Apparently the City of Hartford is giving up on its persecution, or should that be prosecution, of the Dan Nolan wrongful termination case. Recently a Superior Court Judge denied the City of Hartford Corporation Counsels request to vacate a mediators decision. You can read that decision by clicking here.
According to Hartford Firefighters Union President Vincent Fusco, in correspondence with Nolan, wrote "I talked to the city and was informed that they are not pursuing any further appeal's regarding your case. Currently they are conducting an audit of your pay and benefits to make you whole."
In earlier conversations with Nolan before his recent deployment to Afghanistan, Dan had told me that his main objective was to clear his name of the allegations as well as clear the Nolan family name who have a long history of service to the people of Hartford through the Hartford Fire Department.
It is also ironic that the Union President who now offers a conciliatory tone to Nolan was also one of the first people to initiate the Nolan investigation through his request to former COO Lee Erdmann. It could also prove interesting how strong Nolan pushes for reinstatement as the opening for Chief of the Department will also be up for grabs soon as Chief Ed Casares will be leaving in March or April. I am sure most would agree that Dan is far more qualified to run the Department than some of the other names I hear being floated about.
It also seems ironic to me that after a long fight Dan has stayed professional and maintained his dignity as he serves our country in Afghanistan while the Mayor who orchestrated his removal is now a convicted felon, most likely headed to prison.
Stay safe Dan, I for one look forward to seeing you leading a Saint Patrick's Day Parade in your HFD uniform, back where you belong.
27 comments:
There was no doubt in my mind that Danny would prevail. The mention of him becoming Chief of the Fire Department is a great idea. I just dont think city hall is looking for a man of Dan's high moral character. He cant be bought or pushed around. He is exactly what our stuggling fire department needs, with morale as low as its ever been. It would be nice to see it back the way it was when Carter, Endee, and Kehoe were at the helm. Cant wait to see you at the parade Danny.
I have one question. When all is is said and done, how much will this dog and pony show have cost the taxpayers of the City of Hartford?
Alfred,
most likely quite a bit and the new administration shouild have realized that when they took over in 2010.Prolonging this witch hunt has kept the meter running both in attorney costs, reimbursement of wages and benefits ordered by the mediator and most likely a settlement for Nolan's wrongful termination.
Unfortunately this is only one of the many poor decisions made by the Corporation Counsel and supported by Mayor Segarra at the expense of Hartford;s taxpayers
Congrats Danny! Now just get home safe and resume your career. See ya at the gym. Sarge
Calling him a man of "high moral character" is a stretch. Nolan makes his own rules & doesn't believe he has to abide by the rules of anyone else. Chief Casares has no plans on retiring!!
Caseras has announced his retirement. And you must be talking about the crooked union when you talk about making up there own rules and not abiding by them for example throwing a 25 year veteran under the bus to try to save the job of a drug addict who by the bylaws of the union, the union can't represent until after they are off probation which is one year. get your facts straight, trust me when I say the real truth is going to come out now.
To Anonymous at 06:02pm,
A labor board arbitrator and a Superior court judge decided seperately that Dan Nolan did not break any rules. Dan has set a precedent. He has proven to anyone that may come behind him that you CAN fight City Hall and win! Everyone on the HFD knows who was behind this conspiracy against Dan. Justice prevailed in the end. Dan is going back to the HFD.
So glad to hear Dan has gotten what he and the HFD line deserve. Sadly though, it is not likely Dan will be hired as chief as Anon 1/16 at 7:04 suggests. The men mentioned, like Dan and his father before him, are Firefighter's Fireman, not the politico a$$ kissing chief's of the recent past. I’m not sure which is worse Stewart who ranked quite low on test scores yet still got the job, or Teale, who at first seemed like a Firefighter's Fireman, but turned into a sleazy lying turncoat. Sadly, the writing is on the wall, and many dedicated, experienced and CAPABLE firefighters are counting their days, literally, until retirement. That will leave the citizens of Hartford with those politically connected recruits who washed out the first time. Nolan's refusal to lower the long established city standards for losers connected to felon ex-mayors and others who have questionable (at best) ethics was what started this whole thing in the first place. I’m glad I don’t live in Hartford, between tax dollars being spent so ridiculously, fire department having to slow down and stop on the WAY to emergencies, and lowered standards for the first responders it could be downright unhealthy. Dan, thank you for your dedicated service to the City of Hartford, and your country, please know that it is appreciated. Godspeed to you and your unit in Afghanistan, come home safe.
