GIATTINO PULLS CHRIS BROWN'S PROMOTION OFF COUNCIL AGENDA
City Hall sources were stunned to report that Council VP Jen Giattino had pulled the promotion of 8-year Hoboken Principal Planner Chris Brown OFF the next Council meeting agenda. The Administration had submitted the resolution to appoint Brown to replace Brandy Forbes as Community Development Director; yesterday Giattino requested it be pulled at her bi weekly Agenda meeting, also attended by Ruben Ramos.
The reason offered for pulling Brown's promotion? Giattino said something about the council wanting time to consider this appointment, interview him, bla bla bla.
In other words, after Fisher threw shade on Brown by publicly expressing a desire "to better understand Chris’ qualifications to lead economic development, redevelopment negotiations and strategic planning for Hoboken", her colleague Giattino threw legislative shade on him, denying him a vote-- after 8 years work as Principal Planner for this City. Because they need time to consider his qualifications.
They've had 8 years. They've worked with him. If Fisher, Giattino, Ramos, DeFusco, Cunningham and Falco don't think Christopher A. Brown, PP, AICP, LEED-GA, Hoboken's Principal Planner is qualified to succeed his boss, Brandy Forbes, let the public hear why.
This is a pattern of behavior. Second-guess the Mayor at every turn. That is why Giattino pulled the Rent Leveling Board appointment of Hoboken priest Father Warren Hall, denying him an up or down vote. The priest eventually withdrew his application due to being in the "political crossfire." Who put Father Warren Hall in the "political crossfire"? Giattino and Fisher. Now it's Brown's turn.
Well, surprise surprise....
EMILY JABBOUR & JIM DOYLE PUT RESOLUTION TO PROMOTE BROWN BACK ON AGENDA
Sources at City Hall report that after discovering Giattino had pulled Brown's promotion off the meeting Agenda, Councilpersons Jim Doyle and Emily Jabbour took ownership of the Administration's resolution; Jabbour to sponsor, Doyle to co-sponsor. Sources say the resolution will be put back on the Agenda to vote up or down.
GA is told that according to Council rules, a resolution with two sponsors cannot be removed by others. Can it be tabled and thus denied a vote? Not sure.
But, now with the resolution back on the Agenda, all Council members can go on the record opposing or supporting Brown's promotion. If they feel he is somehow ill-equipped to handle that role, let the public and NJ-NAACP know why. After 8 years of working side-by-side with Forbes, Mr. Brown is owed the RESPECT and COURTESY of a public hearing, instead of one-sided shade thrown at him in the press.
MAYOR BHALLA RESPONDS
GA asked the Mayor this morning: "why did you select Chris Brown to succeed Brandy Forbes?"
The mayor replied, "I concluded that Director Brown is the most qualified individual to serve our city in this position."
COUNCILWOMAN FISHER RESPONDS
Fisher contacted me this morning to remove a portion of a comment she called "libelous." I disagreed, but removed it anyway. I asked, "So can you tell me why you are questioning Chris' ability to "lead" the department after 8 years of service? I'll print your reply verbatim."
She replied, "The community development director position is probably strategically the most important role in City Hall next to the Mayor and Business Administrator. Especially given what it currently encompasses - zoning and planning, affordable housing, redevelopment negotiations, and the city's own real estate portfolio. Many of these incorporate some of biggest challenges the city faces today. But the role could, and arguably should, be expanded to an even bigger one to also include more city wide strategic planning and economic development, both which we have not had in this role previously. I raised this with the mayor prior to his announcing his choice for the role and suggested we consider posting for the position so that we can find the best and most experienced candidate. I am a big fan of Chris. I have worked closely with him on a few initiatives. People who have worked with him speak highly of him. Once Chris was put forward I sent questions to the mayor asking for his vision for the role and for Chris, as well as for backfilling Chris' position but have not yet gotten a response. Whether it was Chris or any other internal or external candidate, I would ask these same questions. This is really such a critical role for our town and we have only one time to ask these questions. Brandy leaves big shoes to fill. But we have an opportunity to think about the role in an even bigger way and fill in some areas where there has been little, but needed, focus. If Chris is voted in I have no doubts he will embrace the opportunity. I hope he appreciates the importance of the role to our community and the impact he potentially will have on Hoboken's future."
There you have it. No contradiction with her more succinct comment to John Heinis:
"With Brandy leaving, we have the opportunity to reposition this role and make it bigger and I want to better understand Chris’ qualifications to lead economic development, redevelopment negotiations and strategic planning for Hoboken.”
Anyone else think that Fisher either does not understand the limits of her council authority or else is playing shadow Mayor by undermining his statutory right to pick the candidate whom he believes to be best qualified to fill Brandy's "big shoes?"
It's Councilwoman Fisher's statutory right to vote "yes" or "no" for the mayor's appointee, not to throw him into purgatory.
Fisher and Giattino's power play reeks of Mitch McConnell's Merrick Garland power play. Just give the guy a damn vote. You know his credentials, his experience, his character and his work ethic.
Sure, if the council denies Chris Brown his promotion, then the Mayor will have to find another candidate. The MAYOR. NOT Fisher, nor Giattino, nor Ramos, nor any of them. The Mayor.
Wow! They're both unemployed / unemployable, and one has no college degree, and they're calling into question Mr. Brown's qualifications? They've had almost eight years to see the results of his work, and engage with him in the last few days while Forbes is still around. But his ability to do the job and expand it are not what this is about.
ReplyDeleteAs a current employee, they'd have to RICE notice Mr. Brown if they're going to publicly discuss anything about his current and future employment, but they're too stupid to know this, and he'd have to agree to it.
Unlike Mr. Holtzman, they're not entitled to their toxic inquisition of Mr. Brown, airing their personal vendettas against the mayor in public.
What a load of politically correct crap she just spit out - and that is all it is, crap. I'd respect her more if she just told the truth and admitted the only reason she is against this personnel move is she dislikes the mayor and is acting out of spite.
ReplyDeleteSome holiday mean for mean sake.....Ravi should nominate Gary Holzman...
ReplyDeleteSo the basic translation of Tiff's long-winded explanation is that Chris Brown is qualified for the work he's doing but he's not qualified for the position she had hoped to expand. Does this woman ever stay in her lane? She is a city council person and NOT Human Resources for city hall or the Mayor. She is the reason why RICE notices exist... it's to keep City Council from inappropriately influencing or threatening the employment of City Hall personnel. We've been trying to figure out whether she's just dense or evil.
ReplyDelete