It’s a rite of passage in Bridgeport–or is it earning right of passage?–the annual list of top 100 municipal wage earners. In 2018, as has been customary for decades, city police officers dominate the top of the list via overtime or in some cases retirement payouts. Mark Anastasi, a career municipal lawyer with deep institutional knowledge of city legal affairs, retired to collect his pension in 2018 but is retained by the city as an outside attorney making $112,950. He placed number 8 on the list at $210,346. For background on that see here.
Mayor Joe Ganim and Police Chief AJ Perez, good buds, are back-to-back on the list, cracking the top 40. The list follows with name of employee, department and earnings
| LOSAK ,JOHN | POLICE SERGEANT | 283,308 |
| EVANS ,ROBERT | POLICE CAPTAIN | 264,604 |
| JOHNSON ,ARESTA | SUPERINTENDENT | 252,365 |
| EVANS ,JOHN | POLICE SERGEANT | 240,043 |
| SIEGEL ,MARLENE | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | 215,016 |
| GRANELLO ,GREGG | POLICE SERGEANT | 213,225 |
| STRAUBEL ,MARK | POLICE CAPTAIN | 212,254 |
| ANASTASI ,MARK | ASSOCIATE CITY ATTORNEY | 210,346 |
| CORTELLO ,LOUIS | POLICE SERGEANT | 184,672 |
| COTTO ,MANUEL | POLICE LIEUTENANT | 183,417 |
| PEREZ ,EDGAR | POLICE OFFICER | 180,914 |
| GALE ,JOHN | POLICE LIEUTENANT | 179,400 |
| PEREIRA ,ILIDIO | POLICE OFFICER | 175,834 |
| BLACKWELL ,LONNIE | POLICE SERGEANT | 174,925 |
| FITZGERALD ,BRIAN | POLICE CAPTAIN | 173,226 |
| GOLDING ,EDWARD | POLICE SERGEANT | 171,579 |
| FARONI ,DANIEL | POLICE OFFICER | 167,385 |
| CUMMINGS ,JOHN | POLICE LIEUTENANT | 166,710 |
| GILLERAN ,KEVIN | POLICE CAPTAIN | 164,889 |
| LAMAINE ,CHRISTOPHER | POLICE LIEUTENANT | 164,359 |
| GARCIA ,REBECA | POLICE CAPTAIN | 162,016 |
| FEOLA ,PASQUALE | POLICE OFFICER | 161,645 |
| REILLY ,WILLIAM | POLICE DETECTIVE | 161,252 |
| CANDELA ,MICHAEL | FIRE FIGHTER | 159,910 |
| GRECH ,PAUL | POLICE LIEUTENANT | 159,364 |
| DUHARTE ,JONATHAN | POLICE SERGEANT | 159,342 |
| JARRETT ,JAMIE | POLICE OFFICER | 158,025 |
| DIDONATO ,JOHN | CHIEF OF SPEC INSTR REFORM | 158,000 |
| OTUWA ,CHRISTIANA | ASST. SUPERINTENDENT | 157,141 |
| ANDREWS ,JOHN | POLICE SERGEANT | 156,721 |
| FIRPI ,MANUEL | FIRE ASSISTANT CHIEF | 156,172 |
| SANCHEZ ,HECTOR | PRINCIPAL | 155,519 |
| HERNANDEZ ,JOSEPH | POLICE SERGEANT | 155,049 |
| LLANOS ,SANTIAGO | POLICE SERGEANT | 154,932 |
| GANIM ,JOSEPH | MAYOR | 154,502 |
| PEREZ ,ARMANDO | CHIEF OF POLICE | 154,164 |
| FERNANDES ,CYNTHIA | PRINCIPAL | 153,913 |
| BLACK ,VICTOR | HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL | 153,619 |
| STERN ,HUGO | POLICE OFFICER | 153,544 |
| THODE ,RICHARD | FIRE CHIEF | 153,493 |
| HELLER ,ADAM | ITS DIRECTOR | 153,387 |
| CINTRON ,JORGE | POLICE DETECTIVE | 152,642 |
| BROWN CLAYTON ,JANET | ASST. SUPERINTENDENT | 152,619 |
| COOK ,JAMES | FIRE ASSISTANT CHIEF | 152,157 |
| TESTANI ,MICHAEL | DIRECTOR OF ADULT EDUCATION | 151,850 |
| HEANUE ,MARTIN | POLICE DETECTIVE | 151,350 |
| ARMENO ,ANTHONY | POLICE DEPUTY CHIEF | 151,340 |
