By an 8-1 vote, Northampton County Council last night adopted a resolution seeking an audit from Controller Tara Zrinski of all monies set aside and spent for $5 million worth of retention bonuses at Gracedale. Council wants to know exactly who received these bonuses and how the money was disbursed. It also wants to know how much is left. The sole dissenter was Council member John Brown. He had argued that what basically amounts to three separate audits was needed in the next 20 days, and was the sole vote against an amendment to the resolution that would give Zrinski until the end of May to complete this project.
Zrinski's top priority at this time of the year is completion of audit work needed by the external auditor for its annual analysis of county finances. At a committee meeting on Wednesday, she explained that her office spends 1,710 hours to complete this work. She said completing three Council-ordered audits within the next 20 days is unfeasible. In addition to that work, her office conducts numerous other audits of magistrate offices, hotel taxes, P-Card use and other county programs. That requires an additional 4,500 hours. She also interestingly pointed out that she is in the process of performing an audit of the DA's office. "I don't have any problem doing an audit for this Council but do think the time constraint of 20 days is not all feasible," she said. She also defended her staff when Council suggested that her staff of six or seven work overtime. They have personal lives.
Zrinski was stating nothing unusual. Council has asked some of her predecessors to perform audits, and they (Steve Barron and John Schimmel) would insist on a reasonable amount of time, coupled with agreed upon procedures so that everyone is on the same page.
Brown disagreed. "You have a schedule, but we also have a schedule."
Council's request for these audits apparently arises from concerns noted by Brown and Council member John Goffredo that $5 million set aside for retention bonuses has been diverted. An email from Gracedale administrators to career service employees, dated January 16, advised career service workers that these bonuses were "temporary," and that "the remainder has been used for caring for our residents."
This directly contravenes a 2022 County Council resolution directing the administration "to spend $5 million of the American Rescue Plan Act funds at Gracedale on Retention Bonuses to be given to all employees ... ."
County Council is rightly concerned about just what is going on.
It's true that a county council resolution is nonbinding and the Executive may view it as a mere suggestion. It's also true that County Council has since that time approved a budget for 2025 that authorizes the money to be spent elsewhere. But it obviously did so unknowingly. Perhaps the Executive wanted to redirect these retention bonuses for resident care. He may have needed the money to pay out-of-control overtime to career service workers, some of whom were earning $40k in overtime. In hindsight, he probably should have asked Council to approve another resolution authorizing this diversion or told them what he was doing.
This is a problem with Executive branches in all levels of government, from local to national levels. The Executive branch is simply too powerful. For all of its flaws, and it has a few, Northampton County Council has done its best to be a check on Executive overreach.
Last night's resolution seeks to learn whether this $5 million has, in fact, been diverted from retention bonuses for some other purpose.
But that resolution also has a problem. Under the county's Home Rule Charter, any member of County Council has the power to introduce a resolution. But it has to come from an actual member. Brown refused to say that the resolution was introduced by him, even though it's pretty clear that it was. This could be from a laudable desire to protect confidential information provided by an employee. Or it could be that he's just too damn secretive. He should know that County Council is very much unlike this blog. People may comment here anonymously and make all kinds of suggestions. But there is no such thing as an anonymous County Council resolution.
Until last night.
Though John Goffredo did not introduce the resolution, he did state last night that he would take ownership of it if it matters. It does. When a resolution is introduced, the Council member proposing it must be identified.
Council member Jeff Warren suggested that the resolution smacks of "silly season." It definitely could impact both this year's county races and next year's Congressional race. But even he agreed that Council needs to know how $5 million in retention bonuses at Gracedale is being spent.
The $5 million in retention bonuses at Gracedale is part of a $15.5 million spending plan at Gracedale, passed in 2022 by County Council. The only Council member to vote against bonuses was John Brown.
McClure had told Council that the administration would pay all employees at Gracedale an annual $2,500 bonus over a period of four years. He also said that hiring and retention bonuses would bring in 54-60 additional nursing staff and enable the nursing home to provide the required nursing care needed at the facility.
