Just last week, Controller Steve Barron sent Executive John Brown and Deputy Director of Administration Cathy Allen a memo, requesting that that they reimburse the Northampton County for about $1,500 in unjustified travel and meal expenses. He asked for a reply within five days, which I believe is today. Brown has already responded. Not with his checkbook or a memo. Instead, he has provided Allen with a County car. It's a 2012 or 2013 Ford Taurus, and it comes from Gracedale's fleet.
Gracedale does maintain a fleet of vehicles to (1) take residents on little day trips; (2) provide social work services; and (3) to pick up employees during snow emergencies. But Gracedale Administrator "D" Freeman does not like to see his budget tagged with the cost, and reportedly asked to reduce his fleet.
One vehicle is going to voter registration, although i understand it needs about $4,000 worth of repairs. Another, a minivan, is going to archives, so that office can shuffle records back and forth. The best vehicle, a relatively new Ford Taurus, is going to Allen.
When wiLl this insanity end? She has no right to a county car and is probably filling it up at county expense to commute to work every day. This is fraudulent use of county resources. Do these idiots have no conscience? Barron should file civil complaints to force payback of illegal travel expense reimbursements and improper use of a county vehicle. And Allen HAS to go. She is a disgusting menace to the county and a complete embarrassment.
ReplyDeletePlease tell me you're kidding...ugh!
ReplyDeleteEvery cabinet member should ask for a county vehicle.
ReplyDeleteBernie, as far as I know not even any Director of Human Services ever got or even asked for a county car. If anyone could justify it , they world be the ones.
ReplyDeleteIf they could juggle the various building locations, meetings and Gracedale, why does this person need one?
cool - bo has found a new woman to beat up
ReplyDeleteThis makes no sense at all! These fools have no clue or they just dont care. With moral at its lowest they just keep adding salt on the wounds.
ReplyDeletewhat an outrage! it's a slap in the face to every taxpayer and employee ! the nerve of these people I am so disgusted with this administration , john brown was elected to ruin lives he has hurt so many and he continues to rub salt in our wounds , while some of us can't afford gas , he provides not only a car to cathy allen but a vehicle ,gas and insurance we are paying for get rid of them this is a clear abuse of power!
ReplyDelete*not elected to ruin lives
ReplyDeletewhat world do these people live in ? county council better start doing their jobs and call them out on this latest arrogant action!
ReplyDeleteBangor's gift that just keeps on giving..day after day after day..
ReplyDeleteThats great to hear....she can use it to travel to lunch on the county dime and not worry about it. Since the sheriffs do it why not every department.
ReplyDeletewhat is wrong with this administration? they continually slap the employees and taxpayers in the face , what can be done to these phonies and frauds making fools of us all?
ReplyDelete". Since the sheriffs do it why not every department."
ReplyDeleteThis is misinformation. Sheriffs assigned to work in the courthouse do not leave in county cares to have lunch. Sheriffs who are out serving writs of execution and levying n cars do stop for lunch, on their own dime.
Pressure will have to come from this council and the controller. Constant pressure! Eventually the noise from the public will be deafeningly loud. Censure and condemn them.
ReplyDeleteIsn't there some way to Impeach this piece of crap county executive & his cronies?? He wants to keep taking more & more from the county employees , hand out employee info like s.s. #'s , eat lunch & gas money on the counties dime , raise taxes & now he's giving Gracedale's vehicles away & one of his cronies gets to use the new one....wth is going on here??? Seriously they need to go! If it were anyone else they'd be in jail for less than what this guy has done already!
ReplyDeleteThis is why Norco and Lehigh need to get rid of Home Rule Charters and go back to a 3 Commisioner form of government. County council has no real power, and it is being displayed every time Allen and Brown get away with another money grab.
ReplyDeleteWOW the shit just keeps getting deeper and deeper. Why would she need a county car to travel back and forth, she makes three times what the little guys at the courthouse makes. Can they all get a car too and have the repairs, insurance, and oh yeah the gas paid for? This administration is crap and bringing down the county. We are a laughing stalk of the state. Karma will one day come back around!
ReplyDeletemost county employees are just jealous wannabees. never happy always crying about what others have. try earning it. this woe is me stuff is getting really old
ReplyDeleteHelluva job, Brownie!
ReplyDeleteAnd helluva job Republicans! You've got a winner!
