This effectively means that Gracedale would have to close.
So much for moral obligation.
How has Morton responded? On Friday, she notified NorCo Council that she is resigning, effective November 14. This has also been confirmed by Executive Tara Zrinski.
Hopefully, this will spur Zrinski to do what she should have done when she assumed office - get an Administrator who actually knows how to run a nursing home. Listen to people on County Council like Dave Holland, who was part of the administration team at Gracedale that turned a failing nursing home around.
Gracedale is on the agenda for this week's budget hearing. That should be interesting.
UPDATED 10:10 AM: One Council member tells me he received no notice of the resignation and was unaware of it until a reader posted here anonymously. But Executive Zrinski has confirmed that Morton has resigned with three weeks notice.
Just so know, mortin was picked by mcclure and voted in by the last county council? Including warren and keegan?
ReplyDeleteMorton was selected by McClure but is NOT a cabinet official. Council had no say in her selection.
Delete@1253 nice try though!
DeleteIts a start. If Tara really wants to change this county for the better she needs to fire all the department heads. Starting first with MaryLou. If you want to turn this county around you need to get rid of Lamonts people.
ReplyDeleteAnd that Wandalowski character! She chose Morton and worked closely with her and NOW she is silent! And what about that director of nursing who LIES constantly. Get rid of them now so good people can really do good work here! Come on Council. Do the right thing.
DeleteAnd theres never a good look at why wandalowski takes no responsibility in any of the issues from children youth and families piss poor morale to gracedales fall under her watch. Tara Z kept her in and she has shown no leadership or accountability. But nobody seems to care. She collects the big paycheck and her staff do her work. She is a bully and sits back and laughs all the way to the bank.
DeleteIt is a disgrace that the residents, county employees of Gracedale and the Gracedale volunteers (especially the Friends of Gracedale) have had to endure this administrator, this executive who supported her and those on council who did not only the same but even fought with those on council who expressed concern about Gracedale particularly under Morton. Can’t wait to hear their comments now that Gracedale is such a terrible mess. It will take more than just replacing Morton. A team is more likely what is needed at this point. Guess the Gracedale city plans are on the back burner for now. It would be great if CMS would step
ReplyDeletein now to call the shots since Tara appears not capable of doing so.
And they are singing that great country ballad - "Thank GOD and Greyhound she's gone".
ReplyDeleteThere is not enough rope in all of NORCO to pull the exec and council's heads out.
ReplyDeleteShe gets to resign, leaving a smoldering mess behind.
ReplyDeleteZyrinsky, Wasalowsky, Kraft, Keegan, McClure, new guy Carson, all played a role in causing this disaster.Not sure even a Premier Nursing Management team, if brought in, could remedy the issues. This exec and group of misinformed commissioners do not have the ability to put this back together.
Carson didn’t cause this. He didn’t do anything. He never should have been hired.
DeleteCarson accepted the position, accepted the existing problems, you are correct, he did nothing.
DeleteThe continuum of care position should have never been created.
DeleteCounty Council has no direct oversight of Gracedale and its daily operations. Read the home rule charter at least once, yes they provide the budget and can demand that it is being spent wisley but other than that what else can you dig on council for. I think you should run for council next cycle
DeleteThey have one last shot to fix this. Why do I get the feeling 43% is going to make a mess of it.
ReplyDeleteOh Children, there is nowhere for you to play kick-the -can anymore
ReplyDeleteThree weeks is not long enough to recruit and hire a qualified administrator. CMS requires an administrator. There cannot be any gap. 3 weeks is sufficient to find a management company and get it approved through Council on an emergency basis. A management company will bring somebody in day one. Nobody in the region would be willing to accept the administrator position for less than $200k at Gracedale, as the risk to one’s own licensure is too great.
ReplyDeleteThe administration was, I’m pretty sure, looking earlier for a replacement. The last Gracedale presentation to Council didn’t go well, indicating a change was due.
DeleteAgree, they need someone with a nursing background that can handle a large facility. The current assistant administrator is new to her license. Also, maybe if they worried more about the real issues instead of the dress code, They would get more done.
DeleteThe assistant NHA can carry the license without interruption.
DeleteIf it weren't for the State stepping in, Morton would still be there- can the State do the same to our incompetent Executive? She has no clue what she is doing.
ReplyDeleteI thought the presentation by Carson and Morton was poor and that Kelly Prentice was focused on changing public perception as opposed to addressing very real issues. But I question whether Zrinski saw it that way.
