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Post by SyZyGy on Jul 20, 2005 15:00:59 GMT -5
In today's HC, MEF offered speculations and appraisals from the dominant and dominated parties in town: mostly the same, old gobbledygook.
However, I found it interesting that no reason was offered why the current, "popular" deputy mayor (who has been associated with an unpopular cell tower - which some in town say should actually carry his name) has chosen not to run again. In light of 'oldetowne's' recent iteration of the Advocate's article on the 800 MHz system FUBAR, some might see a connection.
Judging by the dates and sources in the article which Bonnie appended to a Manager's Report earlier this month, the former Chief should have known that buying into 800MHz had the distinct possibility of problems. Even if you choose to hold former Chief-K harmless, the consultant who "sold" the Town on this particular system will, like most consultants and contractors who do work for this Town, get off scot-free. Ah, well - that's the way we do business in Wethersfield.
As far as Steinmetz's disingenuous "The progress was a bipartisan effort on the council, but I think the Democrats were largely responsible for the progress, " most see it for the sop that it is. Thanks but no thanks, Shirley!
Rich Roberts however provides us with an honesty in the form of "burnout" and "There is a limited universe of people who are interested in this sort of thing." This sort of thing? I interpret that to mean "the pleasure of being driven into a brick wall (by the dominant party in town).
I wonder, what sort of Republican candidates can the WRTC expect to find for this election - masochists or the delusional or the incredibly naive or those interested in just political advancement?
I wonder, what if the WRTC just sat out this election?
What if no Republic ran for office? You know, just take a break. Let the unaffiliated and alternate-party candidates (selected or just written in) fill-in. Give the Russ-ian Council all of the rope it could possibly want and see what would happen.
I wonder......
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Post by SenatorBlutarsky on Jul 20, 2005 21:11:07 GMT -5
Syz: What does he have to offer? I'm sure he is burned out. Being second in command is not easy. When he retired he was Chief. Maybe when he ran for council, he figured the top job would be his (Mayor). It always looks easy to serve until your at the "front table". Maybe as a taxpayer he'll speak for an upgrade to our awful radio system.  |
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Post by oldetowne on Jul 21, 2005 4:23:03 GMT -5
I don't think it's a secret - or a surprise - that both parties have been having a much more difficult time finding qualified, enthusiastic and willing candidates over the past few years. The general distrust of government at all levels, the thankless nature of the task, and the amount of time required away from work and family all make it something that is either a labor of love for one's town or an ego trip (or some combination of the two). Add to that the often toxic nature of the political environment in the town and state and you will find that you aren't always presented with "the best and the brightest".
That being said, as a Republican, I believe that it would be irresponsible for the party not to nominate as many candidates as it can find to give the voters a choice. The two-party system is essential to provide checks and balances when there are no alternatives such as a budget referendum. This is not a one-party state like Cuba - the property tax increases are smaller there. Even if the opposing candidates are people with "less experience" or "different ideas", the mere fact that they are running ensures that there will be an opportunity for dissenting voices to be heard and that there is a possibility, often seemingly remote, that sanity and balance will exist in town government.
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Post by morganika on Jul 21, 2005 7:33:58 GMT -5
Well this is certainly good news, I await November happily. I will be interested to see who will be running. Fresh blood, new beginnings, maybe.
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Post by SyZyGy on Jul 21, 2005 11:39:25 GMT -5
Senator,
I don't believe that Chief-K has "burned out." I see Chief-K's decision not to run again as burst of self-awareness.
Having watched his performance on the Council for the last year and a half (along with similar attention given to the other Councilors), I get the feeling that he is not and has not been comfortable there - like a fish out of water: He is not in charge. He rarely speaks at any length. He is called upon to speak to public safety issues primarily (and to mechanically move, second and vote on matters).
He however has been a faithful 'rank and file' participant for the Party. And now, his judgment in the end of his term there has been called into question in the cell-tower SNAFU. I can't believe that being on Council has been either fun or meaningful to him.
I don't expect to see or hear him speaking to the Council as a member of the public (the 'audience' as far as the Dem's are concerned). Besides, it is a done deal that the Karangekis 800 MHz cell-tower issue will have to be fixed (euphemistically referred to as "upgraded") in the next few years - just as was predicted before the Town was committed to that system.
An important member of the WPD for many years, he has yet to enjoy the fruits of his labors. It was time for him to retire from public life 2 years ago.
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Post by oldetowne on Jul 22, 2005 6:51:13 GMT -5
Here's the first half of the picture. From today's Hartford Courant:
"Democrats Pick Fall Candidates
July 22, 2005
By JONATHAN SHUGARTS, Courant Staff Writer WETHERSFIELD - -- The Democratic town committee nominated a team on Thursday made up primarily of incumbents for the upcoming elections.
