During the July 18 meeting, Northampton County Board of Commissioners, by a 7-1 vote, approved a new contract for health care at the jail. The contract is with Primecare, which has spent 19 years with the county. The contract amount is $24 million over seven years, with options to extend it to 10 years for $36 million.

“The seven years struck me as a very long time,” said board member John Cusick, who cast the sole no vote.

The jail’s public safety director, Ken Kraft, said, with a seven-year contract, “We can stabilize our health care costs. We can stabilize our budget for many years.”

Board member Kevin Lott added, “If you can get stability in health care that the county can count on - with due respect, John, I’m kind of seeing it from the other side,” he said.

Cusick also complained the county would be stuck for seven years, but Kraft retorted the contract includes a 30-day termination clause. According to Kraft, the new contract increases mental health and detox treatment.

Primecare CEO Thomas Weber said there are 26 full-time employees - nurses, dentists, physicians, psychologists and psychiatric nurse practitioners - who spend time at the jail.

In other business, council heard from Kelly Ehlman, a 20-year veteran of Gracedale Nursing Home.

“I’m here about the staffing crisis that we face in Gracedale,” she said, adding she was doing so “on behalf of the residents.”

She presented a petition with 200 signatures asserting an employee shortage despite initiatives made by upper management. Her petition calls on council to investigate by obtaining the results of a family survey conducted by management, inquiring about the rise of employee resignations, reassessing initiatives implemented by the director of nursing and “finding a solution to what management has failed to accomplish.”

Council President Ron Heckman suggested she meet with human services Chair Lori Vargo Heffner, who agreed to discuss the matter with Ehlman.

Cusick also suggested she address her concerns with her union.

“I have tried that; that’s been void,” Ehlman responded. “Out of desperation on my account, I am here, even though I face possible retaliation in the future.”

She said she recently visited one floor with two aides serving 50 residents on the 3-11 p.m. shift.

“Do you have any specific recommendations that have not been tried?” board member Matt Dietz asked.

Ehlman said the county has already done several things she called “ridiculous.” She cited a short-lived attempt to eliminate per diem as well as the elimination of a staffing position on every floor. In addition, she said employees are pulled off floors for training.

“Whatever they are doing, the staffing crisis has worsened,” Ehlman said of Gracedale administrators.