[JHeath]

Good for Phil Jankowski! He's definitely not afraid to speak his mind.


http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=41878.31

11/30/2007 11:00:00 AM
Councilman Disapproves Of Recent Hire

Jason Miller
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - City Councilman Phil Jankowski plans to ask the council to approve a no-confidence vote in Sanitary District General Manager Al Walus and members of the district's board of managers after the district last week hired Walus's brother-in-law for a newly created position.

Jankowski, D-6th Ward, and other council members have been vocal against nepotism in city hiring for more than a year.

"I think this whole thing stinks," Jankowski, who publicly has been opposed to operations at the district throughout his first term on the council, said Thursday. "I believe a vote of no confidence in the board and the management is totally appropriate."

A "no-confidence" vote is largely symbolic, but would make public the disappointment all affirmative-voting council members feel in Walus and the board.

The district last week hired Ed Gonzalez to fill the newly created position of Field Operations Supervisor of Collections. Gonzalez is the brother of Walus' wife, Cindi, who is an assistant to Mayor Chuck Oberlie.

Walus said Wednesday the job was added as the result of a study that recommended higher efficiency could be attained by realigning several positions within the district.

Gonzalez will assist collections superintendent Mike Hoffman. The superintendents of plant operations and the business office also were given assistants as part of the study.

Walus said Wednesday Gonzalez's hiring had nothing to do with family.

"There was no favoritism shown to any of the applicants," Walus said. "Our new field operations supervisor was the best qualified for the position according to the job description set forth for the position."

Gonzalez was hired from a pool of 14 applicants, two of whom are currently employed with the district and three of whom are employed by the city in different departments, Walus said.

The applicants were ranked individually by Walus and district supervisors, with the final individual number values given to each applicant determining the best qualified.

The job, Walus said, was to be given to the applicant who fit all the requirements best, and he said that was Gonzalez.

"We based the review of all the applicants on what's contained in the job description, and got a good diversity of applicants," Walus said. "We not only need someone who can deal with sewers, but someone who works well with people and can manage people, and who can do AutoCAD and other design work."

Gonzalez's hire comes at a time when Jankowski and other council members have accused several city department of unfair hiring practices and mis-spending funds.

Nepotism is an issue Jankowski, outgoing 2nd Ward Councilman Paul Przybylinski and 3rd Ward Councilman Ron Meer have been paying close attention to lately as they push for changes in overall city hiring practices.

Meer is an employee of the Sanitary District and for that reason declined to comment on Gonzalez's hiring.

Ed Gonzalez - son of the late Elmo Gonzalez, a former La Porte mayor - is one of at least five members of the family in the city's employ.

Included in that number are Walus, who serves as district general manager, his wife, Cindi, and Cindi's sister, Vanessa, who both serve as assistants to the mayor.

Stephen Gonzalez is the president of the Michigan City Community Enrichment Corp., and Nancy Gonzalez serves on the Human Rights Commission.

Ed Gonzalez has served on the La Porte School Board, the Michigan City Common Council and the La Porte County Council. He's also had well-publicized alcohol problems, including drunk driving arrests while he was on the La Porte School Board and in 2005 when he allegedly crashed his vehicle near Westville.

Walus said Gonzalez passed all pre-hire screenings.

As a one-time NIPSCO employee and a contractor with local steel mills, Gonzalez gained practical experience to deal with underground utilities and computer drafting, two requirements for the job.

He also has gained valuable people and management skills, Walus said, adding to his qualifications.

"At the sanitary district we place a high value on performance," Walus said. "We had to give our supervisors additional resources not only for now, but for the next 20 years so we can maintain our high standards."

The district has received several state and national awards under Walus' direction.

Contact Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com.

[Ang]

This makes me think of springtime when the icecap melts off the lake. You can go to Wash Park and the fish smell hits you before you're even out of your car.

[Southsider2k12]

And that isn't even mentioning the Espar's that have found their way into city government as well...

I would be curious to see what the qualifications of the respective candidates looked like, thought I am sure privacy laws won't allow that. It could very well be that he was the most qualified candidate, then again with the history of this stuff in MC, who knows.

[Southsider2k12]

Regardless, News and Views ought be interesting this week.

[Roger Kaputnik]

*sniff*sniff*sniff* Something stinks!

