From Keila Torres, CT Post:
New contracts approved this week for Fire Chief Brian Rooney and Police Chief Joseph Gaudett allow them to collect their pensions while remaining in their jobs.
The contracts, approved by the entire City Council Monday, allow the chiefs to begin collecting pensions under the new plans they presently fall under as of the expiration date of their previous contracts.
For Rooney that date was May 24, 2011, and for Gaudett it was Dec. 20, 2010. This essentially means both men apparently may be owed months of back pension payments since Rooney requested his line of duty pension on Wednesday while Gaudett has yet to file any request.
“We have to work out the payment situation,” Associate City Attorney John Mitola told the Fire Commission at their meeting Wednesday. He could not say whether Rooney would receive a lump sump for the back pension payments or receive the money in installments. Nor was the annual amount of the pension disclosed.
Rooney and Gaudett’s contracts state the chiefs will be enrolled in a national ICMA retirement system, as of the dates their new contracts began. This new system will require the city to contribute 10 percent of their salaries to each of their retirement plans, which is more than they currently contribute under their existing pension plans.
So, not only will the men be owed money under their existing pension but they will owe money to the city under their new pension systems.
Rooney and Gaudett will continue to receive the same salary — both are paid over $128,000 annually — the same medical benefits, five weeks vacation, three personal days and $100,000 in life insurance benefits. Under the ICMA system, both will be eligible to defer taxation on their retirement savings as well.
The city declined to explain the reasons for the pension changes or how the changes would be carried out. The Fire Commission approved Rooney’s pension request with very few questions or discussion.
“The chief has certainly earned it,” said Stuart Rosenberg, chairman and member of the commission for over 20 years, “but we haven’t really done a pension when it was retroactive.”
Mitola urged the commission to approve the pension request right away with the promise of obtaining a legal opinion explaining the legal reasons why it was an appropriate and legal request and action after the fact.
“We are confident this is legal,” he said, “but we will put something on paper for you.”
To this, Robert Whitbread, fire union president, asked: “What if it turns out to be illegal?” He said firefighters have been asking him whether it is the department’s new policy to allow for retroactive pensions.
Donald Day, a retired Bridgeport fire captain, said Rooney’s request raises questions. When Day retired in 2001 due to his disability, he said in an interview Thursday, he was asked to produce a letter from his doctor stating his disability precluded him from working. Only then was he granted the disability pension, which he said is not taxed.
“It’s disingenuous on the part of the chief to get a disability pension when he doesn’t deserve it,” Day said. “If his hypertension was so bad he should get a disability pension then he shouldn’t be on the job.”
Mitola said it’s not uncommon for fire chiefs to retire from a city, collect their pension and then work for a different city and collect a salary there. When asked if an individual had ever remained in the same position while collecting a pension, neither Rooney or Mitola could cite an example.
“I’ve heard similar things happen before but it is not very common,” New Canaan Police Chief Edward Nadriczny, Fairfield County president of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, adding that his town doesn’t allow him to collect a pension while on the job.
He noted that in 2010, Milford allowed Police Chief Keith Mello to retire and then re-hired him the next day.
Although Mello was allowed to collect over $100,000 in unused sick and vacation time, his pension is frozen at its current level, except for cost of living increases. He is also no longer entitled to retirement benefits, can’t accumulate sick time for another cash payout, will accrue sick time at a reduced rate and would have to pay higher co-pays and reduced coverage.
Rooney’s contract also fixes his health care costs permanently at 25 percent. Gaudett’s contract has a clause that states he waives his claim for accrued overtime as deputy chief in the police department.
It also states he “agrees to accept the buyout of his accrued vacation and sick time in two equal installments, one in calendar year 2011 and the other in calendar year 2012, waiving all claims for interest.” It is not clear what that means and the city declined to elaborate or explain the statement.
I want to retire retroactively too! There are plenty of employees who have worked way past their retirement date … can they get a retroactive check too? I guess this must mean the City will retire the chiefs as of their contract dates, and rehire them anew. The fire chief should get about $8000 a month! Bpt already owes him $56,000! Not bad for a guy already making $128k … Mitola and the City sure seem beholden to these guys.
