Three members of County Council - John Brown, John Goffredo and Lori Vargo Heffner, seek re-election. Like anyone else running for office, they must circulate nomination petitions signed by registered voters. That's their business, not the people's. It's political. But yesterday afternoon, Council Clerk Aline Shafnisky left a 36-second voice message with the elections office, asking for advice on behalf of "a couple of Council members" who wanted to be "sure they were accurately filling out the forms." She asked for a "ring back" for what is "hopefully an easy answer."
Here's an answer. It is a theft of services to engage in political activity while you are supposed to be performing the duties of your office. They do not include political activity. If you doubt me, I have one word. Bonusgate.
At the very least, Shafnisky should be admonished.
Well, it is an election year so the administration will leak and use you to go after its enemies. You had no problem with Barron's constant involvement in the election of Keegan. He went to the election office and was seen perusing Myers petitions. This was during business hours. So besides hating Myers, how do you justify the Dir. of Finance hanging out at different times during the day involved in politics. Your issue is weak. Maybe a council member asked her to check on procedure, maybe she did it during a lunch break. Stop running errands for McClure and Barron, as it will be a long year. Be great when that gang is gone.
ReplyDeleteSoon enough you will get what you wish for.
DeleteI have heard that allegation by Myers on multiple occasions. The problem is that he lacks proof. Who saw him? Was he on county time or doing this on his own? If he was doing so in his capacity as Director of Fiscal affairs, it is a blatant violation of his office. But there has never been any proof.
DeleteThey need someone with a law degree for this overpaid secretarial position? I ask again- who's looking out for the taxpayers?
ReplyDeleteSounds a little too far-fetched an objection being made by you. Council persons asking their own Clerk for minor administrative advice?
ReplyDeleteIt is not minor administrative advice. It is political advice, and you cannot use your position as Clerk to engage in political activity.
DeleteShe must resign immediately.
ReplyDeleteAnd be replaced by someone making half the salary. Glorified secretary making 110k is ridiculous.
DeleteSo Brown, Goofredo, AND LVH are taking advantage of tax payer dollars to get reelected?! Any private person not in office doesn't have that luxury. LVH just takes, takes, takes.
ReplyDeleteWhy is Kelly so spiteful?
DeleteExperts on corruption have concluded that people don’t start out corrupt, but that it happens in incremental steps. Giovanni starting out his campaign using a taxpayer funded photographer is just another example of this.
ReplyDeleteBut she is scared of Lori and does everything she demands she does.
ReplyDeleteKen Kraft, You assume Lori Vargo Heffner asked her to make this call. She did not, although she called the elections office with that question herself. Another point, you are one of the idiots who voted to hire Shafnisky and thn, even more stupidly, you voted to give her a salary that is a slap across the face of every other county employee. Well done.
DeleteBOH @ 10:02- Nice response.
DeleteMic drop.
Oh Bernie I don’t always agree with you but thank you for that response to Kraft. He’s a very arrogant man.
DeleteYou omitted in your Valentine to Vargo Heffner that she secretly handpicked Shafnisky in the back room - keeping most of Council in the dark about it. Lori is corrupt and runs a corrupt organization.
ReplyDeleteShafnisky was elected in a 7-2 vote, opposed only by Warren and Keegan.
DeleteAt least your two most disliked commissioners know what they're doing despite you.
DeleteThey made the right vote but for the wrong reason. They objected to the "process," whatever that is, while I object to the person. She does not belong there bc she fails to understand that she has nine bosses, and through them, the people.
DeleteShe was selected only after the Right Honorable Jeff Warren forced it into the light. And, you bashed him for it.
DeleteFire her immediately. She broke the law.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, her salary is ridiculous. This is a theft of taxpayer dollars. She should be fired along with the Council members who gave her that salary!
ReplyDeleteRemember Norco employees BO has spies everywhere.
ReplyDeleteWhat the H kind of people were elected to Council to take care of taxpayer money!!!! I will not and I hope every taxpayer will not vote for any person running for a Council position unless the drastic reduction of the Clerks salary is included in their running. There are other offices that do just as much or more and don't get half of what she makes. COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE A DISGRACE TO TAXPAYERS!!! They think it is more important to call them Council COMMISSIONERS than get the COUNCIL CLERK'S salary in REAL RANGE to other employees!!!!! Get rid of ALL Council Members!
ReplyDeleteCouncil Clerk wants to make that kind of money, she should get a real job! Go be a lawyer right out of school or grooming animals and make that kind of money. She needs to be gone.
