NorCo Human Resources Director Amy Trapp has come under fire recently for excessive spending on things like gift cards for her pets, an $800 popcorn machine, trips by her staff to Las Vegas and New Orleans and using the county credit card, called a P-card, to buy lunches for her staffers taxpayer expense, even though they are eating at the courthouse and meals are only authorized when an employee is 50 miles away from the courthouse. Controller Steve Barron prepared a detailed memo outlining his concerns and suggesting that perhaps Council should approve all overnight travel when it is 100 or more miles away. Several Council members seemed to appreciate Barron's report, but Benol wants our Controller strung by his thumbs from the courthouse cupola, then drawn and quartered.
Two weeks ago, Trapp attempted to justify her spending at a Council meeting, with the complete support of Executive John Brown. Her husband, who looks like a reject from Duck Dynasty, accompanied her. I thought he was there for moral support but now think he was actually her driver. Wearing a band aid across her nose, she prefaced her remarks with the following: "I had an unfortunate run-in with someone who, not only ran into, but drove away from my car. The good news is that I get a new car, and I'm OK." Everyone felt sorry for her and wished her the best. Even I felt bad for her.
But I have since learned that Trapp only told part of the story. She has actually been charged as a result of that accident, both with changing lanes unsafely and driving without a valid license.
Maybe that's why she was trying out a hoverboard.
Though the citations issued to her explain her options quite clearly, she nevertheless felt she had to contact the court administrator's office to discuss those options. Though that office assured me it felt no pressure in any way from you, I believe it certainly looks as though she was fishing around for a favor.
This isn't Allentown, Amy.
I sought Trapp's side of the story, both by email and telephone call. Late this afternoon, she sat 10' from me at a meeting. She offered no explanation.
71 comments:
Why do you keep trolling this poor woman? Are you the National Enquire? Leave her alone. Get a life!
Why not write about the county primaries or something? How about how your buddy Angle did and why he will probably be dropping out of the general election?
This woman is a liar- this latest incident demonstrates that she has no integrity. She needs to be fired!
Wow. You really are a bottom feeder aren't you? Keep up the " in depth reporting".
Tax cheat administration. Non law abiding administration. How many more days for this administration?
I don't believe that Bernie is digging for her lack of integrity. She just puts it out there for all to see.
Any other County employee would be fired by HER. Oh, that's right, she writes the policies and procedures and then is ALLOWED to break them! She needs to go! If not sooner than at least at the end of the year.
Perhaps her invalid license is why she has to have a few of her employees going with her all the time and not being in the office.
People -- get out and vote. Guaranteed the employees will.
Here we have the grand enforcer of rules acting as though the rules don't apply to her. I was wondering this morning when Von Trapp would be back in the news. Good thing she wasn't operating a county vehicle without a valid drivers license, that may be grounds for termination.
Well what does Mr. Non-transparency say about this? The Brown/Allen/Trapp team at their best: Tax cheating and law evading. The sad thing about this, [look what democrats in Allentown did], uninformed voters, with no clue or intelligence, will reelect this half-wit and this trio will be around for another 4-years.
What is wrong with Council?????? She is stealing, what --- $110,000+ from the taxpayers with her ridiculously high salary for these antics. This is TAXPAYER money. Our taxes better not get increased!!!!!!
3:45 - obviously his advances have been spurned. Usually why he attacks - think he'd be used to it by now LOL
I love the strung up by the thumbs and drawn and quartered on a public venue, but maybe the reel criminalz should have this done to them. This could be a televized venue event and also live on the digital billboard broadcasting. Also pay per view would want in on the action and the income from such eventz would draw more revenue than any other venue propogated and perpatrated as public benifit.
Maybe she like fed ed and pat brown could also REcieve a snuka for the alleged crimez commited under the umbrella of Home Rule Home Schooled Charter Lawz? What can the public do when the criminalz are public officials and protected by the collectivity in the entire triboro area with the circus carnival shell trix of RElocating said workerz accros county linez?
The band aid had nothing to do with the accident. Maybe you should get the full story, o' king of half truths and bold faced lies.... she had cancer that required surgery. Do you even listen when people speak? I doubt it as you only hear what you want to hear anyway.
And what explanation does she owe you? Who are you to deserve explanation of anything, especially medical information?
Can we get the rest of the story on the license? Why was it invalid? Was it revoked, or was it not renewed before expiring? Either way, one should not be driving. But what is the real reason it wasn't valid?
@7:48 am aka Amy Trapp: Explain the license thing. Listening to your comments you never mentioned the cancer during the meeting. So either someone just leaked HIPPA information or you are still lying and trying to spin what's happening.
