UPDATE: Kristin duBay Horton, the Health and Human Services director for the city, has taken a medical leave from the department. The city has contacted officials with the state health department to identify an acting director.
Horton was appointed by Mayor Bill Finch in December of 2010. She is the wife of Carl Horton, a marketing and management consultant, and a friend of the mayor for many years.
Kristin duBay Horton has a credentialed background in health services and is generally well liked by city employees. OIB commenter bpt guy first alerted us about Kristin duBay Horton’s departure in a prior posting.
Connecticut Post reporter Keila Torres Ocasio confirms in an interview with the health director that she has taken a leave. See story here.
Below is the news release the mayor’s office issued upon her appointment.
Mayor Finch Appoints Kristin duBay Horton to Health Director Post
BRIDGEPORT, CT (December 16, 2010) – Mayor Bill Finch today appointed Kristin duBay Horton as Health and Human Services Director. Her appointment is effective upon confirmation of the state Department of Public Health.
duBay Horton lives in Bridgeport and has previously worked for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Most recently, she administered the Bridgeport CARES program for the Health Department through a consultant contract.
She was one of several candidates who were interviewed by a panel of 10-person panel of Bridgeport residents including Charles Tisdale, Rev. Dr. Simon Castillo and Ludwig Spinelli, among others. A group of four finalists were presented to the Mayor for his final selection.
“Kristin’s appointment represents a new way of thinking for how we deliver health and social services in the City of Bridgeport,” said Mayor Finch. “Kristin’s commitment to the community and her outreach skills make her an excellent fit to lead the department.”
Prior to moving to Connecticut, Ms. duBay Horton worked for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for six years, overseeing HIV Prevention, Policy and Planning unit. Since 2001, she has run her own public health consulting practice in Bridgeport, working with community-based programs, school districts and local health department to perform community assessments, conduct program evaluations and aid in community input and organizing efforts for the past 12 years.
“What I am most excited about is the opportunity to combine my love for this city, its rich neighborhoods and people, with my years of work as a program planner and evaluator to the community in which I am living and raising my family. I want this health department to become a national model at eliminating health disparities and with its gifted staff and Bridgeport’s wealth of committed health and social service organizations,” duBay Horton said, adding, “I look forward to working with the Mayor and all of the health and social services department staff members to achieve that goal.”
Bill Finch, Andy Nunn, Adam Wood THE ANNEX KLAN. I guess Kristin ain’t coming to dinner like President Obama.
This is just another example of this administration’s campaign against strong intelligent women. The following are the women who I remember, I am sure I am forgetting someone: Rina Bakalar, Nancy Hadley, Michele Mount (MCAT) to name a few.
The problem with this administration is it is run by a group of gutless, ball-less men who are afraid of strong intelligent women.
town committee, maybe this group of gutless, ball-less men are not secure in their manhood.
EXACTLY.
Ron, these are men who stand at the urinal and try to compare who has the biggest dick but they can’t quite find it because they have no substance.
They impose their will and try to intimidate people who depend on their job to feed their families, these people are intimidated these three mistake that for respect but when they walk away they are laughed at, they are jokes.
As I posted earlier, Alanna Kabel has assumed the directorship of Health Dept, people with much more experience now report to her she is the female Charlie Carroll in drag. Both are not qualified for their jobs or as man and woman they do look alike.
Friends in the BOE said the new state board voted unanimously to hand them over to Public Facilities.
I was under the impression the new board was supposed to make things better, not pass them off like a used dishrag.
Chosen 1, bpt guy will get a kick out of this. More responsibilities for Big Charlie. He’s like one of those Jamaican dudes with all the jobs. Only the Jamaicans actually work.
Bpt guy, LMAO … “both not qualified for their jobs but as man and woman they look alike.” So true. But they laugh at us every week when they cash those big paychecks that are paid with our tax dollars. Not so funny anymore, is it?
This is deja vu all over again. African American female health director, qualified, well liked, community advocate and FIRED BY FINCHSTER.
