Northampton County Exec John Stoffa might be in his 70s, and might be missing a few fingers here and there, but he's still attempting an end run around the nine members of Council. He wants to switch nonemergency transport services at Gracedale, the County's nursing home, from current provider Nazareth Ambulance to Lifestar. He's tried twice, but has been stopped each time by Council members who think that Lifestar's bid is artificially low and that it might affect quality of care to residents of the nursing home. But it's also $260,000 cheaper, so Stoffa has decided he's going to run around Council and do a sealed bid. That requires no Council approval at all.Council Contrarian Lamont McClure doesn't look much like a cornerback, but he would like to be the next Exec. He needs all those Nazareth-area votes, and what better way than portraying Stoffa as some heartless bastard? So he got Solicitor Phil Lauer, who is playing Safety, and wants an immediate opinion on their options. Lauer advises that if price is not the sole factor, or if there was some sort of negotiation, or if Lifestar is not a "responsible bidder," Council can just sue the bastard.
Stoffa's end run is on Council's Thursday night agenda.
Updated 11:05 AM: I have just been informed that I looked at the wrong damn agenda. Stoffa's end run is currently not on the agenda, although I expect it will be discussed.
18 comments:
I think we can all predict the moral outrage of Mr. Lamont, I wonder how Miss Peg will handle this.
After all, the "we care about the resiedents" bullshit is washed away. The Republican Ms. Ferraro and the other conservative Republicans are willing to spend over a quarter of a million dollars more for a taxi service.
Of ciurse Stoff ais doing his dirty shuffel that is expected but the reaction of Peg will be the politcial story.
Stoffa takes the weak decesion makers off the hook !
This is why reform is needeed in Northampton County government. A new Adminstration and County council can't come soon enough. We need responsible grownups to fix this mess.
Peg is going to propose a bond to pay her constituents for votes.
Maybe a STRONG Council voted the way the people wanted and Stoffa does not care?
It was not a strong Council. I supported staying with Nazareth, but some Council members are concerned about votes during an election year. The argument for Lifestar is $260,000 over three years. That's a lot of money, and is hard to ignore.
Council never offered to fund the cutting of some 25 positions in Human Services but will waste tax payer dollars to supplement salaries for non-emergency medical transports ? Is this nuts or what ? Where are the priorities ? Stoffa has this right,as usual.
In the past seven years more services and human service staff have been outsourced than ever before. County Council cares?? HaHa!
Where does it say that the county HAS to subsidize a local business venture? This is/was insane. IF Naz. ambulance truly is so great..some other muni will snap them up in a blink. Word is Suburban is stretched thin..a business opening is there to be had. Do some stinkin' leg work instead of having the county hand you a check. The residents at Gracedale will never know the difference.
It's a taxi service for immobile people. This isn't direct care or nursing..get over it with the outsourcing crap.
They are not human service employee's!
It's a little more than that. It is nonemergency, but it is considered medical transport. Every driver has training. I like the suggestion about Suburban, and would add that BTVFC is also quite busy, serving many places outside of Bethlehem Tp. I would hope that employees at Nazareth would have no problem finding a new job if they are laid off.
I wanted it to stay with Nazareth after listening to some of the people who work there, who are on a first name basis with the residents and know them and their needs. I do not think Lifestar can match that. Maybe I am wrong.
In any event, I understand both viewpoints.
Maybe the county should get some numbers on doing these non-emergency transports in house. In most cases its cheaper to do work yourself then to pay someone to do it for you.
Dave..it would be very expensive to do that and you would be creating more county payroll and benefits and a fleet of vehicles to maintain and the costs just go upward. This is better and more cost efficient.
Gracedale workers took a huge paycut causing a mass EXODUS of workers to leave and find other jobs. Now more than ever we have inexperienced workers taking care of these residents.It causes alot of stress for them to constantly see new faces, inexperienced faces, workers who dont know the ins and outs of that job . BUT THEY ARE WORRIED THAT LIFESTAR DOESNT KNOW THE RESIDENTS BY NAME! What a joke the place has bigger problems!!
Agree. Bigger fish to fry at the county home. Save some money for other areas of concern. Time to clean out county council.
Barron's op-ed piece is disgusting. Do your job fat boy and shut your yap!
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