This woman don't owe you people an explanation. Was she in a county vehicle when the accident occurred? Was she on county time? And as for her medical issues that's none of your damn business. That's between her, her doctor and her family.
She put herself in the public's eye and remains there bc of her antics. DO YOUR JOB RIGHT and B.O. wont expose you!
Irresponsible behavior on her part. She should not have this Job. She making a lot of wrong decisions. John Brown better wake up or he will loose is job too.
Northampton County Voter
One post reads...why are we following this woman??? Well the tax payers pay her salary, and she is abusing her position. To think she over sees Grace Dale is a joke. No experience in the Health care field what so ever.
Northampton County Voter
I couldn't agree more. I hope I see her in the unemployment line where she so graciously put me
1. Why was her license suspended?
2. Has she been reimbursed with county money for mileage driven or for any rental cars driven while her license was suspended?
3. What is the county's liability when one of its employees who does not have a valid driver's license gets in an accident while on county business?
maybe she was charged with navigating a hoverboard while under the influence of popcorn . A new form of a DUI ? lol
1) I don't believe her license was suspended. I believe it was simply expired. Se wsnoy charged with driving while under suspension, which carries some harsh penalties.
2) I am unable to say bc I am unsure precisely when her license was expired.
3) While a county driver should have a license, the county's liability would remain in force.It is the responsibility of the county's insurer to make sure those licenses are valid.
"The band aid had nothing to do with the accident. Maybe you should get the full story, o' king of half truths and bold faced lies...."
That is why I emailed her. That is why I returned her call (only to get her voicemail). She sat 10' from me at yesterday's meeting and refused to address anything.
"Wow. You really are a bottom feeder aren't you?"
Pretty much.
"Can we get the rest of the story on the license? Why was it invalid? Was it revoked, or was it not renewed before expiring? Either way, one should not be driving. But what is the real reason it wasn't valid?"
My guess is she simply forgot to renew. That does not trouble me so much.What does is her contact with the court administrator,when her options are already spelled out quite clearly on the face of the citation. They felt no pressure, but her very contact in and of itself is an implied request.
A) it's HIPAA (health insurance portability and accountability act)
B) it's HIPAA protected if I were someone from her doctor's office that released a diagnosis, however, I'm not. Nor am I Amy Trapp... Just someone who has heard the series of unfortunate events between references accident and the presentation to council as she's been pretty open about them.
But...ALL accidents are preventable... According to the 3rd floor....smh
They all use the same offshore elegal betting answering system these dayz that has become common knowledge amoungtz thoze in the loop, bernie
I think we need a federal investigation into this matter.
Well O'Hare found a non-story to try and deflect from the county elections. he hates the results and is avoiding then like the plague.
Disagree with anon 3:53. Everyone believes Ron Angle will drop out of the race by August. People think Bernie will comment at the at point.
I agree with 1:28. Can you imagine the repercussions if this allegation is true? This could be a scandal of biblical proportions the likes of which we have never saw. Just imagine if its true, she would be the first and only person to ever try and get out of a ticket! She better be stopped or the world as we know it will be over, worse yet, other people will try and get out of tickets. And before you know it .... Anarchy!
Drama follows this woman wherever she goes- an unqualified person in a terrible administration. Brown, Allen, Trapp- sounds like the 3 stooges!
5:34, when a cabinet level official uses her connections to seek special treatment, that is corruption. Doesn't matter whether it's to get out of a minor traffic infraction or bid-rigging. She needs to go. That you would attempt to minimize this is a reflection on your own lack of ethics.
Why do so many posters criticize Bernie. If the two so called newspapers in the Valley LVR's purpose would go away.
People in public office should be held to at least the same standard as others. Driving with an expired license is a violation of the motor vehicle code.
Renew your license, please not guilty and throw yourself at the mercy of a district court.
The more people hate on Bernie the more his efforts are validated.
And besides, right now Von Trapp is mowing handfuls of chocolate wondering "why me?"
Because. You earned it.
How do you know she didn't do just that?
The comments critical of the blogger are from people who either have a crazy obsession with Bernie and feel the need to disagree with anything he says or are from Trapp, her husband or someone else in the administration.
Whatever she did, the fact remains that she felt compelled to contact court admin, which was improper on her part.
She may be an effin' jerk, but what sane person would chose to work in any level of government in the current environment? The disrespect often shown to good government professional employees drives those with high standards away from the field. The result is that political hacks and short term opportunists thrive.
I know numerous very competent government professionals who do their jobs well.