Can’t wait to see how they spin this one. Carl Horton must be livid. Here’s a lesson for you Carl, no loyalty in the Finch administration.
Is anyone safe?
I guess by now you all know I hate these lumps of shit disguised as Finch, Nunn, Wood and Charlie because they are truly borderline quest for fire neanderthals who pick bugs off of each other and smell each others’ asses.
They are a disease to our city, a cancer which must be eliminated. Yes I hate them but hate isn’t a strong enough word.
Keila Torres do you now know what to ask these cavemen when you interview them, I’m not getting paid to give you leads let’s work a little.
The story on three employees has more to it they didn’t get much money, $390,000 to $400,000 was written in checks they got very little where did the money go? C’mon dig a little ask the right questions. Two of them are sacrificial lambs, figure out which two.
All of today’s posters are flunking adulthood based on their postings. Reporting-without-the-facts is becoming the de rigueur journalistic style on this page. Everybody has come to the wrong conclusion but you’re safe here. Just because the outcome is unknown doesn’t mean you should miss an opportunity to open wide and stick your shoe in your mouth.
Local Eyes // Jan 24, 2012 at 8:37 pm
To your posting
Local …
What are you saying? … The all-too-familiar pattern is not what’s happening here with Kristin? The Finch/Wood administration has not treated a highly competent woman with contempt? … her position of integrity with regard to Valerie Sorrentino did not make her persona non grata with the Finch/Wood administration? And Ms. Sorrentino is not next on the hit list?
So Local … tell us … what are you telling us?
Carolanne in case you haven’t heard, Valerie is dealing with some very serious health issues. Still the Finch administration is hammering away at her, trying to force her out. She will win in the end as she has some extremely good attorneys. I don’t think Kristin’s alleged firing/suspension/medical leave (whatever they are calling it) had anything to do with Valerie.
Bridgeport Girl // Jan 25, 2012 at 8:07 am
To your posting
Bridgeport Girl,
Yes I knew … And that’s very integral to this Finch/Wood administrative activity.
Call me and we will talk more.
203-915-4924
It’s tomorrow now! So your comment doesn’t apply to me. I’m not sure the facts surrounding this alleged firing have been released. It’s unclear as to what is going on at the BHD and why the alleged action was taken. I hear it has something to do with debit cards. I’m concerned about the potential cost of buying out the Health Department Director’s five-year contract. The contract for the Police and Fire Departments were approved and signed not too long ago. Was the contract for the BHD director really signed and approved in the first place? Did anyone’s “Eyes”–wide open–actually see the BHD Director’s contract signed by the mayor? I didn’t see it! I’ve been too busy watching Mary-Jane Foster’s worst of the establishment YouTube video.
You’re as full of shit today as you were yesterday.
Thank God for toilets!
Finally, there’s a special toilet that’s big enough to accommodate Joel Gonzalez. It’s called The Super Bowl.
Local Eyes if you know so much then tell us what really happened. We know the woman was forced to give back her keys, phone and computer and was told not to enter any city building. Sounds to me she was fired or at the very least suspended. They want her out of the way while they manufacture charges against her just like they did to the good Dr. Evans. Then they’ll leak it to the press, make her look like a thief and justify her dismissal. In instances like this they are totally transparent.
I for one am sick and tired of my people being used. They’re given some pocket change for votes or absentee ballots and then told to pound sand until the next election. Finch is only concerned with his green bullshit. He should move back to Trumbull where people give a shit about green sustainability. Bpt people are in need of more basic services and sustainability isn’t one of them.
The people of Bpt just lost one of their biggest advocates but that was part of the whole plan. Use Kristin and Carl until after the election and then cut them loose.
Kristin fit the bill. They needed a black female to replace Dr. Evans. They needed her to get through the election but she is useless to them now, a pain in their side, cut her loose.
“I for one am sick and tired of my people being used. They’re given some pocket change for votes or absentee ballots and then told to pound sand until the next election.”
