An email issued on Wednesday by Mayor Bill Finch’s Chief of Staff Adam Wood to business and governmental leaders takes a bite out of the Connecticut Post claiming its coverage of the city is “hurtful to all of our efforts to improve our city.” Wood’s email, in particular, takes issue with Post columnist Keila Torres whose recent opinion pieces have drawn the mayor’s wrath including her latest column that criticizes the city’s framing of a question asking voters to approve a mayoral appointed Board of Education in November. Wood also writes “The Mayor and others have tried numerous times to get through to the publisher of the Connecticut Post” John DeAugustine. Some OIB readers have come to Keila’s defense.
The genesis of this effort by the mayor’s office is the Post’s coverage following the announcement that leading outdoor retailer Bass Pro Shops will become the anchor tenant of the Steel Point redevelopment area. The Post has published several news articles and columns focused on the federal government accusing Bass Pro Shops of employment discrimination that was dismissed by a federal judge but refiled by government lawyers as well as raising questions about the company’s legal gun sales in light of the city’s recent spike in gun violence.
The mayor’s office says the Post has gone out of its way to smear a company that will have a major economic impact on the city in the areas of job creation and tax revenue. Wood’s letter asserts “Just this summer (the mayor) announced Bass Pro Shops as the anchor tenant at Steel Point and was hammered by the Connecticut Post with 9 negative articles in a row.”
OIB would welcome a response from Post Publisher John DeAugstine. The Post is owned by the Hearst Corporation. See email below that Wood issued to an assortment of business leaders including Paul Timpanelli, president of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council, and government officials such as City Council members. Wood’s email also includes DeAugustine’s email and a link to Keila Torres’ recent column.
Subject: A message to Bridgeport leaders regarding CT Post coverage–inaccurate and misleading–A call to action
It is so damaging to the public and to the institution of journalism when opinion pieces are not fact checked in any way and are published as news, rather than clearly identified as opinion and run on the opinion page. This happens almost daily now in the Connecticut Post. How unfortunate for the readers, the advertisers and the public–not to mention hurtful to the City of Bridgeport.
An example from Keila Torres’ rant in today’s paper, “(The Mayor) had power for decades over many other issues that this city is still struggling with, like economic development.” Fact: Bill Finch has been in office for only 4.5 years (not decades) and has made substantial progress on economic development completing long-stalled projects and bringing in tens of millions of dollars from the state and federal government and hundreds in private investment for downtown and Steel Point, not to mention many other projects and progress in neighborhoods across our city. Just this summer he announced Bass Pro Shops as the anchor tenant at Steel Point and was hammered by the Connecticut Post with 9 negative articles in a row.
Another example from today’s rant, “this is a mayor whose solution to making dissolution stick was to appoint a charter revision commission that voted in record speed to approve the changes exactly as he wanted.”–Fact: The charter reform commission began work in January and held 35 public meetings and public hearings. The Mayor chose a highly respected, bi-partisan and independent group of individuals to oversee this process. They were informed by experts from across the United States on education governance and listened to all sides of every issue they examined. Their worked spanned the better part of a year and it had nothing to do with a state takeover that was voted for by the democratically elected Board of Education at the direction of former Board President Barbara Bellinger. There are so many other inaccuracies such as his alleged flat funding of the Boar-–Fact: his first year in office, Mayor Finch proposed a $1.5 million increase to the Board of Education budget, etc.
Today’s piece is another in a long line of examples of the CT Post’s inaccurate and misleading coverage of news in the City of Bridgeport. The Mayor and others have tried numerous times to get through to the publisher of the Connecticut Post that this type of coverage is hurtful to all of our efforts to improve our city, but perhaps you may consider it time to weigh in with your voices as well. The future of our city, its image and the reputation of many good hard-working people and employers is on the line.
Timpanelli issued the following email to his board members:
One of the key needs of any city that is working hard to build its tax base, grow jobs, and improve its image, is to have as much positive media coverage as is possible. We must be diligent in our efforts, as business leaders, to help assure that Bridgeport, as the economic center of our region, is seen in a positive light by our local and regional residents, our current and potential businesses, and by the wider community. The more positive news we get, the more likely Bridgeport will ultimately succeed in its efforts to build the tax base, grow jobs, and attract businesses and residents.
The Connecticut POST is one of the key sources of local news, and, therefore, it plays a key role in helping to mold the image and perception of the city. Certainly the POST has a journalistic obligation to report the news, and report it accurately. It also has on obligation–as a taxpaying, job generating, member of the community–to be a partner with us in economic development and image enhancement. I know, from my conversations with John DeAugustine, Publisher and BRBC Board member, that he clearly recognizes that obligation.
My ask of you is to–when you get a chance and by whatever method you choose–let the POST know of your commitment to Bridgeport and to let the POST know of your desire to increase the level of positive news for the city.
There are so many positive stories to tell, so many successes to recognize and a lot of positive change to celebrate. We need to have our daily newspaper be a renewed source of positive stories about Bridgeport’s, and the region’s, progress.
Here’s how Bill Jennings, president of Bridgeport Hospital, responded to Timpanelli’s email:
I support this and will assist in delivering the message. The pile-on regarding Bass Pro is not only counter productive, but despicable. And represents a new low.
Keila Torres’ column that Wood references in his email is here.
Memo to the Mayor, Paul Timpanelli and Adam Wood. Your thin skin is showing. If you want to know the reason for the Administration’s bad press take a look in the mirror. Making you look good is not the Post’s job.
