Ho, ho, ho. Or should it be ha, ha, ha? Time to fill the annual OIB stocking stuffers for those city, state and national pols who’ve been naughty and nice, although I prefer to salute the naughty.
First up, a gold-plated plow for Mayor Bill Finch, plus anchovy pizza (Bill loves anchovy) with San Marzano tomatoes for the rest of his life and a guided angelic tour of all national parks by his architectural hero Frederick Law Olmsted, for his mighty fine snow removal effort during the season’s first major storm. Hey, if Yahooy and John from Black Rock say his honor did a nice job, that’s okay by me. Kudos, also, to Public Facilities Director Charlie Carroll.
Former Mayor John Fabrizi, a treasurer to form a Fabs 2011 Election Committee.
State Rep. Chris Caruso, a message for 2011.
Probate Judge Paul Ganim, a pardon from George Bush. (Hey, can I have one of those?)
Former Mayor Joe Ganim, a commuted sentence from George Bush (Joe’s served enough).
State Sen. Rob Russo, another special election. We know he can win those.
Michael Sohn, Chris Shays’ former campaign manager, absolution in the Himalayas. (Is Mikey coming back?)
Keith Cougie Rodgerson, a concert tour in lieu of a city paycheck.
City Councilman Bob Walsh, a shoe to throw at City Council President Tom McCarthy.
Tom McCarthy, a shoe to throw back.
Maura Keaney, Jim Himes’ former campaign manager, a phone to return my calls.
Finch Press Secretary Elaine Ficarra, same thing.
Democratic Town Chair Mario Testa, a mayor that will talk to him.
Republican Town Chair Marc Delmonico, voter registration that rivals Mario.
Democratic Vice Chair Dorothy Guman, an apology from former Chair John Stafstrom.
Congressman-elect Jim Himes, a pit bull to protect him from city pols demanding jobs.
Congressman Chris Shays, a job offer from Barack.
Economic Development Director Don Eversley, a map to find city hall.
State Rep. Bob Keeley, earplugs for his new teaching assignment.
State Rep-elect Auden Grogins, a babysitter for her dog Harold when she’s in Hartford.
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, a pair of balls to run for governor.
Joe Lieberman, retirement.
Jim Amann, Democratic gubernatorial candidate, a reminder he was born in Bridgeport.
Governor Rell, a shrink to help her cope with the budget mess.
City taxpayers, a federal bailout, a sludge deal that makes sense, Steelpointe, Canyon-Johnson, Congress Street Bridge, Pleasure Beach Bridge, Seaview Avenue corridor, and Jasper McLevy reborn.
Jasper McLevy, a snow plow!
Okay, your turn.
A city council seat for WONDERING seeing that PAOLETTO isn’t leaving the council yet! Maybe WONDERING will stop crying all over the place!!!
A heart full of love with a back-up pacemaker for Joel Hater.
Another Obama pick eyed by authorities.
www .suntimes.com/news/politics/1339560,CST-NWS-county19.article
Joel Hater: Who gives a damn about Paoletto’s seat? In my district the seat is there if I ever decided to run. Pointing out things that are going on around us is not crying. If you expect me to sit by while these assholes ruin my city then you are wrong. Call it what you will. You will know who I am come primary time.
Joel Gonzalez appears to be uninformed.
I unfortunately had to make an emergency trip to St. V’s last night and it wasn’t Charlie Carroll who was out there plowing and sanding. It was the PF workers so give credit where credit is due. Those guys did a damn good job. They work all night so that our streets are safe to travel. Thank you Public Facilities men and women for a job well done.
And I’d like to add a stocking stuffer for Dept. on Aging Director Rosemarie Hoyt (Mario’s longtime BFF): some common sense to retire. RETIRE already! Let someone with energy and brains lead that dept into the 21st century. That would be the best Christmas present ever. Your time has come and gone, Rose, it’s time to go. Bye Bye. Merry Christmas!
Bruce Lee Is it possible that you work with Bonnie Roach?
*** All snow removal main routes & secondary roads had to be reviewed by C. Caroll first. So thanks should go to him & the entire snow removal crew & mechanics that keep the trucks working & running. Since Charlie’s takeover as Director, many good changes have happened. The mark of a good Army Master Sgt. in charge making use of the chain of command in getting things done and making people accountable for their work, Hoorah! *** When I see blogs that criticize Rose Hoyt, it leads me to believe that it’s probably someone that wants her job or for someone near & dear. Again, personal greed & want for what, who knows the type of job they’ll do in the end? Many seniors that would like to retire sometimes find it hard due to many reasons like economics, medical problems, independance, etc. Ms. Hoyt should retire on her terms, when she’s good & ready to and not before! *** This past holiday OIB party was my 2nd time going to one of their gatherings. I noticed that most of the bloggers that are always negative & disrespectful on this forum, never attend these functions; I wonder why? ***
Really.