Your people? May they be some of the same people who where going around Bridgeport labeling Mary-Jane Foster a racist or not saying anything when they heard others labeling her a racist? If they were given some “pocket change,” they were paid and not used. Sounds like they sold their services for cheap–not to mention selling their votes or absentee ballots. If this is the way they are, they can stick their heads under the sand during a flood. I’ll blow up the dam to make sure they don’t resurface.
I’d like for Lennie to confirm whether or not the Mayor signed the HD director’s contract. I didn’t hear your people asking whether her contract was signed and approved when it was revealed the Police and Fire chief contracts were on the table weeks ago. Can’t blame Larry for that. Now, if the mayor did sign the contract, he’d better make sure he has legal grounds to remove her and make sure it sticks. I hope it doesn’t cost the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. Then again, if it does, you get what you elect!
Local Eyes you are full of shit. I know what they did they asked her for her phone and keys to bldg Friday. On Monday in the a.m. they took her computer out of her office and took it away. Larry Osborne told her she was out for some made-up reason. If she comes back they will put some spin on it like it was a mistake, Larry was supposed to give you new phone new keys and a new computer. He meant to fire the janitor not you.
Why are you so loyal to these turds unless you are a turd?
Tell us your explanation since you say we’re wrong, c’mon party loyalist give us your angle on events perhaps something about time sheets.
If the keys, phone and computer were city issued, they weren’t her property. As for janitors, Larry doesn’t seem to like firing them. Trust me, I know!
Horton was hired to A. mend fences with the African American community, B. avoid Carl’s support of either of Finch’s primary opponents …
They had no interested in her being qualified and actually making a difference in Bpt …
Local Eyes, I stand by my statement, “this group of gutless, ball-less men are not secure in their manhood.” Local Eyes, now maybe you know something we don’t know about this story but you keep it to yourself.
The health director is under the State Health Department. It will take something very extraordinary for the Commissioner of the State Department of Health to terminate Kristen’s employment. Once again something is not right in river city. Kristen is a very qualified health professional. It will amaze me if Larry Osborne was within this authority to relieve her of her state-mandated duties.
countdown, trust me. Mark will come up with something creative.
countdown // Jan 24, 2012 at 10:00 pm
To your posting
countdown,
Of course Larry was not within ANY authority except perhaps the “step it and fetch it” authority of the Finch/Wood administration. Remember this was the same Larry who told me I had written letter of resignation from my position with the CitiStat Department, which was never written and which he could not produce for the Department of Labor when it was requested.
Larry is paid to lie … let’s be clear about that. Just like Dawn Norton and Alanna Kabel are also paid to lie … simply part of their required duties.
countdown … the competent women are forced out and the incompetent women remain … check the inventory!
Local Eyes, go to Testo’s, Finch’s birdhouse, Nunn’s outhouse, Adam Wood’s red light district house or whoever wrote your rebuttal to my claims because they are the only ones who may believe you and they have their doubts about what you believe or say.
Kristin is going through stress-related health issues created by personal attacks on her by Andy Nunn. From day one she was not backed by the administration, they wanted a yes Massa woman, not a leader with great ideas. She was made to answer to Alanna Kabel, an insult. Alanna is a hatchet woman sent in to intimidate. Mark my words they will try to say things about Kristin like discrepancies in her time sheet. Due to her health issue she needed time off, she is salaried not hourly. They will spin a web of lies to cover their asses. Since they are all ass they will need a big web.
bpt guy // Jan 25, 2012 at 8:30 am
To your posting
bpt guy,
Your words are right … and they are well-marked by the history of this Finch/Wood administration, a group of despicable, greed-driven, power-thirsty, sadistic individuals.
I resent the leaches who make up Mario’s posse being called men. Real men have integrity, respect, loyalty and above all honor. When are the FEDS going to declare their investigations? I understand they already have agents here. Lastly, why are we forgetting to add McCarthy? He isn’t going bald, he is just spending too much time under the Mayor’s desk.
