Yesterday, Northampton County's General Purpose Authority voted on a resolution voted on a change to the financing rate (from LIBOR to SOFR) of pass-through bonds issued by St. Luke's Hospital. Lori Vargo Heffner, an employee of St. Luke's, abstained. "I have a conflict of interest," she explained.
Yet Vargo Heffner voted for an ordinance last week that essentially kills an exclusive health center for county employees unless her employer is given an opportunity to did. She refused to recuse herself.
If she has a conflict of interest on a resolution that merely changes the financing rate on a St. Luke's bond, she certainly has a conflict with respect to a health center ordinance that demands competitive bidding, especially sinceSt. Luke's has expressed an interest in doing so.
19 comments:
Did her solicitor state that she has a conflict of interest? Just because she works for St' Lukes in a different capacity doesn't mean she has a conflict. What does she gain financially? Will she show income from the decision? Does she have any other benefit from her vote? Did her solicitor state she shouldn't vote because she has a financial Gain. There has to be more to this than what you stated.
This is mean spirited. You are going after her employment, and that is wrong. Whomever put you up to this is vengeful. Her ordinance does not stop anything. Stop being mean just because you are McClure's crony.
Not so fast, disgraced ex-lawyer. The issue at hand is the health care provider lottery winner that was hand-selected my McClure. St. Luke's isn't mentioned at this point. When it is - if it ever is - she should rightfully recuse. Your post acknowledges the huge elephants in the room who were curious forbidden from competing. You're putting your cart before your de facto boss's ass. There's not a conflict until there actually is a conflict; not the one you're now attempting to borrow ahead to distract from the slimy process so far. When there is an actual conflict, good lawyers will advise to recuse. The conflict is McClure's lack of transparency and failure to shop for the best deal for taxpayers and employees. He's been caught and will be forced to do the right thing. You're sore because you've carried so much water for McClure on this scheme.
It’s because Lori is being told she wants a job she stops the health center. In the case of the bond they already have the votes. Lori is was needed for the health center as a tie means defeat of any measure and St.Luke’s told the Republicans who they control to stop it and they held Lori’s job over he head. It’s pretty clear to anyone who watched the meetings. Lori needs to resign!
I voted for LVH and was a staunch supporter. However, she's slowly becoming a DINO. If this continues, she'll lose my vote and many other democrats based on her decisions. She only has to revisit history and look at former Bethlehem mayor John Callahan. He lost many democrat votes for County Executive, setting the stage for John Brown to pull off one of the biggest election upsets in local government history. LVH needs to take heed.
Something fishy at the courthouse , can’t have it both ways
Nope, I don't agree that her vote to kill the center inappropriate because of her employment at St. Lukes. Whether or not St. Lukes is able or chooses to bid on such center is irrelevant. I think she was representing all the tax payors of Northampton County who are greater than even the bloated employment numbers of Northampton County. I do not include Gracedale numbers in that bloat as all nursing homes remain woefully understaffed no matter what the feds and state cite as adequate staffing ratios. They remain the ghettos of our nation.
As long as Brown doesn’t think Lori has a conflict, she doesn’t have one.
The switch from LIBOR to SOFR is a required switch - LIBOR is being phased out and being replaced by SOFR. There is no conflict of interest in this as there is no choice on switching.
I wonder what else is going on here?
While it smells bad, the health center vote is a bit fuzzier in terms of actual conflict under state law. If she's smart, she's asked for an advisory opinion from the state ethics board about her ability to participate in those votes.
This is off topic but "I told you so". I remember when you and others were extolling the wonderful tax incentives given by the local municipalities for this obvious warehouse magnet. What a "great guy" Charles Chrin is to pay for part of the Tatamy interchange". It's going to bring 5000 new non-warehouse jobs!...blah blah blah. https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/lehighvalley/palmer-twp-neighbors-discuss-six-new-warehouses-in-the-works/article_3b2f05aa-75b3-11ed-b97e-a355634ed39c.html
Why is Lori voting with the Republicans all the time ?
"Did her solicitor state that she has a conflict of interest? Just because she works for St' Lukes in a different capacity doesn't mean she has a conflict."
If she recused herself on the St Luke's bind vote, she needs to recuse herself here. St. Luke's has made clear it wants to bid. She may have a conflict, and the doctrine of necessity is inapplicable.
". The issue at hand is the health care provider lottery winner that was hand-selected my McClure. St. Luke's isn't mentioned at this point. When it is - if it ever is - she should rightfully recuse."M
The ordinance she voted for demands competitive bidding and St. Luke's has indicated it wants to do that. It might be that her conflict is de minimis, but she needs an opinion from the state ethics commission, not the council solicitor.
Northampton county council the only people that can make bethlehem council look good
Maybe Kerry Myers will be the next council president after all! Northampton County is blessed to have such a humble public servant as Myers serve the people's interests. His ability to listen and his calming demeanor when he engages in discourse is refreshing and soothing.
You should list yourself as an in-kind contributor for th McClure administration or stop posting about Northampton County government. Your opinion pieces are far too biased against anyone who opposes a McClure administration operation.
Something's fishy. One specially chosen provider in a private contest? How much was McClure paid and by whom? This whole thing stinks out loud. Make all negotiation notes public. Now.
Comment of the day.
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