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Thursday, August 25, 2011

FORGET THE BRANDING , WHAT IS OUR IDENTITY?

The uproar over Hartford's attempt at "branding", by a Canadian consulting company if you can believe that, seems to have died down for the time being. But I think it points to a variety of other issues.

The first is the big question as to what we as a city really see ourselves as. Are we the misfit located between New York and Boston and we accept our second rate position because we know we can't compete with those two? I would hope not since we have a lot to offer, but it sometimes seems that is the reality.

Hartford suffers from an identity crisis. We may not want to admit it, but we do. In a city so rich with history, we seem quick to throw that all out when the latest and greatest marketing idea is pitched. Five "h's" in a circle is the latest, really, are you kidding me?

What about a silhouette of the Colt's Building blue onion dome? What about the Sailors and Soldiers memorial Arch? What about the readily identifiable profile of Mark Twain? All symbols of Hartford's rich history and what forms the basis of the foundation for our City. Hartford's history is what should be shapinng our future.

But also so many little things that all form the spokes in the wheel that should be moving Hartford forward are constantly forgotten. As an example, has anyone noticed that the fountains in front of City Hall were never started up this year. The majestic beauty of Hartford City Hall is something that many people noticed as they travelled Main Street. I'm not sure why the fountains aren't operating and why the flower beds that normally are planted in front of City Hall are barren this year.
I know, little things, but it says something about the vibrancy of a city.

Something else I was always impressed with were the Rising Star Shuttles that constantly looped around Downtown Hartford, a courtesy for visitors and people that just wanted to get from point "A" to point "B" downtown. I didn't notice until last Thursday night that it has been a while since I saw the familiar yellow shuttles circling downtown.

I was having dinner on the patio at Hot Tomatoes last Thursday (another one of Hartford's great restaurants) and I saw one of the large Connecticut Company buses that kept circling up Union Place and Ann Street. No riders were on the bus at any point that it passed me. Eventually I noticed on the electronic sign board above the driver said "STAR SHUTTLE". There was no mention that it was a courtesy shuttle or that it was free.

No wonder ridership is down, or for that matter nonexistent. Imagine a McDonald's without any signs or markings and see how many burgers they would sell? Probably not many, especially with people that weren't familiar with it's location. The same is true for the shuttle, it needs to be marketed to be successful.

It also seems like a huge waste to be using a full size bus for something that could be accomplished in a much smaller vehicle. The few times I used the shuttle, the smaller buses almost forced you to be up near the driver and it was almost like a tour bus as they described restaurants and features about Hartford.

One of the biggest things I think we need in Hartford to regain our identity is support for the engine that really drives our City. That engine is our small businesses that have been largely overlooked as they are taxed out of business one by one and no one is standing up to lobby for them. We need to once again start a Chamber of Commerce to be the voice for our small business community.

I know, I know, you are going to say we have the MetroHartford Alliance. "Metro" Hartford isn't the problem, once you get out of Hartford's boundaries, small business's still have a hard time surviving in this economy, but they have a huge advantage when it comes to their mill rate for taxes.

No one is speaking out for Hartford's small business owners, many of whom are also Hartford residents. As you go into your neighborhoods grocery, restaurant, dry cleaners or just about any business, ask them is they belong to a chamber of Commerce. The answer will most likely be no.

If we really want to brand ourselves and start a marketing campaign, how about "Hartford first". As a City and as people who care about Hartford, we need to start putting "Hartford first" and stop settling for mediocrity. We should worry about jobs for Hartford residents first before we go out of our way to bring outside companies in , some of them also from outside Connecticut, for construction jobs in Hartford.

We need to make sure when it comes to small business promotion we remember "Hartford first" and keep our neighborhoods strong by creating more jobs through growing companies. And we also need to start putting "Hartford first" in the way we treat others and our neighbors.

I know I have jumped around a lot on this posting, but before we start spending $100million on the "i-quilt" project, why don't we start focusing on some of the smaller things that help remedy our identity crisis rather than confuse it even more.

UPDATE: apparently the Rising Star Shuttle may be on the chopping block, click on Jeff Cohen's link on the right to read more at WNPR.

