No COLA for NorCo Retirees in 2022

Thanks to inflation, social security recipients can expect to see a 5.9% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in 2022. That's only fair. But NorCo retirees are getting nothing. That's amazingly unfair. Their buying power has gone down, yet a Democratic retirement board is ignoring them. I am even told that a COLA was promised at a recent retiree luncheon.   

NorCo Expands Hours at COVID-19 Testing Site

From Northampton County: With the increased demand for COVID-19 tests, the drive-through site located at Coordinated Health, 3100 Emrick Blvd, Bethlehem, PA is expanding its hours. The site will be open on Friday, December 31^st and Saturday, January 1^st from 8:00AM – 12 Noon. On January 3 – 7, testing will be available Monday/Wednesday/Friday from 8:00AM – 4:00PM and on Tuesday/Thursday from 10:00AM – 6:00PM. Appointments are not required for COVID-19 tests.

 

Vaccinations with Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson shots are available by appointment during the site’s regular hours: Monday/Wednesday/Friday from 10:00AM – 2:00PM and Tuesday/Thursday from 3:00PM – 6:00PM.

 

“Cases, and the need for testing, has risen due to the Omicron variant and the holidays,” says Lamont McClure. “We are expanding our hours next week to meet demand and will adjust them accordingly as we move forward.”

 

To make an appointment for a vaccine at the COVID-19 testing site use one of the following options:

 

1. Schedule at the LVHN website at LVHN.org/appointments.
2. Schedule on the MyLVHN patient portal, at MyLVHN.org.
3. Call 833-584-6283 (833-LVHN-CVD). The COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline is open Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

A Physician’s order is not required for a COVID-19 test. The drive-through site is open to everyone, but only residents of Northampton County will have the cost of testing covered by the County if they do not have health coverage. All testing will be through HNL Lab Medicine unless insurance requires an alternate laboratory. Participants should bring a photo ID and their insurance card, if they have one, with them to the testing site. 

 

The drive-through vaccination/testing center is a collaboration between the Northampton County Department of Community and Economic Development, Emergency Management Services and Lehigh Valley Hospital-Coordinated Health Allentown Hospital (LVH-CHA).

Lynch Wants All 22,000 Mail-in Ballots

As anyone who follows Northampton County politics knows, Executive Lamont McClure has been elected to a second term.  On November 2, he attracted 38,477 votes while challenger Steve Lynch attracted 29,984. This was by no means a landslide, but the margin of victory was an endorsement of centrist government over the extremism that Lynch represents. "We the People" went with McClure. But it should come as no surprise that Lynch is unwilling to go gentle into that good night. He's raging and raging against the dying of the spotlight. He liked the attention he got, especially when he threatened to bring 20 strong men to go after Northampton Area School Board directors. He's hoping it continues, and what better way than by descending upon the elections office to inspect and copy mail-in ballots? 

In a recent Facebook Filibuster (I am blocked, but you might be able to see it here), Lynch claims to have a lawyer who has told him he has the right to inspect and copy the 22,000 mail-in ballots cast.  He's calling on all Lynch Lackeys to meet him at the courthouse today at 9 am. They are to bring portable copy machines or scanners so he can make copies of the 22,000 mail-in ballots. He insists they show all kinds of fraud. He adds that McClure, Administrator Charles Dertinger, and Voter Registrar Amy Cozze are in some sort of cabal of corruption. Never mind that McClure actually tried to kill a well-deserved pay raise for Cozze.

What Lynch knows, and what he failed to tell his myrmidons, us that he has no right to inspect or copy mail-in ballots. Solicitor Rich Santee stated this at an Elections Commission meeting attended by Lynch. Maybe Lynch was wearing his mask over his ears. But Lynch has also been told this in person by several elections officials on several occasions. 

What he is entitled to is a list of those voters who requested ballots, those who received them and those who returned them. That list has been available since election day. 

