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Friday, June 2, 2017

WILL CONNECTICUT'S COMPTROLLER STEP UP?

The State of Connecticut is at a budget stalemate, unable to pass a State budget before their adjournment next week. That stalemate will most likely require additional money for a special Legislative session(s), adding to the State's deficit.

The State of California had a similar dilemma a few years ago. The California Comptroller came up with a simple solution. No California Legislator would receive a paycheck until a budget  was in place.

California's budget crisis was quickly solved and a budget was passed promptly,

 Maybe Connecticut should try that.

Here is an example of why our government budgets are a mess.
http://www.yankeeinstitute.org/2017/06/state-representative-from-near-bankrupt-hartford-draws-teachers-salary-while-working-full-time-for-union/

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

I NEED SOME INSPIRATION

I am disgusted. Quite frankly I am sick of what our City has become. It hasn't just happened under our current Mayor. The incompetence and poor leadership has gone on for some time now, and we just sit back and take it.

I have spent most of my adult life as a resident of the City of Hartford. I have become used to the all too often question of "Why the hell do you stay there?". I have been a victim of crime, I have witnessed more crime as a Hartford resident than most people see in a lifetime. But yet I choose to call Hartford my home. A city that I have embraced with open arms and fought hard to see change.

Hartford is my home .It is sickening to see my next door neighbor contemplating a move out of the City that I love and deliver a devastating blow to my hometown. It is even more devastating that the so called leaders of our City and State could be so ignorant of their surroundings to be caught off guard of the move. I warned the Mayor and his Chief of Staff over a year ago when a source at Aetna told me that a move was imminent.

I was aggravated last fall when a high ranking official at Aetna told me personally that their communications with the Mayor were "virtually nonexistent". Not a good way to treat anyone. especially a large corporate neighbor like Aetna.

Although Hartford has its warts and failings , it is still my home. I am extremely fortunate to have met so many people that I probably would have never met if I chose to settle elsewhere. My good friends, like Hyacinth Yennie who has been there to prop me up for years, even during her own trials and tribulations. If there was ever anyone to win the award for Hartford cheerleader, it is Hyacinth and her energy for the people of Hartford is incredible.

I would love to start naming everyone but I know I will miss many, But a few keep coming to mind.

Bob and Candy Killian I met relatively late in my Hartford residency. Judge Killian and his wife are two of the finest people I have ever met. Bob and Candy have both adopted me and have taken me under their wings.  Bob has taught me valuable lessons in a relatively short time about humility and thoughtful reasoning. Even occasionally having to put the brakes on me and saying "are you going to let me finish or do you want to talk?". I have not met anyone yet that knows more about Hartford and its history and is able to tell the story with anecdotes that only a lifetime involved in Hartford can provide.

Alyssa Peterson is someone else that has an extreme love for Hartford. Often misinterpreted due to her strong sense of right and wrong, often called a naysayer, but she serves a purpose in keeping Hartford from going off the rails regularly. Alyssa also has an uncanny knack or sixth sense of knowing when I land in the ER. She has a way of convincing hospital staff she is family to get her way beyond the locked hallways.

I have befriended my share of underdogs also, and they are far from anything close to an underdog to me, they are some of the most genuine decent people, if anyone took the time to appreciate them. Lt Rob Allan from HPD, Deputy Chief Dan Nolan from HFD, and quite a few others that are probably better unnamed because they still have time left to work at HFD and HPD. Sadly, Lt Allan announced today that he is calling it a career and moving on from HPD.

People like Shirley Surgeon, Angel Arce and Doug McCrory all have opened my eyes to life in Hartford and Hartford's odd way of politics and have helped me appreciate all that our City has to offer.

Chief Rovella is also someone that has taught me a lot about our City and both his and Chief Freeman's vision and planning to try to keep Hartford a great place have been underrated. One  major thing Chief Rovella has taught me is that when I am really pissed, stay away from the keyboard, take the time to breathe deeply before the venom starts flowing through my keyboard. That is why tonight's posting is not what many people expected when they called me today The upset and the venom can wait until tomorrow

And so finally, for anyone I didn't mention above, you already know if you mean something  special to me. And I wouldn't change my experiences  in Hartford for anything.

The video below is something I found on youtube tonight, and pretty much has nothing to do with the posting above, but I found it inspirational, enjoy,  and keep fighting for Hartford. If we keep trying, sooner or later we will get it right and elect some decent leaders for our City.


LEAVING THE SINKING SHIP

The exodus continues from the beleaguered Bronin Administration. The latest to jump ship is the Director of the Emergency Services Telecommunications Department, Clayton Northgraves. Northgraves has apparently informed Mayor Luke Bronin that he will be leaving.

Northgraves took over the troubled agency in November 2014 and restored management to a City Department  that was frequently criticized for its inefficiency under its previous Director, retired HPD Sergeant Andrew Jaffee.

Northgraves is only the latest in Hartford Department heads that have parted ways with the Bronin Administration in the 18 months the Mayor has been in office.

Northgraves was previously with the Town of Enfield and the City of New Have in 2014n before coming to Hartford.

In addition to Northgraves there have also been numerous departures from the Police and Fire Departments in the last several days adding to the leadership void in City Departments. Much of this is being caused by the indecisiveness of the Administration and the concern over the course of Hartford's future and the lack of any structural change to put Hartford back on a solid foundation.

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

SECOND GUESSING HFD

Last week, comments were posted questioning a training seminar that was conducted by the Hartford Fire Department for some of its members.

I haven't bothered Chief Freeman since he is out on paternity leave after the birth of his second daughter last week. Congratulations to the Freeman's on the arrival of their daughter.

