New Haven Independent

posted by: Noteworthy on September 10, 2012  8:26pm

The intelligence of hiring back an employee who didn’t stand up for rational, intelligent HR decisions that ended up costing taxpayers millions and millions of dollars is not just ill-advised. It’s disrespectful of the public and frankly, just not very smart. That DeStefano would appoint the same person who was part of his inner circle, that helped execute a policy of politics over the proper adjudication of HR decisions for an ethics panel is just rotten.

posted by: HhE on September 10, 2012  10:05pm

I’m not going to claim to be surprised.  Disappointed?  Yes, but not surprised.

posted by: Brutus2011 on September 11, 2012  12:44am

Our mayor is a true power-broker.

Time for him to “do something else.”

Problem is—if another becomes mayor-elect, then how can we root out all of the patronage and crony job-holders?

There is no telling how deep the rabbit hole goes.

It really is time for term limits.

And, it really is time to follow the lead of the courageous Chicago teachers.

Time to just say no.

posted by: PH on September 11, 2012  5:46pm

The fact that a landmark, highly contentious Supreme Court case was not decided in Ms. Birgitta’s favor should not have any bearing on a subsequent job.  Let’s not forget that the same majority in the Ricci case also decided that corporations were people and that every person in the country should be strapping on their personal assault rifle.  If anything, the fact that Ms. Burgett was on the losing side in the Ricci decision shows her merit.

Now, with that noted, the question becomes whether there is an appearance of a conflict of interest in her serving on the Board of Ethics after having served in the city government and while also working for the city.  This, I would say, presents an appearance of a conflict of interest, though not necessarily an actual one.  When it comes to serving on an ethics board, like serving as a judge, even the appearance of bias can be enough to undermine the authority.  She shold probably resign from the Board of Ethics and keep the paid job!

posted by: HhE on September 11, 2012  11:45pm

Brutus2011, I think term limits might well mitigate against the corruption we keep seeing, but I think the problem is far too systemic and cultural.  Since corruption in Connecticut typically does not take the form of cash in envelopes passed in parking lots, people fail to see the corruption for what it really is.  Also, as long as a preponderance of residents see the primary role of city government to create employment (as opposed to creating an environment conducive to creating employment), cronyism and all that is here to stay.

PH, I agree that the Supreme Court has gotten it really wrong many times.  In my own life time they have sanctioned the death penalty for retarded people and minors—abhorrent.  What ruling have they made obliging people to strap on an assault rifle? 

I also find that the use of an exclamation point is typically an indicator of a bad argument.

posted by: Brutus2011 on September 12, 2012  12:34am

Thanks for your perspective, Hhe.

I was never good at political analysis.

posted by: HhE on September 12, 2012  9:20am

Brutus2011, thanks for the compliment, and of course you are welcome.  Don’t sell yourself short, your analysis on things political and otherwise is amongst the very best we have on the NHI.  I always look forward to reading your posts.  Even when I disagree with you, rare as that is, I am thinking, “He is probably right on this.”

My burden, if you will, is that in the last few years I have gained a certain insight, and the more I learn, the less I want to know.  It has taken me over a year, but I now know that judges do not make decisions on The Good or The Law, but rather what is easiest.  Lawyers are far more concerned with their relationships with other lawyers than their clients.  Our city overspends on school construction so our mayor can energize his base of construction workers.  “Non sustainable” union contracts were all negotiated under the current administration because Mayer DeStenio wanted to be Governor DeStefino.  I could go on, but this is getting too disheartening. 

PH, I opine that Ricci, like many cases so difficult that they go all the way up to The Supreme Court are sticky wickets.  I for one do not claim to know with any certainty which side I would take had I law degree and all of the arguments and evidence in front of me.  I do believe also find it suspect that when the desired results of a test that apparently was fair and appropriately job related did not work out, that the test was rejected out of hand.  I believe a better way forward would be to provide tutoring and mentoring, formally or informally, to suitable candidates.  (In much the same way that as a Teacher, I advocated for not lowering standards, but providing more support so students could rise up to a standard.)

posted by: darnell on September 12, 2012  11:33am

The Ricci case and any other issues that Ms. Burgett may have dealt with while the HR director are irrelevant and a sideshow. There are two real issues here:
1. Should she be serving on the Ethics Board while employed by the City, and
2. How does she get slotted into a position at more than twice the pay of other employees, did the position exist in the budget, and was there a fair and open process to fill that position.

The answer to he first question is fairly clear, city employees should not be sitting on City commissions, unless an ordinance specifically calls for it to be so.

The second question takes more research, which I hope the NHI and/or NHR will do.