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“McBride called the Contract an Instance of Nepotism”
In an article published by the South Bend Tribune on January 27, 2023, City Council President Sharon McBride criticized a personnel decision made by a former City Clerk as an act of nepotism. Remarkably, McBride found herself dismissed from her position 13 months later amid allegations that includi nepotism and embezzlement. She contended that the investigation against her was influenced by her identity as both a female and a person of color. However, Redress highlighted that the City Clerk McBride had previously accused of nepotism was similarly a woman of color, raising questions about the consistency and motive behind McBride's earlier accusations.
“McBride and Niezgodski Approve Secret Contract 04/18/2022”
The contract states in section 2 that Bianca Tirado left her role as Chief Deputy City Clerk and employee of the city on April 15, 2022, to seek new employment opportunities. Given that Tirado later provided consultancy to the clerk's office, earning more than her previous salary (earning a reported $118k as a consultant), and campaigned against her former boss, there is a clear public interest in understanding the circumstances of her departure and subsequent actions.
Under the agreement, the Consultant's compensation was contractually capped at a monthly rate of $6,000, equivalent to $60 per hour for approved hours. Initially, Tirado submitted invoices precisely at the upper limit, claiming the maximum allowable compensation. However, the billing records indicate a progressive increase in the invoiced amounts. From September 18th, 2022 to October 17th, 2022, she billed for 118 hours, totaling $7,080—exceeding the agreed-upon rate by 18%. The pattern escalated in the following pay periods; from October 18th to November 17th, 2022, she invoiced for 134 hours or $8,040, overstepping the contract by 34%. The trend peaked from November 18th to December 20th, 2022, when she billed an astonishing 192 hours, resulting in an invoice of $11,520—92% above the contractual threshold. This surge in billing aligns uncomfortably close to the financial misdealings for which Sharon McBride was recently dismissed from her Director position at the Ducomb Center, raising concerns about potential embezzlement and other financial improprieties echoing past misconduct within the organization. In relation to the contract’s secrecy, then City Councilmen Henry Davis Jr (D) and Eli Wax (R) claimed they did not know the contract even existed.
In a statement from City Council Attorney Bob Palmer, Palmer compared Tirado's $118,540 secret contract to "buying snacks for the parade" and said, "That's within the discretion of the president (McBride)." If that is the case, we challenge and question the discretion of the President (McBride) (and Vice President Sheila Niezgodski) to waste our hard-earned tax dollars! Just because dollars are budgeted, does not mean they have to be spent.
Below you can view the contract and the invoices!
“Bill 10-24 Amending the Clerks Job Description ”
The City Clerk is an elected position. The current City Clerk Tirado campaigned on her ability to do this job. The City Clerk collected money to do this job as written in Section 2-7(C) of Chapter 2 Article 1 of the South Bend Municipal Code. The City Clerk passed out yard signs with her name on them to say she could do this job. She signed up for this job as it is written in municipal and state statutes. Would changing the rules to help the newly elected clerk be an instance of cronyism? I think we all need a refresher on the definition of nepotism and cronyism. Nepotism is the practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives, friends, or associates. While cronyism means favoring friends and companions. “Team South Bend” City Council members campaigned for Ms Tirado and told us she could do this job, so let her do the job she and you campaigned for. We have your CFA4s, and we know you donated money to her campaign, making her job easier after the election. Would that be cronyism?
“Bill 10-22 - $58,000 Additional Taxpayer Burden To Do The Clerk's Job For Her”
Currently, the Clerk has the following staff:
City Clerk for $80,000
Chief Deputy Clerk for $73,945
Administrative Assistant for $58,407
Executive Assistant to the Clerk for $47,345 Why do we need to add another $58,000 salary on the backs of the taxpayers? This $58,000 position has nearly identical duties to the clerk, check them out below.