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| NH COs Rally Behind Chief |
| By The Concord Monitor |
| Published: 11/28/2005 |
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New Hampshire prison employees have launched a public campaign to fight Gov. John Lynch's effort to replace their boss, Commissioner Stephen Curry. In recent weeks, more than two dozen prison workers have called the media and executive councilors to praise Curry's work. Typically, prison employees decline interviews unless they have received permission from a supervisor. Several of the people who called the Monitor said they had been encouraged to do so by Maj. Dennis Cox. Cox could not be reached for comment yesterday. Lynch nominated Hampton Police Chief William Wrenn for corrections commissioner this month after interviewing several candidates, Curry included. The Executive Council could vote on the nomination as early as Dec. 7. In their defense of Curry, the prison employees said he has made replacing tired equipment and recruiting staff a priority. They praised his weekly prisonwide e-mails that tell staff what he's doing to improve working conditions. And they say they appreciate his willingness to resist lawmakers' efforts to cut his budget. "He's the first commissioner in my 15 years that went to the Legislature and said, 'This is what I need and why I need it,'" said Lt. Paul Cascio, an officer at the women's prison in Goffstown. He said he recently gave executive councilors a petition in support of Curry that had 200 employees' signatures. He said another petition is circulating with as many signatures. Closely tied to employees' support for Curry was their criticism of the state employees union, which has filed a record-number of labor complaints against Curry. Many speculated that the union, which is led by a former corrections officer, had pressured Lynch to find a new commissioner. "The union looks at Mr. Curry as (former governor Craig) Benson's appointment," said John Williams, a 16-year veteran of corrections who works in the Berlin prison. "And I think Mr. Lynch looks at it like (replacing Curry) is payback for the union helping get him elected." Pamela Walsh, Lynch's spokeswoman, said yesterday that the union had not influenced the governor's nomination. "The governor did not clear any candidate with the union," she said. "They found out when everyone found out who he was going to nominate." She said the governor would prefer if people would evaluate Wrenn for his abilities and not make the selection a contest. "Commissioner Curry's term is up," she said. "The governor wants someone who can move the department beyond labor management conflicts. Chief Wrenn has a proven record of management capabilities. And he knows how to work with the Legislature." Curry meets those qualifications, too, according to the employees who have been calling the Monitor, Union Leader and executive councilors. "He takes the time to go around and talks to the officers," said Sgt. Tricia Thompson, a recruiter for the men's prison in Concord. |
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