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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Wednesday, January 07, 2015

Civil Division Staffing Shortage At Crisis Level

One of county government's most basic functions is to index and maintain recrords filed in civil and criminal matters. It's how you can prove you own that house you want to sell, or that you don't have some judgment against you like some credit agency insists. It's about as basic as it gets. But after one year of NorCo Exec John Brown, this basic government service is in shambles,

Records there are not being indexed for at least six weeks, thanks to the loss of four deputies and other workers. Brown has refused to fill these vacancies. The result is that important civil pleadings are sitting around unfiled, until there is time to index them. In the meantime, no one can really know for sure what is going on in any case over the past six weeks.

As if that were not bad enough, Civil Division employees are being besieged by an unprecedented number of passport applications. These are very time-consuming, and take the Clerks away from their other work.

When Brown was sworn into office, he said he was here to serve. I suggest he start doing so.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Where is the court on this?

Anonymous said...

Passports? Oh my God!
Brown is causing mass emigration out of the county and the country. Oh the humanity!!!

Anonymous said...

The court is asleep at the wheel. Mr. brown has no concept on what each county office actually does. Aside from brown and scomillio attending retirement parties throughout county offices , no one has a clue .

Anonymous said...

You folks either voted for these people or you stayed home. You get the government you deserve.

Anonymous said...

I agree 3:56 but did anyone really know it would be this bad? Are there any good choices anymore?

Anonymous said...

Soon every division will end up like the civil division and jail.

Anonymous said...

this is what idiot brown wanted. he didn't hurt the people who retired- they are now being paid not to work while getting a cheaper medical plan than the active employees. The employees that are left work without raises and a shitty medical plan and short-staffed. Welcome to the new America!

Anonymous said...

when it's all said and done with the mass retirements, I bet brownie is saving the county very little money... what a short sighted man.

Anonymous said...

Not a surprise. Another department without leadership. How about filling the Director of Court Services position?

Anonymous said...

more whining from so called workers and their puppet master

Bernie O'Hare said...

"The court is asleep at the wheel. "

I can assure you the courts are by no means sleeping.

Anonymous said...

This problem is very real. Not only are they short staffed, the most senior staff has retired or transferred to another department in the last year. While the new staff are nice, they are not very knowledgeable yet.

Anonymous said...

8:26 more whining from a do nothing internet troll. get a job.

Anonymous said...

Why hasn't Baratta squawked about this travesty? Weren't the courts going to take those divisions over? After Brownpants insulted the PJ in recent correspondence why has Baratta issued a court order to fill those positions?

Bernie O'Hare said...

I am unaware that Brown insulted President Judge Baratta in recent correspondence. If you have such evidence, please share it. The plan was to have turned over the Clerk of Courts, Orphans Court and Civil Division to Court Administration. I have no idea what Brown is doing, but that is the statewide trend as well.

Anonymous said...

Obama could clean up this mess.

Anonymous said...

Bernie, you reported that he failed to refer to Baratta as "Honorable." That is a faux pas if not an insult.

Anonymous said...

I doubt that JB will save any money on positions. He will save $ on medical because staff will not be able to afford to go to the doctors. This same problem is now occurring with everyones insurance and hopefully Congress will do something about it! Obama care was a nice idea but it is not working out. All it did was give employers a reason to down grade coverage for their employees. Very sad, we need universal medical like the Canadian system.