tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-982633190780306493.post2780153586525208530..comments2024-03-24T18:15:18.350-04:00Comments on "WE THE PEOPLE": TOO MANY CHIEFS, NOT ENOUGH INDIANS, CLEANING UP HARTFORD'S PARKSKEVIN BROOKMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06597937634837295016noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-982633190780306493.post-70945941239566581082010-07-29T16:28:41.412-04:002010-07-29T16:28:41.412-04:00Did you all hear on the national news that there i...Did you all hear on the national news that there is a town in California that pays its Town Manager almost double what the U.S. President earns? I think we need to re-examine what is happening here in Hartford. I agree w/Kevin, way too many chiefs. Ironically it's the chiefs that make the preliminary budget cut recommendations to the COO and M&B, so of course, they are not gonna recommend cutting their own position. Duh. Actually, no duh.Carlanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-982633190780306493.post-21288211108461129152010-07-29T16:24:06.134-04:002010-07-29T16:24:06.134-04:00Kyle: I agree with your idea. An example that ju...Kyle: I agree with your idea. An example that jumps out at me in Development Services is the numerous divisions all headed by a director and/or division head. While I live in Hartford, I actually work for another municipality wherein there are not separate divisions in the dept. I also belong to CRCOG and I'm aware that it is that way in other CT municipalities. It seems to me that with the change in charter to strong mayor, the former mayor created this mega dept and if the various articles written by Jeff Cohen (while he was still @ the Courant) are accurate, the former mayor seated some of his sychophants in key administrative positions in Development Services. This is beyond wasteful spending. According to the city's budget book, some of the staff salaries are funded by various state and federal grants. What you may not realize is that while these are eligible costs, there is nothing that says the city must spend the maximum allowable under the grant funding on admin. That is, it could spend less on admin and allocate more on homeowner loans, capital projects, economic dev., etc., but not the park maintenance that Segarra is revamping. I've always been amazed @ how Hartford spends its state and federal grant funds as opposed to the other municipalities. I guess I'm gonna have to get out there during the funding allocation public comment period to voice my opinion formally and to encourage my neighbors to do so as well. Will have to wait to next year as the period has ended for this year. My bad.Joenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-982633190780306493.post-53628908912016468442010-07-29T16:04:17.997-04:002010-07-29T16:04:17.997-04:00So, is Segarra going to cut the top heavy administ...So, is Segarra going to cut the top heavy administration @ DPW? While he is at it, he should do so in EVERY department, AND while he's @ it, downsize and combine depts that have similar functions. For example, Young Children AND Youth Services should be under the Health & Human Services Dept. Part of Human Relations should be under Human Resources and part under Development Services. These are just a few examples of how to cut administrative costs city wide, yet keep the indians employed who actually perform the work. A cursory examination of the org charts for each dept would yield more obvious examples. I am surprised that the COO and/or M&B has not undertaken this exercise. Maybe they plan to hire a consultant like Al Ilg or Mark Tigan to do it for them. Hey, what do I know? I work in the private sector.Kylenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-982633190780306493.post-17169483599862380452010-07-29T10:03:20.077-04:002010-07-29T10:03:20.077-04:00This cleanup is a worthwhile and commendable proje...This cleanup is a worthwhile and commendable project for a week.If it goes well, I would like to see more of them,perhaps in neighborhoods next time.<br /><br /> As I posted before, I know first hand how thoughful and inspiring Pedro can be.I wasn't very surprised to learn that he visited the cop who was shot in the hospital and was in attendance in Court against the thug who shot the cop.Nor was I surprised to learn that he came and consoled the folks that lost their house in a fire of a few weeks ago.<br /><br /> Pedro is very meticulous about his house and yard and I wasn't surprised when I read about his idea concerning the parks...and it is a good idea.<br /><br /> Like Kevin I have also been very pleased with Pedro's first month as Mayor.Im certainly no mouthpiece for anyone and like Kevin, if in the future I think Pedro has done or is doing something wrong, I will post about it.Bruce Rubensteinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-982633190780306493.post-45078021648823794752010-07-29T09:12:23.312-04:002010-07-29T09:12:23.312-04:00Wow! Mike Allen juast did this same thing, same st...Wow! Mike Allen juast did this same thing, same street three weeks ago. Huge coinkydink. What are the odds? Mike has pictures of the guy cleaning it up, pretty funny. Sorry for jumping to conclusions....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-982633190780306493.post-13039928899121414032010-07-29T08:46:44.489-04:002010-07-29T08:46:44.489-04:00Unions are a problem. Years ago some of us wanted...Unions are a problem. Years ago some of us wanted to paint the library at the Noah Webster School. No go because it would take work away from unionized workers. Having said that, I believe we had the Community Court guys cleaning up in Little Pope Park the other day.<br />But, honestly, while we could use some better work from our municipal guys, there is no excusing the residents of Hartford for the mess we generate. In the above-mentioned park we have a little sprinkler attracting many folks looking for a cool-off during this warm summer. Every morning a new pile of rubbish, often containing used disposable diapers, appears. <br />But, God Bless both Mike Allen and Rob Allan.peter brushnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-982633190780306493.post-66761355263901711732010-07-28T21:47:11.035-04:002010-07-28T21:47:11.035-04:00anonymous,
no need to correct it, it was Rob Alla...anonymous,<br /><br />no need to correct it, it was Rob Allan, it was the first time I met him and I gave him the plate from the wrecker, he tracked it down to Grassmere Ave. in West Hartford and promptly seized it. The prosecutor who made the "Hartford's a dump" comment was someone with the first name of Mickey and shortly thereafter he was transferred out of the Hartford Court. I don't even think Mike Allen was on the job at that point. I do agree though, Mike Allen is like a pit bull in his area and knows how to enforce quality of life issues like illegal dumping, copper thefts and knows what happens in his area. Ask Lt. Allan about it and the "live truck" on 2 wheels next time you see him.KEVIN BROOKMANhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06597937634837295016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-982633190780306493.post-44645647135721558582010-07-28T21:36:53.273-04:002010-07-28T21:36:53.273-04:00Kev, please correct this. That was an investigatio...Kev, please correct this. That was an investigation by Officer Mike Allen (Parkville beat officer). Not Lt. Rob Allan, big difference. Within the pile of garbage, he found an address on a reciept, from there, he found out who the worker was who dumped it and made him clean it up. And took photo's of the guy cleaning it up. Pretty funny. Anyway- he did do a good job and should get credit, but it was Officer Mike Allen, not Lt. Rob Allan. Thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com