By Jim Barton
From Mean Mister Brownsville Blog
Listening to unsound legal advice from City Attorney Mark Sossi, the City of Brownsville has lost its appeal to the Texas 13th Court of Appeals regarding application of "Me-Too" clause contained in the Brownsville Fire Fighter's Association Local 970 contract with the city.
Labor attorney Rick Navarro, who has made a small fortune in legal fees with the city, by appealing unwinnable arbitration cases, still garnering his legal fees, agreeing with Sossi, advised the city to go ahead with appeal, despite losing in Rolando Olivera's 445th Court October 24, 2011. At that time, visiting Judge Hinojosa, not only ruled in favor of the union, but attached 6 percent interest to accrue from the end of the previous contract.(That's Navarro at the far end of the table with Fire Chief Looney Lennie Perez in the middle.)
Let's do the rough ball park math.
If the fire fighters lump sum supplement to the last contract is $2,700,000, the interest added to that from the end of the last contract to the date Judge Hinojosa ruled in their favor(I'm compounding the 6 percent interest annually), the added interest would be $515,743.20 for a total owed of $3,215,743.20.
Now, if we add the 5 percent ongoing interest Judge Hinojosa added in his 2011 ruling, we add an additional $329.613.60 for a grand total of $3,545,356.80. Of course, it the interest is simple, not compounded, the grand total will be somewhat less, but, in any event, the longer the city takes to settle this, the more interest accrues."
While the above is just a layman's guess, it demonstrates a certain recklessness by the City of Brownsville in asset protection. Add to this the fact that, in early 2011, the local Firefighters and Paramedics Union offered to settle for $1,000,000 LESS than the $2.7 million owed by the city, a possible settlement of only $1.7 million. But, Navarro urged the city to stonewall the union, putting the city in jeopardy of losing millions through a court ruling.
17 comments:
After this fiasco, the city will likely have a tougher time re-negotiating the next contract with the policy....now that they have seen what the firemen are getting. Mark Sossi is a DICK. Not sure why the city gave him such a "creamy puff" contract when he does absolutely nothing that benefits the city. Are he and Navarro friends????
Again we see the city's crooked sleazy mouthpieces doing their corrrrupt "legal" mambo-jumbo tactics in order to collect "legal fees". The losers are the taxpayers who foot tthe bill. The fire- fighters in Brownsville perform high risk acts when emergencies occurred. This holds true with the Police nation-wide. Da Mayor and his Critters should comply and do their jobs governing the Municipalit.
This is exactly why workers should Unionize. Workers need strong leadership to protect their interests and hard fought for benefits. Leaders like former Firefighter Union President Marco Longoria and current IFFA Local 970 President Carlos Elizondo deserve the credit for taking the stance for what was right and just. Enough already. Do what you promised you would do City of Brownsville.
What do you know about the principal at st Luke's getting arrested ? Is that true? He is an atkinson's
Win or Lose, Rick Navarro gets paid very well by the City of Brownsville. It is in his best interest to keep this litigation going because his fees are running on the meter. Maybe now the City will do the right thing and meet their obligation to the Paramedics and Firefighters. They should have jumped at the chance to settle, but Nooooo... keep listening to Navarro.
Firefighters are pussies. Didn't they look stupid going to City Hall to get Chief Lenny fired? They lost and they looked even stupider losing. Why aren't the city custodians unionized?
Anonymous said...
What do you know about the principal at st Luke's getting arrested ? Is that true? He is an atkinson's
He is the one that got previously fired from another district like his sister Silvia and Brother Charlie?
Did he got the job because Cristiana Savedra is best buds with Silvia?
To 10:42: those "pussies" have bigger balls than your lame ass will ever have and the day you are close to meeting your maker, they will be the first ones to bail your ignorant ass out.
MONTOYA... eso pasa por tener empleados de tercera categoria ,con sueldos de primera.la cuidad nesesita una limpia total empezamdo por el city manager. un empleado de cuarta.siguele con el dept de finanzas,un viejo con ideas a la antigua, y luego le sigues con el dept de parques,public works health pura jente inepta. y por ultimo tienes a este abogado de quinta categoria DE sossi. ATTENCION SR ALCALDE
.COMISIONADAS,COMISIONADOS ES HORA DE EMPEZAR A CORRER A TODA ESTA JENTE INEPTA Y 'PENDEJA' QUE MANEJA ESTA CUIDAD.
When a group of employees files a Vote of No Confidence towards leadership, it is obviously a strong message for change. The only ones that can take action are the city leaders themselves. If they choose to keep the same department head after such a strong statement, then it is at their own liability. There is nothing "pussy" about standing up to a worthless department head when you are risking a backlash from your employer for doing so. You are just an idiot blowing smoke out of your gaping ass.
Fuck Rico Bocanegra,Fuck Carlos Elizondo and that good for nothing Marcos Llongoria. They think they are bigshots but many fire fighters hate them because they have created many problems with the chief peres and the Fire department. These fuckers have done nothing to help the workers, they shoud be fired.
What did the ff lose? Didnt they just win a huge lawsuit? I dont see them losing at all!! You ought to try and do their job maybe once....it takes lots of BALLS to run into a burning building while everyone is running out!
Folks in the end its always the good old US City taxpayer like in this case that end up holding the empty bag for all these fiascos, lawsuits, and atty fees at city hall, county and BISD kingdom halls. what can we REALLY do to stop all of this crazyness? CCA
Stupidity in this city management never seems to end. Now the taxpayers are left holding the bag because shortsighted politicians and incompetent legal counsel couldn't read well enough to interpret contract law. The firefighters deserve every penny here, and the city should take the money out of the hides of the worthless "managers" and counsel who are truly responsible for the the taxpayers taking a bath!
A BUNCH OF BIG FAT LYING LAWYERS THAT'S HOW THEY MAKE THERE MONEY SAD SOULS
No action will taken, keeping all those in the city structure is convenient and hassle-free, why changing what works in perfect harmony; recruiting, selecting, interviewing would be boring for the city commission, and challenging for the kind of lousy human resources department; rasa and yes people has been easy to handle, right Charlie?
Strong words, but then again your hiding and sending the message anonymous. If you really feel that way, say it to there face, but you probably won't, once a coward, always a coward.
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