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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Monday, November 30, 2015

Cathy Allen Payraise Scheduled For Review

On Friday, I told you that NorCo Executive John Brown's most trusted adviser, Deputy Administrator Cathy Allen, is herself facing a home foreclosure and three tax liens. Thus news comes at a bad time for her. This Wednesday, as part of its budget process, Council is scheduled to consider the propriety of raises that Brown may have illegally given to Allen and 12 other county employees.

These workers were provided raises without getting clearance from Council, which Council Solicitor Phil Lauer advised was necessary. In order to avoid a messy lawsuit in which no one wins, Council decided to review these raises when it adopts the budget.

So far as I know, most of these raises, even if granted improperly, are entirely justified. But one stands out. That's when John Brown responded to Council's rejection of Allen as Administrator by increasing her salary from $57,460 to $65,603, and then to $68,554.93, with no authority from Council.

It is entirely possible that Council will vote to negate that raise. It could try to defund the position completely, but since this is one of the "exempt" positions who serve at the pleasure of the Executive, my guess is such a move would never hold up.

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

Allen's raise should absolutely be rescinded. It was an inside deal that was unwarranted. Brown was just trying to reward a crony who is a tax cheat. She meddled with other jobs that she was unqualified to perform. And that is the lame justification Brown will use.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I believe Council would be justified in rescinding the wage hike. Given her recent history of a foreclosure and three liens, she has become a liability to Brown, not an asset. He is running for auditor general and one of his top people can't manage her own finances.

Anonymous said...

Too bad John Bt2won didn't hire Alicia Karner, then you would be praising him. We love your moral relativism. It plays well.

Anonymous said...

I don't think Karner is a tax-cheat. I don't think Karner has not paid her mortgage.And I know Karner's house isn't the eye-sore, falling down mess, that is Cathy Allen!

Oh, and Karner knows what she's doing. 10 cathy Allens=1/2 A Karner

Bernie O'Hare said...

1:17, in addition to being jealous of Gregory's ex and calling her Lolita, you are also jealous of Alicia Karner, who is young and attractive while you are getting uglier by the day. When you trash these people, you just make yourself uglier. Another six per cent day for me! Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Even when Barron wanted raises for some of his auditors he presented it to council for their approval. And his justification was spot on. He was hiring highly educated, skilled professionals with accounting degrees that were in high demand in the industry. Brown gives two raises to a poorly-educated, HS grad with NO administrative experience who would have a hard time getting hired as a fry cook at Burger King. Big difference.

Anonymous said...

That picture is not very flattering. Although the subject matter is poor.

Anonymous said...

She should run for the the executive position when brown stain's term is up.

Anonymous said...

Allen is a train wreck who should be shown the door out. She is not even worth half her inflated salary. The raises are an insult to the hundreds of county workers who play by the rules and are lucky to get a 3% increase in a good year.

Anonymous said...

It would be good to see records of ALL county employees facing liens and official judgments. From judges to janitors, let's call them all out.

Anonymous said...

Who is the nitwit trying to cover for Allen? She is a deadbeat and tax cheat. Guaranteed there is no one at that high a salary working for the county with her financial indiscretions. Guaranteed!

Anonymous said...

In the Express Times Brown continues to defend his crooked crony Allen. Speaks volumes for Brown's character as we.. You can certainly judge someone by the company he/she keeps. Brown himself has NO integrity if he continues to defend his tax cheat pal.

Anonymous said...

As well...

Anonymous said...

Kudos to you for breaking the story on Allen's incredibly irresponsible treatment of her finances and obligations, Bernie. The dailies are trying to catch up, but you beat the pants off them once again.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

@7:09PM All you have to do is come here and post your toilet "humor"? Allen looks like you will in another 5 years - not a pretty thought, don't you agree? Have some cocoa with your vodka - it's cold outside.

Bernie O'Hare said...

7:09, aka Tricia Mezzacappa, you really need to stop commenting about how other women look bc you're no prize. The past few years have not been kind to you.

Anonymous said...

Hopefully todays Brown vote of confidence will turn into the kiss of death for this woman. At some point..he will have to drop her.

Anonymous said...

Bad PR for a candidate running for State political office..Auditor General? HA!

Bernie O'Hare said...

By publicly endorsing Allen, Brown has assured that his Auditor General campaign is DOA. Watch party boys look for someone else.

Anonymous said...

Your morbid obsession with this woman will have no bearing on John Brown's future. You really think anyone other than your patrons and poison posse even cares what you think?
Another woman victimized by the poison pen pal of Nazareth.

Anonymous said...

