It has been reported that APD’s Real Time Crime Center manager T.J. Wilham, the first spokesman for former Mayor Berry and former Albuquerque Journal reporter, has been terminated by the Keller Administration.
It was reported he had to be escorted out of the building.
Many wonder what took so long.
On September 2, 2017, it was reported Wilham was transferred from an unclassified, at will position, he held to the same position that was deliberately re-classified to give him more job security so he would be better protected from losing his job when a new mayor took office on December 1, 2017.
As was the case with Dayna Crawford being transferred into a classified position at the Transit Department, TJ Wilham being transferred into a classified position was so very wrong on so many levels.
Wilham’s job description appeared to have been almost handwritten by him with only him in mind.
Wilham then applied for the newly created classified job that he already was holding down as an at will employee and he was given the job.
What added insult to injury, as a civilian he was given extensive and expensive training that should be reserved for sworn police officers and not civilians.
TJ Wilham was an Albuquerque Journal reporter eight (8) years ago wrote highly biased stories against the Chavez Administration.
In the interest of full disclosure, I was on the receiving end of some of his stories.
When Berry was elected, he went to work for Berry as his spokesman along with Chris Ramirez who left Channel 4 and later returned to the station.
City Hall insiders say TJ Wilham and Chris Ramirez did not get along and Ramirez was forced out.
TJ Whilham was paid $39.50 an hour or $82,160 which was more than double what he made as a newspaper reporter, not including benefits from the City such as sick leave, annual leave and health insurance which adds about 20% to his base salary.
All too often political operatives take high paying political jobs with an elected administration knowing full well they are at-will employees assuming the risk of termination in exchange for a lucrative salary.
When their time finally runs out, they seek the protections of personnel rules and regulations that are more designed to protect long term employees who make significantly less.
It’s the sense of entitlement to continue city employment by any political loyalist or operative that is so very disgusting.
I remember 8 years ago, Mayor elect Berry during the transition sent one of his political operatives to the Mayor’s Office who wrote down the names off of names plates to get correct spellings of all the at will employees who worked in the Mayor’s office.
Berry then sent out termination letters to the Chavez appointees and Berry filled the positions with his own loyalists in short order.
I did not care, knew the risks and just retired.
That’s politics.
Best wishes TJ, and good luck with life after City Hall.