Message to Phil Smith: it takes thick skin to be a pol in this town. Your skin is so thin, I urge you to visit a doctor to get your epidermis examined–maybe a topical treatment can be used to toughen up your skin. It takes one to know one.
In addition, I dislike opinionated newspaper writers who continually try to outshine bloggers–often with corporate approval. Journalistic detachment is their missing ingredient.
What a bunch of crybabies; act like men. All of a sudden you have one woman who states her opinion and they don’t know what to do. I wonder when the request will be made to fired Ms. Torres. Newspapers are NOT a part of team Finch nor are they cheerleaders for the mayor and his policy. The Connecticut Post is not the public-relations division of everything Mayor Finch spins out to the public.
Maybe Ron Mackey and Keila Torres can fool the public but when it comes down to fooling Local Eyes, that’s a quite different subject. Here’s the crybabies’ theme song, maybe you can find a place for it in your life (total time: 3:03):
www .youtube.com/watch?v=E2E_RSJAhYU
Ouch!
Keila is working hard. I agreed with her charter revision piece but totally disagreed with her Bass Pro piece. As for Bass Pro there were several very positive newspaper articles and a couple of very negative articles but the editorial in the end was right on in my opinion. Thin skin doesn’t make for a cohesive message from within the administration. How about vision? How about launching developments that will really increase the tax base, bring in lots of jobs and put construction cranes in the air? Putting just 30 residential units next to the downtown train station shows absolutely no vision. Thin skin isn’t the answer. Highest and best use is the answer and the positive press will follow.
Interesting that Adam Wood is both a singularly unlikeable human and is also quite unavailable except on his own terms.
Keila Torres outing of the Mayor’s spin machine was right on and this is nothing to be taken lightly. I really appreciated that piece explaining the wording of the ballot question that disguised a major mayoral power grab, it shows how despicable things have gotten, and the fallout from community “leaders,” nonr of whom live in Bridgeport, I find despicable as well. Thank God for good reporting. This whole mayoral spin machine includes a lot of thuggery. Bridgeport deserves better!
I applaud Keila Torres and the CT Post for finally reporting what is going on here.The Post for too many years reported next to nothing going on in Bridgeport and when they did it was a fluff piece.
Who is Wood kidding? The charter commission was hand picked to do what the mayor wanted done and that was to give him complete control over the BOE budget. The charter commission did nothing great in the changes they made to the charter.
Paul Timpanelli formerly known as Flush is a professional bullshit artist, as the leader of the BRBC he has not done a damned thing for Bridgeport. The BRBC pays him a six-figure income and I have to wonder for what. Great we have a comment from the head of Bridgeport Hospital, a group that pays no taxes and continues to buy up residential properties that are then taken off the tax rolls. To Bpt hospital, when you start paying taxes then speak out.
Finch and company have ignored the present charter since they took office. If you want an example the charter states they meaning Finch & Company are to issue a 12th-month report dealing with the final revenue and spending for the year. They have not done that in four years.
When the Post was blowing smoke up their skirts they were a great paper, now the Post and Keila are doing what they should be doing the administration is pissed, too bad.
If memory serves didn’t the Post endorse Finch over MJF in the last election?
I for one love what Keila is writing although I may not always agree. You go girl.
Hey Adam what about the three years the mayor flatlined the BOE budget or did you forget that?
Did Wood also forget the years Finch was on Common Council or State Senator for BPT, worked for the BRBC and all the other politically appointed jobs where he was bounced around and a no-show, do-nothing employee? If the Mayor is going to lie down with pit bulls he should expect torn sheets.
Also Wood is the biggest one-hit wonder crybaby around. How is a guy like this who has only been in charge of only one winning candidate (Finch) out have at least 9 or 10 portrayed as politically savvy, he struck out with Farrel, with H. Clinton, with Lamont and other local races. Finch seems to be the only slippery coat tails he can grab.
Last but not least how did these clowns avoid prosecution of all their illegal campaign contributions and payouts? They pinned it all on Beccaro and he got a slap on the wrist. The FBI or State’s Attorney’s office should wake up.
This is so typical Adam Wood. He is completely threatened by women who speak their minds. If he could he would have had Keila fired. He is a very small man with an over-inflated ego. If it weren’t so tragic it would be funny.
I heard he is compensating for a freakishly small body part.
This is vintage Wood. Things don’t go your way, start threatening and bullying. Ask the city employees how he does business–no questions, no dissent allowed and by the way, he better like your friends too. He is a mean, vicious son of a bitch who is seriously in over his head.
What the Post has reported is their job to report. Bass Pro has a history of not hiring local? Has a history of discriminatory practices? Isn’t that important to know? Just because it doesn’t put a cherry on top of Finch’s sundae, doesn’t mean it isn’t valid reporting–or dishonest or vengeful.
It would be great if all our news were good but it’s not and to put on your Pollyanna hat as journalists is irresponsible and contrary to the profession. Sorry Timpanelli, I understand the wanting to paint Bridgeport in a better light but that doesn’t mean we censor or whitewash what is true.
I think Torres’ columns have been good and thoughtful. I thought the notion we could tell Bass not to sell guns was silly but raising the question was not. We’ve have how many homicides in how many weeks? Where guns come from and how they are purchased is a valid and important discussion.
