Just when you think Northampton County Council could never get any worse, they do. But at least they now have an excuse for their dysfunctional behavior. It's election time, baby. County Council Prez Ann (64% taxhike) McHale is running for county executive. Council members John Cusick, Peg Ferraro and Charles Dertinger are in reelection contests. But McHale is going to have to dip into the contingency fund and buy a whip or stun guns to keep council in order.At first, everything was fine. They were all very cordial as they discussed the pros and cons of a gaming authority and how it should be constituted. Ron Angle, the Northampton County Bullgdog, was even wearing a nice brown suit. But this was the calm before the storm.
That changed when Council reached a $4.35 million county contract for pharmacy services at Gracedale. Let me explain how this works. All county contracts over $100 thousand must be approved by county council. The idea is to keep an administration from playing footsie with campaign contributors or cronies. When a contract goes out to bid or Requests For Proposals (RFP), County Council is always notified and any member has a right to participate in the process.
Four weeks ago, the administration proposed awarding this pharmacy contract to an outfit called Continuing Care RX. Although no council member had participated in the selection committee in any way, McHale suddenly expressed doubts about the company, claiming she had been told their services had been terminated at a few other nursing homes. Asked where she got her information, McHale refused to divulge her source. The matter was tabled.
It soon became very apparent where McHale got her information. One of the unsuccessful bidders just happens to be Homestar Pharmacy, an arm of St. Luke's Hospital. That's a source of many votes and lots of campaign dough. Were they whispering in Ann's ear?
That's what I suspect because two weeks ago, when this contract was up before council again, Homestar was there in force. They spent much of their time warning that Continuing Care might be sold and that they are more local. In other words, they were asking council to reverse the work previously done by the selection committee. McHale and Dertinger jumped on the Homestar bandwagon, complaining the county has some unwritten obligation to award contracts to local vendors. Instead of considering the best interests of the county, they appear to have been considering the best interests of their campaign warchests.
Once again, the matter was tabled with a suggestion from Angle that the administration allow Homestar to make a presentation. Stoffa refused. As he explained to Express Times Reporter Sarah Cassi, "All we've done is open ourselves up to a lawsuit from the people who were awarded the bid. I think what we have here is county council messing with the executive branch of county government. They should either approve it or deny it."
Last night, County Council considered this contract for a third time. This time, Homestar representative Rusty Kuchta arrogantly insisted that Stoffa had screwed up by signing the contract (even though it has not been implemented without council approval) and if he had made such a horrible mistake, he would be fired. This was music to McHale's ears.
But Human Services Director Ross Marcus told Council they need to act. A recent Department of Health evaluation revealed that 10 of 31 Gracedale residents currently lack the medications prescribed by physicians. They are not arriving in a timely manner.
This time, Council finally approved the contract. But McHale, McClure and Dertinger amazingly acted as though the administration just springs these contracts on them at the last minute. McClure actually insisted these matters must first be reviewed by a council committee, which would be a good idea except that this was already the third time this particular contract was being considered.
Perplexed at McClure's sudden interest in committees, Angle started the slugfest be telling Lamont, "Your own record at committee meetings is dismal."
McClure: "You abdicated your responsibility, which is what you do. You abdicate your responsibility. ...
Angle (to McHale): "He's out of order."
McClure: "You abdicate your responsibility. You're a failure as a public official. You're an utter failure...
Angle: "He's out of order."
McHale: "Do you want to put a muzzle on him?"
Angle: "I know what's happening. They all yanked the executive's chain."
McHale: "You're both out of order."
Angle: "OK, Honey Girl." (Angle tells me "Honey Girl" was McHale's nickname when she was twenty, about three years ago).
McHale: "I'd like the record to reflect Ron Angle being out of order."
Later in the evening, Angle told council member Diane Neiper she's been a "loyal puppet" and she responded, "Well, you have a few on here." Dertinger, at the very end, made a sarcastic motion that Angle reveal his record on every vote he's ever cast. Angle started, too, but everyone ran out of there.
Ron's was still there, an hour later. I think he's talking about the swaption. I grabbed him and we went to Tic Toc.
