Here's a new release from Republican mayoral candidate Ken Johnson:
Ken Johnson, the Republican nominee for Mayor of Bristol, today assailed the current City Council for what he called “gives a whole new meaning to the word Mum City.” Johnson, who is challenging Democrats Ellen Zoppo-Sassu and Art Ward for Mayor was irritated at the lack of public discussion with regards to the FOI complaint filed by a supporter of Councilman Ward.
After a local reporter scolded the council on his blog regarding the council agenda which included an executive session to discuss this matter, members of the city council put out releases and blogs that said they wanted to discuss this matter in public. “After last nights city council meeting how much more does the public know about the issue?” Johnson asked.
Johnson believes that this issue is about much more than Ellen Zoppo-Sassu’s meeting preparation or Art Ward’s self imposed isolation from the rest of the City Council. “It’s about the fundamental way in which Bristol has conducted its business over the years, and electing the same people over and over again will not change this conduct,” Johnson continued “It’s time for fresh ideas.”
The current situation on the city council illustrates to Johnson the need for this change. They voted to buy the mall property in 2005 with virtually no public discussion, they have participated in scripted meetings over the past two terms and that’s what we know and both Zoppo-Sassu and Ward have not spoken to each other in over a year.
“Do you think our forefathers were physic when they coined the slogan Mum City?” Johnson continued “If they cannot get along with each other than how are they going to lead the City and manage people on a daily basis that don’t always agree with their politics? “
“It’s time to Put Bristol First” Johnson concluded.
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Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
15 comments:
can't get much more "mum" than not showing up at a council meeting and then "acting" as though one knows what transpired - Act II?
If Ken had been at the Council meeting he would have known that the executive session was requested by City Attorney Ed Krawiecki so he could brief the Council members on the city's strategy for dealing with the FOI complaint. (By the way, Ed, a Republican, said that the City had a strong defense to the complaint and that he expected to prevail in defeating it). When, at the insistence of Craig Minor, the Council went on record as NOT wanting an executive session, Attorney Krawiecki advised them not to discuss it publicly since it would compromise his ability to do his job in defending the City and its officials. (Politics sure makes strange bedfellows some times.)
See, Ken, its a lot more complicated when you actually show up to find out what's going on.
Ed Krawiecki is a paid employee of the city. His political affiliation has nothing to do with his opinion on issues regarding a legal matter concerning the city. His job is to defend City Hall.
Ken doesn't need to go to all the council meetings (he goes to enough of them anyway) to know that this city needs new leadership.
We need a more fiscally conservative, business orientated person who's actually done something in life besides dabbling around in city government and doing little else outside of that.
Ken Johnson is a smart, competant individual who'll make a great mayor.
Where has Ken Johnson been over the last couple of decades? Why the sudden interest in the fate of his City when he didn't care enough to get involved in the past? What city commissions has he served on? What time has he devoted to making Bristol a better place? Other than his unsuccessful run for City Council, what has he contributed to Bristol? The only reason he's running is because the Republicans had no one else who showed the slightest interest. Ken has absolutely no qualifications to run the City. Big deal -- he worked in business. So did Stortz -- look where he got us.
Business oriented person? So let's see, Ken will run city government in the style of his former employer C.L.P. - which cheats customers on their bills, insists their meters are infallible when the customer complains, and then refuses to talk face to face with customers who try to present evidence of overbilling. (See recent Hartford Courant Watchdog series and reaction of Attorney General Blumenthal.)
By the way, that type of "customer - friendly" attitude extends to municipalities, as Ken should know since he now makes money trying to help towns get back the money his former employer cheated them out of.
I love it when people suggest government should run like a business. Wasn't that what Johnny Rowland promised?
If Ken's going to run things like his former emplyer does we are all in deep trouble.
At a glance, it doesn't appear that Mr. Johnson has a suitable resume to run city hall. No high level boards, committes, experience or public service to speak of. Just sort of a fresh face in politics. So what. We need proven leadership not someone looking for a career change. The problem for the RTC in this town has always been that any Rep worth their salt is too busy making big bucks in the private sector to waste their time on being the Mayor. It's only the Dems that think it is a good paying job. If you were to divide the Mayor's salary by all the man hours put into the job, he's not making much.
Unfortunately, it sounds like Ken Johnson must have drawn the short straw at the caucus. I'm certain he is more of a default candidate (sound familar) than someone who is passionate about running for mayor. He does not have much name recognition in any circles I travel. I think you can pencil him in the loss column.
If the governmant was run half as efficiently as CL&P we'd be in a lot better shape.
Your comment is very low on the intelligence scale. Obviously you are a Democrat.
PS: "Johnnie" didn't rip off the taxpayers half as much as O'Neil did. Nor did he run business out of state half as much as O'Neil did. Nor did he increase the cost of living in this state half as much as O'Neil did.
Get your head out of your (you know what) and get your facts straight Mr. Marxist.
It's interesting how many people who choose to demean Ken Johnson refer to him as Kenny. He is 50 years old and an accomplished businessman and a dedicated family man.
Does the fact that he choose to leave his corporate job and start his own businesses somehow diminish his success in some people's minds?
Ken is a smart, capable, and reasonable man who is not interested in political gamesmanship.
Has political posturing and maneuvering benefited the people of Bristol over the past several years?
I don't think so!
Wow - Now I'm stupid, a Marxist and a Democrat. You got the last one right but a .333 batting average only cuts it in baseball. In big business you'd be ... promoted to vice-president and given stock options for being wrong 2/3rds of the time.
By the way, I see you don't have the guts to post under your real name. You must love Sound Off too since you can unleash your bile without taking responsibility for your invective. ( Sorry for all the big words, its a symptom of my Marxist stupidity).
"amarko55" AKA (I assume) Marko:
If your words are "big words" to you then I hope you're not teaching English.
Your disrespect for corporate executives, their decision making ability, the process to which they attained their status and your disrespect for the experience of anyone with proven success in the corporate world (managing and working with people to achive organizational goal, regarding Ken Johnson) is evidence that indeed you tend be be a socialist (granted Marxist is probably too strong a word for you to digest, although they're really on in the same.
How dare you bring into effect that CL&P "owes" Bristol some money for "overcharging" them. Does it not prove the inability of government not to have resolved this issue earlier?
Also how dare you be so disrespective of Mr. Johnson's corporate career. He has more real world business experience than Zoppo. Ward, Couture and Stortz combined.
What is your record as a school teacher? One would hope you're more successful at that then you were in the private sector. Perhaps this is why you have such a phoney disdain for those successful in the business world?
Maybe you and Craigie should take some anger management classes
Tim Gamache
I have attended quite a few municipal meetings in last 14 years.I can count the number of meetings Mr. Johnson has attended on my FINGERS.It is my personal opinion that Mr. Johnson only became really interested in city matters as a result of his receiving RTC endorsement.
"disrespective"? so much for YOUR English.
since when does working for the light company = a long corporate business career?
and all of those "how dare you" statements really don't belong here, no need for that tone.
and calling someone a Marxist/Communist/Socialist went out of style as an insult in the late 80s.
Only a Marxist would say that using the term as an insult "went out of style".
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