Tollett takes extended leave of absence from GHCVB, avoids firing

Kevin · 2006-07-13 12:36:38

KPRC-2 posts the news that Jordy Tollett will be taking a "leave of absence" from his post as President of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau:

The president of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitor's Bureau is taking a leave of absence, days after the Troubleshooters aired an investigation into his behavior while on the job, KPRC Local 2 reported Thursday.
A special meeting of the convention bureau board's executive committee was held Thursday morning.
President Jordy Tollett asked for an extended leave of absence to address what he called "problems in his life."

The Chronicle's Kristen Mack provides additional details:

Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau President Jordy Tollett, under fire after a television camera caught him taking long lunches at a bar, will take extended leave to seek professional help for an unspecified condition.
Tollett met this morning with the bureau's executive committee, at his request, to discuss the report that aired Monday night on KPRC (Channel 2).
He left alone after about 15 minutes, and declined to comment.
"Jordy recognized that he had a problem," said Doug Horn, chairman of the visitors bureau's board. "He asked us to give him an opportunity to take extended time off to address those issues. We as a board decided we were going to do this because Jordy has done such a great job for the city."
Horn said he does know what type of help Tollett will seek and is not sure how long he will be gone.
Tollett has 60 days of vacation time, which he will use. Beyond that, he has requested a family medical leave.

As Sedosi notes, give Tollett's attorney, Rusty Hardin, credit. As it's become increasingly clear that Mayor White was engineering Tollett's departure, Hardin has gotten his client an extended leave from the board, presumably for medical reasons. Tollett avoids being fired, at least for now, and gets help for his "unspecified condition." Some lawyers earn their fees. Hardin is one of them.

Just out of curiosity, how many readers have 60 days of vacation time saved up? That would be 12 business weeks worth of vacation time, which sounds like a pretty sweet deal.

BLOGVERSATION: Lone Star Times.

Link to post: http://www.bloghouston.net/item/3699

Ubu Roi · 2006-07-13 13:46:09

I have about 30-40 days, don't know the exact amount, as I've been taking it in bits and pieces. I haven't gone on a real vacation in 4 years (where could I afford to go?). I can amass a maximum of 90 days, at which time I'll get told to take it or NOW or forfiet.

What I find interesting is that KPRC-2's "innuendo" about alcoholic drinks might be accurate, after all.

Vernon Guy · 2006-07-13 13:55:42

It has been a bad couple of weeks for the once high and mighty...Ken Lay is dead, Bob Lanier is in the hospital and Jordy Tollett is heading to re-hab.

Ubu Roi · 2006-07-13 14:07:16

Hurtt still has a job..... so far.

rorschach · 2006-07-13 14:35:07

Give it time..... he too shall pass....

houtxcharles · 2006-07-13 15:28:52

Maybe if Jordy does end up in re-hab, he can do it in Phoenix. That way he and Chief Hurtt can spend time together.

I still say this was engineered by "someone" at city hall and Jordy decided his time was up, one way or another. How much does anyone want to bet that Mayor White won't wait long to fill the position and whomever gets the post will amazingly have VERY close ties to the Texas Democratic party establishment?

Sedosi · 2006-07-13 16:11:07

I get 15 days vacation per year, plus 10 flex days, that's five weeks.

Of course, I'm not out "working it" like Tollet was either. Schmoozing must be hard damn work.

Carlin · 2006-07-13 16:56:43

I get zero paid vacation days. Of course, I can be a real cheapskate to work for. My company... me, myself and I have a very vague policy on vacation time.

It would be interesting to see if White's administration put someone at KPRC up to exposing Tollett and then that set the whole game into motion. But, if the guy was worth keeping around because he did such a good job, then I'd care. Unfortunately, we'll most likely get some democrat hack to replace him. Blechhh.

Royko · 2006-07-13 18:14:53

Being self-employed, I get no paid time off. Speaking of paid time off, notice they did not mention if it was paid time as he used the family leave act. What is the policy on "cockroaches" geting paid family leave?

IHB2 · 2006-07-13 18:32:43

Carlin wrote:

It would be interesting to see if White's administration put someone at KPRC up to exposing Tollett and then that set the whole game into motion.

like Bob Lanier and KTRK did to Sylvester Turner before their runoff?

