From Brian Lockhart, CT Post:
Three months after a city councilman and employee was sent home with pay over a sexual harassment allegation, two colleagues have demanded a status update on the politically volatile investigation.
“If there isn’t an active effort at this time to resolve the accusation, the city is being negligent and wasting the taxpayers’ money,” said freshman Councilwoman Trish Swain, D-132, of the pending investigation into veteran Councilman Richard Paoletto, D-138. “If there was no wrongdoing, then get back to work.”
Full story here.
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Tom McCarthy has referenced this as a “municipal personnel matter,” that means the Council at this time is not reviewing any part of it.
Brett Broesder says: “With any investigation … the employee is entitled to a full and fair investigation of the matter, as is the accuser. Investigations are performed in a professional and deliberative manner.”
Tom Bucci, former Mayor and a labor law professional stood in front of the Civil Service Commission and Civil Service Director on behalf of Bernd Tardy within the past two weeks. (No reason for either McCarthy or Broesder to be present that I can think of, but Brian Lockhart of the CT Post was and covered the session.)
When outside attorney representing and paid for by the City John Bohannon, attempted to provide a detailed and professional defense of the City’s position on the Civil Service oral test, he admitted he was in a unique position. The City had erred by having four of the five people present known to the candidate, #56.
Does the City work in a timely manner? Perhaps if it is an app to report snow removal issues to Public Facilities. But covering the major issues of budgets, borrowing, tax abatements, economic development and fair and equal treatment for those who fall behind with tax payments of any kind (unless you are a special person), you’d have to give them a failing grade.
Trish Swain, will you please ask the City for a June 2014 final, audited monthly financial report, please? Let’s see if there are any surprises this year. Time will tell.
“Clearly at this moment it’s not appropriate for us to do anything,” McCarthy said.
That should become the new motto for the city of Bridgeport.
“Clearly at this moment it’s not appropriate for us to do anything,” McCarthy said.
It applies to Economic Development and Steelpointe despite what Stevie A might think.
“Clearly at this moment it’s not appropriate for us to do anything,” McCarthy said.
It applies to Richard DeJesus and his back tax issue.
“Clearly at this moment it’s not appropriate for us to do anything,” McCarthy said.
It applies to the city’s failure to deal with other issues such dealing with employees’ personal business affairs as was implied with John Ricci.
“Clearly at this moment it’s not appropriate for us to do anything,” McCarthy said.
It applies to Bill Finch’s promise to require full financial disclosure of high-ranking members of his administration.
“Clearly at this moment it’s not appropriate for us to do anything,” McCarthy said.
Thank you, Trish and Bob.
You are doing the right thing by not allowing the city to sweep things like this under the rug.
Not even Ganim’s Persian rug.
Thank God some folks on the City Council spoke up. This is a serial sexual harasser who gets away with it because Finch protects him. Finch probably thinks it’s cute even though inconvenient. McCarthy has become a guy who wouldn’t confront a murderous knife-wielding intruder if his life depended on it–unless of course, Finch or Wood told him to.
Just another Finch Claude Rains moment!
www .youtube.com/watch?v=HovsJFkWktg
I have already started knocking on doors in Thomas Hooker for Ed and when speaking with voters about Paoletto and his second sexual harassment complaint and being paid for close to three months, people are upset. DeJesus not paying $140,000 in taxes is not making my neighbors very happy either.
The city council has no role in city personnel matters. The council can only act on behavior by council members in their role on the city council.
Council members do have the authority to request and be provided information related to city finances. Paoletto is not performing his job duties but is being paid. Is that requiring overtime by other staff? Is that department personnel line item over budget? What does the monthly financial report reflect? Is anyone reviewing the monthly financial reports?
Speaking to Tom White’s point: per my experience with Housing Code budgets, I do not believe they ever pay anybody overtime not having to do with crucial services such as police or fire. They may pay somebody additional pay for working in an “acting” capacity but I doubt that is happening here, however it bears looking into.
My concern is the position of Housing Code and Enforcement Officer at this time is not being performed by anybody and I wish to cite my recent letter to Chris Rosario, the City Blight Director who uses Paoletto’s department to justify legal authority to enter private property and levy fines. I recently wrote a letter to Rosario asking for action on the long-vacant Robbins property at the SW corner of North and Clinton in response to numerous constituent complaints it has been vacant and blighted for decades but recently, had a bad fire and now is a public hazard that is unsafe for firemen to enter. NO RESPONSE TO MY LETTER. We are now at risk of losing this property that is a very important historical property located in a very prominent neighborhood location. The suspension of Paoletto has a bearing on this, does it not?
I believe as a Council we do have jurisdiction over a department’s performance or lack thereof.
Nice Job, Tricia and Bob!
Bob Halstead, I hope that letter was also forwarded to Mayor Finch and Fire Chief Rooney.