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| Cathy Allen |
Brown kept her on as a Deputy Administrator. He then named her Acting Director, and at a salary of $91,790, when Luis Campos abruptly resigned earlier this year.
That position only has a six-month life span.
As expected, Brown has nominated her again as Director of Administration, and at the same salary she currently earns. He notified Council of this appointment on November 10. Under a Northampton County law sponsored by Hayden Phillips and Bob Werner, nominations must be submitted at least seven working days before the next scheduled Personnel Committee. Council lacks the authority to take action until December.
In addition to the foreclosure, I previously told you that she was facing four tax liens.
Now it's five. A fifth tax lien was filed against her in July.
Here they are.
1) IRS v.Catherine Allen (Klages), 2008-FT-1338, filed 12/22/08, for $51,414.69 in unpaid income taxes (1040) in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.
2) IRS v.Catherine Allen (Klages), 2011-FT-3697, filed 4/25/11, for $6,060.33 in unpaid income taxes (1040) in 2007.
3) Pa. Dept of Revenue v. Catherine Allen-Klages, 2015-J-8690, filed 9/23/15, for $1,551.15, in unpaid personal income tax in 2008.
4) Pa. Dept of Revenue v. Catherine Allen-Klages, 2015-J-11366, filed 12/7/15, for $1,857.99, in unpaid personal income tax in 2010.
5) Pa. Dept of Revenue v. Catherine Allen-Klages,, 2016-J-6704, filed 7/29/16, in an unknown amount. (I will update this post later today with the exact amount).
That fifth tax lien was filed eight days after her appointment as Acting Administrator.
I believe it is irresponsible to appoint someone with these ongoing financial difficulties to the County's second most important executive position. Council has a fiduciary obligation to the taxpayers, not some political obligation to turn the County into an ATM for a fellow Republican.
In addition to the Allen nomination, Brown has notified Council that he wants them to confirm Tim Herrlinger as Director of Community and Economic Development, and at a salary of $83,718. In Herrlinger's case, Council may have no choice but to confirm. Phil Lauer has previously advised Council that Acting Directors become the real thing unless Council moves against them at the end of six months. ... I think. Herrlinger has been Acting Director for nine months.
Disgraceful. Has Brown no shame? Totally unqualified crony who is s tax cheat and expense account cheat. Allen is an embarrassment to county taxpayers who should be outraged that a totally unqualified candidate may be appointed to the top administration job. Brown took a beating in the recent statewide election and will be crushed next year if he runs again for CE with idiotic picks like Allen.
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ReplyDeleteHe deserves to have his picks confirmed. His predecessor had his picks confirmed and a coupler were questionable.
ReplyDeleteI guess that is why qualified people that are underpaid are not getting appropriate salaries --- so Cathy Allen can get her position. Brown has to get the money from somewhere to pay her. Another year of unfairness to the people making the County run. I wonder if he will pay our taxes with increases.
ReplyDeleteGood job on the article.
Women have no place in society anymore, what is he thinking?
ReplyDeleteLock her up! This shows the utter contempt Brown has for the taxpayers of Northampton County. With an election year coming in NC, [2017], we'll see who will back her on council. Anybody that does, will put a target on their back. Both of these ground-feeding weasels [Brown/Allen] should be sent back to Bangor by the end of 2017.
ReplyDeleteif County Council approves this then they are completely clueless and should be replaced. What a joke, Mr. Brown needs to work for Donald Trump.
ReplyDeleteHe would Be FIRED!
ReplyDelete"I believe it is irresponsible to appoint someone with these ongoing financial difficulties to the County's second most important executive position."
ReplyDeleteNormally, I would agree with you, but I believe that County Council will look at it another way and vote for her. My opinion is that Ms. Allen, whether we acknowledge it or not, has been the defacto County Administrator since the beginning of Brown's term. Even as Deputy Administrator, she was Brown's right hand. County Council will examine whether her job performance was in any way influenced or diminished by these ongoing financial difficulties. If her job performance was, then we would have known it from audits by an independent Controller. Since there are no apparent inconsistencies between her job performance and her personal financial difficulties, I believe County Council will approve her. Your argument may have had an influence upon her initial appointment, but not three years later. Other employees of the County have financial difficulties, but these difficulties do not diminish their job performance. But this is just my humble opinion. I could be wrong.
This is a bullshit excuse to do the wrong thing. Don't try to justify the blatant politics. The problem with someone who has financial difficulties is that one never really knows whether she is using her position in government to help herself out. And the Controller HAS found problems. It is the Controller who discovered that she was padding her expense account . It is the Controller who found she was illegally given a payraise. So exactly what you talk about has happened.
ReplyDeleteThis is the kind of bullshit that a Brown lackey like Seth Vaughn or Glenn Geissinger will mumble. Don't insult my readers with that kind of garbage. Save it for a meeting.
