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Thursday, December 15, 2016

No Back Up Documents on NorCo Council Agenda

Earlier this year, Northampton County Council agreed informally to start adding back-up documents to its meeting agendas in an online format. This has been the practice in Bethlehem and Allentown for years, and was recently started in Bethlehem Township. This enables the people to see more clearly what their elected public servants are doing  It makes government more transparent. But in the agenda for today's Council meeting, no back-up documents are included.

Today's agenda includes the millage rate ordinance for next year, which should contain no surprise. But Council is also supposed to consider a resolution concerning the Director of Emergency Services.

Has Executive John Brown finally appointed someone to a position that has been vacant since May 2015? Or is Council calling on him to hire someone before the county blows away when the next hurricane hits?

I'm unable to tell you because the Council Clerk failed to add these simple back-up documents. I understand we are all too human and that office might be understaffed at the moment. I am hoping this is an anomaly, as opposed to a step backwards into darkness.
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3 comments:

  1. AnonymousDecember 15, 2016 at 6:01 AM

    "Understaffed" -- get serious. Maybe the Clerk that gets paid way too much (~$90K) should do her job.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousDecember 15, 2016 at 7:06 AM

    Doesn't Linda have the same number of support staff that Frank had? She is ultimately responsible that documents accompany agenda items on line.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousDecember 15, 2016 at 7:20 AM

    When the executive decided to put in a last second promotion for anybody, the office scrambles and has to do the entire agenda over again. This is why you have no backup. And this is why that appointment should be voted down until January personnel meeting.

    I think council passed an ordinance on how much advanced notice members of council get to vet an appointee

    ReplyDelete

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