Dagwood--sorry that is the way of politics. Her job will be eliminated and she will be out. Sad but true. Tell your sister to show up as they eliminate her job and walk out with her head up. She can get unemployment and something better will come. What if she stayed and worked in a hostile environment.
By DEMOCRATS' SHAKEUP SPARKS IRE IN ROTTERDAM Last updated: 6:35 p.m., Tuesday, January 12, 2010
ROTTERDAM -- In the waning days of her employment with the town, Kimberly Bruhns says she feels like "collateral damage."
Bruhns learned last week that she would be out as confidential secretary in the new administration of Democratic Supervisor Francis Del Gallo, who has also gotten rid of several part-time secretarial positions. Those personnel decisions have sparked protest from some in this town who accuse him of partisan politics. Democrats said the jobs were eliminated were because they have to shift that money to cover legal costs.
"The bottom line is that I'm going to be the boss and I should be able to hire who I want," Del Gallo said. "It's nothing personal, and it's not political because I'm not political."
The pool company owner-turned politician maintained that he campaigned on a promise to run Rotterdam as a business. He said that's what he's doing by surrounding himself with the best people, including Bruhn's replacement, Darlene Mullally. She is expected to be approved Wednesday night by a resolution during what will likely be a heated Town Board meeting.
Two related resolutions for consideration by the newly Democrat-controlled board call for Mullally to receive an additional $10,000 to work with Rotterdam's municipal attorneys on legal matters and for the panel to waive a residency requirement for the Rensselaer woman. Del Gallo said her base salary would be $42,000, roughly the same amount Bruhns would have been paid in 2010.
The 47-year-old town resident plans to voice her displeasure at the board meeting. "I wasn't given any options. It was just bye-bye," said Bruhns, an enrolled Republican who has most recently worked as confidential secretary in the highway department but said she would have been willing to go back to working in same capacity in the supervisor's office.
Del Gallo and Deputy Supervisor Robert Godlewski, who was also elected in November, said Mullally has an impressive resume. She previously worked for the state Assembly.
The Democrats disputed Bruhns' claims Tuesday that she is being let go from her non-Civil Service job because of budget reasons.
The lone Republican on the Town Board contended that Mullally's appointment to the key post "opens the door for Albany Democrats" and special interest groups to wield influence in Rotterdam.
Gerard Parisi, a former town attorney, said that the recently ousted GOP administration pushed back when it felt similar pressure from the Republicans in Albany.
"We don't want special interests controlling things in the local government," Parisi said, adding that he didn't believe that the staff changes by Del Gallo were malicious but more out of Del Gallo's political inexperience.
"It has nothing to do with Albany Democrats," Godlewski said, noting the confidential secretary serves at the pleasure of the supervisor. "(Mullally) impressed us with her background and experience and that's why we went in that direction."
Paul Nelson can be reached at 454-5347 or by e-mail at pnelson@timesunion.com.
Okay, folks. I was told last Monday that my job was being eliminated due to budget reasons and that I could either leave then or stay for two weeks. Why would I say that if that wasn't what I was told? Come on.
Then about three days later I find out they're not only not eliminating my position but they're replacing me with a Renssalaer resident earning $10,000.00 more than I did? There is absolutely no good reason to get rid of me. I've proven myself over and over and made many contributions to the town and its residents. I'm proud of the job I did and have no regrets.
By the way, I worked closely with the attorneys on several major issues facing the town during my tenure in the Supervisor's Office and didn't receive a $10,000 stipend.
Can anyone tell me how they're getting more "bang for their buck" with this appointment?
FDG and Godlewski need to go back to the Chalet and their friends on "Brokeback Mountain" because these are the only friends they are going to end up having after this "chit" goes down tomorrow. For those of you who are wondering what I am talking about, drive past the Chalet on Burdeck.
Okay, folks. I was told last Monday that my job was being eliminated due to budget reasons and that I could either leave then or stay for two weeks. Why would I say that if that wasn't what I was told? Come on.
Then about three days later I find out they're not only not eliminating my position but they're replacing me with a Renssalaer resident earning $10,000.00 more than I did? There is absolutely no good reason to get rid of me. I've proven myself over and over and made many contributions to the town and its residents. I'm proud of the job I did and have no regrets.
By the way, I worked closely with the attorneys on several major issues facing the town during my tenure in the Supervisor's Office and didn't receive a $10,000 stipend.
Can anyone tell me how they're getting more "bang for their buck" with this appointment?
If there was a clapping smiley, I would put one here. Good for you for standing up for yourself!
By the way Eunice is trying to replace the typist in her office with Sue Madia (at an Account Clerk Salary of $34,000) and Laura Cagnina (full time at $15.00 an hour), two people for the price of one person actually doing the job at a lower salary. Wait and see folks, that typist is next to be canned and others hired at taxpayer expense.....
:: BULLCHIT :: Notice how they conveniently left out that she's not even a Rotterdam, let alone a Schenectady County resident? Convenient.
You may have missed this part.
Quoted Text
Two related resolutions for consideration by the newly Democrat-controlled board call for Mullally to receive an additional $10,000 to work with Rotterdam's municipal attorneys on legal matters and for the panel to waive a residency requirement for the Rensselaer woman.
