Allegations of Racism, Sexism and Gun Dealing in City Water Department

Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced a major shake-up in some key departments late Friday. The city’s water commissioner resigned, and on Monday more details emerged about alleged gun dealing, racist and sexist behavior by a politically connected subordinate.

Also, the city’s budget director has decided to leave, which has some aldermen concerned about how the city will solve the CPS funding crisis.

The resignations and firings came as a surprise late Friday, specifically the resignation of the city’s Water Commissioner Barrett Murphy and two high-ranking subordinates, William Bresnahan and Paul Hansen.

More information has been revealed to Chicago Tonight about a troubling culture at the city’s Department of Water Management. Sources say Hansen, son of former 44th Ward Ald. Bernie Hansen, was allegedly using city email to sell some of his guns and hunting equipment to Water Department employees.

Sources in the Water Department have called Hansen a clouted hire who rose to the ranks of district superintendent without having a plumber’s license. He, Bresnahan and Murphy are also said to have been involved in circulating racist and sexist emails around the department, described to Chicago Tonight as having hate-filled and demeaning language.

There is an investigation into these allegations by the inspector general; on Monday, Emanuel said he and the water commissioner had agreed to part ways.

“We were made aware from an IG report on one particular employee, but in that process it exposed a culture in the Water Department that in my view does not represent what the city’s values are,” Emanuel said. “Barrett agreed there should be a reset button hit as it relates to the culture.”

The mayor appointed Randy Conner, who comes from Streets and Sanitation, as the new Water Department commissioner.

The City Council Black Caucus on Monday said they were deeply disturbed by the alleged culture at the department.

“The pervasive culture of racism at the Water Department has been an open secret for years,” said Black Caucus Chairman Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6th Ward). “We hope that this moment can serve as a wake-up call for all those in the department and in other departments where this behavior is still tolerated or even encouraged.”

And another alderman says it raises concerns about protecting clouted workers at all costs.

“Every citizen should be appalled by it, especially that they were allowed to keep working there,” said Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd Ward). “We need to make sure that the human resources department is actually doing their job and rooting this activity out and firing people.”

BUDGET DIRECTOR RESIGNS

Friday’s resignation of Budget Director Alex Holt is also causing consternation. We spoke with a few aldermen concerned about the timing, especially as the mayor’s office considers a possible emergency bridge loan from the city to keep Chicago Public Schools open.

Holt had been on the job since Emanuel first took office in 2011 and had waded through several budget crises and helped come up with reforms to stave off the city’s municipal pension bomb, although many of those reforms still have yet to be approved by Springfield. Holt is replaced by the director of business and consumer affairs, Samantha Fields.

Waguespack wondered whether she was up to such a gargantuan job.

“My biggest concern is that we’re going into this issue of CPS funding and we don’t have someone at the helm that understands government finances, these are going to be very tough decisions coming up and we need very good information moving forward,” Waguespack said.

The mayor on Friday also announced the reappointment of Inspector General Joe Ferguson to another four-year term – which means the new Police Inspector General Laura Kunard will now start her job in the coming weeks.

She had been holding out until she knew that Ferguson, the guy that picked her, had job security of his own.

Follow Paris Schutz on Twitter: @paschutz

Rham Emanuel denies Workers Compensation Claim on Konrad Tucharski

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Mayor Rahm Emanuel embattled staff received orders to fight the Workers Compensation Claim of a dead Chicago Department of a Water Management employee. Emanuel demanded not a penny to be paid and a private law firm to fight the case. Emanuel also stopped Chicago media not to follow the funeral and wake of Konard Tucharski. Per a high-ranking North Side Chicago Superintendent, Konrad did not live in Chicago. Konrad allegedly lived in Mount Prospect with his wife and two children. Chicago Inspector General Joe Ferguson has kept quiet.

