In January, Northampton and Lehigh County legislators did their best to put the Lehigh Valley Health Board in an induced coma, refusing to approve any funding at all, even from benefactors like the Two Rivers Health and Wellness Foundation and The Dorothy Rider Pool Trust. In order to even conduct a meeting, the advertising costs must be paid directly from an outside source. Despite this impediment, the Board still managed to meet in January, and has scheduled monthly meetings for the remainder of the year. At the February 14 meeting, Lehigh Valley Health Board Chairman Ilene Prokup delivered more bad news, telling the 11 people present that it's unlikely Lehigh County will form a stand-alone health department. According to Prokup, Executive Don Cunningham has told her he'd prefer a regional health department. A stand-alone health department in Lehigh would be unable to attract Bethlehem, he explained.
Cunningham also told Prokup they need a business plan, but she expressed some confusion over exactly what that involves. "What do you mean by this?" she asked Cunningham.
Members discussed a number of ways to eliminate the "continuous misunderstandings" about public health by Lehigh and Northampton County legislators. "The biggest problem is they don't see the need," explained former Lehigh County Executive David Bausch, who said they've got other things on their mind right now, like snow removal.
Members also discussed different ways to get County legislators to approve a budget.
Initiative and referendum is one of the options, but Cunningham told Prokup that's an invalid ballot question. Vice Chair Robert Black would refer to avoid that option because the "downside risk greatly outweighs the benefit." Prokup agreed that initiative should only be viewed as a "last ditch effort."
Gaining allies through one-on-one meetings with County legislators is another option. But Cunningham cautioned Prokup to move quickly, noting that several tea party members are running in both Counties.
Prokup also mentioned an email from Lehigh County Commissioner Percy Dougherty, suggesting that they promote pro-public health candidates like Salisbury Township Commissioner Norma Cusick, who is rumored to be running for Lehigh County Commissioner. But David Bausch put an end to that discussion. "All the gains you made, you'll lose," he warned.
Prokup said she'd ask RenewLV, a local public interest nonprofit, to promote pro-public health candidates.
As a public body, the Lehigh Valley Health Board is barred from engaging in partisan politics. As a 501c3 nonprofit, so is RenewLV.
Norma Cusick is married to a physician. Northampton County Council President John Cusick, who opposes a regional health department, is their son. Prokup joked, "Their son is rebelling. They need to have a talk with him."
The Lehigh Valley Health Board will meet again on Monday, March 14, 6 PM, at The American Red Cross Building, 2200 Avenue A, Bethlehem, PA.
8 comments:
I cannot believe anyone is still considering this parasitic jobs program all the while cheering on the sale of the Gracedale Nursing Home. A very sad state of affairs in the Lehigh Valley.
This group wants a popular referendum as the absolute ;last option because they know the vast majority of voters of both counties will vote no to a new government bureaucracy created to finance "touchy feely" jobs for a bunch of unemployable insiders.
Stop the madness.
Anonymous said...
Stop the madness.
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Do it with the facts:
Erie county has a health board that employs over the equivalent of 70 full-time workers. In the recent past that number was over 80. Erie county also ranks 65 out of all Pennsylvania counties for health behaviors in the most recent survey published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Pennsylvania has 67 counties so there are only two counties worse than them and I do not believe Lehigh or Northampton county are either of those two. And even if they were I wouldn't think imitating Erie county is the way to go...
http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110114/NEWS02/301149939
let bo on the board. then it will certainly be doomed. he's really good at losing
The State already provides these services. Why are we duplicating what the state already does?
Cunningham probably saw the writing on the wall. As Wayne noted, Erie DOH is hurting financially as is Alleghany Co DOH and Philly. They have been receiving less funding from the state and other sources forcing staff reduction and service reduction. Even our own cities and state health departments have had to down size due to the lack of funding.
And like he said- they haven't really demonstrated a need- i.e lack of services, real statitical numbers, etc. As 6:44 pointed out, not only does the state provide these services, there are a lot of private entities that also do public health with either state monies (contracts) or grant monies.
Wayne and Pippy- How about some new remarks? You've been saying the same stuff for some time now. We get your point. How about giving that dead horse a break?
8:16- What new remarks do you want? At least they are stating what is reality out there. And they are just doing the same thing the board does. For the past few years now the board has rehashed the same points over and over again with no facts or evidence to back up their whining. They need to get their heads out of the sand and realize that this thing is going nowhere and to just fold up.
Two comments:
What exactly does Cunningham think they're doing if not writing a business plan by another name? What a strange comment.
Referendum could possibly be worded in such a way as to avoid the budget problem. "Should NorCo join with Lehigh to promote public health?" You could probably get even more specific on the goals without requiring the County to spend money.
On the politics, the obvious solution is to form a PAC to back pro-Health Department candidates. Bernie's right - the 501(c)(3) orgs can't get involved in advocacy, but a PAC could straight up fund candidates and do advocacy.
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