Friday, April 29, 2016

Landowner attorney James Wimmer has no comment about allegations that he deceived planning consultant or helped alter draft meeting minutes

On April 28, 2016, the Pocono Record headline at the top of the front page at newsstands beckoning you to pony up $1.50 for 10 minutes of loving was:
Eldred Township
Ordinance changes alleged 
Property owner's attorney accused of deceiving
zoning planner to benefit water extraction project

The article describes a "recently discovered email" from landowner Gower's attorney James Wimmer to planning consultant Carson Helfrich.  The author is a bit off - this email was obtained in May of 2015 and quickly became known in Eldred Township as "the Wimmer Letter."

The article contains an analysis of the misrepresentations in the Wimmer Letter, as well as a reference to an email that Mr. Wimmer sent the same day to Eldred Township Planning Commission Secretary Darcy Gannon (the mother of then Eldred Twp BOS Chairman Gretchen Gannon Pettit), which suggested that she alter her draft minutes of the previous night's meeting - the meeting at which Mr. Wimmer had a one-on-one conversation with (former - thank God) planning commission solicitor Dan Lyons while the planning commission members watched.  Ms. Gannon's minutes give the reader the distinct impression that the planning commission members agreed with what Mr. Wimmer had to say, when in fact they said nothing.  Mr. Lyons told the author he hadn't even reviewed the zoning ordinance to know what it said, so he couldn't agree or disagree with what Mr. Wimmer had stated about water extraction.

Let's do the math.  Mr. Lyons took no position, and the planners might as well have been mutes.  So how could Darcy Gannon's minutes have been so definitive?  Ask Mr. Wimmer - he wrote a good portion of them.

Carson Helfrich was interviewed by the author of the article about his part in this fiasco, and he doesn't "remember speaking with the gentleman" (Wimmer)  Really.  Mr. Helfrich turned around and drafted a *(@ @)!d ordinance amendment as a result of the conversation!  Does this show how much thought he puts into his work?  Mr. Helfrich was asked last year by an Eldred Twp resident how he could have looked over the fact that the change he drafted caused a land use change, and that he brought it to nobody's attention  His reply?  "I do maybe 30 ordinances, it's hard to keep track..."  What in God's name?  You can bet he was paid for professional services by Eldred Township taxpayers - aren't professional services due?  This guy should not be allowed to do anything related to planning that affects Eldred Township.  It isn't clear that he can tie his shoes.  Too bad the author of the article didn't think to ask him how he could have made such an asinine and reckless land use change and not mentioned it to a soul.

The coup de grace of the article is Attorney James Wimmer, Esquire's response when the author of the article asked for a comment on the serious allegations recounted above.

"Wimmer said he would not comment or respond when called by the Pocono Record"

Think about this, people.  Mr. Lyons responded.  Mr. Helfrich responded (well, he did speak at least).  Mr. Wimmer, when confronted with serious allegations?  No comment.

This article didn't even touch upon the gag order that CJERP Solicitor Fareri placed on an all too willing CJERP, or Fareri's law firm's conflict of interest between representing CJERP and landowner Gower.  CJERP doesn't want to talk, like Mr. Fareri and Mr. Wimmer.  Those other than Eldred Township representatives that is - who have already admitted errors were made in 2014.

What the hell is going on in Monroe County?  Let's keep very quiet, like deer, and maybe Deer Park will go away and we won't have to watch this won't blow up like the explosive charge that was launched at neighbors to the target site.  The problem is, the potential profit is too great - Nestle/Deer Park is going nowhere until all hope is lost.

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