This is to inform you that Director of Human Services, Ross Marcus has submitted his resignation from County employment effective Monday, September 16, 2013. His resignation is contingent upon County Council approval, in that his employment will be with the Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley, a subcontractor to Northampton County. (Please see the attached resignation letter.)
Ross has had one of the most difficult jobs, if not the most difficult job in the County. He has worked hard, has been extremely loyal to me and to Northampton County and has served Northampton County residents with disabilities well.
Since I am nearing the end of my term of office, I have asked John Mehler, Area Agency on Aging Administrator, to accept the position of Acting Human Services Director, which I will also submit to County Council for approval. There are so few people who, in my opinion, could do this job well and John Mehler is one of them.
If additional information is needed, please let me know.
John
John Stoffa
County Executive
Updated 10:30 PM: Jennings will remain Exec Director at CACLV. - Some anonymous commentary has suggested that CACLV Executive Director Alana Jennings is on his way out, and that Ross is being groomed as Alan's successor. While I know Ross marcus is deeply committed to helping people, Jennings is by no means ready to get off the saddle. And I, for one, think that's a good thing. I just sent him an email calling him a pitiful failure. I'm sure he'll agree. He's in a job where he probably can never win, but has helped so many lives and even some small businesses that it would take me days to list his numerous accomplishments. I will disagree with Alan about the NIZ or the lease, and hate the way he mingles with the rich and powerful, but he shakes them down better than most of us could. If you'd rather have someone titling at windmills or someone who can get results, I think you'd want the person who can get results. That is Jennings.
57 comments:
Thou8ght you couldn't pull this crap for a year after your resignation? How is he going to a county subcontractor?
Also the President and another top official at CACLV's Board of Directors work for Stoffa. Some inside help to find someone a job?
So much for CACLV being committed to the poor and needy. More like the connected.
A perfect addition to CACLV. He already knows all the Suits and is a long time pal to St.Alan the Pious.
He doesn't need the spotlight like his new boss so that won't be a problem. Both sides like him since he was the guy who carried water for the charming ans erudite Bill Heydt. ( The mechanic behind the classy Blights, I mean Lights in the Parkway. Cut down trees and bulldozed springs - denied it all till caught red handed.)
He is a hard worker as he proved under Heydt and knows the game. Old timers will recall his time at EANC.
The big story here is Jennings departure. Like JoePa he doesn't know when to go. Even a guy with that kinda ego has to leave sometime and health is an issue. Pending law suits ( never discussed at this site ) will be embarrassing.
Jennings trusts Marcus to handle his kingdom and Jennings opinion is the only one that matters at CACLV.
I do not believe Alan Jennings has stated he is resigning. I assumed Marcus would be working for Jennings.
Gotcha BOH. The departure is just down the road. Jennings has health concerns, ugly legal issues and a real loss of prestige with the best and brightest Valley grassroots leaders activists and environmentalists. People are tired of his Man a Da People rap and his self self serving deals with the powerful and well connected .
The NIZ and the Allentown Water Scam ( witness Jennings cozy relationship with LVAuthority ) are just two examples.
Jennings gets this and is preparing an exit plan.
Marcus couldn't;'t manage his way out of a paper bag. Everyone knows he let his underlings run everything, that is why the Department is in the shiter.
This guy would bury CACLV with in months if he is put in charge.
Ross is a good person, and was a strong asset to Norco.
A classy guy, Ross is honest and a hard worker.
Dont know why we find it necessary to bury people, but Ross is one of the good guys who truly cares about his work.
Ross is a great guy. He would be an asset to any organization. Ross is bright and hard working.
Vic Mazziotti
Ross is so classy he put up that chezzey Lights in the Parkway. That was very democratic. " It's a done deal!"
So honest he lied about cutting down beautiful mature trees and filling in stream side fresh water springs.
Every word of this can be verified.
Another man of the people from the West End, never seen without his suit.
Yeah we know how much Mazziotti's endorsement means.
Both refugees from the Heydt [political machine.
Any teabags for sale?
