is to VOTE on the Gracedale question...nothing more. LET US VOTE.

Ironically, in Egypt and Libya they are in the mist of strife seeking democracy. In NorCo we are in the mist of strife trying to keep democracy - SHAMEFUL.

Ghandi Says

“First, your enemies ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they attack you, then you win!”

Mahatma Ghandi