Election Day 11/8/2005

[ThePatriot]

Sy, Why would anybody run for office, when all you do is knock them down.

Why don't you run, you have all the answers.

[SyZyGy]

"ThePatriot", (or "TP" for short),
I have already answered your question. You should read more carefully what I had written to LouS:

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.

Besides, TP, be careful with your "all"-inclusive, global statements (Quote:"Why would anybody run for office, when all you do is knock them down." my underlines). You completely ignored my praises for Richard Roberts and David Drake.

I guess I must apologize for not having mentioned both John Cascio and Bernadine Franco; the former deserves a shot at the title of "Mayor" and the latter is a thoughtful new-comer worth watching based on her own merits.

As for as Kotkin is concerned, he has the goods, but I am withholding further comments till I scope him out. As far as Martin Walsh is concerned, I am left with a nagging question: was it his idea run for council or was he asked to run for council just to make room for Julie at the BOE? I hope the former, not the latter. Besides I think being on the Council with be more invigorating for Walsh.

[ThinkingMama]

I have been reading about the slates of candidates for November. It seems the Board of Education slots are difficult to fill. Do any of you think this is because some of the terms are for four years, rather than two? Four years is quite a time commitment...

I took a look at the Town Charter for some background. It simply states that there are some two year and some four year positions, with staggered elections. Does anyone know the rationale behind this structure?

I am guessing it has to do with keeping some experienced people on the Board, while newcomers rotate in. Why would the same rationale not apply to the Town Council, where experience and expertise are equally valuable? Is there some other historic, political, or legal reason for the staggered term structure? Did the issue come up during charter revision?

[oldetowne]

Good question. BOE terms have been staggered for over 100 years and I think they have just carried forward every time the charter has been revised. The state statutes actually require a staggered board, unless the town's charter expressly provides for them all to be elected at once. It probably is a good idea to have some continuity and experience there. The same logic would apply to Council as well, but historically there has been no similar staggered term length there or with the Board of Selectmen that predated the charter.

[standish]

thinkingmama said:

...there are some two year and some four year positions, with staggered elections. Does anyone know the rationale behind this structure?
...Is there some other historic, political, or legal reason for the staggered term structure? Did the issue come up during charter revision?

As one of the charter revision commissioners this past time out, I can tell you that we did not see a need to address that portion of the charter. The theory was to leave well enough alone. Of course, the staggered positions are to provide continuity and expertise. Unlike Council elections, politics should not be the primary thrust with BOE.
Whether this theory should be applied to Council is another story. Council's should be a platform-based, issue-oriented election (though, locally, this approach is unfortunately rare). Thus, a slate should be expected to deliver on its promises, and, (be) turned out if it fails. Issues and accountability are each less likely with staggered positions as opposed to a slate.

[ThinkingMama]

Thank you, Oldetowne and Standish for your replies. Certainly experience, expertise, non-partisanship, and the state statute you referred to are all good reasons for staggering the board terms. I still wonder, however, if having all two year terms might not entice more qualified people to run for the board and also invigorate it. I think we desperately need new ideas and alternative viewpoints, even controversial ones.

I would not necessarily like to see a more politically partisan board, but I would like to see one that is more issues oriented, more innovative, more prone to debating in public at meetings, and more apt to critically examine our administrators. Typically, at a meeting the board pats itself on the back for good performances by students (athletics, awards, etc.) Then, the administrators give reports, field one or two easy, non-critical questions, and are thanked for all their efforts and hard work. There is a lot of praise for adminstrators communicating with the public and vague self-serving statements such the one by Mr. Rodriguez that he's sure SDMS is on its way to being a blue ribbon school in a few years.

If there is any specific, measurable goal setting going on for student achievement and any real debate on issues, it is never made public. Of course, there are a few exceptions, such as the debate over the Day of Silence. Even with that issue, however, several board members never spoke and shared any viewpoints. Are all our board members really so very happy about every aspect of our school system that they never need to dig deep on any issues with the superintendent or his subordinates? Why can't Mr. DeAngelo get support from fellow board members when he asks about why we need so much remedial reading instruction in high school? Administrators get away with the vaguest of replies.

I would like to see a board that sets goals for the administration, tells us what they are, and makes administrators accountable. All the mutual self-congratulation and congeniality in the midst of many real issues and shortcomings in our schools is very unconvincing after awhile...

[oldetowne]

TM - You certainly do some quality thinking. Those are all excellent points. I have watched the Board from a comfortable distance for many years. I have always been struck by the nearly complete deference to the administration that generally prevails and the speed with which most new members either succumb to the superintendent-speak or just stop trying to ask the hard questions because they know that they will rarely get answers. Add to that the peer pressure of the fellow board members (not to mention their political handlers) as well as the outspoken and active parents, and there is a tremendous disincentive to rock the boat. Maybe it's time for Thinking Mama and some of her friends to run for the Board.

[Dr.Ken Sokolowski]

Town Clerk
2005 Party Endorsements

July 28, 2005

Both parties have filed their Certificate of Party Endorsement forms.

Running on the Republican Line: Council-John Cascio, Bernadine Franco, David Drake, Stephen Kirsche Jr, Joseph Soja and Richard Roberts; Board of Education-4 yr. term: John Adamian and S. Bradley Milvae; for 2 yr. term: Michael Wrona and S. Bradley Milvae.