Her piece on the charter revision was spot on. The so-called education reform movement in this city has been shoved down the residents’ throats and the same can be said about this charter. The only difference with the charter is it was done in broad daylight. Neither Finch nor Wood have any credibility because they have so regularly distorted or hijacked the truth.
Classic Wood to go for a boycott–more bullying and more threats. Now the BRBC is going to join in. Most of them don’t live in Bridgeport and probably don’t even read the Post. Too bad they have been led down the road to believe without supporting this administration at all costs, they will all lose their businesses. So what they are encouraging and supporting is incompetency, dishonesty and closed government.
You go Keila!!! The Finch administration would be wise to keep their mouths shut and let this blow over, because if Ms. Torres and the CT Post wanted to they could write an article every single day about the corruption in City Hall, the manipulation of both appointed and elected positions and the everyday bullying and threatening of any city employee who is not in favor of Finch and his Band of Merry Men (and Women). They are absolutely disgusting in their complete disregard for honesty, justice and the people of Bridgeport.
It looks like “Billy Bang Bang” and his “Dead Wood Dick” have rabbit ears! Can’t take a little criticism. Pimpanelli thinks he’s the “Mac Daddy” of Bridgeport business. Maybe the POST should start doing an expose of his record.
Then again it was the POST that endorsed Mayor Green Jeans!
I hope this just angers the Post and encourages them to dig deeper! While I don’t agree with the Bass Pro argument, I consider Keila to be an honest and fearless reporter. YOU GO GIRL! Thank you for being brave.
How about an article on all the great things Timpanelli has done for Bpt? How about an article on Finch’s employment record? Why is Eversley still here? Does he know too much? How can we afford to pay him and his replacement? With our tax increase? How about a further investigation on campaign fraud? How about interviewing Rick Torres about how these people threatened him and his family when he started to expose them? Oh the list could be endless for an honest journalist. Thank you Keila and thank you Brian Lockhart. Keep at it.
Did Timpanelli actually write the Post “has an obligation–as a taxpaying, job generating, member of the community–to be a partner with us in economic development and image enhancement”? Really?
Bridgeport government/business/Democratic Party has always treated the Post as its in-house propaganda organ. No surprise when they dare to report the news and/or give voice to dissent, the response is genuine shock and outrage. (Clearly, they have made Adam Wood’s job too easy over the years.) But to see someone like Paul Timpanelli pull back the curtain and state with confidence the job of Bridgeport’s only daily newspaper is to put on a happy face, boost the community, and paper over the tough questions … is a pretty surprising moment of truth-telling to even a jaded cynic like myself.
This is the same Timpanelli who spoke at a hearing on Monroe tying into our sewer system. At that meeting he stated if all the major buildings downtown switched to water-conserving toilets there would then be enough room at the sewer plant to accommodate the sewage from Monroe. Thus the name Flush Timpanelli.
If the person writing about Flush Timpanelli wrote his accomplishments while head of the BRBC it would be a one liner. If a person wrote about Eversley’s accomplishments while economic director it would be a blank page.
If a person wrote about Bill Finch’s job resume it would look like the novel War and Peace. On the other hand if one were to write about the real jobs Finch has held it too would be a one liner.
Seriously, what do we expect from this poor excuse of a newspaper? News is something they very rarely ever report accurately as most of us can tell and are witnesses to such facts. Their credibility is very bare bone and basically they are not a reliable source at all. As a matter of fact if you were to do a survey in Bridgeport you would realize how very few actually purchase that junk in comparison to the amount of citizens. I maybe purchase once or twice a year if that because of the lack of accuracy and lack of respect for the city they are located in. They are pulling at strings to make this big hoopla that they are any good. Well if they had any sense they would realize they are a dying art and the newer generation isn’t buying their junk and as more and more people go online and realize there are more accurate sources the more they will dwindle. Maybe they should highlight the good qualities of the city they are in, maybe it will then be considered a paper of the city because they sure are not considered a state paper and they so want to be.The Stamford Advocate, Norwalk Hour, New Haven Register, Hartford Courant are considered local papers some are even owned by the same company as that of the CT Post but evidently the CT Post has no connection to Bridgeport besides a building. Freedom of the press is a right but accuracy of facts is a responsibility of a responsible journalist or newspaper period. Maybe they should be held accountable on a legal level and maybe then the tone and accuracy will change. Personally I detest their little regard for the citizens of Bridgeport Period.
What?
Perhaps you should spend less time being amazed and dedicate it to telling us where are these inaccuracies?
“… As a matter of fact if you were to do a survey in Bridgeport you would realize how very few actually purchase that junk in comparison to the amount of citizens …” Yeah, for every newspaper purchased, five (5) or more people read it. The number of papers sold is not the same as the number of people reading it. Let’s not even talk about the online paper. Besides, if not many read the CT Post, what’s Woody’s or your point?
“… personally I detest their little regard for the citizens of Bridgeport Period.”
You mean the Bridgeport Political Machine, right?
Poor Woody.
Delusional disorder, previously called paranoid disorder, is a type of serious mental illness involving psychosis. Psychosis is the inability to tell what is real from what is imagined. The main feature of delusional disorder is the presence of delusions–unshakable beliefs in something untrue. People with delusional disorder experience non-bizarre delusions, which involve situations that could occur in real life, such as being followed, poisoned, deceived, conspired against, or loved from a distance. These delusions usually involve the misinterpretation of perceptions or experiences. In reality, however, the situations are either not true at all or highly exaggerated.