| DOUGLAS ,STEVEN | PRINCIPAL | 150,903 |
| SMITH ,CHRISTOPHER | POLICE OFFICER | 150,901 |
| DONOFRIO ,RICHARD | FIRE ASSISTANT CHIEF | 150,871 |
| WORTHY ,CHARMAINE | PRINCIPAL | 150,016 |
| MACNICHOLL ,JOHN | FIRE ASSISTANT CHIEF | 149,357 |
| JENKINS ,MELISSA | DIR. OF LITERACY | 149,083 |
| BLACKWELL ,MARK | POLICE OFFICER | 148,348 |
| CLARKE ,HAROLD | FIRE ASSISTANT CHIEF | 148,171 |
| MEYER ,R. CHRISTOPHER | CITY ATTORNEY | 147,821 |
| MATERA ,MICHELE | SUPERV. OF SKANE SCHOOL | 147,638 |
| MARSHALL ,AMY | PRINCIPAL | 147,556 |
| CHERRY-CRUZ ,TERESA | PROGRAM DIRECTOR/COORDINATOR/S | 147,390 |
| DEAN ,CORETTA | ASST. PRINCIPAL | 147,371 |
| CALDARONI ,MICHAEL | FIRE ASSISTANT CHIEF | 147,354 |
| BONNEY ,MICHELE | ASST. PRINCIPAL | 147,271 |
| ANEKWE ,PATRICIA | SUPERV. OF MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL | 147,207 |
| ALEXANDER ,WAYNE | ASST. PRINCIPAL | 146,996 |
| EGRI ,VICTORIA | PRINCIPAL | 146,959 |
| AZZARITO ,RICHARD | POLICE LIEUTENANT | 146,916 |
| DENTON ,JAMES | ASST. PRINCIPAL | 146,880 |
| WALKER-JONES ,GLADYS | PRINCIPAL | 146,871 |
| SIMMONS ,JACQUELINE | PRINCIPAL | 146,871 |
| RICCI ,JOHN | DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC FACILITIES | 146,829 |
| GILES ,HELEN | PRINCIPAL | 146,790 |
| MORGAN ,SELENA | PRINCIPAL | 146,790 |
| CUCCARO ,FRANK | POLICE SERGEANT | 146,425 |
| MONTAGNA ,THEODORE | POLICE DETECTIVE | 146,211 |
| GUSTAFSON ,BRETT | PRINCIPAL | 145,844 |
| PIVIROTTO ,SHARON | PRINCIPAL | 145,644 |
| DICKERSON ,BRIAN | POLICE LIEUTENANT | 145,542 |
| NEWTON ,DYRENE | PRINCIPAL | 145,508 |
| WATSON ,MICHAEL | HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL | 145,013 |
| WILLIAMS ,BYRON | ASST. PRINCIPAL | 144,772 |
| SOARES ,DIANA | HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL | 144,771 |
| LAZARO ,LAWRENCE | POLICE SERGEANT | 144,724 |
| ARNOLD ,ROBERT | DIR. OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SERV/DUE | 144,061 |
| MARTIN ,ROBERT | POLICE DETECTIVE | 144,008 |
| HAILEY ,ESTHER | POLICE OFFICER | 143,778 |
| PAZ ,RICHARD | STEAMFITTER | 143,741 |
| LIPP ,JOSEPH | HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL | 143,471 |
| GRAF ,ERIC | HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL | 143,359 |
| JULIAN BRANCA ,MARCIE | PRINCIPAL | 143,359 |
| ZIEGLER ,PETER | ASST. PRINCIPAL | 143,036 |
| MAZZA ,JOHN | FIRE ASSISTANT CHIEF | 142,962 |
| MITOLA ,JOHN | ASSOCIATE CITY ATTORNEY | 142,953 |
| TALAVERA ,ANDRES | POLICE OFFICER | 142,840 |
| CHESTER ,FRANK | CHIEF TALENT OFFICER | 142,692 |
| BOHANNON ,JOHN | ASSOCIATE CITY ATTORNEY | 142,470 |
| HATHAWAY ,WILLIAM | FIRE ASSISTANT CHIEF | 142,225 |
| BORIS ,SCOTT | FIRE CAPTAIN | 142,090 |
| CATHERMAN ,LEA | SUPERV REGION VOC AQUACULTURE | 141,893 |
| BROWN ,DANE | HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL | 141,893 |
| PELOSO-ULREICH ,TINA | PRINCIPAL | 141,618 |
| TOTALS | 15,908,203 |
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Is John Ricci’s wages exclusive of benefits from scrap metal sales or are they included???
