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| Todd Weaver |
Weaver, who had been earning $76,351.81 per year, will now see a $91,051 salary. At the beginning of next year, Weaver's wages will shoot up another three percent to $93,782. Thanks to Northampton County Council, a county employee in possible violation of the state ethics act will see his wages increase by $17,431, or 23%, in just two weeks.
Council's agenda for yesterday's meeting was only published on December 14, the day before the meeting. It indicated that Council would consider a "Director of Emergency Management Services Resolution," but no further detail was provided. The resolution itself was never attached to the agenda, in effect keeping the public in the dark.
It took a call to the Council Clerk's office to discover that Executive John Brown had just appointed Weaver as Director of Emergency Services, and was seeking a significant increase in salary for him. It took just a few more calls to learn that Weaver is in possible violation of the state ethics act.
Every year, Northampton County spends about $100,000 for training in emergency services. That's the result of a contract with Northampton County Fire School. Though Executive John Brown enters into the contract, it is the Director of Emergency Services who approves the invoices. Since May 2, 2015, that person has been Todd Weaver. He had been Acting Director after Bob Mateff's departure for the state. On Wednesday, he agreed to become the permanent Director.
Here's the problem. Todd's father, former NorCo Council member Rick Weaver, is the Director of the fire school. He's also an instructor, as is Todd Weaver himself. For the past 18 months, Weaver has been approving invoices submitted by his father. He may have even been approving his own invoices.
This is a conflict of interest in violation of the state ethics act.
Our state legislature has said that "public office is a public trust and that any effort to realize personal financial gain through public office other than compensation provided by law is a violation of that trust." When he approved payments to his father and possibly himself, Weaver violated that public trust.
According to the state ethics act, a “conflict” or “conflict of interest” occurs whenever a public employee uses the authority of his office for the private pecuniary benefit of himself, a member of his immediate family or a business with which he or a member of his immediate family is associated. Weaver has been using the authority of his office to approve payments to his father and to a business with which he is associated. He may even be approving payments to himself.
NorCo Controller Steve Barron waved this red flag to Council yesterday. He suggested a brief delay in the appointment so he could further investigate. In the minutes that he had to review the records, he found invoices to Weaver's father that had been approved, although he found none to Todd himself.
The Controller was thanked and politely ignored.
Executive John Brown said there is no conflict because he approved the contract. Brown is dead wrong. Weaver approves the invoices, not Brown, and that is where the conflict occurs.
This conflict has never been publicly disclosed.
Brown, who has failed to fill the Director of Emergency Services slot for 18 months, is suddenly in a rush.
Council, which is supposed to provide a check and balance against an over-reaching Executive, has instead has become a willing participant in an ethics act violation.
The two Democrats have joined the bandwagon. Bob Werner is weighing a race for County Exec and is unwilling to alienate the Weaver clan. Ken Kraft is letting Brown walk all over him, hoping that he'll get a few union jobs for a jail expansion that may be a decade away.
The Council member who seemed genuinely concerned was Hayden Phillips. But he voted for Weaver's raise, too.
It is just two years ago that former Bethlehem City Council member Karen Dolan was forced to resign for using her public office to benefit a nonprofit in which she was involved. Contrary to what John Brown or Northampton County Council may think, the state ethics act applies to county employees, too.
27 comments:
Honor and integrity going out the window!
Excellent reporting, Bernie. And more of the same from our horrible government under Brownie. One more year till we kick his arse to the curb.
Right now I'd say Brown is the favorite. The Express Times no longer covers council, and the WFMZ story is accented on the absence of a COLA for retirees. The Morning Call might provide a little more coverage, but it will be just one story in which Brown pretends that there is no conflict.
What kills me is that the two Ds on Council were all too willing to go along with what certainly seems like an Ethics Act violation. The least they could have done is delay the vote for two weeks to see exactly what is happening. The only Council member who appeared to be concerned by what Barron disclosed is Hayden Phillips, a Republican. This Council and Brown also kept you in the dark about this last-minute appointment and a rather big raise. This is NOT transparent government.
The only way things change is if voters are informed and come out to vote. With a disastrous website, it appears that the Brown administration and Council are intent on making sure the public knows nothing.
