Breaking News: Mayor Kendrys Vasquez and CAFO Ianello Retaliate Against Firefighters

Mayor Kendrys Vasquez and CAFO Ianello Retaliate Against Firefighters

By Frank Bonet

One day, after Local 146 Lawrence Firefighters unanimously endorse Brian DePeña, Interim Mayor Kendrys Vasquez retaliated against the force by informing (through corrupt CAFO Mark Ianello) the group president that the city would no longer acknowledge the firefighters’ sick leave bank.

You would probably be asking yourself exactly what a sick leave bank is. Well, for over 50 years, each firefighter donates one or two days a year into what is called a “sick leave bank.” It’s an accumulation of sick days that the brotherhood utilizes to help their brethren in case of need time off due to personal injury or personal illness while avoiding financial difficulties due to having no balance of sick leave.

I know this practice because I, myself, have approved, known, heard complaints on this issue a few times while working for the City, as Personnel Director. I know that the firefighters don’t play tricks or lie when it comes to assisting their brothers, working their responsible tasks, or placing processes in place without authorization.

However, the excuse that CAFO Mark Ianello is using to deny said practice is by saying that the accumulated sick leave days were never entered into the Municipal Information System (MUNIS). MUNIS is a financial system that the city utilizes; it has menus for human resources, and more.

Now, the city is not telling the firefighters that the donated days are not recorded, because they are recorded on a book. A hard copy notebook is kept at the Fire Chief’s administrative office. So, in technicality, CAFO Ianello and Interim Mayor Vasquez are telling the union that just because Fire Chief Moriarty (and his administrative team) did not add those days into MUNIS, that the days are not real. Except, now, each of those firefighters that donated into that sick leave bank can’t get their sick leave reimbursed back into their accruals.

There was authorization long before Kendrys Vasquez came into office, and there was certainly authorization before CAFO Ianello came into office. One only has to call on former Mayor Michael Sullivan to confirm that this system was in place back in early 2000.

            The number of dirty tricks, retaliation, and corruption against many good people, and good hard-working groups, is so evident, that you must vote against this type of underhanded trickery.

The firefighters knew the reasons for endorsing Brian and it has to do with not endorsing someone who wants leverage for support by utilizing their mind games.

I am sure CAFO Mark Ianello is looking to have Kendrys remain in office. If Kendrys is not elected in November, CAFO Ianello is being walked out of City Hall, and it will be by the new Chief of Staff.