FOK – Either way you say it, the City’s screwed.

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FOK – Friend of Kwame.

Have you applied for a City job in the last six years only to find the position filled by someone less qualified?  Did you ever feel like you were missing that certain something, like say – genetic material?

A Free Press examination of city records shows that at least 29 people with close connections to the mayor have been appointed by Kilpatrick to city jobs since he took office in 2002. That’s a significant departure from Detroit’s last three mayors, who appeared to have hired far fewer family members or friends.

Of those with ties to Kilpatrick, at least eight are relatives. The jobs held by friends and family range from secretarial positions to department heads.

A Free Press examination of city records shows that at least 29 people with close connections to the mayor have been appointed by Kilpatrick to city jobs since he took office in 2002. That’s a significant departure from Detroit’s last three mayors, who appeared to have hired far fewer family members or friends.

Nice. No wonder the City’s in the toilet. It’s run by people who haven’t an ethical gene in their DNA. We of course know all about the positions created by the Administration for close personal friends, but we had yet to hear about those already employed.

No big deal you say. Really?

Tough bargaining by Kilpatrick and Beatty coupled with an unforgiving economy also have forced city workers to pay more for health care and accept smaller raises. Riehl said the water department workers he represents as president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 207 saw only two raises since Kilpatrick took office: 2% in 2003 and 2% in 2004.

Yet for well-connected appointees who have worked for the mayor since 2002, average salaries jumped 36%. The figure might have been higher, except some Kilpatrick friends — including Beatty — were hired near the top salary of $140,000, leaving little room to grow under the city’s guidelines.

Among the biggest gainers were Beatty’s half-sister, April Edgar, whose pay jumped 86% — from $38,000 to $70,500 — between 2002 and 2007, and one of the mayor’s cousins, Ajene (Ace) Evans, whose income rose 77%, from $32,500 to $57,500.

Think about that the next time you’re in the City and the lights missing from the poles and the crackheads are roaming the streets because of the policemen shortage.  He can tout his economic stimulus package all he wants, but ultimately the more money the City gets, the more of his buddies he can hire.

Can we really afford more FOK?