Oh wow, Auerbach didn’t make the list. Guess he works cheap.
He probably getting a little something under the table but nothing that the FBI would be concern about.
The FBI hopped all over the Robert Kraft case if that’s the little something you are referring to.
Chief Talent Officer?
What is this, America’s Got Talent?
As you can see, many of our principal’s earn over $140,000 per year. Our Chief Talent Officer, Frank Chester, earns $142,000 per year.
We received notice at 4:15 PM yesterday afternoon that John Weldon is calling his first Personnel Committee Meeting at 6:00 PM tonight. Again, less than 26 hours notice.
When I got into the office today I printed the agenda which states we are conducting interviews for a permanent Principal for Bassick and a new Principal for Cesar Batalla School. Not a single resume was attached to the agenda???
I called Dr. Johnson’s office and spoke with her administrative assistant, Alice Ortiz, and asked where they were. We need to review them so that we can formulate our questions. I also like to conduct my own independent research. She said she would look into it and get back to me.
She called me at 1:00 PM to tell that our “Chief Talent Officer, Frank Chester” who earns $142,000 per year, was refusing to distribute the candidates’ resumes PRIOR to tonight’s meeting. The expectation that a responsible BOE member is expected to review the resumes as you are in the middle of conducting the interview.
Do you believe this crap? This didn’t happen when Hernan Illingworth was the Personnel Chair. What is different now? Right, John Weldon is the Personnel Committee Chair.
This is outrageous behavior being perpetuated by John Weldon and sanctioned by Dr. Johnson.
They want to go to battle. We can definitely go to battle.
Basically $700,000 plus benefits four 4 city attorneys. And we don’t even know what we pay for outside legal council. Kind of makes one sick, don’t it?
*** When Sgt’s make more than the chief, its O.T & they’ve been on the job 30+yrs. Any civil service hazardous duty job should have a 25 yr. retirement limit to allow for quicker promotion through the ranks & keep desk jobs from being held up for 30 to 40 yrs. only to pad their pensions which in turn end-up hurting city tax payers in the future! Especially when the city fails to put in their fair share towards the depts. future pensions; if in fact I have the system correct. Un-limited sick time, 40 + yrs. on a desk job with all the O/T you want to pad the retirement, not bad, no? Time to raise city taxes again to pay for all these benefits for those that don’t even live in Bpt. or what do I know? ***
As you look over the salaries of the police and firefighters on this list be cognizant that both departments were allowed to move to MERS (State pension) which would allow them to retire with the salary of three the best years. Back in the good old days we retired with the basic salary of our retired rank which didn’t include overtime or fringe benefits.
