Absentee Councilwoman Foster up for state job

FOSTER CARE

We’d love to know who ran this contract.

Gov. Cuomo has nominated term-limited Highbridge Councilwoman Helen Foster to become the next state Human Rights Commissioner.

But we get word from Albany she could face tough going in the Republican-controlled Senate, first in front of its Judiciary Committee, then for a full Senate vote.

Foster, as we and others in the media have been flogging her in ink, spent a lackluster 12 years in the council, with no particular legislative accomplishments.

She will officially be departing the council Jan. 2 with THE single worst attendance record, showing up for council meetings only 60% of the time in 2012, and pretty much maintaining her Missing In Action record for the Fiscal Year 2013.

Maybe that’s because she’s been double-dipping, with her “part-time” $112,000 a year council job while working “full-time” as a $109,800-a-year “special assistant” at the Human Rights Division.

That state salary is the “book value” of the job, since the folks at the commission declined to officially dish on their potential new boss.

Assemblywoman Vanessa Gibson, who won the Sept. 10 primary with backing from the Dem Party machine, is expected to easily win the Nov. 5 general election to fill Foster’s council seat.

WABBIT UPDATE

Looks like former state Senator Pedro (The Wascally Wabbit) Espada is locked up in a new hutch.

The U.S. Bureau of Prisons inmate locator has him moved from Brooklyn’s Metropolitian Detention Center to the Schuylkill Federal Correctional Facility in Pennsylvania, where the 59-year-old former Bronx elected has joined former City Councilman Larry Seacrook – er, Seabrook, doing time for milking phantom non-profits.

Pedro’s sentence for milking funds from his now defunct Soundview Healthcare chain runs to Oct. 2017, while the 62-year-old Larry’s final release date is July 2017.

Meanwhile, Pedro’s 39-year-old son, former City Councilman Pedro Gautier Espada, now ensconced in the Brooklyn federal lockup for similarly looting papi’s clinic, will breath free air by March, 2014.

SPLITSVILLE

Longtime Borough Haller Camilla Pinckney-Price and Boro Prez Ruben Diaz Jr. have parted ways after 17 years, going back to when she was working for him when he was a Soundview assemblyman.

Camilla, who handled constituent services and a program for returning inmates at the BP’s office, told us she’s none too happy over getting her walking papers via email while sitting in her doctor’s office – being treated for stress migraines.

“I’ve helped thousands of people over the years, and it would be nice to continue,” she told us. “I’m weighing my options.”

FACE OFF

Looks like the Bronx Democratic Machine can’t handle a little criticism.

Case in point: Haile Rivera, one of the losing candidates in that dirty little election for the 86th Assembly District where a virtually unknown party-backed candidate squeaked by with 72 votes.

Rivera complained on his Facebook that he was tossed off the party’s Facebook page @Bronx Democratic County Committee.

“The fact that I disagree with how the elections of the 86th Assembly District were handled,” he wrote, “does not mean I am no longer a proud Democrat, who lives in the Bronx. Wow!”

Party flack Patrick Jenkins responded that Rivera “constantly posted negative material to our closed page. We like to focus on the positive (Read that OUR candidates).”

When we asked Rivera about it, he told us “I guess I was being a pain in the ass.”

COP CORNER

Welcome aboard. To former Bronx hand, Deputy Inspector Nilda Hofmann, moving up from command of East Harlem’s 25th Precinct to new C.O. at the Five-Two, covering Bedford Park, Fordham, Kingsbridge, Norwood and University Heights.

Hoffman’s last Bronx command was as exec at the Four-Two in Morrisania, along with other prior Bronx assignments.

The Five-Two’s former C.O., Inspector Joe Dowling, moving over from the Webster Avenue stationhouse to adjutant at Bronx Borough Command.

Congrats. To Felix Ramos at the Four-Eight detective squad and Rob Rentas at the Four-Three Squad, “makin’ the money,” upped to Detective Second Grade.

Beefed up. Bronx Robbery Squad beefed up with five new detective specialists.

LONGEVITY

Our buddy, Gary Axelbank, the Energizer Bunny of Bronx talk show hosts, celebrating the 19th anniversary of BronxTalk over at BronxNet public TV on Monday, Oct.14 with his guest former NY Ranger hockey great Mark Messier, now CEO of the Kingsbridge National Ice Center in the old Kingsbridge Armory – if approved by the City Council.

Gary and longtime show producer Jane Folloro will be doing the 900th edition of BronxTalk on Oct. 28, guest yet to be named.

BRONX BIRTHDAYS

Oct. 10 – Retired NYPD sergeant, unofficial department historian Mike Bosak – and burr in PC Ray Kelly’s saddle with his daily cop newsletter.

Oct. 10 – Artie Ramos of SideStreet

Oct. 12 – Daily News politigal blogger Celeste Katz