People with delusional disorder often can continue to socialize and function normally, apart from the subject of their delusion, and generally do not behave in an obviously odd or bizarre manner. This is unlike people with other psychotic disorders, who also might have delusions as a symptom of their disorder. In some cases, however, people with delusional disorder might become so preoccupied with their delusions that their lives are disrupted.
Warren Buffett is a big fan of local newspapers and assumes they will again be “local” in reportage. When he speaks, listen; note what he is buying.
This is not just about Keila–it’s about MariAn Gail Brown and Brian Lockhart too. MGB exposed the Beccaro clan and BL hit the nail on the head with BEDCO as well as the Bass Pro suit. The courts did not throw out the suit by the way–they merely allowed the government to amend it with more serious allegations which directly incriminates the owner of Bass Pro Shops for Federal and State dollars. John DeAugustine, publisher of the CT Post must excuse himself from the board of the BRBC. What they are demanding of him is to ignore the CT Post’s right of a free press. There was no mention of the position of the CT Post Editorial Board in regards to the Bass Pro articles by Keila and Brian.
What is really news in Bridgeport anyway? Is the CT Post the only credible place to locate news these days?
As one of several who have been on the trail of Bridgeport finances for several years there is a reason for asking this question. Is it news if taxes go up or down for taxpayers? Is it news if a budget is balanced at year end, or off by several million at mid year? Is it news if a City eliminates employee(s) responsible for internal audits and internal control functions? Is it news when the only remaining City fiscal check and balance group in the City fails to monitor fiscal performance monthly or look at any long-range fiscal issues at committee meetings?
In his election run last year the Mayor made news by declaring a year-end surplus in August with no backup report. At election time $150,000 surplus sounded good. (This year a 12th-month report comes out with a $259,000 supposed surplus, yet no claim by the Mayor or comment by the CT Post. News?)
I could continue in that vein, but most of this is not news because few CT Post readers care or comment.
Education budget shows as balanced on June 30, 2012 and if the deficit projected in December was $12-15 Million and that has been overcome, then look for the specific details around September 1, 2012 I understand. I believe that will be good news for the taxpayers. Hiring freezes, cutting discretionary spending, and lots of basic procedures were part of getting to $00.00 variance in only six months. The City was part of deficit reduction and still are working on one or more of their promises.
Seeing the “school-based budget planning” and the direction of fiscal reporting in education system development, I think the detail available going forward to all will satisfy most who have been critical for the lack of info and detail. I think we shall see info on all education employment positions and on all grant revenues, public and private. In itself that will be a significant change. Will people review the reports if they becomes regular and available? Will they care? Time will tell.
I would like to comment on the email from Bill Jennings, President of Bridgeport Hospital. First, I do not know Mr. Jennings but I’ve heard nothing but good things about him. That’s why I’m puzzled by Mr. Jennings’ email being shown to the public, I don’t believe Mr. Jennings would make a comment like that to the public. I believe Paul Timpilnell forward Jennings’ response to make Wood and Timpanelli look good. I’m sure Jennings was being a team player and trying to support Timpanelli but in no way did he want his email to be made public. Mr. Jennings as the President of Bridgeport Hospital would make his own comment and it wouldn’t sound like what is in this story.
Ron, I have no reason to doubt what you stated here but it’s time for people to say what they really mean and not what they think people want to hear.
*** DIG DEEPER, “YOU STRUCK A NERVE.” BE THE PEOPLE’S NEWSPAPER YOU USED TO BE WITHOUT MALICE AND NOT AFRAID TO TELL IT LIKE IT IS BECAUSE IT’S OBVIOUS THE TRUTH HURTS! ***
*** THANKS TO OIB THAT HAS SPARKED MUCH-NEEDED ACTIVE INTEREST FROM ITS BLOGGERS AND READERS ABOUT CITY AND STATE GOVERNMENT IN CT. NOW IT’S TIME FOR A LARGER VENUE LIKE THE CT POST AND OTHERS TO JOIN IN AND BECOME, ONCE AGAIN, “THE PEOPLE’S VOICE!” ***
I think LOCAL EYES is actually ANNA in drag.
You’re Anna in drag!
Oh.
Here we go again, another new $100,000 employee who will work out of the mayor’s office with the title deputy chief administrative officer for education and youth policy.
I hope the unions are looking at all these new hires after they made major givebacks to help the city.
Adam Wood stated this is a dedicated line in the budget. Whose budget? Of course the lemmings on the council voted to approve this contract. Does the council ever vote NO? These are 20 of the wimpiest people in Bridgeport, no backbone at all.
Who is the new $100,000 hire?
The new hire is the mayor’s education liaison, a 27 year old with “impressive credentials.” The youngster worked a few months in D.C. and a few more in New Jersey. Doesn’t sound very impressive to me. Perhaps he went to school with Pete Finch.
Art Harris got his job back with $46k in back pay plus attorney fees. Labor Relations fails again. Not too many impressive credentials in that dept. Perhaps another one of Pete’s friends needs a job.
No doubt a 27-year-old former hire of one of the education-reform billionaires who promised to send so much money to Bridgeport for education reform. Just a matter of time before Bridgeport taxpayers have to pay for renovation to City Hall Annex/Margaret Morton City Center to house all those hires in the Mayor’s office. Where are the billionaires when you need them???