[Southsider2k12]

A letter I agree with.

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=34555.37

Don't Showboat; Ban Cronyism
Mr. Jankowski should create a new ordinance that it is illegal for members of the same family to be employed in the same department. A vote of no confidence doesn't do much but showboat in the news.

Take the stand, Mr. Jankowski, make it Illegal! Taxpayers deserve more that just action that accomplishes NOTHING but takes time on the agenda. You guys must be watching CNN and all the nonbinding resolutions that just let people see themselves in the news.

The city job application might as well say, "Only apply if you are family or friends." Michigan City really needs a clean slate of department heads. Cronyism seems to fit the case. Welcome to Michigan City, Indiana, it's who you are, where you are and who you know, and let's not forget the most important, where you live.

I really don't mind being on the outside looking in because I have an unbiased opinion. It's shameful we ridicule other counties' politics.

Roger Willoughby

Michigan City

[edgeywood]

A letter I agree with.

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=34555.37

Likewise...

Is anyone else calling their councilperson to request an ordinance?

[Southsider2k12]

The DUI's part is really interesting. Was a backround check involved in the process, and are the DUI's story true?

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=51414.02

Hiring Of Relative Simply Astonishing
"Astonishing" is the only word that can describe this city administration's hiring practices. Sanitary District General Manager Al Walus hired a new supervisor, his brother-in-law, Ed Gonzalez. The new supervisor's sister is Cindi Walus, Mayor Chuck Oberlie's assistant.

Astonishing that out of 14 applicants, Mayor Oberlie expects us to believe that his assistant's brother is the most qualified person. According to General Manager Walus, "There was no favoritism." Can it be true that this new supervisor has multiple drunk-driving arrests, and somehow passed pre-hire screenings? And, that he will be given a Michigan City vehicle to take home?

Astonishing that as the City Council is struggling to craft a hiring ordinance, which will comply with a decades-old consent decree, the administration hires yet another blood relative. Astonishing!

Larry Silvestri

Michigan City

[Ang]

Taken from the original ND story....

Ed Gonzalez has served on the La Porte School Board, the Michigan City Common Council and the La Porte County Council. He's also had well-publicized alcohol problems, including drunk driving arrests while he was on the La Porte School Board and in 2005 when he allegedly crashed his vehicle near Westville.

[Southsider2k12]

Taken from the original ND story....

Yikes. Yeah, its going to be hard to convince me that this was the best person for the job now. I don't care what respective qualifications are, when you have a serial felon as an applicant, he should be the first resume thrown from the pile. This is just pathetic.

[Ang]

Even MCAS won't hire you if you have a DUI conviction.

[Dave]

Damn. I want to be the personal injury lawyer for whoever gets injured while he's driving a city vehicle. The only issue in that situation is going to be the number of digits that can fit on the check.

[Southsider2k12]

Damn. I want to be the personal injury lawyer for whoever gets injured while he's driving a city vehicle. The only issue in that situation is going to be the number of digits that can fit on the check.

"So you hired a guy who has not one, not two, but three DUI's"

"Uh, yeah."

"And you didn't think it was a bad idea..."

"But he was the most qualified!"

[Roger Kaputnik]

"Well, looking at the school system headed by Mr. Hardling, I can believe it."

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=44821.08

City Running Job Agency For Relatives
Something stinks at the Sanitary District. Al Walus, Sanitary District general manager, hired his brother-in-law in law for a $46k/year job. If anyone believes this was merely a happy coincidence for the Walus family consider the following:

The position did not exist until Oct. 24. The Sanitary District changed its own rules concerning job ads. Previously, jobs were advertised internally first, giving experienced district employees first crack at promotions and new positions. On Oct. 24, the Board of Commissioners voted to allow jobs to be advertised simultaneously to internal and external applicants.

The ad, which appeared for three days in The News-Dispatch starting Oct. 27, did not provide a list of qualifications. Most ads give job seekers some idea of what would qualify them to do the job. Job descriptions were available at the Sanitary District Office but some applicants were not allowed to have a copy. Walus participated in the interviewing and selection process (According to the "Summary of Selection Process for the Field Operations Supervisor") At the very least, this process is unprofessional.

