Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
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Friday, August 27, 2010
The Bulldog Barks About Gracedale
Ron Angle's Op-Ed, published both by The Express Times and Morning Call, makes a convincing case for getting RFPs for the sale or lease of Gracedale. Frankly, the more I think about this, the more convinced I am that selling Gracedale would be the best guarantee residents would have of continued, high-quality, care. As the County rubs nickels together, it is only a matter of time before our elderly are deleteriously impacted.
59 comments:
You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.
Bullshit!! You really do have your head up the ass of the Northampton County Bullshitter. Christ O'Hare, you don't even try to be objective anymore.
ReplyDeleteAngle argued facts. You call people names. What kind of argument is more persuasive?
ReplyDeleteWell let us use FACTS. One fact is Mr. Angle never voted NO on the swaption he never voted at all. He was at his Caribbean ranch hiding herd over his slave workers in his sugar fields.
ReplyDeleteRight off the top a lie, no maybes, if's or any discrepancy, just a bald face LIE.
One of many
I wonder who wrote it for Angle.
ReplyDeletebernie, that article sounds like you wrote it ... but those aren't the correct facts .... gotta laugh though when i finished reading it i said bernie o hare wrote this ~ you did didn't you ?
ReplyDelete"Well let us use FACTS. One fact is Mr. Angle never voted NO on the swaption he never voted at all."
ReplyDeleteOn 6/3/04, Angle voted against the swaption. It in fact failed bc it only had 4 votes. Two weeks later, when Angle was on vacation, Reibman and his sleazy financial advisors twisted some arms, got one council member to change his vote, and it passed.
So yes, Angle did vote against the swaption.
his argument must be weak if he's using other councilmen to prove his point.
ReplyDeleteOr maybe he's proving that he does work with and listen to others.
ReplyDeleteUnless this letter was written in crayon, I don't believe it was him. He even used others to prove his point, definitely the Emperor didn't pen it.
ReplyDeleteThose who believe their own propoganda about Angle do so to their great disadvantage.
ReplyDeleteConvincing? The man sounded like a moronic rube from the Slate Belt. Oh yeah, he is.
ReplyDelete"The man sounded like a moronic rube from the Slate Belt."
ReplyDeleteAnd one who argued with facts whle you anonymously engage in cowardly name-calling, directed at both Angle and the Slate Belt.
why cant we do like lehigh county and lay off in all areas of the county instead of selling or leasing gracedale that would save a heck of a bundle.
ReplyDeleteHi Bernie, how about you come to Gracedale and see for yourself. Talk to residents. Volunteer some hours? Work side by side with someone and provide basic needs, see how it goes? Then decide if which way it should go. Maybe you could hook up with Mr. Angle's uncle and report how often he has visited his uncle. Some of us are not union motivated. We come in snow storms risking our lives and stay extra shifts to care for our residents BECAUSE WE CARE. WE ARE FAMILY!!!!
ReplyDeleteWe keep hearing about all the reasons we should sell or lease GRACEDALE and yet no one wants to hear about the reasons we should keep it. The night Council voted wether to sell or lease there was a council member "on vacation"..(and I beleive she was leaning torward keeping it in county hands) and council voted anyway...sounds maybe like the same situation you say is occured when Angle was on vacation with the SWAPTION....sounds like politics as usual. Either way Gracedale Residents and Employees shouldn't have to bear the brunt alone because of bad decisions made by County Leaders. Times are difficult all over and I feel Gracedale is important to many for different reasons. I think maybe we are in a rough patch like the rest of the world but it doesn't mean we should give up...Gracedale has made money and can do it again. The Residents, their Families, The Employees and many Taxpayers feel it is worth holding onto. We are proud of our COUNTY Home and it is sad that Council doesn't see it's great attributes like the rest of us. I really feel Northampton County should be setting the example of continuing to provide this valuable service to it's elderly citizens and keep GRACEDALE the Northampton County home for the Aging.
ReplyDeleteI never came into this Lehigh Valley Ramblings before the Gracedale issue intensified. I happened by a link to this site and have posted some thoughts. I didn't realize that this Bernie fellow would be so acerbic with anyone who disagrees with him or anyone who says things about this other fellow Angle. Well wasn't I suprised yesterday when I found out about Bernie and Angles checkered pasts. I realize you run this site Bernie, however if I had your record I'd move out of the valley in shame. In Angles case it seems you attribute all his run-ins with the law as a vast leftwing conspirasy. I think in Angles case based on the past behavior he should not hold public office and most certainly should not be able to put forth resolutions to sell Gracedale, this due to his well documented treatment of the elderly. If all these things I've read are true,and I have NO reason to believe they are not. Angle should be run out of town on a rail. It is truely like the inmates are running the asylum in NORCO. And like I said hang your head Tom Dooley. Shameful, just shameful.