The party cited the town's bond upgrading, economic development and the Metropolitan District Commission endorsement of a plan to remove Wethersfield Cove from sewer discharges as a record of accomplishments they believe will produce a win in November.
The Democrats' endorsement includes incumbents Mayor Russ Morin, Christine Fortunato, Matthew Forrest and Andrew Adil.
"We are running on our record; we have actually done something we can point to," Morin said.
Jeff Kotkin, vice president for investor relations for Northeast Utilities, was tagged to fill the spot left vacant by Deputy Mayor John Karangekis, who is stepping down from the council. Kotkin ran unsuccessfully for the council in 1991.
The Democrats plan to swap members of the board of education and the town council.
Julie Montinieri, who served one term on the town council, was nominated for the board of education, and Martin Walsh, who is on the school board, was nominated to run for a seat on the council.
"It's been a really great experience [on the council], but education has been my first interest so I'm going to give it a try," Montinieri said.
Two incumbents seeking re-election, Stacey Hodges and Michael McKenna, were nominated for four-year terms on the school board, and one newcomer, Janis Malec, is seeking a two-year term."
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Post by morganika on Jul 22, 2005 8:45:25 GMT -5
"We are running on our record; we have actually done something we can point to," Morin said. "
Yup, you have done something I can point to also, 28% tax increase. I will vote for someone else.
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hodiddly
Gold Member
its getting cold down here!
Posts: 79
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Post by hodiddly on Jul 22, 2005 11:57:05 GMT -5
People are funny - Wethersfield has gone a long time with minimal tax increases, I think everyone would agree - people complain about road repairs, infrastructure issues, school issues, etc...We have a council that, like them or not is actually doing something about these problems, and the same people will now complain about a tax increase. You can not have it both ways. Check in comparable towns and see what their tax rates are and what services they get. I think you will find that, in order to progress forward and remain the wonderful suburb that we are, an increase was inevitable. Consider the alternative.
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Post by SyZyGy on Jul 22, 2005 13:17:17 GMT -5
I can only hope that Mr. Kotkin is as quick a learn as his title suggests; I hope that he will prove to be a valuable asset to the (whole) Council and the Town and not just another reflexive party loyalist on the dais. As far as Julie is concerned, I can certainly appreciate her desire to retreat to relative safety and seclusion of the Board of Education where she will undoubtedly avoid the slings and arrows of outrageous notions on the Council. We certainly wouldn't want her to get her hair mussed up any more while jousting with the dominated party or members of the public or running around Town trying to be the omnipresent liaison-to-all.
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Post by oldetowne on Jul 26, 2005 6:33:19 GMT -5
Hodiddly, you wrote:
"People are funny - Wethersfield has gone a long time with minimal tax increases, I think everyone would agree - people complain about road repairs, infrastructure issues, school issues, etc...We have a council that, like them or not is actually doing something about these problems, and the same people will now complain about a tax increase. You can not have it both ways. Check in comparable towns and see what their tax rates are and what services they get. I think you will find that, in order to progress forward and remain the wonderful suburb that we are, an increase was inevitable. Consider the alternative."
First, I honestly don't recall what all of the tax increases have been over the past ten years, but they have not all been minimal.
Second, I DO consider the alternatives. The alternatives would include making capital improvements and maintaining the infrastructure over time, rather than after it gets to the critical point. The people would probably understand that and probably would have been willing to swallow a 500K-1M line item in the budget for that over the past ten years.
Third, among the other alternatives are actually looking at the expense side of the budget and making hard choices. The hardest choice that the current Council made was how to hide the artificial turf in there without permitting a referendum. (NOT that I opposed it - I just wanted it done in the light of day and the right way.)
Finally, I do look at other towns around us and see what they get for their tax dollar. I appreciate the fact that we get our trash taken away "for free" and other services that other towns make people pay for. And I agree that all of these services come at a price. But to look at the 20-30% increases over the past two years and see that I am getting nothing new and am just paying more to fix what we already have or pay more to the staff we already have is hard to take when there is no end in sight to the increases and they are imposed on us with such open arrogance and disdain.
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Post by morganika on Jul 26, 2005 7:41:33 GMT -5
Old Towne, I couldn't agree more. And yes, it's the arrogance I can't stomach.
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hodiddly
Gold Member
its getting cold down here!
Posts: 79
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Post by hodiddly on Jul 26, 2005 8:22:48 GMT -5
Oldetowne, I also could not agree more, but I believe we have previous council's to thank for the situation we are now in. I also believe that the current council is only doing what they feel is best to get us on the right path. I am not a politician, so I cant really comment on the way things get done, but as far as the turf goes, this council ran on a specific platform of issues, and improvements at Cottone was one of them. The way I see it, they are only following through with promises made during their campaign.
