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Sunday, October 13, 2013

WHY BRUCE RUBENSTEIN NEEDS TO GO

The answer is simple, because Hartford's Deputy Corporation Counsel L. John Van Norden says so. Shouldn't that be enough for us? L. John says so.

It is not good enough for me. I can look at the situation and see that since Rubenstein has been appointed to the Hartford Internal Audit commission, times have become very difficult for Van Norden's bosses, Saundra Kee-Borges and Pedro Segarra.. Too bad.

The facts are the facts and the fact is that the Internal Audit Commission has gotten over a severe case of "low T" since Bruce was appointed by Hartford's Treasurer Adam Cloud. The Audit Commission has grown a spine and has realized they do not answer to Hartford City Hall. They are there to keep City on the right path to best serve the people of Hartford.

The Audit Commission is actually producing some very good reports, identifying problems and forcing change. That  is what they were designed to do. I think it is hitting too close to home for the City Hall power brokers as their incompetence is being identified publicly now  and really causing people to question what is going on. The Keney Park Tree Audit should have everyone shaking their heads and questioning "how could this happen?'.

 Are we really supposed to believe that no one in City government ever questioned the presence of logging trucks and equipment traversing the Golf Course  or no one noticed hundreds of large Oak stumps across the course.

Was it really up to Rubenstein and the Auditors to identify abuse of City vehicles and force the establishment of a solid vehicle use policy? Wasn't the Mayor's former Chief of Staff stealing his City vehicle enough to get the Administration to realize they had a problem. Wasn't the fact that there was apparently no centralized list of who even had City Vehicles troubling enough to do something?

Did it really take the crash of two City vehicles to get something started, one accident definitely alcohol related and the other questionably alcohol related, as well as a questionable time line before the accident occurred? Did it really have to fall on the Rubenstein and the  Audit Commission to be the heavies?

 The obvious answer is yes. In a City that is spiraling out of control due to a lack of leadership and management, I am appreciative that we do have a few people willing to pit their necks on the line to protect us. Hartford's Auditors Patrick Campbell and Craig Trujillio I am sure are having some sleepless nights. Even though they are supposed to be autonomous from City Hall, their paychecks still come from Hartford City Hall.

They are doing audits and filing reports that are not pleasing City Hall ,I am sure of that.

In Van Nordens letter below he essentially telling Hartford Treasurer Adam Cloud, "get rid of Rubenstein or else" . Cloud is the appointing Authority  for Rubenstein to the Internal Audit Commission  as authorized under the Hartford Municipal Code.

In the letter, Van Norden threatens the use of a "quo warranto" action if Cloud doesn't comply with his demands. In the United States today, quo warranto usually arises in a civil case as a plaintiff's claim (and thus a "cause of action" instead of a writ) that some governmental or corporate official was not validly elected to that office or is wrongfully exercising powers beyond (or ultra vires) those authorized by statute or by the corporation's charter.

Where is the threat for Segarra's Department heads who should fall under the same type of action when they breach their contracts and aren't residing in Hartford as required by the Municipal Code?Apparently they aren't challenging the Mayor's competence and powers the same way as Rubenstein and the Commission are.

Van Norden seems to be concerned regarding a possible Conflict of Interest of Rubenstein being on the commission, yet conflicts have never seemed to be in the sights of Corporation Counsel in the past. Where was the concern when the previous Chairman of the Internal Audit Commission, who by the way resigned shortly after Rubenstein arrived on the scene. The Chairman was a high ranking official with Webster Bank. A financial institution that the City of Hartford did business with.

Why was there no concern about a conflict there. Maybe because the Internal Audit Commission were the quiet lapdogs they were supposed to be and never stirred the pot , never challenging the Mayor or City operations. The focus was more on whether or not the nickels in the Cashiers office were being stored in the correct tray in the cash register. The scope of the investigations conducted in the last six months have been huge and requiring a large amount of staff hours, but they are rising to the challenge and doing some great work

If van Norden feels he has the grounds for his "quo warranto" action, I say bring it on and let a judge decide. I somehow feel that will be another mark in the defeat column for Van Norden and his legal "career".

Here is Van Nordens letter to the Honorable Adam Cloud, Treasurer of the City of Hartford.