And now the fire chief wants to file for hypertension … should have done that when diagnosed, but probably so high he shouldn’t be working. How ’bout the City sends him for an IME like everyone else!
… btw, this is rhetorical. I don’t work for the City anymore.
Unbelievable, the City agrees to “Double Dipping” for Fire Chief Rooney, he will be getting $96,000 tax-free pension plus his current new salary of $128,000, unbelievable.
It’s obvious the City was well aware of what Rooney was doing because of City Attorney John Mitola’s comments, it appears they were having some kind of meetings all along but was the City Council aware?
Bridgeport is paying the fire chief $224,000 a year, for what? Unbelievable!!!
I believe Chief Mello was rehired under the Deferred Retirement Option Plan, or DROP. Different because he collects his pension, but money is in account only available when he completes contract, and all medical is subject and paid by pension … then the town pays his salary separately. I not sure this is happening in Bpt, but there certainly is no disclosure!
*** How does this happen in a city out of touch with its political leadership? Lack of interest by voting taxpayers, no? *** Bed’s been made, now it’s time to lie in it! ***
City attorney Mitola should go back to law school. These two chiefs will now be allowed to double dip and screw us royally.
Why are we now paying $244K for a police chief and why are we paying the same for a fire chief?
I know somewhere in the city ordinance or civil service double dipping is not allowed.
I wonder how many of the city employees who are Finch loyalists will be allowed to do this?
Not one peep from the council or the unions. SHAME.
I have a lot of respect for the two chiefs. However this is just wrong. We are most probably heading into a huge tax increase in 2012. Allowing such a lucrative pension with payouts while employed is fiscally wrong. Allowing huge salary increases for several appointed positions while the unions suffered through furlough days et al. is just wrong. The tax base is not growing. There are construction cranes in New Haven, Norwalk and Stamford. None in Bridgeport. We need a board of finance put in the city charter with the election of very smart financial experts as a prerequisite to nomination. Bah humbug!
Hey Ron, does this mean we can get paid our pensions for the years we put in past the required 20 years? What’s good for the chief should be good for us.
Help me to understand how one can draw a “disability pension” and continue to work. This is not something I encounter in private industry.
I think the term “disability pension” (dp) refers to people who claim hypertension or some other work-related disability, where the money is not paid from a disability plan, but from a pension plan. The reason for filing a dp is to have that money become non-taxable under the IRS code, I believe. Now isn’t that magic and special?
But it does add insult to injury to taxpayers (with or without blood pressure) who are losing jobs this week or still trying to find work after months of seeking to see municipal high-earners get more and avoid taxes, as a result of low-profile public info until AFTER THE FACT. Is it legal??? Ask a City Attorney and they can tell you. Is it moral??? Was it ever intended when these men began their careers they would be able to convert their earned income and position into such a goody bag??? And just what standards do “labor negotiators” for the City follow in these negotiations? It seems to be Christmas for a few … and the rest of us are going to pay for the price tag. Has anyone looked at the expense of what is legal??? To what address should we send a card to the disabled recipient of taxpayer largesse? Time will tell.
As the song by Chicago goes, “It’s Only the Beginning!”
So does this mean other employees who have significant time with the city can take their pension coupled with their salary if they are in appointed time-sensitive positions?
What Finch is doing to the residents of Bridgeport is not only wrong but immoral. They are giving Chief Rooney a quarter of a million dollar salary of which 40% will be tax free. Here is a gentleman with only a high school education, no degrees in fire science, no bachelor’s degree, not even an associate’s degree and paying him a quarter of a million dollars a year.
What makes this even more despicable is Chief Rooney is in pension plan A, where 100% of his pension comes out of the general fund, which makes 100% of his total salary and pension coming off the backs of the taxpayers. Local 834 gave back over a million dollars in concessions and the Mayor is giving back all those concessions to Chief Rooney in the form of a pension and salary. Should the Chief stay for the completion of his five-year salary he will have taken 1.5 million dollars of Bridgeport resident tax money. That’s a damn shame!
