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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Jim Hunter is Staying at NorCo

Jim Hunter is currently NorCo Exec John Brown's Director of Fiscal Affairs. He distinguished himself there as brutally honest, yet accessible and affable. Yet as a former athlete, Jim understands better than most that Executive Lamont McClure is entitled to his own team once he assumes office.

But Hunter is staying. Not as Director of Fiscal Affairs, but in a position where he will be able to order attorneys around and demand that they be in three places at once.

That's because Judge Emil Giordano has hired Hunter as a tipstaff. Jim's salary will drop precipitously, but he will get full medical benefits.

Hunter brought his grandson to work yesterday. This young man just happens to be the ball boy for Easton High School's boys varsity basketball team. He was proudly wearing a badge that Northampton County sheriffs gave him. He said his favorite person is his Poppy.

"If you could do anything you wanted, what would it be?" I asked.

"Play basketball," he answered without hesitation.

His father, Ben Childs, is the coach at Easton, and  has turned the team around. They are young, and in two years, will be the team to beat.

Childs is Hunter's son-in-law, so Jim goes to all the games. But he is secretly a Central Catholic High School fan.

In an effort to get Hunter fired before he starts, something I've never done before, I relayed all this information to Judge Giordano. He's a huge Bethlehem Catholic fan, where his 19' tall son Caden plays both baseball and basketball. 

But the Judge had already done a background check and is hiring Hunter anyway. "I've decided to overlook this obvious flaw," said Giordano.

Hunter incidentally lives in Pen Argyl. If you ever visit that slate belt oasis, you may notice a peculiar odor. It's not coming from the landfill. It just means Hunter is home.             

Who's replacing Hunter? It's no secret that McClure intends to nominate Steve Barron, the County's current Controller, as the finance maven. If confirmed, Barron's salary will increase substantially from the current $65,000 per year. Hunter is currently paid $93,000.

Barron is a graduate of Freedom High School, where he claims to have played football  I understand he is now an accomplished Irish dancer, and plans to perform Riverdance when McClure is sworn in.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

A spy for . Snover and the Brown team in exile?

Bernie O'Hare said...

Drop it, you partisan hack.

Anonymous said...

McClure needs to buy a new shirt and tie.

Anonymous said...

Won't any of them just go away.....

Anonymous said...

blood suckers. It's the Norco good ole boy way

Anonymous said...

He learned well after a suckle on the taxpayers teat......So he stays to suckle from the health care one...
To bad that a young college educated in Criminal Justice or like career path was not given that opportunity instead of a man with a finance background. Just not right. Show you how great Hunter must be to not have a pile of offers from prospective employers...

Anonymous said...

you guys wouldn't know a "cushy" job if one fell on top of you. It is a priviledge to feed and burp a County Judge. They don't need all those "tip staff" running around bumping into each other seeing which judge needs burping cause of a tummyache. You only work twodays a week and sometimes you even get to chauffer a judge around.

Anonymous said...

Popcorn!!!!

Bernie O'Hare said...

"To bad that a young college educated in Criminal Justice or like career path was not given that opportunity instead of a man with a finance background. Just not right."

It's "too," not "to." If you want to slam someone, best not to look like an idiot while doing it. This position typically goes to someone who is a bit older. Also, judges have complete and total say in who they appoint. They are independently elected officials. I applaud Judge Giordano on this choice. Jim Hunter is a great person, and all these petty attacks are simply bc he is on the wrong team. I remember when people from both parties used to get along. The attitude from the winning Democrats on the county level is as disgisting as the attitude of the winning Rs on the national and state level.

Anonymous said...

"I remember when people from both parties used to get along." And that is my Christmas wish, the all of us, you, me everyone start to get along. We haven't been getting along lately and it is sad. Bernie, I'll make the commitment to do that, I hope and pray everyone does.

Anonymous said...

"The attitude from the winning Democrats on the county level is as disgisting as the attitude of the winning Rs on the national and state level." How?????

Bernie O'Hare said...

If you have to ask, I can't help you. It is rank partisanship,and us v. them attirude. We are not Democrats or Republicans. We are Americans. Yet you slam a Marine colonel who always vvoted his conscience and a very nice gentleman who will be working for the courts. That us pure partisanship. It sickens me, and I will be calling it out.

sezary said...

Bernie, please post video of Steve Barron Irish dancing at the upcoming ceremony. I hope he dresses the part as well.

Anonymous said...

Bernie...Does Barron step down as Controller then? Isn't the controller an elected position? Seems crummy he would do that to the taxpayers who voted for him?

Bernie O'Hare said...

He steps down as controller if confirmed.

Anonymous said...

Who will pick the controller? Who will be asking to be appointed?

Bernie O'Hare said...

A vacancy in the office of Controller would be appointed by Council. I understand that, right after the election, Peter Melan had already told several Council members he wants the job. This should be denied to him. He is obviously only interested in himself, did nothing in the Council race, and expects to be rewarded.

Anonymous said...

So Bernie, its okay to discriminate cause he is a "nice guy" and NOT qualified in an area of study that has anything to do with the courts. Is Jim Hunter so poor in performance that he cannot get a job in the financial sector after having been our director?

Bernie O'Hare said...

Don't be ridiculous. There is no area of study to being a tipstaff. You help a judge monitor his caseload. You shuffle people in and out. Being a nice guy should make that job easier to do. What a mean-spirited comment. You should be ashamed of yourself.