I know Kristin to be an open-minded, caring individual with a heart of gold and a ton of integrity. She truly thinks outside the box. She is extremely capable, well-educated and intelligent. Finch wants it both ways. He wants to take credit for hiring someone of Kristin’s caliber but then cannot stand working with someone of that caliber. It is a shame she and her family have to be put through this.
bpt guy, how do you know so much? Who is your mole?
city hall smoker, I will not divulge my mole but their are many. A person like Larry Osborne is a big blowhard, he asks people for info, he thinks he is a big shot, he tells people he doesn’t know may like the person he and his group is attacking. They tell someone who dislikes The Massa and the Annex Kluless Klux Klan. They are all my moles. Remember if you want to keep a secret tell no one the secret, also what is said and done in the dark always comes to light.
Larry keeps nothing confidential remember the people who do his bidding don’t all agree with what he and The Massa do so they are not happy, hence my info many moles, Larry is one of them.
Local Eyes, you got the real story yet they have not come up with a good yarn to weave yet to give you. Hey Local, you remind me of the guy who walks up to a pile of shit but he is not sure it’s shit so he gets down close, looks at it and says looks like shit. He then smells it and says smells like shit. Sticks his finger in it eats it and says tastes like shit. Whereas most of us would have just looked at it. Local Eyes, does it taste good?
That’s Mister Local Eyes to you, dude.
The Ethics Committee at OIB is way too liberal to allow this brand of vulgarity. bpt guy is in violation of TOS (terms of service) and is urged to chew my dust!
Hey Local Eyes, next time feel free to pick up the shit and flush it down my “Super Bowl.” Wink!
Local Eyes, too bad the Massa and his Klan don’t follow their ethics committee for the city of Bpt. You are biting off more than you can chew, you’re screwing with the wrong person because I don’t give a rat’s ass about your conservatism, if the kitchen’s too hot get out of the kitchen. Come on give me the real story about Kristin, if I’m wrong I will kiss your ass on Fairfield c/o Main street tomorrow morning but you have to get Larry to talk to Kristin and tell her what he really meant and apologize for his mistake. Bring Nunn, Wood, Larry and THE MASSA because they have to kiss my big hairy ass, that’s the flip side. Hey one more thing, I ain’t no dude.
I guess I have to watch out whom I stick my neck out for as an employee of the city of Bpt. I guess Kristin has made a deal with the Massa. I stick to what I reported, Larry was going around bragging how he had Kristin on time sheet discrepancies.
Kristan was in the paper today stating she was taking a leave of absence, paid mind you, giving the Massa an out which saves him face and all it cost is Kristin keeps her job after the heat which was created but cost her integrity because she may think she has them. In the long run it’s all about the Benjamins and they have her she will have to run with this story for the rest of her life, Hope it will all be worth it because when we are stripped down naked all we have left is our integrity. I have my integrity.
Now Massa, make sure you watch what you trust Larry with because me and my spies will be watching at all times. Treat everyone right don’t be abusing power demoting people for political reasons or for just flexing your power muscles because I’m watching and listening.
To all posters in these pages I stick to my reporting 100%. Honor Before Shame, not a choice.
bpt guy: you’ve lost your integrity–I hope you find it.
The Super Bowl is on at OIB Stadium. Team Trumbull under Coach Local Eyes is leading with a score of 14 to 0 against The OIB Bloggers. The OIB bloggers are threatening a walk-out and are appealing to Commissioner Lennie Grimaldi claiming Trumbull coach Local Eyes had paid spies on the stands with high-powered binoculars and having the play calls from The OIB Bloggers texted back to him. In response to this, Trumbull’s coach Local Eyes said, “You must be kidding me. I can beat these guys blindfolded.”
Correction: It’s Mister Coach Local Eyes.
