At the meeting where former contract attorney pleaded with the City of Brownsville commissioners to change his status to full-time city employee so he could include a child he had with a woman fighting him for child support in his health insurance, he promised that henceforth he would work exclusively for the city.
Some commissioners said that they felt sorry for the child since it was not his fault that he was caught in that predicament through no fault of its own. That decision was made on January 12, when Sossi was in the throes of the child custody-child support fight and was held on Thursday, January 12.
According to the minutes of the meeting, the discussion in executive session centered around: A) Discussion and Possible Personnel ACTION to make City Attorney a City Employee. Commissioner Ricardo Longoria, Jr., moved to proceed as discussed in Executive Session to make City Attorney a City Employee. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Cesar de Leon and carried unanimously.According to accounts of the meeting, an emotional Sossi pleaded and cajoled the commissioners to change his status since the court child support ordered included the provision that Sossi provide him with medical insurance.
Yet, almost a month to the date, on February 13, Sossi signed a retainer agreement with the City of Mission that would pay him $2,500 a month.In fact, under that agreement, he has committed to work at least 15 hours a month for Mission. So Since February, the City of Misison has issued checks to "Sossi and Associates" totaling $8,839 (Click on graphics to enlarge).
At the time of the change from contract attorney to full-time employee he was receiving $10,000 a month from the city and another $5,000 a month from the GBIC for a grand total of $180,000 a year.
As far as we know, he stills draws that money minus deductions.
One of the conditions of being a full-time city
employee is that you are prohibited from working simultaneously for another employer. In other words, you cannot serve two masters. Yet, Sossi, on February 13, 2013, signed the retainer agreement to advise the City of Mission "in matters regarding police, fire, labor, employment and civil service when requested..."
Additionally, under the agreement, Sossi is required by his contract to "attend all Civil Service meetings and/or hearings and shall represent the commission. The attorney shall be available foremployee is that you are prohibited from working simultaneously for another employer. In other words, you cannot serve two masters. Yet, Sossi, on February 13, 2013, signed the retainer agreement to advise the City of Mission "in matters regarding police, fire, labor, employment and civil service when requested..."
consultation with the client at reasonable times, at the request of the client."
Now, we happen to know that Sossi – used to living high off the hog and lavishing his cash on wine, women and song – has fallen on hard times. No one blames him for scratching for cash where he can. In fact, we have published posts here where we show that the U.S. Internal Revenue Service has issued several liens against him for unpaid taxes totalling a whopping $565,593.70.
But the rules are the rules. If one of the conditions of changing the status from contract attorney to a full-time city employee, the agreement with Mission – and the $2,500 monthly retainer – are clear violations of the conditions of employment. Now that the makeup of the city commission has changed, is anyone going to make the city administration enforce the rules? Or do they apply to different people differently?