[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6194533,"mediaKeyId","3863927-1388fce78ca4d519f1777c111c73f0ed","parentId",3863927,"title","Controller: $5 million ARPA allotment for Gracedale was transferred, commingled and expended; audit confirms $2.36 million in bonuses paid","audioSeconds",929,"startMs",1761000,"endMs",2690000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3863927-1388fce78ca4d519f1777c111c73f0ed&start=1761&end=2690","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3863927-1388fce78ca4d519f1777c111c73f0ed/thumbnail_1761000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6194533/Northampton-County/Pennsylvania/Controller-5-million-ARPA-allotment-for-Gracedale-was-transferred-commingled-and-expended-audit-confirms-236-million-in-bonuses-paid","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6194533-833c42e7e0881af4ba1c108b466a1954/orig.mp4?Expires=1775945655&Signature=Om-MZBHe6iE7Gv0mZbm-ErRjc9WM5RQpd-Qcl9gb857Y9wS4Vxf0V-2vLq8KMYAM9I23XzRqhZF7HBhrDqFpmPF3zFjPw8BA3iHY76Vn7oQhfBc3Vl9bLwa7wSMgYqzOS8cDW2SiwADacefuib42WYJi2Y7cwQiBhtUjlqiJP2jtOFzwa8pQP--AtOaWgw1RNYomBa9Ivxh-xRKHlLC5QdAtfnZw7EM7xOTQXe0SrFfd2AQNiLwHVPv0cq6ssBPPDD5IjPtIvvS2awmH70nxLAT4Wg9HwqVojMPW55LD3DiIj~eO-MqT~l5PYV9591Er5wiFUkhYJ1Q8zcqYfCI8TQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-06-19T07:38:14.87Z","article","The Northampton County controller’s office on June 17 released an agreed‑upon‑procedures audit examining how $5,000,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds that County Council designated for retention bonuses at Gracedale were handled.

The audit found that $2,360,891.18 in retention bonuses was paid to eligible Gracedale employees between 2022 and April 13, 2025, and that no per‑diem staff or senior administrators received retention bonuses. Of that total, auditors reported $2,204,441.08 was disbursed in 2022–2024 and $156,450.10 was paid in 2025 as of the April 13 pay period. The audit said union memoranda of understanding (MOUs) and contract provisions governed the payments and that the county amended union contracts to reflect retention‑bonus terms.

Controller Zareczki said the office delivered a draft report on May 28 and emphasized the audit was limited to the agreed‑upon procedures agreed with council and staff. The auditors tested a sample of employees and reported the sampled payments matched the program rules; auditors noted minor timing and administrative irregularities, such as catch‑up payments made for prior years, but no overpayments to sampled employees.

The audit also found that, after the ARPA funds were transferred into Gracedale’s fund in 2023, those dollars were not tracked separately and were commingled with other county contributions and Gracedale operating funds. Because the ARPA funds were mixed into the general Gracedale account and that account was spent down, the controller’s office said it could not trace which specific operating expenses were paid with ARPA dollars. The audit report states: \"There is no way to specifically determine what the money was used for at Gracedale besides what was indicated by the previous management,\" and that the funds were spent down by the end of 2023.

Auditors told the committee they were conducting an agreed‑upon‑procedures (AUP) engagement, not a performance or forensic audit. Senior lead auditor Stacy Duke told council members, \"on an A.U.P. … we cannot make any recommendations,\" noting that AUP standards limit the office to reporting facts and findings defined in the engagement letter. Several council members asked whether the controller’s office would recommend governance changes; the auditors said those recommendations were outside the scope of the AUP and referred questions about ongoing accounting practice to Fiscal Affairs.

Council members pressed for additional information about how the ARPA funds were reported to federal grantors and how the county accounted for the transfer into Gracedale. Auditors said they validated the retention‑bonus calculations and reviewed balance sheets and payroll records, and that they had reviewed Brandon's spreadsheet used to show the ARPA allocation, but that verifying federal reporting or reconstructing a penny‑by‑penny trail of expenditures would require a different audit scope.

Council members asked whether the situation exposed a policy problem for future one‑time funding. Council member Ron Heckman said he wanted to “prevent something like this from happening again,” pressing for future controls if large, purpose‑restricted grants or emergency dollars are handed to operating entities. Auditors and staff recommended follow‑up with Fiscal Affairs and the administration on accounting controls and the possibility of separate restricted accounting for one‑time funds, but the AUP did not include prescriptive recommendations.

