This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Living in the Land of the Looney Part 2

Whoever said that being on the bad side of someone in power is not a good thing has obviously not lived in New London under the administration of our beloved leader, Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio.

Case in point - William "Billy" Dittman, Captain with the New London Police Department.

Dittman, who, forced into retirement from the police department in January 2012 after a 35-year career, brought suit against Mayor Daryl Finizio, Police Chief Margaret Ackley, Director of Personnel Bernadette Welch and the City of New London charging all defendants with the following counts after the city council, left out of the negotiation by the mayor and unaware of the contents, failed to meet the terms of the Settlement Agreement.  

1. Breach of Contract
2. Breach of the Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealings
3. Negligent Misrepresentation
4. Liability of the Defendant, City, Pursuant to CGS 7-101a
5. Fraud
6. Civil Conspiracy
7. Unjust Enrichment

Dittman, in the lawsuit filed on April 10, 2012, claimed that he "…was ordered to appear at the office of Ackley…" at which time she stated that "…she wanted him to sever his employment with the city and would offer any consideration necessary to induce him to retire from his employment with the Defendant, City."

Dittman also claimed that Finizio, Ackley and Welch "…agreed to fraudulently and unlawfully…" force him into retirement as "…a quid pro quo…" for Ackley's support of Finizio throughout his mayoral campaign.

Did they?  

That would not be the first or only time that claim had been made but it has yet to be thoroughly investigated.

As a result of being on Mayor Finizios' "Hit List," former NLPD Captain William Dittman won a hefty settlement against the city of New London which included his base salary of $89,811 through June 30, 2012; payment for all accrued vacation, holiday and compensatory time at his hourly rate; and health insurance and a supplemental plan for his family that would be paid for by the city for the next seven years.

The city would also cover the health insurance for his wife until she becomes Medicare eligible and for his children, until they are deemed ineligible due to age.  

In the meantime, former NLPD Captain Dittman has gone on to become chief of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Police Department, one of the highest paid police chiefs in Connecticut, enriched by the generosity of Mayor Finizio backed by Chief Ackley and former Personnel Director Welch while the taxpayers of this city are still on the hook, and will be far into the future.

Former Capt. Michael Lacey, who had been with the department for 28 years, also received a generous settlement package "…a $20,000 payment this year and another $160,000 over the course of four years, which equals $40,000 a year to cover the difference between his retirement benefits and his salary." and compensation for all unused sick, vacation and comp time which equaled about $100,000.

The Mayor's 2014 Proposed Budget includes annual payments of $25,552. for health benefits for Dittman and the same for Lacey with no expiration date for either.Also included are health benefit payments of $22,371. for Marshall Segar and $19,600. for  Welch.

The total cost to New London's taxpayers in 2014 for health benefits alone for those who, for whatever reason, ran afoul of Mayor Finizio is a whopping $300,000. which would go a long way toward negating the need to close the library, Senior Center and Recreation Department as proposed by the mayor in his budget.

At the same time he announced the retirements and generous settlement packages of Dittman and Lacey, Mayor Finizio also announced a $25,000. settlement with Chief Ackley regarding her claims of interference and harassment against former Councilor Michael Buscetto in order to avoid  "the cost, burden, and uncertainties of litigation." 

Ackley's claims were later found to be unsubstantiated in a report by former Superior Judge Beverly Hodgson who found that in her opinion the city would not find itself liable in court either for actions or negligence in connection with complaints Ackley made against Buscetto. "Most of the conduct … constitutes political animosity but is not actionable at law,' Hodgson wrote."

Is it true that you can't have it both ways?

Let's take a closer look at one of the other defendants in the Dittman case, Bernadette Welch, former Director of Personnel for the city of New London.

Before bringing her unique style of talents to our fair city, Welch was the Deputy Director of Human Resources in Greenwich, CT where, during her ten year tenure,  she was both a defendant in a discrimination suit brought by former  Greenwich employee, Sarah Brown and the plaintiff in another discrimination suit claiming she was the victim of age discrimination and gender bias.

Welch retired from her position in Greenwich and came to work in New London as Director of Personnel or, to be more specific, Interim Director of Personnel.

During her time here, Welch was embroiled in many highly controversial decisions, perhaps the most controversial being the hiring, firing, etc. of New London Firefighter Alfred Mayo who, after being terminated the first time brought suit against the city claiming he had been mistreated by the city and fire academy because he was black…"  The suit named Fire Chief Ronald Samul, Personnel Coordinator Bernadette Welch and Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio.

Welch's position as New London's Director of Personnel was terminated shortly after she assisted Finizio and Ackley with the "restructuring" of New London's Police Department and she, also, received a very generous separation package which included, after only seven years employment with the city, a pension plan and health benefits. The health benefits, alone, this year and until the year 2016, will cost New London taxpayers $19,600. 

According to an article in The Day, Ms. Welch appeared to be quite cheerful when Mayor Finizio terminated her position a few months after the Dittman situation was resolved-and why not?

With not one, but two pension plans, health benefits and being rehired by Mayor Finizio as a consultant to Jane Glover, the mayor's chief administrative officer, at $50. per hour, at times earning close to $5,000 a month, Welch would have to be stupid not to be happy; and one thing Welch certainly is not is stupid.

Being notoriously shameful at figures, I have not totaled the costs of any of the above to the taxpayers of this city.  If anyone wants to give it a shot, keep in mind that none of the above includes the cost of the city's legal fees which are, by themselves, staggering.

So, when all is said and done, what does this mean?I can't speak for anyone else but to me I think the mayor was right on when he suggested an  "…ongoing and expanding probe into possible corruption in the New London Police Department," 

I wonder if it's too late and with whom it should start.






We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?