Update: Morning Call reporter Michael Duck, over at Two Rivers Daily, has his own take on the childish behavior last night. He notes that Angle at one point asked Dertinger to "kiss my ass," and that's one clever retort I failed to include here. That's why Mike gets the big bucks. Throughout the meeting, Duck and fellow reporter Matt Assad were talking and giggling. I'm surprised they escaped detention.
49 comments:
Marcus is a lying puppet or incompetent. The pharmacy contract was emergency extended and no one, absolutley NO ONE should be shorted medication. A bullshit statement by a clueless Director reading the Stoffa script.
County Council should have had the knowledge to call him on such a blatant lie.
Marcus should be held to account at the next meeting. He should be forced to bring in Mr. Granda to discuss thie alleged late medication. That would be a violation of Federal Regulations.
The BS that comes out of this Administration is amazing. If past Directors had made such an obviously false statement the paper would have been all over tham. Either Marcus is a puppet or not to smart about Nursing Home regulations and operations.
there may well be something odious going on, but as far as i know (and i know, believe me) St Lukes has NEVER been a major player in campaign finance.
Angle's odious sexist attack on Diane Niper was the low point of the night. During a shouting match that Angle instigated he called Niper "Honeychild" in a an attempt to deem her.
Angle is the town bully. He's a pathetic obese redneck. His sexist and bigotted comments were the icing on the cake. Is there anyonenot offended by him? Was he really elected? He makes Rush Limbaugh look mild, caring, and kind. Look out Jerry Springer...herre comes Ron Angle.
Bernie, I noticed that you are referring to Ann McHale as "(64% tax hike)"
Without tax hikes of this scale, how do you expect your liberal programs to be funded? Can you reconcile this for me?
Why isn't anyone in contact with MTV? Sounds like a better reality show then the ones they have now. Besides with the Freedom Of Information, it wouldn't cost them a dime. You couldn't pay writers to come up with this material!
:-)
Anon 7:52, The remark was directed at McHale, not Neiper, and bc that was her nickname at one time. It's questionable whether Angle or McClure started that exchange. Flip a coin.
USA1, Actyally, he's in fighting weight these days. You'd have to call him a trim redneck. That person, with all his flaws, is the most intelligent politician in the LV. Those who think otherwise are usually in for a surprise.
Bernie,
Thank you for sticking up for Angle and (incorrectly) calling him trim and intelligent. What good is knowledge if someone is a big jerk who is obnoxious and offensive and turns everyone off? There are many people who know things but they do not make good governors. Is that all you require to give good write up's Bernie, knowledge? We all know how much Angle knows becasue his soap box is so high and he thinks his opinions are only right ones. Others there have things to add but Angel's big mouth cuts everyone off. I am surprised he hasn't chased the other 8 members away. Who would want to take his abuse, foul language (he called the 6 dems those sons of bitches last night in addition to his other cursing and bigotted remarks towards president Obama). Even his other 2 republican collegues don't seem to be able to contribute everything because Angel is an arrogant low class freak.
He is completely unproductive with what you call his so-called intelligence. If he is so smart than why don't the other members on his side second his motions and vote with him?
There are plenty of smart people in mental wards and prisons. Geeze, look at the big picture of credentials and the ability to get things done will you. this is not Angle Council, it's County council.
USA1,
Ron Angle is a good man who cares about what he is doing. His disruptive style is what it is. It's his biggest flaw. It's also his biggest strength bc it tends to bring out what his colleagues are really thinking. They have often had underhanded motives. So far as I know, there were no bigoted or cursing remarks directed at president Obama. if that were so, I suspect it would be a major news story. Incidentally, there are 5 Dems on Council, not 6.
Why did he freak out last night? Because council was hypocritically claiming it lacked the time to review such an important pharmacy contract. They were trying to embarrass Stoffa for their own failure, which has resulted in 1 out of 3 Gracedale residents not getting medicine when needed. The reality is that this is the third time that contract was before council. At no time did a single member ask for committee review. In reality, any member of council could have participated in the process that led to that contract recommendation.
The phonies on council were playing politics, and this time they were doing it with peoples' lives. Angle blew up at their hypocrisy.
He's a good man and you've misjudged him. But you certainly are entitled to your opinion and are welcome to state it here. Many people share your view.
I have to agree with bernie- for a change. Angle is terribly flawed- but he does have very good political acumen. If anyone doubts it- the night of joe cap's appointment on council- was classic Angle. He made McHale & Co. look like a bunch of rookies.....
