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Wednesday, June 2, 2010

THIS SHOULD WORK OUT WELL MAYOR, GO GREEN, CARPOOL TO COURT

Just an update to the previous post regarding the Mayor's driver being arrested for Operating Under Suspension.

The driver, Pedro Bermudez, was released at the scene of the accident on a "Written Promise to Appear" next week in court at 101 Lafayette Street, the same Courthouse that Perez is currently on trial at for corruption charges.

This could work out well though for both Perez and Bermudez. Carpooling saves energy.

Oh, and still no comment from Sarah Barr.

ANOTHER FROM THE ONLY IN HARTFORD FILE, MAYOR'S DRIVER ARRESTED FOR OPERATING UNDER SUSPENSION


For anyone that reads this blog, you know that I am very critical of the position for the driver for Mayor Perez being funded when the city is in dire financial straits.

And now, in a move that makes you shake your head in disbelief, it seems that the Mayor's driver should not even be on the road in the first place.

From what police sources are telling me, the Mayor's driver, Pedro Bermudez, 51, had dropped his precious cargo off at the Courthouse for the afternoon session of the Mayor's corruption trial.After leaving the court, the Mayor's driver was involved in an accident at Park and Lafayette Streets. The other vehicle evaded and left the scene, and from what sources are telling me, it actually is believed to belong to a court reporter. UPDATE: 6/2/2010, 4:30PM the evading vehicle was operated by Juan Garcia, a clerk at the Court at 95 Washington Street, he has been charged with evading responsibility.

The driver of the Mayor's vehicle apparently called police and an Officer arrived to complete the accident report.Upon beginning the investigation, the Mayor's driver handed the officer a drivers license from Puerto Rico, which was invalid. It seems as though the Officer explained that to him, at which time the driver reluctantly handed the Officer a Connecticut license.

Somewhere around that time a verbal exchange took place between the Officer and the Mayor's driver and the driver voiced his displeasure with the officer wasting time checking on his license when he should be searching for the evading vehicle.

Ultimately it turned out that Bermudez didn't want the officer checking on his license for a good reason. His Connecticut license had been suspended over 8 years ago and he was not allowed to be driving any vehicle.

Why is it that these things happen when we have so many high-priced members of the "Perez Management Team" that should be watching out for things like this?

Immediately after the Officer finished with his investigation he was summoned to the Mayor's Office by the Mayor's Chief of Staff Susan McMullen. Can anyone say interfereing with a Police Officer?

As soon as the report is ready, it will be posted here.

In the meantime Mr. Mayor, might I suggest that you let your fingers do the walking, try Yellow Cab at 666-6666.

A request for comment has not been returned by Sarah Barr, the Mayor's spokesperson.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

KEVIN BURNHAM, PLEASE RETURN YOUR CALLS

For months now I have been calling Hartford's Director of Public Works Kevin Burnham regarding the Southend Wellness Center and the conditions of the building and the Police Offices housed in the building. Even before he was named permanent Public Works Director he has seemed to have problems returning phone calls, and not just from me, but others in the Community also. At one point in March I spoke with Burnham at City Hall and he stated it would all be fixed in two weeks. In fairness to him, he didn't say two weeks from when.

Possibly Burnham has received his training in message handling and returning phone calls from the John Fonfara Training Academy.

Anyway, according to several Southend residents I have spoke with, the heating and air conditioning systems at the Southend Wellness Center have been a problem ever since the City of Hartford purchased and renovated the building.

In January I was in the Southeast Police Substation, housed in the building on Maple Avenue, and since there was no heat, the temperature was 45 degrees. Last week I was in there again and since the air conditioning doesn't work and the windows don't open, it was 91 degrees.

The Department of Public Works solution to the heating problem was to place two small space heaters in the office and run wires up into the ceiling. A definite fire hazard as well as a very inefficient way of heating the offices. The solution for the air conditioning problem from DPW were two small residential air conditioners vented into the space above the ceiling. The air conditioners only run for a short time before they fill with water and shut off and then the holding containers have to be emptied to restart them.

Typical of the way the City handles construction projects, the Heating and A/C units were possibly installed by someone who used to run a hot dog cart on Union Place and was given the contract for the project. It worked on the Park Street bidding process. One would think though that at the very least some sort of warranty would be in place for rooftop units that are less than a couple years old. But then again, if the City holds the contractor accountable for their work, the campaign contributions might not be as large down the road.

