Ned Evans shows how not to respond to a controversy

Wilkes-Barre Area School Board member Ned Evans posted something stupid and tasteless a few days ago on Facebook that has created a firestorm.

CV:

Outrage began growing after the Wilkes-Barre Area Save Our Schools page posted a screen shot Monday of board member Ned Evans’ comment about an article on a 27-year-old Arizona teacher who was charged in March with having a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old student.

The article that was shared features a crude headline referring to the teacher performing oral sex on the boy.

“Probably broke her teeth on it. Lol,” Evans wrote.

He initially apologized on his Facebook page "I wasn’t trying to convey anything. It was a stupid, idiotic, insincere comment that I made, and I apologize for it. I have no excuses. I apologize for it."
If he left it at that he might have been able to get through this after the outrage calmed downed. But then he added “It just was a stupid back-room-with-the-boys comment and I should never have made it. That only inflamed the situation, he's not Trump. His Facebook page has since been scrubbed or may have been deleted. The first rule of being in a hole is to stop digging.

I called him out on it and he responded by calling me a loser for being defeated in the election last year. Then the Superintendent and the rest of the board called for his resignation. He attacked some members of the W-B SOS group for his troubles. City council member Beth Gilbert pointed out  the continuous misogynistic comments by this man and he responded by attacking her.

Now he is threatening to sue people for his troubles.

CV:

Despite personal pleas from colleagues for him to resign, Wilkes-Barre Area School Board member Ned Evans on Thursday insisted he’s staying in office.

“Oh yes, absolutely,” he said Thursday.

In fact, Evans said he’ll soon be going on the offensive.

Amid the controversy over a crude comment he made online about a student sex case, he claims he has been defamed by certain people and plans to file a lawsuit.

“I cleary plan to sue,” Evans said, noting he has retained a lawyer.

He declined to name the possible targets of his litigation

This is so sad to see someone I know and like go so far off the rails.

 

Wilkes-Barre Area School Board Meeting

About 70 people attended the school board meeting tonight. I got there late and had to leave early because of another commitment. I expected it to be a lot more contentious but for the most part it was civil. The board applauded the speakers and answered their questions. There was a lot of back and forth between the board and Attorney Kim Borland of Save our Schools. I was surprised to learn that many board members have not visited the sites under consideration for the new school. Most of the public speakers asked that they delay any decision and gather more data. Board member Joe Caffrey said this issue has been kicked down the road for over 15 years and it was time to act.

In the end they voted 7-2 to start the  process of  building a new  high school on the 80-acre site between Maffett and Main streets in Plains Twp. Shawn Walker and Christine Katsock voted no

 

 

W-B Area Board narrows site selection for planned consolidated high school

 

Wilkes-Barre Area School District

From LuLac: Very simple. Ned Evans former District employee vs Kathy Grinaway a widowed, working mother who has worked in the private sector all her life. Grinaway has presented herself well, Evans I’m told has not. People have told me there is nothing wrong with have former School District employees on a School Board. I agree. But you don’t want all of them to make a majority. Already political insiders are calling it “The Coaches Club”. That is just so wrong for the district. Plus look at how this district was asleep at the wheel when Attorney Anthony Lupus overcharged for professional services. They thought that was okay.

Incumbent Christine Katsock and newcomers Joe Caffrey  and Denise Thomas won double nominations and barring some last minute scandal will probably win 3 of the 4 spots up for election. I would really like to see the end of cross filing for school board races as there is nothing more political in this area than a school board. Better yet get rid of school boards and let the IU's administer education.


I still can't forgive Katsock for voting for indicted and later convicted criminal Frank Pizzella as board president and she botched the hiring policy. For too long the hiring policy has been who you know are related to but then again that's life but it's done in such a blatant way.

The TL story by Mark Guydish asks about security and 3 of them want to put metal detectors in the schools.Denise Thomas said it would only cost $50,000. Sorry Denise, there are  a bunch of other costs with metal detectors. They have to be maintained and calibrated then you have to train people to man them so they know what they are looking for. And the biggest cost is

Do we really want to treat our kids like criminals?

So the final choice is between Evans and Grinaway with wild card Independent Sam Troy thrown in.

I like bomb throwers and rabble rousers so Sam has one of my votes and Grinaway has the other. That's only 2 votes out of 4 spots so I will write-in the Yonk.