To Anonymous 1/17/12 at 6:02 P.M.: You poor misguided fellow. Take a few minutes to read through the transcripts of Nolan's hearings. You will find that Teale brought dishonor to the Fire Department by fabricating this entire "case". The arbitrator vindicated Dan, as did the appellate judge, and I'm thinking that they play by the rules.
I have my facts and I know what kind of person Dan Nolan is. He is a hypocrite and obviously the City of Hartford felt their case was strong enough to keep pursuing the case. Get to know him on a personal level and your view of him will change.
I have seen him "collecting for his various charities" and it is intimidating; especially for recruits who are worried for their jobs and feel they have to give "deeply".
To Anonymous at 5:57: Silly, silly, silly. Of course the City of Hartford thought their case was strong enough to keep pursuing. Fact is, they were just wrong. Ironically, their hypocrisy is what sunk them. The Fire Department has always collected for charities and has urged its employees to give deeply. Pout if you must, but this case was heard by a strongly respected arbitrator (chosen by the City, I might add)who found Dan right on every single point.
The city lost because they had no case.Several recruits testified that they did not feel coerced to give donations. Read the transcipts! This whole thing was a conspiracy and a very poorly executed one at that.
The Fire Department of the City of Hartford has been known as a "Class 1" department. The best of the best. Something befitting the Capitol City of a proud state. I strongly urge the governor and state legislators to compell the city to correct the downward spiral that plagues the HFD. Dan Nolan For Chief!Righta wrong.stop the death spiral!-jg
To the idiot that called Dan a hypocrite, you do not have your facts straight. Every recruit was interviewed, the arbitrators noticed right away that some were coached, and when pressed for the truth, there stories changed. If your looking for a hypocrite, look no farther than the union officials who fabricated evidence as was proven, or the convicted felon ex mayor that went along with it or the spineless chief who was afraid to stop the nonsense or Mike Smith, the cities go to liar that gets promoted for lying
I received an unexpected call from Dan Nolan this morning from Afghanistan. Apparently he is still a regular reader of the blog, even from Afghanistan.
He apparently will be home on leave for a couple weeks in March, hopefully in time for the St. Patrick's Day parade, it might be a good thing if someone could find a place of prominence and respect in the parade for someone who has served both his City and his Country proudly and exudes his pride in his Irish heritage.
I’ve known Dan Nolan for a very long time. Intimidating is not a word I would use to describe him. Righteous, on the other hand is a word I would use to describe him. As long as I’ve known him, and his siblings, they have all long stood up for what is right (much like you Kevin). Other words I’d use to describe Dan are dedicated, enthusiastic, committed, courageous, caring, compassionate and I could go on and on. But what has served him best in these past several years is that he is stubborn, just like his father “Big Dan” (who admittedly was often described as intimidating). Kevin you’re pretty good on checking the facts. I do remember a very long time ago hearing that Dan talked a suicidal man off a bridge in what I believe was very nasty weather. Please check my facts but that is one life he saved with his Irish gift of the gab. Now I’m a bit older than Dan but when I was a kid Fire Departments, both paid and volunteer were fundraising champions, and I don’t think they started the Fill the Boot drives for Jerry’s Kids until I was a teen. From pancake breakfasts, to softball games and carnivals, raffles galore and the one’s I miss the most – beer fests; fire departments were the key fundraisers, so Dan’s enthusiasm for charity, though it began at home, was reinforced by the PROUD tradition of fire departments near and far. I have contributed to several different charities that Dan has made me aware of, the Lea’s Foundation being one of them. Sadly, I’ve had the occasion to refer too many people to the Lea’s Foundation because they’ve had a family member diagnosed with Leukemia. Dan has also contributed to or supported charities that I am involved in, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation being one near and dear to my heart. Kevin even you, determined to get at the truth as you are, cannot calculate how many lives he might have saved, or bettered just a little by easing some financial strain, through his charitable work. You might be able to track down how much money has been raised at events that he was involved with but I think it would take you quite a while. Paid firefighters often have second jobs to supplement their income because their schedule allows it. Dan has been in the National Guard for as long as I can remember, but until 9/11/2001 that job was one weekend a month and two weeks a year. What Dan has done was give a great deal of time and energy to various charities, WITHOUT pay. The man has a heart of gold and a real soft spot for kids in need. INSPIRING is a word I and most people I know would use to describe him.