This a totally improper if not illegal use of a county vehicle. If Gracedale no longer needed the Taurus it should have been sold. God knows they need the money. And not gas is being pissed away for Allen's commutes. Just sickening. In three years these crooks will be thrown out. Until then county voters must suffer the consequences of electing Brown stain and his crooked cronies.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the car is being used for daily commutes.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who uses a county vehicle is not allowed to bring it home for any reason. It has always been the rule. How much do you want to bet that this pos takes it home every day. I can't take this blatant abuse of power any more. This is sickening.
DeleteCouncil can enact a vehicle policy that outlines criteria for the use of a county car, with accountability for mileage and trips made.
ReplyDeleteDon't be naive Bernie. Why else would she be given a county car? She would be entitled to mileage from the courthouse, her headquarters to Gracedale or other locations and back. Why would she bother switching cars when she can earn mileage? Where is the car parked at the end of the day? In the private space Brown has generously given her? Then where does she put her personal car when she arrives at the courthouse? You may be right, but I suspect she uses it for her everyday commute.
ReplyDeletePut a GPS in the car so her usage is recorded.
ReplyDeleteSeems Mr.Brown solved the vehicle use expenses issue.Just give Her a taxpayer owned car.
ReplyDeletewhy doesn't brownie give her free housing while he's at it!
ReplyDeletejealousy is a terrible sin
ReplyDeleteAnother feather/turd in the cap of the public relations firm Brown hired.
ReplyDeletePublic relations? Public distain more like it..
ReplyDeleteBrown just gave a solid "Fuck You" to Barron and the taxpayers of Northampton County. Yet they will vote for him again because he's against raising taxes.
ReplyDeleteHow about a report of what exactly she does all day? Sounds like she is doing his job of going offsite while he hides in the office. Clowns!
ReplyDeleteThe voters get what they asked for. Brown is arrogant and not ready for prime time.
ReplyDeleteNot even the executive gets a county car for personal use. This is an outrage!!!!
ReplyDeleteI do not believe it is for personal use. I presume it is for official business.
ReplyDeleteWhen you demand your government be run like a business, this is what you get.
ReplyDeleteSo how does one differentiate between official business and personal use?
ReplyDeleteThe only transportation Cathy Allen should be provided with is a one way bus ticket back to Bangor.
ReplyDeleteA paddy wagon ride will do...
ReplyDeleteBullshit Bernie. Sheriff sergeants assigned to the Courthouse routinely take vehicles for lunch and to run personal errands. The civil sergeant and house sergeant (along with his flunkie chuey) are the biggest culprits.
ReplyDeleteAnd what is the problem with a deputy sheriff going to lunch in a sheriff's vehicle? Apples to oranges, Ms. Allen.
ReplyDeleteCathy Allen spends her time at Gracedale, not in Court House. Why?
ReplyDeleteI wonder what other gifts they've given themselves on the taxpayer dimw
ReplyDeleteFreeman is in Allen's back pocket. He has been sucking up to her for months. He is afraid Brownpants might kill the Premier contract. That is why he praised Allen when she was shot down for county administrator. She probably eats lunch for free there. Anything to rob the taxpayers of the country.
ReplyDelete@817am. Was thinking the same thing today
ReplyDeleteSo far the count appears to be Sam Bennet, Tricia Mezzacappa, Karen Dolan and now Kathy Allen. How many more women have Bernie O'Hare tried to destroy.
ReplyDeleteSeems to have a problem with young women.
"Tricia Mezzacappa"
ReplyDeleteexcept that's not a young woman. hell, last time i saw it, i thought it used to be a dude.
ReplyDeleteALL of the above named females did themselves in. blame Bernie all you want but the truth emerged about all of them and was confirmed in court and in the legit press. Bernie is an equal opp. exposer of fraud and greed.
Watch dog barks no matter what the intruder is biologically.
ReplyDeleteDo Woman still get a free pass ?
ReplyDeleteGlad to see Bernie's poison posse of woman haters is alive and well.
ReplyDeleteTricia..take your meds and pay Bernie his judgement!
ReplyDeleteWhat color is the car? I'll drive by and see if it is parked at her house..
ReplyDeleteDo me a favor and don't do that. She is entitled top some privacy, and there are others who make those checks and who can explain it to the police. So far as i know, Allen's use of the vehicle is not personal.
ReplyDeleteIF the employee is expected to be "on call", they should be allowed to take a company vehicle home. No matter what, they should not be allowed to use the car to make personal trips.
ReplyDeleteVOR