Late last year, and over the objection of Executive Lamont McClure, Northampton County Council voted to set aside $450,000 to conduct as many as three studies. on IT, Gracedale and employee salaries.The vote was 8-1, with only Tara Zrinski dissenting. Two months have elapsed since that time, so you might be wondering what's happened. The answer came during a Council Committee meeting last night. Nothing.
Council member John Cusick asked President Lori Vargo-Heffner what's going on, and she responded by saying she was waiting on everyone else She also wanted to see if anyone could find a consultant who would be inexpensive
She and Cusick both discussed issuing a request for proposals, but thus far, nothing has happened.
County Council has three full-time employees, including two overpaid clerks. Maybe one of should be directed to take on this task.
They won't do any studies. They should do a pay study. Courthouse sources say McClure has put the word out to county council. He doesn't want any studies and especially not a charter study. Prominet dems are threatening council for him. Sounds like Lamont Putin has spoken.
ReplyDeletePresident Heffner is lazy and a bit slow. Voters knew this. Elections have consequences and she wouldn't be any kind of a productive mainstreamed adult without this job. Don't expect actual adult results. Vote more wisely.
ReplyDeleteDoes this Council really need to spend taxpayer dollars for an outside ‘consultant’ to come in and suggest employees can use an increase in pay? During the worst national rise of consumer goods in 40 years?
ReplyDeleteBut remember fellow taxpayers, any increase in employee pay trickles down to YOU eventually. YOU and I are the true payers of any increase.
My suggestion is, in addition to pay increases, reduce the number of County Employees in certain areas, too.
Hey these people wanted this job, why must they pay someone to tell them what to do? Do your job, do the research, ask the questions. Then do your job and make decisions. If you have no idea what you are doing, what are they doing in this job?
ReplyDeleteConsultants are usually politically connected and end up telling them what they want to hear. It is way to justify their already bad decisions.
I couldn’t agree with you more Bernie!
ReplyDeletePaying someone to do a study is pure bullshit. All you have to do is go to the workforce board and they will give you the data. Or look at online posts. Heck with $450 k you could hire someone to do nothing but monitor salaries and still have more to pay out to employees.
ReplyDeleteYou the $450,000 that was set aside to do the study and pay the employees with it. Split up it probably is not a lot but it is more then they are getting now.
CODE 3.203
ReplyDeleteSECTION COMPENSATION
(subtitle)
SALARY SURVEYS
"At least every two (2) years, The Director of Human Resources shall conduct a salary survey of comparative public and private sector employers
in the Lehigh Valley and provide a report and recommendation to the County Executive for adjustments to salary ranges, if appropriate".
Effective: 01/01/08
Amended 06/16/08
Lehigh county does it. Salary. Study by HR Maybe they'd share. Most facilities in area including hospitals participated. The only thing a consultant is needed for is whether to sell Gracedale or they could help with long term plan which apparently the administrator isn't capable of doing.
DeleteWhat Council could also do is demand the most recent pay study conducted by HR.
ReplyDeleteThe county taxpayers are paying these people to do things, let them do it. why pay outside people, As one writer suggested Use the $450,000 to those salaries that need enhancement.
ReplyDeleteSo the only logical reason for the delay is that while most members voted for the studies, they really don't want them; hence, the already two month delay. Gracedale, for example, was "studied" last in 2011 by Premier Healthcare Resources when they "took over" management of the facility. Imagine what a study would reveal now! Guess that's the answer as to why some members of council and certainly Mr. McClure don't want their failures made public.
ReplyDeleteThis study can be performed more effectively for far less money by one of our area colleges. The fiscal retardation of these councilpersons is appalling. Did becoming "commissioners" make them more stupid? The evidence to support this is everywhere.
ReplyDeleteI would not trust anyone's study that is under the thumb of Lamont and Chuck. Gotta be a fair independent source. The money is already set aside. Use it. Funny before the election all these now commissioner were running their mouths about the employees. Now election is over nothing. " We got to look into it"
ReplyDelete"What Council could also do is demand the most recent pay study conducted by HR."
ReplyDeleteHA! Like that's a thing that actually happens. The employees are also entitled to annual evaluations, do a RTK on how often THAT happens - even worse, how often do the cabinet members do it for the department heads?? I can save you the time. I only know if one department head who has done her job in this respect and ZERO cabinet members who have- that includes Chunky Chucky. The administration LOVES referring to the HRC and administrative code when it suits them but ignore anything they don't feel like dealing with.
Looking at pay stubs would get messy. Lamont and chuck would look at pay stub that included forced OT and try to make the point that the county employees make to much. We need an independent look at the pay scale . An outside agency that all council votes on and has NO ties to Lamont or chuck.
DeleteBlogger Bernie O'Hare said...
ReplyDeleteWhat Council could also do is demand the most recent pay study conducted by HR.
I doubt Heffer even knows the Home Rule Charter, good find Bernie
Look at that! The issue has a good fix. Someone forward this to Council. Now move the money to other uses and get on with it.
ReplyDeletewhere is frank flisser when we need him?
ReplyDeleteIf it is a law that the HR is supposed to do a salary study every two years.....problem solved.
ReplyDeleteObey the law. Do the Study. You don't have to be a mental giant to figure that one out.
If the HR director does a pay scale study and publishes number that Lamont and chuck dont like she will be looking for a new pay check.
DeleteCode 3.203 had not been followed since the early 90's. Base payscale was established by a study completed then called Barstan. It has been manipulated several times, but the base requirements and codes from the county and this study have not been followed. This is why the county workforce is getting "dumbed" down and can't get qualified employees as in years past. They see the salaries and leave. My wife's office just had several potential candidates find out the salary and walked out. And with not actual pension anymore, who the hell would take these jobs anyway. We were lied to years ago. Employees told to get a further education and your salary would be adjusted. LIES ! Then they slowing chipped anyway at the healthcare. These and other reasons are why many older employees retire when possible at 55 years old and with 20 or more years of service, if qualifying ( grandfathered) under the old pension system . No reason to stay. I left a few years back and actually make more $ on pension, than working 40 hours per week when I left. And I keep my healthcare . Salaries have not changed. You lose healthcare and now have a 401 K system which is a gamble. Go into the free market, better pay. Years ago, it was worth the lower pays in exchange for pensions and benefits, now they bleed you dry of that and keep those low salaries. Pitiful. And the Dems claim they are for the working man. Not in Norco today.
ReplyDelete"good find Bernie"
ReplyDeleteA reader forwarded this to me, so I cannot pat myself on the back.
A pay study was done. The Hay Study. It never saw the light of day. Rumor was the pay raises would be too expensive. Save the money and locate the old one already paid for.
ReplyDeleteExactly right 10:40 AM.
ReplyDeleteDon't pay or do a pay study if no raises or restructuring of the pay scale will be done. Waste of time and money
ReplyDeleteFor all the good things you do, you can pat yourself on the back and no one will complain. If you didn't think of the "CODE", I'm sure you would have thought of it later.
ReplyDeleteBERNIE FOR EXECUTIVE...........
Lamont: "We can't afford to give people raises!"
ReplyDeleteAlso Lamont: "We have all this extra money, let's give an election year tax cut!"
Douche Bag.