The only people who feel intimidated by Dan are the ones who lied in this bogus investigation, and they should feel that way. Gee I wonder, could this be coming from Brady, who coincidentally announced his retirement early this week? What's the matter honey, too scared to face the truth when it comes back to bite you?
Poor babies that feel intimidated....I feel bad...yet, I'll still sleep well tonight.
The only recruits worried for their jobs were ones like Felicia Graves, who had a reason to worry. Facts are Facts, and as determined by a Labor Board Arbitrator AND a Superior Court Judge, the complaints lodged by the corrupt families of recruits who could not perform the job were baseless. Even the city realized they didn't have a leg to stand on and decided not to appeal, of course, their goal was really to just get their relatives through that couldn't cut it while Dan was off, and they succeeded. Didn't I hear that there was recently an issue with Felicia Graves with her co-workers and yet the resolution was to transfer the OTHERS and not her? Hurry back Dan, they obviously need some honest leadership desperately!
Interesting how the very few Dan haters think they know him, while he obviously has a much bigger number of supporters. But clearly one or two people only REALLY know him. Funny. What I know is this...several times Dan was asked by people who wanted to send care packages to him and his unit. Insisting on not getting anything for himself, he instead stated, multiple times, if you feel the need to send something, send toys and candy for the Afghan kids. Yea, he sounds like a real hypocrite. The truth will always come out, and while it took a few years, and an arbitrator, and a judge, and documented transcripts, it certainly has come out. Good luck to those poor intimidated souls who lied.
Direct to the City mayor and council:- You have been proven to have slandered an good man's name.
You have not owned up to your gross mistakes in leadership and judgement. How can you be trusted to do the right thing down the road? What could motivate you to persecute a man that is the very definition of an "american Hero"? Isn't a man innocent untill proven guilty? The true measure of integrity and charecter is how you react when you make a big mistake. Honest people will make it right. Are you leaders honest? or are you corrupt bums? This is not going to go away! do the right thing for a change! you might just like it.-jg
So glad that Danny has a job to return to when he gets home. I am sure that he is looking forward to getting back to work. Godspeed to Danny and all the soldiers that are serving our country!
I'm struck by item #16 on Council's Jan.23 agenda. Has Council ever considered similar resolutions in the Nolan matter or other similar doubtful City/ management abuse of employees?
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Rehiring – The Council will discuss a resolution that calls on the Hartford Courant to assure that eight building cleaners, who were employed by the Courant’s previous cleaning contractor, are rehired at their previous levels of wages and healthcare benefits. The workers were laid off when the Courant changed contractors. (Deutsch, Jennings, Kennedy, MacDonald) (Item #16)
Oh this is laughable. The City Council can call for a resolution to demand that a Private Corporation rehire employees, yet they use enormous amounts of taxpayer dollars to keep their own employees out of a job. Were the former cleaning company workers union members? If so, do they belong to the same union as city janitors?
Does the council always fill the agenda with "resolutions" that have nothing to do with city business?
Felica Graves is a second generation piece of crap,and HFD went from Class 1 dept. to a dept. with no class.
Does the council always fill the agenda with "resolutions" that have nothing to do with city business?
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Not always, but quite often. Speaking of abused employees, whatever happened to the guy at the dump who got a, "Do you know who I am?" from the Mayor's spouse?
To BOHICA,
It is obvious from your posting that HFD has some severe morale problems. Felicia Graves may have management in her pocket but her employment has turned into a huge money pit for the City of Hartford- and it's not over yet. Hang in there! KARMA has a way of showing her beautiful head at just the right time.
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