Jan 5, 2007 7:44 pm US/Central
Stroger Hires Best Friend's Wife For 6-Figure Job
Carmen Triche-Colvin Brought In As Purchasing Agent
CBS 2's Derrick Blakley and Mike Parker and the STNG Wire contributed to this report.
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Cook County Board President Todd Stroger (File)
CBS
New hiring questions are arising Friday for recently elected Cook County Board President Todd Stroger, regarding a six-figure job Stroger gave to his best friend's wife.
As CBS 2's Mike Parker reports, some are crying foul at what they say is pure patronage at taxpayers' expense.
Stroger has been ruffling feathers for demanding 17 percent budget cuts from his department heads to help balace the county's budget. Now, he has brought in
Carmen Triche-Colvin, and she is making more than $126,000 a year as the purchasing agent, a job that's been vacant for months.
Triche-Colvin is the wife of state Rep.
Marlow Colvin (D-Chicago), who grew up with Stroger in the South Side's 8th Ward.
Triche-Colvin, if approved by the Board, will move into the job from the
Forest Preserve District, where she was also purchasing agent, making $95,000 a year.
"Colvin's appointment is fabulous," Stroger spokesman Steve Mayberry said. "The bottom line is she's eminently qualified for the position. She not only has a related undergraduate degree, she also has a master's degree and well over 15 years of experience, most of which has been in the area of purchasing."
"Anyone who tries to characterize it as a political inside deal couldn't be more off-base," Rep. Colvin added. "I didn't even have to lobby Todd about it."
But county Commissioner
Forrest Claypool (D-12th), who ran against Stroger's father in last year's Democratic primary, says Colvin may have a fine resume, but her appointment sends the wrong signal. Politics, Claypool says, do not belong in that area.
Claypool adds that he is worried about the intrusion of patronage politics into big-money world of county contracts.
Claypool has criticized Stroger for his across-the-board approach to cuts, saying it hurts low-paid nurses and jail guards while preserving high-paid patronage jobs. This move came just days later, and has rankled some officials who are being asked to cut 17 percent from their budgets.
That plan was the subject of a quiet Thursday morning meeting that involved nearly all of the county's elected officials. Afterward, those involved declined to say what was said, if there's a joint strategy emerging or why Stroger wasn't invited to attend.
Mayberry said Stroger was aware of the meeting, and "it's our hope it had something to do with them having met the 17 percent cut."
Rep. Colvin and his wife are veteran political allies of the Stroger in the 8th Ward, where Todd Stroger was alderman until taking over as County Board president, and his father, former County Board Presdient John Stroger, has served as committeeman. The 8th Ward is also home to numerous county employees.
"She's worked very hard for the last 15 years and never been part of any corruption or scandal. She's always done her job with a tremendous amount of professionalism," Marlow Colvin said of his wife. "I don't anticipate any problem with her getting the appointment or doing the job she's required to do."
No one disputes Colvin's qualifications, including a master's degree in finance. It's her connections that are being criticized.
The County Board will review the appointment, but even Claypool concedes it is likely to pass easily.
And at least one reform commissioner, Mike Quigley, says Colvin has done an outstanding job at the Forest Preserves without a hint of politics.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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