Tuesday, October 8, 2013

SCHENECTADY DEJA VU: L.JOHN, YOU'RE FIRED

In what may be history repeating itself, a resolution is being introduced for Tuesday night's Council meeting to remove Deputy Corporation Counsel L. John Van Norden from his position.

Van Norden had previously left Schenectady , New York under a cloud of suspicion as their City Attorney. You can read that story here.

The resolution is being introduced by Councilman Larry Deutsch and sources are telling me that other Democratic Council people will possibly be signing on to the resolution. I am also being told five votes required for the passage are probably a good bet.

Van Norden has had his issues on numerous occasions recently for intemperate behavior in dealing with the Council and related City business including an  e-mail describing Councilman Raul Dejesus as apparently having mental health  issues.

Here is the proposed resolution:


CAPTION THIS

Take a couple minutes if you have time and go to courant.com and add a caption to the drawing above by clicking here


My thought, "This is Hartford, they all said they had the green light" or maybe "Sandy, don't
forget the Crabshack free drink coupons"

HPD HIRING DRIVE

Please share: The City of Hartford is recruiting for Police Officers. Applicants must be 21 years of age by January 8, 2014, must be a citizen of the U.S. and must have a high school diploma or GED and a driver’s license. Extensive testing is required. Hartford residents will have 10% added to their passing grades. Applications will be accepted until Friday, November 22, 2013. For more information or to apply, visit the Human Resources Department on the ground floor of Hartford City Hall, 550 Main Street.

SAVE THE DATE


NO PARKING AREAS FOR SATURDAY MARATHON

 
 
PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THE FOLLOWING PARKING RESTRICTIONS, AVOID GETTING YOUR VEHICLE TOWED
 
pLEASE ASSIST US IN ADVERTISING THIS PARKING RESTRICTION NOTIFICATION

 

 

2013 ING HARTFORD MARATHON

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2013

NO PARKING AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS:

TOWING OPERATIONS WILL BEGIN BY 5:00 AM

STREETs WILL RE-OPEN AT 2:00 PM

 

MAIN STREET: both sides from PEARL STREET to PARK STREET

 

WASHINGTON STREET: both sides between CAPITAL AVENUE AND PARK STREET

 

PARK STREET: both sides ENTIRE LENGTH

 

LAUREL STREET: both sides between PARK STREET AND CAPITOL AVENUE

 

CAPITOL AVENUE: both sides between LAUREL STREET AND WASHINGTON STREET

 

LAFAYETTE STREET: both sides between CAPITOL AVENUE AND RUSS STREET

 

RUSS STREET: both sides between LAFAYETTE STREET AND WASHINGTON STREET

 

HUDSON STREET: both sides between BUCKINGHAM STREET AND PULASKI CIRCLE

 

WELLS STREET: BOTH SIDES ENTIRE LENGTH

 

JEWELL STREET: BOTH SIDES ENTIRE LENGTH

 

FORD STREET: BOTH SIDES ENTIRE LENGTH

 

PEARL STREET: BOTH SIDES ENTIRE LENGTH

 

CHURCH STREET: both sides between MAIN STREET AND TRUMBULL STREET

 

MARKET STREET: BOTH SIDES ENTIRE LENGTH

 

SHELDON STREET: both sides between CHARTER OAK AVENUE AND PROSPECT STREET

 

ANTHENEUM SQUARE:  both sides entire length

 

PROSPECT STREET:  both sides ENTIRE LENGTH

 

CHARTER OAK AVENUE: both sides between PROSPECT AVENUE AND MAIN STREET

 

CHARTER OAK AVENUE: both sides between SHELDON STREET AND VAN DYKE

 

WYLLYS STREET: both sides between MAIN STREET AND WETHERSFIELD AVENUE

 

BUCKINGHAM STREET: both sides entire length

 

WHITNEY STREET: both sides between ASYLUM AVENUE AND FARMINGTON AVENUE

 

FARMINGTON AVENUE: both sides between WHITNEY STREET AND ASYLUM AVENUE

 

BROAD STREET: between ASYLUM AVENUE AND CAPITOL AVENUE

 

ASYLUM AVENUE: from BROAD STREET TO FORD STREET

 

ASYLUM AVENUE: from PROSPECT AVENUE TO WHITNEY STREET

 

CENTRAL ROW: BOTH SIDES ENTIRE LENGTH

 

STATE STREET: BOTH SIDES ENTIRE LENGTH