IT’S OFFICIAL!
Bridgeport’s Department of Public Facilities wins an award for the best EXECUTED snow removal plan in recent memory. Sets the new “gold standard” for all city operations.
Cheers, and thank you to all who made it happen!
The performance of the Public Facilities workers in my neighborhood was also outstanding. They were here late at night and came back this afternoon. Good job. Thanks.
Wondering, no I don’t work with Bonnie Roach. And Mojo, I do not want Ms. Hoyt’s job and I mean her no ill will. However she has not been productive for many years now. She has been the ultimate “sacred cow” because of Mario. It is simply unfair and unjust that hard-working employees are being laid off while unproductive politically connected dinosaurs are protected.
Have either one of you visited the Dept. on Aging lately? It is empty except for a few seniors and a few of Ms. Hoyt’s personal senior friends (who do not even live in Bpt). We are keeping that building open, paying staff and thousands of dollars in utilities for a handful of seniors. That building can be closed and the seniors can be bussed to another more active center. And the savings can be applied to save someone’s job.
Mayor Finch says that there are no sacred cows. I beg to differ.
My Christmas wishes:
For Larry Osborne–I wish you a brain so that you can manage Labor Relations and not have to pay Dave Ryan $200 an hour to negotiate union contracts.
Tom McCarthy–I wish you some courage so that you can speak up for what is right and wrong. You know the difference, you just need some cojones to say it.
Adam Wood–I wish you a heart so that you never again will lay off employees two weeks before Christmas. Yeah the City is in bad shape, but a few weeks would not have made a significant difference. You gave the order which ruined the holidays for many families. You have proven yourself to be the ultimate scrooge.
Johnny Gomes and Carol Curry–I wish you both bulletproot vests which you’ll need when you start exposing the over-paid do-nothing political employees.
Mario Testa–I wish you years of good luck with your restaurant as you have made a huge investment in our city. I also wish you could get Rose to retire. Sorry but I agree with Bruce Lee.
Richard Paoletto–I wish you a conscience because what you did to Joe Minopoli was just wrong, my friend.
Ruben Felipe, Tyrone McClaine and Chris Rosario–I wish you job descriptions so that we know what the hell you are supposed to be doing.
Mayor Finch–I wish you a large broom to sweep out all the old Fabrizi appointees. I also wish you a bolt of lighting to wake you up so that you start the New Year with a focus and a mission (other than greening the city).
Barack Obama–I wish you Godspeed and the strength and the energy to carry out your agenda. I am happy that you were elected president during my lifetime. I look forward to an improving economy, healthcare reform and fair treatment for immigrants.
Feliz Navidad and Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Night!
*** #12 & #13- I’m in agreement about the Eisenhower Center closing or even selling due to the budget problem. However, I believe it also serves the Vets’ needs as well, so the city would need a replacement for both first! Also, Rose is not the only so-called “sacred cow” that works for the city ’cause Finch has plenty that don’t have the senority that she does. There’re lots of personal gainers, political cronies & nepotisum to go around that work for the city of Bpt. And if Finch really wanted to make that move and force retire Rose to spite Mario, he could try it ’cause he’s the Mayor! However Ms. Rose could have bumping rights & probably would not mind if she had to also move to another building to continue working. It’s sad to pick on a senior citizen woman that’s worked so long for the city, really just because of her relationship with Mario, etc. It’s funny how I never hear about all the positive good things Mario has done for the city and its people! How about your jobs, do you give a good #8 hrs. work for a good day’s pay if you work for the city? Sooner or later everyone makes a turn & finds themselves on a two-way street instead of the one-way they’re used to! Streamlining & bringing Bpt. City Hall & Gov. into the 21st century by cutting excessive costs and doing more with less is one thing. However being spiteful and negative for personal reasons or self-satisfaction, many times just on rumors alone is completely another. ***
Mojo, the vets moved out of the Eisenhower Center 3 – 4 years ago. I believe they moved to the Health Dept. Their former offices are empty; wasted space.
I am not saying to fire Rosemarie out of spite to Mario. But services do need to be consolidated. Either close the Eisenhower Center; move in the Black Rock Arts people or MACH and make it an arts building. Or close the other senior centers and consolidate them all into the Eisenhower building. In these times, it is not prudent to keep that building open when it just serves a few senior citizens.
