According to sources, on Friday a Hartford Police Officer was sent to the payroll office at City Hall on the report of a disturbance. Upon the arrival the officer was met by Daniel Bonilla , a payroll supervisor at City Hall. Bonilla informed the officer that at about 1:00PM Friday, the Democratic Registrar, Olga Vazquez, came into his office regarding a payroll issue for poll workers from the recent Mayoral primary ( September 16th). Instead of the full $180.00 , the workers were only paid $25.00.
Bonilla apparently advised Vazquez that she would have to process the correct paperwork through Human Resources and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
Apparently Vazquez then insisted that Bonilla "go into his computer and make the proper adjustments immediately"
Bonilla told Police that Vazquez then began to yell and swear at him. Vazquez, acting aggressive toward Bonilla and standing about a foot away from him continued to yell and curse at Bonilla, yelling "you have a f**king batch open why don't you do it?" continuing to yell, Vazquez screamed "This job is going to your f**king head , why don't you just do your job?'
Vazquez continued her yelling and screaming to the point that witnesses in the office overheard the disturbance. One witness, Marlene Fleeting, another employee in the office who was several cubicles away went into Bonilla's office to see what was happening and reportedly saw Vazquez about a foot away from Bonilla yelling and swearing at him. Fleeting intervened and told Vazquez to calm down because Bonilla has some sort of medical condition and shouldn't get excited. Vazquez told Fleeting to mind her own business because"this was a management matter".
Vazquez then apparently told Fleeting that if Bonilla had a medical condition "then maybe he shouldn't be working here".
Bonilla also told Police that he apparently felt threatened by Vazquez's actions.
HPD also apparently talked to another employee Padma Patel who is another supervisor in the Payroll Office. She also confirmed the disturbance and that she heard the suspect, Vazquez, yelling f**k and f**king during the altercation. Another witness, Ellen McCreery , also heard the altercation and asked her supervisor , Patel, if she should call the Police. Patel apparently said no and then went back to her desk.
It is unclear why under the circumstances no arrest was made, or if and arrest warrant application will be submitted for Vazquez. It would seem that the City's Zero tolerance Policy for workplace violence doesn't really mean Zero tolerance, depending on who you are.
If we are arresting Fire Lieutenants for similar incidents, will Vazquez skate on this one? And will those who reported the incident to Police now also receive 89 day suspensions? Luckily Chief Huertas and Assistant Chief Brady don't run the Payroll Department. If they did no one would be left to cut the City Payroll..
Neither HPD or City Hall have made any comment on the altercation but it seems to add more weight to the argument for the need to professionalize the Registrar's Office.
Isn't her husband one of the town constables? He ran for a position. I forgot his name but he is a son of Abe Giles. No wonder. Anyways, should he be able to arrest his wife for causing this disturbance while screaming that warm and wonderful word that begins with "F." It is the kind of vocabulary used when other bland words just don't measure up to the moment at hand.
ReplyDeleteOlga-such a class act. NOT!
ReplyDeleteI'm not defending Olga's tirade, but I do want to put this in perspective. These poll workers are finally getting their pay two months after the primary; they're probably not too happy about that. They were supposed to get $180 each, but got checks for only $25 instead, right? Now if that glitch, error, or deliberate screwing by the city (because that's who pays them) was across the board, that means anywhere between 150-200 people are mightily pissed off. So who do you think they're going to call to complain? The person who hired and trained them--Olga Vasquez. I would imagine she's been subject to a barrage of angry--and perhaps even threatening--calls, as well as visits to her office. That could have pushed her to the limit.
ReplyDeleteNow, I also worked at the polls as an assistant registrar, but for the general election three weeks ago. I was told I would be paid $225 (before taxes). That is for three hours of unpaid mandatory training, and then a 16 1/2-hour shift on election day. Break that down, and it'll come out to less than $10/hour after taxes. First, I'm unhappy knowing that I may not see a check until mid-January. Second, if I don't get a check for the proper amount I--and all the other poll workers--will also be damn pissed off. Third, when I asked someone last week who is close to the registrar's office when I could expect to be paid, he told me possibly by Christmas. But then he added "Unless the city holds back because they're using that money for something else". I thought he was kidding, but he was dead serious, and told me they've done that before.
So yes, Olga blew a gasket. But I'd hate to think my hard-earned money is being funneled to iQuilt, DoNo, or Alan Lazowski. The way I see it, she was fighting for the people she hired to be paid the amount promised, and without further delay. She didn't go about it the right way, but I think she was under a lot of pressure from a lot of unhappy people.
I love Olga she's beautiful smart classy an is a sharp dresser she's a breath of fresh air for the Latino community stop hating !!!
ReplyDeleteTo Anonymous 5:53 a.m.
ReplyDeletePlease stop throwing in the race card...it doesn't matter if Olga is Latino , white, black, or whatever, she is a public servant, just like the rest of us
are and where, I worked for the City over 25 years, and her behavior is un-called
for, and it doesn't matter that she went after another employee, the last few years
rules have been in place for Zero Tolerance, for people just like her. Yes there are some pressures working in each departments, but this is no excuse for her yelling,
and belittle this other employee, if the shoe was on the other foot, the other employee would have been fired by now, Olga, and anyone else that displays this type of behavior should be escorted right out the front door, I've seen the best of them also leave because of this, and it didn't matter what race they were, Zero Torrance is Zero Torrance, and it doesn't matter who you are, what race you are, it is a rule to protect the incident people that work under people like Olga.
11:31:
ReplyDeleteLowell said. Thank you for giving credit where credit is due. I take back part of my first on thread. I almost once worked at the polls and had I this time, you would probably read about someone's irrational behavior in the newspaper.