Let’s use firefighter Michael Candela as an example who earned $159,000, but who’s basic salary is $69,000. Now he gets to retire with a salary $119,250 per year as opposed to $51,750 if he retired after 30 years. That’s over twice what his basic salary is and the residents of Bridgeport get to pickup the tab. Oh did I mention that Michael has never lived in Bridgeport and gets to take that $119,000 for the rest of his life to uplift the suburbs. Something’s wrong!
When this explosive increase in Fire and Police benefits was set in motion, lit and now sits on the backs of taxpayers, external overtime was paid for by outside contractors with a bonus to the City for administration. When payment of retirement benefits was transferred to MERS the outside contractors were not billed an increase in expenses to cover the income increase to retirees. Only the taxpayer participates in that. Why is this so secret? So removed from the public notice and oversight? Is it because its done in slow motion? Why don’t we ask for some reports on who gets internal overtime separate from external overtime? Who does this analysis? The taxpayer is an unprotected species in Bridgeport. His City Council persons are overmatched in system expertise by administrative officers, and refusal to confront the City with their own numbers (an ANNUAL CAFR Review for instance with auditors answering the questions) leaves them more than a day late and a dollar short in being part of a competent process to keep the value of services high and the expense of such services lower than they are. Time will tell.
THAT”S UNBELIEVABLE….RIDICULIOUS
I’ve written a long opinion on last years artilce on the O.T. Issue. (Maybe 2 years ago), so I won’t repeat it all now except for the following: you can’t blame the individual working to make the money. If you have a problem with these situations you must blame the politicians who signed their names to these deals and the accompanying yes votes by the other “politicians” who approve the terms of these deals.
Rich, overtime issues start with poor management and staffing.
Overtime issues in any large cities and especially those with high crime problems are almost always attributed to staffing and lack of it. Most contracts have a minimum manpower clause which protect the working cops AND the public. There is no way around this except having an adequate number of officers on the force which no city is willing to pay for. They’d rather pay one man twice than hire another. It’s less expensive to do it that way, or so they think, which results in ALL the same criticisms year after year.
True because they don’t want to pay for the benefits of health care, pension, insurance etc.
No surprises here. This is how The City of Bridgeport works. Year in,Year out. Unless something drastic happens.
I would Love to see How many of our top 100 list of Policemen, Firemen, and Bd of Education member on this list Live in Bridgeport! I’m Willing to bet not Many! Just think if everyone on this list lived in Bridgeport WOW!
All of this concern about employees salary and the fact that most of them don’t even reside in Bridgeport. Bridgeport residents should have the top spot in being hired as a Bridgeport police and firefighter I must say that I’m really confuse as why the City Council has not made the legal change to allow Bridgeport residents to hired first because these have been footing the bills by living and paying taxes and by shopping and spending their hard earn income in Bridgeport to help run and support the city. This would allow these new employees to purchase a home here in the city. Let’s not forget that the police and firefighter who are in Pension Plan “A” paid 8% of their pay every week towards their pension and all of that money was placed in the City’s General Fund and not into a separate pension account instead that money was used by the City to run the City with none of that money being invested for the future when these employees retired. The City now has three pension plans with MERS (State pension), Pension Plan “A” and Pension Plan “B”.
Ron, at least police and firefighters are obviously working long hours, they are on duty even on holidays. How many school days are there per year? Ever heard of 3 shifts for teachers, staff, and administrators? It would be nice if lennie did the same analysis of other Ct., Cities and Towns, they’re not all the same in terms of starting salaries for example.
Correction: Pension Plan “B” is now apart of MERS.
Ernie
You are serving on your 2nd stint on the City Council not to mention how many terms you served as a State Rep and State Senator in Hartford.
What have you done over the last three decades to change this and allow for residency requirements?