"If you're a CNA [certified nurse's aid] within the sound of my voice, it would be a really good time to come to Gracedale," he said at the time, and repeated it several times.
66 comments:
On the video, wasn't that exactly what Ron Heckman said? Also, Keegan didn't care about any procedure she was doing her usual partisan hit job.
Sounds like a job for DOGE! I think I'll draft a letter to the White House tomorrow.
This is why we need DOGE on the local level.
Payroll should easily be able to produce a record of how bonuses were paid to the employees (if in fact they were). There needs to be an open records request. Otherwise why the stonewalling? So much for "accountability."
Gracedale is a 5 Star facility with a tremendous inspection record. It will be interesting to see what impact the bonuses had.
And McCrooked is running for Congress. What an ethical oil slick disguised as a puddle of vomit.
We are talking about Covid retention bonuses ? Isn’t Covid over ? They still want Covid money ? Wait, what ?
We're going to learn that the money was essentially stolen from the employees. This will be a major campaign issue for dishonest Lamont. What did he do with that cash? It's ironic that he may well have stolen the dough from employees who overwhelmingly voted for him. Is that why Zrinski is dragging her feet and hasn't audited the missing money already? Hmm.
Since most of the place is run by contract nurses, it does not appear that retention bonuses worked.
Council is voted in by the public. There should be transparency and those who present a resolution should definitely be named/recognized. John Brown hides behinds others. That’s why he was not a good county executive because he hid behind his “consultants”. And then you have Giovanni up there who is running for county executive and couldn’t muster up any discussion about the employees at Gracedale - just goes to show he’ll continue to stay silent. The only one supporting their staff was Tara and she presented well. Disappointed in Lori as well since she allowed Brown to remain anonymous - as President, uncalled for.
Wasn't it Lori who said resolutions need to be shared with everyone before being talked about at council or a committee. Seems like Lori is excluding her own party and covering for the Republicans. Sad.
If you elect Giovanni you will get more of this as John Brown will be Giovanni's Elon Musk.
The Home Rule Charter is very clear that any member of Council has the authority to introduce a "Resolution" but they must have their name on the document. If this is done, how does the Council/Commissioners know that one of the Council Clerks didn't submit the Resolution. The Resolution should not have come to Council for consideration if a member of Council won't sign the document as their own. Someone has to claim ownership of the Resolution to avoid the appearance of impropriety. Otherwise a council clerk could introduce the Resolution.
7:09, The county got the $ as a result of a Congressional Act responding to COVID and that act authorized its use for numerous problems, including retention bonuses. The employment problem at Gracedale is bigger than COVID. It is a nationwide problem at nursing homes.
After all the fraud DOGE found in the federal government can you imagine all the fraud etc. in state and local government there must ben.
For the dense, McClure acts within the law and the scope of his authority. Council violates the Charter because they want to force an audit before the Democratic Primary. This is what’s happening.
Brown, Goffredo, and Giovanni sure are desperate. They act like they are an entity among themselves separate from the rest of council.
The Controller should've asked them what part of my official language aren't you understanding? Funny how they think they are more important than anyone else.
Funny that the focus is on the guy calling for the audit, instead of the focus being on the money likely stolen from employees. It would be nice if the gang painting Nazi symbols and torching cars would stop for a second to see how their own team is robbing them and their families. First candidate to call for a county-level DOGE gets my vote.
Indeed. Ron Angle and John Stoffa were frickin Nostradamuses. They warned us. We didn't listen.
McClure"s rubber stamper don't care about the employees or they would have pushed for the audit in 20 days to find out what happen with the 5 Million dollars retention bonus fund with a zero balance. Employees don't trust the rubber stampers. Steve Barron lied he knew about the administrator's email to Career Service employees. Barron puts the Unaudited Balance sheets together. Will see how accurate Zrinski audit will be.
I got my bonus every year.
You must be an union employee !!!
DOGE is looking for ways to shed staff, not pay them. If you want to make this analogy, DOGE is reversing monies authorized by Congress. In this case, Council is concerned that monies it authorized to be spent are not being spent as intended. This is actually the reverse of DOGE.
