This is a sad day for the West Ward. Sad because we lost an opportunity to elect a progressive candidate with vision, Dennis Lieb, over recycling an old City Council member, Mike Fleck, who has never been to canton or town hall meetings in this neighborhood in the last year and a half, but even saddest of all, because in our neighborhood, only 323 people got out to vote for first ever WW rep on City Council, and just 19 votes the other way could have won the election for Lieb.
Allison Fleck was at the polls handing out cards at the same time I was (with their incredibly cute baby son, David), and remarked that Mike might have attended some of our community meetings if they were advertised somewhere outside the blog. But our last two WW neighborhood meetings with Mayor Panto were advertised in the papers, and still no sign of Mike. And the only reason that the Flecks haven't been on all the mass emails that have gone out on the canton meetings is that the Flecks had not in all these years ever reached out to the West Ward Neighborhood Partnership enough to get on the mailing list. Hopefully that will change, now that he's our neighborhood rep (one can hope, right?) I had to go to activists on College Hill to get an email address to invite him to the candidates forum. But Allison did come to work on the 10th & Pine Community Garden the day before the candidates forum, which was nice of her. Hopefully we'll see more involvement from them going forward.
Morning Call Article on Election Results
Express Times Article on Election Results
I'll give credit where credit is due and say that Mike Fleck ran a smart campaign. Having done this before a couple of times, he knew he didn't even have to bother buying campaign signs, all he had to do is spend face-time with the "super voters"--voters that have voted in the last three elections. He and Allison went door to door, and got out a majority of senior and old Italian family voters to come out to the polls for him. I say this because I worked two shifts at the polls, and that is what I observed, at least at St. Anthony's polling station. A poll watcher at another site observed a large number of Fleck relatives that came out to the polls, and hey--if you have enough relatives in a neighborhood where a race is decided by 19 votes, that can do it for you. Bottom line is, he got out the vote.
So what have we learned from this? That as activists who have been working so hard to revitalize our neighborhood rather than maintaining the status quo, we are still in the minority, but at 44% of the vote, we are a very strong minority and are close to being able to win these elections. Our only enemy in this neighborhood is apathy. The only answer is public education and outreach, and that takes time. In a race of just over 300 votes, it doesn't take too long to go from 44% to 51%, we just have to keep our forward momentum and keep reaching out.
With the knowledge that we are still a minority in mind, that tells me that any polls on this blog (or exit polls at the candidates forum for instance) are always going to be an extremely progressive result, and not indicative of most super voters who will turn out for an election. We do have some super voters among us, but a lot of us are either a) Independents (like myself), b)Republicans (yes, there are a few, and they couldn't vote in this election), and c) new residents in Easton who haven't been voting in enough elections to be super voters yet.
Also, anyone who reads a blog has a computer, so that means that most people on this blog are not senior citizens, who are a large percentage of the super voters in the West Ward. But keep in mind that this race was won by less than 20 votes, so all we need is a little more outreach to become a majority of voters in a neighborhood of thousands. Progress is coming slowly, but it is coming.
So Mike Fleck is it for us, unless we can convince someone to run as a write-in candidate...
Post your comments here--any and all comments are welcome. If you love Mike Fleck, post it here! If you cried in your beer last night that Dennis didn't win, vent here! This, as always is an open forum, and I hate it when everyone agrees all the time, because then there's no debate, so have at it--post a comment!
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13 comments:
Too bad we can't take a morning after pill for this
The downfall of Easton continues with much of the same destined to be elected to city council. The glaring truth is that Easton will never improve when council counts Mike Fleck and Sandy Vulcano as members. Politics is a way of life for them instead of a servitude to the people as it should be.
There is a reason why Mike Fleck does not attend West Ward meetings and that is because he is all about himself. His election to office is, in some strange way, a stepping stone (in his mind) to a higher office. The West Ward will be largely ignored by him as he pursues the $20 million in new spending he has spoken about often.