It wasn’t spies in the stands–it was outperformance. When I got in a jam I asked Mojo for a play and his playbook produced a touchdown! Here We Go! ***
Here’s the good news for you, Joel: today’s participation qualifies you to carry my clipboard and be my waterboy. I’ll even remove your blindfold!
Waterboy as an entry position is better than nothing. Based what I’ve heard from reliable sources and the CT Post article, the game is not over. It’s quiet as a soundproof room at OIB Stadium. It’s so quiet I dropped one of my contact lenses and I heard it drop on the grass. Good idea in removing the blindfold. We don’t want the blind leading the blind, do we? So Mojo is with you! I heard he went into hiding upon receiving news of a Zombie eating brains and eyeballs in Bridgeport. I’m on board Mister Local Eyes. The game is starting. I’m warning you, I may have to spike the water with steroids, as I’ve been informed some of the OIB blogger players are actually Zombies. Let Mojo know about this and tell him not to fear. There goes the whistle!
Perhaps one of the spin doctors here will have enough integrity to post an apology to Kristin for using her medical leave as an opportunity to bash the administration. It’s pretty sad so many posters chose to make statements on this matter that were just utter bullshit rather than having the facts first.
The ball is hiked, quarterback bpt guy is looking for a receiver. Here comes the blitz, Godiva2011 breaks past the offensive line. bpt guy scrambles, here comes Godiva2011. Oh! That must hurt. What a sack! bpt guy goes down for a 12-yard loss. He is hurt–perfect read by Godiva2011. bpt guys is ok, but spitting out a good amount of grass.
Try to post something sensible for a change other than pointless drivel.
Godiva2011, why do you feel the need to say Kristin is using her medical leave?
Read my post again sir, and try to comprehend this time–what I said is some OIB posters used her medical leave as fair game to verbally assault the administration–not her. She was not fired, yet repeatedly some posters elaborated on that, not caring whether it was true or not.
Second and 22, on their own 8 yard line. The ball is hiked, it’s a running play. Ball handed to Ron Mackey. Here comes Godiva2011 again. Hard hit, the ball comes lose, the ball is under the pile. Trumbull is signaling fumble. The refs are trying to break the pile. OIB recovers the ball. Mackey struggles to get up and seems to be okay. Time out called by OIB. Waterboy Joel Gonzalez appears to be re-filling the Gatorade for the Trumbull team.
Godiva is either extremely naive or just plain stupid. The entire Finch administration is run on lies and deceit. People on medical leave do not have their computer, phone and keys taken away and are not banned from city buildings. There is much more to this story. With all due respect to Kristin, we should let sleeping dogs lie. Let Finch move on to another target. I’m sure he has a long list.
Third down and 22–a long 22. The time clock is running out. The ball is hiked. Here comes the blitz again. bpt guy goes deep to city hall smoker down the sideline. Caught near the 30 yard line, city hall smoker goes down the sideline, breaks away to the 40, 45 yard line, steps out of bounds near midfield. Great speed by city hall smoker; with three cigarettes in the mouth, smoker pulls from every one to gain 42 yards.
Godiva, she was fired. Big mouth step and fetch Larry Osborne was bragging how they got her on time sheet discrepancies. They asked for her time sheets. He told her don’t go into any city bldg, turn in your keys and phone, and cleaned her computer out.
Kristin didn’t want to have bad press called the Post to spin her own story because her husband didn’t want her to lose the money and offend the Massa.
You can spread that horseshit on a piece of bread and eat it because she was fired. It’s just she is too gentle and easily swayed by her husband who is Finch’s buddy. Larry Osborne is the administration’s worst enemy. How easy do you think it is for The KLULESS KLUX KLAN to say we screwed up less back peddle, they said when they fired Dr. Evans everyone barked a little but didn’t bite. But I guess they underestimated the reaction and that somebody inside was listening and talking.
OK, have it your way. I’d prefer to think a woman of her integrity told the truth. Had she really been fired, don’t you think she would have told the whole truth and nothing but the truth? She’s not the type of person who would lie to cover up anything.
