Though Gracedale still has a Provisional II license, it is improving. According to the state's nursing home facility locator, the number of nursing hours per resident per day (PPD) has climbed to 3.76. That is higher than Lehigh County's Cedarbrook (3.61) or Berks County's Berkheim (3.68). It now ranks 5th among 14 county-owned nursing homes throughout the state.
County-wide, this level is second only to Moravian Square (4.51).
So after getting up and drinking at least one cup of coffee, I head out for my walk-run every other day as a complement to cycling. I have a great 3-mile course laid out across the street doing loops around a Moravian cemetery, where the tombstones lay flat instead of upright for some reason. Some are decorated with American flags while others have the occasional flower. Squirrels dance between the graves, and if I'm early enough, I'll see a fox or two. If I'm lucky, sometimes I see a pretty lady that I can pretend I'm not looking at, even though I am.
I usually don't even begin to run until I have the first mile under my belt. Yesterday, as I completed my first lap, I could see one of my neighbors, an old drunk who sells his SNAP benefits to a barkeep every month. He glared at me as he waited for a ride and was shouting, "Come across the street, mother fucker, and I'll break your nose!"
Where the Hell did that come from? I decided to ignore the guy and began my second lap, going uphill and trying to steady myself on uneven surfaces, littered with branches from the previous night's rain. There are usually two dogs at the crest who bark wildly every time they see me. "Come across the yard, mother fucker, and I'll break your nose!", they are saying. I usually say Hi to them, but they were sleeping in so there was no greeting. Just dancing squirrels.
As I finished my second lap, the old drunk was still waiting for his ride, still glaring, but smoking a cigarette. But I pretended not to notice him again and started my third lap and hill. This is when the sweat starts, and this is when I start running in small spurts.
I have pretty bad hip arthritis, which is why I mostly cycle. But I still love running and miss the days when I felt I could go on forever. This was not one of those days. Almost immediately, my left hip was in pain, but I pushed ahead because sometimes tit goes away after the joint is lubed up. This was not one of those days. I was still making good time and continued, as the sweat began to pour out of me.
As I finished the third lap, the old drunk's ride had just arrived. It was an old beat-up truck taking him somewhere to a job where he worked off the books. As he got in, I could see him waving his arms and pointing at someone, but it wasn't me.
Lap 4 begins again. After I reach the top of this mini-mountain, I begin to run again, thinking about different stories I could write, wondering why the tombstones at this cemetery are all flat and listening to crows yell at me for invading their turf. I'm running a bit faster now.
On my fifth lap, I am running a bit faster and am now drenched in sweat and am starting to feel pretty good except for the arthritis.
After the sixth lap, I keep running and head to a nearby Catholic church, where I can hear the kids scream and well as they play. My left leg nearly gives out twice. I am slowing down, but feel good.
Eventually, after 3 miles, I stop. Finished. Drenched with sweat. Endorphins have kicked in, but so has the arthritis.
I see a neighbor and ask, "Was the old drunk yelling at me?"
"No, he was yelling at me for calling him a SNAP scammer, and I have it on video."
"Good for you. Good for you." I say and walk inside.
I apply ice and check my VO2Max.
I feel good, but the graveyard still awaits. In the meantime, today is a good day to ride.
At their July 2 meeting, Northampton County Council voted to establish a Gracedale Oversight Committee proposed by Council member Dave Holland. As of today, Council President Ken Kraft has yet to appoint any members. Kraft, who opposed this committee, appears to be dragging his feet.
Under the Home Rule Charter, a council president has the authority to preside at meetings. As a matter of tradition, not law, he makes the committee assignments. Should he persist in refusal to appoint committee members to provide oversight at a nursing home with a Provisional II license, County Council has the authority to do it themselves.
Gracedale certainly needs oversight. According to McKinght's Long-Term Care News, occupancy at freestanding nursing homes is 86.7%, a 10-year high. (The Northeast, which includes Pa. and Gracedale, is at 89.5%). But the occupancy rate at Gracedale is an anemic 75%, as reported to County Council's July 2 Human Services meeting.
Last week's meeting of NorCo Council's "Governnace" Committee was basically an autopsy of its decision to hire a well-qualified fiscal director, but with a lower starting salary than the Executive wanted. Under county law, the Executive lacks this authority when making a political hire. She's required to go to County Council first. Because the salary was too low for the nominated director, she turned the job down.
Council member Jason Boulette had proposed giving Executive Tara Zrinski the authority to negotiate a higher wage, but she rejected this olive branch, insisting incorrectly that she has this authority.
Under county law (Home Rule Charter, Administrative Code and Career Service Regs), the Executive has the power to hire a career service employee at a higher starting rate but lacks this authority for "exempt" (political) positions. Several years ago, former Executive John Brown was chastised when he exceeded his authority to grant raises to political appointments.
Council member Jeff Warren, who previously said he has a "significant" problem with the word "oversight", objected to "constraining" the Executive, even thought that should be an important part of his role. He instead said that "we have seen, unfortunately, members of this body over the years use this dais as a way to constrain the executive."
That's exactly why County Council exists. It's why there are three branches of government. But I guess Warren subscribes to the Donald Trump unitary executive theory.
Council member Kelly Keegan was even more absurd. She started off by suggesting they all should just "take a step back and say, 'You know what, the County Executive is trying to do a good job.'" She called County Council's insistence on following county law "an intentional, vindictive asserting of authority because we can."
