Mayor strikes back over mendacious charges by union boss and alderman

Mayor James Sottile struck back at accusations of favoritism and breaking contract rules by granting extra work to his son, a city employee.

Bart Robbins president of the Civil Service Employees Association and Alderman Lenny Walker have led a personal attack on Sottile through his son claiming that Jamie was granted 160 hours of extra work this summer that should of went to union employees, Sottile corrected Robins saying Jamie Sottile worked 250 hours but was only paid for 160 because he donated the other 90 hours to the city. While Sottile acknowledges seasonal workers were not allowed overtime he said his son was just given extra hours to work on the docks and lighthouse in which regular city workers do not generally do.

Alderman Walker has called for Sottile's resignation saying Sottile clearly violated a contract for the benefit of his son, and he called the mayor's actions "unethical." "He breached the contract, and that is totally wrong," Walker said. "It all comes down to the contract, and he violated it (to favor) his son. You cannot do what you want to do and have disregard for the city workers and city taxpayers."

THE FACTS:

- Jamie Sottile was hired in 1998 by Late Mayor T.R. Gallo

- Mayor Sottile has a record of being fair to all employees and would never give special treatment to anyone

- Jamie Sottile worked 250 hours in EXTRA TIME not overtime performing tasks that are generally NOT given to city union employees for over time

- Jamie Sottile was only paid for 160 extra hours of work, he donated 90 hours to the City of Kingston, the city saved 900 dollars as a result of his generosity

- Lenny Walker has announced on several occasions he is running for mayor and has been a frequent critic of the chief executive that he will most likely primary next year, in light of this on issues involving the mayor his words hold NO water and should be dismissed.

-Bart Robins is simply looking for a handout for work he has not done and is trying to exploit the situation to burglarize the tax-payers if anyone should resign he should as union president as he is making the workers he represent look bad

My take, I have thought long and hard over this and find Sottile to be the victim of a personal and political attack by both Walker and Robins, I am a strong supporter of CSEA and if there was any shady business going on I would be the first one to point it out, that is simply not the case here. Jamie who everyone describes as a hard worker, (from working with him, I know.) worked extra time that would not of been granted as over time to union workers, he donated 90 hours of that extra time saving the city 900 dollars, Walker and Robins both have agendas and are trying to attack Sottile through his son and it is wrong and sickening.

I am nothing if I am not fair and maybe I am wrong on this I will let you the public decide in my online poll look at the facts and decide for yourself :

Do you think Mayor Sottile showed favoritism or violated union rules in granting his son extra time?

Do you think Mayor Sottile showed favortism or violated union rules by granting his son extrra time? Yes No Free polls from Pollhost.com