RSSWhile Rome Burned: Part (Darn, I’ve lost count)
Apr 21
Education Reform, Malloy, Stefan Pryor Education Reform, Malloy, Stefan Pryor 22 Comments
So despite all the new laws and changes that came after John Rowland resigned, due in part for directing state contracts to certain people, Governor Malloy and Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor were able to run two no bid contracts through a quasi state-entity. Readers will remember that this is really the second and third time the Malloy has used the State Education Resource Center to get no-bid contracts to their colleagues. Steven Adamowski of – I want more pension credits fame – became Malloy’s “Special Master” for the Windham Schools through a no-bid contract via SERC.
Now we learn that by using the “competitive bidding is for weenies school of thought”, state officials retained Leeds Global Partners for $195,000 and a $60,000 contract to DSA Capitol.
By the way, state law does allow a “sole source” contract when a particular vendor is absolutely needed for a specific project and for a specific reason. While the process is relatively easy to use, it does require the state agency to specifically lay out their rationale as to why a contract should be granted on a sole sources basis. For reasons yet to be known, the Administration chose not to follow that process.
Meanwhile, legislative Republicans are happy because staff from Malloy’s office have been engaged in “shuttle diplomacy” to ensure that the Republicans have the opportunity to participate in the behind closed doors negotiations that are taking place about the bill.
As the Connecticut Post first reported, with the Courant and others now delving into the controversy, Malloy’s education commissioner ran a no bid contract through SERC in order to retain the services of Jonathan Gyurko, who a founder and senior vice president of New York based Leeds Global Partners.
Since Gyurko had previously worked for the American Federation of Teachers, Commission Pryor told the Hartford Courant that Gyurko was “uniquely familiar with pro-union reforms that involve innovations within the context of public education” and was hired “because of his expertise in matters pertaining to pro-union, pro-public education reforms.”
Again, why the Malloy Administration couldn’t go through any bidding process whatsoever to hire a consultant with these skills remains a mystery considering they’ve known for a long time that 2012 was Malloy’s “Year of Education.”
For more on the latest check out the Courant at http://www.courant.com/news/education/hc-education-reform-0421-20120420,0,6381070.story
As for DSA Capitol’s connection, a fellow blogger who goes by the name jerseyjazzman wrote http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2012/04/reformy-tentacles-everywhere.html:
“Wait a minute – DSA Capital. Where have I heard that name before? Could it be New Jersey?”
TRENTON — A private consultant is being paid $60,000 by a California philanthropic foundation to help reorganize the New Jersey Department of Education, acting education Commissioner Christopher Cerf said during today’s Assembly Budget Committee hearing.
Asked by Assemblywoman Joan Quigley (D-Hudson) if the department had hired such a consultant, Cerf said he was working with someone on a part-time basis, describing the man as a “friend” who is “very well respected” in education reform circles across the country.
After the hearing, Cerf confirmed the adviser is William Cox, who owns consulting company DSA Capital, state Treasury records show.”
And of course, as we know, Malloy recruited Pryor from New Jersey.
Stay tuned – more to come!
