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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Monday, April 13, 2015

Registration Drive Kicks Off at Gracedale

Lamont McClure calls Gracedale "sacred ground"
One of the things that really bothered me when I was circulating a nomination petition this year is the number of employees who just don't vote. These people, more than anyone, have borne the brunt of Executive John Brown's misguided tenure as county executive. They are the ones who have seen their wages shrink as their health care benefits are taken away. They are the ones who work without a contract. They are the ones who gave back $2.5 million per year, in negotiated benefits, to keep Gracedale in County hands. They are the ones who are working short-staffed for an executive who actually hopes more of them quit do he can pretend he's saving money. They are the ones who should be at every polling place this Spring and November. On Saturday, AFSCME started a registration drive with a small rally, attended by about thirty people, at Gracedale. The fear that Gracedale might still be sold echoed from speaker to speaker, though nobody has advocated its sale since a referendum in which voters decided to keep the home.

Peg Ferrarowants reimbursements increased.
I was an advocate of Gracedale's sale. I also happen to believe in democracy. Some have very stridently argued for its sale on this blog, but always do so anonymously.

Among those at Saturday's gathering were Council members Mat Benol, Peg Ferraro, Ken Kraft, Lamont McClure and Hayden Phillips. Controller Steve Barron was present. Abe Kassis, one of three judicial candidates, was also present for the brief gathering.

McClure, as usual, minced no words. He called Gracedale a gift from the Moravians to care for those in need, making it "sacred ground," kinda' like an old Indian burial mound. In reality, the Moravians sold what they called Gnadenthal to the county. They got $90 an acre, too, which was pretty good back in 1833. But McClure was on one hell of a roll, so I did not have the heart to correct him.

Steve Barron
Barron pointed out that employees have an opportunity to vote for their CEO, their directors and their auditor. He, like me, is genuinely puzzled that workers don't vote.

The he called Gracedale a gift from the Moravians, too.

Mat Benol told the audience he knows of no Council member who is "against" Gracedale.

Peg Ferraro, who urged people to vote either Democrat or Republican, laid the blame for Gracedale's continuing financial woes on the doors of state legislators and Governor Wolf. The problem is the reimbursement rate paid for residents, which is not keeping pace with expenses. Though the census at Gracedale is maxed out, the nursing home will continue to lose money unless the reimbursement rates increase.

According to Steve Barron, the actual county contribution to Gracedale last year was $2.8 million. If that is borne out by the independent audit, as Barron suggested, that's far less money than was budgeted as a County contribution. But even Gracedale supporters would agree that something needs to be done to fix that reimbursement rate. Amazingly, a for-profit nursing home gets a higher reimbursement rate, in what seems to be an unspoken desire to push counties away from nursing homes.

(From left to right: Abe Kassis, Ken Kraft and Steve Barron. I wore a Kraft sweatshirt, which gave me diplomatic immunity. I also brought a fierce attack dog in case the Fake Rev tried to "love me to death".).

John Brown, whose own spotty voting record makes him a lousy voter registration poster boy, was a no show. But he spent his spy, Cathy Allen.

Maybe she'll get another raise.

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a choice . Brown or McClure. That is like going from the frying pan into the fire.

They are both terrible.

Anonymous said...

McClure is just a pandering pol. He has a track record of saying what the mob wants to hear. To bad his work ethic doesn't match his mouth.

Anonymous said...

When you have a rally such as this, you should get someone that has a long history of voting. Didn't you have a story about Seyfried not missing an election in 50 years. He was a lousy politician but if I recall you said he never missed out on voting. Let's see....ex-union official, never missed an election in 50 years, former elected official. Now there is your poster boy.

Anonymous said...

oh cry me a river for the poor useless union pukes - useless in many ways, but especially useless because they don't vote.

Maybe they don't vote because they can't read.

Anonymous said...

Voters spoke. Gracedale stays, regardless if it bleeds us dry. Gracedale is why we can't have nice things. More taxes. More cutbacks. More give backs. Gracedale stays.

Anonymous said...

