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I’m no politician. I have no desire to move up the political food chain. I serve West Easton residents as best I can and try to do so honestly.

BS isn’t my style.

The Work Release Center has been a thorn in my side since 2015, when the Council in place at the time rolled over for the fear of losing $50,000/yr in Temporary Resident Fees.

That Council, which agreed to lower the bar on the types of “residents” it would accept and to increase the number of beds at the facility asked for nothing in return.

There was no removal of the $50,000 cap, no adding of fines for escapes, no demand of increased security measures. Nothing.

If I hear again, from those who say the Work Release Facility was an achievement and a benefit to our Borough, I may vomit in my mouth.

As I thought would happen with the Work Release Facility, when I was in the audience in 2015, criminals have been having charges reduced in order to qualify for Work Release – Despite the promises of no drug dealers or violent offenders. These “low-level, non–violent” offenders are the ones now escaping in ever increasing numbers.

Last night I went to the Northampton County Council Meeting. Rather than dealing with the lower rung of officials and working my way up over months, as usually happens, I went to the top and addressed them directly.

Now the lower rung of officials will become aware that those at the top have been notified. Sometimes that can provide an incentive to get things done.

I wanted County Council to know what has been happening in West Easton. The history of the change in residents, the types of people we are receiving, the problems they are posing to our residents, and the facility has changed from its original concept.

I gave them a few examples of those who escaped. Drug dealers and violent individuals that were reported in the Express-Times.

I made clear, the fact that Northampton County is lousy tenant, they have a problem at the facility, and they need to fix it. They could start with ankle bracelets for those they allow to leave the facility for work purposes. The tracking devices can be removed when they return.

I told them if they were unhappy with what I had to say, by all means, they were welcome to move their Work Release Facility out of West Easton. As needful as they are for prisoner space, I doubt anything I could have said would have them moving their facility out of town.

I don’t think I’ll be considered for any County appointed position. I was blunt and I made my aggravation apparent.

I blame blogger Bernie O’Hare. He was there with a Donald Trump toy that played Trump quotes on demand with a push of a button. Before the meeting began he was pushing that button frequently.

“Make West Easton great again,” I thought I heard it say. #MWEGA, I tweeted to myself.

I would have remained at the County Council Meeting to see if a response would be made, but scheduled on our own town agenda was another Zoning Hearing Board Meeting. A business to be put in the old Chipman Mill Property that didn’t conform to Light Industrial Zoning. I wanted to attend that meeting, as well.

The saddest part of the situation that has evolved with the Work Release Facility is the fear it has created in West Easton residents. It has them understandably rejecting a Residential Treatment Center that, if run properly, can do immense good for patients, while enriching West Easton to the tune of more than $400,000/yr in Temporary Resident fees.

West Easton residents have nothing to compare it to, other than the Work Release Facility. If the Work Release Facility had been run properly and never caused residents problems the attitude toward a Treatment Center might be different.