Seems that Nora Reissig-Lazzaro's staff cannot catch a break. After one of Nora's frequent appearances in our rag, her staff keeps their finger's crossed. We're told that they are hoping that she might take a hint, start treating those under her with respect and then everyone can get back to work and stories to Spotty will no longer be sent out. Thus far, they say that 24-48 hours has been the record before Nora gets on another rampage, or tries assigning blame downwards from something she did herself.
So, the stories keep coming. Maybe half of them make it in the rag. Otherwise, we would have published twice as many issues
So here is this month's update on Nora.
In Issue 57 (June 1, 2000) we reported that Mr. Lamount Goodwin was joining Nora's staff. We also relayed some advice from others who had been with Nora for some time.
Since then, we're told that he was left without any competent supervision in a job he'd just begun. Even now, nearly two months later, someone who works in the same office tells us that Mr. Goodwin was given "No guidance, No direction, No program!"
As a result, it did not take long for Mr. Goodwin to plan his escape from the Reissig-Lazzaro rubber room. Less than 60 days after his arrival, he's outta there!
Unfortunately, others may have a tougher time. One of our sources tells us that in an attempt to stem the flow of unhappy campers exiting Nora's torture chamber, Nora has taken to whispering negative things about those trying to escape. She will tell prospective supervisors derogatory tidbits about the person(s), and that will usually wind up in ruining the person's chance of moving to a happier place. Rumor has it that Nora tried this crap with Eva Miller, but it backfired. Eva pondered a lawsuit, City Hall got involved and, quick as you could say Rudester, Eva had an uncontested transfer! (Backstabbing to prevent a transfer is a looong running NYCHA trick, and if you can catch your boss doing it you should contact a lawyer!)
For NYCHA tenants left in Nora's care, things are getting worse. Suddenly, in a move meant to look good for Nora, her SSD workers in the field are being swamped with Social Service referrals. These referrals can be about a family at risk or other important and time sensitive issues. Yet, some of the ones Nora's people are working on are so old the paper is starting to turn. Some go back to 1998.
Many of these "new" referrals actually had already been taken care of in the Project involved. But, as Nora wants to impress the Board with all the work her unit does, she has the SSD field workers in some sort of redundant hell.
But, come Calendar time, by bundling old referrals, referrals that were taken care of long ago and the recent referrals, it can be made to look like a much larger job in Nora's reports.
Doesn't NYCHA have anyone with a Masters in Social Work that could help straighten all this idiocy out for NYCHA's tenants?
Don't even think of parking here!
We're told that Nora had Irwin Rodriguez working late on some emergency item she needed ASAP. Unfortunately, the delay caused Irwin to find a parking ticket on his car. Nora refused to help pay the ticket. In a show of camaraderie reminiscent of some prisoner of war movie, Nora's staff secretly took up a collection for Irwin.
(Isn't it a wonder how shared adversity can
often bring out the best in a group of people?)
Where there's Smoke,
there has to be a NYCHA Exec
Are you a NYCHA employee who smokes? Do you face a daily barrage of comments from people who seem to think you've never heard that cigarette's are not a health food? Well, if you think your life has enough unfairness in it, we'll add some more.
For some time NYCHA has had a two-tiered policy regarding smoking. Anthony Navarro has just sent around a memo restating that policy. If you are a run-of-the-mill NYCHA employee, you are told to go outside to smoke. In reality, this means you must freeze your %&* off in the Winter and swelter in the Summer.
However, if you have moved up from a cubicle (Peon) to an office with a door (Exec), your comfort becomes a larger concern of NYCHA. You will no longer have to brave the elements. You can smoke in your office, and up to two other people can join you.
powers-that-be*
PTB or powers-that-be: I have been asked why the term "powers-that-be" is so prevalent in Spotlight issues. One person wrote:
"Can't you just say who you mean instead of this cloak and dagger stuff?"
So Click Here and we'll explain!
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