On top of that, in January the Wethersfield Police "were attempting to stop" a vehicle headed north on Maple Avenue when it crashed into the front entrance of the Police office. They used to call them pursuits, but I guess that term is no longer politically correct. A light post, fencing, and shrubs were knocked over as well as the front doors being knocked out and replaced by makeshift plywood and a single door.

The intercom that visitors would ring to get into the Police Office was also broken and hangs by wires at the plywood entrance. A large plate glass window above the front entrance was also shattered by flying debris and that window is now held together with duct tape.

From what I understand, the vehicle that crashed into the building was insured, so where is the money to pay for the repairs and why does it take almost 6 months to get the building fixed and where did the money go?

I can almost guarantee that if this was the A/C or heat in the Mayor's Office or Kevin Burnham's Office, it would not take month's to fix. Maybe this is another argument for getting Department Heads to actually live in Hartford, as the city's ordinances require. Maybe the Mayor can send his "Energy Czar" to witness the inefficient use of energy and make some suggestions.

Mr. Burnham, you should have the number from the numerous messages I have left, but it is also at the top of the blog if you need it. Maybe I should try calling 311 instead.

Hopefully DPW will correct this mess as fast as they did the graves in Soldiers Field when WFSB exposed that neglect. I-team please take note :)

GOING, GOING ....GONE

Just an update, the final remaining walls of the Public Safety Complex were knocked down today.

Kudos to the Perez Management Team for another fine job well done. Efficient government at its finest.

"ONE NATION UNDER GOD" , ANOTHER THOUGHT

If a church can not be used for a graduation ceremony, then how can they be used as polling locations during elections? A different set of rules maybe?

Just off the top of my head, the Liberty Christian Center at the corner of Albany Avenue and Vine Street is one of the more active polling places in Hartford.

ACLU ? Judge Hall? Please save us .

"ONE NATION UNDER GOD", MORE THOUGHTS

After posting earlier about the Enfield school graduation conflict, an "Anonymous" commenter posted his (or her) disagreement with my ideas.

"Anonymous" cited the separation of Church and State as one of our basic fundamentals of our Democracy. It's a catchy phrase, but what exactly was meant by the "separation" and what do we choose to scrutinize and what do we choose to overlook.

If there is such a thing as separation of Church and State, what is it and where does it begin?

Let's look at the supposed "separation" starting on a local level. Millions of dollars are given out to religious organizations in Hartford for so-called community initiatives. Some are legitimate programs producing results, many are not.

And if a program funded by the City is held in a church building, how is that any different than a graduation program being forbidden from being held in a church? Are secular symbols removed for after-school or daycare programs held in or around a church building?

And when a program is publicly funded and run by a religious organization, where do we draw the line? Is it ok for a church or minister that receives funds from the City to then endorse Mayoral candidates or politicians from the pulpit? No one can deny that happens in Hartford.

Is it OK for a minister receiving funds from the City to stand behind a recently arrested Mayor and support him with a "prayer vigil"? Or is that just part of "doing business" in Hartford?

That line of separation between Church and State seems to be non-existent when it comes to Hartford. Where is the ACLU on this?

And then we go to the state level. The Roman Catholic Church probably has one of the strongest lobbying efforts at the Capitol, influencing the approval or denial of many legislative efforts. It's the way the system works, but how do you pick and choose what is acceptable and what is not.

And so much for that separation when both Congress and our State Legislature begin every session, every single day with a prayer.

And one of the most interesting "separation's" to me that seems to really cloud that "separation" theory is the Obama Administration's Office of Faith Based Initiatives.

While some see religion being brought into society as a bad thing, is religion not what has held our communities together during good times, but especially during bad times. No one is "forced" to accept or abandon religion, the same as no one is forced into a life of crime or drugs. It is a conscious decision one makes and the same as a decision to use drugs, if it is not your thing, "just say no".

I think I've said enough about this a long time ago, but it just seems bizarre to me that a couple of parents would go to the extremes to alienate their children from religion, rather than explain that diversity is what makes this country great.

You are free to make decisions for yourself. Believe in God, don't believe in God. Choose to drink alcohol, choose not to drink alcohol. The list can go on and on, but will looking at a cross as you walk into an auditorium to receive your diploma really scar you for life?

And is a little more civility and tolerance really a bad thing for us to strive for today?