What’s Robyn Spelled In Reverse? Nybor

Officials in the city’s Labor Relations Department conducted discipline hearings today in connection with this story below from the CT Post, pieced nicely by scribes Keila Torres Ocasio and Mike Mayko. One of the suspended city employees Robyn Stephanie Waul-Blake created a limited liability company in question using her first name in reverse. Post story:

Police are investigating the role played by three City Hall employees in obtaining subcontracts for city work totaling at least $372,853 for a minority-based business run by two of the employees.

The three employees — Robyn Stephanie Waul-Blake, who earns $49,933 as an administrative assistant in the public facilities department; Arthur Harris, who earns $99,126 as director of construction administration; and Dennis Scinto Jr., who makes $68,289 as contract compliance officer — were placed on paid administrative leave just prior to the Christmas holiday.

None of the three have been charged with any criminal offenses. All three employees, who are challenging their suspensions by Mayor Bill Finch’s administration, declined comment.

Records filed with the Secretary of the State’s Office show that Harris signed documents in September 2010 to incorporate a new limited liability company called Nybor Construction LLC with the intent of performing commercial or residential site work. Both he and Waul-Blake were listed as members of the company, located at 199 Taft Ave., where Waul-Blake lives.

Months later, in December, Harris removed his name from the company and Waul-Blake became the primary agent.

Nybor Construction is on the city’s approved list of Minority Business Enterprise and Women Business Enterprise contractors.

The city’s Minority Business Enterprise ordinance sets a goal that construction companies utilize MBEs and women-owned businesses, WBEs, for work worth at least 30 percent of the aggregate value of a city contract. In addition, the ordinance sets a mandatory requirement of 6 percent of the aggregate value of all subcontracts for African-American contractors.

Before a contract is awarded by the city, contractors must either demonstrate their ability to comply with the goals of the MBE ordinance or show a good-faith effort to comply, through, for example, newspaper announcements or written notices to minority companies. In those instances, city officials can grant waivers to the ordinance.

In 2011, Nybor received numerous MBE subcontracting jobs from several companies awarded city contracts, including G. Pic & Sons Construction Co. on Knowlton Street, which had been awarded the contract for sidewalk renovation work being done in the city; Concrete Creations in New Haven, which built the Washington Park splash pad; and Greenwood Industries Inc. in Worcester, Mass., which received a city contract for the Burroughs Library roof replacement.

It’s unclear what work Nybor performed as subcontractors on these projects.

Harris’ job requires he oversee all city construction projects, including serving on the selection panels for projects sent out to bid and serving as the city’s representative on the school building committee. Scinto Jr.’s responsibility is to ensure that contractors comply with the city’s Minority Business Enterprise Program ordinance, prevailing wages and other laws.

The city’s Ethics Ordinance states no employees can enter into a contract with the city unless the contract is awarded through an open and public process. It also states that no employee “shall use his position to secure or to grant special consideration, treatment, advantage, privilege or exemption to himself or any person beyond that which is available to every other person.”

The three city employees have filed grievances with their labor unions over the city’s decision to place them on leave. Hearings on Waul-Blake’s and Harris’ grievances will be heard Thursday. It is possible that the city could continue the leave, bring them back into their jobs or terminate them.

It is not clear when Scinto Jr., son of Democratic Town Committee leader Dennis Scinto Sr., will go before the city’s Labor Relations Department for his union hearing.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Finch said it was not appropriate for him to comment on pending personnel issues.

“As I have previously stated, I have a zero-tolerance policy toward any wrongdoing or impropriety engaged in by city employees,” Finch said. “As soon as my office is made aware of any allegations of wrongdoing, we refer it to the appropriate office for investigation.”

The success of the MBE program has been a source of pride for Finch, who has often cited the program’s ability to grant minority companies more than $35 million in work as one of the achievements of his first term.

The MBE ordinance, established during former Mayor John Fabrizi’s term in 2005, sets penalties for any contractors or city employees that avoid, attempt to avoid or assist in avoiding the MBE goals.