Neither Warren nor Keegan have been on Council very long. If they were, they would have seen how then County Exec John Brown flouted the law to give a big raise to a political hire, which would have gone unnoticed but for then Controller Steve Barron.
And that's the point. These constraints exist to prevent the Executive from playing favorites or rewarding political appointees.
Council member Jason Boulette has suggested an ordinance that will give the Exec the authority to make a political hire at a higher rate, but Administrator Mark Aurand said the county wants some time to review it.
By an 8-1 vote, Northampton County Council confirmed Thomas Carson as the Director of the newly created "Continuum of Care" department in NorCo. He will start in mid-August with a total compensation package of nearly $150,000, including benefits.
He is currently the Executive Director of Victory House, a 35-bed facility in Bethlehem that primarily assists veterans.
The sole Council member to vote No was Tom Giovanni, whose skepticism is understandable. Carson is arguably unqualified based on the job description approved by County Council, which I mentioned yesterday. He has zero experience managing a large program or facility. But he impressed Council member Dave Holland, who knows Gracedale, has a nursing background and is himself a former nursing home administrator. Holland appears to know Carson professionally and spoke highly of his passion for the underserved.
Carson himself was able to endure some tough and well-prepared questions from Council member Nadeem Qayyum. Though unable to answer them all, Carson was polite, well-spoken and never got defensive. He also expressed, not just a willingness, but a desire to reach out to members of County Council.
Two weeks ago, Council President Ken Kraft predicted that County Council would shoot down this nomination, even though we had no name at the time. He was insinuating that the current County Council would be obstructionist. He was wrong, but don't be fooled by the 8-1 vote. This was really a very close call, but County Council deferred to the Executive.
Hopefully, she'll remember that.
Under NorCo's Home Rule Charter, an independent certified public accountant appointed by County Council must audit the county's financial records every year and report back. County Council received that report on Wednesday from Jennifer Cruverkibi of MaherDuessel. She issued an unmodified (clean) audit opinion for 2025, which is the highest level of assurance available.
She reports that the county's overall financial equity declined by approximately $9.9 million, ending 2025 at $164 million. Long-term debt increased by $15.4 million, ending the year at $93.7 million. This increase is the result of a new bond issue that was used to refinance existing debt and fund capital improvements that include a new parking deck at the courthouse complex. The county has only used 5.67% iof its legally auythorized borrowing capacity.
Government revenues increased approximately 6%. Only 26.1% of county revenue comes from taxes. Most revenue is in the form of federal and sate grants.
Where does the money go? About 85% goes to Human Services, the courts and corrections.
The county ended 2025 with a fund balance of $20.8 million. This includes an $8.5 million rainy-day fund. This does exceed two months of operating expenses, which is recommended by the Government Officers Finance Association.
This report is available online
Thomas J Carson, currently the Executive Director at Victory House, has been nominated by Executive Tara Zrinski to lead Northampton County's newly created Continuum of Care Director at the newly created Continuum of Care Department. The position, which was just approved by County Council on June 18, has a starting salary of $109,632. With benefits, it amounts to $148,249. The position is "exempt," meaning that Carson will be serving at the pleasure of whomever is Executive.
Victory House, which Carson has led for a little over four years, is considered a safe haven for homeless men, especially veterans. According to the 990 filed by that nonprofit for 2024, Carson's combined salary and benefits there was $102,442. So he's looking at a very nice pay raise if confirmed.
This nonprofit operates on an annual budget of about $1.8 million, with its financials posted on the website in a reassuring sign of transparency. The lion's share of its revenue coming in the form of payment for program services. which include transitional housing, Those run the gamut from transitional housing to recovery, mental health and employment assistance.
Carson has been employed there about 10 years. He has a bachelor's degree in therapeutic recreation.
In response to tough questioning from Council member Nadeem Qayyum, Carson conceded he has no experience or education in nursing, labor relations or as an Administrator. He said he would provide an open line of communication with front-line workers and "building a culture in which people can express their opinions ... ." He said he views a continuum of care as a big umbrella that can provide help to those who most need it.
According to the job description approved by County Council, the Continuum of Care Director provides executive leadership for the development and integration of a comprehensive continuum that includes skilled nursing care, personal care services, behavioral health services, affordable housing, supportive housing, tiny home communities, and other innovative housing and service models. The Director will lead long-term planning, project development, intergovernmental coordination, and funding strategies to support sustainable growth and high-quality services for residents across the continuum." He must have a bachelor's degree in public administration, healthcare administration or a related field. He must have 7-10 years of senior or administrative experience in those areas and be experienced in managing large programs or facilities.
Council member Dave Holland told Carson that he was unperturbed by Carson's inexperience in nursing or nursing home administration, adding that is why there is a separate administrator. He said Carson does have experience "in everything that we want this continuum of care to be. "Most of it looks like veteran-related, ... but that comes along with the other components we're looking at - the mental health, substance use developmental disabilities ... ."
Holland concluded with the observation that Carson has a passion for serving the underserved.
Carson agreed, saying that he works with the homeless, the mentally ill, the addicted, those with PTSD or just those who've fallen on hard times.
Carson told Council that he would like to work with them to make the continuum of care a success.
Council member Jason Boulette advised Carson that he will be able to do that with the newly created Gracedale Oversight Committee.
Northampton County Council will vote on Carson's appointment tonight. Unless a candidate has character issues or is unqualified, Council historically has deferred to the Executive on cabinet appointments.
