Nepotism

ziggyselbin · January-14-10, 06:55 AM

continues in Detroit as ch 7 reported last night that Charles Pugh has given his step-mother a job.

**luckycar** · January-14-10, 09:00 AM

Here we go again.

**DetroitZack** · January-14-10, 09:22 AM

She will be a constituent relations specialist and make $32,000.

http://www.detnews.com/article/20100...-City-Hall-job

**esp1986** · January-14-10, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitZack

She will be a constituent relations specialist and make $32,000.

http://www.detnews.com/article/20100...-City-Hall-job

At least he is being upfront about it, unlike Kwame and Conyers... time will tell if this was a bad move...

Stosh · January-14-10, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by esp1986

At least he is being upfront about it, unlike Kwame and Conyers... time will tell if this was a bad move...

Precicely. Now those of you that are constituents of Mr. Pugh will be able to judge for yourselves whether he made a bad move or not by hiring her. If she screws up, then you know who to blame. If you get good service, you also will know who to credit.

While I am not a fan of the practice, someiimes a known quantity trumps an unknown quantity. I hope that she is competent.

**jt1** · January-14-10, 09:42 AM

Can we at least give the new council credit fro reducing their pay 10%.
I didn't see a thread about that.

Retroit · January-14-10, 04:39 PM

Shameless business-as-usual. If she is so well qualified, let one of the other councilpeople hire her.

**BillyBBrew** · January-14-10, 04:57 PM

I would be much more concerned about this if he was paying her $80,000 per year and giving her a car. $32,000 is nothing to turn your nose at, but it's not an obscene amount of money either. Seems a fair wage if she's capable of doing the job. Time will tell.

Buy American · January-14-10, 05:28 PM

Keeping things in the family takes on a whole new meaning in Detroit. As the song goes..."when will they ever learn..."

ziggyselbin · January-14-10, 06:52 PM

As I started this I will comment. Being from Ann Arbor it is none of my concern. As an observer it is interesting. It seems to me that because in the past how various council members have employed friends and relatives that new members might be sensitive to that. So it might look much better for a new council member to not do business as usual and to make a clean and complete break from those practices.

**Zacha341** · January-14-10, 07:27 PM

Yep, nothing like the friends and family plan at work! Let the games begin

!!

Originally Posted by Buy American

Keeping things in the family takes on a whole new meaning in Detroit. As the song goes..."when will they ever learn..."

**Thames** · January-14-10, 08:19 PM

I see it as another red flag.

The first was how he stuck with KK til the bitter end.

The second was when he paid to be a guest on Gaddisâ€™s TV show and didnâ€™t admit it until he was called out. He is a media man and knew damn well what he was doing was unethical. He did it anyway and didnâ€™t fess up until he had to.

Another was when it was revealed that he canâ€™t manage his finances in the best of times, and/or he doesnâ€™t know how to live within his means. You shouldn't let someone like that hold the purse strings.

He gets elected and one of the first things he does, is hire his step mother.

If he keeps it up, he's going to start looking like KK redux. He's already showing signs.

**eastland** · January-14-10, 09:11 PM

It doesn't seem as blatant of a family connection as the others -- a lady married to your late father who died 32 years ago. Not a big deal.

MichMatters · January-14-10, 09:19 PM

I've never been much offended by nepotism. If a person is qualified for the job -- and it looks like this woman is more than qualified -- then it shouldn't matter who gets the job. If they f$ck up, that's a different story, but you don't have to be related to someone to be horrible at your job.

According to the Freep, which has a better description [[and more accurate article title, BTW) of the situation than the News, she's being hired as a "constituent relations specialist" and has 30 years of customer service experience. Sounds like as good a prospect as you can find for such a job. We'll see. I sometimes get the feeling that people like to bitch "just because".

**SteadySky** · January-14-10, 09:26 PM

How nice! Well I think the qualifications she met was the relationship with Pugh. I say she has no skills, etc., etc. I know its brazen and blunt to say that, but so what? This kind of upfront and in your face behavior doesn't warrant the benefit of the doubt as to if she is qualified. Its total the same old same old stuff. Wonderful....