Kevin · 2006-07-13 19:42:20

Carlin wrote:

It would be interesting to see if White's administration put someone at KPRC up to exposing Tollett and then that set the whole game into motion.

As I suggested at Tom Kirkendall's place, I think it's pretty likely that someone in the administration "helped" KPRC with their story. And the Mayor sure was available for a quick quote, wasn't he?

In contrast, how long did he wait before saying/doing anything about Carol Alvarado?

All that said, I don't think we'll ever know for sure. The press guys in this administration are pros (literally, former press guys).

Carlin · 2006-07-13 19:43:35

Whatever slimy Silvester got coming to him, he deserved. Not that it was right, but sleeze just drips off of that man, or she-man, whatever his/she/it is. Not that Lanier and LOCKSTOPINSTEPKTRK were right in what they did either. Demonrats are demonrats, no matter what, rules don't matter to demonrats, whether they are in politics or the media. To them, the end always justifies the means, regardles or the circuitous route you took to get to the means. I don't mean also to imply that there are no crooked republicans, but it almost seems to be a card carrying requirement to be a democrat.

Carlin · 2006-07-13 19:47:59

Kevin, boy that's about as well said as I could imagine. You couldn't imagine much of a more unscrupulous situation than Alvarado got herself in, but you sure didn't hear White say much of anything remotely negative about her. On the other hand, it's almost like there was a standing appointment for comment from White after his peeps finished putting the publick finger on Mr. Publick Trough Tollett.

mimi · 2006-07-13 20:52:58

Jordy had a long and fruitful ride: he's retired from the City with a nice pension and surely has a nice executive retirement package from the GHCVB. And, as Vernon Guy said elsewhere, Jordy can always call in his chips with Tilman. Maybe the city will hire someone with good taste next, so Houston doesn't end up with another unsightly Jones Plaza or that cheap-looking attempt at a stone waterfall at the Aquarium.

Jordy, on the way out, please turn off all that tacky blue neon...

Vernon Guy · 2006-07-13 22:09:40

mimi wrote:

Jordy had a long and fruitful ride: he's retired from the City with a nice pension...Maybe the city will hire someone with good taste next, so Houston doesn't end up with another unsightly Jones Plaza or that cheap-looking attempt at a stone waterfall at the Aquarium.
Jordy, on the way out, please turn off all that tacky blue neon...

Jordy exited the city right when the pension benefit was the max, lord knows how many credits he had considering the numerous executive positions (even 2-3 at the same time, I guess they really didn't warrant separate bodies). I'd guess he exited a millionaire. Would be interesting to know if the pension info is public.

In fact, the tacky Jones Plaza is nicknamed Jordy's Toilet.

When the Aquarium Restaurant (they want us to just call it the Downtown Aquarium, although it's really just a commercial restaurant) was being built, there was a huge Tillman sign thanking Jordy, not the City, but Jordy.

I don't like kicking someone when they're down, unless that person has the reputation of doing the same to others.

Kevin · 2006-07-13 22:57:08

Vernon Guy wrote:

In fact, the tacky Jones Plaza is nicknamed Jordy's Toilet.

Heh. Back when the Houston Press actually reported on these sorts of things, they had a good story on the whole affair:

http://www.houstonpress.com/Issues/2003 … print.html

Now Tim Fleck helps to spin the downtown establishment view for the Chron editorial board, and the Press doesn't do that sort of city hall reporting. Oh well.

Royko · 2006-07-14 08:20:59

I wanted to go down to that CHCVB meeting yesterday, and offer to serve the Board baloney sandwiches.

rorschach · 2006-07-14 10:35:45

Kevin wrote:

Vernon Guy wrote:
In fact, the tacky Jones Plaza is nicknamed Jordy's Toilet.
Heh. Back when the Houston Press actually reported on these sorts of things, they had a good story on the whole affair:
http://www.houstonpress.com/Issues/2003 … print.html
Now Tim Fleck helps to spin the downtown establishment view for the Chron editorial board, and the Press doesn't do that sort of city hall reporting. Oh well.

That explains the smell...

Royko · 2006-07-15 21:45:43

the fish rots from the head.

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#1 2006-07-13 12:36:38

Tollett takes extended leave of absence from GHCVB, avoids firing

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