Signs change over time

Before the primary.

From a reader: Card being passed by Frank Pizzella & christine Katsock

After the primary

Today

                                           

Third District Dem Picnic

I wasn't able to attend the 3DP on Sunday but a friend was kind enough to send along a report yesterday.

Hello Gort,

New Third District Democratic Chairman, Phil Struzzerri, welcomed a large and loud crowd of about 240 people at their  picnic yesterday at the Pittston American Legion picnic grounds. The food was very well received by the crowd.

All of the usual suspects were there from the area and the county except for Linda Houck, County Council candidate. Representative Mike Carroll was the MC and Sen. John Yudichak gave a spirited keynote speech urging Democratic unity in the upcoming election, and criticizing the irrational Republicans in both Washington and Harrisburg. 

Alexandra Kokura was the star of the event. She was the first to arrive and the last to leave.

No Valenti.

(rumor also heard... there is now a split between Katsock and Grinaway!)

Wilkes-Barre Area School Board

My pal and fellow blogger LuLac seems to be high on the Katsock-Grinaway ticket. I don't know.

I still can't forgive Christine Katsock's   vote for Frank Pizella as SB President after he was  indicted for corruption.

Christine, You broke our hearts

 

I just may bullet vote Grinaway

Meet the candidate

 

 

 

 

 Jim O'Meara is running for school board and has a kickoff event.

 

 

From the Facebook event page:

I'm kicking my campaign off at Norm's on Monday, March 4 from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
I am inviting anyone interested in voting for change on the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board to join me and learn how you can help support my campaign. Everyone is welcome. It's a "big tent" event. There's nothing I'd like better than to see Republicans, Democrats, Independents and Third Party voters all on hand to talk about bringing change to a district that needs it badly.

 

 

Norm's Pizza & Eatery

275 N Sherman St, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 18702

Jim O'Meara for Wilkes-Barre Area School Board

As predicted there will be many people running for School Board this time. The first to announce is my pal Jim O'Meara. Expect many more.


From the inbox:

My name is James O’Meara Sr. and I am running for Wilkes-Barre Area School Director.

 

I am a 1975 graduate of Wyoming Area. I’ve lived in Plains Township since 1984. I attended Penn State as an undergraduate. I also attended College Misericordia (now Misericordia University) during the early years of my marriage. In each case I left college to work full-time. I have a lot of credits, but no sheepskin. Both of my children attended Wilkes-Barre Area schools and both graduated from James M. Coughlin High School.

 

Over the years, I advanced in my careers through hard work and my own initiative. I haven't been afraid to take chances. I currently work in retail sales and run a small business. I also have sixteen years of information services experience (including management) under my belt. Like many other Americans in these uncertain times, I have experienced the challenges of joblessness. I know what it is like to face the cruel economic uncertainty that comes with the loss of a job.

 

I am deaf, but my hearing was restored with bilateral cochlear implants. The first thing I did after getting my hearing back was run for office. I relished the chance to once again talk with …and especially listen to …thousands of people in a door-to-door campaign for state representative. As a candidate for school director, I will campaign the same way. I will listen to what you have to say. And I will take your message with me to every school board meeting.

 

So why am I running?

 

I have one young grandchild, and another is due any day now. I worry about the quality of education they will receive in the years ahead. I am concerned that the education of our children and grandchildren is being compromised in the Wilkes-Barre Area School District.

 

The Pennsylvania state constitution mandates in Article II, Section 14 that, “The General Assembly shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education.”

 

I believe the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board has a long way to go in meeting this constitutional mandate.

 

The Citizens’ Voice reported in June, 2012 that Wilkes-Barre Area “…is the only school district in the entire seven-county region that failed to meet the state average in any of the 20 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment tests or the SAT for the 2010-2011 school year.” From where I sit the district gets a failing grade for delivering a thorough system of public education.

 

As to the efficiency mandated by our state constitution, the failures there border on the spectacular.

 

Just days ago, the Citizens’ Voice reported that Wilkes-Barre Area’s billing requirements were so derelict that a forensic audit couldn’t resolve whether the former solicitor overbilled for more than half a decade. In other words, it was impossible for the auditor to figure out whether the district was robbed, careless or both.

 

Last November, the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader lambasted five members of the board for “…refusing to recognize and prohibit the destructive influence of nepotism on a public institution.” In recent news, one board member is voting from half a world away.

