The expenditure was approved at the Common Council's last regular meeting on May 6. When the item came up for a vote, Council members Seb Giuliano, Gerry Daley, and Mary Bartolotta all abstained from voting because they
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| Mayor Drew calls for a vote at the May 6 Common Council meeting. |
were a party to the original complaint, or the pursuant investigation by the mayor. The vote by the Council was eight in favor (Nocera, Blanchard, Chisem, Grady, Santangelo, Cotten, Salafia, Kleckowski), and three abstentions.
The investigation, originally conducted by LeClair Ryan, was inconclusive in its opinion as to whether the mayor harassed or discriminated against Board of Education employee Michelle DiMauro who claimed she was not receiving equal consideration for pay and advancement as a result of discrimination by the mayor and the human resources department. But the report suggested several procedural changes to avoid any perception of discrimination in the future. The Council has not acted on any of those recommendations.
DiMauro has since filed a federal lawsuit against the mayor, claiming discrimination and harassment with the city human resources department also named.Ironically, Common Council member Gerry Daley, who has been the mayor's staunchest defender in the situation, complained formally, and bitterly, that the $40,000 spent on the origianl investigation was wasted money because the Council did not receive pertinent information it requested.
This is a paragraph from Daley's letter to his Council colleagues:
Since the City spent $42,829.85 to determine how the $40,000 was originally spent, the Eye imagines the pertinent question now is what did we get for our $42,829.85?
No ruling has yet been issued by the state Freedom of Information office on the complaint by the mayor in his pursuit of the names of those who complained against him.
Drop in the bucket compared to the $33 million parks boondoggle. When are we going to see how all that money was spent? Is there any leftover? If there is, what happens to it?
ReplyDeleteFor more reading on this topic, check out the Mayor's Facebook page. Looks like a nerve was struck! The money was spent because the Mayor and Gerry Daley wanted the names of the anonymous people who testified against the Mayor. Drew actually says "if Mary Bartolotta and Seb Giuliano hadn't insisted on hiring an attorney from the same firm that conducted their investigation (on behalf of Mary's husband's cousin)". FIRST....Mary's husband's cousin is actually Mary's husband's cousin's WIFE - get is straight Drew....who has federal lawsuit against the Mayor so maybe he might want to stop talking about her....and I'm pretty sure the wife of a cousin of a husband is NOT actually a relative (as Drew is so quick to note)
ReplyDeleteAnd, if he remembers correctly, it was Drew that went after her publicly and continues to do so.
Also, if the Mayor hadn't abused his authority by making the IT department search everyone's emails to get what he wanted through back door efforts (who by the way the IT Director is the brother in law of the HR Director - two of Drew's recent appointments - nepotism anyone????)
Thank you Mary and Seb for trying to protect the employees (and just to not make this political in nature, than you Geen for spearheading the protection against these men and women in City Hall and beyond)
Thank you Ed for reporting the truth and for keeping us "in the know"
The mayor has also been slowly posting promotions for his preferred replacement on his Facebook page.
ReplyDelete