If I've learned two things in my years as a blogger, it's that the flak is at its heaviest when I'm over the target. When it comes to 911, I'm over the target. We have a problem. It needs to be fixed before Bethlehem's 911 is combined with Northampton County. I have no confidence in the leadership there, as I previously indicated in a story about Executive John Brown's decision to pick Todd Weaver as EMS Director.
I'll be the first to agree that I'm no expert. But someone who is posted a comment yesterday. This person makes a lot of sense.
"I am commenting as anonymous (but I believe you know my identity for we have communicated in the past). Anonymous suits my purposes for now but the future is another reality. I have managed four 911 centers as part of a professional career. Using 911 call centers to report a malfunctioning traffic device is a "normal" occurrence. TV monitors in said centers is also "normal". They are used without sound and are only tuned to news or weather channels exclusively. No exceptions. The average dispatcher/call taker should be a highly trained employee constantly monitored and evaluated for performance. Not all employees are equal in skills but should not be judged simply because they work for the "government" as somehow inferior beings ..... That is grossly unfair. I am positive that there are good, competent employees at Norco 911. The problems at Northampton County are "cultural" in nature. The culture of Northampton County (whether the leadership is elected Democrat or Republican) is one of systemic patronage. The present management team that governs the County is by and large (but not exclusively) composed of political sycophants. I know for a fact that is the reality of the senior management of the 911 operation. That "reality" is at best dangerous, at worst potentially disastrous. I will not vote for the incumbent Executive but will his challenger do anything to change the "culture"? ....... I doubt it. There are ways to "fix" the problems of Northampton County. They are too numerous to mention here but the continuation of the practice of "vacancy factor manipulation" will lead to severe problems for our most vulnerable county residents. When it comes to the 911 operation there is a definitive "fix." The County should seek to obtain a CALEA certification of its 911 Center. CALEA is the Commission on Law Enforcement Administration. It is an independent organization that uses standards and tests for verifying professionalism of organizations and practices employed in public safety functions including separate certifications for 911 operations. It is much healthier to resolve problems than to complain about them. It is time for a change in Northampton County. It is "Failed government" archaic in function and a disservice to its residents as well as its employees."
12 comments:
Above is obviously Bob Mateff. Too bad he left the county for greener pastures, although his run for DJ was a flop.
I do not know but suspect it could be one of several competent and highly qualified people I know. Bob was widely considered NorCo's most capable career employee, or at least on the same level as Frank Flisser and Doran Hamman. It was a big mistake to let him go.
No he wasn't but don't let that get in the way of your hissy fit. He allowed the breakdown of hiring standards.
Someone stuck a fir3ecracker put O'Hare's ass on this one. Must have been his buddy hothead Fi8nnegan who mad eth call. You are over the top on this one.
My job takes me between Bethlehem and Nazareth several times each day. During the years, the traffic signals around #22 and the Shopping Center at the area of #191 have malfunctioned (quite frequently). You're right, the 911 Center does not want to receive these calls. Instead, I was directed to Bethlehem Township for their action. Bethlehem Township has been very receptive and the employees very cordial when reporting these lights malfunctioning and have always thanked me for my calls. This area has a high speed intersection (exit #22 and entrance #22) and is extremely dangerous as is most intersections controlled by traffic lights. The 911 center should take a lesson from the Bethlehem Township playbook and thank the people for their calls and pass the information about light malfunctions on to the proper authorities.
Just a small clarification, CALEA is the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. It started about 30 years ago accrediting LE agencies and then added accreditation for emergency communication centers, in partnership with APCO, which is the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials. Although CALEA is national/international, it is a non-governmental entity governed by an appointed (and unpaid) board of police chiefs, sheriffs, mayors, judges, etc. In this area, the Montgomery County 911 Center is CALEA accredited. For CALEA, see www.calea.org
In checking the Northampton County EMS web page, there is nothing that explains what are and what are not emergency calls. They do not even list the non emergency number. The only thing listed are the officials and their respective numbers.
What is vacancy factor manipulation?
Gaining certification is an excellent path. The process will naturally weed out the effort adverse who comprise all of your drama and other workplace issues. Those who oppose certification are the people who are adverse to expending energy. Yet they LOVE the paycheck and benefits.
There are great and hard working people in government. But there are also plenty of lazy loads who skate along knowing that it's nearly impossible to terminate them. Certification will aid in many ways. Good work Bernie.
I authored the above in red. No, my name is not Bob. I drafted the "observation" without checking my CALEA correct definition. My apologies . " Vacancy factor manipulation" is complex in its nature for it can be used for several purposes or outcomes. In Northampton County it is used to control expenditures. Simply put, Brown and his ungualified Chief Administrator are not filling positions that are vacant. This action reduces aggregate expenditures in the form of salaries and benefits. If you keep a large number of vacancies unfilled you generate a significant saving in those budget line items. That is how Brown is reducing expenditure and "balancing " the budget.It is a foolish and juvenile way to save taxpayer dollars. I have to admit that the "Culture" I spoke of that exists in Northampton County might make an incoming County Executive engage in this behavior. When you use patronage almost exclusively for decades you "Bloat" your workforce with numbers. Political Hack department heads war-cry is " I need more people". I believe that Northampton County suffers from this HR illness. Not filling vacancies is an ass- backwards methodology for resolving bloated staffing in County departments. Not all jobs are the same there is a large difference between a child protective custody caseworker and a corrections officer ( I am not attempting to diminish either's role). When you create too many vacancies for caseworkers ....... you place vulernable children's lives in danger and make caseloads unmanageable .When you do not fill corrections officer's positions you increase overtime pay ( assuming you are manning all your posts at the jail ...... short staffing jails is not just foolish . It is negligent. ) and can create long term dangerous environments. If your goal is to reduce County employment numbers ...... you need a well reasoned plan that takes many factors into account. You also need to verify the validity of overstaffing by department ( overstaffing may only exist in some departments or offices).
Most importantly you need to make sure you hire experienced and talented managers (regardless of party affiliation). Brown and Allen have no plan. Ergo, one of the reasons for slippage in ratings for Gracedale and unmanageable caseloads in Human Services. Just screw the elderly and those abused kids ( after all neither vote ). There are other ways to reduce County expenditures in the Human Resource category. What Northampton pays in Health Insurance Premiums is about 4 or 5 times the average. Shop it , negioate it, work with your employees to reduce it. There are also creative means to save health benefit dollars that smart companies and governments have been successfully employing for years. Once again the "Culture" of Northampton County stands in the path of problem solving. You have a disengaged, uninformed County Council and an unqualified unskilled executive. Bad combination ( and no I am not a liberal , I am a Republican, just ashamed of what Is not being. accomplished ). Once again, I don't see any plan being offered by either candidate and that tells me the "Culture" will continue until disasters occur or we are made aware of what has already occurred but has been hidden. Keep reporting Mr. O'Hare , the press has disappeared in the Lehigh Valley.
Brownstain/Allen-taxcheat did the same thing in Bangor. fire the police chief and don't replace him. Balance the budget on the the back of the police dept. crime increases and paperwork doesn't get done. What a maroon!
Health care for NorCo employees is shopped through An RFP. The Risk manager aka consultant on the payroll cut the program drastically when they decided not to have NorCo cover certain prescriptions-aka the prescriptions for meds that the majority of employees use, such as Nexium, Prevacid, etc. or ANY other med that is available OTC., to cut county costs. Sinful. In the meantime, go get your Viagra-no restrictions there. Might as well stock up while you can, but when it becomes the most popular script, it will most likely get cut too.
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