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Tuesday, August 6, 2013

MR. MAYOR, JUST SAY "NO"

New York State Police have purchased over 600 of the Chevy Tahoe PPV Police vehicle, aren't they good enough for Hartford? Councilman Kennedy apparently says no.
 
 
I have to wonder if anyone reads or pays attention to Hartford's Charter. It  keeps becoming clearer and clearer that neither the Mayor or the Hartford City Council understand the theory of "checks and balances".

 The Mayor, whether he acts like it or not, is the Chief Executive of the City of Hartford. He is supposed to be responsible for hiring and firing Department Heads. Day to day operations are his responsibility and the Department heads are intended to answer directly to the Mayor.

The Court of Common Council is the legislative arm of the City. They are not intended to micromanage day to day operations of any Department. We hope that the Mayor appoints professional department heads but the Council has no control over that , other than to exercise the power given to them under the Charter to hold a hearing into a Department head they feel is not performing and by a 6 vote majority, they could remove any Department head

Can you imagine any State Representative barking orders to the Commissioner of State Police as to what cars they can order?. No, they approve the budget and let the people you hire as experts do what they have the knowledge to do. They are legislative not executive....checks and balances

No where in the Charter does it give the council the right to define how money they budget is spent or to question the size of engines that the police Chief or the Department deem fit to order in in new cruisers.

The Hartford City Council can not and should not be allowed to dictate the day to day operations of any City Department not Fire, not DPW and definitely not Police, that is why we went to a strong Mayor form of Government, whether Mayor Segarra realizes it or not.

The ordering of new police vehicles is currently caught in a quagmire of bureaucracy created by a Mayor that doesn't know his place and apparently by a Council President that is not willing to put his Council members in their place. I have already spoke with the Council President so I know he will not be happy about my opinion, but none the less, he is in theory the leader of the Council and is responsible for maintaining control and seeing that the business of the people of Hartford is done effectively

Micromanaging the Police Department is neither productive or allowable.

If the Council feels that the operation of the Police Department is not effective, then follow the Charter and conduct hearings and remove the Police Chief. I would be sure to count the votes clearly on that one, because I would bet it wouldn't happen. It is time to knock of the hidden agendas and personality conflicts.

The issue regarding comp time and where it is allocated is purely in the purview of the Chief. He is there everyday and I would hope is well aware of where his coverage is needed. If the Council isn't going to properly fund the needs as the Chief sees fit, comp time is a necessity.

Saturday nights homicide on Union Place is a perfect example. Many of the Officers that staff extra activities such as those around the bars at closing, those keeping order in Keney Park and Colts Park on weekends are there strictly because of comptime. We know what happens when they aren't there, the stabbings and drug use in Keney Park died off real quick when the parks are staffed on weekends by officers on comptime, imagine if no one was keeping order there.

Two items on the Operation Management and Budget  Committee are very troubling to me because it clearly shows that the Council is overstepping its bounds, and no one is reigning them in.  A strong Mayor would clearly know his power and use the checks and balances to set the Council straight. A "strong Mayor" would send a clear message: The Police Chief answers to me, I assign him to run the Department, now back off and do your own job".

The sad part though is that much of Councilman Kennedy's information is inaccurate. As you can see from the video below, the Tahoe PPV's actually have been tested and proven to get better mileage than the previously used Ford Crown Victoria's and there are no Corvette engines in any HPD vehicles. 8cylinders yes, Corvette...no.

Many Departments, including the New York State Police have tested the Tahoe PPV and made the decision to purchase them. The New York State Police have purchased over 600 of the vehicles and I would bet they researched that choice to death before cutting the Purchase Order.

There are professionals that are paid very well to research these choices and act in the best interest of the City. I would like to know how many hours Councilman Kennedy has spent researching the vehicles or how many of GM's tutorial videos he has watched? Has he ever even ridden in the Tahoe PPV? And the Ford Taurus he mentions. You will find that most police departments are learning the hard way that by the time you put the "cage" between the front and back seat and all the equipment in the car, the Chevy is more accommodating , from what I have seen and been told

In the meantime, HPD's fleet of vehicles to be purchased July 1st have not even been ordered yet as the department is short of operating cruisers for patrol. Even more interesting is that the arguments over these cars even exists at all. The cars are not costing the City of Hartford one cent. Yes you read that right, the cars are being purchased through a Capitol  Improvement Grant of  $1.9 million dollars , not a penny of cost to the taxpayers of Hartford through the General Fund.