USA1,
You're funny! Your comment:
"There are plenty of smart people in mental wards and prisons. Geeze", cracked me up!
Here is a question for those out there that think Angle is so smart. What other person in the political arena has to go to the lengths to demean, belittle, and harrass to get their point across? None that I know. Politics is a dirty business, everyone knows that. But there is a line that you don't cross, humiliating someone is that line. But for Angle that's all he's capable of.
What I don't understand is why the heck do the other members of council allow this? Yeah I know, that's just Ron. Bullshit! Anyone else that behaves that way would be held accountable. Why isn't he? What right does he have to demean other human beings like that? Why does everyone let him get away with this? Because he'll sue you?
When is he going to held accountable for his ridiculous, offensive behavior?
People WAKE UP!
" But there is a line that you don't cross, humiliating someone is that line."
Like when Dertinger, Neiper, McClure and McHale publicly asked Connie Sutton Falk to resign? Or when McHale was bagdering the Clerk of Criminal Division. Or when Dertinger launches attacks that are just as vitriolic as what comes from Angle?
Bernie, When it's wrong it's wrong across the board! My point is, it has to stop. I thought we lived in a civilized society.
And I will agree w/ that.
Your comment on the medication is just wrong. You should be ashamed of scaring residents families to score political points. The Pharmacy contract was extended and every patient was alloted their perscribed medication.
If that had not happened the County is libel for huge Lawsuits. Whoever said that is either lying or just does not understand how the Nursing Home works.
For the sake of the families please check out wild accusations before writing them.
Let's see. We have some anonymous asshole disputing what the Director of Human Services told Northampton County Council at a public meeting. Who do you think has more credibility? Don't scare the residents? Or do you mean let's sweep this under the rug? Guilty?
Before I began looking at nursing homes to put one of my parents, I spent some time learning about them. It would been wise for many of those involved to have spent some time learning, and less time arguing. Every year the department of health inspects every nursing home. They look at everything. Not knowing what is going on inside Gracedale, I am guessing that they recently had their inspection and they looked at 31 people and found 10 of those 31 were missing 1 or more of the medications they should have had. Who's fault is it? Who knows, but I am sure someone will have to figure it out. If it is because they aren't arriving in a timely manner, then maybe a change is a good thing and the new pharmacy can do better. I don't think the statement was wrong, just not explained fully. Some time spent learning may have gone a long way towards preventing the biased arguments that have taken place during the past month. The people who live in Gracedale deserve that. And so do we taxpayers. Politics should never get in the way of the care needed by the elderly, and isn't that what the council should be worried about.
You are absolutely right. Council wasted 6 weeks in what was essentiually an effort to steerr the pharmacy contract to St. Luke's without any regard for the well-being of Gracedale residents. As Ross Marcus made abundantly clear last night, they need that new vendor NOW.
O'Hare you are an ass. Some people who work at Gracedale don't want to have their name out there. No one cares about your little pissing match with County Council or your love fest with Stoffa. We do care about Gracedale. The fact is meds were delivered normally. If the vendor stopped sending meds that would be irresponsible verging on criminal. This isn't the first time a contract has been extended. As far as Mr. Marcus goes I can't say except we never really se him out here. Mr. Heckman would come around but in the past three years Mr. Marcus has not really been seen much out here.
We still think it is irresponsible to scare families because of some political war in Easton. The fact is medication is being dispensed. Why not get out of Easton and come out to Gracedale and see for yourself.
That's right. I'll just walk into Gracedale and everyone will open up their files.
Are you out of your mind?
The simple truth is that the Director of Human Services told Council on Thursday night that Gracedale had been monitored by the state Department of Health the previous week. He went on to state that 11 of 31 residents did not have all the medications they were supposed to have. Now that's the state Department of Health, which does not know or care about Stoffa, county council or whatever little fiefdom you're trying to protect.
I guess that the state Departnment of Health is an ass, too.
If we take things one step further, it's pretty clear that this is why we needed a new pharmacy, and council had the administration and Gracedale residents waiting for 6 weeks while they screwed around.