In all fairness, out of guilt or perhaps peer pressure, he may attend one canton meeting in the near future. After that it will be off to the glamour world of being a councilman and all the prestige such an office holds. He will do his thing and West Ward meetings will go on without a representative from council in attendance.
The lack of interest in the primary, evidenced by the low vote, was not the proper forum for voters to get to know the candidates. Few events were held for them to share their platforms. I do believe that the six months before the general election can change many voters minds.
I urge Dennis Lieb to consider a write-in campaign. I believe if he promotes his ideas and walks the West Ward, most people, Republicans, Independants and Democrats will come to realize that he is a man they will want on council. In the general election it takes more than relatives and fake promises to get elected.
good point about the forums--only 2 were offered for this race, the first, downtown for all contenders, held by the NAACP, and second was ours. despite efforts by the WWNP, the Boys & Girls Club, and myself, complete with official press releases, the only advertising our forum got was on this blog, and a tiny square announcement buried in the morning call. i don't remember seeing anything in the express times at all advertising our forum, & neither did anyone else i talked to, but somebody out there please correct me if you saw something. at least michael duck came through and covered the event itself--we're so lucky to have had his consistent coverage. but michael is charged with covering all of northampton county now, because the MC laid off 50 ppl and is moving out of the bldg downtown. the point is, there are many other entities in town that should have been holding forums for a city council election--and with our local papers struggling--how is turnout supposed to improve if there are not enough forums to give people a chance to get to know their candidates?
There could be a systematic strategy of writing letters to editor in the ET and MC - raising the profile of such an election. I would be more motivated to do so if I knew there were going to be other letters. We probably each think like that.
I like the write in idea. I will do it.
great idea, cathy. in fact i'm hoping to change the focus of the blog soon from meeting announcements to calls for letters to the editor, letters to candidates, etc.
All comments so far are appreciated. I am still evaluating the election results but a few things are crystal clear. First, many people who live on College Hill and Downtown were still unaware that they could not vote for all councilpersons at large and were very dissappointed when they found out they could not vote for me.
Second, the section of the West Ward that has been severed and re-attached to Downtown/College Hill has no affinity with those neighborhoods and doesn't want to be included in their election process. If we are to have a true district seat then that seat must legitimately represent the neighborhood. The voters aren't buying it.
My relatives, long-term family friends and activist colleagues who couldn't vote for me through no fault of their own felt disenfranchised and it must be addressed. I fought a campaign with one hand tied behind my back because Fleck's neighborhood base was left intact and mine was destroyed. The redistricting was achieved under the Home Rule Charter Study Commission- perhaps for valid reasons - but also remember who was on that Commission and what their vested interests may have been.
Third, the under vote was temendous; the amount of "shadow" voters that voted for one favored candidate - for whatever reason - and left their local races undecided. They are part of the problem and a bad sign of a city in a death spiral. We need to figure our some way to re-energize a base that was out in droves six months ago for the President and has virtually dissappeared.
Listen people - Democracy isn't an EVENT, it is a PROCESS. You must live it everyday. Any policies our new Federal government may provide to improve the prospects of places like Easton will matter little if we don't take the steps locally to assure that the people in control here can take advantage of them. Laziness, sloppiness and incompitence on the level that I have witnessed by council over the past decade won't get it done.
DRL
I would like to clear up a few facts and then move forward and hopefully work with you all even though I do not feel very welcome.
First, I was hosting town meetings and doing community activism in the West Ward many years before you live here Noel. I started a a young child and it continued up until I was elected to City Council. This is because once you are in government you must work hard but in a different way. You are no longer a community activist but a person trying to solve the problems that th activist is pointing out. My activist background helps with this but the job is different. Some of the worst council people I have ever seen in Easton and other places are those that continue to be activists and don't understand the role difference.
While on Council, I helped accomplish many things for the West Ward and its residents including the following:
1. Centennial Park Rehab./Construction
2. West Ward Street Cleaning
3. Housing Programs to help people afford rehab. and home ownership
4. Helped in the Formation and Reformation of Weed & Seed and the West Ward Neighborhood Partnership
5. Spearheaded boring tax relief that saves West Ward residents over $100.00 a year, which they can use to pay bills or make improvements to their homes
6. Spearheaded the audit of the housing authority, which cracked down on corruption and provided better long term assistance to the poorest in Easton.