Bob
You of all people know about Residency requirement. I’m meeting with civil service on something dealing with points system which will strengthen and give Bridgeport resident a greater opportunity for Police and Firemen jobs. Stay Tune. Bob you know that Residency has been challaced across the country.
Working with Civil Service? David Dunn or Elinor Guedes? Out-of-Towner who are out of touch.
I can imagine what they come up with. More of the same.
C’mon Ernie, I gave you what Hartford uses 8 months ago and it hasn’t been challenged in court because they don’t discriminate against out of towners. What they say is that we will have two employment lists, one for Hartford residents and one for out of towners. They hire off the resident list first and when and if that list runs out they then use the out of town list.
You’re never going to accomplish a Bridgeport hire first policy until you quit letting David Dunn blow smoke up your ass. David Dunn doesn’t have the best interest of Bridgeport at heart because he doesn’t live here. The road to Hell is paved with good intentions so it doesn’t matter what your intentions are if you aren’t following that up with action. You and the other 19 council people can change this right now if you got off your lazy asses and start to look out for Bridgeport residents first.
By the way Hartford has a policy that ALL department heads must live in the city. Run that by David Dunn.
Don, I don’t understand Ernie Newton, he thinks that he has the ability all by his self and that he’s going to change David Dunn is fools gold. Ernie talking about a points system, that’s Mickey Mouse, Ernie is trying to reinvent the wheel, this not about getting a pad on the back for Ernie this about creating a system for the taxpayers of Bridgeport to get a opportunity for a career serving the city and for them to provide for their family and talking to David Dunn will NEVER work.
Don, 8 months ago you gave Ernie the information about how to make the change, Don, 8 months ago, C’MON MAN, leave Ernie alone because he’s not going to do anything especially by his self.
RON
You tell me who in the last 10 years have fought to hire Bridgeport people first. I’ve taken on the challenge. With passing a ordinance to hire Bridgeport Resident and ex-felons First before any contract by developers can be approved. I have something going before civil service commission. Ron you and Don love running your mouth . I don’t need your approval and i will continue to fight with civil service David Dunn until we get it done right. Ron i don’t need a pad on the back or your approval on anything i do.
Ernie, you asked, “You tell me who in the last 10 years have fought to hire Bridgeport people first. Well that will be Ron Mackey and Donald Day. Who do you think came up with the concept and idea of preference points for city residents, gave it to Don Clemons while he was on the city council and told him how to present it so that the council can’t say no.
Go to Clem and ask him where did he get it and who did he get it from. We originally gave it to Ed Gomes who was on the council who told us to give it to Clem because he’s a retired firefighter and that he and Bob Walsh would see that it was passed. As you can see you’re not the only one fighting for the residents of Bridgeport in their fight for upward mobility we just don’t feel the need to always pat ourselves on the back on a daily basis.
Don you and Ron are always panting yourselves on the back on how many black firemen you and Ron helped to get on the fire dept. To bad you did’t teach the people you helped to get on how to continue the fight by showing them we still have a long ways to go. Please don’t preach to me. Dr Bennett does a great job on sundays! lol
By the way Ernie I still have the orginal Power Point program that we gave to Clem, that he presented to the city council to get preference points for Bridgeport residents.
Don how long has Clem been gone off the city council I just got on the city council (2017-19) You tell me who has pick-up the fight to hire Bridgeport Residents and Ex-felons. yes You and Ron have been on OIB making suggestion but neither one of you have a VOTE on the City Council to make it happen. Like i said before i don’t give a damn what you or Ron say. Just a small not I don’t see The Guardians nor The Firebirds fighting to hire Bridgeport residents. I guess the days of the Ron Mackey’S and Don Day’s are gone. SAD! At lease i’m fighting to make sure Bridgeport Residents and ex-felons are hire FIRST because all you and Ron can do is talk about IT!
