Once Eddie Perez was convicted,resigned and was sentenced I removed a lot of the information and mug shots here thinking that would be the end of the Perez years and we would move on.
I guess not.
It seems that our former Mayor, and now convicted felon, has landed a job with a non-profit that received almost half of its annual operating funds in 2009 from the Perez Administration. The Connecticut AIDS Resource Coalition has hired Perez as a "consultant".
In their 2009 IRS form 990, the Connecticut AIDS Resource Coalition listed funding from the City of Hartford of at least one grant of $154,268 and another of $498,108.The annual budget for the organization is listed as approximately $1,450,000.
And now back to the title of the posting. What would you do if you were the Executive Director or Board member that had to decide if Eddie Perez should be hired?
As anyone who reads this blog is well aware, I am not a fan of Perez. I am sure that many people will draw the connection between Perez getting his job and John Rowland and his jobs. The big difference is that Rowland had completed his sentence after violating the public's trust. Perez has yet to begin his.
The first thing is that non-profits must have the public trust and confidence to complete their mission in the community. My feeling is that hiring Perez erodes that trust and confidence and draws the entire organization into question.
In an interview and story posted on Jeff Cohen's blog on WNPR radio (link is on the right)the agency's Executive Director John Merz stated to Cohen "that he hadn’t been in the market for a consultant before he hired the former mayor, Merz says hiring Perez just made sense. He calls him a good strategist, and – given his circumstances – he’s a bargain."
Then why hire a convicted felon and disgraced Mayor as a consultant if you hadn't been in the market to hire one? It just reminds me of that phrase we heard so much during the Perez corruption trial "quid pro quo". It might be hard to say no to a man looking for a job who could have said no when your half a million dollars in grants was on his desk each year.
Situations like this raise more questions than answers and unfortunately cast a dark shadow over an organization that otherwise may be very legitimate and actually doing good work.
So again, what would you do and would you have hired Perez ?
The form 990 for the Connecticut AIDS Resource Coalition is below:
Form 990 Connecticut Aids Resource Coalition
I think it was wrong to hire Perez but I am not surprised. Another thing I have noticed is that Roberts the police chief does not seem to be supporting Eddie any more. He was standing behind him during his press conferences after his arrests but surprisingly did not show up in court to show his support for Eddie at his sentencing hearing like the new fire chief did. What's up with that, Kevin?
ReplyDeleteI don't need to defend Chief Roberts, he is very capable of doing that on his own, but I have had conversations with him about exactly what you asked.
ReplyDeleteI think if you had a chance to ask the Chief about his decision to stand along side Perez after his first arrest, he would probably be the first to admit he made a mistake. I think if you can find video clips you will see that was the last time he was beside Perez in anything related to Perez's criminal activity. He wasn't there after the second arrest and he wasn't there in Court to support Perez.
Damn, this guy is like the frigging bubonic plague but with less shame.
ReplyDeleteGo to jail would you? The city doesn't want you anymore.
Executive Director John Merz stated to Cohen "that he hadn’t been in the market for a consultant before he hired the former mayor, [ but after thinking about it more while using the office bathroom, which is in dire need of renovations] Merz says hiring Perez just made sense.
ReplyDeleteThis hiring smacks of a payoff....the mostly city funded non-profit shold not receive a fkn dime anymore..Mr Kennedy who chairs the OMB committee which decides what non-profits get by way of city funds, will hear about this travesty.
ReplyDeleteI guess you people just don't get it. The entire city doesn't care about what Perez has done, he will continue do due business as usaual because the people in this city are not to intelligent. I am surprised that noone has ever spoken about 990 Wethersfield Ave. and the deal that took place there, the tax payers paying a huge amount of money for a property that was suppose to be elderly housing now turns out the city gave this propery to one of Perez's buddies at the city tax payers expense. Oh I guess there is noone left in the city that pays taxes accept the business owners, they should be up in arms. Keep digging Kevin there is soooo much more.
ReplyDeleteYou folks are more conversant than I in the particular and personal doings of our municipal government. I found the below, item 22 from the last council meeting as reported by Hartford 2000. I found it humorous, actually. "$5,000 to Hartford Basic Human Needs Strategic Action?" "$5,000 to the Sheff Movement?" Would I be correct in my hunch that a former councilwoman is a beneficiary of the latter?
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22. Contributions. Allocation of funding to 6 programs: $5,000 to First Night – One City, One Plan, One Earth; $2,000 to Farmers Markets Harvest Market; $5,000 to Hartford Basic Human Needs Strategic Action; $5,000 to the Sheff Movement; $5,000 to City Promotions; $2,000 to Friends & Families of Forster Heights Park. (Boucher) Referred to Operations, Management & Budget Committee
The entire city doesn't care about what Perez has done, he will continue do due business as usaual because the people in this city are not to intelligent.
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I'd word it slightly differently, but basically true. Just as D.C. was willing to elect Marion Berry even after his criminality was apparent, so would we in New England's D.C. be willing to elect Eddie.
But, perhaps if Eddie were a Republican lilly white guy our apathy would be somewhat diminished. We can imagine Councilman Cotto leading a righteous crowd in a pitchfork rally outside Eddie's well appointed house as if he were a recipient of a bonus from AIG.
Gee, I hope the fed (Housing & Urban Development-HUD) doesn't decide to audit CARC ...
ReplyDeleteThe underlying issue as pointed out in previous blogs is that most of the Eddie appointees are still in power and are still calling the shots behind the scenes. Until Segarra cleans house we have this mockery to deal with. It's an embarrassing spectacle which will prevent any real for profit investors from sinking $$$ into any major redevelopment projects in the city.