6:44,

perfect example of voting with emotion instead of common sense

Anonymous said...

6:21:

Excellent point!!

Anonymous said...

Peg blames the state? She should accept responsibility for her votes. The reimbursement rules are as the were as she continued to vote for something unsustainable. Now, she's dodging her personal responsibility and blaming others - again. She's why people hate politicians.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Your comment is illogical. The reimbursement rate is why public nursing himes fail and private ones do not. They are set up to fail. If the public wants that to change, it is time for pressure on state reps. Peg is absolutely right on this point.

Bernie O'Hare said...

5:41, Both Jerry AND his wife have voted straight for 50 years, which is quite an accomplishment.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"To bad his work ethic doesn't match his mouth."

But I'll bet he knows the difference between "to" and "too."

Anonymous said...

If Barron thought wearing black would make him look slimmer he was sadly mistaken.

Anonymous said...

"They are the ones who have seen their wages shrink as their health care benefits are taken away. They are the ones who work without a contract." "They" are not the only ones! What about the rest of us?! This is happening all over to so many tax payers in Northampton County and around the country. County workers do not deserve special treatment, sorry. The rest of us are also trying to feed our families, and struggle to keep up with ever increasing utilities bills and higher taxes while receiving 0% salary increases.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Because you are hurting, You are suggesting everyone should hurt. What you should be seeking is that public sector employees be a model to which private employers should try to rise. it is time to stop this lowest common denominator type of thinking, which will only make you worse off.

Bill Coker said...

The bottom line is that Gracedale will have to sold at some point in the future. When it not only continues to operate and give improved care (meaning no disrespect to today's staff, they do the best they can with what they have), people will realize how much money could have been put to other uses over the years. Too bad the vote was based on "Saving Gracedale) when it was never meant to be closed.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Bill, you are the only sale advocate I know willing to ID yourself.

Anonymous said...

HOKIE JOE SAYS;
All of you writing on this BLOG are making good sense. This BLOG was about voting and getting registered to vote. It doesn't matter a hill of beans what a non registered voter thinks about John Brown, It doesn't mean a hill of beans if he thinks his taxes are too high or Gracedale should be sold. It doesn't matter at all what he thinks about preserving open space, it doesn't matter what he feels about the casino money or any of his elected officials. He shouldn't bitch about government in general or any issue that raises his taxes so the government can give more money to the lazy asses who bleed the system while he busts his butt working to provide a living for his family. If I would have been at the rally at Gracedale to get people registered to vote my message is a very simple one. You don't count nor does your opinion because YOU DON"T VOTE. You can't make a difference on any of these issues because YOU DON"T VOTE. You don't vote so you don't express your opinion where it matters the most, AT THE BALLOT BOX.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Well said, Hokie joe.

Black3car said...

I don't understand why people don't vote. It's free, it's easy and it gives you the right to bitch for the next four years!

Anonymous said...

"it is time for pressure on state reps"

Good luck with that. Poor folk in a government nursing home don't contribute to their campaigns. Pat Browne can make his boyhood pal Reilly filthy rich by changing the fiscal code while nursing homes in both counties lose money because of a change in the welfare code. Enjoy the hockey. Oh and the Flyers suck too.

Anonymous said...

Gracedale should be sold but who will champion that? Council? NO.Brown? NO. Gracedale has become the third rail of county politics. Untouchable. Provides hundreds of union jobs. has a grass roots juggernaut that could be activated at any time. County is stuck with this white elephant. Keep upping taxes in the future or cut other vital county services to prop up this monolith. Stoffa had it right to sell Gracedale when it was still a desirable private enterprise. That ship has sailed. Norco taxpayers have made a choice to retain the black hole. Might as well move all county operations except the courts to the Gracedale campus. That is Norco's new seat of government anyway.

Anonymous said...

