Are you there, John? It’s me, Rusty.
I can’t improve on the title of Water Buffalo Press’s excellent piece about trying to get answers from Maggie, so I’m using it here. It’s great stuff, especially this exchange:
I called the Communications department after no response to my October 8th email. Bonnie, the wonderfully vapid individual who answered the phone, conducted the conversation exactly as I expected.
“Hello, this is Bonnie.â€
“I have a question regarding the FAIR plan and its relation the state sales - “
“What we will need you to do is put your question in writing or email it to us.â€
“I actually did that multiple times over the past two weeks.â€
“Oh. Well, your question will be answered.â€
“Anytime soon?â€
“I would imagine.â€
Lest we forget, the John in the title is John Durso, the head of the Minariks/Brooks communication operation. This man is pictured below.
Related posts:
Thanks for posting the photo once again, it’s a nice exclamation point and I had the image in my mind as I wrote the post.
Here’s a quote from when Mr. Durso (John R. Durso, Jr.) was hired by Maggie:
“John Durso will be a great addition to my senior management team in County Government,†said Brooks. “John shares my belief that local government needs to be an on-going collaboration with our taxpayers… and that effective communication is essential to achieving that goal. His experience, enthusiasm, and inter-personal skills are tremendous assets that will be put to good use in his new position. I look forward to having John as a new voice at the table as we continue our work in charting Monroe County’s long term progress.â€ÂÂ
I guess this photo reflects his effective communication, enthusiasm and interpersonal skills. The press release continues:
“Durso, 31, is a resident of Greece. A native of Long Island and a graduate of Siena College, Durso has been a veteran of New York State government and politics for the past decade. Prior to joining the Brooks administration in June as her Special Communications Assistant, John most recently served as the Political Director of the New York Republican State Committee in Albany from November, 2004 through June, 2006. Durso had also served as Deputy Communications Director and traveling Press Secretary for 2004 United States Senate candidate Howard Mills, as the New York Republican State Committee’s Research and Political Education Director from 2001-2004, and as Deputy Research Director for Governor Pataki’s successful 1998 re-election campaign. John also worked in Governor Pataki’s administration, serving as Public Information Officer for the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation in New York City, and as an Assistant in the Governor’s New York City press office. He began his career as a staff assistant to the late State Senator Norman J. Levy (R-Merrick).”
So Minarik must have picked him up while in Albany.
Interestingly, there’s a John R. Durso who is the Long Island Federation of Labor president. I’m assuming that’s dad. Wonder if they talk about Rochester politics around the dinner table.
http://www.connectrochester.com/?q=node/2434////communications