Markeshia Ricks Photo
Paollilo speaks from the floor.
Alders decided that when it comes to memoranda of understanding (MOUs) that impact the city’s budget, they know best.
At a special meeting Wednesday, the Board of Alders voted 23-to‑1 to override Mayor Toni Harp’s veto of a policy amendment that restricts city department heads from entering into MOUs with economic impact without its approval.
Harp said in her June 29 veto message that the policy amendment “exceeds the authority of the Honorable Board of Alders; interferes with the operations of City Government; and may violate State law.”
Corp. Counsel Rose.
City Corporation Counsel John Rose said the vaguely worded amendment has the potential to hurt the city’s relationship with labor unions.
The Harp administration has already established a process to oversee department heads signing MOUs, Rose said. The issue came to the administration’s attention last December when it was discovered that former Labor Relations Director Marcus Paca had entered into agreements with labor unions without the benefit of review from city finance officials or legal counsel, according to Rose.
Paca said in a statement provided Thursday that “MOUs between the city and labor unions are initiated by city coordinators and department heads, who have budgetary and operational control over their departments.
“Labor Relations negotiates requested agreements and signs off if terms are arrived at that satisfy the interests of both city officials and impacted labor unions,” Paca wrote. “Historically such agreements have not required sign off from the City Controller, Corporation Counsel or the Board of Alders. John Rose and the Harp Administration are fully aware of these facts and it’s truly unfortunate that they continue to attempt to pass the buck and deflect responsibility when faced with persistent conflict with the Board of Alders.”
Rose said the administration has since required that MOUs receive extra scrutiny. He assured alders Wednesday that process is working and has been for months. Paca has since been fired. But Rose cautioned against overriding the mayor’s veto to keep the policy amendment in place because it could create unintended consequences and hamper city business.
Rose said adding a requirement that the Board of Alders approve MOUs in addition to the city would unnecessarily extend the process. If labor unions believe officials are holding off on signing an MOU, the city could seem to be bargaining in bad faith — potentially landing alders in a legal quagmire, he said.
“Many of these MOUs have timing issues,” he pointed out during the public caucus of alders before the board meeting at City Hall.
“We think that the policy amendment with a little work, can work,” Rose said. “But I don’t think this board wants to get in a situation where it’s going to be summoned to Hartford.”
Annex Alder Alphonse Paolillo Jr. said that the policy amendment only clarifies existing policy — policy that the Harp administration admitted was not being followed — and that adding alders to the oversight function ensures that the policy is followed. (The policy amendment was one of several that Paolillo successfully tacked on during this year’s budget request which you can read about in this article and this one.)
“Given that this was not happening, the board took the responsible action and that action was to memorialize this requirement,” he said. “We did this in order to ensure compliance with the charter and ordinances. We felt this was the most effective way to protect our residents and the interest of the taxpayers.”
Paolillo said that the policy amendment was not an overreach of the board’s authority because it votes on labor contracts, the approval of the transfer of appropriations, reclassifying of existing positions, and any increase over $15,000 of a previously approved total estimated salary.
Rodriguez, the lone dissenting voice.
A lone alder disagreed with her colleagues. Hill Alder Evelyn Rodriguez said she was swayed by the administration’s argument that the board could be positioning itself to run afoul of state labor laws.
“We should have given this some consideration,” she said. “We should have explored it more.”
After the vote the Board of Alders leadership sent the following statement:
“The Board of Alders action on Wednesday Night was taken to ensure transparency, good government, and budgetary stewardship. Now that the policy amendment is in effect we look forward to having a conversation with the administration and working collaboratively with them to effectuate this policy in the most efficient way possible.”
We are now witnessing the beginning of the union/BOA coup d'é·tat of the Harp administration.
This is an unprecedented move by the board that may very well find them in the "Brexit" (what did we just do) category.
The Paca dismissal is now displaying its lasting and potentially damaging affects on the administration.
Alderwoman Rodriguez was correct in conveying caution. Knowing her as I do, I'm not surprised at all that she would display prudence in suggesting a more analytical research into the vote. I have always found her to be most impressive.