I have spoken to several other people familiar with or who had attended the training. The course was regarding "Situational Awareness Training". From what I understand, the course was taught by a Fire Chief from Minnesota who was in the area to teach a course to the US Navy. The City was able to get a reduced rate on the training since he was already in the State of Connecticut for the Naval course.

Chief Freeman may not have risen up through the ranks of HFD and because of that may not be accepted by everyone at HFD. As someone who has observed HFD from the outside for a while now, I have to say I think the HFD is under the best leadership it has seen in quite a while. We aren't hearing of the discipline problems and chaos we have seen under the previous few Chiefs.

Chief Freeman is functioning under some of the most difficult circumstances seen in years. Between financial constraints and staffing problems, the HFD is still called upon every day to provide Fire Services for the City of Hartford and its residents. For anyone not aware of the situations facing Public Safety in Hartford, both Police and Fire are headed for a definite crisis due to the lack of commitment from City Hall.

The number for both Police and Fire are dropping steadily and they are not being replaced to keep ahead of the attrition. Sources at both HFD and HPD are telling me that those numbers will likely get much worse after July 1st as large numbers of Police Officers and Firefighters retire or leave for other jobs. Much of that attrition is being forced by the uncertainty and insincerity from Mayor Bronin and City Hall..

One high ranking HFD source told me that the training was held to help offset the damage of the upcoming exodus. The person explained that the loss of many high rankling officers is going to require the promotion of many people at HFD to important command positions The source made it clear that many of those people "were not ready for the promotions", but that everything was being done to prepare the future Captains and Deputy Chiefs to be ready.

Even though they may not be "ready", the promotions will be necessary to provide the Command Structure necessary for day to day operations at HFD.

Chief Freeman has had the vision and foresight to prepare for the possible disaster caused by City Hall and take the necessary steps to mitigate the impending disaster. Although some commenter's called the training a "waste of money", it seems to me like it will be money well spent if it keeps our firefighters safe with proper leadership in the field.

For those that claimed they learned nothing from the training, one source who attended the training told me that if anyone attended and learned nothing, "they were either asleep or not paying attention"

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

CHIEF ROVELLA SAYS NO TO O/T FOR MAYOR'S MEETING

Last night I posted about an informational meeting to be held Thursday by Mayor Bronin to discuss concerns over the Police Department's ongoing negotiations. Chief Rovella's informational e-mail was met with an e-mail from the HPD Union President encouraging Officers to put in for overtime or compensatory time if they attended.. I posted that I felt it was wrong for anyone to consider putting in to be paid for attending the meeting.

Here is a link to that  posting  http://wethepeoplehartford.blogspot.com/2017/05/wrong-wrong-wrong-let-me-just-say-it.html

This morning, Chief Rovella clarified in an email to all HPD personnel  that "by no means will the Police Department  pay overtime or credit Compensatory hours for attendance"

I haven't heard from anyone today that was upset or planning to put in for overtime for attending. In fact most were encouraged by Bronin's attempt to clarify information, or misinformation, regarding HPD's ongoing negotiations.



From: "Rovella, James" >
Date: May 24, 2017 at 9:26:02 AM EDT
To: Police Dept - Sworn >, Police Dept - Civilian >
Subject: RE: Conversation with the Mayor

Everyone,

For clarification purposes only, the conversation with the Mayor is not mandatory attendance, it is in fact optional. The Mayor is making himself available to employees of different departments, including the Police Department, to respond directly to your questions and address your concerns. I  picked one of the earlier blocks of time available.

By no means will the Police Department pay Overtime or credit Compensatory hours for attendance.

I hope to see as many people that can attend tomorrow at Quirk beginning at 4:00 pm.

As always, best regards.

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, LET ME JUST SAY IT AGAIN TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS WRONG


It is not too often you will hear me singing the praises of Mayor Bronin. I just don't usually agree with his management style or his communication skills, or maybe I should say lack of communication skills.

But when he does something right, I want to be fair and say it.

Bronin's interaction with our City's Unions has been terrible. Much of it accomplished through his condescending management style and the lack of communication skills I previously mentioned.

 Maybe Luke has started to realize that he is not always necessarily the smartest person in the room and he actually wants to listen.

To that end, Bronion has apparently offered to meet with the various Union's membership for an informational session. The invitation to all personnel at HPD was extended on behalf of the Mayor through an e-mail from Chief Rovella earlier today.

Apparently the Mayor "is making himself available" for employees to ask questions and for the Mayor to address their concerns. If this is a sincere effort, it might actually produce some results.The meeting has been scheduled for Thursday May 25th from 4:00 to 5:30PM at the Quirk Auditorium (also home of the Hartford Police Academy)

The media apparently is not open to the Media, according to Rovella's email.

Sadly though, Chief Rovella's e-mail was met a couple hours later by an e-mail from Hartford Police Union President John Szewczyk, Jr. urging his membership to attend. That request was followed by a reminder from the Union President to his membership to "not forget to put in for overtime/comp time" for all off duty personnel who choose to attend.

Being paid to attend  an off duty informational session is not a show of good faith to be partners in working on the City's financial problems. I am sure many of the Union's members have questions to ask directly of Bronin and may actually put some of their fears at rest.

City employees need to understand that they have had a good deal for many years and now it is time to bring them into line with private sector employees. No where in the private sector would attendance in Union meetings be allowed on Company time and definitely not while being compensated with overtime pay.

President Szewczyk, your efforts to obtain a reasonable contract for your membership have been applauded by many here on this very blog. Urging your members to put in for time and a half pay to ask questions , and get honest answers , hopefully, from the Mayor, should be reconsidered to continue building on goodwill with both City Hall and the community .