Sorry for posting on an unrelated topic, but my whole office is currently freaking out about the new hr policy that time must be used in not less than 1 hour increments. Can Any Trapp change this hr policy without approval from council or the personnel committee?
ReplyDeleteI believe so. Why are you freaking out?
ReplyDeleteBold strategy Brownie; Scofflaws are the new republican model for government. they are great, believe me, no one hires better scofflaws than I do.
ReplyDeleteI'm not too concerned because I have a lot of time. Others are because it means if you're 10 mins late due to traffic, inclement weather etc. you have to use a whole hour of personal time rather then just the 15 mins you'd have had to use before. Or if a school calls at 1:45 and you need to leave unexpectedly you have to stay until 2:30 and use 2 hours of time instead of leaving at 1:45 and using 2hrs and 45mins. It's just not a very employee-friendly policy.
ReplyDeleteHave you confirmed by asking this of those who are able to answer it?
Deletecouncil should pass a resolution that any cabinet position hire must to be up to date with all Federal, State and Local Taxes.
ReplyDeleteAlso it just sucks that we weren't given advanced notice of the change. I have scheduled doctor's appointments coming up that I was planning to leave half an hour or 15 minutes early for. Its too late to reschedule and now I'll have to leave an hour early to just sit around and wait for my appointment time.
ReplyDeleteKathy Allen has triumphed in life, the poison posse of trough slopping Bernice sycophants are out in full force when the dog whistle sounds. Trump's big win has the libtards frothing at the mouth snapping at the heels of their betters in a very juvenile manner. Kathy is a tough woman who smokes, drinks and swears all activities Bernice cannot handle in moderation.
ReplyDeleteRAT,
ReplyDeleteIf 5 tax liens are a triumph, what's she got planned for an encore?
A relevant question:
ReplyDeleteCan she be bonded? Most city-borough-township managers and "executives" are bonded.
If so, I have no problem with the appointment.
If not, the appointment shouldn't be approved.
Does she have nude photos of someone or somethin'? Sheesh.
ReplyDeleteI agree - if she can be bonded, that would be a layer of comfort.
Brown cannot function on any level without her. This was the same situation in Bangor. She is the brains..so to speak..of this county executive/administrator.. joint venture. She has the goods on him and has her claws deeply embedded in him. you have heard the term..monkey on your back? Well..this is the same thing. He is hooked and unable to function without her guidance.
ReplyDeleteThis is just hate by O'Hare. She has performed the duty of the job for three years. She has more experience now than others had in the past. Brown deserves his picks for a cabinet position.
ReplyDeleteCounty Council should approve this pick without being influenced by hate.
The fact that Allen has been able to function as acting administrator for many months means nothing. The divisions under her control are competent enough to function without any help from her. She has done nothing exceptional to qualify her for a position for which she is woefully unqualified for to begin with. A big factor is her integrity which outright SUCKS. She cannot be trusted to pay her taxes or be honest about her expense account. How in the world can she be trusted to uphold the county's policies and procedures when she does not respect them herself? Her permanent appointment would be a disaster. She cannot be trusted.
ReplyDeleteSome years ago county council passed a strong ethics and conflict of interest law. Yet Bernie O'Hare hero John Stoffa ignored the law and let one of his cabinet member stake a job with one of his contractors, in clear violation of thee law. O'Hare justifies it by saying county council agreed to break the law so it was OK.
ReplyDeleteSelective outrage is very cute but hardly praiseworthy. The county executive is playing by the rules and so should county council. Did any of you see what happened in the last electi8on? No more secret agendas. Time to do the right thing and not succumb to backroom deals and rumors.
You people don't know ALL the mistakes she has made.
ReplyDeleteEnlighten us 6:39...
ReplyDelete12:08, Directors of Administration are not bonded.
ReplyDeleteCounty council are a bunch of idiots. Each and everyone of them. If they were CEO's of a company would they hire her?? I don't think so. So why approve her? Political aspirations are not reasons to give a very important job in the county to someone that does not qualify let alone have the required education, experience. The current council are a joke if they approve her. They are suppose to look out for the residents of Northampton county and do what is right for the taxpayers and for their own reasons. Its a sad day when a taxpayer is not represented by those they elect.
ReplyDeleteUnfit for any level of government. Track record is abysmal but then again..who in their right mind would want this job under these conditions with a lame duck idiot like Brown? I have faith that this council will do the right thing. HA!
ReplyDeleteCathy and Brown cut 2 mill tax for Bangor now Bangor has to raise taxes or go broke next year . Nice job Brown and Allen
ReplyDeleteActually..it was a half mil roll back for two consecutive years leading up to Browns run for county executive but it still hurt the boro badly. Made himself look good at the expense of the people of Bangor and you wonder why he lost the vote count here. The guy is a schmuck.
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