7:21, Zrinski is acting consistently with what other Controllers have done over the years. When Council requests a Controller audit, both John Schimmel and Steve Barron would respond by getting a realistic time frame and asking for agreed upon procedures so that the directions are clear.
7:32, I'm unsure at this time how many agency nurses are there. I know they are still being used heavily. In late 2024, the Administrator said that it was 70/30 agency nurses. It would appear you may be right.
This is just the tip of the iceberg if doge found so much fraud etc in the federal government how much does the state and local governments take part in?
The resolution was provided to Council and discussed at a committee meeting. I believe all Council members had it at that time, but Ken Kraft and Kelly Keegan were not at the committee meeting. But it has to come from an identified member of Council or it is technically a nullity.
10:00, An email to career service dated 1/16 indicates they would not get their bonuses in 2025.
Money went in some politician's pocket.
I took it.
She might not have, but Lori is allowing Brown and Lil Fredo to orchestrate a political hit job without even owning it. Although Lil Fredo did say he would if he needed to.
It would be interesting to know if Council simply asked. I'm sure they didnt as it appears Tara and the administration found out about this at the committee meeting where it was introduced.
Yes is it. Funny how they did not mention the rating.
At least he appears in public. Where is Ryan?
I9:22, I agree there is a political aspect to this, but if that was the sole motive, the GOP would want it to come out after the primary so it could be used as an issue in the general election. Rs have no primary opponents.
I believe it is in the county's best interests to determine whether the retention bonuses were paid as intended, and if not, where that $ went and why. It is an entirely appropriate request, but Brown should have claimed ownership of that resolution.
Fraud? Lots of simple talking points but no real substance. By blindly firing a whole lot of employees that will mostly be hired back isn't progress. Let's get rid of the 30 year desk jockey that takes a year to review a permit that was assembled in a week. That's the bureaucracy that needs removed.
I don't believe they will do the hard work and find the actual wasteful spending.
Peel back a few layers on Senator Wicker from Mississippi. Military industrial complex, anyone?
You must be a union employee
Money doesn't work for retention or hiring new people at the county. They tell the correction officers that at every labor relations meeting Luke and Mark just said it again.
Tara doesn't want her staff to work overtime..... They have personal lives. Lol. Hey Mike , or Dave,or Mike ,or Mark ,or Luke and Mark do you care about the COs personal lives. Lol. Mandated 2 ,3,4 times a pay period. For years now and summer is coming. Change that that to 5,6,7 times.
I know you will not want to post this saying we are getting off topic but it is more then just a gracedale problem. It's county wide. Maybe audit the jail next???
But remember in the words of Marylou and Lamont money doesn't fix anything.
People seem to forget about the ancillary departments that keep the place running, they all got $2500 a year for four years.
Who sent the email? Not that hard to figure out they do have new people working in administration.
With 70% of the workforce being agency or not-County employees, the retention bonuses obviously did not work.
Was wondering why Stewart-King wasn’t Administator anymore
You know what doesn't work for retaining employees? Promising them something and then not delivering. I'm sure that will cause even more employees to leave, if it hasn't already.
The employees must earn this money. There is not enough employees to get the full $10 million. It's not like the least over is going to be given to the employees who are there. Nothing was stolen. No one is saying that. Nice try though.
How would this benefit the Republicans in the county council race? Congress next year with Lamont running, sure, but I don't understand how this impacts even the general election this year, let alone the primary, which I assume is why they are trying to rush the audit.
What, they think they are entitled to bonuses for the rest of their lives?
The daycare and the retention bonus are half hearted attempts to prove that the county is “doing its best” to save the home when in reality this is part of the slow roll demolition and privatization of the Nursing Home. Let’s look at the reality. Gracedale employees before and after this new contract are STILL
paid exponentially lower than county home analogs like Lehigh Cedar brook and Berks Heim. If you don’t believe me regarding county home employee rates, simply compare the rates listed on the websites. The retention bonus, while through a sleight-of-hand sounds significant at $2500 per year, only gave in effect around a $1.25 per hour raise. When you’re already making literally several dollars less per hour than a place like cedar Brook, Berks Heim or Phoebe, $2,500 Per year is really a slap in the face and has an effect the opposite of retention. Gracedale is vast majority agency, and it has lost many of its best employees to surrounding private homes and cedar brook. After these efforts, like the daycare or retention bonus fail, the county will have its public justification to sell the home. Make no mistake, this is the goal of the McClure administration.
