Postponements and Reschedulings.

Just to update everyone since we've been quiet on here for a couple weeks. The PAB meeting that was scheduled for February 20th was cancelled about 2 hours before it was supposed to start because Town Hall realized they had failed to post notice of it as required by law. The irony here of course is that the hearing was going to closed to public due to the "confidential" documents anyway. But they still are required to post notice to the public that there was going to be a hearing that they wouldn't be allowed to attend because the Town doesn't want anyone, especially the voting, tax paying public, to know the truth about what happened with the Sergeant's test. Of course we shouldn't be surprised that a Town government so incompetent that it can't manage to administer a simple promotional exam without it being mired in scandal and legal action also can't manage to adhere to it's own rules on public meeting notices.

The next PAB meeting isn't scheduled until March 19th at 1730. Again that meeting will most likely be closed to the public.

While we're on the topic of Town Officials shooting themselves in the foot with their own incompetence, at the last PAB hearing before the meeting was closed to the public it was accidentally revealed that the Town showed the "confidential" documents to the lawyer that's representing them in their CHRO defense. This was a point of contention when we were arguing the language for the protective order over the test documents. The Union asked to also be allowed to use the documents in our CHRO case but the Town threw a fit and opposed that saying that these documents weren't relevant to that case (even though the test results are clearly mentioned in the affidavit). The judge decided that the documents could only be used in the PAB hearings and if either party wanted to use them in another venue we'd have to come back and negotiate another order for that specific venue. So by showing these "confidential" documents to their other lawyer that's representing them in the CHRO case, the Town most likely violated the protective order that they asked for in the first place. You really can't make this stuff up, East Hartford must have hired it's attorneys at a job fair when Ringling Brothers went out of business.

On another note we were also scheduled for mediation in our CHRO case for February 25th but that was cancelled by the plaintiff at the last minute, though we were never notified of the cancellation so we showed up anyway. We're not sure right now what or when the next step in that process will be and we don't currently have anything scheduled at this time.

During this process we were made aware of an email from one of the Town's attorneys to the CHRO where she blames the Union and the PAB appellants for causing delay to the process by exercising their legal rights to an appeal and the Union's right to a grievance. These are complete lies as the Union has made several efforts to expedite this process so we can get the Department back to functioning like normal, a desire that the Town should share if they weren't desperately trying to hide what really happened. As we've documented here over the last several months, the Town has done everything in it's power to intentionally delay and draw out this process unnecessarily long. Just last week we made another offer to try and expedite the grievance which the Town again refused. And as I just wrote above, the most recent delay was caused by the Town failing to post the meeting notice, so trying to put the blame on the Union for the delays is a ridiculous proposition.

We are currently scheduled to begin the grievance process for the Sergeant's exam at the Labor Board on March 11th but that may be getting postponed as well as we're still waiting for a decision on the MPP that relates to it.

Otherwise we have a few contract meetings scheduled with the Town over the coming weeks including the first one tomorrow. We have received the Town's initial proposals and shared them at the last meeting. We can't post them here due to a provision in the ground rules but if any member wants to know what they are feel free to ask any member of the committee which is posted on the board in the break room. Please refrain from referencing them in the comment section as we agreed to keep them private during the negotiations process.

We'll keep this space updated but since we're limited in what we can speak about on multiple ongoing matters it may be a while. In the meantime try to attend the meetings as we will be able to discuss more there particularly in regards to contract negotiations.

Update on PAB Hearings

Our next PAB hearing is scheduled for February 20th at 1700 at Town Hall. As of the last hearing the confidential portion has begun so from now until I assume the end of the process the hearings will be closed to the public so our members who aren't witnesses or appellants will no longer be able to attend. We'll keep members updated as best we can without violating the agreement.

February Meeting

Our February regular meeting will be on Thursday the 20th at 1600 at the usual spot. We have a PAB meeting immediately afterwards at 1700 so we're going to keep the meeting brief and will just go over the latest items we've been working on.

Personnel Appeals Board Hearing February 10th

We have another PAB hearing this Monday at 1700. It's looking like the Town will use their court order to close it off to the public so none of their dirty secrets get out. So unfortunately our members who aren't a party to the order will be unable to attend, and neither will members of the media who have come to a few of the hearings.

The first portion of the hearing may be open to the public while DC Davis testifies, but after that we think it will be closed. So if you want to attend for that portion you may be able to, but we can't guarantee it.