ReplyDeleteAdmonished!!! Those 3 dopes will probably give her another raise… for her “ring back” for “hopefully an easy answer”. Meaning I never filled out these forms before so walk me through it… Anyone running for reelection should know how to fill out nomination petition!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat about the three dumb ass commissioners, who asked her to do it shouldn’t they be admonish also? Don’t they know how to run for an election?True lazy leaders.
ReplyDeleteI only spoke to LVH. She denies that she asked the Clerk to make such a call, but diod make such a call herself. It is possible and probably likely that the Clerk took this task upon herself without anyone asking her to do so.
DeleteDoesn't every new county employee sign a pledge to not engage in political activities while on the job?
ReplyDeleteB.O. You are absolutely correct and if she runs scared of council people she should not have that job.
ReplyDeleteMore petty stuff from this administration. Doesn't the Council Clerk have a minor role in the election process? Candidates are required to submit their ethics forms to her when they file petitions, or they get bounced from the ballot. She's new and maybe wanted some clarification?
ReplyDeleteBO said "I only spoke to LVH. She denies that she asked the Clerk to make such a call,"
ReplyDeleteyes the clerk only asked "if they have a Bethlehem address BUT live in Lower Saucon, what do they fill in the line".
I Ask you B.O. what one of the three lives in Lower Saucon?
She Lied to you point blank and you bought it
The Clerk did ask, "if they have a Bethlehem address BUT live in Lower Saucon, what do they fill in the line". Since that is not in my post, I must assume yu are a Council member or member of the administration out to make LVH a liar while you lack the honesty to ID yourself.
DeleteI do believe LVH, who told me she called elections with that question, using almost the exact same words. I believe the Clerk took it upon herself to help LVH, which is improper for two reasons. First, it is political activity. Second, she has nine bosses, not one.
Council must have an Executive Session to determine discipline up to and including termination before its next meeting.
ReplyDeleteNo one knew the job or performed as well as the original clerk Frank Flisser and given the current salary he was probably underpaid.
ReplyDeleteCounty Council will not take this issue seriously they’ll blow it off like it’s a minor matter. Just like they did with Giovanni’s misuse of the photo. What they should do is fire her immediately !
ReplyDeleteFace Facts people our system of Government breeds bad people on all levels and the system is not as great as some people portray it.
ReplyDeleteGovernment wrongdoing doesn't get fixed until someone is fired, and charged, perhaps. That responsibility falls on McClure who won't do it. He's a partisan with greasy ethics. His lies about cooperating with ICE are the latest example. We can do better.
ReplyDelete7:11, Your comment betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of county government and the Home Rule Charter. The County Clerk is an employee of County Council. which is a separate branch of government. McClure has no say in who they hire or fire.
DeleteSince this is taxpayers money, shouldn’t someone explain to the public why the salary is
ReplyDeleteset so high?
Exactly. There are county workers in their positions for 20+ years and make no where near that. What a slap in the face. It was reported LVH is here to support the county employees, well giving a clerk that high of a salary, almost as much as the new county executive salary is insane. Tell me how a clerk’s responsibilities are equal to running an entire county? I’m tired of hearing she has 9 bosses.
DeleteAnd aren’t those commissioners already seasoned in their election processes? They obviously were voted in so they should know the process since they did it once before.
Other county employees are held to a standard when rules are broken but in this instance just like council did nothing last year, nothing will happen to this clerk.
To show transparency, our county wannabe commissioners,
DeleteShould disclose to the
The taxpayers of Northampton County an explanation about how this bloated salary was deemed appropriate and how it compares to neighboring council clerk pay scales.
The fish is rotting from the head. Lori Vargo Hefner’s unholy alliance with John Crown has sewn the seeds of corruption.
ReplyDeleteWhen there are county employees with Master’s degrees, working in their field of expertise making $16/hr, this bloated salary is more than just a slap in the face. It’s a tko. Employees are so sick of the laughable wages they are paid. This is why by there is such high turnover over. Sure a pension is nice. But a pension you get at 55, means nothing if you can’t pay rent at 30.
ReplyDeleteTo show transparency, our county wannabe commissioners,
ReplyDeleteShould disclose to the
The taxpayers of Northampton County an explanation about how this bloated salary was deemed appropriate and how it compares to neighboring council clerk pay scales.
That's not a proper Haiku. Consider the following instead:
County leaders speak,
Show us why the pay is set,
Neighbors' rates compare.