What sore loser Lynch is really trying to do is draw attention to himself. 

It;s one thing for him to broadcast Facebook Live videos while careening along Route 22. It's quite another for him to interfere with county operations. If he tries to play bully at the courthouse, things will end badly for him.   

Just like they did on January 6. 

Thode: LV Sets New Case COVID-19 Record, But It Might Be Less Deadly

Steve Thode, who has been keeping track of the COVID-19 data here in the Lehigh Valley, reports that the latest virus variant - Omicron - is particularly virulent. We've set yet another new case record. But unlike previous mutations, Omicron might be less deadly  

Lehigh and NorCo have smashed various COVID case records as of today. The following are some of the new records set:

1) Lehigh has reported a total of 4,739 new cases the past 14 days;

2) NorCo has reported a total of 4,671 new cases the past 14 days;

3) Lehigh has reported a total of 2,831 new cases the past 7 days;

4) NorCo has reported a total of 2,660 new cases the past 7 days;

5) Lehigh reported a total of 695 new cases on December 28;

6) NorCo reported a total of 628 new cases on December 28;

7) Lehigh/Norco combined have reported a total of 5,491 new cases the past 7 days;

8) Lehigh/NorCo combined have reported a total of 17,030 new cases for the month of December. That's the most in any month since the pandemic began with four days left to be reported.

Here's a chart of the 7-Day Total New Case Rate for Lehigh/Norco as of December 28:

I do not have up-to-date death data for Lehigh/NorCo. However, here is a chart from the CDC with US results as of December 26. The red line is the US total 7-day moving average of new cases which stood at an average of 205,677 new cases per day for the seven days ended on December 26 (about 1.44 million new cases for the seven days). The orange line is the 7-day moving average number of COVID deaths per 100,000 population.  It is striking that, with the Delta variant (July to early December), deaths and new cases tended to move in tandem with deaths lagging a rise or fall in new cases by 2-3 weeks. However, under the Omicron variant (since early December), the death rate per 100,000 population has stayed almost constant although new cases have skyrocketed. Still too early to say for sure, but it appears Omicron is substantially less fatal than Delta.

Beware of Fake Sheriff Scamming You

 From Northampton County: The Northampton County Sheriff’s Department has received reports about an individual contacting residents and claiming to be Lieutenant Rich Johnson. Said individual then states there is a warrant out for the resident’s arrest and that they need to pay via a bank check or a money order otherwise they will be immediately arrested.

This is a scam intended to defraud our residents. The Sheriff’s Department does not call residents and solicit money in lieu of arrest.

Please report any suspicious solicitations to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office at 800-441-2555 or email them at scams@attorneygeneral.gov.

Blogger's Note: Northampton County's Sheriff is Richard Johnston, so this scammer has done some homework. 

Is Biden Losing It?

I had Christmas dinner with a bunch of bad-ass Republicans. I had to laugh when our outstanding chef showed me a Biden t-shirt in which he says, "Impeach me! I won't even remember."  But later, someone replayed a Christmas Eve video in which  Joe Biden purportedly said, "I agree" in response to a fan with a "Let's go Brandon!" cheer. I thought this might be one of those deepfake videos, but that's what our President said.  It makes me wonder whether that T-shirt is closer to the truth than I would have guessed. 

Now it could be Biden is unaware this us a right-wing jab. If so, that would mean he's out of touch. It could also be that he misheard it, although I have some trouble with that explanation. It could be that Biden was agreeing with the caller who claimed he was joking, though I never find it funny when someone tells me to go f--- myself. '

Is Biden's response an indication he's losing it?  I voted for the guy, so I have no desire to see him fail.  

This is Reform?

Below is a list of government reforms proposed, way back in 2016, by Lower Macungie Commissioner Ron Beitler, myself and a few readers. These were sent to Governor Tom Wolf and the Lehigh Valley delegation to the state house and senate. I never received a reply.  