Remember this quote, Silva Calls Personnel Moves “Slap In The Face”
December 6th, 2011, City Council member Carlos Silva’s statement:
“I am very disturbed to find out through the paper that we have raised someone’s salary and then hired three people, two new employees and then bring one back after they had left the city to take another job. I feel that we have done a disservice to the city employees that we had to let go due to budget cuts. What does this say to them!!! I feel that we have just slapped them in the face telling them we have to make these cuts but yet we hire 3 people and give a promotion to another and add at minimum $500,000 to our budget. This is unacceptable. I feel the need to speak out on this because it is wrong and the people of Bridgeport feel the same way.”
Well, where is City Council member Carlos Silva’s statement concerning the new contracts approved this week for Fire Chief Brian Rooney and Police Chief Joseph Gaudett allow them to collect their pensions while remaining in their jobs? In fact where are the voices of the other 19 City Council members or the voices of those City union Presidents whose members gave up pay raises?
Maybe someone will tell Silva what he actually voted for. I think Silva was taken to the woodshed and he will now be a good Bridgeport Democrat.
Paul Newman was partially right, BPT city hall is in fact the armpit of the State.
tc, your shitbag buddy is holding true to his title “Rooney the Pig” and Stuart Rosenberg and his merry BOFC members are his excrement.
DonTito: Hey dipshit, did you read my comments on this fiasco? If you read them what’s not to understand? BTW where is your blog on your firefighting experience?
Let me explain something else to you, dumb ass. Rooney was my driver when we were on the squad, then he was my relief man as an LT. I don’t think after being retired for so long I have said more than 10 words to Rooney. Many of your charges against him are erroneous and misinformed. I have a feeling you may be one of the shitheads fired by Rooney. Am I getting close?
There you go again tc, exhibiting “Angry White Syndrome.” Rooney the Pig suffers from the same disease.
Don Tito: Is angry white syndrome the same as “ANGRY SPANISH SYNDROME?”
What’s the matter, are you suffering from “NBA” aka No balls at all??? You post behind a fake name, how about coming out of the closet and standing behind the bullshit you post?
Sorry, no, according to research done, only white males such as yourself, Pig Rooney and many members of your beloved FD qualify as having “Angry White Man Syndrome.” Don’t believe me, look it up. However, the good thing is there is treatment available. Ho, Ho, Ho!
DonTito: You are totally full of shit. I do and did love the Fire Department. I enjoyed working with men & women who were willing to pay the ultimate price. The same holds true for today’s Bridgeport firefighters.
It’s people like you, people with no BALLS who give society a bad name. What’s the matter Bitch, can’t come out and say who you are? What’s the matter Bitch, can’t talk about your nonexistent fire career?
*** Attacking for personal reasons is never a clear picture! On the outside looking in? *** FACTS ***
The topic was “How Does This Happen,” concerning the Fire Chief and Police chief being able to draw a retirement pension of $96,000 tax free and being rehired at a salary of $128,000 a year. Base on that decision any former Bridgeport firefighter who has retired with a disability pension can now come back and get rehired.
This pension scam is just another illustration of the incompetence of this administration and the people they hire. I am sure there are provisions that do not allow for double dipping. A perfect example is everyone’s favorite Gene O’Neal who retired from the PD and went to work for school security. Gene was paid by grants or as a consultant but not as a regular employee. It would seem to me if they could not directly pay O’Neal how in the hell can they do this with Rooney and Gaudett?
A bigger question is can the deputies in both FD & PD now get the same benefit as their chiefs.
town committee, I really hope those deputy chiefs in the police and fire department do apply for a disability pension right now.
I am sure the chief will collect the maximum 75% of his salary. I am not sure it’s the present salary. I believe it would be his last held Union job, as Deputy Chief … right?
Now the rumor is he will be made Director of Public Safety. This position has no provision for hypertension, so the city may be trying to guarantee he can make the claim later …
He shouldn’t be able to do this, but the City Attorney office will find a way … no doubt.
BARF, a couple of things about your posting, first the position of Director of Public Safety, well we have been there before in the 1980s and it didn’t fly.
What is the job description position for this position, does this person oversees both police and fire? I can assure you Rooney would not meet any of the requirements.
I agree he will not meet any requirements of a legitimate position. Here, it doesn’t matter. You won’t hear the job requirements until he’s made. We will all be shaking our heads.
Maybe … he will teach many seminars for Anastasi!