Here's a newsflash! Maybe you're the ass. And an anonymous one at that. You think it's irresponsible to scare families? What's really irresponsible is that 11 of 31 residents monitored did not have their meds. And the public has a right to know that whether yopu like it or not. Maybe if you spent some time doing your job instead of posting inane comments in the middle of the night, this would not be happening.
Maybe all the medications are going to Bernie's place at the Army Navy store? Who is that masked man that lives above the Army Navy Store in Nazareth? Is it the overmedicated blogger from hell, that the Morning Call and Express Times has on their payroll? Only the Shadow knows!
You can make light of this situation bc one of your loved ones is not being denied medications. But this is a serious situation, and your cavalier remark says it all. You don't give a shit about the people at Gracedale.
Boonie, its b/c of Rong Angle that people were denied ther medications. He is the one who held up the contract to steer it to one the local peoples.
Six weeks ago, it was McHale who started the mess. Four weeks ago, it was everyone, including Ron, who was micromanaging.
Bernie O'hare is just a lying piece of shit who would savage his own Mother to make political points.
We're talking about a man who as a practicing member of the bar, forged his client's name for pizza and some beer.
He takes responsibility for that.
Big Whoopty damn doo. He did it, he has no credibility, and in reading his blog, people need to realize that.
“McHale and Dertinger jumped on the Homestar bandwagon, complaining the county has some unwritten obligation to award contracts to local vendors. Instead of considering the best interests of the county, they appear to have been considering the best interests of their campaign warchests.”
Beenie,
You are so funny! This claim would be very condemning of Mchale and Dertinger if it were true that they had made a motion to send it back to the executive with directions to re-review the contracts in favor of Homestar.
But as you well know it was ANGLE who made this motion it was ANGLE who was as you said not considering the best interest of the County.
Beenie you should be ashamed this was a Blatant Lie and very easily disproved usually your lies have a much better spin on them. You are beginning to get lazy.
In light of Angle being responsible for the Homestar bandwagon I’m sure you will decry his actions now. Or is that to be considered as just Angle’s “style”, like using demeaning comments to try to enforce dominance over women.
David
Four weeks ago, it was everyone, including Ron, who was micromanaging.
Wrong. The vote was 6-3 for Angle's micromanaging motion.
"Wrong. The vote was 6-3 for Angle's micromanaging motion."
I am rarely wrong when it comes to NC Council. Last night I was wrong. I went back to review my notes and apparently failed to record the tabulation. I will check next week.
From my notes of 2 weeks ago,
McHale was complaining that Continuing Care RX was going to merge soon w/ someone else. Dertinger was "more than a little concerned" that council had so little information, but certainly made no effort to change that in two weeks. Then he started complaining that the county should buy local, and McHale echoed that. McClure had asked what benefit was supplied by Continuing Care, other than cost.
McHale & Dertinger clearly wanted someone local, i.e. St. Luke's.
Angle had very few questions. Was Continuing Care the low bid? Thank you.
Neiper strayed from Team Dertinger, stating we should not be imposing a requirement of locality after the fact. She did call this second-guessing and noted that a committee had analyzed everything.
Angle proposed giving unsuccessful bidders a chance to make a presentation. He did so to accomodate or appease McHale & Dertinger, not bc he thought for a second that someone else deserved this bid. Had the admin listened, would have probably violated the admin code.
I was wrong to say this was unanimous. I failed to note that Neiper probably had the right view on this all along. Angle was accomodating his colleagues. But the person who wanted to kill this all along is Ann McHale.
The State inspections happen at different times a year. Every inspection finds a few problems, they always do. This inspection you go on about probably found a few cases where medication was not being given to a patient or patients. That may have been employee error. They donot look at every single resident they make a projection based on observation. There is zero credibility in the statement that one out of every three residents are not getting their medication.
You should call the State yourself since that is totally inaccurate.
I understand you are trying to make a political point but you are damaging the care of residents in the process. Never in our history has a vendor just stopped bringing medications, I am sad that was stated to County Council and the public, it had to have been a scare tactic of some sort. I am angry at Gracedale Administration for participating in that story, if they did. I am also sad that our Director would make such an inaccurate and inflamatory statement.
A caretaker
1) "There is zero credibility in the statement that one out of every three residents are not getting their medication.""
That's not what was said. In a sampling, roughly 1/3 was NOT getting their meds. I don't know whether the sampling was representative.