ReplyDeleteVerbal mirrors and smoke , without researched solutions or suggestions. They all gave lip service to the public, and Gracedale families and patients.
ReplyDeleteAfraidvthiscwill not end well.
Good riddance. From the beginning, Michelle demonstrated a serious lack of leadership and the management skills necessary to oversee a facility as complex as Gracedale. She routinely micromanaged veteran employees who had more experience and institutional knowledge than she did (They're happy she's gone) instead of focusing on the bigger picture.
ReplyDeletesoon you will all be gone and the place will be up for sale to the lowest bidder
DeleteThis is a tough business and when the finances don't match up, it doesn't matter who the administration is. Do you think the right administrator will get a better staff and more of it when the budget is limited ? This is a terrible business to start off with. Insurance and government reimbursements are limited, cash payers can't afford this, costs are increasing rapidly and eventually the business is running at a breakeven if lucky. That is why so many close up. I would never go into this business for anything. The risk/reward profile is terrible and with all these complaints, the business will surely have a horrendous reputation for year irrespective who is running the place. So I ask on here .... How does a change in administration solve the financial problems and fix a terrible reputation that will last for years ? Would you want to work there ? Who would want to put money into this business ?
ReplyDeleteAt this point I will now switch sides and say sell it. What will happen if funding is withdrawn? It certainly looks like a sinking ship. We deserve better!!!
ReplyDeleteWish the director of corrections would do the same. She has shown once again she doesn't have the back of her employees. And the jail is only getting worse with the decisions that are being made. That department needs major help. And the first thing is getting rid of the administration.
ReplyDeleteDidn’t Zrinski just hire two other expensive bureaucrats to focus on Gracedale? Surely one of them is qualified to step in and take over, right?
ReplyDeleteDumbass "spend" mentality. Did little more than put lipstick on a pig.
DeleteOnce again, the executive and council are really up on the wheel. Wow. Always the last to know about Gracedale..
ReplyDeleteSell Gracedale. It’s a money pit. This women should have been fired along time ago.
ReplyDeleteYes.
DeleteIt’s not an easy position and when it comes to clearing deficiencies it takes the whole team not just the administrator to do it. What were the deficiencies? If they had to do with nursing then why didn’t the Director of nursing clear them? There is only finger pointing at the administrator when the whole story isn’t being said.
ReplyDeleteAnyone on this blog who thinks Morton’s resignation was her idea must not have been reading state reports on the facility since she was hired there. Tom Carson parroting Tara today on WFMZ news today was disappointing. There appears to be so much more to this than the public is being told. Guess time will tell.
ReplyDeleteHELLLLOOO????Lets not forget The nursing directors(all 3) are USELESS!!! They are a huge part of the problem !!!They should be in the body getting on the units SEEING for themselves what is wrongand getting shit resolvedNO ACCOUNTABILITY!! They pass the problem to the person in charge on the unit for the day and then they go home and the next day new the person is in charge knows nothing or don't follow up!!!! Not one is safe to talk to.The supervisors are all agency except 1 and they have no clue how Gracedale is suppose to be run!!!and neither to the agency aides..so it the blind leading the blind
DeleteThe only one who seems to be doing anything about it is Tom Carson!!! He has a strong interest in talking to senior staff and asking what they think could be done better.So STOP blaming Tara and Tom.They have did more then Lamont EVER did.This is ALL Lamont's doing!If they have Gracedale staff this shit would not be going on...Thanks to Lamont for forcing the jab!
All of this stands squarely on the Director of Human Services shoulders. There is no excuse for it. Being a KidsPeace supervisor of a failed program does not qualify her for anything but wash the dishes.
ReplyDeleteAnd she escapes any culpability. Why is that
DeleteThe place should have been sold when there was a buyer. The Gracedale soap opera continues...
ReplyDeleteSelling an unlicensed , 250 acre, multiuse buildings campus will NOT be that simple.
DeleteHey Sue. Clean the toilets please.
ReplyDeleteWill exorcist nurse get jail time? Her trial starts next Monday morning.
ReplyDeleteMichelle Morton proved she was not fit for the job. She comes across as self-serving, more interested in criticizing everyone else’s performance, putting people down, and talking about how everyone supposedly praises the job she’s doing than taking accountability herself.
ReplyDeleteAnd Christina Casey is ABSOLUTELY NO better. She consistently appears unprepared and lacks the leadership and decisiveness needed to do the job effectively. If someone isn’t constantly walking her through every detail and spoon-feeding her the information she needs, how can anyone expect things to improve? Without the ability to take initiative, make informed decisions, and lead independently, the same failures will continue.