These are neither Republican nor Democratic proposals. You either believe in good government or you don't. 

1. Term limits now and tweak the terms. Three four-year terms for State Reps. Two six-year terms for State Senators. A two-year term for State Reps is too short, They have to start campaigning for the next election virtually the day after they win.

2. Reduce the size of PA government so state rep districts have 85,000 people within. This is small enough to maintain constituent services at the current level, but large enough to eliminate 52 positions entirely.

3. Eliminate pensions for elected officials. Salaries for a full-time state legislator should be adjusted to be the median for the district represented. It is a full time job, but not a career. Pensions are for career positions.

4. Enact Resign-to-run rules that would apply to any full time elected position that draws a taxpayer funded salary.  Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley should not be able to use the perks of his office as a springboard to the state senate. Nor should the myriad of other elected officials, including three NorCo Council members, whowant to run for something else. The only exception to this rule I can see is if the candidate is in the final year of his term.  

5. End gerrymandering by establishing independent commissions to do the redistricting. (The current commission is appointed by incumbents to help them keep their jobs.  

6. Require all candidates for statewide office to file campaign finance reports electronically so the people know immediately how the campaign is being funded. Too many candidates refuse to file electronically, and the state elections office is neverin a hurry to get reports online.  

7. Ban the use of campaign funds for criminal defense.

8. Increase penalties for noncompliance with state campaign finance laws, and continue the requirement that a candidate pay for violations out of his own personal funds.

9. All local governments should be required to provide an Internet broadcast of every meeting. If it is too expensive, the government should be dissolved.

10. Ban gifts of any kind, on a state and local level.

12. Require receipts for per diem payments.

13. Allow independent voters to participate in Primary Elections.

14. Ban local governments and school districts from attaching risky derivatives/"swaps" to their debt.

15. Ban candidates or elected officials from using campaign funds to make contributions to any other PAC or candidate committee to prevent the money laundering.

16. Limit campaign expenses to year of election requiring forfeiture of unspent monies. Eliminate rolling campaign accounts and expenditures in non election years. I believe district magistrates must spend it or lose it and cannot accumulate funds when they are unopposed. Similar rules for everybody.

17. LIST candidates on the ballot (per office) in random order with no party affiliation attached.

18. Rather than term limits, place "None of the Above" on the ballot for every elective office. If "None of the Above" wins a majority or plurality of the votes, the other candidates are disqualified and a new slate of candidates (including "None of the Above") must be drawn for a new election. Lather, rinse and repeat until someone other than "None of the Above" receives a majority of the votes.

Is State Redistricting Yet Another Gerrymander?

Pennsylvania's Reapportionment Commission has proposed a preliminary plan for the redistricting of state house and senate seats. In contrast to what happened the last time, there's a lot of transparency this time. The plan is posted here, and even includes maps. Moreover, you can submit your own exceptions to either the house or senate plans. The plan is opposed by Lisa Boscola, a Democratic State Senator, and Dean Browning, a well-known Lehigh County Republican. This might be a good thing.

Boscola has shared her views with Lehigh Valley Live. In essence, she complains that the lines are drawn in a way to protect each party's power. She adds that the commission members are from western Pa of Philly and have no understanding of the Lehigh Valley's unique needs.

Browning has made his views known to the Commission. He's more nuanced. Here's what he says: 

First, let me say that I'm very active in the local Lehigh County Republican Committee. However, I do believe that we are best served when our representatives are elected from districts that are relatively compact and where municipalities/townships are kept intact.

On that last point, it has always irritated me that the township where I live (South Whitehall) is split between three (3) different State Representatives, none of whom have South Whitehall Township as their top priority. For example, Ryan Makenzie has Lower Mac as his locus, Zach Mako has Northampton County as his locus and Mike Schlossberg (even though he recently moved to South Whitehall) has Allentown as his locus. While the newly released State Rep map corrects that and puts all of South Whitehall in one district, it does so by splitting other municipalities/townships across Lehigh County.

