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Tuesday, July 21, 2026

Who's On the Gracedale Oversight Committee?

At their July 2 meeting, Northampton County Council voted to establish a Gracedale Oversight Committee proposed by Council member Dave Holland. As of today, Council President Ken Kraft has yet to appoint any members. Kraft, who opposed this committee, appears to be dragging his feet. 

Under the Home Rule Charter, a council president has the authority to preside at meetings. As a matter of tradition, not law, he makes the committee assignments.  Should he persist in refusal to appoint committee members to provide oversight at a nursing home with a Provisional II license, County Council has the authority to do it themselves. 

Gracedale certainly needs oversight. According to McKinght's Long-Term Care News, occupancy at freestanding nursing homes is 86.7%, a 10-year high. (The Northeast, which includes Pa. and Gracedale, is at 89.5%). But the occupancy rate at Gracedale is an anemic 75%, as reported to County Council's July 2 Human Services meeting. 

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7 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 21, 2026 at 4:13 AM

    No surprise here. Kraft has always been oppositional when it came to Gracedale’s welfare. Ignoring this committee is the next best thing to tabling it and waiting for it to die from inaction.

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  2. AnonymousJuly 21, 2026 at 6:12 AM

    I hope Kelly Keegan is Chairwoman. She’s an R.N., and she worked as a nurse at Graceland.

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    Replies
    1. Bernie O'HareJuly 21, 2026 at 8:56 AM

      She voted No to the committee, but I could see this happening. It is precisely the kind of vindictiveness that she attributes to other members of Council. I never heard her claim that she worked at Gracedale, but she did say that some of her colleagues at nursing school started their careers there.

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  3. AnonymousJuly 21, 2026 at 6:40 AM

    Kraft has a PhD in obstruction. He, like Kelly K are both the north end of a south bound mule

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  4. AnonymousJuly 21, 2026 at 7:09 AM

    I thought our elderly would go without care if Gracedale was no more. It looks like families are having no problem finding alternatives to Gracedale. What are we doing here. Those who supported the sale were called heartless. Now, those who support a "Weekend At Bernie's" Gracedale are the heartless ones for pushing a plan that will cost still more money to our elderly on fixed incomes. Gracedale is not a necessary county function.

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  5. AnonymousJuly 21, 2026 at 7:14 AM

    How much is Gracedale cost the property taxpayers?

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  6. AnonymousJuly 21, 2026 at 8:20 AM

    I remember when the Good Reverend Mario Martinez shellacked you, Ron and the bird house maker where is the good Rev?

    ReplyDelete

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