Segarra needs to clean house by starting @ the top of the administration and working his way down. While Kevin is impressed with Panagore, Panagore was appointed by Eddie and is good friends with John Merz, Exec Dir of CARC. Do I need to draw you all a diagram???
I agree with previous anonymous said.
ReplyDeleteThe city does not care what Perez has done. Most of the town does not view crime or jail as unusual. This is the future. Get used to it.
All so true, Kevin you promised more about the old regime, are you getting lazy, Seggara has yet to clean house, lets start with Office of Young Children and Office of Youth Services some pretty nice positions were create there, lets not forget Finance and Lydia Rosario, or License and Inspections. Come on Kevin were waiting for more from you.
ReplyDeleteI guess you people just don't get it. The entire city doesn't care about what Perez has done, he will continue do due business as usaual
ReplyDeleteIs there noone left that cares about this City or is it just to far gone. I suppose this City has to go bankrupt before any real cleaning up can be done. Segarra is no different, he is still allowing all the same crap to contnue, needless spending, and hiring.
As far as Perez is concerned, he needs to serve his time in prison first, then get a job there making license plates or something for around 10 cents an hour.
ReplyDelete@ Peter Brush -
Concerning the Hartford: New England's D.C. reference to the re-election of Marion Berry, that is a scary thought that people in this city could possibly re-elect this fool back into the mayor's office in the near future. I hope that never happens.
To Anonymous at Oct. 2, 2:58 p.m, I agree with you.
Segarra will never truly clean house because the previous administration's appointed cronies and their supporters will greatly undermine him and make it 100x more difficult for him to do his job, reducing him to a lame duck mayor.
I also believe that it will take the worst to happen, such as the city/state running out of funds, massive layoffs, magnet schools closing, significantly reduced services and a federal takeover of the municipal government before folk get the message, if it's not too late by then.
"Come on Kevin were waiting for more from you."
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Kevin:
If you are concerned with corruption in Hartford in general instead of just Perez, then you can see that not much can change till the top administration changes.
You were much tougher on Perez than you have been on Seggara.
Where is the hard reporting we have been used to ?
I don't believe we will see any changes made by Segarra, at least not the changes that would make a difference, because Segarra is no different than what was in office before him. Everyone that should go is still here. How about Finance, License and Inspection, MHIS, Segarra doesn't have the power to make the changes that would matter. Lets just put the issue to rest.
ReplyDeleteI know it must be hard for some to understand this but even if Perez does time, how much won't matter because he should have stashed some serious money from all the deals he has made and if he didn't stash tons of money he is an idiot. All Segarra wants to do is be able to make some of the same deals and not get caught.Afterall we all know the Mayor doesn't run the city he is really just a lame duck just like are President.
ReplyDeleteLong live the criminals in Hartford
ReplyDelete"Go to jail would you? The city doesn't want you anymore."
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Are you sure about that? A major part of this city still want him and they don't give a hoot about his criminal activities. Many were in the same gang with him. Many did time in jail long before he did. I would not be surprised if he became the mayor again in a few years. Hartford is about race not merit.
Hartford is diffenetly about race and not merit just look ar who all the directors and departments heads are and who they hire. I pesonally saw a director driving a city car home from his city job not a bad deal, drive free, gas free, insurance free and great pay noy bad huh. .
ReplyDeleteHow about the director who has crashed two city cars so far. One OUTSIDE the city limits! Drinking on the job, harassment, you name it...you can have it all ...live from Hartford leadership. Funded by a taxpayer near you.
ReplyDeleteI think that the significant problem is the ethics violation, whether real or perceived. It is normally accepted practice that a city/state office should wait a year after leaving office. The reason for this is to remove the chance that an official will use his position to benefit an organization and be rewarded after leaving. In Perez's case he has been convicted of using his position for personal gain. CARC and Perez should have known better. It doesn't matter whether this was a strategic coup for John Merz or payback to the former Mayor for CARC funding. It's just wrong. Merz should apologize and terminate Perez.
ReplyDeleteHow about Finance, License and Inspection, MHIS, Segarra doesn't have the power to make the changes that would matter.
ReplyDelete-----------------------------------http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/news15044.html
10/01/10
Veteran building-code enforcer Daniel John Loos is leaving as Manchester's chief building official to become Hartford's director of licenses and inspections, effective Monday, the city says.
Loos also has code enforcement experience with East Haddam, Portland, Columbia, and Andover.
"Dan brings a wealth of experience to the city at a time when we are prioritizing this important quality of life issue," Mayor Pedro E. Segarra said in statement Friday.
Licenses and inspections ensures the health, safety and soundness of houses buildings and other commercial structures.
Sres.,
ReplyDeleteViboras,
What do you what, Eddie to die by shooting his head off in front of Brooksman's old business place at Jefferson Street. Will this act be satisfactory to all of U and provide redemption?
Basta Ya !! - The Eddie thing is old, let him and his family move forward.
Basta Ya !! - The Eddie thing is old, let him and his family move forward.
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He is the the one getting the no show job at CARC. He is getting into another shady deal even before he has gone to jail. This is probably a violation of the probation. CARC should be investigated.
If he served his time, admitted to what he did and showed some real remorse I would be 100% willing to let him move on.
ReplyDeleteBy the looks of his new job and recent appeal filling he's not going to change and will die as a dishonest crook.