Some examples are as follows:

Allentown would be covered by three (3) Reps. instead of two (2). While this might make sense given Allentown's size (68,000 voters), it doesn't make sense that a much smaller Salisbury Township and School District (9,800 voters) is also split between three (3) Reps.

Upper Macungie goes from one (1) Rep to two (2) Reps; one of whom still would have Allentown as their locus.

North Whitehall is split and residents in North Whitehall 4 (a suburban/rural area) would be represented by someone who has West Bethlehem (commercial/city) as part of their district.

Lynn Township (a rural, farming community in the northwest part of Lehigh County) would be lumped in with Lower Macungie commercial/suburban).

Residents in the southwestern part of Lehigh County would have a Rep who would also be representing parts of Northampton and parts of Berks County.

It is easy to see why this map passed 3-2 along party lines as it is still gerrymandered but just in the other direction.

If the goal is compact districts that minimize splitting municipalities/townships (which was one of the main stated objectives for the redistricting commission) then the maps should reflect that!

Otherwise, gerrymandering is gerrymandering is gerrymandering.

My own take is that, for the most part, this is more of an incumbent protection than a reapportionment plan. This is clear in Lehigh County. where Pat Browne's district looks like Pacman the way it goes into Berks County. Clearly the Senate maps in Berks and Lehigh County were drawn to make it easier for Browne and Republican Judy Schwank o win re-election.  In Lehigh County. Senator Pat Browne went from a district that was 53% D / 45% R to one that is the reverse - 45% D / 53% R.  Meanwhile Senator Judy Schwank in Berks just got a little safer as her district went from 52% D / 45% R to 54% D / 43% R.

There are some exceptions to this incumbent protection plan. 

Jean McNeill's (133) seat has become more competitive. She loses Fountain Hill and the Democratic portions of Salisbury Tp while gaining the Republican parts of Whitehall and South Whitehall.

Peter Schweyer (22) is in trouble. Fountain Hill and part of Salisbury have been added to his district. If a Latino runs, he loses. If two Latinos run, he wins. Jose Rosado lives in Fountain Hill.   

Pepper's Sailing Adventure With My Dad and Vonnegut

Richard Huntington Pepper, Esq.

Richard Huntington Pepper, Esq., is a lawyer who once represented royalty - a young lady who claimed she was Princess Hope, daughter of an African King. She was jailed when she refused to pay a hotel bill. Pepper tried to get her out of the can on the basis of diplomatic immunity. He was doing pretty well, too, until Her Highness told then Judge Jim Hogan that "Mr. Pepper has the biggest cock I've ever seen!"

Judge Hogan, who had also sailed with Pepper, took judicial notice that the object mentioned was, in fact, considerably smaller than represented. That unfortunately provided a basis for discounting the rest of Princess Hope's testimony, as compelling as it might be.

Before President Judge Al Williams issued a Court Order banning all NorCo lawyers from sailing, Pepper was also a frequent recruit on my father's many maritime adventures. He sent me this email about one of them.

Bernardo,

Your recent blog referencing your old man and Vonnegut brought back memories of sailing with Captain O’Hare and one band or another of pirates and shellbacks.

Having become somewhat used to being reported “lost at sea”, which seemed to occur far more frequently than one might expect; sailing trips with your dad were always an adventure of epic proportion, filled with equal measures of uncertainty, dread and amazement. Often spending a several weeks at a time, a few hundred miles offshore, more or less alone and trapped on a 35’ ill-equipped sailboat; I would like to think affords you a fair opportunity to assess the measure of a man. Such it was with Captain O’Hare.

My customary first watch of the day when sailing with your dad was usually the morning watch from 0400 to 0800, when he would relieve me at the helm. While he enjoyed his first cigarette and coffee of the morning as he tried to figure out how far off course I had placed us, he sometimes talked haltingly about WWII, Vonnegut, the Battle of the Bulge and Dresden. For the most part in the early days of sailing with your dad, I took these tales as more fanciful than factual as often happens among ancient mariners while at sea. Now knowing how much bigger than life your dad actually was, I should have known better.

