According to The Express Times, Frantz and Brown pulled the plug on drug and alcohol evaluations for first offenders, without bothering to notify the courts. Result? President Judge Baratta refused to release a DUI Defendant who needed and did not get an evaluation, because he could not be sure whether she presented a danger to herself or others.
Every day an inmate spends in jail costs the County $93. So what Brown and Frantz wanted to do was penny wise and pound foolish. They have since changed course, no doubt due to some exasperation that came from the court.
Government is not a business. But if it were, the persons responsible for this idiocy would be fired.
It also kills me that Brown would refuse to discuss this in advance with the courts. It is one thing to ignore the press. It is quite another to snub an equal branch of government.
Both Brown and Frantz are incompetents.
ReplyDeleteThe Frantz hire was bizarre. of course if he wanted someone to just follow his orders and blindly shut off lights, I guess he got his wish.
ReplyDeleteFor someone who was at least involved in a part of county government, I am shocked if she did not know this would happen or at least tried to tell Brown that the courts would react and you will not beat the courts.
He is being poorly served but that may be what he wants.
His tenure so far has been one miss-step after another. The man really could have used some experience in this critical position. In fact, right now he could use some real county experience and knowledge in any position in his new regime.
The judge can just do a court order.
ReplyDeleteConsider her last position was to insure that people got the Health Choices services that they needed in Lehigh County and you start to get the picture.
ReplyDeleteIts a shame it has come to this so soon. This guy is clearly in over his head. County Council is right to watch and scrutinize every step he makes. Otherwise the place will devolve into chaos. I was an original Brownie supporter but feel duped. This guy is a clear train wreck with all of his appointments, actions and spending. Never thought I would say thank gawd for Mr. McClure in being able to watch over this stuff.
ReplyDeleteHow sad for Northampton County. Anywhere you go and get into a general discussion about Northampton, you hear the same negative comments about Brown. Incompetent, in over his head, doesn't have a clue, are some of the words used to discribe him. There are so many things he could do for positive press. He just doesn't have the 'where with all" to get it done.sad sad sad.
ReplyDeleteeach day becomes more discouraging with brown...he continues to make poor choices and is in way over his head. he is affecting everyone in the county employees and the taxpayers n a negative way he comes off as sneaky ..doing things to go around council and the employees backs , I personally don't feel he can't be trusted and it worries me greatly ... thank you for the post Bernie.
ReplyDeleteHis PR person just answered a text I sent a week ago. She was in Germany.
ReplyDeleteWhat's her phone #, I have a question I'd like to ask?
ReplyDeletenewsflash
ReplyDeleteBrown doesnt care what you are writing O'Hare
he's not a pandering puppy dog like ole Stoffa who curled up at your feet, cowering like a bad dog.
you are so starved for attention, that you have to write daily inflammatory blasts criticizing Brown, cause he doesnt cater to your mental defective problem of needing constant and non stop attention.
wow! what is john browns nose doing n the courts business? doesn't he have more pressing issues to concern himself with ? I can think of a few.... how about repairing the bridges ..finding funding for the county ..getting his own administration in order ...filling open positions all over the county in the offices,public works,gracedale etc... there are people placed in positions they are not qualified to even do and haven't any authority over certain personell? look into Bernie ...it's terrible just terrible and so very bad for employee morale!
ReplyDeleteBrown would not make any move with out his advise from his best bud Scumillio his new solicitor!!!!
ReplyDeleteBrown is listening to Mario Scavelli of the Poconos. Another tea-bagger who hates poor people. Scavelli will not win in Northampton county!
ReplyDeleteBelieve it's Scavello.
ReplyDeleteSolicitor Scumillio is a tea bagger too!!!!!!One of the biggest members of the republican party in Northampton County.How do you think he got that position? Brown and Scumiilio are like brothers.
ReplyDeleteSolicitor Scomillio is an attorney.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the Norco judges are getting kickbacks from those doing the drug and alcohol evaluations like the judges in Lackawanna. Makes sense to keep doing them. Brown may be uncovering the next big scandal. Voted for him and still believe he will do right for the taxpayers. The fluff will be eliminated in the County finally.
ReplyDeleteWhat a ridiculous and vicious thing to say. You accuse the judges of taking paybacks. no wonder you remain anonymous. But we all know who you are.
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting to find out if in fact the judges get a say in who does the evaluations. It should be entirely up to the Human Services people but do in fact the judges recommend?
ReplyDeleteThat is the question that should be asked. Even if the entire earlier statement of 10:44 was kind of teabaggerish.
The judges rely on Human Services for that and do not interfere. if you want to challenge the integrity of the court, you should sign your name.
ReplyDeleteIf the courts rely on Human Services, then why was the Director of Juvenile TOLD to hire Reading Specialists to administer treatment and now 3/4 of the referrals are to a foster home program which Reading Specialists has their teeth in. The Director obeyed his master and now is being rewarded with the Asst. Court Administrator job. To say the courts have no influence in who gets what contracts is absurb.
ReplyDeleteNow we're on reading specialists in juvenile probation? Give it a rest. And sign your name when you want to suggest something inappropriate with absolutely no facts.
ReplyDeleteWhat a ridiculous and vicious thing to say. You accuse the judges of taking paybacks. no wonder you remain anonymous. But we all know who you are.
ReplyDeleteThe dude said "maybe" and given his example, it's not that far fetched.
The article doesn't really make clear what these drug tests are or what they are used for. If a person gets a DUI, a judge really needs a test to tell if the person is a "danger"? What do they do if they find alcohol in his system? Sounds unnecessary and should be a case by case call.
And I'm a Democrat.
Is stephanie merlo related to maryesther merlo? If so, her appointment seems logical since maryesther merlo and alison frantz are married. So alison's appointment doesn't seem bizarre, as brown apparently is more conerned about having his yes people in political positions and wasting boatloads of tax payer money.
ReplyDeleteWhy would it be mandatory for DUI defendants to get a drug and alcohol screen? Of course they have an issue. Seems like a waste of taxpayer money to do it in every case.
ReplyDelete... cuz anonymous assholes know much more than judges who impose sentence.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure these brilliant judges send people busted for marijuana to be assessed, because you know, these judges have no fucking clue. Just lock them up. How many of our inmates were busted for marijuana - the most dangerous drug on the face of the earth?
ReplyDeleteAnd guess what? Unlike you, I don't put these judges on a pedestal. I can't believe some of the arrogance on display in the courtroom when I'm on jury duty.
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