Although he is now Parish President, the fiscal
mismanagement, poor decisions and ineptitude of Mike Yenni continue to plague
Kenner.
As noted here on several occasions, the Kenner Fire
Department has rapidly declined since Yenni became CAO and subsequently Mayor.
Morale at the KFD has fallen off a cliff. Equipment and
buildings are in disrepair and would require Millions of dollars in capital
spending to stem the erosion. Equipment is shuttled from truck to truck. The
Rescue Squad is often not in service. Personnel count is down and Kenner isn’t
close to achieving the national standard of four-men-on-a-truck that would
allow the KFD to send one fully equipped truck to a small fire and save the wear
and tear on a second truck. At the last rating, the KFD barely hung on to a
Class II fire rating and only after utilizing deceptive tactics and moving
equipment around.
The hard-working members of the KFD often need to work 2 and
3 jobs to feed their families. Some are on public assistance.
The situation has been allowed to erode and fester under
Yenni’s stewardship and the KFD Chief, John Hellmers.
Yes, I know that the Yenni Administration has thrown a few
bones to the KFD.
In 2013, after much debate, the City Council approved the
purchase of two new fire trucks with money from the Pontchartrain Center’s
Katrina insurance settlement. Of course, it is forgotten that the money to pay
for the PC’s repairs was frontloaded by money held for KFD capital
improvements. Even with the new trucks, the KFD did not recoup the money owed
them thanks to Yenni’s financial schemes.
And yes, the Council did approve, at Yenni’s urging, the
budgeting of $750k for a new ladder truck from the BP settlement. As we wrote
earlier, the budgeted money isn’t enough to pay for the ladder truck, it’s at
least $150k short.
Kinda reminds me of the insurance commercial that asks if
you want to drive a car with three wheels – maybe Kenner will get a ladder
truck with ½ a ladder.
So, yes, a few bones for KFD.
But, not nearly enough.
Now, even the state Supreme Court agrees with me.
In 2010, KFD firefighters were forced to sue the City after
Yenni refused to pay the firefighters full pension amounts dating back to 1999.
Beginning in 1999, when it merged the firefighters municipal
pension with the statewide pension system, Kenner failed to include payment for
seniority, continuing education, fill-in (when a Firefighter assumes a higher
position due to a senior member not being on duty) and holiday pay remitting
pension funds based upon salary alone.
After the lawsuit was filed, Yenni began adding holiday and
fill-in pay to the pension mix but refused to include other pay categories or
make the payments retroactive to 1999.
Instead, Yenni in his typical stubborn fashion, chose to
fight the firefighter’s lawsuit costing the city hundreds of thousands in legal
fees and interest.
The Advocate cites a figure of $832,000 owed back to 2007, not including legal fees, court costs and interest.
According to sources, the $832k is a "starting point".
Some estimate the city could owe $3 Million or even as much as $8 Million when everything is calculated.
Even $1 owed to KFD current and past firefighters is shameful but $3 - 8 Million is reprehensible.
Thanks Mike.
Kenner taxpayers are so thankful that you and your "Consensus Team" on the City Council have burned through money like a holiday bonfire.
Well, the state Supreme Court has ended the charade and
ordered the city to pay what it owes to the firefighters.
It should never have gone this far.
Firefighters potentially put their lives on line daily
protecting our homes, businesses, properties and lives. They shouldn’t be
compelled to sue a city to get what is owed to them.
In addition to the poor morale and the rift that the lawsuit
caused, Yenni’s mishandling of this situation could potentially cost Kenner
several million dollars plus the legal fees and court costs involved in
contesting the suit.
Of course, the firefighters will most likely settle the
lawsuit for less than the millions they are owed.
They will get a few bones thrown their way again.
This isn’t the first time that the Yenni Administration and
Chief Hellmers have shortchanged Kenner firefighters.
In 2013, we wrote about 33-year KFD veteran Randy Guilmino.
Upon his retirement, Guilmino was shafted by Hellmers and was paid
less then he was owed in Seniority Pay.
Guilmino claimed he was owed $688.
Hellmers authorized paying him $28.
And that is just one example.
Yes, this is the same John Hellmers who misappropriated
funds and paid himself for educational certificates that he didn’t have, then fileda lawsuit after the Civil Service Board said that Hellmers must reimburse the city.
Not surprisingly, Hellmers lost.
Sadly, for Kenner residents and firefighters anyway, Yenni didn’t take Hellmers to JP with him.
Regardless of whether the firefighters settle or hold out
for the full amount, the question comes back to – why would Yenni let it get
this far?
And, why would he push to burn through Millions of dollars
for his vaunted 2030 Plan and in BP settlement money instead of doing what is
right and taking care of Kenner firefighters?
Why didn’t Yenni think the hardworking members of the KFD
deserved at least what they were owed?
