Northampton County Council is expected to act on the proposed budget when it meets on Thursday, When it last met on November 21, it considered a number of possible amendments at its most important budget meeting of the year. The meeting was attended by John Cusick, Tom Giovanni, John Goffredo, Lori Vargo Heffner and Kevin Lott. Three Council members - John Brown, Ron Heckman and Tara Zrinski - were absent. I find it amazing that Zrinski, the Controller elect, would fail to be present.
Executive Lamont McClure, Finance Director Steve Barron and DCED Director Tina Smith made clear they oppose the amendments,
McClure opposes taking $1 million from Gracedale nursing. He indicated that staffing is improving, but that $1 million is needed for agency nurses.
Barron had a number of objections He opposes the removal of money from the county's fiscal stabilization account (rainy day fund) to fund student loans, claiming this is "not fiscally responsible." He opposes increasing fundingt o Lehigh Valley Planning Commission because they refuse to disclose their salaries (Lehigh Valley Planning Commission gave me a thorough answer of wages paid when I asked for them.) He also objected to the "musical chair of grants" to organizations in which "they, family or friends are affiliated." He went on to accuse them of funding their own self-interests.
That is a serious accusation, If true it would violate the Ethics Act. But Barron provided no details. Council member John Goffredo later stated he is an unpaid volunteer firefighter, but Council Solicitor Chris Spadoni told Goffredo that he has no conflict. So what the hell was Barron talking about? He even said state police are involved in an investigation of one volunteer fire company in a rather ugly attempt to paint Council members as crooks.
When County Council members complains that they are being treated like garbage, I can see what they mean. You can't expect a legislature to cooperate with you when you attack their integrity with no basis.
Barron owes County Council an apology.
Tina Smith also objected to grants being awarded to entities that never bothered to apply for them. Kevin Lott noted that doing so undermines the entire grant process and is a disservice to organizations that did their due diligence.
Amazingly, one of the grants that Council wants to fund will go to Lou Pektor. It is illegal to award a grant to a for-profit entity.
Council member Lori Vargo Heffner explained that grants to Lower Saucon Fire Rescue ($20,000), Hellertown Library ($10,000) and Saucon Valley Community Center ($5,000). Her rationale is that these entities are under incredible pressure as a result of friction between Hellertown and Lower Saucon.
Barran may be good as a bean counter but he comes off as a horses ass when it comes to dealing with council. He should have stayed as Controller.
ReplyDeleteThe LVPC has become a revolving door. Bernie, have you looked into why staff members don't stay there more than a year or two? With a few recent retirements, there are like 2 or 3 people who were there 4 years ago. The Director is always writing newspaper columns and seems mostly concerned with public relations. McClure is right to question their operation.
ReplyDeleteAs a member I know this is completely untrue. Most staff are there 6-10 years or more and some 20-40 years. Only one person left this year for higher pay and that person came back 2 months later because the work environment suited them better. Stop circulating nonsense, mistruths and bullying an excellent team. Often they are the only ones helping the region navigate really tough issues of growth and they do it with grace.
DeleteMost members of the LVPC are nothing more than political mutants who cater to the needs of Lehigh County. It is time for NORCO to pull out of the LVPC and go it alone.
Delete“Political Mutant” seems to be a reflection of the commenter.
DeleteLittle Stevie Barron has always punched above his weight class. He is known as the clown prince of the county with good reason. His history of self-inflation is his legacy. He works for a controlling boss that t4eats all who disagree with him with contempt, so Barron feels he can do the same. No one cares what Lott says as he is a parrot for McClure.
ReplyDeleteVargo chose to reward "friction," by using our money, rather than forge a solution between the feuding parties. She and the county took a side. That's poor government. That's not leadership.
ReplyDelete"He even said state police are involved in an investigation of one volunteer fire company"
ReplyDeleteIs this a reference to Klecknersville Rangers in Moore Twp?
IMO No one is above the law including Chiefs, Asst Chiefs & Family. Lets hope the investigation spans decades not merely 3 years
Budget meetings are the most important meetings for County Council. Zarinski not showing up is not a surprise, she offered little thought contribution to the budget process and she will soon show her worthlessness as a Controller, The leftover group of faux Commissioners will, once again, display their angst toward the administration heading into crash course with a lopsided dysfunctional new set of McClure lemmings. Pathetic.
ReplyDeletePS: Kraft name floated yet for Chucky’s job?