ReplyDeleteI will not post here anymore due to the slanted nature of this site.
First, stop blaming "County Leaders" for the incompetence of Harold Russel and Marvin Granda. That is why you are in trouble, you keep wanting to blame "outsiders", the problem is the decisions to destroy Gracedale were made by the people you cheer for not some "higher ups". For Christ's sake no wonder you are doomed. Granda and company are more responsible for the fall of Gracedale than any Administration or County Council. The fact that you can't accept that fact is why you are in deep trouble.
ReplyDeletePainful Reality
"I will not post here anymore due to the slanted nature of this site."
ReplyDeleteGood, My readers will be spared the attempts to deflect attention away from the issues with vicious personal attacks.
Bernie,
ReplyDeleteYou know what would be interesting? Seeing what the numbers are like at Cedarbrook. How is Cunningham keeping Cedarbrook operational and Norco can't? What's the difference?
Cedarbrook is losing money. I've heard three stories from three different officials, putting the loss at somewhere between $300k and $2.3MM.
ReplyDeleteIt appears Cedarbrook is performing better than Gracdale (even though at a loss). My question would be, "Why?". Why is Gracedale's numbers significantly higher than Cedarbrook, when you have the same demographics? Did the Northampton County study do any comparative analysis to other county run facilities? Why did Tom Deitrich have to figure out for himself, what other counties were doing or their past performances? I would have expected that in the report. Positive or negative.
ReplyDeleteCedarbrook is considering better than Gracedale, and one of the options considered was to try to coordingate w/ Cedarbrook. There are many differences between the two facilities.
ReplyDeleteThe legacy costs at Cedarbrook, whihc was only unionized a few years ago, are nowhere near as great as NC. In time, Cedarbrook will catch up. Also, Gracedale is an aging facility with many capital demands.
One positive aspect of Cedarbrook is the private management. NC would consider that, but unions refused to give up 1/3 of their benefits.
I read where if the union does give up one third of the benefits this will only save the place for one year. Does anyone know if that is true? I'd say sell the place if this hogwash has to be rehashed in 9 months. Then the employees can concentrate on ejecting the clowns who voted to sell. Let's see 600 employees .....multiply by......
ReplyDeleteexponential......yep sell it.
You keep saying UNIONS wont' give up 1/3 of their benefits...I ask again what does 1/3 equal?? And is it only AFSCME, AFSCME and the STEELWORKERS at Gracedale?? Or is it COUNTY WIDE??? Shouldn't all County Workers be taking a hit with their benefits?? I feel all county workers should be be paying the same percentage torward benefits not just a selected group. If we agree to give up 1/3 what will it be there after. Not all County workers make large salaries...as I have stated before. IF we are so overpaid and receive so many fringe benefits why not post all salaries...not the only salaries in the paper were those of the highest paid who had their hands in the cookie jar and at Gracedale from what I read only one was a Union Memeber and the rest were Career Service Employees. If I made the money they were able to make I sure would be agreeable to paying 1/3 of my benefits...year to date I grossed just under $20,000.00 after 23 years of service so how much do you think I can really afford to give up. Maybe the answer here is to go on Welfare: Low housing, Food Stamps, Medical Assistance and Free lunches for my child (only have one child cause that is all I could afford) and I wouldn't need a car to get back and forth to work...no car payment and no auto insurance...life is looking better all ready....better the tax-payers really take care of me than for me to go to work at GRACEDALE and really take the county broke. Please if you want to plead a case..put the real information out their and stop bashing the little guy. I would like to see MR ANGLE live on my salary for one year and tell me I have it so damn good. I am also a tax payer and I am damn tired of the true slackers out their sitting on their asses everyday truly living off every tax payer in this County and Nation. Food Stamp recipients just got an $80 raise a month but the working citizen is suppose to keep giving and giving and giving. Things are ass backward in this world. You are not suppose to have it easy for being irresponsible. Hold the right people accountable in this world and for the mess the COUNTY and GRACEDALE are in...it wasn't the Residents or the ASCME union who got us where we are. OH yeah does MR ANGLE have any HUD apartments available because I may need one soon.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that unions have grown so greedy they've forgotten how to viote. They sdidn't vote in the last election and won't be voting now. But even if they do, the worst thing a pol can do is knuckle under to political threats like the pols you've bought. Some, like Angle, don't give a shit what you do. He was elected to serve the taxpayer, not unions.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the duplicate numerous post..was having an issue with Google.
