Thursday, February 07, 2008

This pork barrel stinks

Media reports in the Times and the Trentonian as well as Councilman Coston are now saying that the "new" Colicelli contract is for one year at a whopping 33% increase!

Of course, who would know since the contracts are not made available for public scrutiny until after they are signed!

This makes the points raised here yesterday and on the Trenton Facts website all that more serious.

The simple facts are this: the city of Trenton is hiring and paying a consultant with questionable credentials a lot of money plus giving him use of taxpayer funded resources with no measurable or demonstrated benefit.

Mr. Colicelli is a retired Police Captain from Newark and known crony of Police Director Joseph Santiago.

Mr. Colicelli himself frequently stated upon his arrival in Trenton that he is "no Gang expert."

Mr. Colicelli is not a Trenton native; does not live here; was not familiar with the City or its residents when he began consulting for the City three years ago, yet we turned to him for consulting services and "knowledge" that is available from within the ranks of our police department.

Mr. Colicelli has not thus far been required to turn in detailed paperwork accounting for the time he has charged to the city.

Mr. Colicelli has not demonstrated to any group or individual that he has provided a benefit to the city.

Mr. Colicelli is rarely seen at City Council meetings or out in the Community.

Mr. Colicelli can travel to conferences, at the City's cost, to give presentations yet he can't be bothered to keep the community that is paying him abreast of the progress of his work.

Mr. Colicelli is blythely ripping off the taxpayers of this city and he's being aided and abetted by the Palmer administration.

We need a consultant who will tell us how to disband the "Gang" that is really holding this city hostage. The "gang" who's OG is Douglas H. Palmer

2 comments:

G Spot said...

You forgot one thing. He has been fired! The community has spoken. G Spot out!

Anonymous said...

Mr. G Spot, sir:

Oh, but he wasn't fired. You see, as was pointed out repeatedly last during last night's City Circus--erh--Council meeting, Mr. Colicelli is a consultant. He is not (was not) an employee. Therefore, the increase in fees in the proposed (and now shot down) contract were not a "raise."

Similarly, he was not "fired!" Since he had no contract in force at the time that last night's vote was taken (and even if there was one in force, "he was not an employee"), his services were not retained.

Had you been present at last nights proceedings, your misconceptions of this situation would all have been cleared up.

I know mine were!