Anon 7:14:
I never worked for Bill Heydt. You are an ill informed angry coward unwilling to sign your name. Go back under your rock coward!
Vic Mazziotti
Ross is a good man and a true Mensa, unlike his former employee and current mental basket case Gregory.
I'll be glad when JC gets in and straightens out this corrupt mess
Ross is smarter than Jenmings with a lot less ego. More comfortable with Pols & power boys, Ross still cares about the less fortunate. He compromised himself plenty of times working for Heydt, but did Allentown a favor by adding intelligence and relative integrity to that know it all know nothing regime. Ross is way better with his staff than Jennings and doesn't expect his people to treat
him like the Second Comming.
On the whole the Valleys better off when Jennings goes to pasture and Ross takes over. Lets hope it's soon.
Marcus was promoted by a Republican contributor to Stoffa.
Stoffa needed a yes man that would not upstage him in Human Services. Given Marcus' limited background he was a good choice.
Marcus can you come off a bit aloof,even prissy. He is intelligent and his commitment to low income people is genuine, even if he is most likely to differ to the rich and powerful. Not especially gutsy and no change agent, he does listen to alternative and opposing view points and isn't the bombastic bullshiter Alan so often is.
Ross would build a real board at CACLV, not just a collection of disciples, even if he won't stand up to abuses and corruption like we see so often in Allentown.
He knows Allemtown and Easton where most of the action is. The sooner the CACLV baton is handed off to Marcus the better.
Alan would be well served to bail out before his reputation takes any more hits. His game is largely exposed and getting weaker all the time.
Don't worry about ol' Alan. The Sands and the LCA are prepared to give him a no-show job for services rendered. Riley and company are also quite fond of him.
He's going to be just fine.
How can a complete incompetent like Marcus be given the reigns of the CACLV? The guy is clueless.
Maybe that is what the "suits" want. He would be a good choice to sit behind a desk in his suit and do as he is told. That is what the corporate sponsors like. He did that for eight years in Northampton County.
As to actually managing such a large permeation the guy is clueless.
He and Alan are a pair. Both West end boys more comfortable with high salaries and the highborws then getting down and dirty with the people they claim to help.
"Marcus can you come off a bit aloof,even prissy."
If I had to deal with an anonymous coward like you, who won't identify yourself while taking a shot, I'd be aloof, too. God you are such an ugly person. And this is human services?
"Both refugees from the Heydt [political machine"
And as Vic has already pointed oput, this is a lie.
"Another man of the people from the West End, never seen without his suit"
I believe there are may men of the people who wear suits out of respect for the people they deal with. And there are many snobs who don't wear suits. I guess we know what club you're in.
"On the whole the Valleys better off when Jennings goes to pasture and Ross takes over"
I have my disagreements with Alan but consider him a good person who cares. Now you have a different view, but why can't you sign your name? What is it you don't understand about my comment policy. If you want to take a shot at someone, identify yourself.
Sign your name, coward.
Anon 6:45 -
Please provide the verification for the stream side springs that were filled in under Heydt. I'm sure you can easily produce the links to the documentation.
The abuse of the Parkway under Heydt/Marcus is hardly a secret to anyone who witnessed that sorry episode. I believe Mr. Marcus now views his role in it with regret, to his credit.
I happen to love Lights In The Parkway and find it very classic .
I can recall hearing Mr Jennings say several times over the years he would like to run for congress. Maybe now is the time?
So all those guys in suits you see with the chrome plated shovels at political events, or with the scissors snipping the ribbons, with those big cardboard checks, that's all a sign of respect? No kidding?
That's not what I said, but I would not expect a sophist to understand.
Glad this guy is leaving., He is a good fit for CACLV. Another stuffed shirt to cater to the corporate class on behalf of the masses.
People in Allentown love their parks. You have said it yourself.
Mr Jennings, for better or worse, is nowhere near ready to forgo the spotlight.
There are some people on this blog who would attack the Easter Bunny! What is wrong with them? They have so much to say, but they will not sign their names. What a way to live. Very sad.
