Parties nominate school candidates
The Carbon County Democratic and Republican parties have nominated their respective candidates who will replace Frank Ruch on the November general election ballot for a seat on the Lehighton Area School District board of directors.
County Elections Director Lisa Dart said earlier this week that the Democratic Party had tabbed Jack Finnegan, while the Republican Party announced Friday it had selected Richard Beltz.
Finnegan is a past Lehighton board member, while Beltz currently serves on the board.
Beltz ran in the primary on both tickets, finishing sixth on the Republican side and seventh on the Democratic side. The top five vote-getters on each ticket advanced to the general election.
Ruch, who died in a car crash earlier this year, finished in the top five on both tickets in the primary election, advancing to the general election and giving each party the opportunity to choose his replacement.
With the addition of Finnegan and Beltz to the ballot, there will be six candidates vying for five open seats. Finnegan and Beltz will join incumbents Wayne Wentz, Larry Stern, Rita Spinelli and newcomer Nathan Foeller on the ballot.
Comments
To not select the next most vote-getter is a slap in the face to people like Autumn Abelovsky, who in the past has testified in court prior to director appointments. Where is Autumn's plea this time to support Byron Arner, a life long member of the community, a real Democrat, and the next most vote-getter in the primary? Had Frank Ruch, a deceased participant, not been on the ballot, Bryon would have the party nomination. Corruption apparently trumps commonsense. Autumn, please voice your outrage! The people need to be heard, not silenced.
Whereas it may be found that the Democrat leadership and flip-floppers seeking political leverage will take the side of their most recent lobbyist, the lack of character is clear, and the opportunity for this corruption more than apparent. The offer itself, allow the committee and not the voters to select the candidate was an immoral action, in and of itself.
The very fact that Finnegan was even considered given that he did not participate in the primary was bad enough. The public exposure of his voting records while on this government in the past should have been reviewed and used to exclude his participation.
Finnegan participated as a government official in a corrupt agency whose waste and poor managerial skills were detailed. The Feasibility Study, bond Documents and district reports show a history of poor compliance with school policy and a silenced community.
If anyone can show me where Finnegan motioned for a referendum vote PRIOR to the construction project or the Legacy of Debt this government imposed on the community, I will concede my point. The selection of Finnegan over Arner is evidence of corruption in the Democratic party.
Sincerely,
Citizen David F. Bradley, Sr.
I hope the community is given the opportunity to debate the history of Finnegan, as the Democrats chose to ignore the community's input in the primary process. Finnegan should propose an open hearing, replying to public comment so the people can see his history, received his public apologies.
Budget is short on the local support (your pockets) by about 20%. $4M short on the ~$20M collected in local taxes.