ReplyDeleteThat's ok. I think I got 'em all.
ReplyDeleteI believe Union Members are Citizens and Tax Payers also and deserve the right to be heard. If MR Angle were so concerned about the tax payers he would be willing to listen to everyone Tax Payers, Residents and their Families and Employees. Not all Union Members are GREEDY...you lump all Union Members into one category. I am sure we wouldn't need Unions in the County if the County was a fair employer. If Mr Angle had it his way we would be working for half the wage and paying all our benefits. Do you really think he understands our plight...I don't think so. I understand he is a wealthy man and therefore how can he be in touch with us peons. When we were asked to open our contract we agreed...AFSCME EMPLOYEES AGREED...and yet what we offered was menial to MR Angle...How many other Unions stepped up? We are not Greedy people...we are Humans who are trying to survive and stay afloat in this world. We were willing to pay more torward our Benefit Cost..and take half our raise in January 2011 and a pay freeze 2yrs there after and give back some paid days...and yet that gained no MERIT...maybe it doesn't seem like much to MR ANGLE but to us it would have an impact. I am all for sarificing however not just a selected group...ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES UNION OR NOT...SEEMS FAIR TO ME.
ReplyDelete"Some, like Angle, don't give a shit what you do. He was elected to serve the taxpayer, not unions."
ReplyDeleteWell we (the taxpayer) give a shit what he does. If he is forging Wills...WE CARE...if he is suing his own dead fathers estate WE CARE...if he is personally fielding calls on the sale of Gracedale WE CARE. And if he is voting to sell Gracedale after personally fielding calls on the sale of Gracedale....WE CARE!!
Oh yes...if the sale of Gracedale will save HIM a significant amount of money WE CARE!!
Apparently you forget that union members are taxpayers too!!
To the last poster
ReplyDeleteYour union reps screwed you
fire your union
speak for yourselves
one third give backs save the place
now onto other matters
Hey Ohare
Sunday I'll be at the Nazareth Park for a concert on the lawn
why not come over
bring the "Great Pretender" with you too
it runs 2PM to 6PM
I promise no violence
I will however identify myself
and tell you what I think of you
IN PERSON
I know what you look like
you don't know who to look for
so you won't know me until you see me......what do you think?
"Your union reps screwed you"
ReplyDeleteI am in a union, however it is not a Gracedale union. They may have been misrepresented, but I am sure the whole story has not been presented.
BTW I have read and agree with a lot of what you say, and I have often been accused of being you in a lot of responses to my posts.
I wouldn't mind being there on Sunday myself, unfortunately I am out of town this weekend.
Winston Smith = 1:36 = 3 AM troll.
ReplyDeleteI'll be at the Nazareth lawn on Sunday at 2 PM, and you'll wimp out bc you are an anonymous coward.
Let me clarify
ReplyDeleteI think they shouldn't have mentioned the succesorship clause.
These people
Ohare, Angle and others
do not like unions . <PERIOD
This should have been a give back session, there would have been a time to bring up that subject, just not then.
It made the union itself look bad, and gave these wonderful people in here ammo for their argument.
I know these Gracedale people are great employees and I know they don't deserve this treatment. I do think that they and we would be better off without Angle as their boss. I didn't say what I wanted to say because that would be a personal attack on the lovely generous thoughtful Mr Angle.
I also think the county could have presented a list of lets say 10 items worth 1 million a piece. The union could call a meeting and let the workers vote on these items. The top 6 items could have been presented as givebacks hence 6 million. With the stipulation when the final budget numbers are hashed out if they are lower those items in order of popularity would be off the table. The number is already down to 5.5 million who knows how much lower it might go.
How about it Ohare you in on Sunday.
Can't you read. I said I'd be there but you'll wimp out bc you are a coward.
ReplyDeleteWhen do we privatize the Prison. there contract is greater than anyone's at Gracedale. Also their benefit package is just as great.