Konrad Tucharski was a City of Chicago Bricklayer working on the street without proper shoring. None of the employees knew what to do when the street fell in on him and left Tucharski with a closed casket funeral on February 17, 2017. Pictures of the crime site at Sauganash Avenue showed the crew did not have proper shoring. Chicago Clout has seen Chicago Department of Water Management working in ditches 20 to 30 foot down with no shoring and no exit in case of an emergency. Fire the Commissioner Now. Rahm will not fire his pal that goes to hockey games with him.

We at Chicago Clout are asking Mayor Rahm Emanuel to stop his crazy investigation NOW. We want a settlement in full to this family. We are asking the street name of Sauganash Ave to be changed Konrad Tucharski Avenue. City of Chicago full time employee John “Hired Truck” D’Amico who is also a full-time Illinois State representative can make this happen in a phone call. This is Laurino turf. Let’s get this done. We are also asking Joe “cupcake” Ferguson to back off the residency investigation of Konrad Tucharski, he gave his life to Chicago, that is enough to ask of anyone.

Chicago Dumps Top Cop McCarthy give job to John Escalante

Bill Bresnahan Final.jpg Many Chicago Citizens are relieved McCarthy is fired from the City of Chicago as top cop. McCarthy was not liked by the rank and file, but he covered up more wrongdoing than any other Police Superintendent I ever knew. He always had a big posse of goons with him when he went to the Chicago Personnel Board and entered in the private rear doors. Even Joe Ferguson, the inept Inspector General had to wait in the entrance area where all the other peons waited. McCarthy has clout so he will end up with a contract to keep his yap shut. His new young wife is from a clout family, so he will be fine.
In the picture is the interim Chicago Police Superintendent John Escalante. He will not get the Superintendent position because he has little clout. In the Picture with John is City of Chicago ex-cop William “Butch” Bresnahan. Bill has been floating around department to department as the police presence Daley and Rahm wanted after Hired Trucks. In this picture Bill was running to the cameras again despite the fact he docks workers for exercising their first amendment rights. Bill was working the sewer pumps to empty a marsh for the police in this picture. Bill is currently the top sewer guy at the Department of Water Management. According to unnamed sources, Bill wanted a top position at the Police Department but was passed over. Some folks are never happy, Sewer pays real good. Good luck to John Escalante, you will need it.

Department of Water Management Employees told to cough up cash

North-Face-Mens-Arctic-Windproof-Parka-In-Red.jpg The North District Department of Water Management is back in the news again because employees are strongly “encouraged” to pony up for gifts. Many of the employees will face difficult times if they do not “donate”. A weak puppet Office of the Inspector General, will not investigate due to Rahm Emanuel’s protectionist policies. One employee was upset because he want to get his handicapped kids some basic gifts, but the guys are forced to buy North Face Arctic Jackets instead. It is necessary to get some non-union management in place now, but Rahm would rather give some political payback at taxpayers expense. When all the money is collected, by my math, the bosses will have a few thousand dollars pocket money. Thanks Rahm and Inspector General for looking the other way.

Rahm Emanuel uses Dick Daley’s playbook.

rahm emanuel monkee on Chicago clout Thank you to everyone that takes my advice and continues to protest at Rahm Emanuel’s home in the 4200 Block of Hermitage. The major newspapers in Chicago will not cover the protests as they seem to still be under the control of Rahm. Chicago is still a killing field due to the lack of jobs in the west and south sides of the city. Chicago is slowly rotting and the union workers are taking the fall. Rahm Emanuel is now privatizing, busting unions, and working with Quinn to destroy the middle class in Chicago. These goons just want a bunch of losers gambling away their minimum wage paychecks hoping to hit it big at the casino. Watch the way the Chicago Alderman vote when the Midway Airport deal comes across the table. I am ready to run for Alderman again and cost these “rubber-stamps” more money. I was hoping Rahm would be a better mayor then Daley, and he is, he just needs a Harold Washington playbook.