Hiring managers should not interview and rank relatives. Furthermore, how can Walus expect his subordinates to provide him with candid evaluations and appraisals of his brother-in-law? Moreover, this hiring shows an extraordinary contempt for good government standards. While ordinary "unconnected" citizens struggle to find decent jobs, city officials are running a private Workforce Development Program for relatives and cronies. Must we exhaust all other alternatives before deciding to do the right thing?

Sharon Carnes

Michigan City

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=44821.08

New Position Created For In-Law
A new position was created by the Sanitary District so the general manager could hire his brother-in-law. Just what does the "field operations supervisor of collections" have to do?

Collections ... hmm ... does he talk to people and show them how to pay their bill? I just send mine in and other people just walk up to the counter and pay.

Also, the City Council's no-confidence vote means absolutely nothing. It is still business as usual.

Bettie Helton

Michigan City

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=47192.96

Nepotism
Hiring Of Ed Gonzalez Raises Questions

Editorial

It's long been a perception that if you want a public job in Michigan City, the only qualification that matters is who you're related to.

Nepotism has been a dirty little secret in Michigan City for a long time. People are hired all the time based on who their mother or father, or their aunt or uncle is, not on their ability.

It is entirely possible that those people may be the best qualified for the job, but the latest hiring of Ed Gonzalez for a newly created supervisory position in the Sanitary District is raising eyebrows.

Gonzalez is the brother-in-law of district General Manager Al Walus, whose wife, Cindi Walus, is an administrative assistant to Mayor Chuck Oberlie. At the same time, her sister, Vanessa Kavanaugh, also works in the mayor's office, and two other members of the Gonzalez family serve on appointed city boards.

This is an instance in which perception - at least to the majority of city residents - is reality. Before this hiring was announced, Oberlie should have told Walus - one of his most trusted advisers - to reconsider.

Walus said Gonzalez was the best candidate of 14 applicants for the newly created position of Field Operations Supervisor of Collections and said that he passed all pre-hiring screenings required by the city.

Ed Gonzalez has a history of public service, both as a city council member and a member of the La Porte School board, but he's also been arrested twice in the last seven years for drunken driving.

At a time when some members of the City Council have been discussing the need for an ordinance outlawing nepotism, Gonzalez's hiring has upset at least one member of the council. Phil Jankowski, D-6th Ward, plans to introduce a "no confidence" resolution aimed at Walus and the Sanitary District board at the next City Council meeting. If passed, the resolution wouldn't mean much expect that the council is upset at the district's hiring practices.

If the council is serious about an anti-nepotism ordinance, then now is the time to move ahead. But if it does so, then the council needs to make sure it takes a sweeping look at all city departments and not just a a department that most recently been in the headlines.

Our Opinion
The Issue: Michigan City Sanitary District General Manager Al Walus hired his brother-in-law Ed Gonzalez for a new position.

Our Opinion: The City Council has a "no confidence" vote pending, but if it is serious, it should pass an anti-nepotism law.

[JHeath]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=41292.23

12/7/2007 11:00:00 AM
City Payroll An Extended Family
Rick Richards
City Editor, The News-Dispatch


Any politician who's been around any length of time knows it's public perception that can create the biggest problem.

Which is why it's so puzzling that Al Walus, the general manager of the Michigan City Sanitary District and one of the closest political advisers for Mayor Chuck Oberlie, would hire his brother-in-law for a new supervisory job.

At a time when the city's black community is complaining that it can't get a fair shake at city jobs, the hiring of Ed Gonzalez as Field Operations Supervisor of Collections (whatever that is), serves only to underscore the commonly held belief that it's not what you know, but who you know. Gonzalez, the son of the former La Porte mayor, served on the La Porte School Board and Michigan City Common Council.

Walus defended the hiring, saying Gonzalez was the best applicant of the 14 who applied for the job, and he said Gonzalez passed all the city's employment tests and screenings. Presumably that means the two drunk-driving arrests logged by Gonzalez since 2000 makes it OK for him to drive city-owned vehicles.

Councilman Phil Jankowski, D-6th Ward, was blunt in his displeasure. "I think this whole thing stinks."

He plans to introduce a "no confidence" resolution on Walus and the Sanitary District Board. If passed, it would be nothing more than a public rebuke, but that doesn't minimize the perception that to work for Michigan City (or serve on a public board) it's best if you're related to Walus or his wife, Cindi Gonzalez, who happens to be Oberlie's administrative assistant. She served in the same capacity for former Mayor Sheila Brillson.