A new hire with impressive credentials … yeah yeah yeah. The key here is he is just another one of Pryor’s connections. Give it time and Bridgeport will have more charter schools than public schools. The students will not be any better off, but the powers that be will not have to own the charter school’s test results and will claim they have done wonders for the children of Bridgeport. This is all bullshit. Maybe that $102,000 salary could be used to pay for another teacher. As of yesterday I had 40 students on my roster. Contract allows me to have 29. What can be done with 40 sixth graders in one room? Take that $102,000 and use it to really make a difference with the KIDS!
Smoker, Harris isn’t back on the job yet, so I’m told, but looks like he’s getting closer, according to this CT Post story:
www .ctpost.com/news/article/Harris-returns-to-city-job-gets-back-pay-3779847.php
*** NEW JOB, NEW TITLE WITH BIG MONEY FOR A NEW MAYOR-APPOINTED BOE OVERSEEING DEPUTY CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR EDUCATION & YOUTH POLICY. *** UNION-BUSTERS WANTED FOR POLITICAL APPOINTMENTS AT ZOMBIE-HALL ***
*** WELCOME TO ZOMBIELAND! ***
Mojo~How about “It’s on like Donkey Kong?” God I love this shit.
Fact: Bill Finch has thin skin.
Fact: Adam Wood has thin skin.
Fact: CT Post is looking to refinish its skin.
Oh oh, better call Mayko.
We are all aware of the extreme bias favoring the Bridgeport political machine by the Bridgeport Post now the Connecticut Post since the 1960s when Sam Tedesco initiated the downward spiral the good people of our town have suffered and continue to suffer. Print journalism is driven by advertising dollars. The DTC under various self-agendized sycophants since Tedesco made veiled threats that could have affected the life blood of the newspapers and even the radio. If you make waves, you don’t get the fat advertising dollars. Recently, good ole Citizen Smith was sent packing by WICC because he had the audacity to raise questions about the deplorable state of political affairs in this city.
Just look at the member list of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council. Why would such prominent businesses and business men and women support Timpanelli and Testa? There has been absolutely no economic growth in this town for more than 30 years. Yet the BRBC is apparently thriving. They have enough cash resources to hire the very person who did nothing for 4.5 years and put him in charge of economic development liaison with the city. Amazing. So long as the BRBC has been around, Bridgeport hasn’t grown an inch. Look it up. It’s true. I have personally heard from business owners who would like to set up here that the reputation for corruption is too prevalent for them to risk an investment unnecessarily. Forget about allegations that all business meetings are palms up.
So Torres shows some journalistic professionalism and sticks a poker in Timpanelli’s eye and he starts to scream bloody murder. About time. Personally, I would not have attacked Bass Pro Shops. Although they do promise to come in and open up job opportunities for the locals. They probably will. I shop in Bass Pro Shops. The sales and support staff do seem to reflect the makeup of the surrounding area. I have always been impressed by their people. I will say this; if the people from the surrounding area who have personally disenfranchised themselves by dropping out of school, using drugs and living an otherwise unlawful lifestyle expect to be hired, they are sadly mistaken. They shouldn’t be hired. The jobs should and will go to the locals who successfully manage their lives by finishing high school, graduating from Housatonic Community College or any of the fine schools in our area, refrain from abusive substances and live piously and within the laws of the land. Such people deserve opportunity such as work at Bass Pro Shops. The others deserve nothing and should not expect anything.
As to the Bass Pro Shop’s sale of weapons, I see absolutely nothing wrong with it. They have never been accused of failing to comply with rigid federal law pertaining to gun sales. Once the gun leaves the store legally, it’s up to the local law enforcement to ensure the gun laws are complied with. I don’t recall them selling Saturday night specials and various assault weapons anyway.
Bass Pro Shops is a wonderful start for the development of Steel Pointe. I am not comfortable with Timpanelli or Testa or the DTC or the present administration having anything to do with it. We need an F.D. Rich to come in a tell the politicians to bugger off while he takes charge and creates a Mecca of explosive economic growth like he did beginning in the ’60s in Stamford.
Torres is making a name for herself. If she starts uncovering all of the political deal-making we have suffered and endured, we, the citizens of this town, will benefit. I would like to see more written about the voting process reminding the brain-dead registered voters to get off their respective asses and get out and vote. That’s where our change will come from. The couches.
Keila and her co-workers need to do some investigative reporting into the City’s use of outside attorneys. The CT Post article about reinstating Art Harris mentions the Crumbie law group, which has been conducting an investigation into the MBE program for months. Where’s the report? Where are the recommendations? How many hundreds of thousands have we paid them and why aren’t they finished? What’s going on with MBE? Is Dennis Scinto still being paid to sit home? So many unanswered questions.
Every day I see outside attorneys meeting with labor relations staff in city hall. Every day I hear of some poor employee being disciplined because he/she is the victim of Adam Wood’s personal vendetta. This will all be settled in the end and the city will pay out big bucks. I hope the CT Post does an FOI and finds out just how much of our money is being spent because Adam Wood doesn’t like someone. This little man must be stopped before he bankrupts us. It is the responsibility of the CT Post to expose these abuses. Keep up the good work, Keila.
Art Harris gets reinstated because of the incompetence of the two labor relations officials and the incompetence of the city attorney’s office. Among these three people we pay salaries of approx $300K. One would think for that kind of money they would know basic labor law.
I don’t know if Mr. Harris is innocent or guilty but I do know he is entitled to certain protections under the law. This is just another example of the heavy-handed tactics that have been used by Finch and his executioners (labor relations and city attorneys).