New Chicago Inspector General needed to stop assaults of City Employees

The Department of Water Management continues allowing bullying against whistleblower employees. Today at 2:15 p.m., Steve Broumas allegedly was assaulted by a bricklayer at 4909 North Harding in Chicago. Steve called the Chicago Police and when the police were in route, the bricklayer disappeared from the jobsite. Steve reported the assault and a report was made. The police said to Steve, “the perpetrator left a crime scene”. Steve waited for Paul Hansen, a former garbage man from Streets and Sanitation that was just promoted to a high ranking job in the Water Department. Paul Hansen failed to make all the employees involved to take a drug test. None of the employees engaged in the “Violence in the Workplace” protocols. Steve was a victim of a humiliation from Paul Hansen when he was in line attempting to sign out many months ago. The Water Department management covered this action up again. I am very upset because the employees that stepped up to the plate to make a better job situation have time and time again been victim of continuing verbal assaults. Rahm Emanuel promised to fix this problem and has failed. The Inspector General continues to look the other way when clouted employees are abusive. Non-clouted employees feel the backlash of the Inspector General. Time to fire Joe Ferguson. Steve filed prior charges against Paul Hansen at the Illinois Department of Human Rights, but Paul Hansen is protected by high profile City paid lawyers. Let’s watch the water department blame poor old Steve again.

Office of Inspector General still fooling around last week

Last week, four city of Chicago, Department of Water Management employees went to the Office of the Inspector General for an assault that happened over one year ago. One driver was sent to central district while the “investigation” took place. Could you imagine the money spent not even including the truck and driver dispatched to drive them all downtown? I think the three employees in the south district should make sure they call their Alderman and get off the hook. I want to know why the OIG waits so long, when memories are faded, and employees forget what happened. We will keep an eye on the outcome of this craziness. Taxpayers pay five employees to wait around most the day, at least two OIG investigators (I use the term loosely), and various DOWM staff to monitor and coordinate. This is costing the taxpayers thousands for the dog and pony show. The Inspector General looks the other way when complaints are made against politically connected employees. Amazing. I thought Rahm Emanuel was going to change Business as Usual. Patrick McDonough

More thefts at Dept. of Water Management 4900 West Sunnyside

September 17, 2012, a DOWM employee alleged more thefts occurred on his truck. Today the department was looking for someone to take the blame for the continuing thefts. Seems some guys cannot take any blame for anything. That is how you move up the ladder. Cowards. I have a solution, but that would make it hard for the guys with addictions. Time the Office of the Inspector General to do their job. I do not know how many times the Commissioner will allow this to continue. While on vacation, all my city tools were cleaned out, again. A police report was made. Nothing done, again. We need General Superintendent John King to return.

Chicago Gangs muscle into Chicago Water Department Drug Business

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On September 10, 2012, the City of Chicago Department of Water Management employees got an important notice from the gangs of Chicago’s North Side. The Water Department drug trade in Heroin, Coke, Meth, and pills has got some attention from neighboring gangs such as the “Almighty Harrison Gents”. Despite many reports of the ongoing activity in the department, the Water Department still refuses to have a full drug enforcement policy. Each and every employee should be tested as soon as possible. Management is non-existent in the North District located at 4900 West Sunnyside. This facility is Union run and running into the ground. Despite several complaints to the authorities, the lack of drug testing is making the place difficult to work at. This tag was made from a powerful gang know as Hustlers and Gangsters. Several employees at the Water Department said they belong to this gang. Also, some employees decided to step forward and make sure employees finally got supplies for their trucks so they could do their job. Department trucks are robbed and cleaned out on a regular basis. The gang does not even care the Chicago Police fill up their gas tanks right were the tag was made. This tag was made at a fuel depot for the City. Enough of the cover-ups Mayor Rahm Emanuel, time to stop fundraising and do something about this mess. Honest City Workers are tired of drug dealers running our department. Stop making idiots run the department and blame everyone for their own failures. Photo by Patrick McDonough.