Bielinski Bungle
By Robin Vinci | Editor at January 8, 2024 | 6:30 pm | Print
After hearing from a private attorney hired just for the Civil Service Commission to decide what was legal for them to do, the Commission voted to remove Jessica Gerratana as Common Council Administrative Supervisor (CCAS) and repost the job, fine Democratic Mayor Pro Tem Suzanne Bielinski $250 (down from the original $2,500) and recommend the Council remove her from office.
“The decision reached tonight follows the recommendations of counsel based on the State Statutes and legal research,” said Commission Member Miriam Geraci. “It is unfortunate, some elected officials in this City feel the rules don’t apply to them. Clearly, in my personal opinion, there was impropriety in the hiring process and that is unfortunate not only for the other candidates but for the residents of our City.”
In order for the Council to remove Bielinski from Council for hiring Gerratana, her niece by marriage, to a City job while allegedly dissuading others who applied to drop out, the Democratic led Council would have to vote for the removal.
The Republican minority council recently attempted to remove Democrat Michael Trueworthy after a drunken rampage that involved the Mayor and gay slurs, but the Democratic majority blocked it.
Republican Alderman Lou Salvio, who filed the complaint against Bielinski told the City Journal that a few facts in the case were overlooked.
“Everything Bielinski did happened in 2013 when (Tim) O’Brien was Mayor and there were 13 Democrats on the Council,” said Salvio. “All Commissions were staffed by O’Brien. Everything Bielinski did was her decision and hers alone including all of the improprieties. She alone is responsible for her dubious actions. For her lawyer to refer to any actions by the current Civil Service Commission (CSC) as “cruel” or “mean spirited” is vile and ridiculous.”
Salvio’s comments were directed to quotes from Bielienski’s Attorney Jamie Sullivan in a recent Herald article.
Gerratana’s job is the only position in the City that doesn’t have a boss, manager or supervisor, etc.
“The only other person that has that kind of job is the Mayor and she has 73,000 bosses. Who wrote her job description? The Personnel Director and Bielinski. Why should an elected Alderwoman have anything to say about a Union position and which Union Local regulates the salary,” said Salvio. “For her position, the CCAS never worked for the City in any capacity and yet was placed on a step making $64,500! Not bad for a person without a boss that types agendas, memos, etc. Is she good at it? Yes. Does the job and her work history in New Britain warrant that pay? No!”
Salvio added that, “You want to talk about “mean spirited” and “cruelty”? Talk to the other seven candidates who were equally as qualified most of whom fared better on the exam for the job. Don’t blame the Civil Service Commission for being fair, impartial and for being conscientious in their efforts.”
The Commission heard testimony for over a month before making it’s decision. It included testimony from a recording and an affidavit from Pattie Lewis, who applied for the job and was the number 1 ranked candidate, and said she withdrew “because Bielinski told me I was overqualified. I knew I was not going to have a chance of being appointed.”
Bielinski claimed she said “more than qualified” and that the two have different meanings.
Lewis’ recording came from an Ethics Commission complaint.
A second candidate also withdrew after speaking to Bielinski.
Alderman Willie Pabon said that only Gerratana was originally interviewed and he requested more people be brought in. After that, two more people were interviewed at another date.
Other evidence included that Personnel Director Karen Levine said she spoke with former Council Secretary Judy Carroll who said that Gerratana and her husband Greg had come in to see the office prior to the job being posted to check the place out to the extent that it almost appeared that they “were measuring for curtains.”
Caroll chose not to testify formally.
Gerratana said that was not true. She said she was outside the office once and met Carroll for five minutes.
Salvio said he was not sure if he was going to make a request to have the Council remove Bielinski. He said he would talk to fellow Council members to get their thoughts before proceeding.
