Pocono News Section

I-Team: 'Best' Applicant Had Felony Conviction

I-Team: 'Best' Applicant Had Felony Conviction - Tuesday, January 22, 2008 at 6:48PM EST

Reported by: Joe Holden
Tuesday, Jan 22, 2008 @06:48pm EST

BLAKESLEE, MONROE COUNTY- Out of 24 applicants, James R. Lambert, Sr., the man with the felony conviction on his record, was the best candidate for the position of executive director of the Monroe County Municipal Waste Management Authority (MCMWMA), according to the authority's solicitor and Richard Van Noy, an appointed member of the authority.

Van Noy is also chair of the Tunkhannock Township Board of Supervisors.

Records obtained by the I-TEAM reveal a long-standing relationship with Lambert dating back more than a decade to New Jersey.

Lambert is a convicted felon, according to the US Attorney's Office. Despite his criminal record, Lambert beat out 23 other applicants for the position of executive director of the authority when the former director retired October 31st.

Van Noy spoke with us following a township meeting in early January and acknowledged knowing Lambert. In fact, he told us Lambert was his deputy director, his "number two guy" when the two men worked at the Mercer County Improvement Authority, based in Trenton, NJ.

Van Noy was executive director of that government authority in the early '90s. Documents show Van Noy and Lambert's relationship stretches back more than 15 years.

Lambert has served on the Tunkhannock Township Planning Commission. According to online township records, his wife, Kate, is appointed zoning officer. She was recently reappointed to that post at a January meeting in a motion by Van Noy.

Before moving to the Poconos, James Lambert served jail time after pleading guilty in 2005 to federal charges related to contract fixing and conspiracy to bribe a local government official while he was head of the Mercer County, New Jersey, Improvement Authority.

Lambert refuses to answer our questions and has referred us to authority solicitor Peter Quigley. He says Lambert disclosed his criminal record and Monroe County Commissioners were allegedly notified.

"We advised Donna Asure, the (former) chairwoman of the commissioners that Mr. Lambert had a felony conviction, that he was one of our employees and the media was asking questions." Attorney Quigley said.

Quigley says the connection between the authority and Lambert was made through Van Noy.

"I think Mr. Van Noy is the one who actually spoke to Mr. Lambert," Quigley said. The I-TEAM asked if the authority was aware that Mr. Van Noy was executive director of the Mercer County Improvement Authority in the '90s. Quigley said "He's been involved in a lot of things." We asked, "And you're aware that Mr. Lambert was his number two guy?" Quigley responded "I didn't know that. He told us he knew him from Mercer County."

Part three in our series airs Wednesday evening at 6.