I guess that is what some are thinking because I haven't sunk my teeth into the Segarra Administration as I had with the previous Perez Administration. So far my posts have been relatively positive regarding Mayor Segarra's first few weeks in office.
A couple of comments today somewhat aggravated me suggesting I was giving Mayor Segarra a free pass and that a transfer of Sixto Lazu from the Mayor's Office to a permanent civil service position was ripe with cronyism.But if nothing else, that's one of the things I like about the blog and the comments is that I can hear the other side of issues and respond. Many bloggers don't allow comments, especially anonymous comments, but if I can't defend my position or if I realize I am wrong, I'll say that.
Here's what "Don" thought in his comment:
"The interviews and the final decision seem to have been made without any influence from the Mayor."
Yeah, whatever.
We've been told about new hirings for the Police, Fire and even Parks. I don't recall seeing a posting for a position at the Town Clerks office.
How many people did the town clerk interview? Who were the final candidates? Are there more openings? What is his starting salary?
The Mayor has already stated that he will not be here more than the 18 months remaining in the term. This smells of someone taking care of an ally.
Also, is this person related to Edward Lazu?
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
July 28, 2010 1:36 PM
I posted my response also in the comments section, but I need more space to vent, I mean explain.
I'll be the first to say that if I was a first time reader of the blog, I'd think that the postings were overly favorable of Mayor Segarra since he took over. I like to think that my blog is guiding the actions of the new Mayor. I would hope that his first order of business each morning is to read my blog and see what suggestions I have for him and if I approved of his work for the previous day. I'd like to think that.
Unfortunately I know that isn't true. If it were, Sarah Barr would be on the unemployment line, followed by Lillian Ruiz, Erick Jackson, Lydia Rosario and a few others. Chief Roberts would have a new contract, Dan Nolan would be back to work and Matt Secore would once again be walking a beat after signing an agreement to be satisfied with getting his job back less the 90 day suspension ordered by the Labor Board.
With that being said, most people would have to admit that our former Mayor, now convicted felon, Eddie A. Perez lowered the performance bar so low that anything Mayor Segarra does will make him look good. But I think that in the first couple weeks he has taken the challenge of inheriting a corrupt, and what many considered a racketeering operation, and attempting to rebuild and restore confidence in Hartford.
For some reason this blog has developed a reputation as being fair and honest. I have had people call me and apologize because they just assumed I would be all one sided and then they read the blog and realized I actually go out of my way to try to be fair.
I would hope that those that see me as a "mouthpiece" for Mayor Segarra, and even Mayor Segarra if he actually reads the blog, will realize that. Right now I think Mayor Segarra is in the honeymoon period from a shotgun wedding. Does he need to remove more people from City Hall that are holdovers from a corrupt administration? Absolutely. Am I happy with the speed that he has moved so far? No, definitely not, but I'm not the Mayor.
Does that mean a month or two from now that I will still be so supportive of Mayor Segarra if Perez kool-aid drinkers are still lingering in City Hall. Probably not, I think that every day people like Sarah Barr (sorry Sarah but you know the respect level for you is zero)are still wandering around City Hall undermines any rebuilding of Hartford's image.
Most people never trusted Sarah Barr when she was spouting the "Gospel of Perez" and to see her anywhere near Mayor Segarra she spreads her stain onto the Segarra Administration. I know the Mayor can not remove everyone immediately, it would be a very lonely place if all of the Perez cronies and puppets were gone, all those empty desks. I also think that the Mayor realizes that everyday some of the Perez holdouts are allowed into City Hall the efforts to undermine his turnaround continue.
I do think it is important that we give Segarra some leeway for a short time to see what he does. We tolerated a Mayor that we knew was corrupt and potentially a criminal for several years. Am I willing to tone it down for a couple months to see what Mayor Segarra does? Absolutely, so far the indications are that he is moving in the right direction.
Back to Lazu now. As with Eddie Perez, it got to the point that even if he did something that could be seen as positive for Hartford, he was suspect because of his reputation. He could have walked across the Connecticut River and people would have thought there was fraud involved. Unfortunately that cloud hasn't completely lifted and the suspicions continue.
Look at the facts though. Sixto Lazu has been loyal and made Mayor Segarra look good as a Councilperson through his organization skills and the things he did everyday behind the scenes to keep Councilman Segarra on top of things. In transitioning to the Mayor's Office, Sixto Lazu was the one person Mayor Segarra was very familiar with and who Segarra could count on to "have his back". Segarra was entering a den full of wolves loyal to a corrupt Mayor, who would eat the new Mayor alive if they could.
Does it make sense to anyone that Segarra would pull strings to get a job outside of his office for the one person he knew was loyal? Maybe 15 months from now as he prepared to leave office to make way for a newly elected Mayor, but not now as he needs people around him who have his back.
And it is not that I "focus" on Torres or Winch. If I should hear of the Mayor taking any trips such as the jaunt to San Antonio that Councilwoman Winch took and billed to a city that is one step away from bankruptcy, I'll make sure to post it. In case yo don't remember, it's the trip that she "forgot" how much it cost until I posted all the vouchers here. Somehow I doubt Mayor Segarra will repeat her stunts.
And read back a week or two about Hector Robles. I took a lot of heat on that because Hector is actually a friend of mine, with comments like "with friends like you who needs enemies". But in the end it is the truth and that will most likely become quite evident in the not too distant future. So not even friends skate, and a new Mayor won't either. But keep the comments coming.
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