Her "friends" up county here in Bangor are laughing their asses off. Thank you John Brown for taking her with you.........happy trails to you......... until we meet again...... Bankruptcy Court? Courtroom # 1? IRS office? Unemployment Office?

Anonymous said...

You are wrong Bernie. County Council can and should eliminate the position. John Brown can appoint her to any exempt position that presently exists, however Council must approve the position. If Council does not fund the position and they "eliminate the position" Allen must go.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I worry about this sanction bc it could invade the power of the Exec.

Anonymous said...

Your morbid obsession with this woman will have no bearing on John Brown's future. You really think anyone other than your patrons and poison posse even cares what you think?
Another woman victimized by the poison pen pal of Nazareth.

Ah yes, the skank of West Easton's pie hole opens, and the usual bile spills out.

Get a clue, sweetie. Bernie is scooping the local press right and left. They post articles on much of what he does 2 or 3 days later. The vast majority of readers here value Bernie's work for the residents of the Lehigh Valley. You don't, and nobody gives a shit except you and your fellow two or three Bernie haters, who contribute nothing at all.

Anonymous said...

Brown will fight tooth and nail for his darling Allen. They are joined at the hip. He needs her to function as his "bad cop", a role she relishes. But in the end she is a liability to his administration. Not that it matters since Brown has no plans to run for re-election. It is obvious he is getting bored with the job. In his arrogance, Brown thought he could run county government like his own personal business. That included "perks" for his personal favorites. He is defying the "Peter Principle" by now setting his sights on statewide office. But as Bernie has stated, his candidacy for state AG is DOA as long as he continues to defend Allen in public.

Anonymous said...

As the jobless, clueless, and friendless disbarred asshole writes "articles" for free from his Naz hellhole, all others members of society and press are attending to their jobs, families and lives.

Job, family and life are words and concepts that are non-existent to a hateful, lonely, spiteful serial fraud who refuses to function in a civilized society.

The lack of a dick and a set of balls contribute to his seething hatred, but are only part of his generalized jealousy and uncontrolled rage toward anyone remotely successful. His small handful of readers ? SMall!

Bernie O'Hare said...

I am far from jobless, clueless or friendless. My law license was suspended in 1985 for ethical misconduct related to my alcoholism. That's no secret. I am attending to my job, family and life. Much of my writing is a public service during a time when print media is failing and the newspapers are struggling to cover things. If this bothers you so much, read something else.

Mezzacappa always gives herself away with her comments about penis size and her accusations of jealousy. She calls me a "hateful, lonely, spiteful serial fraud," and spends most of her day attacking me. What does that say about her? At LVL, she uses the following false identities: Sparticus, tictactoe, matteodefault, blueberries, Porcine Princess, truth seeker, oneblockdown, Dinnertime1967, brewberries, Hectorwide12, touch2000, yforever, brianparson, brudgejaxtonsr, traintrack2016, Lehigh valley lives, better call Saul, fireball1950, jared2250 and marcusbr400. Using these false names, she has repeatedly defamed me.

This is bc I dared expose her for what she is when she first ran for office.

I'd do it again.

Anonymous said...

Wow O'Hare, thats a long list of online monikers you claim to know...like the person's real identity. Have you got some type of GPS tool from LVL that tells you who all these names are? Or is it just another part of your daily false attribution habit that you do on a regular basis on this blog? Or perhaps any person who has something to say, that you dont' t like....just like I have written here before, and have been falsely accused of being your 5 year heartbreak obsession that you cant keep off your blog for a single solitary day....get a grip!...sounds like a possessed psycho keeping some kind of log from LVL...and BTW, I am on that list, but we can save it for your subpeopna, why you go balling to the courts in your bi-annual docket sale.

Anonymous said...

Yea!! Food fight!!

Thought the topic was tax cheat Allen. Funny how it evolves to an attack on Bernie's character. A diversion tactic from Brown the Clown admirers.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"BTW, I am on that list,"

No doubt you are. You are every one of those names, Mezzacappa.

Anonymous said...

At least Kathy Allen has a home as opposed to a 10 by 10 dump without running water. Maybe you should attend to your own life before chastising others

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah. She has a home as long as it takes for the banks to foreclose and she gets tossed on the street. Or she may get lucky with a free room at the Greybar Hotel.

Anonymous said...

Place the documents on scribe.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I will not be placing the documents on scribd bc i do not want to release Allen's home address.

Anonymous said...

The address was already revealed by LVL in their article. It is a matter of public record.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Then ask LVL to post the foreclosure and liens. I will not do so.

Anonymous said...

Isn't it morally unethical to give a raise to someone just in order to help them. Isn't obvious that Mr. Brown gave Ms. Allen this secret raise because she needed the extra $$. I find it deplorable that he did this. He should be impeached.