If you were to ask council members Bob Werner or Lamont McClure, they'd tell you that Gracedale, Northampton County's nursing home, is finally turning around. At council's Jan. 8 meeting, they both made the point that it broke even in the last quarter of 2014, and things are only going to get better.

Not so fast, responded Executive John Brown. He agreed that Gracedale has only used $3.8 million of the $5.8 million set aside for the nursing home. But he added it's too soon to say whether it was actually revenue neutral in the last quarter. He believes that won't be known for another 90 days, but does predict that it will come somewhere within $500,000 of the county contribution.

Brown told council that the scalding water problem last year cost the county $400,000 to fix. The county also failed to realize $1.1 million in revenue from the sale of beds. On the other hand, aggressive marketing has led to a census in the 670 range. This means more money in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements.

Gracedale's most recent problem is a heating system failure, the kind of thing that always happens when the weather gets cold. The county has set aside $7.7 million for the nursing home this year.

In the only item of real business during this council meeting, Phil Lauer was re-appointed as council's solicitor. He will be paid $52,405 for what is becoming an increasingly busy job. Though some members of council did consider replacing him, the vote was 8-0. Council member Ken Kraft was absent, while Mat Benol voted via phone.

As a lawyer for a municipal body, do you tell them what they want to hear or give them the law? Accomplished municipal solicitors like Jim Broughal always play it straight, and that is the route Lauer has taken as council's legal adviser. But it is a bit of a tightrope act, especially in a divided council.

Last year, Lauer advised council that a no-bid contract for PR consultant Sahl Communications violated the Administrative Code. Council Republicans still tabled an attempt to test the contract in court, but the executive ultimately decided to re-do the contract and seek bids.

Lauer also ruled that the executive's proposed budget for this year, which originally included a $20 million line of credit, was contrary to the Home Rule Charter's requirement of a balanced budget. He was careful to avoid calling it illegal.

His delay in reaching this conclusion angered Democrats and Republicans alike.

Lauer has given advice that Democrats disliked too. He contradicted McClure, who had argued there was insufficient public notice of a vote, taken at a budget hearing, to restore the funding for a bond to benefit St. Luke's Hospital.