Running on the Democratic Line: Council-Andrew Adil, Matthew Forrest, Christine Fortunato, Jeffrey Kotkin, Martin Walsh and Russell Morin; Board of Education-4 yr. term: Stacey Hodges, Michael McKenna; 2 yr. term: Janis Malec and Julie Montinieri.

Any one wanting Primary Petitions to oppose their party nominations may pick up petition papers from their respective Registrar of Voters now. They will have until August 10, 4 p.m. to return their petition forms to their Registrar of Voters.

If they file Primary Petitions the date of the Primary will be September 13, 2005.

John Console has taken out a Nominating Petition for Town Council. He has until 4 p.m. on August 10 to file his petition forms with either with my office or the SOTS to actually be placed on the ballot.

District 10 will return to the Webb School polling place for November 8, 2005.

Emphases are mine.

[Dr.Ken Sokolowski]

According to Registrar's voters list of May, 2005,
John J. Console of Ivy Lane is registered as Republican.

[SyZyGy]

I hesitated to respond to you in the other thread, since we were getting far from the intent of that thread (Re/Development AGency...). Perhaps, if you want to pursue this further, you might consider following my leader by keeping such concerns in this thread. Either way, I'm flexible.

Well, I tried to watch the video of the Council Meeting last night. But, exactly at 8:00 PM, it was cut off right in mid-sentence. I also tried to LISTEN to the audio. But, at many times in the meeting, the sound was very low. You can see there are no microphones in the room. So, what is going on? Is the town staff just incompetent, or are they trying to hide something?

Yo, cruzrt,

Welcome to Wethersfield Unplugged 101. If you enjoyed this course, you need to take Wethersfield Politics 201.

I believe that the reasonable person (yourself?) has to ask him/herself: If informing the public was truly important to the current Council and BOE (and their handsomely paid administrators), then would the (audio-video recordings) problems which you have described (and others) occur with the regularity that they do?

I feel that the "town staff" is not incompetent. However, we all tend to rise or sink to the level which we are allowed (? or prompted) to. If a particular staffer occasionally doesn't seem to be performing up to accepted standards, then doesn't that say something about those who are supposed to be (nominally) directing and supervising him/her?

What do you think that the Council, et al., are trying to hide?

Oh, by the way, in addition to the Brooklyn Bridge, there is a really great, local, public safety telecommunication system (with 2 cellular towers and all of the important infrastructure) which I would like to sell you - at a drastically, distressed price! Interested?

[cruzrt]

Syzygy's most recent posting has nailed the problem squarely. Town Government is filled with high priced staff who fail to do their jobs. What can we do about it? It's been a bipartisan effort to let this situation persist. If the posters were to describe all the things that have been let-slide thru inaction or worse, the website would run out of hard drive space.

[morganika]

I wanna vote for Syzygy~ come on and run, we know they are all incompetent bulldogs, let us vote for someone with a brain!

[oldetowne]

This probably isn't the right thread to post this on, but it seems to follow. The Council meetings have been moved all around from place to place, resulting in the missing or useless telecasts, because of the renovations at town hall. Last time I went through, it didn't look like anything had been done to the Council chambers even though they moved meetings out of there starting in May. I had also heard that there were some executive session meetings of Council regarding pending litigation - with no subject given, of course - that someone suggested were related to the town hall work. Does anyone really have a handle on the financial and timeline status of that project?

[cruzrt]

Oldetowne has reminded me of another trick: I know for a fact that at least 1 Executive Session of the Council this year was never noted in the official minutes. Is the Town Clerk sloppy (perhaps). Are all 9 Town Councillors forgetful (not likely). Did anything important happen in the phantom Executive Session(s); there's no way we'll ever know. But, when this type of subterfuge goes on, I for one am now assuming the worst.

[SyZyGy]

cruzrt said:

Oldetowne has reminded me of another trick: I know for a fact that at least 1 Executive Session of the Council this year was never noted in the official minutes. Is the Town Clerk sloppy (perhaps). Are all 9 Town Councillors forgetful (not likely). Did anything important happen in the phantom Executive Session(s); there's no way we'll ever know. But, when this type of subterfuge goes on, I for one am now assuming the worst.

cruzrt,
On the face of it, this seems like it might have merit as a campaign issue. On the face of it, it sounds as if CT FOI regulations may have been violated.

However, (please don't take this personally) talk is cheap; unsubstantiated accusations drop to the level of gossip. I believe that all executive sessions, new and (?) adjourned, must be listed in the agenda for that T/C meeting. If I am not mistaken, there is a requirement of 24 hours public notice for a special meeting of the T/C (for matters which fall short of a true emergency) per FOI regulations. [If I am wrong, lease somebody correct me (chapter and verse, please.] That someone in the Town Clerk's office might have neglected to record that an executive session took place by mistake is highly unlikely. The Town Clerk does not do all of the work on the minutes herself; she staffs it out; she is responsible for the finished product; the Council is ultimately responsible for the accuracy of the "approved" version.

So, I make this request: please do a little homework and provide us with the date on which this so-called unrecorded executive session took place. If your homework appears to support your impression, then you might consider filing an FOI complaint. If your findings do not, then a little humble pie might be in order.