Monday, January 28, 2013
Bethlehem City Councilman Dave DiGiacinto said his private and public sector business experience make him 'uniquely qualified' to become controller.
Bethlehem City Councilman Dave DiGiacinto announced his candidacy today for city controller. In a news release, DiGiacinto said he is running for controller because he believes that his combined private sector business and his local government financial experience make him uniquely qualified to oversee the city of Bethlehem's $72 million budget. DiGiacinto said that his priority as controller would be to ensure that Bethlehem has an independent review of the financial activities of the city. A Democrat, DiGiacinto is in the last year of his one elected term to City Council. He ran for controller in 2007 and lost a hard-fought special election campaign to Republican Meg Holland. DiGiacinto was one of six men who applied to be appointed …
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Retired accountant is picked by panel of Northampton County judges, which interviewed candidates this week.
A panel of Northampton County judges today selected Bethlehem’s new controller, choosing a candidate that was not a first pick of any member of City Council. Robert Pfenning, 71, a retired accountant, will fill the $49,000-a-year part-time job through the end of 2013, according to published reports. He will finish the term that Meg Holland was elected to serve in 2009. All nine Northampton County judges met this week to interview four of six candidates that had initially applied, The Express-Times reported. Pfenning attends most council meetings and frequently comments on the proceedings during the public comment portions of the meeting. Last year, Pfenning served as campaign treasurer for the Republican candidates for City Council – Al…
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
City Council tries again, but fails to agree on a new controller; will petition Northampton County Court to make the choice.
Bethlehem City Council remained deadlocked in its efforts to select a new controller Monday night, ultimately voting to ask Northampton County Court to step in and do the job it could not. Council Solicitor Christopher Spadoni said he will prepare a petition to the court that will reflect everything council has done to try to make its own selection, though that may have little bearing on the court’s process or decision. “It would be presumptuous for anyone to say what course they will take,” Spadoni said. However, he added that the court clerk has told him that a panel of judges may be selected to conduct the process. Council voted 5-1 in favor of petitioning the court to pick a replacement for Meg Holland, who resigned effective January…
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Monday, February 27, 2012
Controller deadlock is the result of lack of trust between council and "shadow council," Dolan says.
City Council will take one last crack at resolving its differences to pick a new controller at a special meeting tonight in Town Hall. If it fails, the selection will likely fall to judges on Northampton County Court, which can be petitioned under Pennsylvania’s Third Class City Code once the city goes without a controller for 30 days. Council members appear to agree that this is not a desirable outcome. But in five votes over two meetings since Meg Holland’s January 31 resignation, the result has always come out the same: Two votes each for Councilman David DiGiacinto, retired economist William Scheirer and financial planner George Yasso. To hear Councilwoman Karen Dolan describe it, this deadlock is the result of a “great distrust” …
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Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Council deadlocked at 2 votes each for 3 candidates. Decision may have to go to court.
City Council remained deadlocked in trying to choose a controller to replace Meg Holland Tuesday night, inching Bethlehem closer to having its next financial watchdog picked by Northampton County Court. After nearly two hours of discussion, including further questioning of two of the nominees, three controller candidates each had the support of two council members. Four votes are necessary to fill the vacancy. Councilman David DiGiacinto was supported by Councilman Robert Donchez and Councilwoman Jean Belinski; Retired economist William Scheirer was supported by Council President Eric Evans and Councilwoman Karen Dolan; Financial planner George Yasso got the support of Councilmen Michael Recchiuti and J. William Reynolds. DiGiacinto, as …
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Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Last week, council deadlocked on picking Meg Holland's replacement; tonight it tries again.
- GOVERNMENT
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Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Bethlehem City Council tonight will once again consider hiring a temporary replacement for city controller following January’s abrupt resignation by Meg Holland. Council could not reach a consensus pick during last week’s special meeting to select a new controller. Another special meeting will be held following City Council’s regular meeting in Town Hall, which is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. City Councilman David DiGiacinto, retired economist William Scheirer and financial consultant George Yasso got the support of two council members each during the last meeting, according to The Express Times. DiGiacinto, as a nominee, was declared ineligible to cast a vote. Days before last week’s meeting, DiGiacinto had withdrawn his name from the …
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Friday, February 10, 2012
City Councilman writes memo saying he is one of the "more qualified" candidates, but doesn't think he has support of other council members.
Bethlehem City Councilman David DiGiacinto today withdrew his name from consideration to become the city’s next controller, saying, in a memo to fellow council members, that he does not believe he has their support to win the position. Council is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. next Thursday in Town Hall to interview the candidates and select one to fill the position until a special election can be held later this year. Meg Holland announced in January that she was leaving the elected post because of the increasing demand of her private accounting business. The winner of the special election will fill the remainder of Holland’s term, which was scheduled to finish at the end of 2013. Council’s choice will fill the position only until the …
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10 E Church St, Bethlehem, PA
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James Halleman
9:40 pm on Monday, February 27, 2012
I suggest papers for committee and budget meetings too!!! more ›