As a County employee....I have reached out to other departments and contacts I have to ask questions. Didn't mean I was looking to get someone to help me out of something. Do you have details of a conversation that she specifically asked for special favors? Just because someone calls doesn't mean they want special favors. If she asks the computer help desk how to fix something, is it an abuse of her power or could it be possible the woman just had a question? No matter what she does it will be twisted around. Start writing blog posts about every employee who has ever reached out to another department. Trust me it happens every day.
Amy Trapp no matter what you do it will be spun into something. It's getting old. By the way....thanks for improving the dental benefits. I didn't have to pay for a white filling today! Oh and thanks for the improved gym reimbursement...love getting that check for what I paid in. no one will mention the good you've done so I thought I'd point a few out. We aren't all angry and disgruntled at HR as some of these comments might lead you to believe!
"I know numerous very competent government professionals who do their jobs well."
Yeah, so do I. But there are fewer and fewer of them. From the City of Allentown, through Harrisburg and a number of other state capitals, to Trump's Washington. It gets far more difficult to be a competent professional long term government employee. Unless people like Charlie Dent or equivalent elected reasonable Democrats rise to positions where they can actually make a difference, nothing is going to change. I've been there and I know what I am talking about.
9:48, or should I say Amy?
You should do a better job of trying to pretend you are a regular county employee. You are obviously Trapp or one of her people. Sure it is common to reach out to other departments. Of course that happens all the time.But this isn't about those normal interactions, which are innocent. You don't reach out to court admin about a ticket. That was corrupt, not innocent. It doesn't matter whether anything is said. She (or should I say you?) was obviously hoping someone would do her a favor.
As I said in the body of my post, this is not Allentown.
And 9:48 was not Amy. But you can think that if you want. God forbid a County employee not come on here and bash her or her staff. Contrary to what you want to portray, not every county employee despises HR. I might not always agree with new policies bc let's face it people hate change. I was just trying to point out a few positives. Not everything that comes from the government center is bad. And if I did get a ticket and needed advice I'd certainly reach out to Court Admin. Jermaine Greene. He's a good guy. Has helped me in the past. I wouldn't think it was corrupt. Just my opinion which you don't agree with and that's fine.
It is quite ironic how a disbarred lawyer is preaching about ethics and legality. He posts lies and half truths and sweeps facts under the carpet. Such as the Las Vegas conference, what he failed to mention was one particular council person that said he travels extensively for his job and goes to conferences throughout the country and believe it or not Las Vegas is one of the cheapest destinations for conferences. O' Hare didn't report that because that doesn't fit his agenda. It seems to be that there is a new sherif in town and the inmates are no longer running the asylum. A quarter of this blog is O'Hare, another quarter is O'Hare as "anonymous" just to keep fanning the flames. He's a miserable human that tries to make others just as miserable.
Uh huh. You are either Amy or someone on her staff, and you have just sanctioned corrupt behavior. The court administrator serves the courts, not you, and it is entirely improper to ask him or anyone in that office how to respond to a citation. A person who does that should be immediately terminated, especially when it is the HR Director. It is actually a violation of the state Ethics Act. Next time you blow a few thousand on training, try reading it.
10:47, aka Amy, A person who is anonymous complains about anonymous comments and attacks my ethics. As it happens, I devoted a blog post to the defense of Trapp's spending.
https://lehighvalleyramblings.blogspot.com/2017/05/in-defense-of-trips-to-las-vegas.html
Just one point. All comments posted by me have my name attached to them. I do not post anonymously. Ever.
You know why he keeps posting about Amy? Because it gets him traffic. If you look at his other posts, very few garner the interaction that his posts involving Ms. Trapp garner. He may be a dumbass and an admitted "bottom feeder," but he's not stupid.... he's going to write about whatever gets him the most attention. Truth, half truth, no truth at all; he's like the enquirer and spews out "information" under the guise of fact and imaginary dotted line connections between things that have no connection just to get people to read his bullshit.
Next thing you know, she'll be having an illicit affair with Sasquatch.... maybe in Tiajuana!
While riding a hoverboard!!!!
"You know why he keeps posting about Amy? Because it gets him traffic."
Ok, but why? Because the county employees are sick of the hypocrisy and the taxpayers are sick of being fleeced.
I'm more curious as to why DOC Director Keen halted hiring corrections staff, while creating a new position, the job description of which is absolutely unobtainable by ANY county employee to laterally transfwr to. Keen told staff they'd "have to do more with less." He kept his word...and they try to...
I'm of course, referring to the government grant that's about to run out and they want to keep the ONLY person...the woman currently running the program....in that spot. The job description itself reads as if SHE wrote it herself....but i guess that's no one's business...
He is deflecting attention from Ron Angle's disastrous primary election results.