SENDING A MESSAGE AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE


The photo above is a sample of the weapons seized today by Hartford's shooting taskforce. Note the double clip taped together to double the capacity of the rifle

It seems like, and the numbers seemed to reinforce it, that for the first six months of this year Hartford's streets were run by thugs who had no fear of being held accountable for their actions. Fortunately, now a message is being sent that there is a new Sheriff in town and his name is Dannel Malloy. A drastic turn about in Hartford's gun crimes is taking place after Governor Malloy reached his boiling point and States Attorney Kevin Kane moved ahead with the Shooting Task force that is now bringing order back to Hartford's streets.

I don't have a lot of details yet but one source from HPD has told me that the shooting incidents and gun violence has been reduced 75% since the taskforce was pulled together. It isn't just the fact that they are running top notch investigations, they are sending a strong message to the street thugs.

Hartford Police, and most east coast law enforcement agencies, have a strict "no pursuit" policy. For some reason, the west coast doesn't seem to have such policies and usually pursuits in the west are media spectacles broadcast live via helicopter cameras.

In Hartford, it sends a dangerous message to criminals across the city... hit the gas and flee and you are safe until the next time you are chased and then repeat the above and flee once again. In the mean time, the thugs and their guns remain on the streets to commit more crimes. I do not necessarily condone police chases for motor vehicle charges, but there is a time to pursue and get the guns and the shooters off our streets.

In many cases before the facts are even in, a gun shy (no pun intended) supervisor is screaming over the radio "break it off, break it off" to the pursuing officer. Again, it sends a message to our fleeing felons that escape is almost inevitable unless you crash, or as was the case last week, you drive into a construction zone on Granby Street with no way out. No one said the criminals are bright, they just know how to pull a trigger.

Hopefully I can post more on the work of the taskforce in the future, but in the meantime the investigations are meticulous. They are really working as a team effort and bringing various resources to the table. They are identifying their targets , gathering information and building strong cases that are leading to arrest warrants for some of Hartford's most violent criminals.

And when the thugs try fleeing from the police now, there is no one yelling "break it off". The stop sticks are ready, the vehicles are tracked and hitting the gas does not ensure their escape from prosecution. Another suspect was caught today at Main and Nelson Streets after he decided the gas pedal was the way out, it wasn't.

HPD didn't back off and the suspect was caught after a brief foot chase. They must wonder what has changed now when they hit the gas in their rental cars and still see the flashing red and blue lights staying on their tails as they run.

It is sending the message that the "free for all, anything goes" days of the first half of 2011 are quickly coming to an end, Hartford's neighborhoods are being taken back by the hard work of the shooting task force combined with the other HPD officers on the streets doing their jobs and knowing the players in their areas.

I'm not sure why it took the Governor and Kevin Kane to start producing results for Hartford, but at least someone stepped up, showed some leadership and we are now seeing the results from Hartford's law enforcement officials and the Shooting Taskforce.

Monday, August 22, 2011

DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY PETITION RESULTS IN

The certified petition results for signatures collected for the Democratic Primary are finished. According to Hartford's City Clerk's Office, all of the slates that submitted petitions were certified as meeting the requirements except for one.

The petitions submitted by the challenger for the Treasurers Office, Larry Davis, have been certified as reaching the required 1600 signatures. The Council slate headed by rJo Winch has met the threshold also, forcing a primary for City Council among the Democrats. The Marc Nelson for Treasurer slate which also included Council challengers Kate Kowalshyn and Anthony McCann fell short of the required signatures and did not qualify.

The petitions for the independent challengers for the November ballot have apparently not been completed yet, although they need to be completed and delivered to the Secretary of the State's Office by Wednesday by 4:00PM according to state law.

Friday, August 19, 2011

IS HPD HOMOPHOBIC?

The simple answer is maybe, but it points to a much greater issue overall I think.

Just as a little background, accusations were made previously by a ranking HPD officer, Lieutenant Brian Foley, that Chief Daryl Roberts had made comments directed at him that appeared homophobic. Foley's claims were that Chief Roberts had stated something to the effect of his haircut "looked gay", referred to him as Lt. "spongebob" which I guess has a gay connotation and at one point questioned Foley's marriage as to whether his spouse was a man or a woman.