These guys fired Harris without notification of the charges or the evidence against him. This is basic stuff and they didn’t know it? Bullshit!!! These guys are so used to mistreating employees and getting away with it but this time they got what they deserved. They will be paying Harris $46K in back pay and now they placed him on administrative leave where we get to pay him for sitting home.
Why wasn’t Mr. Harris’ boss also suspended? I know he is a political appointee of Finch’s.
Why are we hiring a law firm out of Hartford again, isn’t the city attorney’s office qualified to do this or are they just qualified to handle slip and fall accidents?
What is happening under the Finch administration in 2012 is exactly why Civil Service was started. Civil Service was started to protect the rights of the employees and do away with political patronage. Under this administration and David Dunn Civil service has been emasculated.
When this first occurred, I was of the opinion it was purposely botched so the administration could crow about their findings and actions but protect Art’s job in the end. Just my paranoid mind at work.
Andy, there are four so-called professionals in Labor Relations. Larry Osborne, Tom McCarthy, Phil White and a new labor relations officer who this blog has been so far silent about. They screw up over and over and then bring in high-paid outside counsel to fix things. The City ends up paying for the screw-up along with the outside counsel and in this case, Tom Bucci who doesn’t come cheap. There are at least five cases I know of where employees have been wrongfully terminated suspended or otherwise mistreated. All at the personal whim of Adam Wood. The employees, some who have also retained Tom Bucci, will win their cases with back pay and the city will pay out. Good for the employees and good for the attorneys but bad news for the taxpayer. If the city is going to use outside law firms they should close the labor relations office down completely. It is a waste to pay all these people and continue to get disastrous results.
Fixer: I was not aware they added more incompetents to the labor relations office. There was no salary in their budget presentation for these additional positions. The council that approved these positions should be ashamed of themselves. This whole administration should be arrested for fraud as their budget presentation and numbers are a fraud.
You are right, they are merciless when they go after employees and this settlement is just the beginning of employees fighting back. Shame on McCarthy and Osborne and the two new assholes in labor relations.
Phil White is not new. He has been in that dept for several years and he is widely considered Osborne’s asswipe. Osborne says jump and Phil says how high. He is a devious SOB. Smiles in your face and sticks you in the back. He is hated almost as much as Osborne. The real evil here however is Adam Wood. He calls the shots and tells them who to fire and they carry out his orders. I have been around city hall for three mayors and have never seen employees treated with such contempt. Most agree it is wrong but few challenge them. If you do, you risk getting terminated yourself. I am just waiting for the lawsuits to start paying out in a year or so. Damn the four-year mayoral term.
David Dunn is the PROVISIONAL Civil Service Personnel Director, gets the pay and retires as is he is bona fide through testing. He’s never earned shit and he is the biggest asswipe next to high school grad Fire Chief Brian Rooney.
Don Tito, provisional, you mean to say David Dunn did NOT pass an exam based on merit to become the head of Civil Service?
That’s correct, like many Bridgeport Fire Department retirees … never tested, but given provisional appointments sometimes three times above their real rank. And allowed to retire at three times what should have been their normal pensions. A process used like a revolving door to benefit the chosen few since the ’70s. Who pays, the Bridgeport taxpayers! Keila, here’s an investigative story for you.
Ron, there is no test for Civil Service director. He is the interim head of Civil Service. I am surprised you are playing straight man for this idiot Tito.
Tito has never posted a true statement on this blog. The latest misinformation posted by this idiot is people in the ’70s were provisionally appointed to three times their actual rank. He is stating a firefighter was actually appointed as a provisional assistant chief. What pure and utter bullshit. Show me one individual who was promoted to three times above his actual rank.
During the late ’70s and early ’80s there were no captains in the fire house as they were provisional assistant chiefs. It was 19 years between LT exams, 19 goddamn years thanks to Judge Daly and his bogus rulings. It took another 30-plus years for the supreme court to rule against decisions like Daly’s as it affected promotional exams. Tito, I know you are not a firefighter and have never been one but just in case you were I would not let you carry my helmet to a fire. Jerk.
I did some of my own investigative reporting, and at the risk of sounding like John Marshall Lee (smile), here’s what I found:
The approved Labor Relations budget totals $483,365 in salaries alone. This includes two clerical and the following “professional” positions:
Director Lawrence Osborne @ $125,544. Osborne was made acting director by John Fabrizi when John misused his executive power to terminate former director Edmund Winterbottom. John had a personal vendetta against Winterbottom dating back several years and pertaining to John’s brother Mark who was terminated due to repeated work violations. Finch made Osborne permanent even though he has no labor education and his main job experience was running programs at the Orcutt Boys Club. Osborne is a yes man and will do anything to anyone to keep his plush salary. He is frequently seen by city hall employees taking long breaks at the Eisenhower Center where he exercises, swims, takes a shower and bullshits with Mario’s gumad.
Deputy Director Tom McCarthy @ $99,652. Tom has a law degree and is probably the only qualified professional in that dept. but he doesn’t like to get his hands dirty. Tom comes from a good Irish Catholic family and has a distaste for the ugliness perpetrated by the Finch administration. But he wants to keep his job and support for his city council presidency so he keeps his mouth shut. I bet he says many Our Fathers to ease his conscience.
Labor Relations Officer Phil White @ $65,583. Phil is a story himself. He comes from the Monroe Dem Town Committee and the Andy Nunn connection. A few years back, Andy Nunn was running for first selectman and had a serious challenger. Phil ran on another ticket to pull votes from the challenger, thereby ensuring a win for Nunn. Phil is a dirty politician and not to be trusted. He carries out the evil orders of the administration with a smile on his face. He has no labor background.