On a given Friday a few years later, your dad called me and instructed that I pack a day bag for sailing on Saturday around New York with a day passenger. I had, apparently, been shanghaied. As I made the boat ready and pretended to know what I was doing, your father’s day passenger arrived. It was Vonnegut. Not any old Vonnegut; THE Vonnegut. For the better part of a long day, I sailed in circles listening to these two old warriors talk about their youth, the war, their capture and imprisonment, and a long-forgotten German girl that kept them alive. Vonnegut confirmed every word of your dad’s memories of those horrible times, even attributing their survival during capture to your father’s less than artful use of the German language. He was quite a guy. “So it goes.”

Pepper

Addendum: During the Battle of the Bulge, my father and Vonnegut were intelligence scouts, selected for their understanding of foreign languages. Naturally, neither knew a word of German. Looking through a phrase book, my father screams, "Nein Scheissen," thinking he's asking them not to shoot him.

He was actually saying, "Don't shit."

The Germans started laughing.They laughed more when they learned my Dad's last name is O'Hare. "Herr O'hare," they laughed. 

It was around this time that both were either being marched or were inside the cattle car of a POW train rumbling its way deep into the bowels of the Third Reich. 

(Originally published in 2016)

Thode: New LV Covid Slightly Below Last Week

Steve Thode has been faithfully following and reporting on the Covid-19 data since the pandemic's inception. Here's his latest:

As of Monday, December 20, Lehigh/NorCo have reported a total of 3,859 new COVID cases the past seven days.

The record peak for 7-day cases occurred last Thursday when Lehigh/Norco reported a total of 4,573 new cases.

Here's how things have gone for the month of December:

Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Includes Funding for Hyperloop Transportation

When most of us think of alternate transportation, we thing of electric cars, bicycles and the bus.  Although electric cars are coming down in price, they may consume more energy than they save. I love bicycles, but they are out at this time of year for candy-asses like myself. A bus is great, but only if you live close to the route. If you have to transfer a few times to make your destination, you might as well drive. Fortunately, there's funding for a new kind of alternate transportation in the recently passed infrastructure bill.  No, it's  not a Jetsons' car. It's called the hyperloop.   

I think it's ridiculous to throw money at an inefficient and outdated Amtrak. It's equally stupid to pour more funds into widening highways to create even more carbon emissions while exacerbating existing gridlock. 

A hyperloop is a new form of passenger and freight transportation that would carry people and cargo in pods through low-pressure tunnels very much like the one you might have used at your bank's drive-thru. It could be above or below ground and could reach speeds of up to 700 mph while using about 1/10th the energy.

According to the Department of Energy, a system like this would be most useful in areas where demand would be high and in which there already is a high traffic volume. For example, a trip from Allentown to NYC or Philly could work, but not with multiple stops along the way.  

The only question I have is why isn't this in place already?  

Gracedale's One--Star Rating Due to IT Failure, Not Staff Shortage

On Monday, I told you that Gracedale is currently rated by Medicare and Medicaid at just one star out of five. Staffing there is also rated at one star out of five. This means the home is "much below average," which is in start contrast to 18 other nursing homes within a 10-mile radius.  I concluded this poor grade was the result of the staffing crisis. I learned yesterday that I am wrong. The poor rating is actually the result of a failure by the county's IT provider to transmit the data federal officials need to provide a rating. Without this information, Medicare and Medicaid just assumed the worst and gave the facility a one-star rating.  

I spoke yesterday with Gracedale Administrator Jennifer Stewart-King and several other county officials about the rating, I was advised that the county was using a software system called to transmit personnel data, but the software is flawed. The county decided to implement a separate system called CHRONOS, This was supposed to be operational last July, but the county's IT department filed to get it up and running as promised. As a result, no data was supplied in a timely manner. 