It seems like a no-brainer to me, cut the red tape, get the Mayor to define the roles and have the Council back off. In the meantime, HPD is being handcuffed by a resolution that has not even been voted on by the Council and doesn't seem to have much support with other Council members




As a  footnote, you can tell a PPV Tahoe over an SSV (4WD) by the rims, the PPV has black steel rims and the SSV has a silver colored steel rim. The PPV also sits lower than an SSV Tahoe and a civilian Tahoe to minimize a roll over in pursuit / code 3 situations. As Councilman Kennedy may not realize, the term "pursuit" applies to all  code 3 lights and siren emergency response, not just "pursuit" as in a car chase . Hartford obviously has code 3 response "pursuit" situations often. A 4WD SUV is not meant for pursuit situations as it is prone to roll over and does not have brakes comparable to the PPV. The PPV Tahoe also comes with "stabilitrack" which is a system GM has put in Tahoe's which helps prevent a roll over if the circumstances exist. The Chevrolet Tahoe is the only full framed pursuit rated SUV on the market. An SSV Tahoe is made for 4WD drive applications, such as off road use, mud, sand, and obviously snow.There is an adequate amount of 4WD vehicles in the HPD FLEET. A truly equipped fleet has both units,as HPD does. This budget year HPD was including two SSV units. Older 4WD patrol expedition supervisor units would be used as spares.

 

DOES ANYONE TAKE PRIDE IN HARTFORD?

Planter or trash container? Front Entrance of Hartford High
"Welcome to Hartford High School" Front Entrance Ramp
Has anyone noticed the shrubs are overgrown by the weeds?
 
 
Lately I have been receiving a lot of calls from parents who have children in Hartford's Schools as well  staff working at  school buildings. The description of the conditions in some of the schools is just saddening. With all of the new schools the City has built, it just seems that there is no concept of actually maintaining the buildings and grounds.

Parents have described the appalling conditions at buildings such as Milner School on Vine Street. The bathrooms are apparently filthy and many students refuse to even use them. Broken glass litters the grounds and cause unsafe conditions for children.

I recently drove around to several school buildings to see for myself.

The attached photos of Hartford High School on Forrest Street make me wonder how to expect children to take pride in their schools when the adults who enter the buildings everyday seem not to. Many of the pictures are within feet of the main entrances and parking lots . Hartford High does not just have one principal, they have three.

I find it hard to believe not one of them has noticed that the weeds are taller than the shrubs. Not one of them has noticed that the "Hartford's Rising Star" planters adorning the front entrance have become trash receptacles rather than planters.

This sends a terrible message to both students and parents as to the education of children and how if we can't even take pride in the buildings, how can we actually think educators will take pride in the education of Hartford's Children.

Finally, in the picture below, Hartford High has been posted in the past week for towing for "trespass tows". I have to ask why and what was the process for selecting the vendor? Did it go out to bid and did they really have to select a West Hartford Company? Are there no predatory towers in Hartford willing to grab the cars of residents that happen to park on school grounds. Grounds that there taxes actually pay for.

Why should a resident that has their car towed for parking on school property on a weekend or any other time when school is not in session have to find a ride to West Hartford to get their car back. Plenty of tow companies operate out of Hartford. It is bad enough that the Board of Education would tow in the first place, but lets find a company that is actually local and pays taxes in Hartford.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

PEDRO STILL DOESN'T GET IT, HERE ARE MY THOUGHTS MAYOR

 
 
It really is sad to see someone that entered office with so much potential spiraling out of Control. Whoever is managing the Segarra message needs to learn that silence is golden. And also realize that at times it is not about the spin, but about acting  like a leader. The only real thing we are hearing about recent racist  incidents is that the City has a "Zero-Tolerance" policy. I guess Zero means different things to different people apparently.