Regardless though, whatever Foley's orientation is, comments such as those alleged to have been made by Chief Robert's have no place in the workplace, especially if they are being made by the highest ranking officer of the Hartford Police Department.

The problem seems to have escalated in the last few weeks unfortunately. Accusations have been made against another HPD supervisor, Sergeant Dennis O'Connor after he allegedly texted a homophobic message to another HPD officer during a training class. The officer on the receiving end of the message from O'Connor was apparently offended by the tone of the message as well as the homosexual act mentioned in the message that he made a complaint to Internal Affairs. That complaint is currently under investigation by HPD.

Now the latest incident involves another high ranking supervisor, Captain James Bernier and an alleged comment he recently made to another officer. Bernier, a probationary Captain, apparently used a slang term as a retort to an officer suggesting that the officer perform a sexual act on him. The comment is something that typically you would expect to hear in a drunken party at a frathouse or in a locker room, but has no place coming from a senior officer, a Captain, who should be setting the tone for his officers, not promoting a gutter mentality.

The major problem is that there seems to be a real lack of leadership and accountability in HPD. There are many good officers there that are looking for leadership and fairness, but incidents like this, all of them by supervisors must be raising questions. If O'Connor is disciplined for his comments, then why not the Chief or the Captain?

I can remember back to the days of a Chief like Bernie Sullivan, and hopefully that is not showing my age too much. From what most people told me Chief Sullivan was a fair man and a good leader for HPD. You could be his best friend, but if it came to discipline you knew that you would receive the same treatment as his worst enemy. Right was right and wrong was wrong and favoritism played no role.

That's what "leaders" do, and once the tone is set you either fall in line with the program or else step aside. It is definitely time for Mayor Segarra to step up and show us if he has what it takes to be a leader. Will he remain silent on issues facing City government, including the issue of "homophobia" and favoritism inside HPD, or will he do what leaders need to do and set the tone. HPD, the Dispatch Center, DPW,HFD, MHIS have all had real issues, valid issues pointed out here and they can't be overlooked .

Leadership isn't always easy, but usually it becomes much easier when the rules are established and adhered to equally.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

AND HERE IS A PERFECT "ANONYMOUS" EXAMPLE

I received this message earlier today and it is perfect example of why people post anonymously. And yes, it was sent through a "real" e-mail address with a "real" name attached. If this doesn't make it clear why "Anonymous" is important, I'm not sure what will.

I am writing this letter under the name of "Anonymous" because I fear retaliation from my supervisors. Management, namely the Director of the Dispatch Center Andrew Jaffe will not do anything to protect me. The communications division was once a proud Department that served the residents of the City of Hartford. Now because of mismanagement it is one of the worst departments in city government.

- The dispatch Center has the highest "sick abuser" in City government
- There is no discipline for employee or supervisors
- Employees routinely "walk out" effectively abandoning their post leaving the center short staff impacting public and officer safety with no repercussion or discipline
- Supervisors threatening subordinates with physical harm, again with no repercussion or discipline
- Training is nonexistent. Only training is training that new hires get. No ongoing training to staff or supervisors. There is a training budget that goes largely unused. When used it's for the useless "Fred Prior"
- The Director routinely instructs the supervisor not to follow the "PD" policy and often gives instructions that conflict with the "PD's" policies
- The operations manager made it difficult for the supervisor's to supervise his "girlfriend". When this was brought to the attention of Director Andrew Jaffe, he took no action
- The operation manager does not manage the center schedule, training or administrative issues
- Calls for service not being entered or dispatched properly (Goodrich Street)

I could fill several pages with problems with the Public Safety Dispatch Center. Director Andrew Jaffe does not have the background, training or experience to run the center.
- His rank when he retired from the Police Department was Sergeant. He was primarily and administrative supervisor who never supervised more than two or three people
- Jaffe was able to compile a $90,000 plus pension without working one road job, bar job, concert, civic center concert, etc
- He earned his pension doing administrative duties. He is now making $130,000 as Director of the Dispatch center
- He is now the highest paid employee in the City. He does not live in the City and does not plan on moving here.
- He was and is a political appointee from the Eddie Perez regime

Director Andrew Jaffee lack of management background is the problem. Political appointees generally lacks the experience or training for the job that they are appointed to. In two years Director Jaffee will be eligible for the embers package ( life time paid medical) for mismanaging the Public Safety Dispatch Center


Postings like this may not portray the full picture, but it seems to at least identify a problem that helps point in the direction for more research. Do you think the "writer" would be welcomed with open arms by the Administration for identifying problems ?

