Bexar County adult probation director Bill Fitzgerald gave his #2 man Paul Kosierowski no reason for his termination when he fired him last week, according to sources who've spoken to the former Deputy Director. He was simply told he was an at-will employee and it was time to pack up his things.
According to one source, the move came "the day after the judges [who control the department as its governing board] gave the department heads a sizable raise."
The move also coincided with the filing of yet another federal lawsuit against Fitzgerald over the firing of whistleblower Sheri Simonelli who'd gone public with evidence the department's urinalysis vendor was tolerating false positives.
Fitzgerald had been suspicious of Kosierowski according to Bexar County sources ever since Fitzgerald reacted to efforts to organize a union by demanding retention interviews of every single employee, including his #2 man.
Now that Fitzgerald has ousted his top lieutenant (who is much more highly regarded both within the department and in Texas probation circles than the director himself), it's hard to imagine Bexar County will be able to hire top talent to manage the department's day to day operations. And given his relations with staff, for Fitzgerald himself to try to do so would court disaster.
UPDATE: A reader provided the full text of the email Fitzgerald sent out to local judges and state probation officials on July 2 announcing Kosierowski's firing: "Effective this date Deputy Chief Paul Kosierowski is no longer employed by Bexar County CSCD."
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27 comments:
Your information concerning all department heads getting a raise is not correct. Your source for this information has not told you the truth or you have chosen not to print the truth.
Your source has also neglected to tell you all employees got at least a 3% raise.
Your source has also neglected to tell you when employees received a 2% cost of living raise in April 2007, the Chief elected to not accept the raise himself. He gave up $7,038.66. It would not surprise me if he refused the present cost of living raise also.
Your source has neglected to inform you the Chief elected to not accept a raise when judges recommended that he receive a raise several years ago.
Get a grip.
It sounds like you're saying everyone got a raise, not just department heads. I'll try to clear it up.
Setting that red herring aside until then, what say you about the Chief firing Kosierowski"? About his reacting to a whistleblower with termination? About his failed efforts to bust the union?
Come on! Put your money where your (anonymous) mouth is! If you want to defend Fitzgerald, defend him on the big stuff!
What does it matter if Fitzgerald did or didn't accept a raise? Who cares? What does that have to do with anything?
Why did he fire Paul Kosierowski? That's the important question. Even more important, what happens now that top management at Bexar CSCD has to operate without any adult supervision? As best I can tell, Paul was the last cool head in the room.
Bexar judges: Please find someone to manage this department who can do so without embarrassing us all and alienating every single person who works under them.
Having worked with Paul Kosierowski on a number of initiatives, I have grown to appreciate his many qualities. He is one of probation’s true servant leaders. During his tenure with the Bexar County Community Supervision and Corrections Department, Paul attempted to bring stability to an at-risk and dysfunctional organization.
Grits, you are correct in your assessment of the situation when you write “Now that Fitzgerald has ousted his top lieutenant (who is much more highly regarded both within the department and in Texas probation circles than the director himself), it’s hard to imagine Bexar County will be able to hire top talent to manage the department’s day to day operations. And given his relations with staff, for Fitzgerald himself to try to do so would court disaster.”
We are, unfortunately, in the process of witnessing the unnecessary meltdown of a Texas probation department.
County judges and commissioners are elected. Surely they will be sensitive to the concerns of the electorate if the electorate is concerned about the probation department. Ah, there's the rub!
Bexar Co's probation administration salaries can be easily obtained by submitting an open records request with the county auditor's office. The cost is nominal.
To the 12:34 p.m. blogger the only reason the chief refused the raise several years ago was because he used to have a conscience and the protest from the officers behind the court house. Now he does not. Paul was not the worse of the worse (they are still here)!!!
Fact -October 2003,after 30 years Chief Garcia retires at $99,000. November 2003, enter Chief Elmer Fitzgerald at $122,000. July 2005, Chief Elmer Fitzgerald and budget right hand get a secret raise that no one else gets taking chief to 139,000. May 2006, middle line officers finally get a raise and chief tries to sneak another raise for himself going to $154,000. Officers protest and chief gives up raise and at the same meeting judges take away raise for chief.