Wasn't this the same thing that caused the kerfuffle with the conservation department last year? Monies that were supposed to be spent on one thing being spent on something else?
Monies are often moved in budget for needs. Resident needs are certainly present at gra edale and with so much agency I do t imagine 5 million was needed for staff bonus considering vacancies and amount of bonus
Who is the Gracedale administrator? Does anyone know?
The math should not be to hard, if gracedale is short that many county workers there is little doubt the entire 5 million was spent on the retention bonuses,and the leftover money? I guess we will see where it went or if it’s still there
Prison Guards are over priced baby sitters. I don’t want my taxes paying for anything with prisoners. That’s the difference between a nursing home and a prison. I good paying for elderly people would contributed to society.
Because their Staff negotiated it into the contract to make sure they get it. They are also the employees who actually take care of the patients.
If I remember correctly wasn’t it some of these gents that are commenting on this site trying to sell Gracedale for many years now. McClure kept it going like it or not. It seems to me that instead of coming up with solutions for Gracedale you all play the blame game.
8:35, The proponents for the sale of Gracedale were Ron Angle, John Stoffa, John Cusick and I argued for the sale and I filed a lawsuit in an unsuccessful effort to block a referendum I did not believe the public should decide directly bc it is too emotional an issue. (I do not advocate direct democracy for financial decisions). I know Stoffa had a $79 million buyer.
After the referendum, I attended a festival at Gracedale and was shocked to see how close many Gracedale staffers are to the residents. Some of them take residents home for holidays or will take them shopping. I began to realize that I was wrong.
None of the present members of County Council support the sale of Gracedale.
4.5% raise the civil service at Gracedale in 2024 will more than make up for that one year of bonus they missed. It’s a Step increase and is in their pay until they retire.
One of the ramifications of this is that everyone is going to see how much “extra” money all these employees received and the comparison to all of the OT these same people have received. I’m sure Lamont was trying to avoid that for them.
JSK was replaced by an acting administrator who was recently replaced by a Michelle Morton who apparently came from Kirkland Village/ Presbyterian Senior Living.
https://gracedale.org/our-team/
Yup! That's what they say, meanwhile everyone gets trained in Norco and bolts elsewhere as soon as they have an opportunity to make more. I would love to know what our department spends on training for people who have absolutely no chance of actually doing the job for any length of time.
It's the same for sheriffs and 911 - constant mandated OT and people leaving as soon as they can get a better job elsewhere.
Those dopes voted for canceling the bonuses and the contract! I'll let them find which meeting it was in since I'm tired of doing everyone's work for them.
When you give up maybe I'll tell you.
9:54, Your statement is incorrect. Council never voted to end the bonuses. I will have an update tomorrow with a second story.
But Brown Stain and Goofy Knew that the bonuses ended and yet they pull this stunt trying to look taken advantage of, when the only one taken advantage of was the other members of county council and the public
McClure had told Council that the administration would pay all employees at Gracedale an annual $2,500 bonus over a period of four years. He also said that hiring and retention bonuses would bring in 54-60 additional nursing staff and enable the nursing home to provide the required nursing care needed at the facility.
If you're a CNA [certified nurse's aid] within the sound of my voice, it would be a really good time to come to Gracedale," he said at the time, and repeated it several times.
This is hilarious Gracedale right now is 80% agency and 20% county there is less staff today then there was 2 years ago the numbers keep going down !!!
Sure thing residue genius. Bonuses ended? The retention bonus was supposed to be $2500/yr for 4 years to ALL Gracedale employees union and career service (excluding management). Passed in 2022, so 2025 should be year four. Oh and why hasn't the daycare opened 3 years later??
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