I've talked to a few folks there this morning about the mood. All report smiling, happy employees.
It's like a cloud of tension has lifted, they said.
Democratic mayoral contender Art Ward, dressed in a t-shirt and shorts, is wandering around the halls a bit. Workers clapped when they saw him.
Several department heads said things have been kind of somber in the corridors of government in recent days as the primary approached, but today it's just giddy there.
"It's like someone took weight off their shoulders," said Comptroller Glenn Klocko.
From talking to municipal employees for a long time, I am sure the vast majority wanted Ward to win, as their union endorsement indicated. That's mostly because they've known Ward for years as a friendly, easy-going guy and they expect him to be no different as mayor.
Ellen Zoppo, who lost the primary, had the respect of many for her work ethic, her knowledge and her drive to get things done. But she probably bulldozed too many along the way -- and the workers saw that, too. That's where the tension came from, the fear that if they got in her way somehow, they might get hurt as well.
But why so much happiness?
Because nearly all of them figure a Ward victory is certain in November -- and they're sure life will be sweeter with him as mayor than with Republican Mayor William Stortz.
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
17 comments:
good for you, mr. ward and i'm glad that he will do the better job as a mayor that bristol will ever have. hope in november that he will win .
Just goes to prove you don't have to be nasty and intimidate people in order to get them to work for you - Ellen take note of this.
let's keep things in perspective here. Art won by 300 votes. so stop making it seem like this was a resounding denunciation of Ellen.
as for the city workers being happy, of course they are happy because their new boss is not going to make them work hard and will probably negotiatate generous contracts for them. ask yourself, if you had a choice, what kind of boss would you opt for? Art is good for the city workers, bad for the taxpayers.
Pathetic...are they bowing down to Caesar or just glad their next boss will pander to them?
Art is good for the city!! Ellen was bad - people voted.
Are you insinuating that the city workers are all a bunch of slackers who needed someone lording over them with a whip and a chair? Disrespect and intimidation are not the tools of a true leader. Let's keep things in perspective here, Ellen lost by 300 votes...it is a resounding denunciation by the people of Bristol.
300 votes was not a mandate for Art Ward 53-47%.
Ward still has a hill to climb in November getting the 47% to come over to his side. He'll get most of them but not all of them.
"it is a resounding denunciation by the people of Bristol." For lord's sake take a statistics course. 300 votes against the total number of registered Democrats is a statistical blip and against the anemic primary results it's no more than a statistical margin of error. If it were the election 300 votes would be an automatic recount. Art won the primary, end of sentence. It wasn't a mandate, it was a street fight. Now Art and Ken need to convince the statistical majority that didn't go near a polling place yesterday who the best candidate is for the job.
300 votes is not a statistical blip. A 54-46 margin in the race is just shy of what political pros call a "landslide."
A 10 point margin at the polls is widely considered a landslide.
Steve, reread what I wrote. 300 votes against the entire registered democratic base of 12000+ is a statistical blip. The 8 point differential on such a small result is just a little more than a statistical margin of error. I realize that a politician may see 10 points as a landslide. Unfortunately most of them (not all) can't read a balance sheet or income statement so their misguided, "spin doctor" interpretation of percentages is not surprising. A landlside is what Stortz did to Couture two years ago and Nicastro did to 5 opponents in a row.
So if Ward won 301-1 it would not be a landslide?
Steve, back at you. If Art won 180 to 150, roughly a 10% margin, that would be a landslide? You can bend the numbers any way you want but that's just spin. The facts are that only a small percentage of eligible voters voted yesterday and the margin of victory was single digit. The win may be shocking. The poor showing by Ellen unexpected, but it's not a mandate or a landslide. I guess you and I will have to agree to disagree.
Actually a small numbe did not vote..in a primary 33% is considered a high turnout. Primaries usually generate 20%
So are you trying to say that Ellen and Art could not spark thier own base to go out and vote for them..if so, Ken Johnson has a great chance.
Describing 33% as good for a primary is political spin. The fact is that such a low number is not representative of the voting population. There's no question that Art did a great job mobilizing his base of supporters from every aspect. The DTC on the hand was fast asleep at the wheel by believing that the result of the DTC vote would carry the day and that they did not have to be more aggressive. Long story short, Ken does have an opportunity. He can win the big base of Democrats who did not vote Tuesday(the same large base that sank Couture), independents and Ellen supporters that will never vote for Art. But, he needs to start talking about the issues loud and clear and right now. Ward is running from his record and Ken needs to pound away (in a professional manner) at that as well. Showing up at Ward's headquarters was classy and is nice political theater. Same with his appearance at the Council meeting last night. But now he has to show something with substance or "Mayor Ward" will be a forgone conclusion.
How is the mood at the library?
I just drove by. The windows were sparkling and Icould here cheerful tunes coming from the inside.
Everyone was happy because it was payday. I think we have library employees who haven't even read an entire book before. Must be great to work for the City.
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