Senior Labor Relations Officer vacant at $70,247. This position was filled by the new guy. I could not find out much information on him but will follow up with my city hall connections on Monday.
If you read the labor relations mission statement, they are charged with resolving and reducing grievances, arbitrations and labor board charges in a cost-effective manner. They are supposed to represent the city in all hearings and arbitrations. It says nothing about them delegating their jobs to outside counsel and there is no outside counsel line in their budget.
Now for the outside counsel:
My sources tell me attorneys from Durant, Nichols and Houston are seen in city hall on a daily basis. They attend grievance and arbitration meetings along with Osborne and White. I could not find what their hourly rate is but this would be a nice assignment for Keila.
John Bohannon represented the city in the Art Harris case. He is a loyal Democrat and dependable contributor to numerous political campaigns. He is used by the city attorney’s office a lot.
The Crumbie Law Group has been conducting their MBE investigation for months. They have not produced a report or recommendations. If you Google Attorney Andrew Crumbie, he has a questionable character and has been brought up on ethics violations himself. Makes one wonder how he can investigate what appears to be an ethics violation on the part of Art Harris when he himself was accused of the same.
Keila should file an FOI request on what we have paid these attorneys over the past four years. I think it would be quite interesting. Perhaps Andy or JML can shed some light on where and how much the outside counsel line can be found in the budget. It must be several million.
Fixer–indulge me if you will. You stated yesterday you personally see these attorneys on a daily basis at city hall, now today you state “your sources” tell you they see them every day–which is it?
Don’t be naive, Godiva. Employees in city hall see what is going on. The gentleman from the state labor board is in the lobby at least once a week. The female attorney from Don Houston’s law firm is there every week too meeting with the unions and some poor victimized employee. Folks congregate around the constituent desk and they talk. You think people don’t see Osborne going across to the Ike Center every day in his sweats? Please. Don’t be naive.
Andy, Andy, Andy, get a grip. You too benefited from the “good ole boyz” provisional appointment retirement package. Your bona fide rank was LT. What rank is your retirement based on? What happened to the ’80s, ’90s and 2000s? Come on Andy, you retired in the ’80s. You really don’t want to pick a fight you can’t win, do you?
Judge T.F. Gilroy Daly was and still is a great man. He saw right through your white Bridgeport Firefighters for Merit Employment bullshit and tossed your ass out of court. And it will happen again.
Mr. Mackey is so much smarter than you and me regarding the racist fire department he was hired on, too. Please don’t insult his intelligence.
Keila, how about a provisional retirements FOI regarding the Bridgeport Fire Department?
Tito: Let me respond to you incorrect comments one at a time.
1. It took 19 years for a LT test to be given. 19 freaking years I waited because of Judge Daly and his rulings that were overturned by this supreme court. I know they weren’t Daly’s rulings but they were the same on promotions and they were overturned.
2. I retired in the ’90s just to get that little fact straight.
3. I will always pick a fight with someone who posts erroneous facts like you do.
4. I did retire a provisional senior inspector, despite the fact the union fought to stop a new career ladder in the FM office, the same career ladder that is now in place. I took the investigator’s job when no one else applied for it because of the amount of OT in the firehouses.
5. Did you ever look behind Daly’s rulings? He hated Bridgeport because he did not get the Bridgeport delegation’s support when he wanted to run for congress. It was nothing more than payback. Look it up.
6. Racism was not part of your original dumb-ass post nor was it part of my answer.
7. You are right, Ron is a smart man. That’s why I was surprised he did not rebut your erroneous statements about retiring three grades above your rank, you still have not proved that.
There are many positive, inspiring stories that happen every day in Bridgeport. I’d like to read more of them in the Post.
Yes, I agree there are many positive and inspiring things taking place in Bridgeport. However, you surely won’t be reading about it in the Post, and especially not on OIB, both of which thrive on negativity.
But you keep coming to read.
Comic relief.
*** There are so many positive stories, the Post nor OIB can keep up with them, no? Maybe if city government were more transparent with the truth about all the great things happening or coming soon to our fair city its citizens would be better informed! After all for every negative there must be equal positive in the natural balance of things. Wonder which way is the natural balance of things in Bpt? *** TILT! ***
Andy, Andy, Andy; kind of sounds like a comedy show.
Exams took 19 years because you (a BFME dues-paying member), the boyz (BFME), Union President Joe DeCarlo the BFME leader as well, Mayor Mandanici, David Dunn and the personnel director at the time did not want blacks, hispanics and women to be Bridgeport firefighters. Right?
’80s or ’90s, does it matter, you benefited. Right?
Facts are facts, they may hurt, but the truth is the truth. Right?
Andy, Andy, Andy; come on now, you guys in the Fire Marshal’s office had exclusive overtime, call-back pay and a take-home fire department vehicle. Right?
Whether or not Judge Daly wanted to be a congressman or not, he saw right through BFME’s intentions and stomped it. What you are saying regarding Judge Daly is nothing more than hearsay. Right?
Andy, you know how the blacks and Hispanics were treated when they became firefighters in the ’80s and still are to this day. Right?
Calling Keila!
