Yesterday, I told you that Northampton County Council is poised to enact an ordinance seeking proposals for a pay study of the workforce? Are they underpaid, as most suggest? Are they overpaid, as some suggest? What is the fairest salary? Despite opposition from within the Lamont McClure administration, I expect this to pass and survive a veto.
In addition to seeking a pay study, Council will consider an ordinance calling for an operational study at Gracedale. The county-owned nursing home appears to have turned a corner. Residents have seen a dramatic increase in daily nursing care. Reimbursements are increasing. But the census has been reduced and the home is relying on outside agencies to provide care. How long can this last? Though this study is also opposed by Executive Lamont McClure, a fresh set of eyes can result in recommendations beneficial to both the residents and the workforce.
Finally, County Council will consider payraises for all elected officials, including themselves. These raises can only go into effect in the next term, so this is by no means automatic. Like county workers, I agree that all elected officials are underpaid. But since County Council is voting on a pay stuidy, why not include elected officials as well? That would be the most objective way to determine a fair salary, as opposed to pulling numbers out of the air.
What is the cost per patient at Gracedale compared to other LTCFs? I'll agree it's "turned a corner" after the cost per patient vs state and national averages is revealed. I suspect Gracedale is disastrously high. That's turning a corner and driving into a wall. What's the full story?
ReplyDeleteAre they studying Gracedale in preparation to sell it ?
ReplyDeleteWhy does Madam President Lori V-H work with the MAGA County Council members ? They are MAGA. Just ask them. They all voted for Trump twice and would again. Guess is Cusick didn’t cuz he’s a Progressive.
ReplyDeleteWhy does Lori Vargo Heffner hate Jennifer Stewart-King ? She treats her like dirt at Council meetings ?
ReplyDelete6:28, The cost per patient is $0. They are not patients, but residents. The cost per resident per day as compared to other nursing homes is irrelevant so long as tghe amount of $ received per resident daily is the same or slightly higher. That is why it is important that the the Medicaid-Medicare reimbursement has gone up. Gracedale began breaking even and even showing a profit after the annual IGT grants began. That continues. So your uninformed assertion is simply wrong. Will Gracedale eventually begin to lose money? Yes, if it has to rely more and more on outside agencies.
ReplyDelete"Why does Madam President Lori V-H work with the MAGA County Council members ? They are MAGA. Just ask them. They all voted for Trump twice and would again. Guess is Cusick didn’t cuz he’s a Progressive."
ReplyDeleteThe fact that someone voted for Trump, even twice, does not make that person a MAGA, i.e. fascist. I know plenty of people who voted for Trump twice who detest him but consider Dems a far worse alternative, who liked the way the economy was running, etc. A fascist is an ultranationalist (USA chants, America First, carries flags everywhere, MAGA) who believes that our once great nation has been destroyed by the OTHER (libtards, deep state, illegal immigrants) but can be restored by slavishly following the whims of the Leader (Trump) and rejecting anything that fails to conform to his pronouncements ("fake news"). Most experts do not consider MAGAs fascists. I do.
With respect to individual Council members who may have voted twice for Trump, I have seen no indication they are fascists and would need to know more about their individual views. But even if they are fascists, they are the representatives of the people. In a representative democracy, we must work with them. If we don't then we are just as bad.
"But even if they are fascists, they are the representatives of the people. In a representative democracy, we must work with them. If we don't then we are just as bad."
DeleteLaughable. Where was this opinion for the last 6 years? You should have been working with FACIST TRUMP all these years.
Lamont saved Gracedale twice. Looks like he’ll have to do it a third time.
ReplyDeleteThe operational study for Gracedale is long overdue. I truly must question the “3 star rating” if staffing is as bad as you’ve noted, Bernie. People have left and continue to leave in droves from Gracedale, some of whom would have stayed but, in some cases, feared for their licenses and overall health working under that administration.
ReplyDelete"Why does Lori Vargo Heffner hate Jennifer Stewart-King ? She treats her like dirt at Council meetings ?"
ReplyDeleteI've seen her be rude to Court Admin Jermaine Greene and took her to task. I've seen her be rude to DA Terry Houck and took her to task. I've never seen her be rude to Gracedale Admin Jennifer Stewart-King. The closest she came was when she referred to a joint presentation given by King and the DON as insulting, and it was. It was a dog-and-pony show that actually insulted all of us. I've seen no evidence that Jennifer Stewart King is treated like dirt and would be very quick to point it out ifI did. LVH can be snarky, but I think you're mistaken and are carrying water in the war against LVH by the McClure admin.
"I truly must question the “3 star rating” if staffing is as bad as you’ve noted, Bernie."
ReplyDeleteGracedale has an overall three-star rating. It is three stars primarily because of the annual surveys, which are inspections done by the state DOH. Gracedale does much better in those than most other homes. Its staffing is just one star, which reflects a real problem. It does appear to be making inroads and I expect to see that go up. What really hurts Gracedale is quality measures. Because it accepts so many residents with mental health issues, it is forced to use psychotropic drugs on some. These are disfavored by the feds. The solution is to refuse to accept residents with these issues, but they would have nowhere else to go. I do not think the quality measures rating, which is at two stars, will ever get above three. I think it was there once.
Here's a novel idea. Let's take a look at what the salaries were for elected officials when the voters last voted to approve their salaries, i.e. council, executive, controller, and compare those salaries to what they are now after calculating in for inflation.
ReplyDeleteThen let's take a look at where the employees are now salary wise, and compare that to the inflation rate. The last pay study was done in or about 1990.
The results will be shocking. The employees are getting screwed royal. The elected officials ???????????who knows. Do the pay study but also do the inflation comparison.
Gracedale is Gracedale. Study it. Don’t study it. Doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is that John Browns want to push it off a cliff.
ReplyDeleteGracedale is why the county can't have nice things. Counties should not be in the nursing home business and most have gotten out. I read that here.
ReplyDelete