A note from Republican mayoral candidate Ken Johnson to reporters this morning:
Just wanted to bring to your attention that city attorneys are going to Hartford today at 1pm to defend the city against the Freedom of Information Complaint filed by the Ward camp. As I have stated before, we are all aware that the complaint served one purpose and one purpose only: to poke a political stick in the eye of Art’s primary opponent. I’ve repeatedly asked my opponent to ask his friend to withdraw the complaint and last Monday he finally answered me and publicly refused to do so. He has ignored my argument that it does not serve the best interest of the people. I’ve warned that this could cost the taxpayers money for the city to defend the case. So now this, too, has become come to pass because of my opponent’s need to put his own political agenda above the interest of the people. So here we go again. Politics over people.
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
25 comments:
I would add that the role of taxpayer-financed lawyers in this case is not to defend the city. It's to help the FOI Commission determine what happened and help search for any remedies required, if that's called for.
Ken, at least the complaint was filed after the fact, without ward stomping out of the city council chambers, muttering obsceities under his breath and breaking the door to the council chambers like you did.
Sorry Mr. Johnson, you're way off base here. It is not only a citizen's right to ask questions, but it's his duty. I think it's a cheap shot for you to try and twist this into some sort of politican ploy. If you plan on representing the people of Bristol, you should plan on supporting ALL the people, even the ones who ask the hard questions.
This complaint was not for the purpose of poking another candidate. It was to determine if Open Government was serve correctly and if the decision made by part of the Council was done ahead of time and not in front of the public as it should be.
Nice try Ken, but you are still fishing in an empty lake.
Yes, let's squelch that Freedom of Information thing. We wouldn't want people asking questions, would we Ken?
The people have the right to know if there was an FOI violation. The people WANT to know if there was an FOI violation. That is why the FOI Commission exists. It isn't costing the taxpayers any extra money to have this investigated. No extra lawyers were hired, so in reality Corporation Counsel is doing their job by going to this hearing.
I'm glad they are investigating this. Let's wait for the answer and then put it to rest instead of trying to pin Art as the bad guy in this.
Johnson is making the same mistake Ellen made. By indicating that Jay and Carol Meisinger acted on behalf of Art instead of acting on their own concern for open government is a big mistake. They are well connected and intelligent people and with Ken calling this out as Art making a friend do this for him isn't going to win Johnson any votes.
This is a real issue that needs to be investigated. Not ignored and thrown under the carpet.
Too bad Ken Johnson wants to stand in the way of open government. While it may take tax dollars to look into it, it's not Ward's fault. It's that Bristol's "leaders" (and I don't mean city department heads, I mean elected officials, school board members, housing commissioners, and some other board members, including zoning) like to do things quietly, behind closed doors. The list includes the chamber of commerce, too, but to be fair, they're not subject to FOI. As a kind of "shadow government, they probably should be, however.) This cloak of secrecy is tradition in Bristol, and sadly, the people not only don't get the benefit of an open government, they get to pay for the evil doings of these so-called "leaders." What luck. Glad I moved out. -- Former Bristol resident and happy to no longer be paying taxes there
BULL CRAP!!
You all know what it was about. Don't try to make yourselves feel good about it or sugar coat it. It was pure unadulterated politics with no regard for the tax payer of Bristol.
No, the scripted meeting was "pure unadulterated politics with no regard for the tax payer of Bristol." or for the security of open government.
If it wasn't politics then Art Ward wouldn't have been left out.
Which is the BULL CRAP??? The scripted meetings being held behind the backs of the citizens of Bristol or someone blowing the whistle? It's all about the taxpayer's right to know what's going on. Put whatever spin on it you want, but it's still really about OPEN GOVERNMENT and our right to ask questions and expect answers.
Here we go again.
Ken Johnson is speaking for his political advisor, Ellen Zoppo, who is the one on the bubble at this time.
Does he have any thoughts of his own?