If you actually had a "zero tolerance" policy , why was your Department head already aware of the matter, conducted an investigation that cleared the employee, and  yet you knew nothing about it until I e-mailed your office asking for comment

I don't usually yell at my newspaper, but this mornings Courant article and headline "Hartford Mayor Vows Kupiec's Arrest Won't Degrade Public's Confidence " . Newsflash Mayor, it already has. The moment you took your first spoonful of Caviar on New Year's Ever, that deal was done. Almost everything your Administration has done has eroded the public's confidence. If you don't believe me, lets go for a walk outside of City Hall and listen to your constituents.

Now it is time to stop playing the victim of the media and start acting like a leader that you were elected to be, Mayor. Your decision making has been disastrous. The people around you haven't been much better. How many times does your COO have to be caught misusing public funds before she realizes it is wrong? The buttery nipple thing should have been enough to alter her behavior after the first time she was caught almost 12 years ago. Read more about that here

And as far as you being "extremely angry" as you told the Courant when you found out Kupiec stole his City car back, where was that anger New Year's Eve when he whipped out his City Credit Card to pay for you and your partners dinner as well as the rest of you gluttonous  entourage at Max Downtown. Maybe it was that gastric high you were on after dining on that fine rack of lamb , caviar and champagne. The only thing missing were the cigars, but that probably came later.

Mayor, I find it hard to believe that you are this blind as to what is going on in your administration. You are just getting caught at it now. Can you honestly say that no one at that table at Max's questioned how the bill was being paid, and only in February , after I started requesting documents, that you realized something might be wrong? I don't recall ever walking away from a table at a restaurant without making sure someone was paying the bill.

In the Courant article, you apparently told them "I think the way this matter was handled shows this administration is unwilling to sweep things under the rug," .
You had no clue what was going on until I e-mailed your office asking for a comment. Doesn't it bother you that I know more of what is going on in your City than you know? Haven't you built the relationships that people feel free to come to you with these things.

Or is it that maybe they know nothing will happen because you won't make the difficult decisions , so why bother. Is it any news to you that you have department heads lying to you as to where they live. Small issue I know, but it goes to the sense of betrayal that people you trust have no problem lying to you.

It seems as though you prefer that people tell you that the tie you are wearing looks good, rather than actually giving you the truth.

Another quote from the article "You need someone who's definitely energetic and hard-working, but you also need the wisdom required to make good decisions," Segarra said, "and that often comes from experience."

I am pretty confident that is what many residents were thinking when they voted for YOU. Where is that wisdom to account for your decision making or does it only apply to a Chief of Staff. And I guess it is fair to ask, who selected him in the first place.

I also want to ask, what took so long? Why did you hang on to him for months after the Credit card issue was exposed, and then why did you go out of your way to protect him by keeping him on the payroll until the end of September?

I guess maybe you are hopefully learning from your mistakes. You also told the Courant "Segarra said that when he chooses a new chief of staff, he will seek someone with ample experience.". Well there is a novel idea. Might I add that you also find someone that loves both the City of Hartford and its people and doesn't just see Hartford as a large paycheck or a political stepping stone. And maybe even someone that has made the commitment to actually live here.

It is just sad that people are actually telling me your actions are making the Perez Administration look good.

Cut the salary in half and see how many takers you will have. That will separate the public servants from the leeches  hoping to live off City Hall. And while you are at it , try cutting a few other salaries and see how long those people hang around. Not long I'd bet.

But Pedro, please stop playing the victim here. You don't do martyr well. The people of Hartford are smarter than that. The power is in your hands to change things, now start doing it and quit the lip service, it is growing thin. Do the right thing and  you might just be respected, I think you will like that better than trying so hard to be liked

JARED KUPIEC'S ARREST WARRANT

 
 
The details of the investigation that led to the arrest of Mayor Segarra's former Chief of Staff Jared Kupiec are detailed below. I have a few questions though.

Why was the Larceny 2nd Charge crossed out? Is it acceptable to steal from the City if you were previously in a position of trust?  Also, it seems as though we read about adults all the time who are charged  when they commit a crime with a juvenile in their presence. Is hauling a little league team around in a stolen car not grounds for a charge.

Also, considering the relationship between the Segarra Adninistration and GA 14, might it not have made sense for a States Attorney from another GA to review the warrant to avoid any question of a conflict of interest?