You think this is bad? Look into the hiring practices out there and see how that has gone. Why bother giving exams since they only hire insiders.
Once again the County Executive is playing favorites!!!! He is giving higher level positions HUGE raises and the peons who actually do the work VERY LITTLE!!!! Get rid of him, Allen (promotion with huge increase,and Trapp (HUGE SALARY AND NEVER IN)!!!!!
Isn't that around the salary of the CLERK TO COUNTY COUNCIL? Isn't that position basically the secretary (take minutes, research, come in late and leave early) to Council? Shame on you Council!
So what else is new....this council time and time again has defied logic and has continued to do what they want to do no matter the consequences. No surprise here !
The Weaver's are just two more of the local "Brownstains" to come out of the cesspool of the Bangor area.
Doesn't surprise me one minute to read this about the Weaver's...... Ask around up north you will hear a lot of stories out of the WTFC and Washington Township about the "Weaver's".
And as for the job he is doing.... "leave it to Weaver".... like the TV show of the 50's....its a mess..... The new county executive will send all the Brownstains- Allen, Weaver etc.. back to the cess pit they came from..... Must be terrible being used worst then toilet paper by Mr. Brown to get where you are isn't it Todd and Rick?
Mr. O'Hare, contact the State Ethics Commission. You understand the process. They will have a field day with this. Perhaps you can join forces with Mr. Barron.
Try calling those in the know and see if this is a wise appointment. Interesting to see who they appoint as #2. Bet it's the Bethlehem Fire Chief who is retiring.
8:36, I may, but I don't see them do much of anything in the Lehigh Valley. I can only recall one instance in the last ten years in which they actually went after someone. They are better known for going after the complainants for talking about their complaints, even though they are stepping on the First Amendment and the courts have admonished them.
@9:39,
That's the hot rumor right now, although the original scuttlebutt was that Bob N. was going to be appointed the #1 spot.
Weaver is a power control jerk whose personality issues have kept progress in providing the communication services. He should shown the door.
Once again, the entire council should be vilified for the hiring, the raise and the non-transparent action on their behalf. It seems that no-brains Brown and council are both on the same page of the political playbook. I have advocated for Brown's removal [through the election process], however, council must be removed [in its entirety] too. These useless, dysfunctional, parasites need to be sent packing!
When you have a infestation of insects at your home, you eradicate them ASAP. The same goes here; NC taxpayers deserve better government then these putrid bugs!
I've heard that the Republican County Council primary is going to be contested next year. Maybe it's time to "drain the swamp"???
Kraft looks bored up there.
Not his finest moment.
Ethics not part of the Brown administration.
5:58, I did not notice your shot at Trapp until now. Except when she is on vacation, Trapp is one of the county's hardest workers. When she is not in her office, it's bc she is in one of the departments.
Maybe if they had given Bob the same raise, he would have stayed.
Was there a Job Posting for this position. That's a lot of money how would this young man be qualified for this action .
1) An attempt to blame Stoffa for this has been deleted and I will continue to delete that troll.
2)7:55, This is a career service position,not an exempt or cabinet position. So yes, it would have been posted internally. I believe it was.
@ 5:17 - Bernie with all due respect, you don't work with her. She is not always at another site working. When she is working, her meetings are a party along with being at the last minute.
When you go up to see if someone is in that office to talk with, the door is filmed over or a sign on it most of the day. You can't even tell if there is a light on.
It is obvious that you will always defend her but you are not in the trenches.
Stop attacking Mr. Brown. His actions with Mr. Weaver are not without precedent. Apparently, Mr. Stoffa gave hos Director of Admisntration a huge multiple step raise within in his first year. check it out.
Most county executives are ego maniacs that love to do what they want and construct monuments of one sort or another to themselves. They live for rubber stamp councils. Most council people tend to be dopes.
False. Hired at Step 3 at the onset of employment with Council approval and the same annual step increases afterwards as other employees. Please tell me your real name so that I can sue your ass.
Weaver not doing his job..Emergency plans in the boro's not being explained to the public. Bangor's EMC has not held a public meeting in three years since being named to the towns EMC position and he is also a council member too boot. God forbid we have a disaster similar to hurricaine Sandy that nearly wiped us out. NorCo is a mess and public safety be damned.
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