What Stewart-King told me is corroborated by the federal website.  Instead of noting the number of hours per resident per day provided by nursing staff, it contains this notation: "Not available." Without the data, the rating defaults to one star. 

Gracedale administrators have worked manually and with existing software to provide the data necessary for the next rating, which will be on January 19 or 20. Stewart-King is hoping for two or three stars. 

In the meantime, the county did hire a consultant to work on improving its rating for resident care. That is expected to go up as well. 

I told Stewart-King that a one-star rating will discourage families from sending loved ones to the home. She responded that she has a 60-person waiting list from other homes and hospitals. 

Though Gracedale is licensed for 688 beds, the current census is just 468. This is intentional. Stewart-King told me the census will remain low until staffing is ramped up.

Stewart-King also denied there's any effort to hide problems. She noted that the state Department of Health (DOH) has been at the home 29 times this year. On Sunday, there was a visit to investigate two anonymous complaints, both of which were determined to be unfounded, 

"Nothing happens at Gracedale that the DOH doesn't know about," said Stewart-King. "If we had the space, we'd give them an office," added Human Services Director Sue Wandalowski.   

Governing: The Disconnect Between The Elected and Unwashed Masses Concerning Crime

Governing does an annual survey among city Mayors called the Menino Survey of Mayors. They reflect the views of the elected on topics like the pandemic, homelessness and affordable housing. But they note a growing disconnect when it comes to crime. "Just 26 percent of mayors considered rising crime a long-term concern. But 2020’s spate of violence hasn’t so far proved to be an aberration. Homicides jumped by nearly 30 percent last year, an incredible surge, and this year at least a dozen major cities have set all-time homicide records. Residents are clearly concerned: Our Manhattan Institute poll found six in 10 saying crime was increasing in their area, and nationwide the share that agree is nearing a 25-year high."

Rumor: Three NorCo Council Members Pondering State House Bid

I've been informed that three NorCo Council members are pondering a state house bid next year. I decline to name them until I've had a chance to speak with them. All three are Democrats. 

Anyone has the right to run for anything. But when three candidates from the same governing body run for another job at the same time, County government is bound to suffer, 

We've got some serious problems. Staffing at Gracedale is below state standards.  The nursing home has an inexcusable one-star rating. Employees have actually lost ground, thanks to inflation and an unwillingness to use the step system as contemplated by the merit personnel system established in the Home Rule Charter.  Council members should forget their own ambitions for now, and do what they were elected to do - serve the people. 

With a county in crisis, I think any Republican opponent could quickly attack Democratic candidates for failing their constituents. Besides, next year looks pretty bad for Democrats.    

Jimmy's Gift

At this time of year, try as I might, it's simply too cold for me to get on a bicycle. But it's never too cold for a brisk walk or run. I do most of it in town, but love the Tatamy Bike Trail when I'm a little sore or want to inject some speed into my workout. It's flat, blocks the wind and the asphalt surface is gentler than a concrete sidewalk. That's where I was on Tuesday when I ran into this:

Thanks, Jimmy!

Gracedale is NorCo's Biggest Problem

When I was growing up, we used to visit my grandparents regularly. On one visit, my NaNa, as we called her, asked if we'd like a cup of tea. She brought out the kettle, and it was just lukewarm water. It was on that day that my mom decided they were moving in with us. She converted a patio into a studio apartment so they'd have at least some privacy in a house full of kids, dogs, cats, parakeets, a guinea pig and even a myna bird my Dad taught to curse. My mother had her hands full raising five holy terrors, but adding her own parents to her burden made her more at ease. She was an R.N, too, so my grandparents got excellent care in their final years. That was then. These days, it's nearly impossible for many families to care for themselves, let alone their aging parents. Their only option is a nursing home. I doubt many families seriously consider Gracedale. 