The audit listed the contract and labor documents that governed payments: union contracts (AFSCME and Steelworkers) amended for retention bonuses, and noted career‑service employees were paid in a manner consistent with the union terms where applicable. The audit documented that the Steelworkers' retention bonus provision sunset on Dec. 31, 2023, while AFSCME employees remained eligible through Dec. 31, 2025; career‑service employees were later notified that ARPA funding for bonuses had been exhausted.

No formal vote or formal corrective action was recorded during the finance committee meeting; council members asked Fiscal Affairs and the administration to provide more detailed budget and federal‑reporting information at a later session.

Why this matters: County Council in 2022 passed a resolution allocating federal ARPA dollars to Gracedale specifically for retention bonuses. The controller’s report confirms bonuses were paid but documents that most of the $5 million designated for the program was transferred into Gracedale’s general fund and could not be separately traced once commingled, reducing the financial transparency council sought when it passed the resolution.

What’s next: Auditors recommended follow‑up with Fiscal Affairs and the administration for accounting detail beyond the AUP scope; several council members urged the county to explore accounting or policy changes so future, purpose‑restricted funds can be tracked separately.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","June 17th, 2025 Personnel and Finance Committees Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Northampton County controller’s office released an agreed‑upon‑procedures audit June 17 that found $2,360,891.18 in retention bonuses paid at Gracedale and concluded the $5 million in ARPA funds the council designated for bonuses were transferred into Gracedale’s general fund, commingled with other county contributions and fully expended on operations.","taxTitle","Northampton County, Pennsylvania","taxId",2939,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6194524,"County advances design and construction‑management contracts for proposed Easton parking garage after presentations and council questions",960,6480000,7440000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3863927-1388fce78ca4d519f1777c111c73f0ed&start=6480&end=7440","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3863927-1388fce78ca4d519f1777c111c73f0ed/thumbnail_6480000.jpg","/articles/6194524/Northampton-County/Pennsylvania/County-advances-design-and-constructionmanagement-contracts-for-proposed-Easton-parking-garage-after-presentations-and-council-questions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6194524-c1e4b3922ec31f8249417496724528a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1775945655&Signature=IatSSMPMzBGDAwWdeijaOzMqD9yeWg7Vocbqddk4M~I2DLKJ9OjTdw-39f1S-ZDpQ0~Yz0IqhUBnD6mE4XD8gH9-tVwEOC6AlX-1Kc5msGB03g9dH2~qE5IYXunN8zD~-qShZxqI7ycIQ0q5r9t7oQ8d7RR~aML7Ecw8muNCPgd1jVtOLKWyWPe3sx6hrYo8jswT~KUxIuuniqbU0n15r~9vj2ZewkDYW0TiBX7Dsgw991pbBAcwl~KPX8q8qq3N9UszMTUn7HYQbClPsVrcpdBV28GtRwxPuHFkxjy7IcMUdxV1ifnXGof4gkafAmU2s1s~eIICMXna1bK1xMLjNw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Northampton County’s finance committee on June 17 advanced contract recommendations for design and construction management services for a proposed parking garage in downtown Easton after presentations by the selected firms and questions from council members.

The county administration recommended Alloy 5 as the architect and CHA (the firm that integrated Dewey Engineering) as construction manager. Alloy 5 representatives described local parking‑structure experience and showed conceptual renderings; Becca Russock, director of development for Alloy 5, said the firm has designed more than 5,000 covered parking spaces in the region and presented a team the county selected for the project. CHA representatives described a construction‑management approach focused on constructability reviews, bid‑day preparation and a communication, accountability and documentation (\"CAD\") approach to managing risk.

Council members raised procurement questions. Several members said they had preferred other firms during interview panels and pressed administration staff about why the recommended firms were not the first‑choice picks from some council members. Councillors also noted that a competing firm, O and S Associates, submitted a design fee that was substantially lower than Alloy 5’s and asked whether such an “aggressively low” price could signal later cost overruns or an unsustainably low bid. Administration staff responded that O and S’s proposal was the lowest and materially below independent estimates used in early project planning, and that low bids can occasionally raise concerns about future change orders. The administration said the construction‑management proposals were in line with expectations and that the county had one firm (CHA) offering a competitive price for construction management; the CHA team emphasized public‑project experience and local capacity.

Committee members discussed schedule and costs. County staff projected design would take roughly nine months, followed by bidding and procurement steps, putting the district roughly a year from the start of construction after design begins. The proposed CHA contract was presented at $492,500 for construction‑management services; the administration also discussed other consultant contracts tied to the project (architect fee proposals and related planning steps). Council members asked for printed copies of presentations and said they expected additional review in subsequent meetings and during the formal procurement and bonding steps.