ReplyDeleteWhy no mention of a private company running the prison. Priorities a bit screwed up.
"When do we privatize the Prison. there contract is greater than anyone's at Gracedale. Also their benefit package is just as great."
ReplyDeleteIf I am not mistaken Ron Angle called the Prison contract one of the best he has ever seen. In fact it has even be mentioned as one they would like to get the rest of the employees on. Doesn't seem like an issue to me.
The Prison contract is one of the most generous in County history. Angle and Stoffa love that one. Of course they are not trying to sell the Prison.
ReplyDeleteAll bullshit by the bullshiters Angle/Stoffa.
This talk about the jail, which appears in the last three comments, is an attempt to deflect attention away from Gracedale. Bruce Gilbert properly condemned this kind of nonsense for what it is at the last Council meeting. The County has an obligation to provide for the Courts, and that includes the jails. And as Angle pointed out, it has no obligation to provide a nursing home.
ReplyDeleteAs a taxpayer I cannot believe that someone would think that I am stupid enough to accept a statement like " personnel cost have increased more than 1,700 percent over the past four years for employees at Gracedale. Bernie, do you really think taxpayers are that gullible. Gracedale employees are making seventeen times more than they made (with benefits)just four years ago?????? Yeah right. I also believe in the tooth fairy. Maybe you have a few county bridges to sell me? Now who's cooking the books?
ReplyDeleteI'm not responsible for your poor reading ability. What Angle said is that the County cost of the pensions at Gracedale has risen 1770%. Take a few trips to the library and learn how to read.
ReplyDeleteBernie:
ReplyDeletePlease be more accurate with this 1770% increase in pension costs at Gracedale. That number is just really being used as an excuse at Gracedale. ALL county employees are required to contribute 5% of their pay into their retirement. The county gives the option to the employee contributing up to 10%. Gracedale is no different than any other department in the county. The problems come from what the county does with that money - they invest it into the stock market. For years, when the market was good, the county took anywhere form 5 to 25 million dollars per year out of the county retirement fund. They used this to pay for whatever they wanted to do in the county. All the county did was keep the minimum amount in the retirement fund - the amount that had already been contributed by the employees. Over the past several years, the stock market has tanked and subsequently all the county invested money in the retirement funds has been wiped out. Now the county is forced to put all the money back in out of their own pocket each year.
So really, for years the employee's retirement contributions funded the county instead of the money staying in there. Now the county is being forced to put money back because it takes its' employees money and gambles in the stock market.
I don't see how this is Gracedale's fault or any county employees' fault - employees don't have a choice in this. The county executives and their cabinet members are at fault for continuing to do this over so many years, so please stop blaming greedy unions or county employees.
"Please be more accurate with this 1770% increase in pension costs at Gracedale."
ReplyDeleteYou can have your own opinion, but not your own facts. The fact is that pensions costs to the County at Gracedale hadve risen 1770%. The County has no control over that and neither do you. That's why I'd sell Gracedale. It's a defined benefit pension, cannot be negotiated away, and is killing the County.
Mr. O'Hare that would mean the pension costs at the Prison went up 1700%. In fact since the pension funded itself before Stoffa and now money has to be put in, the pension has gone up for every County employee, correct? Stoffa has pretty much screwed up everything he has touched.
ReplyDeleteAlso the 1700% number is deceptive and you know it. Hopefully, when Controller Barron releases his audit we will have the truth. He smashed Angle at the Council meeting and soon he will provide the true numbers.
Again, we see a sniffle and wipe our nose.
ReplyDeleteDefined benefit pensions are the problem in all of government. They are protected by bad law. Time for the lawmakers to undo that bad law and give taxpayers the right to say we do not choose to provide that level of benefit anymore.
Paging Marcia Hahn, paging Charlie Dent, paging...
Ah, forget it. You think they will give up their gravy train? Why the hell do you think they run in the first place?
Look how bad it is. I said "give taxpayers the right".
ReplyDeleteObviously, our rights to do eminate from the government, regardless of what they want us to believe.
do not
ReplyDeleteSo pissed, I can't correctly express my thoughts.
Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteDo away with welfare.
Do away with foodstamps
GO GET A FREAKIN JOB...WORK 2 OR 3 IF YOU HAVE TO. This will give you less time to keep making more babies you can't afford that the working citizens are paying for.
Sell Gracedale...the residents will still have a home.
BE ACCOUNTABLE PEOPLE...the economy isn't going to get any better any time soon.