As a sidenote, I have heard Mayor Segarra state in public on several occasions that as a condition of Jaffee's appointment, he agreed to move into Hartford within six months of his appointment. Mr. Mayor, has that happened?

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

THE "ANONYMOUS" DEBATE.....ONCE AGAIN

A regular reader of the blog, Thom Page, posted the following comments earlier today: "Kevin : Here we are with the pros and cons of anonymous comments again. I think you would do yourself, the City and everyone a favor if you just stopped them and instead let those anonymous commenters tell you what information they have, and you post it yourself under your own name - that would instill some accountability. If your commenters won't put their names on things they say(and be accountable), you can get the information out to the public easily by putting out these presumably valuable pieces of information as regular postings on your blog, just like print journalists.

It's time for all this legitimate and necessary information to have at least a semblance of credibility, especially since it is so relevant to the City's health and future. Chief Roberts and everyone else who complains about anonymous postings have a legitimate point."

Thom, I have to totally disagree with you. When I asked myself "where do I begin?" to reply to your comment, I decided to begin at the very beginning of the reasons that resulted in the creation of this blog. I never had a strong desire to get into the realm of "journalism", and I still don't, although I have been told by "real" journalists that by default I guess I am now considered a journalist.

The reason for this blog being created was a direct result of the Perez investigation and Grand Jury. During that time I guess I developed a reputation as someone that could be trusted with confidential information and capable and willing to protect the identity of my sources. Once people were comfortable with that, the information began coming to me on a regular basis.

Although I had a good working relationship with the investigators from the Law Enforcement community, both state and federal, that were working on the Perez case I was still concerned with being able to protect my sources. I felt first hand the retaliation from Perez and his camp and I was set on protecting those providing information to me from suffering any retaliation.

A close friend of mine, who is actually a professional journalist, attended a conference regarding investigative journalism and when he returned he immediately told me I needed to start a blog. I thought he was crazy and I told him I had no desire to get involved with a blog. He knew my concern for protecting my sources and as a safety factor, he also knew who many of my sources were as well as the information they were providing to me.

He was also provided with copies of documents that were provided to me so that there was always a second copy. Since I trusted him, we had an arrangement that none of the information could be used for any story or for any other reason other than an extreme emergency. I know that sounds like James Bond cloak and dagger, but it was the reality of dealing with a situation like this.

So getting back to the reason for the blog. During his semainars, apparently it was explained that bloggers are now considered legitimate journalists and because of that, Federal rulings have protected bloggers and their sources under the "shield laws" extended to "real journalists". In some ways, that would prevent me from being forced to divulge my sources.

So the blog was started. The information continued to come in during and after the Grand Jury, through the trial and even after the conviction of Perez. By that time I had developed a reputation, I guess, as someone that was not afraid to put his neck on the line as well as protecting the identity of those that were providing information to me.

You have to understand that Hartford Municipal Government is still in a bunker mentality, corruption is still alive and well, and people are willing to protect their part of the corrupt operations at almost any cost.

Hartford Police Chief Daryl Roberts once remarked to me that he would love to know who my sources are. I replied back "that's the beauty of it Chief, you never will". I didn't mean that to be obnoxious, but that is why people talk to me, because I understand the great personal risk they are taking to both their careers and their reputations by trying to do what is right and expose issues that are damaging our City.

Thom, although you assume that all of the comments are anonymous, I have actually suggested to posters that have posted under their real names or e-mail address that they let me post it anonymously. In a perfect world, people would be free to speak their mind and if it exposed a problem, you would hope that they would be thanked for their efforts to make Hartford a better place. You know as well as I do that is not the mindset in Hartford.