Tito, listen you racist SOB, that could not be further from the truth and you damn well know it. No one wanted to keep minorities off the job. What we wanted was for all people to take the entry level exam and that was the crux of the argument. Instead Daly allowed anyone who said they were afraid to apply come on the job. There was one candidate who came on the job that grew up in my neighborhood who was black and he ate many times at my house and I ate many times at his house. He grew up with a majority of white kids yet he stated he did not apply because he was afraid of whites, what bullshit. The was another candidate who never applied and had no intention of ever becoming a firefighter yet received a call from civil service asking if he wanted to be a FF he said yes and thus was appointed just a few examples from that list. For you to say the suit was filed to keep minorities off the job is pure and total bullshit and you know it.
The FM office had no take-home cars ever, when I was called in I drove my personal car to headquarters and got the arson van. There was no OT or standby pay for the first two years and when there was OT I never made as much as the guy who took my place on the Squad. So much for a financial bonanza. Don’t forget the 32 Saturdays I went to school for no OT, or the weeks of training I took away from home and family for no OT.
What I said about Daly was the truth, we did our homework.
I don’t know what you mean about how minorities were treated in the ’80s and ’90s. The people of all colors who were on my company were treated equally. I trained them all the same way. I taught them things that would save their lives if they got in trouble inside a building, I taught them what to do in a rescue situation, I taught how to maintain their safety equipment and what to do if it failed inside a burning building. Nobody and I mean nobody SCREWED with the people who worked for me no matter what color.
Like I said earlier, you are a racist who likes to make up charges and send out bullshit information. You don’t want to screw with me, I will not back down to your racist bullshit ever.
The person who is in charge of the fire department maintenance division is a firefighter but is getting the pay of a Battalion Chief.
Ron, what’s that got to do with me? That stuff did not happen when I was on. Am I now responsible for the operations of today’s fire department?
Andy or should I say “Angry White Man,” I guess the truth hurts when it hits home. Evidently what I said about BFME and the rest is true. And I do stand by it. You haven’t been able to dismiss it and only wish to brush it aside as if it weren’t true, with a “red herring” answer. Come on, you can do better than anger, Andy. I never said you didn’t train your FF etc. … If you wish, answer the facts stated.
Hey, why didn’t you/(BFME) expose Judge Daly? If you had such information, you might have saved the city taxpayers $6 million in damages.
Isn’t the Bridgeport Fire Department Maintenance Division where LT Vazquez and FF Baik’s SCBA that failed should have been tested, ROONEY? How many years has this firefighter been getting Chief’s pay, Andy? He’s a BFME dues-paying member as well. Let’s GO, bring it ON!
Again I will tell you like I told Ron when did I become responsible for today’s fire department. As far as Daly goes, there was no way his bias could be brought into play, he was a federal judge. What do you think he did, write a memorandum on why he hated Bridgeport? Grow up. I stated the reason for the BFME, you chose to ignore it like the other facts you gloss over.
You talked about how minority firefighters have been treated and I explained not only my position but the position of the majority of people on the FD.
You telling me there is no LT or Capt. in charge of the BFD Maintenance Division. Why??? How could that be??? Wonder how many other paid CT professional fire departments allow this to occur?
Please, if this is such a big deal why hasn’t a suit been brought by a minority officer who is a capt or a lt?
What did you do, just discover this from Ron’s post?
Tito, if the fire department were so screwed up and did not properly follow Daly’s order why wasn’t a special master ordered for the FD like they did in the PD?
The problem with people like you is when a white guy says good morning to you, you say what do you mean by that? Thank god the majority on the FD are not like you.
Andy,
You and I realize Lennie Grimaldi has done the citizens of Bridgeport a favor by creating this “talking and listening space” called Only In Bridgeport. When we started posting our thoughts you wrote under “town committee” and I used “BEACON2.” Through our Budget Oversight Bridgeport 2011 and 2012 experiences we came to realize posting in our own names was more open, accountable and transparent to the community. Hats of to Callahan, Ron Mackey, Bruce Hubler, David Barbour, Joel Gonzalez, Mojo and a handful of others who use their own identity and their own ideas. It’s not for everyone, but it does get you to face up to what is serious and urgent in the City, really in need of repair. Others focus on rumors or stories they cannot defend were they to use their real name. I understand fear of retribution for those in a City position. It’s too bad you cannot have your own opinion as long as you are doing your work well. Do performance evaluations mean anything? Do Civil Service, Labor Relations and Human Resources function in the City anyway? Time will tell.
John Marshall Lee, let me say this about Civil Service. Placing David Dunn in that position to oversee all testing for the City is a disservice to those who take entry-level exams and for current City employees who take promotional exams. Dunn has no background in testing or in the laws that govern testing. Instead of doing a nationwide search to get the best person who will oversee the future of Bridgeport’s hiring, Mayor Finch keeps David Dunn who brings nothing to the table in job performance but who is someone who will do whatever it takes to protect the mayor and the Bridgeport Democrat Party, that is what he is loyal to instead of doing what Civil Service was designed to do.
Thanks Ron, for supplying some info. Does a Civil Service director need to have any requirements filled before being hired? If yes, how does Dunn get a pass? If no, then what is the complaint?
Job performance and evaluations are something I have heard about. The word is Bridgeport does not do enough of them and the ones done are below standard if you are interested in assisting employees to do a better job in the future, that gets the City and the employee on better terms. Maybe you can tell us how to get a better view as to the work product of this office, how many it takes to do it and whether outside consultants are used because folks in the office are underprepared for their duties? Time will tell.