Ernie, thank you for expressing yourself so well because you are making my point. Ernie, you have been a elected city and state official off and on for well over 30 years. Donald Day and Ronald Mackey are just two black with no elected or appointed position with government and with any outside organization. What we say and do is out of love and concern about what’s right and we don’t get paid for anything. We didn’t become firefighters and then get promoted on our own because we pass an exam, we stand on the shoulder of others who open the doors for us and fought to gets us hired by fighting the system. We have a responsibility and a duty give back to others and to fight for those that we don’t even know because it’s the right thing to do.
Well said Ron. Ernie you should give a damn about what we say because your efforts this far have been both fruital and futile. Like Ron said, everything that we accomplished was done without the benefit of a state or local title like you have and had been in your position we certainly could and would have done more.
Let me say this my Brother, I love you like a play Brother, but if you could just get your head out Ganim’s ass for one second the things that you could accomplish would be limitless. You deserve better than the way Ganim uses you and your constituents deserve a better you. May I suggest you let this go because you are in an intellectual war with an unloaded gun.
Don and Ron
First of all Joe Ginim didn’t Support me you didnt support me so i don’t owe joe Ganim you and anyone else shit!
Ron you and Don are legends in your own mind. Thank GOD i know how i got elected. RON, DON, or JOE SUPPORTED ERNIE NEWTON. ALL THREE MAYBE HOPED I LOST. The Voters in the EASTEND AND MILL-HILL SECTION supported me that’s what counts. I hope that one day you guys will get a life. Again i don’t own you guys anything. RON its interesting you say nothing about your two council persons. Please just remember I’ve been fighting all my life.
Oh Ok Brother Newton, I guess that check I bought down to your fundraiser at the Yacht Club don’t count as support for your run, right? Don’t worry my Brother you can trust and believe that it will never happen again, like I don’t have better things to do with my money than to give it to the ungrateful and the forgetful.
Don
Sorry, you did bring me a check and thanks for your support. I am one of 20 Councilmen and Women. I will continue fighting as i have done for the last 30 plus years. Yes i can see some changes happening in this City and in the Eastend all i will say is i will let the Voters of my district Judge me.Many great things are about to happen in our community because of the hard work being done by our NRZ, MBA, Our Sen. and Rep. and our Council People. We can see the changes coming because we are working together.
Don, Ernie talks about Ganim didn’t support him but every chance Ernie gets he’s there for the photo-op with Ganim. Ernie’s right, he doesn’t owe me anything but he owes those blacks in his district and in the city a chance to have a real career as firefighters and police officers but he doesn’t know how to do it and he can’t form a coalition of other Council members to get it done. Ernie is scare to tell Ganim and Mario to kiss his ass because he doesn’t need them.
Ron Mackey
Just remember your enemies aren’t my enemies. Ron before you start shooting from the hip. You should do your homework first. With the help of my council brothers and sister i’ve been able to pass many pieces of legislation in one year. Ron if The FBI did’t scare me you and no one else Scare me. Ron you love to hear yourself talk. When was the last time you walk down stratford ave or sign up to speak before the City Council or show up at anything when our young innocent people are being killed in our street. Our people can’t look out their window without being shot. Until you are ready to bring your big mouth out into the streets. Please do me a favor Shut the hell up. Since you like quoting people here one for you .Dr. King once said for evil to prevail is for Good Men to do Nothing. When was the last time you did anything besides (TALKING ON OIB) O i forgot you are still living off the past what you did 30-40 years ago with the firebirds.