Let's say you have the unenviable task of finding a nursing home for a loved one. There are 18 nursing homes within a 10-mile radius of Nazareth. Only one of them has a one-star rating, and it's Gracedale. 

Nursing homes are rated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid from one to five stars, based on a review of health inspections, staffing and the quality of resident care. A rating of one star means that the nursing home is "much below average." Gracedale has this rating primarily because it is failing to meet what Executive Lamont McClure has often called a "moral obligation" to care for our elderly. Itys rating for staffing and quality of resident care are at just one star. 

Early in McClure's first term, Gracedale had climbed to three stars ("average.") At the time, McClure said he was aiming for a five-star rating. “Gracedale is striving to meet our moral obligation of taking care of those who can no longer care for themselves while balancing the interests of the taxpayers who pay the bills ... .” he said at the time.

This is an unmitigated failure, and McClure owns it. 

On Election Eve, there was a political rally outside the home, complaining about conditions. Although I covered this event, I was skeptical of many of the claims because most of them came from disgruntled ex-employees and an Executive candidate. 

The election's over. Since then, I now know that the state Department of Health recently visited Gracedale and made this finding:

Observations:

Based on a review of nursing time schedules and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to provide a minimum of 2.7 hours of direct care for each resident for 13 of 21 days reviewed.

Findings include:

A review of nursing time schedules from October 3, 2021 through October 23, 2021, revealed that the facility failed to provide a minimum of 2.7 hours of direct care for each resident on October 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 19, 21, and 23, 2021, for a total of 13 days out of 21 days reviewed, In an interview on October 24, 2021, at 1:30 p.m., the Administrator stated that the facility did not meet the minimum of 2.7 hours of direct care for each resident on the aforementioned days.

Administrator Jennifer Stewart King has conceded that staffing levels are below the minimum state standards, but has told County Council this measure is based on a full census of 688. She said she expected the nursing home to have higher levels of nursing care per resident once the reduced census is recognized. 

What she represent to Council appears to be untrue. Actually, that's untrue. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, the poor staffing is based on a census of 512. 

While the County has made an effort to hire more people, it could do much more. It could seek help from county workers who might be willing to put in a few hours at Gracedale to supplement their meager wages. It could pay people more. And McClure needs to reconsider whether he made the right choice when he replaced an outside administrator so he could save a few bucks. 

County Council has set aside money for several studies. Gracedale should be at the top of the list.    

LV 7-Day New COVID Cases Top 4,000; NorCo Sets 7-Day Record

Steve Thode has been performing a true public service by keeping track of the LV's COVID-19 numbers. Here's his latest report. In a word, depressing. 

As of Sunday, December 12, Lehigh and Northampton County combined have reported 4,094 new COVID cases the past 7 days; and, NorCo set a new 7-Day record with 1,959 cases.

The DoH doesn't report statewide cases on weekends, so I don't have an update on the statewide rate.

NorCo Council Overrides McClure Vetoes Regarding Budget and Salaries of Elected Officials

At their December 2 meeting, Northampton County Council adopted a budget for next year. In doing so, Council amended the budget to increase its own funding to $400,000 so it could pay for a study of IT, Gracedale and salaries. It also increased the salaries of both the Elections Registrar and her Deputy. Separately, Council approved a payraise for future elected officials. On December 9, Executive Lamont McClure vetoed both Council's budget amendments as well as the payhike for future elected officials. The very next day, at their final meeting of the year, County Council voted to override McClure's vetoes. 

County Council beefed up its own spending fund by taking $100,000 from the IT budget as well as $150,000 from the County's stabilization fund. 

In his veto message, McClure argued that reducing the IT budget by $100,000 "leaves us vulnerable to cyberattacks" and limits the county's ability to get computer components in the midst of a pandemic that has caused supply chain issues. He also argues that the County Council lacks the authority to conduct its own IT study.  He adds that Council is violating its own ordinance by "raiding" its own financial stabilization fund. 