Blogger Bernie O'Hare said...
"Because you are hurting, You are suggesting everyone should hurt. What you should be seeking is that public sector employees be a model to which private employers should try to rise. it is time to stop this lowest common denominator type of thinking, which will only make you worse off."
Sorry, this comment makes no sense to me. I don't want to see others hurt, you have totally twisted the meaning. How can public sector employees be a model to private employers? We are all paying taxes. Why are public sector employees a privileged class? So you mean if they make more and are treated better than the rest of us, private employers are going to increase salaries and benefits and take a loss in profit earnings to do so? How ludicrous! Private employers need to earn a profit in order to stay in business. Is this news to you? Do you not realize that the public sector is financed by tax payers, and the private sector is run on profits?

Bernie O'Hare said...

You're not thinking.

When Joe Schmo factory sees the county or the city cut wages or benefots to public workers, that gives him the justification to do it to his own. Before long, every employer is like WalMart or Amazon.

My point is that the poublic employer should be a model that provate employers emulate. He should pay a living wage and create a friendly work environment, and go after employers who do not.

You are arguing for the lowest common denominator.

Anonymous said...

Blogger Bernie O'Hare said...
"You're not thinking." I understand your thinking a little bit better, however, I don't see it as reality. In a perfect world, maybe. In reality, ain't going to happen.

Anonymous said...

this is just a blog dedicated to union pukes. get with the program and vote r so we can end this silly give me shit

Anonymous said...

Really give me shit? How about a decent wage for a days work! Try working and you might have a different perspecitve.

Peter J.Cochran said...

My Bitch is that Lafayette College students are allowed to line up and vote here . When we were in the service we had to apply for absentee ballots ,these kids are voting here and not residents and should have to apply in Connecticut or New York where they came from.

Matt Miles said...

"Amazingly, a for-profit nursing home gets a higher reimbursement rate, in what seems to be an unspoken desire to push counties away from nursing homes. "

What sorts of lobby groups are behind privatization? Which pols are getting campaign support from them? Follow the money.

Bernie O'Hare said...

That thought went they my mind, but I believe the Feds and State want counties out of nursing homes bc they believe people do better in their own homes.

Matt Miles said...

So do the health insurance companies, Bernie. Guess who got $1300 from Highmark? Marcia Hahn. Julie Harhart received $3350 from Highmark. They've also donated to Scavello and Schlossberg. I'm glad to see my co-pays are going to a company doling out money to candidates I never voted for.





Matt Miles said...

A company claiming to be a not-for-profit, too.

Anonymous said...

I am a retired union member. I worked at Bethlehem Steel for more than 30 years so I could get a pension. Unions didn't drive Bethlehem Steel under. Mismanagement drove B.S. to ruin and self destruction. How comes United States Steel and other large steel companies are still in business and making huge profits? The union wages allowed me to educate my children (college)and live in a house with a nice yard and a dog. They also allowed me to invest in a 401K which I did. My wife worked and saved her money too. Today, being retired, we have a joint household income in excess of $100,000.00. My B.S. pension is only 998 dollars a month. My 401K, social security, and my wife's 401K and social security provide the rest of the income.Any one of you non union pukes could have done the same thing I did (save your money for 40 years) but I'm willing to bet you spent your money on drugs, beer, and alcohol. You probably had a new car whether you needed it or not and never saved a nickel in your life. You are probably also a poor excuse for a human being. So my message to you asshole is get a life and eat your friggin heart out on this blog because I love it. Jealousy, jealousy, jealousy.

Anonymous said...

Vote or shut up and deal with it. That is the bottom line. Gracedale employee's need to be leading the voter registration parade. Why? Because their livelyhoods depend on continued county support of that facility into the future. Without their votes..en masse.the place goes away. Wake up and vote for your bosses or suffer the consequences.

Anonymous said...

Nursing Home care on the scale it exists cannot be done in someone home. That is the logic of idiots who know nothing of real elder care issues.

Anonymous said...

What the hell are you talking about? There are more resources for elder care in the home than ever before. Why not use our limited resources to help the elderly spend the waning moments of their lives in the dignity of their own homes than in some institution sharing a bedroom and bathroom with three strangers? All that money wasted on Gracedale could have been made available for AAA services for our senior citizens. Instead, it is just being pissed down the drain to support a union shop.