If you keep repeating the mantra maybe even you will believe it. But as for the rest of us, it is as was said, BULL CRAP.
I hope the resolution gets as much press as the original articles did. And I hate the use of the word "Script." It was a detailed agenda and don't forget Mr. Ward participated in one when it suited his causes in 2005.
Art Ward ia actually costing the city more money since they had to hire outside counsel since the city attorneys were involved in the ordinance.
Here is a question for the city attorneys to ask today or maybe the reporters - how many meetings did Jay Misinger attend about the ordinances, the downtown or City Council meetings prior to his good friend needing someone to sign that complaint? I don't recall seeing him at anything.
Ken,
Is Ellen writing your scripts?
Art Ward is the furthest thing from open government. He meet behind closed doors to out of city hall to buy the mall....and the owner$$ were there! I guess we will not ever know what really happened unless Ward is willing to tell us. He will not even admitt he was there!
Of course it was "politics". Art was not given a copy of Ellen's talking points because they were feuding over party politics. But she complied that list to make sure that all of the City Council's concerns over Stortz's BDDC ordinance (all of which were raised at previous open meetings) got on the record that night. It was good, efficient meeting preparation. This FOI complaint is a farce and everyone behind it knows it but Meisinger. He's just being used.
Let's remember the email that Zoppo sent to the mayor before the meeting, which Steve was good enough to post on his blog for us. Note especially points 4 and 5.
Here it is:
10:42 a.m., Jan. 4, 2007
Bill,
I am designing a script for the 6 of us (minus Art) to follow for tonight. I need to know the following:
1. Does the mayor want to make an opening statement or just be poised to respond to the questions and suggestions made by the Council?
2. There needs to be a reference to the budget and costs. In one of our previous meetings this week it was stated that the taxpayers should know that at this point, existing staff and city resources, and most likely the existing project manager, will be retained to get the initiative started, at no additional expense to the taxpayers. Once a budget is submitted by the corporation, if approved, the council and Board of Finance will have the opportunity to approve, modify.
3. Mike Rimcoski needs to be brought into the loop by the mayor's office and told that there is a role for him to play and questions within the script. I have designed a land use/zoning question for him since that is his area of expertise. Please confirm that you have called him and he is aware of the game plan in advance of tonight.
4. Art will not have a script and Mike needs to be discreet since he is seated adjacent to him.
5. All scripts need to be collected at the end of the night so there are no leaks.
6. Mayor will opportunity to make brief comments prior to adjournment where it would be appropriate to praise the spirit of bipartisanship and substantive dialogue that has shaped the evening and is the first step in moving the downtown initiative forward. Start practicing in the mirror after lunch.
Please let me know your preference on these items asap. I am out of town until 2:30 p.m. and would prefer email as opposed to a call while I am at work. Once these final pieces are in place, I will forward you the script.
EAZ
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Now if that's not secret, closed government, I don't know what is. This whole thing STINKS.
But its Okay for Ward to participate in a scripted meeting on the housing codes.
It was ok for him to play by the script for that Huh?
The only thing this FOI complaint gives Bristol is a black eye.
Gee how is she going to "script" the Boys & Girls club? She has never managed people before this should be good.
1:02 pm: You got that right...you don't know what secret closed government is. Do you think every time two or more politicians get together in someone's office, it's automatically a "secret meeting"? Do you think every time two politicians prepare for an important event, it's automatically a "secret meeting"? Do you think every time one politican keeps his political adversary in the dark, it's automatically a "secret meeting"? You've been watching too many Oliver Stone movies. Use some common sense.
Why do you Democrats alwas pick on Ellen?
Your boy Ward won the primary now move on. Talk about a group who thinks the Mayor should be anoited?
After all, Artie was complaining that Zoppo ran..it was his turn?
Imagine if the city had to solely rely on the Democratic Town Committee to chose the Mayor..God help us..look what they've done to the Board of education!
look at what your democratic town committee did for the mayor's position - quite obvious that they endorsed the wrong candidate.
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