Why this matters: The proposed garage will affect downtown traffic, county courthouse access and long‑term county parking needs. Council members focused on selecting firms that balance cost, local experience and the ability to limit future maintenance and life‑cycle costs for a heavy‑use public structure.

Next steps: Committee advanced the contract recommendations for further action; staff said detailed contract terms, bidding schedules and additional cost estimates will be presented in follow‑up sessions. Council members requested additional materials and clarification of how procurement choices were made during the interview stage.","The finance committee reviewed recommended consultants for a proposed downtown Easton parking structure; Alloy 5 presented as the recommended architect and CHA (Dewey) as construction manager, prompting council questions about a significantly lower bid from O and S Associates and discussion of schedule and procurement safeguards.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6194530,"Public defender asks committee to approve PCCD grant‑funded social‑worker position to manage reentry and client needs",272,480000,752000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3863927-1388fce78ca4d519f1777c111c73f0ed&start=480&end=752","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3863927-1388fce78ca4d519f1777c111c73f0ed/thumbnail_480000.jpg","/articles/6194530/Northampton-County/Pennsylvania/Public-defender-asks-committee-to-approve-PCCD-grantfunded-socialworker-position-to-manage-reentry-and-client-needs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6194530-3bd35f5f0671e8f49375acab5ce774ee/orig.mp4?Expires=1775945655&Signature=jKNTDjeywNeWS7ti3DasYIKssKCSngndo~bWUS1Owxve9MoOYJsJudwHccQobz44X7F1suhkKkEnmTXNwOFYbZ7IiIPrTdSXwDdTNUR1NgrmsQwU8wbHZ3KSPD3O0JnbWsYCCHJmeDZZVwmMfLwzrFi6~9dDY2Paw6DzCgSdvI6s0M8RzYbfHv79o-IlRorXe0WOEVWH3pso-PYs1jS3AZc0bQJlw2kGlRDu3TG9r0e~wDj8~ixWxjMlo4x27ezjg1LWLwagghLYFd3HzlBdW6yU-AoJP4EC1jbOL~l9hkwLGfGPJ4FEJ1tpnKdaq7kIa~MhWkPWDIdm3prhhF7htw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Northampton County public defender asked the Finance Committee on June 17 to advance a personnel request for a grant‑funded social worker position.

The office said the position would be paid through a two‑year grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) and would be fully reimbursed during the grant period. The public defender described the role as a point person to coordinate housing, transportation and community resources so attorneys could spend more time on litigation. “We function almost as a social worker a lot of the time,” the public defender said, recounting cases in which staff spent hours arranging shelter, transport and contacts for clients released from custody.

The public defender told the committee he had a candidate in mind: Chantelle Mayo of Haven House, whom he described as experienced with local housing resources and recovery services and able to “hit the ground running.” Committee members asked about the grant source and duration; the office confirmed the PCCD grant covers two years and said the request paperwork estimated total employment costs (salary plus benefits) in the low‑to‑mid five‑figure range per year and that the salary portion was roughly in the $60,000s. The office said the position is fully funded for the two‑year grant period and that staff would seek additional grants or administrative budget options if the county wished to continue the position after the grant ends.

Council member Giovanni and other committee members spoke in support during the discussion. A motion to move the personnel request forward was made on the record; the transcript shows committee members repeatedly saying “motion to move forward” and advancing the item for further action.

Why this matters: The public defender’s office said the social‑worker position would reduce hours attorneys now spend coordinating basic needs for clients — tasks the office says are essential to keep defendants in compliance with pretrial requirements and community programs. The committee’s decision to advance the request lets the public defender finalize hiring and the county to accept the grant and process the position request.

Next steps: The item was advanced by committee motion for processing; final hiring and any budget integration after the two‑year grant will depend on future grant awards or administrative budget decisions.","The county public defender told the finance committee a two‑year, fully funded PCCD grant would pay for a social worker to coordinate housing, transportation and other social services for indigent clients; committee moved the personnel request forward.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Controller: $5 million ARPA allotment for Gracedale was transferred, commingled and expended; audit confirms $2.36 million in bonuses paid

County advances design and construction‑management contracts for proposed Easton parking garage after presentations and council questions

Public defender asks committee to approve PCCD grant‑funded social‑worker position to manage reentry and client needs