Back in March, NorCo Council member John Brown wanted to know what happened to $5 million in retention bonuses, set aside by Council for Gracedale employees. By a 8-1 vote, Council tasked Controller Tara Zrinski with finding out how much money had been spent, and what was left. Brown was the sole dissenter, and that was because he wanted a report within 20 days.
Council had the right to wonder what had happened. They, and not the Executive, control the purse strings. And it is they who directed that $5 million in federal pandemic funds be used to stop the bleeding of nursing home staff. They actually did so at the request of Executive Lamont McClure. It was his idea.
Zrinski's audit concludes that, of the $5 million approved for retention bonuses, only $2.36 million was actually paid to employees. The rest was used for operating expenses at the nursing home. Three bargaining units at Gracedale gave up the bonuses in exchange for higher pay. These agreements were unknowingly ratified by County Council. Had they known that the retention bonuses were ending. But there was no agreement with career service to end bonuses in exchange for higher pay. They just ended.
In her audit, Zrinski notes that since the money was commingled with other Gracedale funds, it is impossible to state exactly how each dollar was spent.
McClure addressed this issue again at last night's Governance Committee.
"You continue to say things like '$2.6 million is missing.' Well, it's not missing. The Controller's report said it went to operating expenses ... . I provided you with an explanation as to what happened. I can provide you with further explanation as to what occurred. "
He then said he was providing Council with Gracedale's expenses in 2024, which consist of 4,000 invoices over 12,000 pages "so you can be definitively sure that all of the money was spent at Gracedale." He added that, after a review for possible HIPPA restrictions against public disclosure of sensitive health information, these records will also be released to the public. "Most of it went for agency expenditures, overtime for agency folks and overtime that shouldn't have been paid."
McClure went on to say that "I was as angry as you were when I learned they had spent all the money. ... What I found when I was doing my investigation is what's akin to waste, fraud and abuse in overtime. with respect to some of the very folks [career service employees] that you're concerned about not having that final retention bonus payment."
McClure went on to explain that these non-nursing career service employees claimed an average 324.78 hours of overtime per pay period in 2023. In 2024, they claimed 270.35 hours of overtime per pay period. He said this added up to about $1 million over two years "that didn't need to be spent." He said that, as of today, there are 47 hours of overtime per pay period.
Council member Tom Giovanni wondered why McClure failed to come to County Council once he discovered this problem. "You should have done that in January, you already knew something was going on in January."
McClure acknowledged that he should have told County Council in January about this problem.
13 comments:
Good question, Tom. You’ll be a great County Executive.
I think the whole thing smells fishy! Over time is for work that was done and not a bonus. If money was set aside for career services for bonuses and they were told they would get, then damn it give it to them. They have people who have given decades of service to the county and this is how they reward them. Sorry we spent the money! Can't take care of our employees so let's build a day care that is behind schedule and there is money for that. Come on they need to open their eyes before the titanic sinks! I worked there years ago and was proud to say i did. I felt that end of the day i made a difference and was able to provide some smiles to the residents. God bless Gracedale and let's make it great again!!
I can't wait for this incompetent Executive to leave- the more he stays, the worse he smells!
Hold on.
McClure belatedly does his job and finally finds out that for at least two YEARS overtime was abused. He finds that out in January of this year, but covers it up until Council asks for an audit. Then McClure supposedly comes clean (although I think it’s clear that we still don’t have the full story).
And we’re supposed to be happy about that?
Let me ask two important questions here:
1) Why should we believe that the problem only started in 2023?
2) If there was ANY “overtime that shouldn’t have been paid”, what is McClure doing to get it back? Is he docking the pay of employees who are still there, and filing with the court to go after those who are no longer employed? If not, why not?
Honestly, every time I read something new about this I find there are more questions that aren’t being answered, and sometimes not even asked.
Let's not get confused people. With most of the county jobs the overtime is not a choice. When every and I mean every department is short staffed and needs people to to their jobs it is going to create OT. Somethings need to get done.
Some things just can't wait till tomorrow. And sometimes you just need a person there. This comes down to the pay at northampton County. People don't want to work for those wages. And the staff shortages are in every department. And then you get OT.
And for all you people who write in saying "quit if you don't like it". They are and here comes the overtime. So pick your poison
Tell people to quit if you don't like it and pay OT. Or pay a livable wage and staff your departments. You know which one Lamont picks.
Will never be great again. Why? Because just as with our country no felonious leader should be running it.
Here’s an idea - you have separate meetings for Courts and Correction, Personnel and Finance, Governance, Parks, Land, Human Services, etc. - just have Gracedale have their own separate meeting. That way you can hash this stuff out during their meeting and not waste everyone else’s time. For a facility and a budget so big, I’m surprised they never had their own separate monthly meeting.
On Zrinski's candidate page for Executive she writes the following: "As County Executive, I will modernize government operations, increase efficiency, and make sure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely."
Bernie points out in her audit she writes: "In her audit, Zrinski notes that since the money was commingled with other Gracedale funds, it is impossible to state exactly how each dollar was spent.
Does anyone else find this a bit contradictory. Even as an auditor in the County Controller position her stance is in essence stating, Since the money is comingled that is ok. We don't need to know where it is.
Please stop buying into this woman's feigned altruism. She is nothing more than a wolf in sheep's clothing only looking to further her own sense of self importance through emotional game play.
Um....theft of overtime is a crime. Likely a federal one is this instance...
This woman is totally incompetent!
This administration and past, have always commingled Gracedale funds with General funds to cover their budget needs…
Not surprising that they maneuver funds to meet their needs but lose track of them until they show up sometimes as line item, under Gracedale, where they should have been in the first place. The exec knew it, Baron knew it, bullhorn Betty knew it……poor fiscal handling should not be a can kicked down the road.
"In her audit, Zrinski notes that since the money was commingled with other Gracedale funds, it is impossible to state exactly how each dollar was spent."
Unless the missing* money was just in a briefcase full of cash, is it traceable? Every dollar in and dollar out has a digital footprint. They are just stalling and waiting for the public to forget about this theft of taxpayer money. It's likely the Lament supporters on council and in the controller's office are more concerned about damage control and impact on Lament's campaign than they are about accountability.
*Hey Lament, it's missing. Applying your logic, if your roommate takes your rent money from you and spends it on booze, it's not missing since your roommate spent it on his normal expenses.
Per pay period!! Holy cow, how is that not red flagged? Just like the staff scandal in the DAs office. Seems like payroll needs better warning systems
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