Over the past few months, there's been friction between Northampton County and the county conservation district. The source is money. The conservation district wants to handle the funds, but the county is wary of entrusting money over which it has no control. The conservation district has voted to get its funding directly from the state, and has opened up its own accounts.
Executive Lamont McClure advised County Council last night that the conservation district has violated its contract with the county. Rather than purse this breach in the courts, McClure has instead decided to allow it to go its separate way. Basically, he's filing for a no-fault divorce on the basis of irreconcilable differences. He said he will give the district 15 months.
Council member John Goffredo told McClure his action is "immature," and that Council has the authority to amend its contract with the conservation district. They do, but it is the Executive who negotiates and signs the amendment.
"I appreciate your lecture on maturity," responded McClure.
"If we're being audited, we need to have some controls," said Council member Ron Heckman. But he's concerned about the employees.
"Independence is independence," responded McClure. He said there are nine county employees.
"I don't want them to become collateral damage," said Heckman. McClure said that any legacy costs owed to employees will be borne by the county. He indicated that since the conservation district thinks employees should be paid more, perhaps they will pay these higher salaries.
Well, this is interesting. As someone who had experience with the intricacies of county/conservation district relationships in a neighboring county, I'll be curious to see how it all shakes out.
ReplyDeleteThe friction appears to be between McClure and the Board and not with the county. McClure is known as the my way or the highway guy.
ReplyDeleteGoffredo is being generous, they're not being immature, they're being openly hostile. Something is up. On one side you have a group of volunteers, with a treasurer with a great reputation in the community, finding issues that they think are serious enough to go to the State. And then DEP backs them up. McClure's response is to just dig in, as always, instead of working to actually fix the problem.
ReplyDeleteThere has to be a lot more to this story. There usually is.
ReplyDeleteGoffredo got it right. McClueless is and always was immature. Just like Bow-Tie.
ReplyDelete"The friction appears to be between McClure and the Board and not with the county. McClure is known as the my way or the highway guy."
ReplyDeleteI'd say I have it right. Goffredo and perhaps Heffner will side with conservation, but the rest of council seemed unwilling to get involved. Frankly, I believe Goffredo does not know what he's talking about when it comes to the MOU or how it can be amended. It requires not just County Council and the board, but the Exec as well. It is extremely foolish to allow the conservation district to have control over funds when it is the county that will get tagged if there is fraud, waste or abuse.
I listened to John Mauser speak for conservation twice, and he was possibly the worst representative they could have had to speak for them.
"It is extremely foolish to allow the conservation district to have control over funds when it is the county that will get tagged if there is fraud, waste or abuse."
DeleteBernie, my understanding is that the Conservation District board members themselves have a duty to see the state funds allocated to them are used appropriately. This seems to why they went to the state in the first place, I'm guessing after they approached the administration and received an unsatisfactory response.
"I listened to John Mauser speak for conservation twice, and he was possibly the worst representative they could have had to speak for them"
ReplyDeleteThey deserve each other. He and McClure are hardheaded individuals who want it their way and the staff be damned. That was evident from the videos.