Individuals who address problems openly and through proper channels, face almost immediate and definite retaliation from their supervisors in many cases. How much do you think the "outside investigation" currently underway at HPD will cost us as taxpayers, not to mention the resulting lawsuits and claims from those who it will most likely show were retaliated against.

I realize there are those that have no problem spewing venom under the title of "Anonymous", but I also realize the importance of good people being able to provide valuable information to affect change under the moniker of "Anonymous". Would it make a difference if I still allowed the "crazies" to post as "Anonymous" but ask those sane people with valuable information to post as "Mark Twain" or some other name. This is the internet and any adult with any common sense has to wiegh the value they put on "Anonymous" comments.

I could have 50 people posting tomorrow under the name of "Thom Page", "Richard Nixon" or "Thomas Jefferson" and unless all posters are required to purchase a verified membership and be provided with a password or some other security measure, let me know how to correct that or verify that they actually aren't "Anonymous" capable of typing another name. That is the reality of the Internet and the age of technology we live in.

But, when I weigh that against the value of the change that has been brought about by the information uncovered by this blog, I will decide in favor of allowing the postings "anonymously". I will continue to provide a venue to force change.

Think back about the change that has been a direct result of this blog. Let's start with the removal of a corrupt Mayor and his eventual conviction on criminal charges. Jeff Cohen was the first to report on that when he was still with the Courant, but as the Grand Jury proceeded, much of the information provided to investigators was a result of "Anonymous" posters who were put in touch with State's Attorney Inspectors.

And don't forget the antics of John Rose and information posted here that warranted FOI requests that Rose refused. Several of those requests and subsequent FOI hearings resulted in fines against Rose and others. The issue of City credit card abuse was was given to me by an "Anonymous" source. Although they had tried to go through the proper channels, nothing was done and nothing changed. When I got to work on it, it proved to be a huge embarassment to City officials. The end result was that it was estimated that in the first year after exposing the problem, the City of Hartford saved at least $1.5 million by addressing the misuse of City credit cards.

The "Anonymous" source that originally exposed that probably would have been out of a job if they posted under their real name.

More recently do you recall the sexual harassment aleegations that resulted in the removal opf the Director of MHIS? That would have never happened if the affected City employess did not have the confidence in theis blog to reach out to me and ask for help after their request through the proper channels fell on deaf ears for weeks.

The "anonymous" poster that turned me on to $2.7 million in bonuses paid out to Board of Education employees probably would not have been rewarded as the employee of the month if they posted under their real name.

We see the retaliation everyday throughout City governmwent.

Ask Willie Edwards what happens when you do your job and question someone dumping at the landfill transfer station without a permit. The retribution is swift and prompt.

Ask Lt. Marco Tedeschi, the Advocate at HPD, what happens when you voice your opinion and refuse to railroad another Lieutenant into a demotion through a sham hearing orchestrated through the Corporation Counsel and Command staff at HPD. A transfer will be swift and prompt.

Ask former Deputy Chief Dan Nolan from the Hartford Fire Department what happens when you refuse to buy into hirings forced by a corrupt Mayor for politically connected "recruits" who apparently aren't qualified to perform the duties required. That one is simple since it has already played out. You get fired, the Labor Board decides in his favor and the City is still willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to protect and preserve corruption.

The list could go on and on, but for you and I Thom, the answer is simple. We work for ourselves and it is not an issue to identify ourselves.It is not so simple for the others who still work in what remains a corrupt system and where they are not routinely rewarded for doing the right thing, but instead almost certainly will face retaliation. It saddens me, but unfortunately it is a fact of life in Hartford.

In the meantime, I will continue to accept "Anonymous" comments, I will continue to accept e-mails from Donald duck, Mickey Mouse or anyone else and I will continue to accept calls from blocked numbers. As a reasoning, thinking human being, I can make my own determination as to those I think have value and those that I think do not.

Every reader of this blog has the same ability. I will still continue to moderate postings as I see fit. And until such time as we have an Administration that realizes the importance of "whistleblowers" and actually protects them rather than allow them to be retaliated against, I encourage them all to keep contacting me