 

This is a school board badly in need of a shake-up.

 

It’s time for some common sense leadership. It’s time for voters to send a clear message that politics as usual in the Wilkes-Barre Area School District must end.

 

I look forward to delivering this message personally in November, and I ask for your support.

 

Thank you, and together let’s make a difference!

 

James O’Meara, Sr.

Jim has previously run for State Rep and Plains Township Commissioner.He was the campaign manager for Laureen Cummings Congressional bid.

 

Ich bin ein Schulleiter

The latest outrage from the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board is Bob Corcoran voting by Skype from his new home in Germany. It may be technically legal to attend a board meeting by video conferencing because of a temporary absence but this is ridiculous.  As PB put it: One thing you have to say for the WBA school board, it never fails to amaze or, in this case,  amuse, make that disgust.

Three members of the board want him removed but that may take months.  His seat is up this coming election and it is safe to assume that he won't be running for reelection but anything can happen. The honorable thing to do is resign but be we are talking about the W-B Area School Board  and there are people to be hired.

In addition to Corcoran,  Christine Katsock, Lynn Evans and  Phil Latinski are up for reelection. Evans said she is not running.

Expect a big field in the upcoming primary but the key is winning a double nomination making the general election a foregone conclusion.

6th District get together

The Luzerne County 6th District Republican Committee has an end of the year party tomorrow. This should be the kickoff event of the 2013 local elections.

There are 4 seats on the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board up for election  next year and candidates can cross file so this would be a good event for any prospective Republican or Democratic hopeful to attend.

County wide there are 5 spots up on the County Council with 2 Republican incumbents and Controller Walter Griffith is running for reelection.  Plains Township will be electing 2 Commissioners.

Details on the Facebook page

6TH DISTRICT REPUBLICAN END OF YEAR HO-HO-HOLIDAY SOCIAL !

Enjoy Holiday music and a good home cooked meal ! ! !

When: Sunday, December 30, 2012
Where: Wilkes-Barre Twp. Fire Hall
150 Watson St., Wilkes-Barre Twp., PA.
Time: 4pm-7pm


 

Corporate welfare for the Woodlands

The split of the revenue from slot machines at Mohegan Sun is 55% to the state and 45% to the casino. Much less goes to the state from table games. Only 34% is earmarked for school property tax relief which is the reason this was sold to us. Wilkes-Barre Area taxpayers have seen a reduction of about $200 a year since this started. The host communities get a cut off the top to pay for increased police costs, etc but there are 2 other pools of money. 12% is dedicated to the dying horse racing industry and there is pot of gold that local governments can apply for.

In past years the Plains Township Commissioners have applied to kick back $3 million to Mohegan to clean up the East Side Landfill so they could pave the parking lot and The Commonwealth Financing Authority approved it.

Now the board of Bridgette Murray O'Connor, Ciro Cinti, Ron Fillipini, Joe Yozwiak and Robert Sax   has  unanimously approved an application by The Woodlands to grab a piece of the pie. According to this story in the TL by Andrew Seder the Woodlands management will be  knocking down cottages on the Woodlands property just north of the hotel and conference center’s building along Route 315.
In their place would be built a multilevel building with commercial/office space on the lower floors and apartments on the upper floors. 

It's a $40 million project that not been even put on the drawing board yet let alone submitted for zoning or other approval. The Kornfelds did not return  phone calls from Andrew or me. (Disclaimer: I once worked for the Kornfelds).

I have a novel idea. If the Kornfleds want to expand/upgrade their business they should go to a bank and apply for a loan.

In 2013 there will be 2 spots up on the board of the Plains Commissioners. The incumbents are Robert Sax and Jerry Woziak. 

I still remember when it was the Treadway Inn

 

Wilkes-Barre Area School Board

The reorganization meeting of the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board was anything but organized according to the story by Peter Cameron in the Citizens Voice  with 2 breaks for executive sessions and Christine Katsock calling the meeting illegal.

Former Coughlin HS teacher and sports coach John Quinn was elected President and Barbara Youngblood Louis Elmy as VP. The Secret Service was interested in Quinn's son a few months ago according to the TL.

You have to wonder who would even want the job of school director in Wilkes-Barre. It doesn't pay anything and you get a lot of grief in the local papers after you hire a relative for a position. Or maybe that's it.