Nope, Benjamins speak louder than words.
I heard from a friend who heard from a loose-lipped employee at the health dept that Osborne is looking at Horton’s time sheets and he did ban her from the building. That is a true fact, bpt guy. She also has advanced diabetes like we read in the paper today. Did she spin the story to the Post? Don’t know. Was Finch embarrassed by the negative press about firing another black female health director? Don’t know. Was Osborne overstepping his authoriyy by banning her from the building? Don’t know that either except there is definitely more to this story than just a medical leave of absence. Sounds to me like damage control by the Finch folks. We will have to wait and see when and if Ms. Horton returns to the health dept.
Godiva2011, let’s see if you can comprehend this time, why do YOU feel the need to bring up anything concerning Ms. Horton or her business concerning her health? That is NO ONE’S business unless Ms. Horton makes it known. The health of someone and their children is not our business.
Can you comprehend she was interviewed by the press and shared her health information voluntarily? That makes it PUBLIC information, so please spare me your self-righteous rhetoric. It also would be nobody’s business even if she were fired, and she wasn’t. The woman has integrity and she’s not a shrinking violet; if she were fired, she’d have said so.
Joel, you have to understand men like Godiva2011 come out the woodwork only when Mayor Finch is looking bad on an issue.
Now that’s a ridiculous rebuttal on your part. Grow up; if you really believe I’m a man I have no problem with that. Whatever floats your boat.
What seems funny is this person is taking 6 month’s medical leave. She gets 15 days sick time per year, there is no way she built up enough sick time to take off 6 months. Did Finch and company agree to pay for this time off or is this person taking the time off without pay? Which I doubt. Remember, Finch and his band of eunuchs do not like strong opinionated women, look at their track record.
Godiva,
Perhaps Kristin is putting the best face possible on this and avoiding the controversy in an honest way. A mother with school-age kids doesn’t want to have this all over the paper any more than it already has been.
Maybe so, but I prefer to think she told the truth during her interview. If she actually was fired, she’d have nothing to lose by admitting it to the reporter. I don’t think she’d be overjoyed at the way it was embellished on OIB that she was fired.
That’s why she told the other story, she has much to lose, credibility with future jobs because they would say she cheated on time sheets. Does not look good on letters of recommendation.
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People have talked to her, she was fired by Larry. She was devastated, she felt they were unprofessional. Massa hired her, Massa should fire her.
bpt guy, Larry Osborne could not have fired her.
There is a process that must be followed (a Labor Relations hearing). The process starts when someone files a complaint or grievance against a City Employee. The grievance is submitted to Labor Relations where it’s reviewed by Larry and his staff. In most cases, the supervisor of the person named in the grievance is notified by Labor Relations and depending on the severity of the grievance, complaint or allegations made, a protocol is followed. Sometimes Larry is the one to deliver the letter or order of removal. Sometimes a police officer is called to assist–just in case. Sometimes the supervisor alone delivers the letter. That’s part of their job duties. This doesn’t mean I’m buying the explanation given so far by the city and Kristin duBay Horton. After the person/s are served and removed, all parties involved are notified (sometimes) of the Labor Relations hearing date.
Based on my personal experience I can say the process is bullshit. The outcome depends on who you are and who you know. It’s possible for a city employee to threaten to shoot up a whole building and still get to keep their job.
When you’re not in a union (unaffiliated) and serve at pleasure of the mayor there is no labor relations meeting. Even though she has a contract, they fired her for cause. Larry was given the order find a good reason to fire her, he thought he did, there is no due process when you serve at the pleasure of the mayor, no Labor Relations hearing.
*** Out with the old and in with the new, no? *** YEAR OF THE GROUNDHOG ***
Wow is this string a train wreck. So maybe Kristin is sick, maybe it’s just good old-fashioned personnel management. I am failing to see the point of wasting all this energy trying create lines to read between. We have bigger fish to fry. Sometimes people leave jobs. Go figure.