Although I think that might be somewhat accurate, he is also constantly being put in a position by his staff that ultimately prove to be embarrassing. The next few weeks should prove interesting as the Mayor will have an opportunity to actually make some of the decisions, including staffing changes that will hopefully prove to his constituents that he is capable of making the tough calls and actually stand his ground.
How fast he moves to restructure and shore up his LSNI program after the embarrassing articles this past weekend will tell a lot. The LSNI program was one of Segarra's pet projects that appears to be imploding under the leadership of Hartford's Chief Operating Officer David Panagore.
I think Segarra is good at identifying problems and knowing what the solutions should be, it's the follow through and holding people accountable that will ultimately be his downfall.
Even today's Courant article outlining the issues with the contract for Chief Rovella should be embarrassing to Segarra. If Rovella is his choice, everything should be done to get the deal in place by his Corporation Counsel. Health care is handed out like candy at City Hall to department heads and even Council people. Any Councilperson completing 5 years on the Council is vested and receives health care for life. Former Councilwoman Veronice Airey Wilson who "retired" after her arrest in a corruption scandal received those benefits, why shouldn't Chief Rovella?
Sorry Kevin,I do like Chief Rovella and hope that he gets appointed but no one should vest for lifetime health benefits for themselves and their families after only serving 5 years. It is time to get rid of this expensive perk as the City is in dire straits and simply cannot afford this perk for the privileged political class running the City.No wonder the City is going broke when a perk like this is doled out like candy to the political elite,while the average Hartford resident either doesnt have healthcare or has to work many years to get it.I urge Mayor Segarra,Council President Wooden and the rest of the Council to end this expensive perk.
ReplyDeleteThen ir should atart with the Council. They give themselves the same benefit after 5 years on the Council, and that is supposed to be a part time position. Seems somewhat hypocritical doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteKevin, I agree 100% with you,it should end for everyone,including the Council.
ReplyDeleteThe courant is also full of liberals that have no idea what hartford needs. I would enjoy to see some of those courant employees that hide behind their sub pare drawings to come and patrol the north end at 3am. Or maybe fight with a mental patient off their meds. It is easy to comment on crime and politics, but dont disrespect the men and women who put their lives on the line....
ReplyDeleteThe morale has risen extremely high, but it is extremely sad when road bumps like health insurance block the way. There are several useless employees at city hall that collect free health insurance for life and barely do five minutes a day of real work.
ReplyDeletePanagore, Im sure, will have free health care for life, and based on his current appearence, probably needs it........
ReplyDeleteThe mayor's and chief's offices is starting to smell like a sewer.
ReplyDeleteKevin my assessment is that Pedro has been mis-labled and is not a milquetoast.Pedro who I know since 1991 or so when Mayor Perry and I interviewed him to be Corp Council,was brought to us by Edwin Vargas,then a leader of the Puerto Rican Pac.We found Pedro to be very intelligent and caring.I believe that he remains the same today.
ReplyDeletePedro's "problem" with respect to being Mayor is that his background as a social worker makes him want to be loved as Mayor.The position of Mayor doesn't always allow the Mayor to be loved when strong stances and hard choices need to be made.
Like you I was less then thrilled when Pedro did not fire all or most of the Perez cronies at city hall and many remain there.But on reflection, I now believe that Pedro dislikes firing people and looks for a way to have those people that deserve to be fired,replaced or redirected, love him rather then fear him.In short,the kind of adject behavior required to summarilly fire someone doesnt appear to come easy to him and is not part of his political or social DNA.
For the good of the City going forward,Pedro should and hopefully will learn that a good firing when merited and appropriate can also do wonders for the morale of the City and its workforce.
Was he going to get an EMBERS type of package from the state? If so, they should give him credit for the time he put in with the State. If not, he should wait like everyone else for the five years.
ReplyDeleteBut I have to say, it is rather hilarious watching a supposed fiscal conservative like Kevin work his way around this one.
This City needs Rovella badly !!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHealth benfits should be given to those DPW workers who pickup the city trash everyday. OR why not just give everyone health benfits after 10 years at the same cost the current employees pay. The old personnel director was quick to give a couple of ladies in the personnel department free health benfits for life. What about the rest of the employees?
ReplyDeleteKevin...My take on Pedro is abit different. I dont believe that he is a milquetoast so much as I believe that he wants to be "loved".Pedro's backround before going to law school is as a social worker and he often alludes or mentions it in speeches.The School of Social Work and the work he did in that area appears to be very formulative to his personality. In the early 90's when Mayor Perry and I interviewed him for the Corporation Council job, we both came away with the same opinion...Pedro is a very smart and caring compassionate person,who wants to be loved or adored.
ReplyDeleteBeing Mayor sometimes presents itself into having to make hard and difficult choices.Sometimes it is better and more productive to be feared then to be adored.Pedro isn't a milquetoast but he has trouble firing folks,but will I think, when the health and safety of this City is in issue...a City that I believe he loves dearly.
Pedrito,
ReplyDeleteyou are failing...Re coup.
The city spends millions a year on health care for its employees and retirees. And Segarra's office says the mayor recently changed the pension formula for new hires and made it less generous. But when it comes to its retirees, the city is facing bills it can't pay. In fact, Segarra says he just had to sign an IOU to the treasurer's office for $11 million. That's money he needs to contribute to the city's pension fund -- but it's money he doesn't have. http://capitalregionreport.wordpress.com/
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The City, can't afford the EMBERS deal. If it wants to provide insurance as a matter of individual contract to the incoming Police Chief, that's one thing, but as an across the board promise it's not sustainable. The object here should be to avoid a fiscal melt-down a la Detroit.
Hartford will be the next detroit if you keep Panagore around. Mr. Mayor, do you really think that you will get a judgeship when the city is in financial ruins???But im sure you will jump on the train and let hartford fall while you sit in your satin black robe. When you leave please take the bow tie with you . please...
ReplyDeleteAccording to the well researched articles by Jenna Carlessa of the Courant and the blog article by Kevin,the LSNI Program appears to be wrought with negligence and fraud.
ReplyDeleteThe next step to root this out would be to ask a Councilperson to request that the City Auditors audit the LSNI program and submit that report to the Council.I also think that the Council should form a joint committee and conduct hearings on the record regarding the program and if criminality is found,to refer that finding to the Chief State's Attorney for action.
Needless to say, all the actors in the program should be subpoened to show up and testify on the record,including Mr Panagore,his aides involved with the oversight of the program,certain L&I staff and the actual folks on the ground who worked in the program.