Republican City Council contender Ken Cockayne said tonight that the two city councilors who represent the 2nd District, Democrats Ellen Zoppo and Kevin McCauley, shirked their duty by failing to attend to the school site selection committee session Thursday that's trying to find a place to build a new school in western Bristol.
"It's an absolute disgrace that more of the city councilors aren't here," Cockayne said after the meeting at O'Connell School.
Mayor William Stortz, who serves on the panel, was the only elected leader in attendance.
In addition to Cockayne, Republican mayoral hopeful Ken Johnson was there.
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
24 comments:
Wow, Ken, what a shame that you have to attempt to get noticed by attacking two people instead of the whole council since it's clear NONE of them were there except for the mayor who YOUR party chose not to endorse. Even Rimcoski wasn't there, but you made no mention of that, but of course you wouldn't have divulged that part of the story, would you? They all understand how important the school committee meetings are, but if you're going to blast them every time they miss a meeting because of other obligations, then if you become a councilman don't think your attendance record won't be scrutinized. Things happen in people's lives and so do other functions that need attending to. Pick and choose your battles wisely, Ken, or they may come back to bite you in the fanny.
I am a Democrat and I totally agree with the Repiblican comment, there is no excuse for the 2 councilors not to be there. Especially McCauley, since he is seeking Reelection and will need to eventually help decide what happens. I can give Ellen a small pass this time since it's been an unusual week for her, but not Kevin.
Hey, Ken, you need to learn that nitpicking will only serve to hurt you in the end. Missing meetings, with so many the council must attend and other functions, is not going to be a major problem unless key votes are missed and I don't believe they have missed any key votes. There will be many meetings of the school committees. One here or there will not make or break the committee especially since Zoppo and McCauley are not on the committee itself. Yes, they are second district representatives, but I'm sure they are kept up to speed on what's happening with the committee and the process. What we would really like is to hear what you will do; not bombard the citizens again with negativity. I think we've had enough of that for one election. Give it a rest.
Someone has been drinking Art Mocabee's koolaid.What business do you own? Just a suggestion do your research junior.
Ken, I'm a Dem, your a nice guy, I may vote for you, but you are too green to start criticizing other people for missing meetings. Don't self-destruct. Run a positive campaign on your merits and issues. Stay away from the negatives. It is the kiss if death.
How about the fact that the Republican Mayor did not put either of them on the committee. Ken does not mention that. He felt Mike Rimcoski would do a better job. And is Ken Cockayne now saying he will go to every city meeting, even the ones he is not on the committee. Perhaps to much of the tigger orange kool aid.
maybe Kevin was supplying Ellen with kleenex?
Anything I've heard from you has been about what others haven't or are not doing. These two are not on the committee. Sure it would be nice for them to be there, but so should all the other council people have been there. Even though this is the school considered for the second district, this impacts everyone so let's not single out one person who has had her share of negative press and the other who has many, many meetings to attend, functions to attend and family obligations. There must be better ways for you to get the Press to listen to you unless you have no ideas for how to run this city and hiding behind the negative is all you have. That's the way it's looking to me. Perhaps being a councilman doesn't suit you.
Mr. Johnson - do you think it would be wise of you to make sure they were attending a different meeting before you criticize them for not attending the one you were at?
Choose your battles carefully if you want to survive this election.
good advice Ken...stay positive. We have all had enough of the negitive stuff and if you want voters to believe in new people and new ideas, then stay positive...tell us what you will do. We know how bad the current council is.
yes do so or it appears, from a previous posting, that you will get whacked.
"Choose your battles carefully if you want to survive this election."
To the anonymous poster on September 14, 2007 7:33 AM:
The comment was made by 2nd district GOP Candidate, Ken Cockayne, not mayoral candidate Ken Johnson.
why are people addressing Ken Johnson! He didnt write any of the blog! Do Bristol people even know how to read? I suppose they see the name KEN and they automatically think JOHNSON>>>> HMMMMM
Like when we see the name Zoppo we think MEAN - oh yeah that's right she is!
