Local Government TV

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Brown's HR Chief Approved By NorCo Council

Tracie Barnes
After running through a gauntlet of questions in two separate hearings, Tracie Barnes has been confirmed as Northampton County's new Human Resources Director. By a vote of 8-1-1, with Bob Werner voting No and Glenn Geissinger voting "Present," County Council approved this last-minute nomination at a starting salary of $88,100 at their . Executive John Brown, who was absent from the January 22 meeting, had only provided three days notice of his choice,

Barnes has 21 years of human relations experience in municipal government, both at the County and City levels. Her weakness, and one she readily admitted, is that she has no experience negotiating with unions.

"I expect you might get some," observed Lamont McClure, advising her to "buy a heavy coat."

Though she had already answered McClure, Mat Benol asked her the same question about unions, to which she provided the same answer.

Glenn Geissinger stated he was "greatly concerned" whether Barnes would be up to the challenge of a 2,200-person workforce, most of whom are represented by 11 different unions. She responded that she would provide a "fresh set of eyes" and "neutrality."

"I want to take the time I spent in school and give it back to the community where I work," she argued.

Though he's normally the contrarian, McClure told Geissinger that Barnes is the most qualified person to date that Brown has nominated to his cabinet, with the possible exception of Sheriff David Dalrymple, a former Major in the New Jersey State Police.  He described Barnes as someone who is moving up in her career. He added that, unlike some of Brown's other cabinet choices, "this one has actual experience in governing."

The reason Werner voted No, he later explained, is the short notice of the nomination provided to Council. "Council needs to be appraised of things sooner," he observed, noting that nominations come in at the last minute.

In a signal that Republicans on Council are beginning to distance themselves from the Executive, Republicans Hayden Phillips and Glenn Geissinger agreed with Werner.  "I'm going to vote No to any nomination that comes to County Council that does not go to the Personnel Committee.," he vowed.

After some discussion, Werner stated he would draft an ordinance.

18 comments:

  1. Hopefully she can restore some professionalism and order to that department. Now it is just a bunch of patronage gift jobs.

    Good for John Brown and county council starting to change the culture of the county.

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  2. Years ago, the Director of Administrations's salary was raised approximately ten thousand dollars and the reason given was "the DOA was now going to negotiate Union Contracts". Take a look at the Job Descriptions. If the Human Services Director is going to negotiate Union Contracts, then take the money away from the DOA.

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  3. 2,200 person workforce and we are paying the highest ranking Human Resources person to manage ONLY $88,000 dollars a year??? That is amazingly bad. A comparative company or government would have this salary at least $135,000.00. The old adage of pennywise pound foolish comes to mind with NORCO. Whoever fills this type of position should be able to be qualified as an "expert" in the field. Too much at stake to just put someone in this job because they are somewhat qualified. IMHO

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  4. Which is worse? Brown for hiring this trainee or council for voting for her?

    The unions, as well as kraft, will have a field day here.

    11 unions are licking their lips as hr goes to on the job training mode.

    They must have taken a lesson from bethlum. exactly what they mismanaged a year ago

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  5. 6:20 AM - If you think her salary is bad, you should see the salaries of the people that actually do the work (not including Peg Ferraro's daughter) and keep the County running. If you raise her salary, you better raise the employees that do the work. If not, you think you have a mass retirement now. Another screw up by Brown!!!!!

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  6. John Brownpants finally gets one right. Even a blind squirrel finds an occasional acorn.

    Batting average so far .133, well below the Mendoza Line. And Brownie also got another Express/Times Turkey award.

    Can we get a betting line on Browneye repeating as "Turkey of the Year"? 2-1?

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  7. "McClure told Geissinger that Barnes is the most qualified person to date that Brown has nominated to his cabinet"

    This was McClure's little way of saying Brown is clueless. In other words, this woman isn't qualified, and nobody else that has been appointed is either.

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  8. Why do you hate women so much and beat up on them all the time?

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  9. Read Brown's interview in the MC. He thinks he is a peacock, not a turkey. More like an ostrich with his head in the sand.

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  10. "Why do you hate women so much and beat up on them all the time?"

    Why do you hate Bernie so much? This article is a factual summary of what transpired - go watch the video.

    This article just reports the news. If you don't like Bernie, go somewhere else. Flinging senseless allegations at him is just masturbation. Do that in private, please.

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  11. I was offered a one-on-one interview and said No. Since he routinely ignores requests for information, I regard his reaching out for an interview as an attempt at spin. And that's exactly what he tried to do with Assad, although I think he failed.

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  12. "Why do you hate women so much and beat up on them all the time?"

    I am unaware that I beat up on this woman in any way, and her sex happens to be irrelevant. If you must know, I found her to be quite personable. Althiough nobody likes the HR Director ever, I think she will be pretty good.

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  13. Bernie, isn't it traditional for the CE to host a "State of the County" event early in the year? Brown had one last year at NCC. It was well attended and was open to the press. Has one been scheduled for this year?

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  14. It may be scheduled, but word is not out yet, at least not to me.

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  15. I am not a HR person but I have had contact with bad ones in he past. This is what I have to say. The PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM should attempt to achieve some sort of personnel stability within the ranks of each union and staff . This means fostering cohesion and teamwork and retaining folks that care for --That's CARE FOR,in the propitiatory sense each issue they have to confront.

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  16. Bernie ,YOU NEVER beat anybody up ! Physically , but maybe emotionally . After all, the body is controlled at the brain stem , and sometimes you lead by example- and other times they follow by their balls. NOW I don't pretend to know anything but, I can tell you after being in 20 countries and serving in three branches of Military Service after 31 years --I don't take any shit from knuckleheads. I say the hiring process at county needs improvement , and that the tax payers miss some good employee prospects because they think they need to know somebody to get a job !COUNTERPRODUCTIVE- Well , for the record NO relatives of James Hemstreet exist on county payrolls.

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  17. Sorry Bernie , I posted that last as ANON . -

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