It’s disappointing to think that people once spoke so highly of Gracedale and what it represented. Sadly, the reputation of an institution is only as strong as the leadership guiding it. Based on what I’ve witnessed, this administration is doing little to uphold the standard Gracedale was once known for. And ultimately, it’s the employees, residents, and families who deserve better - A LOT BETTER.
Michelle proved she was not fit for the job. She comes across as self-serving, more interested in criticizing everyone else’s performance, putting people down, and talking about how everyone supposedly praises the job she’s doing than taking accountability herself.
ReplyDeleteAnd Christina Casey is absolutely no better. She appears unprepared and lacks the leadership and decisiveness needed to do the job effectively. If someone isn’t constantly walking her through every detail and spoon-feeding her the information she needs, how can anyone expect things to improve? Without the ability to take initiative, make informed decisions, and lead independently, the same failures will continue.
It’s disappointing to think that people once spoke so highly of Gracedale and what it represented. Sadly, the reputation of an institution is only as strong as the leadership guiding it. Based on what I’ve witnessed, this administration is doing little to uphold the standard Gracedale was once known for. And ultimately, it’s the employees, residents, and families who deserve better - A LOT BETTER.
Here’s a list of who should go next: TZ, Sue Wadelewski, the DON & her 2 assistants, MaryLou Kaboly, Tom or his counterpart (1 is enough). The business office manager. 1 medical records administrator. 1 housekeeping manager and a few housekeepers. I don’t know why there are 2 managers of everything. I’m sure maintenance can get rid of 1 or 2 positions. They suck up a lot of OT.Take a look in every dept for more cuts.
ReplyDeleteMany years we had a competent management company. Got the job done had no allegiance to personal ideas got the job done
ReplyDeleteMany years we had a competent management company. Got the job done had no allegiance to personal ideas got the job done
ReplyDeleteWhat happens to the employees? How will closing or selling effect their benefits? Maybe they should start looking for positions elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteLet her leave now don't need her to do 3 weeks notice! When Dave Holland ran the place I was assistant Maint. Supervisor then and the place was doing great! Does he want to do it again? Offer him a good wage and hope he takes it! If not get Premere back.
ReplyDeleteDoubt David wants this job. He really should have listened, though, when people told him Gracedale was a mess when he was a candidate for Commissioner. Either he didn’t believe it or he didn’t think it was this bad. It is this bad and maybe worse.
DeleteCome on roger, don’t be a schmuck! It’s 2026, not 1926!
DeleteSchmucks are people who are Chicken shit to put their name on comments! So hows it feel to be a SCHMUCK
DeleteGet rid of all of them. Do a search for a hospital administrator ( not from KidsPeace) who can manage this facility. Then tackle the DHS problem by auditing top to bottom and moving those people out. Not with a parachute but off the plank.
ReplyDeleteGet rid of them.
One of the main reasons Gracedale went downhill is because of the agency nurses and CNAs. Yea there are some good caring ones. But most are not Northampton residents. Most come from out of state or from Pocono region. And they are just there for the money and that's it. They work 16 hour shifts five or six days a week. And do subpar work and are usual just sitting on their butts. Or getting favored by Agency charge nurses and supervisors. They walk around the building with major attitude and act like they own the place. They are constantly wearing ear buds, hats and crocks. Agency supervisors just look the other way. If Gracedale staff would do that, they would be disciplined immediately. Agency staff should be capped at 40 hrs per week. Open up the union contract and pay all Gracedale staff even a few dollars more.Reduce all agency staff by a few dollars an hour. Most of them have no other job options to make wages like $30 or $60 an hour to do subpar work. You will weed out the lazy ones. Gracedale schedulers make the schedules and supervisors change everything they do. Agency supervisors should not be able to touch schedule. They put their favorite lazy CNAs and nurses on easy assignments. The place is never gonna recover unless you take power away from crappy agency staff. They park in front of building even though they're repeatedly told not to. They lie and say they're doing treatments on residents. They eat in resident areas and talk on their phones while passing meds. aDONS, supervisors etc witness their unruly behavior and because of poor leadership on many levels in building, they just look the other way. Wakeup TZ and council to what is and isn't going on in Gracedale if you wanna save the place.
ReplyDelete100% cudos to whoever wrote this!! All facts!!
DeleteSure she was told to or she would be fired.
ReplyDelete