1st blogger you are all wet. Admin took a raise in October 2007 and took another one now. Chief Fudd is highest paid chief with worst audit in the history of CJAD.
Admin is working against the officers and they fired the people who told the truth. God help us all.
Read the budget adjustment blogger 1234pm. Did Bill sell you those facts? Do your research! All admin just got a raise except the chief. Dep Chief went up 7%. Computers up more with 2 positions at 9%. Now a new auditor spot. Problems is admin had had a raise in Oct. 2007.
look at this %precentage crap this is public money not a private company. EDUCATE YOURSELF- You paint a pictre with 5% of correct facts and miss the whole big picture. Sounds like you are trying to save your job or save face at either rate your are twisting the truth.
Hey chief you can audit all you want but you will still stink. You have Kline and Company now running things.....
I see an iceberg coming.
When are the Bexar County Judges going to wake up that Fitzgerald is an "at-will" employee.
Napoleon complex is a term describing an alleged type of inferiority complex which is said to affect some people who are physically short. The term is also used more generally to describe people who are driven by a perceived handicap to overcompensate in other aspects of their lives. Maybe that's his problem. He WILL FIRE people, and have fired people.
I guess the judge's give him kudos for letting go exemplary officers, his own hand picked administrators, etc. Good for you Bill don't back down.
What was the name of your first deputy chief? You'll get it right, eventually.
They're creating another audit team. Wasn't Ms. Boor head of the first one? Maybe Ms. Mobley will get it right. Five years later and the worst audit in Bexar County's CSCD history. Wasn't that your veteran officers fault Chief? Wonder how they did it before?
Oh well, Fitzgerald can't worry about morale. Morale that doesn't get the work done. Forge on. They'll tire and give up.
Dep. Chief Paul knew you were a fraud Chief. Did he finally call you on it Bill.
Predictions.
Kathy gets the dep.chief of the big top job at 95000 a year. Lisa Mobley will get the 63000 audit job. Then Bill leaves with them at the helm or the Judges get rid of Bill because they screwed it all up in Clines quest for power.
Paul K. cared at least for people he should have sold Bill out sooner. To bad none of the judges or the chief care about the community because Bill would not be there if they did. Nobody but the probation employees care and there is the real truth.
Why don't those good 'company people' blog more? You would think they would be able to sway others into their train of thinking. So what if your comments get slammed. Could it be you're taking the high road because you're better than the rest of us. You read these comments feverishly. Losing sleep if you name is mentioned.I know your type. Don't make waves it is just a job. You subscribe to the Chief's management style. Telling officers you once thought highly of them but they are getting bad advice and reputation because of their associates. I would like the Chief or one of his management team to explain his goals and management style. Maybe you're afraid you will be found out.
Don't bother applying for Audit team. That position was especially created for L. Mobley. That is why Mobley got hired from CJAD audit team. Now she can make the Big Bucks here and harass her staff at the same time! Right Anthony G.??
When Lisa M. was hired that was a class A mis. Revoling door ethics code violation- check it out. Then we flunk all the audits after getting us an auditor???? Chief would screw up a tall cool drink and then get the judges to agree. Chief has been stabbing the judges in the back lets see if they can figure out they were sold out also.
Remember when Bill first got here he really pushed the "at-will" issue? That's because he planned to fire at will! I have been here for a long time and I have never seen so many people fired. My morale has never been so low and I know it's pretty much a feeling that seems to be systemic, especially with the veteran officers. I know this is nothing new. Bill, haven't you noticed new employees are leaving in about a year or so of working here? I think Bill's administration is imploding, ya think?
I the source have the approved BUDGET in front of me! 12:34 p.m. on 7/07/08, you say I don't have the facts. I say you DON'T have the facts. You're either one of Bill's cronies or one of the judges who BLINDLY approve what is placed before you without regard to the hard working and MISTREATED probation officers and support staff. We will continue to fight the wrongs at the probation department and we will prevail. If you are a judge you will be held accountable on election day if you don't grow a backbone and do what is right! If you are one of the cronies, I wouldn't go out and buy that expensive new house or car. as your job may be as fleeting as Paul K's. The public will see and demand change.