Mojo, I am not picking on Rosemarie but what’s right is right. These are unusually tough times and we need to cut back where it has the least impact on our citizens and I believe the Eisenhower is a good place to start. Maybe CitiStat should take a look at this, put politics aside and make their unbiased recommendations for what’s best for the City and the senior citizens. I would be happy with that.
And politics aside, I commend Mario for his commitment to the City.
Lennie, great article today on Bow Tie Banker … I am reading it now and it is really very good! Keep up the great work.
City Hall Smoker – What about David Dunn? As far as I know, he does little more than create problems in the FD in order to justify his existence. If Labor Relations and the FD Management cannot handle labor issues with their staff, then maybe the City should hire a Chief Officer to run the FD that has more than a HS education and no management training.
*** Cutting costs for the city on unused property or rented & leased space or buildings is one thing. However to single out one senior woman employee due to her relationships & lack of productivity because of a physical disability is completely another. There are far more employees making lots more money with less seniority that can be considered “sacred cows” in many ways than #1 senior woman employee. There are far many other ways for the city to save money & streamline city operations besides laying off employees. Unfortunately the Finch Admin. is not thinking or getting the right information from the so-called experts on his chosen few committees. Most ideas seem short term to say the least! ***
Wow Mojo, what did Mario promise you? You are defending Rosemarie as if she is YOUR BFF. I don’t know anything about a disability and if she truly has one then I am sorry. But a disability is no excuse as the ADA protects people who have the ability to perform their job. I have made my point so enough said. And yes there certainly are a number of other sacred cows, David Dunn being one of them. Others on this blog have mentioned the temps, consultants and outside legal counsel used by the City Attorney’s Office. Those should be cut before the permanent workers. But I am wasting my time as no one really gives a shit. Much easier to lay off employees.
“HereWeGo” #17, wrote, “What about David Dunn? As far as I know, he does little more than create problems in the FD in order to justify his existence. If Labor Relations and the FD Management cannot handle labor issues with their staff, then maybe the City should hire a Chief Officer to run the FD that has more than a HS education and no management training.” You got that right about David Dunn.
This issue does not get discussed enough. Think about this, the City of Bridgeport did a nationwide search for a new fire chief and Mayor Fabrizi selected Brian Rooney as the fire chief. Chief Rooney’s qualifications are he has a high school education. The Fire Department has a budget of over 25 million dollars a year and the person in charge has a high school education. PT Barnum was right.
Ron: I agree with much of what you have said in your last post. I wonder if a college education is the only answer; after all, look at what all these college graduates have done to the city.
I agree that all department heads and managers should go thru management training on a regular basis. Right now all we do is hire them or promote them to management positions and we do not train them.
You are right about the FD. One day you’re an assistant chief working fires and the next you are in charge of a 25 million dollar budget. Wow.
It would not be cost-prohibitive to train all of the city’s managers and department heads. Trainers will come into the city to hold these training sessions here thus no prohibited travel and living expenses for the city to send our people out of town.
To my knowledge this has never been done but it’s about time it is. Good post Ron and happy holidays.
“Wondering” #21, I agree with your point.
Here is the background of the selection of the fire chief. Rooney ranked second among the three finalists for the chief’s job after a nationwide search, and was the only one from the local ranks. A graduate of Notre Dame High School, Rooney joined the Fire Department on Sept. 9, 1972. He also served in the U.S. Army Reserves, where he was a drill instructor.
Thirty-two people had initially applied for the job.
The other two finalists were Daniel Andrus, a fire battalion chief in Salt Lake City, who ranked first after a battery of tests and interviews, and who scored six points higher on the exam than Rooney and George Morgan, a retired battalion chief in Howard County, Md. Morgan supervises fire protection for Northrop Grumman, a large defense contractor.
Daniel Andrus was named fire chief of Concord, N.H. two years ago. Andrus had a 28-year career with the Salt Lake City Fire Department. He was deputy chief of administration when he left. Andrus has a bachelor’s degree in fire services administration and another in business management. He also has two master’s degrees: one in public administration and one in economics. He has graduated from the National Fire Academy’s executive fire officer program. All one has to do is Google Fire Chief Brian Rooney and Fire Chief Daniel Andrus.
And we took the one with a high school education. It makes you wonder.
“Wondering,” Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
*** #19 Wow Bruce Lee what’s your beef with a woman senior citizen city employee that’s had hip replacement! Someone need her job? I also have made my point as well. *** Sometimes all the book knowledge & certificates achieved can’t help you if you don’t have plain common sense & people skills, etc. Plus, there’s always going to be someone out there more qualified in many job positions; Bpt. known for going outside to fill many of its admin. openings. Personally, advancing one of Bpt.’s own from time to time is nice to see & good for the city in general, in my personal “opinion”. ***