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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Friday, November 14, 2014

What About That No-Bid Health Plan Consultant?

I told you in a previous story about the C3 Group, Cost Control Consultants. That's the firm that Executive John Brown hired to come up with a way to reduce health care costs. That was is by making County employees pay more out of their own pockets. Brown paid $58,000 of County money for that advice. This consultant essentially recommends that he balance the budget on the backs of the County worker. He has denied this, but that conclusion is inescapable.

On October 9, I filed a Right-to-Know request seeking the following:

1) All Contracts between Northampton County and C3 Group, LLC, from the time Executive John Brown was installed to the present.

2) All email correspondence between C3Group, LLC, representatives and andy [sic] employees of Northampton County during 2014.

The County held that request until October 15, at which time I was advised that it needed 30 additional days to respond, and that I'll get my answer by November 15, a Saturday.

This kind of delay is permitted under Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law

When I know, you'll know.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks Bernie! Will be much interested to what you learn. Keep us posted!

Stay vigilant county employees and attend the upcoming meetings.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Bernie. The current administration will not keep employees informed. That is why there will still be massive retirerments by the end of the year. No one trusts him. He continues to blame the county's financial woes on the employees the counties most valuable asset.

laughing at you said...

7:07,

So let them retire (and falter in the real world). then you can hire new employees at a cheaper rate and less benies. works for everyone - except bleeding heart liberals who were bullied when they were younger

Anonymous said...

is this the contract that Brown was hiding Deibert under?

Bernie O'Hare said...

I believe that was another contract regarding personnel.

Anonymous said...

They seem to be stonewalling you Bernie. Don't be surprised if certain e-mails evaporate into thin air.

Anonymous said...

7:07......That sounds like a wonderful idea except for the fact that your savior John Clown has implemented a hiring freeze and isnt replacing these positions. Your idea of the real world must be not working for a decade, taking from society without ever giving back and running from your debts. Just saying.

Anonymous said...

The above comment was meant for 7:17 not 7:07.

Ovem Lupo Commitere said...

I vaguely recall someone posting a comment on this subject a few weeks ago questioning if a Cathy Allen insurance contact might not get the no-bid contract. If there was any truth to that implication, would that come out in this RTK?? One would think Brown wouldn't be so **** to even consider something like that, but trying to balance the books with LOCs, and governing by consultants, he hasn't shown the executive competence he campaigned on.

Bernie O'Hare said...

C3 is not an insurer. I have no idea yet, but will lnow next week.

Anonymous said...

Hopefully you can unmask the masquerade!

Peter J.Cochran said...

What does Personnel or Human Services do for a living?Human services are supposed to do this job and today this is a very complicated issue.Has the KING bypassed the worker bees with consultants? I have mixed feeling about why this is happening.I remember the Domestic Relation's Test years ago -the guy they put in the spot was not even in the room for the test. I would elaborate if asked .

Peter J.Cochran said...

Bernie C3 appears to be an agency that may be franchised. The letter/number appears in venues far from NORCO. Efficiency experts that trim budgets --IBM had this too , they hired people to tell them how much vacation and sick day's they could carry over.IBM did the same thing. As smart as they are ,they needed to be told, how to. ANOTHER SILLY COMMENT right Mr. Allen?

Anonymous said...

C3 are just carpetbaggers from the Scranton area who have endeared themselves with the Clown administration. With their lack of talent they couldn't franchise a spa on the north pole.

Ovem Lupo Commitere said...

Sorry, I read your post too fast the first time....I was thinking of the gap insurance that was offered that he said Allen had actually been working on since July...related to the bigger picture of your post, but different.

Anonymous said...

In Human Services we dont get overtime. When I am out sick or on vacation my work is waiting for me. Reducing my time off will do nothing to save any money for the county. It will just piss me off. So whomever the consultants are do not know anything about how each of the county offices work. So much for waisting tax payer dollars....

Anonymous said...

The gap insurance negotiated in secret by Allen should be thoroughly vetted by council. Methinks there be hijinks with Brownies sidekick.

Anonymous said...

Personnel or as it is sometimes called Human Resources, and Human Services are totally different divisions. Human Services comprises the departments of Children and Youth, MH, D & A, Area Agency on Aging, Developmental programs and Early Intervention. We work after hours all the time and are frequently in dangerous situations, especially those of us who work for Children and Youth. The amount of money this administration is wasting on contractors could provide housing assistance for families facing homelessness. Of course that would be a practical use of money something this administration is incapable of doing.

Anonymous said...

Bernie interesting article I read today on the architect of Obamacare looks like they really sold a bill of goods to the voters,and that the Cadillac plan penalties were supposed to be for the Insurance companies not the employers,just wanted to pass along the info,if you can clarify this that would be great,thanks

Anonymous said...

Is Miss Allen involved in any insurance dealings privetly

Anonymous said...

The only gap insurance the county should need is to cover that vacant gap between John Browns ears

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Is Miss Allen involved in any insurance dealings privetly"

I would hope not.

Anonymous said...

Allen worked for an insurance agency in Bangor and may still be involved with them. When the proposed gap insurance contract becomes public, follow the money.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I believe she resigned that job, Council has to vet this contract, and Brown has not yet supplied it to council. It was supposed to be supplied two weeks ago.

Anonymous said...

Yes 11:53, Fox is playing that clip 24/7. How shocking that people claim something will pay for itself before they pass it. Or that they try to minimize a coming tax. Never,ever happened in Ame4ican history. Don't forget the oil we get from Iraq paid for the war and made us all rich. Grow the fuck up.

Fox, were 'special" people go to feel good.

Anonymous said...


Mrs. Allen has a lot of friends in the insurance field. Her track record is such that a conflict of interest is not out of the question here. No bid deals abound at Norco under Brown. Follow the money and keep digging..

Anonymous said...

Agreed. There will surely be a quid pro quo deal attempted here by the weasel Allen. Dig, Bernie, dig deep!