Ummm.. so when am I going to see this 3% cost of living "RAISE" in my paycheck? Is it going to take forever like the other so called raises?? Defendant's with a GED and some without GED's get paid more than I do. Does having a bachelor's degree means absolutely nothing these days or what? Did I waste my time going to school rather than straight to work??
And does our new Deputy Chief have the credentials to back her position? Has she ever worked as a probation officer? I guess you have to act a fool in order to move up in this department (when she yelled at an employee during the UA lab presentation- when in fact it was the owner of TA that was out of line).
Wow I went to school for this job and I love the job... but I can no longer see myself retiring from a zoo like this. I guess it's time to hit the books again and get a new degree.
Who knows if the new Deputy Director of Operation previously known as Deputy Chief (apples and oranges Chief)is qualifed. She has a law degree from St. Mary's, but has she ever really practiced? Nice that they opened up the finance director's position. Cronyism at its best. The department however is known for HIRING THE MOST QUALIFIED. Like Ruby from the feds, what happened to her? She probably couldn't tolerate obstinance. Mabra Stanton? Doc Abbott? (oops he is still on contract) Ray Jiminez? Mark Herrera who was/is a joke. Trainer, yeah trainer reading from the script and training with bad information. Not to mention his son. What happened to him he was the best qualifed at one time. Fiztgerald/Kline neither seem to really be a good judge of who is the BEST qualified. Where's Kline's recruit Natalie? Then again she did have her fired to redeem herself. There is no trust in that administration not for the employees or themselves. Watch your backs, they're measuring the size of the knife.
Who knows if the new Deputy Director of Operation previously known as Deputy Chief (apples and oranges Chief)is qualifed. She has a law degree from St. Mary's, but has she ever really practiced? Nice that they opened up the finance director's position. Cronyism at its best. The department however is known for HIRING THE MOST QUALIFIED. Like Ruby from the feds, what happened to her? She probably couldn't tolerate obstinance. Mabra Stanton? Doc Abbott? (oops he is still on contract) Ray Jiminez? Mark Herrera who was/is a joke. Trainer, yeah trainer reading from the script and training with bad information. Not to mention his son. What happened to him he was the best qualifed at one time. Fiztgerald/Kline neither seem to really be a good judge of who is the BEST qualified. Where's Kline's recruit Natalie? Then again she did have her fired to redeem herself. There is no trust in that administration not for the employees or themselves. Watch your backs, they're measuring the size of the knife.
Kline worked for the District Court Judges before taking here job with Fitzgerald. She "became friends" with Fitzgerald when the interview process was underway. She was in charge of the budgets that are causing the department all the problems they have with the State right now. She hired the IT person that got "walked out" a few weeks ago. Anyone else see a problem here?
7/07/08 @ 12:34p.m.
You're a blooming idiot! The Budget didn't even include a raise for the chief! Nice try but you don't fool us, we had the budget proposal weeks before the hearing(s). So did the Judges who obviously could care less. The raises for adminstrators were above the 3% the line officers received. Not to mention the new positions for Cathy Cline and Aimee Sharp with hefty pay increases. Robert Edwards also received a larger percentage raise than any officer.
I challenge you to explain why any ADMINISTRATOR would receive ANY pay raise when the department is in such bad shape and just got blasted for the WORST AUDIT in it's history by CJAD.
They should all be terminated with the record they have in the last 4 1/2 years of the Bexar County CSCD. That is a fact and you would be ignorant to TRY to dispute it.
It amazes me that the chief and his mini me esquivel can post a postion and fill them days before the CLOSING DATE! Sounds illegal to me.....What do you think Ms. St. Mary's grad Kline.
Stay Tuned this joke of an administration is like HERPES, it just won't go away
I hear from a reliable source that CJAD is in town auditing the sex offender and another unit, could there be another failed audit in store for this administration? PROBABLY! The gang unit wil most likely be next as they have micro-mini caseloads and its said they rarely do visits. Shouldn't have been so quick to fire Mr. Garcia, judges!
get a life
how sad.
wow, thanks for the 3%! i now get an extra $30 in my check.
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