Dagwood--sorry that is the way of politics. Her job will be eliminated and she will be out. Sad but true. Tell your sister to show up as they eliminate her job and walk out with her head up. She can get unemployment and something better will come. What if she stayed and worked in a hostile environment.
The way of politics. Didn't you say FDG is a businessman? Why is he playing politics with peoples livelihoods? I though we were turning the page in Rotterdam politics. FDG was used to by the Democrat Party to settle a political score and to get their snouts back in the trough. I'm sure as long as FDG gets his property taxes reduced, and some zoning changes for TL and approve permits for business people and developers, he could care less about this political patronage BS.
Look Cicero--Reality check. FDG is a businessman who is now in politics. It's too bad but I didn't hear you guys squawking when ST and the gang did the same thing to people several years ago. Decent hardworking extrememly competent people. Where was your moral outrage then? This stuff happens and you know it. It doesn't make it right or any easier but that's the way it is and you probably have done the same thing.
Interesting MM that you would reference BB Mountain since you guys have been held up in a bunker with TB soothing his wounds.
Look Cicero--Reality check. FDG is a businessman who is now in politics. It's too bad but I didn't hear you guys squawking when ST and the gang did the same thing to people several years ago. Decent hardworking extrememly competent people. Where was your moral outrage then? This stuff happens and you know it. It doesn't make it right or any easier but that's the way it is and you probably have done the same thing.
Interesting MM that you would reference BB Mountain since you guys have been held up in a bunker with TB soothing his wounds.
Ally I agree with you. This sh!t happens and it was always an unspoken rule. But I think we should start raising the bar and start doing the right thing. Isn't that what this new administration promised us? Isn't that what we where looking for when we voted for the NNTP? We were hoping and looking for candidates that would not be 'politics as usual'. And instead we got the same old, same old. It's just so rotterdam.
I do, however, want to thank Kim for standing up for herself(an ultimately for us taxpayers) and not settling for the status quo. I would encourage her to fight this to the death......even if she loses! Then perhaps things will begin to change for the better in this toilet we call home.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
I think we will see a lot of stuff we won't like at first before the dust settles into change. But they need to put people in place that they are comfortable with first. Yes good for Kim. So walk with your head up. That's what the folks did that Steve eliminated as well. One of those folks had a real good case against the town but Clark Collins screwed that employee for a better CSEA contract for the rest of the folks. Her had convinced the person to use their attorney instead of getting a private one. Actually that person could still go back even now but they have left the whole thing behind them. Sometimes it just isn't worth it.
You did a good job Kim. Walk away with your dignity. Something else better will come to you. I hope it is not in politics.
Look Cicero--Reality check. FDG is a businessman who is now in politics. It's too bad but I didn't hear you guys squawking when ST and the gang did the same thing to people several years ago. Decent hardworking extrememly competent people. Where was your moral outrage then? This stuff happens and you know it. It doesn't make it right or any easier but that's the way it is and you probably have done the same thing.
Interesting MM that you would reference BB Mountain since you guys have been held up in a bunker with TB soothing his wounds.
Hey, you are the one who said the past administration was so bad, and changes needed to be made, and how Mr. Surprise was not liked, and blah blah blah blah blah. You and I did agree on one thing, we both believed this town needed a "change". The difference is, I knew the Democrats weren't going to change sh*t. They were just going to plug their patrons in where the other party patrons were. Systemically nothing changes. I was a NNTP supporter if you recall. I can guarantee you that if NNTP candidates were elected, these terminations wouldn't have happened so hastily if at all. I don't believe the NNTP had any desire to politicize town employees.
How can you make an argument justifying the termination of town employees by Democrats , by comparing them to the prior Republican administration actions? Didn't the Democrats pledged to change that type of politics running up to the election? Hypocrisy.
Now you say it's best for a secretary to leave a job that pays her bills, because she wouldn't want to work in a hostile work environment. Are you claiming that if this secretary claimed wrongful termination and was able to keep her job, THIS NEW ADMINISTRATION would treat her with hostility? Change you can believe in. Just like the health care debate on C-Span that Obama promised. Democrats and change look very much like the same.
The two party system has become completely corrupted. The dogmatic allegiance to the major party's is slowly eroding. There has been an awakening.
I think Kim should fight to the death and set a precedence for this administration and the new ones of the future be it dems or reps. Let's at least 'try' to raise the bar for our children and grandchildren who hopefully will remain in this town.
And just for yuks.....does anyone know how much the other secretaries in the county get paid? Ya know, the secretaries to the other county supervisors? ag: Glenville or Nisky?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Cicero--are you the youngest in your family? Stop being such a baby. Suck it up. Nobody who gets elected (except John Paolino) is going to keep people from the prior administration in their inner circle. That's reality. Yeah ST was a lame Super and his board just as lame. Hypocrisy is YOU and your camp. And if NNTP got in, they would do the same. Watch the Godfather--lots of lessons there.
Logged
Isn't that what we where looking for when we voted for the NNTP? We were hoping and looking for candidates that would not be 'politics as usual'. And instead we got the same old, same old. It's just so rotterdam.
