MAYFIELD HEIGHTS’ SERVICE DEPT. SCANDAL: IMPLICATIONS FOR
HHTS POL?
Highland Heights is home to at least one member of the Mayfield
Heights Service Department (MHSD).
I'm referring, of course, to the extremely personable, politically
ambitious Chuck Brunello, who moved up from ward rep to city-wide
Councilman-at-Large this year.
Brunello started working for the Mayfield Heights Service
Department right out of high school.
He’s grown up working there.
Brunello was foremost in my mind after reading a story
published in this week’s (woefully
diminished) Sun Messenger.
A story by Sara Dorn details the huge ($890,352) amount of
overtime paid to MHSD employees last year.
To put that figure in perspective, according to the 2014
Highland Heights budget, our Service Department---albeit a smaller operation---paid
out less than $90,000 in OT wages last year.
A document attached to the online version of Dorn’s story shows that Brunello was
7th in the MHSD OT payment rankings last year.
The largest individual OT payout was over $64,00o.
The smallest (excluding the presumably exempt Service Director) was: $14.72.
The largest individual OT payout was over $64,00o.
The smallest (excluding the presumably exempt Service Director) was: $14.72.
Brunello alone received $43,724.80, almost 5% of the total OT payments attributed to the MHSD last year.
Dorn’s story raises questions about possible nepotism (pertaining
to a Fornaro family).
She also reports that former Mayfield Heights Law Director Leonard Carr suspected MHSD time clock improprieties, i.e. that“employees were clocking in and out for each other.”
She also reports that former Mayfield Heights Law Director Leonard Carr suspected MHSD time clock improprieties, i.e. that“employees were clocking in and out for each other.”
Dorn quotes Mayfield Heights Mayor Anthony DiCicco saying that
he didn’t
“think the overtime spending ‘should be characterized as an issue’”
and that, with the very recent departure
of retire/rehire Service Director Andrew Fornaro,
“potential ethics violations are no longer a problem”
Remaining on-staff at the MHSD are Andrew Fornaro’s:
- brother (Ronald ***);
- son (Joseph); and
- grandson (Bobby)
The names are the same, but MHSD Ronald Fornaro and Mayfield School Board member Ronald Fornaro are two different individuals.
My apologies to School Board member Ronald Fornaro and his family.
Accuracy is important to me....so thanks for letting me know so that I could promptly correct my error.
DiCicco has already appointed Joseph Fornaro to replace his dad as
Service Director.
According to Mayfield Heights Councilman Nino Monaco, the job was not advertised and no outside candidates were interviewed.
According to Mayfield Heights Councilman Nino Monaco, the job was not advertised and no outside candidates were interviewed.
The appointment means that, like his dad before him, Joseph
will be responsible for supervising and approving OT work for his relatives,
Ronald and Bobby.
”Potential ethics violations are no longer a problem”
Really? You’ve got to be
kidding me.
MORE THAN OVERTIME IS AT ISSUE
There’s really a lot more than OT payments at issue.
In addition to overseeing departments with large budgets, city Service Directors also wield a tremendous amount of contracting power.
In addition to overseeing departments with large budgets, city Service Directors also wield a tremendous amount of contracting power.
One thing I’ve mentioned before---that has both amazed and
disconcerted me--- is the great deal of “informal bidding” that goes on under
the direction of Service Directors.
Highland Heights Service Director Thom Evans frequently reports to Council that he has pre-selected contractors and informally
solicited them to submit bids for work that needs to be done in the city.
Although good justification is always provided, I’ve questioned the practice in the past---especially when it appears that projects are being broken into smaller pieces, seemingly to avoid state mandatory bidding
requirements.
Bottom line, fidelity to the residents they serve, integrity and honesty are key requirements for any Service Director job.
The brewing scandal at the Mayfield Heights Service
Department could have far-reaching implications…implications that reach beyond
that city’s boundaries.
Residents everywhere have good cause to be concerned.
LEONARD CARR’S COMMENTS ON THE SCANDAL
I found former
Mayfield Heights Law Director Leonard Carr’s recent Letter to the Editor, which
responds to Dorn’s online story, fascinating reading.
http://www.cleveland.com/hillcrest/index.ssf/2014/05/former_mayfield_heights_law_di_1.html
http://www.cleveland.com/hillcrest/index.ssf/2014/05/former_mayfield_heights_law_di_1.html
I have attached a copy of it here.
