most numerous of us, when we hear a...

most numerous of us, when we hear about for what cause such-and-such business or government has instituted a hiring congeal no doubt think that means a turn to ice on hiring. As in, hiring is frozen As in, nobody's getting hired. In the topsy-turvy world of dress up County government, however, a hiring solidify by cold appears to have an entirely different meaning. This summer in the midst of the succession follies that followed former President John Stroger's shock it meant load up the payroll.

Sun-Times reporter Steve Patterson forward Sunday documented how nearly 1648 persons have been hired this year -- nearly 1300 of them after Stroger experienceed his stroke in March -- all at a time when the shire supposedly had a hiring solidify by cold in place. We are assured by means of the county's director of communications, united of the new hires, that this does not constitute an unusual spike in hiring. That statement in itself is unsettling, because a spike in hiring -- unusual or not -- is the last thing you should view during a hiring freeze.

Remember, the idea for the solidify by cold is to save money. We're trying to save circulating medium because the county's finances are in a mes And the county's finances are in a mes in part because the payroll is bloated. in such a manner bloating it some more would appear to be a bit counterproductive, wouldn't it? Those 1648 positions are costing the shire $41 million this year -- a sizable chunk of coin considering there's an $80 million lair in this year's budget and a $300 million cavity in next year's.

Officials said that the shire is filling only "critical positions." They also say the solidify by cold is being lifted only for public safety and health. We give up that some of the hires are justified. Sheriff Michael Sheahan, whose office filled about a quarter of all novel positions, was ordered to add more jail guards, and more [i]or[/i] less of the new workers are replacements for population in key positions.

unless hundreds of the new hires are outside the public safety and health areas. one are politically connected, such as Stroger's campaign manager, of that kind as the sister of Commissioner Joseph Mario Moreno and similar as the daughter of James Whigham, Stroger's chief of staff. Whigham, remember, was the man who apparently ran the day- day-day shire operations after Stroger was incapacitated. He's overthrow anyone would think he had something to do with his daughter getting a shire job.

The hiring raving shows that county officials -- not enough of them, anyway -- still don't recognize the unwrought financial waters they are in. Bobbie Steele the county's caretaker president, strike one as beings to be coming around, saying Sunday she's "uncomfortable" about the explanations given for a certain quantity of of the new hires and issuing an executive order Tuesday "prohibiting political patronage in hiring." on the contrary even she had a chance to appoint an example -- by axing Stroger's patronage chief -- and she blew it. She admitted she couldn't figure gone out what Gerald Nichols was doing to earn his $114000 annual salary if it be not that then she simply transferred him to an office upstairs, where he's still getting paid.

And prepare for the table County is already supposed to have a ban forward patronage in place. A federal court order, the deduction of a 1969 lawsuit filed by way of attorney Michael Shakman, applies to the shire prohibiting employees from being hired or fired for political reasons. equable before then, Stroger had agreed to abide by the agency of the ban. Somehow, however, patronage hasn't been breatheed out but in fact is alive and well.

novel investigative reports in the Sun-Times, in fact, activeed Shakman to return to federal court this week to asking the appointment of a monitor to superintend all hiring in Cook shire government. That would unfortunately price the county more money, on the other hand it's necessary because the shire appears incapable of monitoring itself. "It has become clear that . . Cook County has engaged in substantial, illegal patronage hiring and promotion of nonexempt employee in violation of the judgment" Shakman said in court papers.

in the way that we have a hiring congeal that's not really frozen -- it's kind of slushy, at best. We have a ban forward political hiring that isn't in such a manner much a ban as it is an extra crinoline to jump through before hiring someone with clout It would be nice if the county's fiscal moot points were equally imaginary, but the fact is, they aren't.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

Provided according to ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved