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Tuesday, April 07, 2015

Despite Council's $150,000 Cut, Brown Pays PR Firm $7,000

When it adopted this year's Budget, Northampton County Council removed $150,000 from the Department of Administration. This was a reaction to Executive john Brown's penchant for using consultants. Over the past year, Council and Brown have sparred over his penchant to use consultants. His $75,500 contract with public relations consultant Sahl Communications and $58,000 for a series of contracts with cost control consultant C3 led Lamont McClure to propose "breaking this culture of consultant cronyism" by making it more difficult for the Executive to negotiate these contracts without Council approval. This amendment passed in a 5-4 vote. It was supported by all four democrats and Hayden Phillips. But it's not working. Brown has paid Sahl Communications $7,000 this year, He's shuffling money, and Ken Kraft has suggested it is from table games revenue.
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13 comments:

  1. AnonymousApril 7, 2015 at 12:17 AM

    Brown pleaded ignorance when Kraft asked him about pilfering table games to pay for his idiotic consultants. What a joke! His darling DCED director, who has been allowed to pad her staff while all other departments beg to fill positions, has conspired with Brown to move gaming revenues to his consultant slush fund. Kraft and Barron should follow that lead. This would be a blatant spit in the face of council's will to curb Brown's appetite for hiring useless consultants. Follow the money!

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  2. AnonymousApril 7, 2015 at 12:21 AM

    Lies, lies and more lies. Brown will never be trusted in public office, again. Too bad the County must endure him for another 2 1/2 years.

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  3. AnonymousApril 7, 2015 at 6:28 AM

    Where is the state on this? There are limits to these fund . Doesn't sound like this falls within those limits. Shouldn't Boscola, Scavello, Emrick, Hahn, McNeil, Samuelson, or Freeman step up and insist on state enforcement? Is he can't spend appropriately, take it away!

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  4. AnonymousApril 7, 2015 at 6:42 AM

    Elections have consequences. Council should have the balls to change the charter. Until then, stop whining.

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  5. AnonymousApril 7, 2015 at 7:07 AM

    3 commissioner form of government...eliminate the HRC...voter referendum...get rid of council and an executive

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  6. AnonymousApril 7, 2015 at 8:03 AM

    kraft won't be happy until the unions suck all the blood out of the citizens. keep up the good word, john.

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  7. AnonymousApril 7, 2015 at 8:15 AM

    In the meantime his real mentor is putting up red campaign signs trying to get elected as a Judge in this county! Slick VIC goes on as business as usual. Elections do have consequences and Brownstain is leaving quite a trail. If you don't vote don't bitch! You get the leftovers of Tea Party Whackos!

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  8. AnonymousApril 7, 2015 at 8:16 AM

    The County Executive must follow the rules set fourth in the Home Rule Charter SECTION 705. sub para (d) which gives him the right to transfer part or all of any unencumbered appropriation balance among programs within an agency.The monies must be within that specific agency. In this case it must be within the Administrations budget. He may not use funds from the casino. That would be a charter violation and he could "forfeit" his office for knowingly and willfully violating the "HOME RULE CHARTER". The County Controller should make sure the Executive did not violate the Charter.
    "

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  9. AnonymousApril 7, 2015 at 8:27 AM

    Brown learned and used this sleight of hand in Bangor to reduce taxes for 2 years running to make himself look good to the voters. Money paid to the boro from local utility companies to fix roads they tore up was not used for that purpose but put back in the general fund to pay other expenses. The roads were left to rot underneath the towns people. John Brown and Allen perfected this form of accounting and the paper trail is here.

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  10. AnonymousApril 7, 2015 at 9:16 AM

    What does your union statement have to do with Brown paying money to Sahl? Get back on your Medds Trish, your making an ass of yourself, again!

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  11. AnonymousApril 7, 2015 at 9:33 AM

    9:16,

    your lust is obvious

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  12. AnonymousApril 7, 2015 at 9:56 AM

    Yes, Brownie is running a shell game here. More the money around until it lands in his budget. Then spend it on his consultant cronies. He thinks county government is his own private carnival. Or perhaps circus - the Clown administration is fitting.

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  13. AnonymousApril 7, 2015 at 10:49 AM

    Maybe someone should ask the new Solicitor about the legality of the Captain of Industry/Fearless County Leader's actions. Of course he would have to borrow Scomillio's copy of the Home Rule Charter. Fortunately it is in mint condition from lack of use.

    A real teaser - what is worse the County Executive actions or the prospect of Scomillio dispensing justice.

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