Executive John Brown has called the Northampton County worker his most valuable asset, the "face of the County." But that face is bright red over increases Brown has made to current health care plans.

Those changes come at the same time that he's telling the county's 2,200 workers that he has no plans to give them any raises. He recently released details of this plan [see highlights below] in a meeting with labor leaders, a news conference and a video for county workers. Over 200 upset workers flooded council chambers during the Sept. 18 meeting to let Brown know he's wrong. There were so many people that the meeting had to be moved to Courtroom 1.

AFSCME union agent Justus James spoke on behalf of several of the bargaining units currently in negotiation with the County. He said he's "mad as hell," not just at he health care plan, but Brown's unwillingness to fill vacancies. He noted there are 16 vacancies at the jail alone, which is making life more dangerous for corrections officers. He noted there are 113 vacancies throughout the County.

Brown himself confirmed these vacancies in a news conference earlier that week. He denied there's a hiring freeze, but stated there is a "review process" in which each new hire must be justified.

"Is it the employees' fault that $62 million in the reserve fund went magically away?" James asked council. He said that when Brown stated that the county worker is its most important asset, he had "hope for a new day." But instead, he's doing more than balancing his budget on the back of the employee, "We just got kicked in the tailbone. ... The employee can no longer afford to pay for the mistakes you've made."

made."

Brown denied that he is balancing the budget on the backs of the county worker. In a presentation to council, he stated he could just stop providing health insurance directly, take a $4 million penalty, and require employees to pay the going rate on employee healthcare exchanges. That would save $18 million per year.

That was little consolation to most county workers at the meeting, many of whom have seen no raises for four years. Those working at the courthouse in Easton have seen wage increases gobbled by that city's commuter tax.

One of the more disturbing speakers was a 20-year county employee who has seen her income reduced every year since 2009. She explained she's a single mom, drives a 13-year-old truck, has no money to buy a newer car, and for the past year, has been forced to go to a food bank and stand in line for hours because she has no money to go grocery shopping, Her kids eat the old food from Giant.

"Why does a 20-year county employee have to go to food banks?" she asked. "There is something wrong with this picture."

Another employee who works in the Revenue Office assisting delinquent taxpayers in making payment arrangements noted that Executive Brown had the money for a public relations consultant and other no-bid contracts, "but the county doesn't have money when it comes to us."

Her office is so short-staffed that she was recently forced to work alone. She was nervous and suddenly began shaking and decided she needed to leave for the day. Her supervisor told her she would need a doctor's excuse, so she went to one who ordered her to stay home several days instead of the afternoon she intended to take off.

"We're understaffed, underpaid, and now, I'm drugged to work here," she complained.

Wanda Bateman added, "We're not middle class any more. We're now low income families."

Wal-Mart now has a better health plan than the one offered by the county, according to dietary aide Craig Gardner. He will be switching to his future husband's plan when they marry in October.

Tabatha Gartner warned these health plan changes will lead to an exodus from Human Services, creating a need for new staff that has to be trained, which will result in a decline of service and lawsuits.

"It's like firing the entire coaching staff and expecting the team to have a winning season," she observed.

After hearing from both workers and Brown, Peg Ferraro suggested that there be meetings in smaller groups to see if management and employee can come to some middle ground.

"I believe in my heart we should leave everything alone," said Lamont McClure, especially after Bob Werner pointed to research showing the county's health plan falls below the level needed to be considered a Cadillac plan. McClure was also disturbed that Executive Brown would impose these changes while refusing to discuss raises or other benefits. Brown responded that the county's health care plan will become a Cadillac plan by 2018 at its current rate of spending.

If that happens, and no changes are made, the County will be forced to pay a $9.3 million excise tax.

Ken Kraft, in response to several pleas from workers, noted that council has no authority to prevent Brown from making changes to his health plan. But he added that they do have authority over the budget, which will be introduced next month.