This is a body that has seen 3 members convicted of corruption. Jim Height, Brian Dunn and Frank Pizzella. After Pizzella was indicted he was elected as board President with the support of former reformer Christine Katsock .    If there is any government body in Luzerne County that needs to change it's public persona it's this one but that doesn't seem to faze this bunch much. They made a hash of hiring a new superintendent and the new hiring policy is a joke.

Four seats are up in the upcoming election in May. The incumbents are Christine Katsock, Lynn Evans, Phil Latinski and Bob Corcoran. I haven't heard if any of them will seek reelection.

Katsock ran for many offices as a Republican reformer before she finally a spot on the school board.  She came within 800 votes of defeating Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton in 2003 and gave State Rep Eddie Day Pashinski a run for his money in 2006. She switched to the Democrats  when she ran for the board and had no comment when asked to explain her vote for Pizzella but it's not hard to figure out if you look at her Campaign Finance Report. Frank Pizzella was her top cash contributor pitching in $3000. She also got $1800 as a in-kind contribution from the Friends of Frank Pizzella.

Evans voted against Pizella and the new super and revealed the pick system of filling jobs.

Latinski goes along. 

Bob Corcoran has other troubles. Update: Corcoran barred from home, contact with son

Pure Bunkum has a couple of insightful posts about this subject.

I think we should get rid of school boards and KeystonePolitics proposes putting the Intermediate Units in charge

Abolish School Boards

Maybe I'm just overreacting to the latest  news that that the US Secret Service served subpenas on the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board again but I have never understood why we elect a group of people to run our schools.  They don't get paid and in our neck of the woods 3 of them have gone to jail just in the W-B Area district. The primary purpose of members of school boards seems to be to get their relatives hired as teachers and other positions and in some cases taking a gratuity to help someone get a job.

I understand that the primary funding for schools in PA comes from the property tax so local people should have a say on how the money is spent.

So I propose that the funding mechanism for schools be taken over by the state by reforming the property tax system by exempting the first $250,000 of assessment and raising the income and sales taxes to cover the difference. Then hire professional educators and administrators to run the schools many of which are already in place.

I know that many details  of my proposal needs to be worked out but I think we really need to have a discussion on school financing and administration.

PA voter ID law

The Pennsylvania legislature recently enacted a voter suppression ID law that supporters say is a common sense measure to ensure that people who vote are who they say they are. After all a photo ID is required to buy alcohol or  fly on an airplane. Critics contend that this is another way that Republicans are trying to rig the next election since in person voter fraud is non existent. This is on top of the Citizens United decision that threw out the campaign finance laws that lets billionaires who make their money in China spend unlimited amounts of money in an American election. Foreign money in an American election used to be illegal. Before that PA Republicans wanted to change the way we cast our Electoral College votes changing winner take all to allocating them by Congressional District.

Locally there have been shenanigans with absentee ballots but the only case I remember of in-person voter fraud was when W-B Area  school director Joe Moran's kid was up for a seat on the WVW School board but it came out that he had been voting at his old man's address in the Miner's Mills section of Wilkes-Barre. Even then he only voted once but at the wrong address.

Before Tom Corbett became Governor he was the Attorney General of the Commonwealth but he didn't prosecute one case of voter fraud. He was busy with the Bonusgate investigation that put Democrats in in jail and  ignored the allegations against Jerry Sandusky.

To help sell this new law the Corbett Administration gave a contract to a Romney fundraiser.

TNC:  Republican Gov. Tom Corbett's administration has signed a $249,660 contract with a company run by Mitt Romney fundraiser, former state GOP party executive director, pharmaceutical lobbyist, and school voucher advocate Chris Bravacos to direct a media campaign promoting the state's Voter ID law.

Yes, that very same law, requiring that voters present identification at the polls, which critics contend will suppress Democratic-leaning non-white, poor, elderly and youth voters and which House Majority Leader Mike Turzai recently boasted (video) is “gonna allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania.”

 See a video produced by this outfit of overly happy people showing a card that is supposed to resemble an ID.  Also confuses the issue by saying “other kind of photo id” will be accepted, without explaining what that means.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBQhp7dUkGE&feature=youtu.be

!7th CD candidate Gene Stilp is calling Bullshit and filed a lawsuit.

