When Mayor Joe Ganim announced last August the departure of State Senator Herron Gaston from city service to accept a prominent position at the University of Bridgeport it was framed transitionally with the clear appearance he’d be off the payroll in the near future.
What the city rolled out in a news release nine months ago, Gaston leaving his role as assistant chief administrative officer to become chief of staff at UB, does not sync with the timeline. Gaston has remained on the payroll in a part time role budgeted at $72,000 for the fiscal year. The latest financial proposal in the budget calls for funding $89,000 for a director of social services in the July 1 budget year, duties carried out by Gaston. Gaston clarifies that while the position was budgeted at $72,000, to date based on time sheets has has submitted he has been compensated about $45,000 with roughly seven weeks left in the fiscal year.
Some members of the City Council’s Budget and Appropriations Committee and Council President Aidee Nieves are looking askance at Gaston’s paid role.
From last August’s news release:
Rev. Dr. Herron Keyon Gaston has announced he will be taking the position of Vice President for External Affairs and Chief of Staff at the University of Bridgeport and will resign as Assistant Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Bridgeport, effective Friday, August 18, 2023. Gaston was hired under the Ganim Administration in November 2019 and has been serving as a Senator for the State of Connecticut since January 2023. His position at the University of Bridgeport will initially be a phased in process in order for him to continue in a transitional role here at the Chief Administrative Office.
Gaston explains Ganim asked him to stay on in a part time role to complete projects on his plate such as a focus on building policies on race, diversity, equity and inclusion as well as working closely with the Small and Minority Business Office.
As a result Gaston is splitting his time with UB and the city, both in part-time capacities. He also serves as pastor of Summerfield United Methodist Church. He also has a law degree from Quinnipiac.
“I am trained and qualified to do what I’m being asked to assist the city,” he says.
The problem for Gaston is how the city rolled out the so-called departure.
Instead of clearly stating Gaston would remain on the payroll in a part time capacity the news release last summer presented something very different. There was also no follow up cure to the original release clarifying his role.
Now some politics are certainly as play here. City Councilman Ernie Newton, co-chair of the budget committee, is challenging Gaston in an August primary. Newton declined comment for this story.
In addition it was announced by the state the other day that Gaston’s church will receive $125,000 from federal American Rescue Plan. Gaston says he did not initiate the request. Many churches throughout Connecticut providing social services work will also receive the federal funds.
“My church feeds over 65,000 residents of the community annually to address food insecurity,” Gaston texted in a statement. “We send 98 percent of students from Bridgeport to colleges and universities across Connecticut and United States. We have paid over $300,000 in rental assistance for residents of this community. We provide respite homeless services to young people who are couch surfing and place them into permanent housing solutions. We have a hot meals program that brings our seniors together weekly for breakfast and dinner.
I don’t know of any church on the East End, one of the poorest communities in our city, that’s providing these services to our community.
I am perplexed that in this community your good deeds are evil spoken of. I’ve been doing this work way before I became state senator.”
The budget committee will meet Thursday night to address funding Gaston’s position. They could eliminate the funding or perhaps reduce the amount proposed.
Good deeds? Appearance of corruption in being compensated from taxpayer funds? I spoke to the City Council last Monday evening and one of the Ethical questions raised is where financial questions about full-time of significant part time City employees with “side gigs” that bring in more than a minimum, for argument sake perhaps $5,000 annually, report on their financial results for all to see. Who wishes to see how 24/7 jobs become less so, how they are posted for all to see, and what the outcomes of the “work, tasks, or assignments” are?
Comments to Bridgeport City Council May 6, 2024
I have called attention to the subject of “oversight” in the past. And have mentioned the phrase: “See something? Say something” Each of us has a learned system of ethical democratic behavior. But how many submit any type of question to the City Ethics Commission? You don’t have to be a “whistleblower” to do that. Rather something that seems “wrong” to you about City governance can be submitted to them. And perhaps we should look to them to advise us of behavior that seems “wrong,” but we don’t understand whether it is either unethical or illegal. Perhaps we might submit a question or comment, or expect some guidance from the City Office of Accountability and Integrity? What is it that they have communicated to the public about their efforts during the past eight years? Should we conclude that governance in Bridgeport is, OK?
We are in the time of City Operating and Capital Budget review. The Council faces a decision shortly to approve a budget as presented or modify it. Some people ask whether Council members who vote must recuse themselves as paid City or BOE employees because there is an appearance of self-interest involved. Other questions arise when taxpayers see that among the several hundred top income earners in the City, are a few people who also draw income from “side gigs.” They question whether financial reporting of income is necessary to taxpayers when City employees earn more than a minimum revenue stream to their family from such “side gigs.” Whether a City Hall employee or Mayor, if the job is 24/7 how do you explain income streams of substance generated while employed by taxpayers? If there is no requirement, why not?
What do CT Statutes, City Charter and Ordinances spell out as current rules of governance? Who has a responsibility to educate taxpayers on such matters? Where are the conversations that communicate complete explanations and answers to satisfy the curiosity of inquirers? Since the City Council does not provide any response to specific raised questions that circulate, and are aware of Charter duties that go unfulfilled year after year, to which committee of the Council can questions be respectfully asked with a response? Time will tell.
Last night the Ethics Commission of the City failed to meet for want of a quorum. Of course they have a vacant position on their group that means 4 out of 6 rather than 7 have to be available and that is one of the weaknesses of Charter directed Mayoral appointments is about. Does the Mayor care, I ask, not for the first time? Look at the City site on Ethics. Good neighbors committed to doing good for the community as public service. But even here, most terms have expired “but they are doomed to be ignored by this Mayor rather than an evaluation process to provide evidence to the community that good work is being done, voluntarily, for the public, beyond any comprehension at the time of appointment”. Sad situation, and not just with Ethics Commission. Public attention to lapses in qiality governance is the subject and I have been attempting to provide “oversight” on such matters for a long time. Good to hear how others may feel? Time will certainly tell as a changing of the guard takes place.
Another OIB brief or indirect suggestion, that there may be some ( ill-gotten gains). afoot?
Lennie needs a break from his Cynical Views of John Gomes, now he moves on to Senator Rev. Dr. Herron Keyon Gaston.
It’s almost like the Flucking National Enquirer here!
Noooo! The problem is not how the city rolled out the so-called departure for Rev Gaston. The problem in Port Politics is Port Politics.
In your words, I believe, Lennie, Port Politics is a ratnest.
Here’s an educated brother being attacked for working 🙂
You’ll Port F-up for attacking Rev, brother Eye Candy for making some Scarole 🙃
Not to mention receiving funds for “doing God’s Work., like feeding the poor and the downtrodden
Y’all make me sad inside sometimes, kind of a 🍆.
John crack the code. 🤣
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W81oDqHU5iU