Vic Mazziotti
I agree, Vic.
No shame at all. His entire career spent at the taxpayer dime.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Gotcha BOH. The departure is just down the road. Jennings has health concerns, ugly legal issues and a real loss of prestige with the best and brightest Valley grassroots leaders activists and environmentalists. People are tired of his Man a Da People rap and his self self serving deals with the powerful and well connected .
The NIZ and the Allentown Water Scam ( witness Jennings cozy relationship with LVAuthority ) are just two examples.
Jennings gets this and is preparing an exit plan.
5:28 PM
Jennings allowed a birthday party in a public forum to take place in his honor and did not for a moment consider that inappropriate, he lost whatever respect he still had in the eyes of many.
Bernie
Could you possibly look into the legality of Marcus new job.
Anonymous said...
I happen to love Lights In The Parkway and find it very classic .
11:18 PM
yes M. of course you would
An earlier comment pokes fun by bringing up the Easter Bunny. This isn't about the Easter Bunny, but a very real park and how it was harmed. I'm a Christian so I can forgive. But I won't forget how the park was harmed by Mr Marcus. I don't think there is humor in that action.
Who would argue,other than the occasional nutbag, that Mr Jennings hasn't done more than his share of good for the Lehigh Valley in his career. He clearly has.
This makes him not different than dozens of other professionals and dedicated volunteers who have given so much to this community,many working quietly for a lifetime.
Mr Jennings has also been in some less than noble deals which serve the powerful at the expense of the greater good. This is not that unusual either, very few get It right everytime. Some, but very few.
What gets Mr Jennings critics upset I suspect is the fact he has a style that gives the impression,perhaps unintended,that he gives more than anyone else, and that he is always, but always,walking with the better angels, even when it's plain to see this just ain't so.
Some poor folks killed the Easter Bunny and fed him to their hungry children when the Tea Baggers cut off the food stamps that were keeping them from going hungry.
Alan ALWAYS does the right thing. He'll be the first to tell ya.
The job taking by Marcus is illegal per county laws. Unfortunately both Bernie, the Press and county government selectively apply the law depending on the person.
Marcus will be given a pass due to Stoffa., so O'Hare can keep attacking people he dies not like.
I have not looked into it, but since Stoffa stated Council must approve, my guess is there is some legal requirement theyust waive. If you feel Marcus' employment is illegal or wrong for any reason, you can make your concerns known to Council. But I think you'd prefer to just sit back and complain.
Any coincidence that top Stoffa aide Alicia Karner is President of CACLV Board. Another DECD employee also sits on the Executive Board. A vacant job for a long time is suddenly filled by top Stoffa aide Ross Marcus.
All a bit too cozy but if you are part of the right crowd no one will raises any questions about it.
Helping the poor is very lucrative for the right people.
Nobody is stopping you from raising these concerns to Council. You have a point, but it would make more sense to express them to Council instead of here.
Notice how Alan always kicks more open and democratic groups like CUNA into the gutter so he can be the Great White Hope for the little guy.
Pointing this out is hardly strangling the Easter Bunny Vic.
CUNA has always been a lousy advocacy group. Always a day late and a dollar short. Completely ineffective.
Alan makes sure he is never a dollar ( or a headline )
short.
... and that's a good thing for those he represents.
BOH @ 19:52
That's certainly what Alan would have you believe.
Yeah. Like the NIZ-the LCA-the Sands. Those he represents.
...and Mayor Ed . He da man of da people.
It is, and I believe it. Over the years, he and I have been on the opposite sides of many issues. I opposed the $111 million mega bond. He supported it. I opposed the open space referendum. He supported it. I opposed the NIZ. He supported it. But I respect and admire him. He has always remained accessible and transparent, which is more than I can say for many elected officials. He has been a tireless advocate in a cause he knows will fail, but he keeps going bc he cares. When I think he is full of shit, I tell him. He does the same to me. I like people who are honest with each other much more than those who gutter snipe at each other anonymously. It is hard for me to respect that.
Marcus will fit in with the niz suits quite well. It is his real background.
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