Mr Labrecque thankyou for clarifying that Ken Cockayne is a Republican,Know i see the big picture.We have big Ken and a little Ken.
Hmmm...I wonder if the Federal Hill area was being considered if Kevin would be there? I bet he would! Maybe Ellen didnt tell Kevin to go last night.
Cockayne pushes for school downtown.
I know Mr. McCauley has a mind of his own and apparently the last poster is unaware of the fact that Mr. McCauley lives down the street from the mall where they are now seriously considering putting the school. Hmmm, can't get much closer than that. My understanding is that he attends when he doesn't have something that is conflicting and conflicts do come up from time to time. Again, as has been stated by others, he is on many committees. Besides, if Mr. Cockayne had done his homework, he would realize that the mayor made himself liaison to the school board committee for the downtown area instead of putting Mr. McCauley or Ms. Zoppo on the committee, which he should have done, because it is in their district. It's the liaison's job to report to the council what is happening with the committee not Mr. McCauley's or Ms. Zoppo's. Mr. Rimcoski is the liaison to the school board committee for the Green Hills area so naturally he would be at those meetings. I'm sure he hasn't attended all of them and he is liaison, but I don't see Ken C. attacking Mr. Rimcoski for missing any of those meetings. Let's not make a mountain out of a mole hill, because it WILL come back to haunt you especially if you become elected, Ken C. If you think as a councilman you won't have conflicts with attending committee meetings, then you're more naive than I thought.
If Ellen's not on the Committee she didn't have to be there, she's out in November, however, if McCauley wants to continue to representus than he should have been there.
This is a non-issue. He can't possibly make every meeting and EVERYONE knows that. The Republicans are attempting to smear an honest man over such a trivial issue. What a shame to see that Mr. Cockayne can't run a clean campaign.
They are not on the committee ... plain and simple. At that point it becomes a matter of availability if they can attend or not. Give it a rest.
I thought the Johnson Team promised to keep this a clean campaign? Didn't take long for them to muddy the waters with negativity.
Did anyone ask the absent council members WHY they weren't there? Maybe they had legitimate reasons like another City meeting or having to work. I don't support McCauley, but I do realize he works funky shift for the fire department and that does takes precidents over a meeting.
And Ken where have you been all these years? You should be attending meetings and learning city ways, but you haven't, why?
"And Ken where have you been all these years? You should be attending meetings and learning city ways, but you haven't, why?
September 17, 2007 8:07 PM
Dear Mr. or Ms. Anonymous,
The fact that Ken Johnson or Ken Cockayne haven't spent their lives attending city meetings and "learning city ways" should be viewed as nothing but a positive thing.
When businesses are failing, when teams are losing, and when products don't sell, corporate boards, sports fans and investors all demand change. The unfortunate truth is that Bristol is failing. Change is necessary, and that change cannot, and will not, come from a career politician. It stands to reason that anyone of voting age should be mature enough to step back from party affiliation, personal ideology, and deep-rooted biases and develop an informed, objective assessment of where we are at and where we are going.
The sad fact is that those who have been hosting, conducting, and organizing the city meetings, the ones that in Anonymous’ opinion appear to know the city ways, are the same people responsible for letting our town devolve into its current state.
I think it’s appropriate that the Bristol First team picked orange as their color. It invokes thoughts of growth, construction, and change. Another blogger made a comment about it being the color of Home Depot. I think that’s great – sometimes you need to roll up your sleeves and do the hard work yourself. It might take a bit longer, but it’s far more rewarding in the end. Let’s look for the good that is still to be found in Bristol – we can find it in our friends and in our neighbors, and in our proud, though not recent, history. Many hands make for light work, so put on your orange and join our restoration project… let’s turn this little fixer-upper into something the whole neighborhood can be proud of.
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