2) When I hear a statement like this at a public meeting, you can be damn sure I will report it. It may mean nothing, as you are claiming as a somewhat biased source, or it may mean a hell of a lot.
3) I am making NO political point here. My concern is good government. Any government that sits on an urgent request for three meetings without action is ineffective. It makes no difference to me who is at fault. They are inviting trouble, and your reaction to Marcus' honesty is very disturbing. Are you interested in the residents or yourself? If you are interested in the residents, you should want the truth to be told. What Marcus said is no great reflection on him, either, but he was honest.
Actually if Marcus played up a non-problem as a major problem that does make him dishonest. I think the good people who work at Gracedale have a bit more creddibility than a government appointed hack and you Boonie.
Boonie is a lying puke. He'd cover for Angle no matter what. Stoffa incompetence and Angle foolishness has Boonie in overdrive trying to blame someone else. What do you expect from a guy who committed the crime of forgery ?
The McHale/Dertinger/Long Democrats have spoken. All voices to the contrary must be suppressed.
What kind of a douchebag would call their Council president, Honey Girl? I don't give a rat's ass if it was her nickname or not.
And the writer goes out to eat with him. I wonder what kind of childish, sexist banter went on at that table?
Why not ask the two ladies who dropped by after the meeting to have a cup of coffee with us?
The truth is that Angle simply used McHale's nickname. In the meantime, McHale is being introduced by Lisa Boscola, whose COS referred to a female congressional candidate as a "platic p---y." He got a raise.
Because he's part of Team Dertinger/McHale/Joe Long, his far worse comments are tolerated.
Barron is part of team Long/Dertinger but he is on your mancrush list. Using a 'nickname' that somebody had when they were young is inappropriate in Governemnt. Honeycakes, if she had as little class as Angle she would have smacked him in the mouth.
He picks on women because too many men have sacred the crap out of him. He ran like a deer when Severson went after his arse.
Holy Shit!!! Dertinger has much more power than I would have ever imagined... Now you are claiming he's got Boscola and Keklak on his team as well. Wow Dertinger must be doing something right as Boscola is one of the most popular elected officials in this region.
Or just maybe you are trying to cover up your masters misogynistic comments by attacking Boscola since she is supporting Mchale for county executive to replace the failed Stoffa regime.
Let's see Angle has in public smeared women, Jews, Hispanics and African Americans. But, I think he just mostly hates himself. Take a look at the whack pack: O'Hare, Angle, Stoffa and Will Power. That's your team. Nice.
You want to demean Power? Knock yourself out. But the people should decide who they support, not assholes like you sitting in some back room bar. It's called democracy.
You just love making sure that "plastic pu##y comments gets repeated at every opportunity. What does that say about you?
Can't help but wonder if Bernie K was referring to one of yout blow up dolls when he said it.
I don't like to repeat it but it's a tad hypocritical for the McHale camp to condemn Angle for repeating her nicknmae while simultaneously embracing a COS who referred to a failed congressional candidate as a "plastic p---y."
We are really upset that Mr. O'Hare attacks the employees at Gracedale who are working hard everyday to take care of the residents. We let him know that the statemnets made at the Council neeting were wrong and he attacks us and calls us names.
Since most of us have never seen this Mr. Marcus, why would we attack him since we don't even know him. The fact is the statements about medication were exagerated and that is shameful. I feel sorry for the families that are used by politicans to make a point.
Yeah, it must be embarrassing. When information like that is revealed during a public meeting, the public has every right to know. No one pointed fingers at the Gracedale staff, which seems to be your real concern.
I don't like to repeat it but it's a tad hypocritical for the McHale camp to condemn Angle for repeating her nicknmae while simultaneously embracing a COS who referred to a failed congressional candidate as a "plastic p---y."
You know, there are just PEOPLE reading this blog that aren't part of any campaign or candidacy. Maybe you'd consider that before blowing off other points of view.
Somebody posting a comment at nearly midnight on a Sunday night is clearly someone trying to promote a point of view.
I like the pictures of Angle Stoffa and O'Hare. Appropriate.
Only political operatives read blogs at midnight?
Your paranoia runs deep.
Nothing paranoid there. Could be an op, could be a troill or could be a gracedale worker who does not want the public to know the truth. Take your pick.
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