Ed Gonzalez is her brother, while her sister, Vanessa Kavanaugh, also works in the mayor's office. Kavanaugh's husband, Bob, is an assistant harbormaster for the city's Port Authority. Her niece (Ed's daughter), Amy Smith, is a seasonal employee at the Port Authority, and her husband, Shong Smith, works for the Street Department. Walus' daughter, Paige, works part-time in the summer for the Park Department.

Family ties also include Stephen Gonzalez, who is president of the Michigan City Community Enrichment Corp., and Nancy Gonzalez and Elizabeth Pacheco-Hubertz (Walus' daughter-in-law) as members of the city's Human Rights Commission.

The city council has been debating an ethics policy (which presumably would include a section on nepotism) for some time, but virtually no progress has been made. My only guess for the lack of progress is that the council doesn't really want to pass the ordinance because that means they won't have a chance to hire their family members.

There is a state rule (it's not a law, mind you) that governs the hiring practices of state employees. It prohibits the hiring of a father, mother, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, husband, wife, son, daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, niece or nephew to any job for a board, commission, office, department or institution in which another family member serves (elected or appointed) and would have supervision over that family member.

Does that prevent nepotism? Certainly not. There's nothing barring someone from picking up a phone and calling a friend at another department and asking them to hire a family member, but Michigan City doesn't even have that paper barrier.

Ed Gonzalez has become a lightning rod for the city's anti-nepotism effort. No one knows - or will ever know - if he was the best person for the job. He may very well be. But there will always be a cloud of doubt over his head that he was hired, not because of his ability, but because of his family ties.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=45644.35

No Quick Fix For Hiring Changes

Jason Miller
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - Even if the City Council was to change the fire department's hiring ordinance today to adhere to a 1978 federal judgment, the hoped-for results likely would not be realized for several years.

"There've been less than five new hires since I've been on the commission. It's not like there will be a rash of hires after this is changed," Fire Merit Commission president-elect Bart Lombard said Thursday. "Anyone looking for an immediate correction to the hiring issues is going to be sadly disappointed."

Lombard and Michigan City Fire Chief Dave Lamb agreed Thursday the department only plans to hire one firefighter in the next two years. One firefighter has announced his retirement for 2008, and two other retirements have been announced for 2010.

Unless someone leaves the department "out of the blue," Lombard said, the department - which traditionally has low turnover - won't soon be able to hire the three minorities it must hire to adhere to the judgment.

U.S. District Judge Allan Sharp issued the decree in 1978 after several black men sued the city for unfair hiring practices. The judgment decrees the fire department's racial makeup should mirror that of the city's population.

"The average age of our department right now is 43," Lamb said. "In five or six years, we could have retirements and the numbers (of job openings) could be extremely high. But right now you're right, there probably won't be many (openings)."

The La Porte County NAACP chapter has threatened to sue the city if it doesn't adhere to the judgment. That chapter's president, Mike Rivera, said Thursday night the current issue could've been avoided if the city had adhered to the decree years ago.

"It's an ongoing thing. There's always an obstacle to get over," Rivera said. "They had the chance to hire some black firefighters a few years ago and they didn't. Now, there's no openings again.

"That's the dilemma we face."

The new ordinance - which should be approved by the City Council on Dec. 18 - would create two lists from which the department would hire. One list would be for white applicants and the other, called the "diversity" list by council president Willie Milsap, would contain minority candidates.

The judgment says the next three hires within the department would have to be minorities.



Contact Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com.

[Roger Kaputnik]

I like my idea better, posted elsewhere on this board.

[lovethiscity]

It has cost more than $42,000 in promotions and job changes just to make room for this new position. That on top of salary and benefits of around $69,000 for the new field supervisor who can't operate a District vehicle until May. (Sanitary District insurance carrier requirement because of the DUI's) Means this new field supervisor will be having a chauffeur for the next 6 months. This is more than just nepotism, it is horrific that this is the most qualified person. Who the hell else applied? John Rudisell? Some serial killers? I cannot imagine anybody with a conscious hiring somebody to a job the requires driving that can't be insured. The mayor is the one that needs to stand up and put an end to this nonsense.