**Thames** · January-14-10, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by MichMatters

I've never been much offended by nepotism. If a person is qualified for the job -- and it looks like this woman is more than qualified -- then it shouldn't matter who gets the job. If they f$ck up, that's a different story, but you don't have to be related to someone to be horrible at your job.

According to the Freep, which has a better description [[and more accurate article title, BTW) of the situation than the News, she's being hired as a "constituent relations specialist" and has 30 years of customer service experience. Sounds like as good a prospect as you can find for such a job. We'll see. I sometimes get the feeling that people like to bitch "just because".

I'll bet there are at least 100 people with the same or better experience, right here in the Detroit area, that would qualify for that job. Why her? Because she is the council president's step mom.

MichMatters · January-14-10, 10:03 PM

Originally Posted by Thames

I'll bet there are at least 100 people with the same or better experience, right here in the Detroit area, that would qualify for that job.

Do you know that no one else was looked at? Can't you say that for anyone who gets any job? This ridiculous idea about the "best" is a cover for the overly critical.

**SteadySky** · January-14-10, 10:18 PM

Nope. Its pretty obvious in this situation with the track record of public officials. How about we try for a little "above reproach" for a while? How about you can't have the job because it looks like hell and it is absolutely without a doubt important to lay the ground work that things will be better. Pay to play and who you know will not be allowed anymore. What you do and who you do it with is important. Send the right message. Set the example. Do that and you will slowly build respect and trust.

Hiring her does none of that. Big mistake and did her no favors as others who interact with her will just think she got the job because of "relationships."

**Det_ard** · January-14-10, 10:27 PM

It appears Pugh is tone deaf. Has he never heard of the concept of "avoiding even the appearance of impropriety or conflict of interest"? It's a minimum standard for maintaining an ethical posture.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

**Thames** · January-14-10, 10:28 PM

Originally Posted by MichMatters

Do you know that no one else was looked at? Can't you say that for anyone who gets any job? This ridiculous idea about the "best" is a cover for the overly critical.

Mr Pugh made no indication in his press release, that he even considered anyone else. All he mentioned was how experienced he thought she was. There are many people like her around here, but SHE got the job.

Facts are facts. No matter how you try to spin it.

It's not overly critical. It's more like "get the fuck with the program, this shit ain't gonna fly anymore, STOP employing your mother fucking relatives!"

**Zacha341** · January-14-10, 10:33 PM

Yep. Well stated.

Originally Posted by Det_ard

It appears Pugh is tone deaf. Has he never heard of the concept of "avoiding even the appearance of impropriety or conflict of interest"? It's a minimum standard for maintaining an ethical posture.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

**Hypestyles** · January-14-10, 10:59 PM

I guess time will [[hopefully quickly) tell how this pans out.. I don't want any phantom payrolls... Pugh needs to publicly publicize his initiative to engage community members...

Buy American · January-14-10, 11:13 PM

Maybe she pulled Pugh from the brink of financial hell when he couldn't meet his bills and was sued and foreclosed on...she probably loaned him money to help him over the rough spots...now it's his turn to "pay her back" on the backs of the good old Detroit citizens who seem to get the shaft from every political leader who has come around the pike for the last 30 years or so. So what if they are going to take a 10% pay cut, [[and that includes all these new people hired by most of the council who will be making $30 to $60 per hour). Are these new positions created by council? Why don't they look within the CofD for people to fill the positions? They are asking EVERYONE to make sacrifices, take pay cuts, work longer hours, blah, blah, blah.....in the meantime, the taxpayers are getting the shaft...again.

Retroit · January-15-10, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by Thames

I see it as another red flag.

The first was how he stuck with KK til the bitter end.

The second was when he paid to be a guest on Gaddisâ€™s TV show and didnâ€™t admit it until he was called out. He is a media man and knew damn well what he was doing was unethical. He did it anyway and didnâ€™t fess up until he had to.

Another was when it was revealed that he canâ€™t manage his finances in the best of times, and/or he doesnâ€™t know how to live within his means. You shouldn't let someone like that hold the purse strings.

He gets elected and one of the first things he does, is hire his step mother.

If he keeps it up, he's going to start looking like KK redux. He's already showing signs.

Good reminder. I'll add two more red flags: