Lehigh Valley Clean Air advocates came out in full force to the Sept. 11 Lehigh County Board of Commissioners meeting urging the commissioners to repeal a recent Lehigh County Board of Elections decision.

The advocates this past year pursued a ballot initiative that would impose more stringent emissions monitoring of a waste-to-energy plant being constructed in the city.

The question, however, will not appear on the ballot because the election board rejected the initiative last month.

Lehigh County resident and Lehigh University political science Professor Al Wurth told the commissioners the election board's decision to summarily dismiss the petition is unnacceptable.

"I think this is a real affront to democracy," Wurth said. "I think you guys need to do something about this."

Lehigh County Executive Matt Croslis said the county election board is an entity invested with autonomy apart from the board of commissioners.

The board is composed of three individuals a representative of the board of commissioners, a member of the Republican Party and a member of the Democratic Party.

Allentown resident Rich Fegley, who helped circulate the petition, expressed concern with the current process of reviewing petitions at the county level. Fegley is co-owner of Fegley's Brew Works in Allentown.

"So, literally three appointed people have all the power to decide what's on the ballot," Fegley said. "Please don't push this back on the citizens."

The elections board, Croslis said, held a public meeting and a vote recently to determine the political necessity of the issue.

"This was not an appropriate measure to put on the ballot," Croslis said.

Commissioner Percy Dougherty asked if the issue was declined for legal reasons.

"That was the belief," Croslis said, adding he could not comment further.

Commissioner Scott Ott told Fegley the board is merely following the law and its response does not reflect on its lack of interest or sympathy on the part of those who sought to place the issue on the ballot.

"I think our challenge is to find out ways we can do it better," Commisioner Michael Schware said.

The board directed the Clerk to the Board, David Barilla, to submit a requisition to the county legal department to research what options the clean air advocates have available to them.

In other business, the board discussed repealing an ordinance for a grant from the HealthChoices Reinvestment Program for affordable and supportive housing.

Commissioner Brad Osborne argued repealing the ordinance is an example of why citizens dislike government. Osborne asserted five members of the board agreed earlier to override the ordinance without consulting with the other members.

Osborne asked the board to apologize for its decision.

"I don't think there's any need to apologize for this ordinance," Schware said. "It is getting a first reading, will get a second and discussion."

Commissioner Daniel McCarthy asked the primary sponsor of the bill, Commissioner Thomas Creighton III his reasons for reversing his decision on the bill.

"I pondered the total cost," Creighton said. "I changed my mind."

"It [repealing the bill] lacks the very essence of what people are looking for in government, certainly," McCarthy said.

Ott said the purpose of the ordinance is to free up $750,000 so the county can help more citizens in need of housing .

The next Board of Commissioners meeting will be held 7:30 p.m. Sept. 25 in the public hearing room of the Lehigh County Government Center, 17 S. Seventh St., Allentown.