Ernie, I’m not your enemy and I don’t go around padding myself on my back. You said, “Please do me a favor Shut the hell up,” Ernie why don’t you shut me up? Ernie, what has John Marshall Lee gotten from signing up to speak before the City Council, nothing and he brings facts with him. Ernie, what does walking down Stratford Ave. prove? What has improve and what is new on Stratford Ave.? If walking down Stratford Ave. improved the East End then it would be the bright shinning light of Bridgeport. Ernie, you are the one looking for praise
Ron
I will share this with Our civic block is on track. I don’t care about what you think about me. I know that i will continue fighting to make my community and city a better place by creating jobs for people who live in our city. We are elected not just to oppose things and fight just because we don’t like someone. Our city needs men and women who will put what’s in the best interests of our city and communities by creating jobs for our people who live in our city. Since coming back on the city council I’ve tried to do just that. I don’t need a pat on the back. nor do i need OIB readers approval. I’ve always fight with or with a title which i’ve done by staying true to who i am.
Ernie, with that I’ll say amen.
Thanks Ron
I’ve always Supported The firebirds and Guardians starting back in 1981-85 when i became City Council President. Its just sad because the things i was fighting for back then. I find myself fighting the same battle all over again. My years in the connecticut House of Representatives, and in the State Senate Fighting for more Representation on boards, and commissions more judges, state police. When i got to the state level i had to threaten the GOV at that time Lowell weicker as chairman of the Executive and legislative Nomination committee not to approve any of his appointment until he appointed Black and Hispanic Judges. Judge Coefield out of NewHaven became the First female judge and many more followed. I will always try to speak truth to power.
Ernie, you said, “Its just sad because the things i was fighting for back then. I find myself fighting the same battle all over again.” Ernie, I totally understand your position in fact David Floyd the founding President of the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighter in 1969 who was a Captain in the New York City fire department would say something similar to what you said at our North East Regional meetings that the fights that were won for blacks to become firefighters in America that we will be back fighting these same battles again if were not vigilant that we would back years later fighting these same battles again. Ernie, this what Don and myself have saying ever since David Dunn and the City started using CPAT, we are back fighting the same battle of denying women the right and opportunity to serve their City as firefighters.
Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.”
Ron
I never shared this before I have many regrets in my life. The first one was going to prison not only did i hurt my family but also the many people who believed in me. After coming home after 4 1/2 years and i will not talk about the injustice i received from the judges sentencing. Nothing had changed the eastend looked like a third world country. I kind of blame myself why our community had’t changed because i’ve always fought hard for our community. I didn’t see why in 4 1/2 years away nothing had changed. Many are called but few are chosen. I know it wouldn’t be easy running for office again because Blacks and Browns are more harder on their own than white politicians and joe Ganmin proved that. I ran for the city council because of my experience as a Deputy speaker of the house and Deputy President Pro-Tem of the Senate and former Council President, and i could help those new and old council members. I’ve seen great changes coming to the Eastend with our civic block and on our water front in the eastend. We have a lot of work but at lease i;m glad to be in the Game to give back.
Ernie, the Million Man March on Oct. 16, 1995 was also called The Day of Atonement, atonement, reparation or expiation for sin, compensation, repayment, redemption, repayment to our God, our women, our children, community. We were to settle disputes, overcome conflicts put aside grudges and hatreds. You are making a positive step with atonement, yes there is shame and embarrassment by acknowledging the wrongs of our ways but atonement is the first step for forgiveness. We most acknowledge our wrongs if we want to be forgiven. So Ernie, thank you taking this step.
Ron
I attended The Million Man’s March it was something i’ll never forget. Ron I did’t say what i said for atonement because if you remember i apologies a long time ago and as long as GOD forgive me that’s what counts in my Life. I said it because had i not gone to jail maybe the Eastend would be a lot further than it is. I felt a sense of responsibility to a degree on why things hadden changed. Today our civic block is on track building are coming down and for the first time we selected a Black developer who grew up in the Eastend with me as a kid. I thank God that what Man meant for evil God meant for GOOD!
Ernie, I remember that you did apologize for what you did and that you acknowledge again what you had done to your family and those who supported you, well I was one of those who supported you. Ernie, Joe Ganim has not acknowledge his crimes and asked for atonement especially when he spoke at Rev. Stallworth’s church at the IMA event and he still hasn’t.