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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Friday, May 22, 2020

I Must Be Doing Something Right!

Billy "Billybytes" Givens and yours truly,
shortly before Billy's untimely passing
Last night, Northampton County Council conducted its meeting in Courtroom No. 1 so everyone could stay 40' from each other. Eight out of nine masked members were there, with Peg Ferraro being the sole absentee. She has quarantined herself in Florida. It was a meeting that should have lasted 30 minutes tops, but President Ron Heckman made sure it dragged on for 2 1/2 hours. It seems the less Council has to do, the longer their meetings last. I was watching from my estate atop the Army Navy store in Nazareth. I've only been at the courthouse once since March 19. Yet I was portrayed as an enemy of the people by an entitled Human Services caseworker outraged that she actually has to do her job. I was also slammed by Council President Ron Heckman, who stated he and his colleagues pretty much ignore me. When I have elitist caseworkers AND an elected official condemning me, I know one thing. I must be doing something right.

I've written a few stories about the sad plight of Human Services caseworkers who have been ordered to return to the centralized human services building instead of pretending to work from home. Human Services Director Sue Wandalowski devised a detailed plan to minimize their risk of infection. Her plan was so good that it was circulated statewide. But these supposed public servants hated the idea of returning. They emailed Council members, spoke at the last Council meeting and tried to get the press on their side. Steve Cantanese, President of the local SEIU, told The Morning Call that McClure's insistence that they return to the office is "one of the most blatant disregards for workers in public safety that we've seen."

Yeah, it's right up there with the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in 1911.

While Human Services staffers were bitching, Northampton County's COs at the jail quietly rescued an inmate who had tried to end his life. They and Gracedale workers have been the real heroes during this pandemic. Unlike the social workers, they have experienced actual cases of Covid-19 within their ranks.

Last night, caseworkers were once again before Council, and threatened to return at every meeting until they get satisfaction.

Kazzy Johnson, their shop steward, said that it's too risky to work at the centralized human services building. She complained "this Council [and] the public was served with untruths by our administrators, some of the media and by a blogger whose only goal was to disparage us and to spread hate and lies about us to the community."

My goal then and now was to tell the truth, and that's what I did. If they were working from home, they'd still be there. If she wishes to be disparaged, I could oblige.

Now Council has no intention of doing a damn thing. This is a labor issue, and if they inject themselves, the County could end up on the wrong side of an unfair labor practice accusation. Kazzy's words were nevertheless music to the ears of Council members.

I've been even more critical of them than the caseworkers. And they deserve it. I've spared no one. They are, after all, elected officials who should expect a certain amount of scrutiny. But they hate it as much as Donald Trump dislikes being called out. So President Ron Heckman used Kazzy to take a shot at me.

"I know one thing I am allowed to say, and that is ... I wouldn't worry ... regarding any blogger because I doubt if anybody on Council takes a specific blogger that seriously. All you have to do is read what some bloggers write about us. We'll hear you, we'll hear the administration, management, but I wouldn't take - if you're gonna' talk about a blogger, you don't even have to bother. That's not an issue for us."

Oh yes it is. When a Council member was poised to take a job as Finance Director, I was taken seriously when I pointed out his own checkered financial history. When a former County Administrator had a slew of tax liens, that became an issue. When I reported that a former Human Resources Director spent money on $700 popcorn machines and trips to Vegas, that became an issue. When a former Executive got caught by yours truly in lies about building a new jail on Gracedale's campus, that became an issue. When a current member of Council was sanctioned by a County judge for "perjury" in a custody dispute, that became an issue. When two union reps on the current Council tried to screw a group of county workers simply because they left a union, that became an issue. When GPA's former Solicitor tried to stick the County with hundreds of thousands of dollars in inflated legal fees, that became an issue. When I reported that some Gracedale nurses let a resident's pressure wound fester for over a month without changing the bandage, that became an issue.

I'll agree I'm unpopular with the Brahmins. My role, like the late and great blogging pioneer BillyBytes, is to expose those who "hold themselves up as models of probity but are venal, be they officials such as mayors and school board members, political parties, or the mainstream media."

As I said, I must be doing something right.

On Monday, I'll tell you about the rest of the meeting.

Blogger's Note: For the past few days, two trolls have attempted unsuccessfully to hijack this blog. I can delete them in seconds, but have to be online. It is unfair to you to subject you to spam comments, so I will be enabling comment moderation when I am not online.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Democrats fight a union. NEVER. Guess the kids need to suffer while adults are afraid to do their jobs. Funny, other county employees are working in much more dangerous positions. SHAMEFUL AND PITIFUL. Imaging if the medical people would do the same?

Anonymous said...

Bernie, how is that lunatic getting through with his manic posts? The guy is obsessed with you and belongs in a rubber room in the puzzle factory.

New Pol said...

The union asked Lamont McClure and Northampton County management for the evidence they cited that the workers were not working at home. None was provided even though McClure said that's why they wanted them back in the human services building. You cannot deny that putting the workers in close proximity to one another is dangerous, no matter what precautions Wandalowski said. If the reason was work not being done, then provide evidence of that. The state is encouraging telework, especially in red counties such as Northampton. There is no reason why the county should put these workers in a building when a stay-at-home order is in effect for the county. If they have proof the work is not being done, show it.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Lol. I have that effect on people. It's a gift.