These are some of things I worked on while on City Council and were some of the reasons 56% voted for me. We had problems getting people to vote also, which is a problem, but if we had higher turn out the percentage would have been even higher in my favor.
I know some of you including Tim think this may be a stepping stone for me and that I could care less about the West Ward. This couldn't be further from the truth, I may have future aspirations but I have lived in this neighborhood for 31 years and mostly in the same house. I want my child to grow up in this neighborhood, so I will work hard to make sure that we get the tools we need to turn this neighborhood around.
If you noticed through this whole campaign, through insults and set up debates, I have been professional and cool and always polite. I respect Dennis and what he has done, but he has also done some pretty horrible things, which I will not and have not brought up because I think we all need to work together.
This is my attempt for the fourth and last time in the past two weeks to make peace and move forward working together with you, Noel and your blog community. If you want to say mean things, lets meet and you can get them off your chest and then we can move forward and work for the people.
I will always call you back and always respond to your emails. I did that while I was on council before and will continue to do this now. You can yell at me, we can debate,it doesn't matter I will listen because it is important for me to listen to all residents.
If you expect me to be at many canton meetings or out on many projects, you probably won't, although you may see Alison and David. I will be working hard with local, state, and sometimes federal officials to try to come up with solutions to the many problems you and others have brought to light.
Mike Fleck
Cont.
I promise you only two things. One is I will always listen to your ideas and two is that I will always make sure you are informed of legislation and ideas I will be putting forward.
I am a little disappointed right now because many of you sound like sore losers. I spoke with many of you yesterday and we had nice, frank, and friendly discussions about Easton and today you talk about me as is I were Satan. This is not a good way for us to get started and for sure is not good for the West Ward or Easton as a whole.
Noel, I am asking you again for the fourth time, in the last week, to contact me so we can meet and see how we can work together. I am including my phone number and email so you all have total access. Please call or write to begin discussions. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Mike Fleck
mpfleck1313@aol.com
(610)253-1068
michael, correction. this is the second time you've asked me to contact you, the first being last night when you left the polls, and you said, "you have my email address" i didn't realize that you meant that i should email you the next day.
i had to search high and low for you to include you in the forum; i was given three different phone numbers for you and none of them worked. "activists" that you're disparaging here, were the ones who finally got your email address to me so that i could invite you. as i already said, the boys & girls club sent out a press release to all media, and i personally contacted ed sieger and michael duck to assist in getting coverage. sophia at the WWNP and i called every person on their contact list so that anyone that did not have computer access would know. the morning call did print something small, i'm told, but it was hard to find. i don't think the express times printed anything, and i was hoping that candidates would also invite their supporters to the forum as well. that did not happen, and we had a very low turn out. it is not my fault that dennis's supporters came out for him and yours did not. i wish it were not the case. i was hoping for a big turnout.
i'm not sure what you're referring to, when you say that i'm being "mean"--if it's that i'm sad, i have a right to be sad that my candidate didn't win, and at least half of my sadness is with the poor voter turnout, as you and i discussed at the polls. if it's that i said that you didn't attend any meetings, i'm sorry, that's just the truth.
and as for street cleaning being one of your accomplishments while on council, that's not a selling point, when the number one issue at the town hall meeting was neighbors' frustration with a lack of proper street cleaning. we finally have a street sweeper, but are still waiting on opposite-side-of-the-street parking on most streets in the WW. if you could help in that department, that would be appreciated.
you have my email address already from my forum invite and are welcome to contact me. thanks for giving a working phone number--i will pass it on to sophia at the WWNP, who is one of many people that helped me try to contact you.
and if you'd really like to "work together" then it would help if you would refrain from smearing someone like dennis who has worked tirelessly and for free, attending neighborhood meetings, serving on committees, campaigning to bring passenger rail back to the lehigh valley, and fighting to keep easton from getting sucked into bad development projects. he ran because enough neighbors implored him to.