Cusick and council want to fund student loans for employees…. How about increasing salaries for those who are there now? The priorities council chooses to fight for is mind blowing. Take care of the ones you already have. You stay quiet when it comes to them. Your salary study rants were a joke. Just like they were when they did the Hay study. Stop the healthcare increase if there is a pot of money right now. For once do something for the ones who have been showing up. You keep wanting to reward the ones potentially coming in. Who is training them? Who has been doing the work to keep county services going at Gracedale, the Jail, Human Services? Stop balancing the budget on the backs of the ones you say are your most valuable asset.its a joke. It’s not just the exec. Not one of them sitting up there gives a damn about the employee.
ReplyDeleteKlecknersville Fire Company is being investigated……
ReplyDeleteIs Gofreddo involved with the Klecknersville Fire Company investigation?
ReplyDeleteIf HTown and lower Saucon got issues..let them figure it out and play nice..why should county tax payers solve their issues for them? This one smells of pork for a specific area of the county..hmmm.
ReplyDeleteWhat's in the budget for county employees? A raise? A step? Both (lol)? Or everyone just trudges along for another year at the same level?
ReplyDeleteHellertown Library should be resolved by the parties. It's not a county issue. This is cherry picking by one council member. I sympathize with them. But fixing their wrong with another wrong is not right. Has Ms. Vargo offered to mediate? That's a better use of her position than simply spending money that's not hers.
ReplyDelete6:43, No one on Council is in any way affiliated with Klecknersville. No one on Council is a ember of the board, a paid employee or director of any of the grant recipients they propose. Barron said Council was taking care of their self-interests and taking care of themselves, family and friends. Apparently, Goffredo is a volunteer firefighter at one fire company slotted for a grant. He is not a director or a paid employee. Yet Barron suggested that several, not just one, Council member was benefitting. In essence, he was alleging violations of the Ethics Act and hinted at criminality.
ReplyDeleteWhat surprises me most about all this is that Council just shrugged Barron off. I'd be personally outraged.
The election debacle has weakened McClure. He does not help himself when he allows a cabinet member to stand up and accuse Council publicly of taking care of themselves, family and friends when there is zero basis for that accusation. This is no way to repair damaged relations.
Having said that, many of the proposed amendments are just plain goofy and do nothing to address their main bitches over the past year - low pay. They could have funded a higher cola to career service without violating any labor agreement but chose not to.
I'm dismayed that council is granting monies to organizations that couldn't be bothered to apply for them. I'm furthere confused by the claims that county employees are underpaid. If that is true then why in heavens name would you pay for college tuition . Who would spend the time and money to get a college education only to go to work for an organization that underpays them? As for Zirinski not participating, I think that was a wise move. Soon she will be tasked with overseeing how these monies are spent and by not appearing she has avoided accusations of conflict of intredt.
ReplyDeleteI believe that awarding grants to entities that failed to apply undermine the process and presents arbitrariness that should not exist.
ReplyDeleteI wish I and my organization were better friends with Lori. We could hang out and have drinks and not talk shop (wink). My organization could get some loot and avoid the bothersome grant process that only suckers use to get money, apparently.
ReplyDeleteHas Lott ever researched anything other than what he is told by McClure and his staff? Council can and should give grants whenever they feel there has been an oversight or there is a real need. I would rather have a group of nine decide than one person McClure or Barron as to who gets county money. Tina does what she is told. Groups have been stonewalled.
ReplyDeleteYes Lott has researched and has been on the committees to give grants out over the years. Council only approves grants they don’t just give them to friends like Lori
DeleteZrinksi got what she wanted; to sit around and collect a paycheck and wait for [McClure...Boscola...Wild] to announce they aren't running for another term.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to hearing Zyrinski give her controller reports and updates in 2024….
ReplyDeleteMy bet is she will have cliff notes with her to read from fellow finance man Baron and others .
McClure is increasing the cost of health benefits for non-union employees yet gives employees who opt out of the health benefits $1,500 each. This is done thinking this saves the county money by them not choosing county benefits. This couldn't be further from the truth.
ReplyDeleteSome of these workers have spouses working in local school districts, are state employees and are married to some court administration workers who receive state health benefits and also may have a spouse who also works for the county. State benefits are better.
Did they ever look at this wasted cost for the tax payors? Or before they increased the cost of benefits of employees who need them? It may be considered peanuts in the large scale of the county budget but should be looked into. Those workers receiving the $1,500 will not take the county benefits over state health benefits. Every penny saved could go to employees benefits.
Another interesting item in this budget is how some positions are being upgraded and created. Did these increases occur with the study that was just done that included smaller 4th class counties? It's doubted. Did these go before council personnel committee then council or just now placed into budget.
Looking at the budget there are other concerns and it appears it is hoped county residents don't read the 195 pages.