GENE STILP FILES FEDERAL AND STATE COMPLAINTS AND REQUESTS FOR INVESTIGATION INTO THE $249,000 VOTER IDENTIFICATION CONTRACT AWARDED TO THE BRAVO GROUP THROUGH THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

Gene Stilp, today filed a complaint and a request for investigation with the United States Department of Justice at the Middle District federal offices. Stilp also filed similar complaints and requests for investigation with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission.

The complaints and requests for investigations concerns the use of federal taxpayer funds to pay certain Pennsylvania lobbyists who have a long history of Republican political involvement through a Pennsylvania State contract approved and administered by the administration of Republican Governor Tom Corbett.

Gene Stilp said, “There is a direct and substantial conflict of interest when Tom Corbett, the Republican governor of Pennsylvania, through his Department of State, awards a quarter of a million dollar contract utilizing federal funds to a Republican operative that as recently as April hosted a Mitt Romney event in Harrisburg. It is even more questionable when the contract involves the voter identification process which is under considerable criticism for a large number of Pennsylvania voters that are being disenfranchised in an admitted political effort to keep voters from voting in the upcoming elections only 118 days away.”

Stilp further called for the immediate return of all the federal HAVA funds involved in the contract.

The Pennsylvania Department of State contracted with the Bravo Group to develop and implement advertising related to the voter identification process.

 Pignelope is 7! 

  Don't miss the biggest, pinkest birthday party you've ever seen! Come celebrate the birth date of our beloved Pignelope!

In July 2005, the Pennsylvania Legislature voted themselves a illegal pay raise in the middle of the night.


Like many of us, Gene was outraged that our legislators could be so greedy. He wanted a symbol to show the waste and abuse of the system shown by these legislators.

From that, your favorite 25 foot pink pig was born and became famous!

American Legion Post 730

3813 Walnut St., Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17109

Lupas familly saga

I have to admit to having corruption fatigue. I still read the stories in the local press but haven't posted about the 3o+ people charged and convicted in the ongoing probe lately. Maybe I'm succumbing to the cynicism of many people I know that have been resigned to the fact that we have been ruled by crooks for a long time and think things will go back to business as usual once the heat is off. All the attention has been on the corrupt public official that have been convicted of taking bribes but now another one of the people paying the bribes has been sentenced to jail.

SCRANTON - ... local engineer Michael J. Pasonick was sentenced to one year prison, a $250,0000 fine and two years probation on federal charges he bribed a school board official.
U.S. District Judge Richard P. Conaboy acknowledged all the good Pasonick has done, including recently opening a food pantry he plans to turn into a soup kitchen, but called his actions "reprehensible." Conaboy also cited Pasonick's cooperation with federal authorities in landing "seven or eight" convictions of public officials," but noted "you were not charged for much of your questionable conduct."

Next up is Bob Mericle. If somebody is taking bribes someone is paying them.

Now longtime Wilkes-Barre Area solicitor is accused of running a ponzi scheme that defrauded at least 30 people who trusted him with their life savings. The victims are being represented by Earnie Preate of all people. I'm not sure what is worse, defrauding us nameless/faceless taxpayers or people you have a relationship with at church or who think of you as a friend.

W-B Area solicitor resigns amid probe

The whole thing started unraveling. Records in the county Prothonotary's Office indicate Lupas has defaulted on three loans since last April, owing more than $300,000 in principal, interest and fees.

Luzerne County Judge David Lupas sounded like an ungrateful child when asked about his father's troubles.
"I haven't talked to my father in some time," the judge said.

Then this bombshell dropped explaining why he hasn't talked to him.

CV:
Luzerne County Judge David W. Lupas said in a statement released today that he provided information to authorities investigating his father, attorney Anthony J. Lupas Jr., for allegedly running a multi-million-dollar Ponzi scheme.

Wow!

In 2003 Lupas the senior bankrolled Lupas the junior's bid for Luzerne County DA to the the tune of $750,000. You now have to wonder where the money came from.