He argues against increasing the Registrar's salary as well. He notes that she was hired at $67,593 precisely because of the increased responsibilities brought about by changes to the Election Code. After three years of county employment, her salary will be $76,028. He believes this is unfair to the Clerk of Civil, who is paid $72,461 with 33 years of service. He adds it ia also unfair to the Clerk of Criminal, who is paid $69,340 after 30 years of service. 

In addition to his budget-related vetoes, McClure also returned the ordinance raising the salary of future elected officials. He argues that "[p]ublic service implies some sacrifice." He noted that his $85,000 salary is higher than the $81,000 median family income in Pa. He adds that, once Execs attain age 60, they can collect a $2,500 monthly pension.   

Interestingly, McClure waited until right before the meeting to deliver his veto. This prompted Administrator Charles Dertinger to inform Council that any action on the veto would have to be advertised 24 hours in advance under recent changes to the Sunshine Act.

What Dertinger failed to tell Council is that they may still consider matters that was only brought to their attention within 24 hours of the meeting.  

County Council Solicitor Chris Spadoni informed County Council that they had the authority to vote to override the Executive veto. "I could not be more clear," he said in responses to objections by Dertinger and Council member Tara Zrinski, neither of whom attended law school. 

County Council voted to override McClure's veto by a 8-1 vote. Tara Zrinski was the sole Council member who voted against overriding the veto. 

How Do You Feel About a 4-day Work Week?

About 100 members of the US House's Progressive Caucus are supporting the "32 Hour Workweek Act."  It would require that employers pay overtime after 32 hours. In other countries with shorter work weeks, there's been no decline in productivity and happier workers. Would it work here?

This does present problems for businesses and governments usually open five days a week. Frankly, there's nothing sacrosanct about requiring an office to be open 40 hours per week. What's your take?   

Lehigh County Planning a Sneak Plastic Bag Fee

Last night, I was in Hoboken, N.J., watching DeSales Bulldogs Men's Basketball Team go 9-0 for the first time since 2009 during a game in which 13 different DeSales players put points on the board against Stevens Institute of Technology. I am sure that many of you are attending parties, Christmas dinners or shopping at this time of year. While we're living our lives, Lehigh County's Board of Commissioners is planning a Christmas present of its own. Last night, lameduck Percy Dougherty introduced an ordinance that will require most retail merchants impose a $0.10 fee for every purchase that requires a plastic bad. In 18 months, the fee shoots up to $0.15. Merchant will be required to forward the collected fees to county coffers every four months. SNAP beneficiaries are exempt, but merchants have no discretion to waive the fee for anyone else. Merchants who fail to collect this fee can be fined $300 and sent to the county hoosegaw for up to 90 days. 

Usually, there's a two-week interval between the time an ordinance is introduced and adopted. But because of the holidays, Lehigh's Board is going to ram this through on December 15, hoping no one notices.  

During a time in which most small businesses have been struggling to stay afloat, this fee is a slap across their face.

I have serious reservations about the legality of this proposed ordinance. It notes that the HRC gives the county the right to adopt ordinances. It also notes that the Pa Constitution guarantees he right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic, and esthetic values of the environment

. But it fails to state precisely howa plastic bag fee effectuates this right. Lehigh County has no health department and really has no police power. That is the province of the cities, townships and boroughs.

During a time in which people are fed up with face mask and vaccine mandates, this latest government intrusion appears to be an over-reach that really will have no effect on the harms it desires to prevent.

By the time I learned of this measure, it was too late for me to tune into the meeting to find out what, if anything, happened. But I thought you should know. 

When I recently said that newspapers do us a disservice by failing to cover the Lehigh Valley's largest governments, this is exactly what I meant. 

UPDATED 8 AM: I have just been informed that this proposed ordinance was tabled lastnight. That's hardly reassuring. It is now old business and any member can now ask that it be untabled.