Leighton the Mayor Wilts Under the Glare of Urban!
Hello There!
Anybody reading the recent hijinks in the Wilkes-Barre Mayor's race? I see that Lehighton the Mayor has been criticized by County Commissioner Steve Urban for a sale of a brick structure at 25 N. River Street to Volunteers of America for offices and eight one bedroom apartments.
The problem is, according to Urban noted in an article in Aug 21 Times Leader, that the Mayor's Realty Company--CA Lehighton Real Estate--received $51,500 in commissions when the building was purchased in August 2006 from North River Associates and Robert E. Marsh, Jr. Urban noted that there is a clause from county procedures that are supposed to be followed in all federally funded community development projects. The clause lists those who cannot have an interest--direct or indirect--in these projects. This includes any member of a governing body of the locality in which the program is situated. Urban interprets this to mean the Mayor of Wilkes-Barre.
County officials disputed Urban's claims saying that Lehighton is not covered by this clause as it is a county project.
Say what you want but Urban is on to something here. This blog has been on the record many months ago asking the lazy and Lehighton friendly press to look at Lehighton's real estate dealings during his mayorality. They have not done so and will not because the local press walks in lock step with Chamber of Commerce and Lehighton does their bidding which makes him their darling.
Good luck to Steve Urban on getting to the bottom of Lehighton's antics.
What was troubling is to read Todd Vonderheid's comments in the Times Leader when he was quoted via an email. He did not like this purchase of property because it "wasted the real estate component of public funds that were received and is a significant missed opportunity."
If Vonderheid thought the matter smelled, then what is really going on here? Of course, the sleepy press will let it all slide and protect their sweetie Leighton but if we had a truly brave press what would they find if they dug into Leighton's real estate business while he was Mayor? Who knows.
Of course, poor Wilkes-Barre Online must be getting teary eyed over the Leighton real estate matter. His bestest buddy Leighton is having to explain himself over $51,000 he made and good ole Wilkes-Barre Online is beside himself about the matter.
Anybody reading the recent hijinks in the Wilkes-Barre Mayor's race? I see that Lehighton the Mayor has been criticized by County Commissioner Steve Urban for a sale of a brick structure at 25 N. River Street to Volunteers of America for offices and eight one bedroom apartments.
The problem is, according to Urban noted in an article in Aug 21 Times Leader, that the Mayor's Realty Company--CA Lehighton Real Estate--received $51,500 in commissions when the building was purchased in August 2006 from North River Associates and Robert E. Marsh, Jr. Urban noted that there is a clause from county procedures that are supposed to be followed in all federally funded community development projects. The clause lists those who cannot have an interest--direct or indirect--in these projects. This includes any member of a governing body of the locality in which the program is situated. Urban interprets this to mean the Mayor of Wilkes-Barre.
County officials disputed Urban's claims saying that Lehighton is not covered by this clause as it is a county project.
Say what you want but Urban is on to something here. This blog has been on the record many months ago asking the lazy and Lehighton friendly press to look at Lehighton's real estate dealings during his mayorality. They have not done so and will not because the local press walks in lock step with Chamber of Commerce and Lehighton does their bidding which makes him their darling.
Good luck to Steve Urban on getting to the bottom of Lehighton's antics.
What was troubling is to read Todd Vonderheid's comments in the Times Leader when he was quoted via an email. He did not like this purchase of property because it "wasted the real estate component of public funds that were received and is a significant missed opportunity."
If Vonderheid thought the matter smelled, then what is really going on here? Of course, the sleepy press will let it all slide and protect their sweetie Leighton but if we had a truly brave press what would they find if they dug into Leighton's real estate business while he was Mayor? Who knows.
Of course, poor Wilkes-Barre Online must be getting teary eyed over the Leighton real estate matter. His bestest buddy Leighton is having to explain himself over $51,000 he made and good ole Wilkes-Barre Online is beside himself about the matter.
posted by Colonel Klink at 10:12 PM
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