1:59 You've answered your own question. She did write it. This is just business as usual in Northampton County. They post positions to make it look good, but make no mistake they already know who will be appointed from day 1.
anon 3:33, It has always been that way for many. many years. sorry to burst your bubble.
@ 9:48 AM -- Don't get me started on "the good she done." The HARM she has done WAY OUT WAYS the very small about of good. If she done so much good, employees would be out here posting out good she is. What about the lower of health benefits, the policy changes to suit her, the spending of $800 of TAXPAYER money (Didn't see her handing it out to all employees when she made it for her staff and her.), what about trying to shove the finger punching down employees throats, etc. She USED TO walk around like "look at me, I'm better than you" attitude and how she doesn't even show her face. She cares about NO ONE BUT HERSELF and maybe her staff. An HR Director should not have a "DO AS I SAW, NOT AS I DO" attitude. Brown should have fired her along time ago before she continued on with the breaking of County policies (I guess that she will change them to suit her like the Safety Policy so she can ride her Hoover Board or the Code of Ethics so Bernie will not have anything to write about when she drives illegally.) Just wait until you break a policy -- she will see that you are gone. If Brown had any brains, he would have gotten rid of her. However that would show that another one of his appointments was terrible. So you make a negative and positive list and see which one is longer when it comes to her antics. You would think she would learn but she thinks she is untouchable. She should be setting an example but look at the example she is setting. And "yes" I will post anonymously, because she will see that any employee that writes the truth about her will be fired and I need my ridiculously pay for actually coming to work and doing the work of more than one.
@ 5:47 AM -- I apologize. In the last sentence, it should be ". . . my ridiculously low pay . . ." Furthermore, if I made the salary she does, I wouldn't care about the decrease in medical expenses because I would be able to afford the amount I need to payout.
It is in her job description that she needs to have and maintain a valid drivers license. Notice to John Brown- this woman wil cost you the election. Your most valuable assets, your county workforce, are fed up with this bullshit. She came in and demanded a ridiculous salary and has done nothing but cost this county money ever since, not to mention the embarrassment she is as a representative of the County. Don't forget we are just not employees, but also tax payers- so she literally should be working FOR us, not the other way around.
AMY
You are really screwed up. You answer anonymously on this blog and anyone can see through it. Yeah, Bernie is what he is but he openly admits his mistakes and short comings, and has paid a helluva price for those mistakes including disbarment. You could have asked one of your solicitors for legal advice, but instead, you go to the Court Administrator and ask for help from the Courts on your traffic violation. You wanted a fix not advice.
Sitting here drinking my morning coffee reading all these comments from disgruntled employees tells me one thing, Browns hiring of Trapp was a home run! You see there is nothing "We the people" love more than hearing whining government employees. Keep it up Snowflakes. The Deplorables are voting in November and the Brown administration won't be going anywhere. The silent majority is alive and well in Northampton county.
@7:20 how is it whining to expect a person in a position of authority to behave in a manner respective of their position? If by home run you mean that she has caused more harm than good and has created the disgruntled environment with her actions, then you are correct, but I'm fairly certain that is not in her job description. Otherwise, this one is a foul ball.
7:20, aka Amy Von Trapp - A HOME RUN?? Really? More like a poorly laid down bunt. She should be benched for her childish, irresponsible behavior.
@ 7:20 AM You simply stupid if you think that. If you take things away from employees and treat them like SH-T, the only thing you get is employees that will not work for you! Go back to college some more and learn how to get the most out of your employees. How that is right, first you need to show up and then you need to actual listen. But you are too good for that because you are a professor. The day you are gone can't come soon enough.
Bernie, did she show up for the County Council meeting or didn't she have a ride? If she wasn't there perhaps it was because Council might have taken the opportunity to ask her about her antics.
Yea, because council should question everyone that Bernie lies about in this two bit blog. Put the crack pipe down you fool.
"Bernie, did she show up for the County Council meeting or didn't she have a ride? If she wasn't there perhaps it was because Council might have taken the opportunity to ask her about her antics."
She was absent even though personnel decisions were on the agenda. She was present the previous day and a car was parked in her spot. Wonder if she had a license.
The remark at 11:03 is both vulgar and insulting to another commenter and to me. It sounds like Tricia Mezzacappa.
Bernie, it is your blog. You can take 11:04 PM off as you see fit. We all know the truth about her. Doesn't really matter. She doesn't know how to treat the County employees and the morale continues to decline. It will take a lot to get it up again.
Do not post vulgar comments about other people.
Bernie's blog matters. Attended a meeting last week and guess what? No gift cards were distributed. Bernie, keep up the good work.
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