Anonymous said...

Human Services workers have a spacious, modern building to work in that cost the county around $20 million. Free parking. Generous work spaces and amenities. Social distancing shouldn't be a problem. Take temps, wear masks, use hand sanitizer. No big deal. They are public servants whose decent salaries and benefits are paid by county and state taxpayers. They got used to work in a fantasy land at home, in their PJ's sipping Chardonnay at 3 o'clock. Get back to your real job! You just had a 2 month paid vacation.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Bernie, how is that lunatic getting through with his manic posts? The guy is obsessed with you and belongs in a rubber room in the puzzle factory.
May 22, 2020 at 12:17 AM

You're SO clever. Now bite me.

Anonymous said...

12:21 Other classified :"essential" offices in the county are doing it. Courts, voters, Deeds ( with no home sales for over 2 months)....… They can go to their office and work for the families and kids. I bet these same employees go to Lowes, Home Depot , Walmart or other large stores without issue.

Anonymous said...

"Now bite me." Classy as hell. Get back on your meds. Or the white suits with nets will be chasing you.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"The union asked Lamont McClure and Northampton County management for the evidence they cited that the workers were not working at home. None was provided even though McClure said that's why they wanted them back in the human services building. "

Listen, he has no obligation to provide the evidence so that you can dispute with him even more. He is your boss. You are not his boss. Do your job and quit complaining and thinking you are entitled. You are not. Your complaints are way overblown.

Anonymous said...

I agree with everything you said except the part about that monster who was involved in the murder of that child. Those coworkers might and probably have nightmares and issues rationalizing their failure. Maybe that should have been excluded.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Yeah, you're right. That's too mean, even for me. I'll delete.

Anonymous said...

Fire their laxu asses. What are my tx dollars going for?

Anonymous said...

For a guy who loves to take cheap shots at people you don't like, you sure are a touchy Karen when it comes to someone lightly poking you. Gee, get over yourself. You sound like Rush Limbaugh when he is miffed.

Anonymous said...

Ron Heckman likes to think he still is a caseworker and plays that game when he is with a Human Services caseworker as he schmoozes them up. Some of the older workers remember him and he is of the same ilk as some of the entitled current caseworkers. Ought to make them go in and help feed at Gracedale and or make beds. The union would scream working out of classification but as long as thy get same pay and it is not higher level of classification they can't say shit. Think the aides would have welcomed the help. Most of the public has no idea the vacation, sick and personnel time they can accrue. And used none of it with their recent "vacation" as they continue to earn paid vacation, sick and personal time during time off. But, as a retired caseworker, I know that there are workers there that understand and appreciate the efforts of administration to provide safe environment. However,they would be ostracized if they spoke up and the work environment would become not tolerable for them.

Anonymous said...

Free Mayor Ed, return the Monarch to his people.

Anonymous said...

Bernie,

Whatever happened with those county workers concerned about returning to the job?

Anonymous said...

COs and prison officials have done a rather remarkable job. Gracedale's another story, but McClure won't criticize Wolf, who sandbagged him as they worked together to kill 45 of our elderly, whom Lamont used to call precious. These DHS goldbricks have a rare level of unmitigated gall. 186 county residents have perished (if the numbers are to be believed). The county population is 305,000. That means six hundredths of one percent of county residents have died. 70 % of them were in nursing homes. That means 56 county residents outside nursing homes have died. That means two hundredths of one percent of county residents outside nursing homes have perished - and their average age is 79. If DHS workers are afraid of going back to work, it's because their math skills suck, causing paranoia. It could also be because they are lazy. Neither reason is very admirable.

Anonymous said...

I Say if they don't want to return to work they can go find new employment ! period ! If workers at Gracedale and the Jail not too mention 911 center have to work then what makes them so special???? Pathetic !

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Whatever happened with those county workers concerned about returning to the job?"

If you refer to those with health issues like asthma, I told those employees to grieve it. That is what their union is there for.

Anonymous said...

IF WE CAN PLAY GOLF WE CAN GO TO WORK!!!!!!!

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Ron Heckman likes to think he still is a caseworker and plays that game when he is with a Human Services caseworker as he schmoozes them up. "

Over the years, some of the ugliest comments I have received have come from readers who hate it when there's even a hint of criticism of him. I now suspect those comments come directly from him.

Anonymous said...

Don Moore, Its a free country, read another blog if you don't like this one.

Anonymous said...

uses capital letters and favorite cupcake reference. must be the old crazy constable from west easton. she back?

Anonymous said...

ON a more positive note I read at another news site that McClure has suggested that Northampton County consider cutting back on it's contribution to the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission. McClure thinks that NORCO is not getting it's fair share of the pie. It does appears that the planning commission is a rubber stamp for Lehigh County. I just cannot picture any of these overpaid and underworked political figures at the planning commission making it in the real business world.

Bernie O'Hare said...

This will be one of my stories on Monday.

Anonymous said...

Jealous much?