Oh and if your an illegal alien and are plopping your ass in this country....either take the steps that our great grandparents did to come here legally or GET THE HELL OUT!!!
One last thought....LEARN TO SPEAK ENGLISH!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bernie has attacked Steve because he slapped down Angle at the Council meeting and again at a taping of a TV show.
ReplyDeleteI heard Barron really let Angle have it with facts and figures. Angle can't argue with the results of the audit.
I heard about that show, too, and understand Steve was sweating like Richard Nixon, as he was torn apart by Angle and Bruce Gilbert. He performed no audit and used what is supposed to be an independent office to pander votes.
ReplyDelete"Do away with welfare.
ReplyDeleteDo away with foodstamps"
One last thought....LEARN TO SPEAK ENGLISH!!!!!!!!!!!!
AMEN Brother!!
Bullshit, Barron schooled both Angle and Gilbert. He let them know he was on to their game. Stop lying about his audit. He has followed the numbers and will be presenting his report soon.
ReplyDeleteAs the Controller it is his call to decide if the Administration numbers are correct. Stoffa is afraid of the report. Steve has oversight on everything the County does. A true check and balance in County government.
"You can have your own opinion, but not your own facts. The fact is that pensions costs to the County at Gracedale hadve risen 1770%. The County has no control over that and neither do you. That's why I'd sell Gracedale. It's a defined benefit pension, cannot be negotiated away, and is killing the County."
ReplyDeleteMy facts come from the one person in the county who does know what he is talking about (not anyone voted in or appointed). The pension plan is the same for all county employees no matter where they work in the county. As I am saying, this cannot be pinned on Gracedale, unions or any county employees - it is not negotiated into any contract. Please stop making it seem like it is.
"correct. Stoffa is afraid of the report."
ReplyDeleteThat "report" or "audit" only exists in your head.
Well I in addition to my wife and kids were at Nazareth Park at 1:50 PM on Sunday. I stayed until 5:20 PM. I took 3 walks around the park during my visit. Guess what? No O'hare. I also took the liberty of having my wife video tape during my walks, this in case we met so there would be evidence in the event you became violent. So, if you were there please let me know if you had a Bozo mask on or some other disguise. Actually if you wore a Bozo mask I would have come right up to you. Maybe Zachariah was up in a Sycamore tree trying to get a better look at Winston his Messiah. You are now owned . And you called me a coward!
ReplyDeleteI was there from 2 to 2:30 PM. When you failed to come up to me, I left. I'm not into garage bands. I never expected you to show or you would have identified yourself here. You won't do that bc you are a coward. But I waited long enough for you to see me and do something.
ReplyDeleteWell if you were there where were you standing. Like I said I have video and I'll check . And the reason I went was to support the charity. Not as a fan of the music. I also would NEVER reveal my identitiy in a third rate blog. Like I said if I would have seen you I would have come to you. I INVITED YOU, remember. I didn't INVITE YOU so I could be in the presence of greatness. BTW I first did a perimeter check from 1:15 to about 1:45 to see if your pal was hiding in the upper and lower lots taking photos as well.
ReplyDeleteWinston, O'Hare like his hero Angle is a coward one on one. Remember how Angle ran like a girl from Severson after Anlge agitated him at a funeral.
ReplyDeleteO'Hare is a viral bully whereas, Angle is a public bully. they enjoy hurting people and the feeling of power by hurting those who don't kiss their ample asses and praise people who do.
You missed nothing Winston.
I think its great that the 5% im paying in out of every pay check is going right to the counties pocket and not actually funding my retirement. The warm fuzzy feeling comes from people blaming the hard working people like me for costing tax payer money. I do my job and I have numbers to meet just like any private sector job. I get to deal with irate public telling me to do my job and that they pay my wages.
ReplyDeleteSo why does the county get to dip into the money I contribute and then blame me? How is that fair? What percentage are they legally required to kept in the pension fund? 60%? If they would leave it at 100% and skim off the top then maybe we wouldn't be in this mess.
And ive seen reports regarding pensions. They just are buried so the general public doesnt see them. Because who really cares about pensions until the money is squandered away?
I cant get a loan to buy a house on my county wages. I need a second job just like everyone else out there. I cant get food stamps, housing, cash assistance because I work.
ReplyDeleteI make enough to disqualify me to EVERYTHING! Basically ide be better off doing nothing. But its our fault. Yeah right.