If we are ever going to build trust in our judicial system, justice truly does need to be blind, not just deaf and dumb. Whether the defendant is a highly paid former City Official or a teenager from Garden Street, the treatment should be the same.

Here is the statutory definition of larceny 2nd degree, the charge that was crossed out by the Hartford County States Attorney:

Sec. 53a-123. Larceny in the second degree: Class C felony. (a) A person is guilty of larceny in the second degree when he commits larceny, as defined in section 53a-119, and: (1) The property consists of a motor vehicle, the value of which exceeds ten thousand dollars, (2) the value of the property or service exceeds ten thousand dollars, (3) the property, regardless of its nature or value, is taken from the person of another, (4) the property is obtained by defrauding a public community, and the value of such property is two thousand dollars or less, (5) the property, regardless of its nature or value, is obtained by embezzlement, false pretenses or false promise and the victim of such larceny is sixty years of age or older or is blind or physically disabled, as defined in section 1-1f, or (6) the property, regardless of its value, consists of wire, cable or other equipment used in the provision of telecommunications service and the taking of such property causes an interruption in the provision of emergency telecommunications service.
(b) For purposes of this section, "motor vehicle" means any motor vehicle, construction equipment, agricultural tractor or farm implement or major component part of any of the above. In any prosecution under subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section, evidence of (1) forcible entry, (2) forcible removal of ignition, or (3) alteration, mutilation or removal of a vehicle identification number shall be prima facie evidence (A) that the person in control or possession of such motor vehicle knows or should have known that such motor vehicle is stolen, and (B) that such person possesses such motor vehicle with larcenous intent.
(c) Larceny in the second degree is a class C felony.

  Kupiec Arrest Warrant0002

FIVE DAY SUSPENSION, OR IS IT?

CITY EMERGENCY SERVICES DEPARTMENT SUSPENDS EMPLOYEE FOR RACIAL EPITHET

--- NEWS AND COMMUNITY RELEASE---

 

(August 1, 2013) — On August 1, 2013 Andrew Jaffee, Director of Emergency Services & Telecommunications convened a Loudermill Hearing regarding the racial epithet stated by an Emergency Telecommunications Dispatcher on July 22, 2013.

Based on the findings of the investigation and testimony presented during the hearing, Mr. Jaffee found just cause to issue discipline for violation of the City’s “Workplace Violence Policy” and Conduct Unbecoming an Emergency Telecommunications Dispatcher.

When issuing discipline, the employee’s past performance, the City’s Progressive Discipline guide, and the seriousness and significance of the incident were considered.  As such, the employee will receive a five-day, unpaid suspension to begin Friday, August 2, 2013, and must attend Cultural Diversity training upon his return to work.

In addition, all employees of Emergency Services & Telecommunications will be required to attend Cultural Diversity training.   
 
It is still interesting that the city has not identified the dispatcher who apparently made the remarks. I am not sure why, but my sources have identified him as Andrew Nichols . Sources have also told me that an arrangement was made to actually , in the end, reduce the suspension to only one day rather than the five detailed in the Press Release above.
 
Although I think the suspension and diversity training is probably appropriate, where is the accountability for the department head that never notified the Mayor when the incident occurred. Should an e-mail from me to the Mayor's spokesperson be the first time Segarra was made aware of this? Doesn't a Department head have an obligation to advise the Mayor of a potential public relations disaster looming on the horizon?
 
And if my sources are correct, Jaffe originally denied that a recording of the conversation existed. I guess myself and other reporters kept pushing the issue, knowing that all radio conversations on the City's Radio system were stored on recordings. Late that afternoon the recording surfaced.

BE PROACTIVE

 
 
Summertime is vacation time and vacation's mean home burglaries. I meet people weekly after they have been burglarized and are considering a security system. Typically they are scrambling to gather information for both the police and their insurance company. Not surprisingly, very few people actually have an inventory of their valuable items

It is tough enough for most burglary victims when they walk into their homes and realize they have been victimized, then comes the real work of documenting their loss.

The form below is compliments of the Hartford Police Department Major Crimes Division .  Take a little time and document your valuables, computers, televisions, gaming modules, anything with a serial number that can be documented.

Hopefully you will never need it, but it will make things a lot less stressful if you do.

In the meantime, a security system is never a bad idea.

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