What in the Heaven or Hell is Going On Here? Northampton County's Special Arrangement with A Private Church

West Ward property owner, Tim Hare captures strange activity in the church 

parking lot across from the county jail...

Posted by: Noël Jones

Residents in the West Ward of Easton living near the corner of Ferry and Walnut streets have been fighting with the County and City for months trying to figure out what in the heck is going on between the County and the Church of God by Faith on that corner. It appears (see the video above) that the county has arranged some sort of deal with the church to use their parking lot for free for employees that work at the jail and the courthouse, in exchange for upkeep on their private property paid for with our county tax dollars. The city apparently granted the church a variance so that they could have many more than the normal legal number of vehicles park there and County employees are using it for parking, while residents have to put up with all kinds of traffic and noise issues that they shouldn't have to deal with.

With regard to the ever-expanding jail in our midst, here in the heart of the most densely-populated neighborhood in Easton, one has to ask--is the County being a good neighbor?

Below is a letter written by resident Terrence Miller to Stephen J. Barron, County Controller:


To: Mr. Stephen J. Barron, Northampton County Controller.

From: Terrence Miller

I'm glad someone is finally disturbed (video) by the abuse neighbors have been facing at the hands of the County, city and the church. We live on the corner of Ferry and Walnut and our good neighbors Tim and Earl have been enduring this oppression for much longer. It has been a Sisyphean battle for neighbors who have been crushed between two government agendas and the arrogance of a church that, when it comes to its neighbors, fails to live up to its own Christian ethic.

Two years ago I pulled together county and city representatives to address current and growing problems of the campus including the church parking lot. After several recommendations were drafted they were put to Becky Bradley to be put across Mayor Panto's desk. We were met with radio silence

despite several attempts to solicit a response and even after sending Mayor Panto subsequent documentation of the meetings and recommendations he never followed up. I took County Councilman Mike Dowd out to lunch and asked him to pull together the mayor and Mr. John Stoffa in order to cultivate a cooperative effort between city and county because of the issues we were facing. He agreed and then never did it.

During the variance application the county stated that they were in the process of finalizing an agreement with the church. I spoke to Pastor Brown of the Church of God by Faith a few months ago and he said that he never had a conversation with the county about any agreement. This historic exploitation is a way for the county and the church to satisfy each other's needs while carving out the resident's rights and circumventing the law.

The lot at the church is wrought with code and zoning violations and is at best unsafe. Where are the variances? Where are the approvals from the code and zoning? Where are the site plans? What about separation of church and state? Where is the handicapped parking? Is there an agreement/lease that should on public record? How can this continue unchecked with no oversight from the city? Neither government body seems concerned about the safety of employees, the handicapped or the residents who have to negotiate a neighborhood that is steadily being assimilated by the county. Shouldn't the county AND the city have the residents backs? Or are we just flies in the ointment? Now, with the city intent on putting parking meters on Union Street, more employees will spill onto Ferry Street causing yet more problems. Have you been on Union Street? It's often a mess and unsafe. Does the County even know about the new meters?

This has produced frustrations and failed expectations for residents living along the perimeter of the county campus. The safety and parking issues are horrendous not to mention the volume of garbage and litter left by visitors to the County. The expansion of the Juvenile Treatment center caused employees on all three shifts to park on the street rather than in county lots. The few spaces available to be used primarily by residents and visitors are quenched by employees who are simply too lazy to use the lots. The noise from the intercom to employees, talking and at times yelling to each other at 11 pm and 7 am only adds insult to injury. When county officials applied for the variance they told the zoning board that 'no one would even know they were there.' Now, Germaine Green has told us there is nothing he can do (despite the promise of obscurity). We asked for a policy that required employees to park in county lots. His advice was to ask the president judge. Can you tell us where the buck stops?

I have found Mr. Stoffa to be a reasonable man and he has afforded us some of our requests including trees along Ferry Street to make up for lost green space and the opportunity to park in the parking garage during inclement weather. He has also been very agreeable to a meeting with the Mayor. Sherriff Randy Miller has also been quick to respond with safety issues. Cindy Cawley from the city has been very helpful but the dynamics require inter-departmental cooperation which is one of the greatest stumbling blocks residents face not only on this issue but others as well. Mike Schnieder from Juvenile Probation has always been cooperative but unless the decision makers sit at the table together nothing moves forward.

The county and the city have NO plan to coordinate together. It is a dysfunctional relationship with residents paying the highest price. Residents resent the bullying by the county and employees resent the city's tactics and parking restrictions. Mom's can't cross the street because sherrif and law enforcement vehicles routinely block the cross walks. Employees who only need short-term parking are ticketed and fined, some well over $300 in few months time. Residents have to pay to park accross the street from their own homes while treatment employees eat up spaces without no regard for the neighborhood. The list goes on. The only one who benefits is the city who has created a nice little revenue stream from all the parking violations. The two bodies of government need a plan!

What amazes me is that good people stepped up to the plate to cultivate a cooperative relationship and to work through the issues with everyone at the table only to be dismissed by the city while the County drafts plans for expansion informing the residents in the 11th hour rather than inviting them to the table to be part of the process. 

The silver lining is that many neighbors are pulling together to fight for our little piece of sod and to address civil rights violations. We will exercise every legal means to protect our community and bring justice to this situation.

Sadly, residents have to force both governments to craft a plan rather than than the two proactively coordinating one to the benefit of all parties.

I know this is a bit of an epistle.

Thank you for bearing with me and for any advocacy you can offer residents.

Terrence Miller