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Post by oldetowne on Jul 27, 2005 4:10:24 GMT -5
Here's the second half of the equation - from today's Courant:
"GOP Picks New Faces
July 27, 2005
By JONATHAN SHUGARTS, Courant Staff Writer WETHERSFIELD - -- The Republican town committee endorsed a slate of nine town council and school board candidates that has only one incumbent.
John Cascio is seeking re-election to the town council. Kitch Czernicki and Donna Hemmann are stepping down. Both said they wanted to make room for new people. They also said it's been difficult to get resolutions passed on the Democrat-controlled board.
"I don't feel I've had an effective voice over the last few years, so it's time for some new people to see if they can do a better job," Hemmann said.
"Any good suggestion that has come before us has been dismissed as political gamesmanship," Czernicki, a former mayor, said after the meeting.
Republican Town Chairman Richard Roberts, who is running for a council position, said that he believed the current council ignores the concerns of residents.
"They eliminated a fair amount of public participation at meetings," Roberts said. "The outcome is predetermined by the majority before the meeting even starts."
The council slate includes Joe Soja, a former member of the school board. Soja, 63, recently retired after 35 years as vice-president of marketing at Durham Manufacturing. He said being retired gives him more time for the town.
The other council candidates are Stephen Kirsch, Jr., whose parents Martha and Steve Kirsch were both town council members in the early 1980s, David Drake, who owns International Plating Technology in New Britain, and Bernadine Franco.
The party had difficulty filling the four school board positions.
Michael Wrona will seek a two-year term. John Adamian will run for a four-year term. Brad Milvae will run as the candidate for both a two-year term and a four-year term.
If a fourth school board candidate comes forward, Milvae's name will be dropped from one of those two slots. A committee named Tuesday to find a fourth candidate has 30 days to do that."
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Post by LouS on Jul 28, 2005 17:13:10 GMT -5
Donna H will be missed from the council. Whether you disagreed with her views or not they were always based upon a thoughtful and rational process.
Julie's hopeful transition to the BOE will be where her hear is and to the Chief, Thanks for all your dedicated service.
It doesn't take much thought to understand that when you volunteer to run, get elected as a member of the town council, and then get bashed, ranted at, called a variety of names, etc., why it is hard to get people to run.
Roberts, Soja, and Kirsch will be fine candidates, with two having experience and the latter bringing a new perspective. Welcome, good luck and know that most of us may kick and yell but when the dust settles we will shake hands...can't promise that from everyone.
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Post by SyZyGy on Jul 29, 2005 7:38:23 GMT -5
LouS,
Welcome back! Must have been a good vacation!
I found your recent message (partial quote below) to be interesting and worthy of a reply.
On the humorous side first, I presume that your reference to Juli is to her 'heart' and not her 'hair' no matter whether she is 'here' or there and has nothing to do with her 'hear'ing. Also, I stand by my recent comments about why she is going back to the Board where she will be better shielded from the rough and tumble life on Council.
As far as volunteers and the Boards and Commissions, someone once said, if you can't stand the heat, get out of the fire. At times in the past, when the Council was as calm as a meeting of the BOD of a Country Club, durable Democrats and resilient Republicans were not necessarily needed - anyone would do. Today, the candidates should know beforehand what they are likely getting into and exposed to and what will be expected of them by their party "leaders." Obviously both John and Juli did not. You and I do know and we are not running.
As far as Danny O is concerned, he has shot off his mouth one too many times; shown himself to be a short-tempered and irascible brute; spouted innuendos, inaccuracies and lies. He may have name recognition, but what party would touch him with a ten foot pole? [ I am looking forward to reading the required financial reports which he and you are required to file for your political activities in the first half of this year! The public has a right to know - unless there is something to be hidden.]
I am very surprised that you did not include David Drake among your three favorites on the Republican's ticket. I understand Roberts: smart as a whip, great institutional memory (really knows where all of the skeletons are buried), and a clear and focused vision for Wethersfield. Soja (SOY'-a) has been on the BOE; beyond that I am not sure how he distinguishes himself among the other candidates (of either party). Kirsch,Jr. (son of Mrs. and Mrs. Steve Kirsch, former Town Councilors, I believe) is as green as Matthew Julian Forrest was when he road the coat tails of others in the last election; Kirsch,Jr. would bring just as much inexperience to the Council as Forrest has. What does he have? Just name recognition and his parents.
But, David Drake, what a fantastic stroke for the Republicans! He is without a doubt the strongest person on their ticket - just look at what he has done for this town: two major renovation projects complete - within budget and without the embarrassments associated by other project manager.
David Drake is a candidate who has shown Wethersfield that he knows how to get a job done right!
Sy
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