(cont.) i complimented you on your campaign and i meant it. experience paid off, you knew how to go about it and you did it well. you won, congratulations.
please don't confuse the comments of my blog readers with my own. if you re-read what i wrote, you shouldn't find it objectionable. unless you just find anyone really wanting someone else to win other than yourself objectionable.
once you begin your term, i will be happy to work with you in terms of conveying messages via the blog. if you would like to try to get neighbors to come down to city hall and support an issue, i'm happy to post your message. blog readers will always be able to post responses and as americans, are entitle to agree or disagree with your position, without them being referred to as "mean" people.
i, for one, am hoping you will help get us a real street sweeping program complete with opposite-side-of-the-street parking for all WW streets. street sweeping is 90% ineffective without moving the cars to get the litter in the gutters. the mayor has already promised this, and hopefully it will happen soon. but if it doesn't, that will be an important issue to see through.
one last thing: i'm troubled that you would use "activist" as if it were a dirty word. it was activists that brought us the end to slavery, the black man's right to vote, the women's right to vote. dr. martin luther king, jr. was an activist. it was activists that marched on washington for a host of liberties we now take for granted in this country. nothing changes for the better until activists fight for it and convince the mainstream to act. so if you really do care about revitalizing this neighborhood, please don't disparage the people who are giving of themselves tirelessly to bring change as volunteers, no money, no glamour, no exclusive parties. just to see the neighborhood be as safe and beautiful as it can be.
Mike, I believe you think that this council job is a stepping stone to higher office. I also don't believe you have the West Ward's best interest in mind. You as much said that when you indicated you would not be at canton and other meetings in the neighborhood.
You see Mike, those are the places you do belong. They are the people you are to represent. It is fine to say you will be working hard on "City business" but nothing is more important than listening to the people you were chosen to represent.
While I commend you for your willingness to run for public office, I caution you to not make the mistakes you have made in the past. Yes, you have been part of worthy legislation in the past. The downfall comes when you get too "big for your britches" and forget about who you are serving.
I know what the job takes. I know the hard work you will face the next four years. Many people have no idea the amount of work that goes into the job. I also know that you can't lose sight of what your purpose is and that is to represent the people of the West Ward.
I expect to see you at the canton meetings. I expect to see you at our neighborhood meetings listening to our concerns. I expect you to walk our neighborhoods and speak with my neighbors about their concerns. I will support your efforts if you do the things you were elected to do.
The council you are about to join is one of great disappointment. I have never seen any of the council people in my neighborhood. The only time they come here is if a press conference is held and they are obligated to be present. You were the same way last time. I urge you to make this time different by doing right by the people who put you in office.
Lastly, don't take my comments as a personal attack. Think about what I said and act on it. All the people you had go to the polls to vote for you deserve to have you fulfill the promises you made to them. Remember what you said to them.
I'd encourage Dennis to run as a write-in. Even with a few votes, he only lost by a handful and Tim raises a good point. Republicans and Independents haven't had a chance to weigh in, and I'm sure many would support Dennis over yet another recycled council candidate. So no matter what Mr. Fleck may think, he hasn't won the seat, only a nomination to run for one. So Noel, chin up... voters will have the final say in the General Election and we haven't lost a chance to have a new voice on council!
By the way, I've lived in and around the Easton area for more than 40 years, and I'm troubled by this funky "activist" language. If I didn't know better, I would think that native Eastonians were using it to smear newcomers who've come to love this city and want to see it improved. But gosh, I hope that's not the case, especially from someone who wants to be a council member.
And why is Mr. Fleck posting as "Anonymous?" Oh, and then signing his name? All I have to say to that is, "Sheesh."
BTW, saying this primary was won by 56% is like saying what, exactly? That it's a mandate to serve the West Ward? Wow...have fun spending that political currency. Should go far.
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