Lupas tenure as DA was dominated by the Hugo Selinski case. He couldn't get a murder conviction of a guy with 5 bodies in his back yard and repeatedly screwed up on procedural issues in this and other cases. He went on to be a Luzerne County Judge of the Court of Common Pleas and was put in charge of Juvenile Court. While he was the DA many of the abuses that happened under Judge Mark Ciavarella occurred. Lupas and Jackie Mo didn't pay attention to the Juvenile Court

Pennsylvania exit poll

Me and Mrs. G were voters number 313 and 314 around 5Pm at our polling place at the Plains Twp. fire hall out of 1000+. There were a number of poll workers handing out palm cards for Judge, County Council, DA and state offices. For the most part I think handing out cards at polling place is a waste of time as most people already have made up their minds. We ran into Luzerne County Council candidate Eileen Sorokas and W-B Area School board hopefull Dino Galella. In a local election I think the candidate can pick up a vote or 2 just by being available to answer questions for people heading into the polling place.

In the unscientific poll of Gort 42 readers you are predicting 2 close races.

The Luzerne County District Attorney contest Stefie Salve is leading Jackie Mo by a hair

Carroll 51 47%

Salavantis 57 52%

Wilkes-Barre Mayor

Tom Leighton 40 45%

Lisa Cope 38 43%

Betsy Summers 9 10%



A sample of the paraphanalia

Patte's Sports Bar loses liquor license

Maybe


According to the TL Pat Patte's license has not been renewed but he can appeal the decision and will almost certainly will. I predict that the place will keep it's license even if he loses the appeal by selling the place, on paper anyway, to one of his kids.


To refresh your memories Pat is serving 3 years probation for running a gambling operation out of the place and avoided having the business seized by the Feds by paying a $100,000 fine. As I pointed out earlier it was one of the worst kept secrets for years that you could place a friendly wager on a sporting event at Patte's among other North End bars in Wilkes-Barre. When I was a kid I got an education about the meaning of the point spread in the place.


You can but a lottery ticket a few blocks away or spend your unemployment check 2 miles to the north at the Mohegan Sun but you can't wager that the Patriots will beat the Dolphins by 3.

If you go there on a Monday night you can enjoy a great meal and my friend Jim Dougherty will direct you to the Men's room.


Patte's changed over the years going from a corner bar into a hangout for the local political elite.


I even ran into this guy on election eve in November 2010 at Patte's

Wilkes-Barrre School District

One of the most important votes you will cast tomorow will be for a school board member. My taxes for the schools are more than double than the county and township combined. I have lost count of how many school board members that have been indicted and plead guilty.


The candidates are:



Dino L. Galella

Kathy Grinaway

Louis Elmy

James Susek is also running for Plains Twp. Commissioner

Maryanne W. Toole an incumbent that asks some good questions

Barry Matthews II

John Quinn was my 10th grade Social Studies Teacher, He was bit of a hot head in the classroom and on the basketball court.

Leonard Cornish deserves a vote.

Weather Alert

This item in yesterday's TL caught Mrs. G's eye and ire. She watches the Weather Channel too much.


W-B Career & Tech Center OKs support and service contracts

Other agreements approved included $2,669 to Accu-Weather Inc. for advanced weather warnings for the 2010-11 school year

We are bombarded by weather news from local TV and radio so why do these clowns decide to pay for information that is available for free? Which begs the question "how many other school boards are paying for free information'?

I blame Al Roker.

Wilkes-Barre charter change

Wilkes-Barre city council want's to amend the the city charter to return electing council members at-large instead of by district. This is a guest post from Ray Arellano who ran for council in 2007.


How about the gall of the Council to propose an "end run" to hopefully get at least some of the mayors allies re-elected? They have not done anything in the last 4 years, but to "rubber stamp" the Mayor. By District representation, they are accountable to their constituents within the area they serve,(except for Tony Thomas who is a part time resident). Why not advertise this meeting, and set it at a time when more people are home from work, and can attend? Bill O'Boyle titled his article in the TL, "W-B wants an at-large council". That's not exactly so. What we need is a referendum to go back to the City Mgr. type of governance, and get away from the Mayor being the last word on everything? Council members should be elected based on their merit, not as a "team" which gives us the bad with the good. I don't care about partisan politics as much as I care about whats right for Wilkes-Barre...All the hard work that the citizens of Wilkes-Barre put in to reduce Council size, and have representation by district, should not be abolished by the whim of the present Council. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!!
It won't reduce our taxes, improve our services, nor make the council respond to the will of the majority. Turn out the lights, the party is OVER!
Lets get some good non-partisan folks to run for these council seats. Now that would be constructive!!! Enough is enough!



Walter Griffith is also opposed to this.


Longtime critic questions W-B’s at-large voting issue


Griffith criticizes at-large election proposal