When Mayor William Stortz took office two years ago, one of his first moves was to strip longtime Democratic city Councilor Art Ward of most of his plumb committee assignments, leaving him to stew on the sidelines.
Ward didn’t follow suit when he doled out committee slots this week.
He proved relatively generous in allocating the political prizes, bestowing the best on Councilor Frank Nicastro, a former mayor, but also handing key committee chairmanships to Councilors Craig Minor and Mike Rimcoski.
The mayor was least generous with Councilor Cliff Block, the Democrat who won the council seat that Ward had held for 14 years before moving on to the city’s top job.
Freshman Republican Councilor Ken Cockayne scored several hot appointments including seats on the Bristol Development Authority and the West Bristol School Building Committee.
“I’m very happy with the assignments that Ken got,” said Art Mocabee, the GOP’s city chairman. Cockayne said he’s content, too.
Nicastro was tapped to chair the Salary, Real Estate and Veterans committees. He also got the nod to serve on the high profile Police and 5-Year Capital Improvement panels.
Minor will chair the Ordinance Committee along with serving on the Salary, Building, Veterans, Public Works and Transportation boards.
Rimcoski, a Republican who gets along well with Ward, is the chairman of the newly reconstituted Building Committee. He’s also serving on the 5-Year Capital Improvements Committee, Salary Committee, Real Estate Committee, Retirement Board, Ordinance Committee and Public Works Board.
McCauley, the only veteran councilor who did not get a committee chairmanship, was tapped to serve on the Real Estate, Ordinance, Building, Roberts, Public Work, Veterans and 5-Year Capital Improvement committees.
In addition to serving on the BDA and school panel, Cockayne was tapped as a member of the Youth Commission and Roberts Committee.
Block was chosen as a member of the Fire Board and several low profile panels. He is also the liaison to the Board of Education.
Appointments made at the City Council meeting Tuesday:
Walter Veselka reappointed as public works director until 2011.
Patricia Chapman reappointed as deputy treasurer.
Councilor Kevin McCauley named liaison to the Federal Hill District Committee.
Councilor Craig Minor named liaison to the Forestville Village Association.
Councilor Mike Rimcoski named liaison to the Park Board.
Councilor Ken Cockayne named liaison to the Bristol Housing Authority.
Rimcoski named liaison to the Aging Board.
Councilor Frank Nicastro named liaison to the Library Board.
Minor named liaison to the Water Board.
Minor named liaison to the Bristol Community Organization.
Councilor Cliff Block named liaison to the Community Services Board.
Block named liaison to the Board of Education.
Cockayne named liaison to the Blight Committee.
Rimcoski named liaison to the Disabilities Board.
McCauley picked as a member of the Birge Pond-Hoppers Committee.
Nicastro picked as a member of the Pine Lake Committee.
Rimcoski picked as a member of the Ivy Drive/Mt. View School Building Committee.
Block picked as a member of the Affordable Housing Board.
McCauley and Cockayne named as members of the Roberts Committee.
Named to the Council Matters Committee were Rimcoski, Cockayne and Block.
Named to the Salary Committee were Nicastro, Rimcoski and Minor.
Named to the Real Estate Committee were Nicastro, Rimcoski and McCauley.
Named to the Ordinance Committee were Minor, Rimcoski and McCauley.
Named to the Building Committee were Rimcoski, McCauley and Minor.
Named to the Veterans Committee were Nicastro, McCauley and Minor.
Named to the 5-Year Capital Improvement Committee were Nicastro, McCauley and Rimcoski.
Named to the Bristol-Burling Health District was McCauley.
Named to the School Readiness Committee was Block.
Cockayne was tapped to serve on the Bristol Development Authority.
Block was tapped to serve on the Fire Board.
Nicastro was tapped to serve on the Police Commission.
Rimcoski, McCauley and Minor were picked to serve on the Public Works Board.
Rimcoski was tapped for the Retirement Board.
Minor was chosen for the Transportation Commission.
Cockayne was picked for the Youth Commission.
Cockayne was named to the West Bristol School Building Committee.
On the council committees, the first person named is the chairman.
Here's how each city councilor made out:
Nicastro was tapped to chair the Salary, Real Estate and Veterans committees. He was also selected to serve on the Police Commission, 5-Year Capital Improvement Committee and the Pine Lake Committee. He is also the council liaison to the Library Board.
Minor will chair the Ordinance Committee and serve on the Salary, Building, Veterans, Public Works and Transportation panels. He was also picked as the liaison to the Water Board, Bristol Community Organization and Forestville Village Association.
McCauley was tapped to serve on the Real Estate Committee, Ordinance Committee, Building Committee, Veterans Committee, 5-Year Capital Improvement Committee, Birge Pond-Hoppers Committee, Roberts Committee, Bristol-Burlington Health District and Public Works Board. He is also the liaison to the Federal Hill District Committee.
Cockayne was picked to serve as a member of the Bristol Development Authority, Youth Commission, Roberts Committee, Council Matters Committee, and West Bristol School Building Committee. He is the liaison to the Bristol Housing Authority and the Blight Committee.
Rimcoski will serve as chairman of the Building Committee and as a member of the Ivy Drive/Mt. View School Building Committee, 5-Year Capital Improvements Committee, Council Matters Committee, Salary Committee, Real Estate Committee, Retirement Board, Ordinance Committee and Public Works Board. He is also the liaison to the Park, Aging and Disabilities boards.
Block was tapped as a member of the Fire Board, Council Matters Committee, Affordable Housing Committee and School Readiness Committee. He is the liaison to the Community Services Board and the Board of Education.
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
20 comments:
There still is a Roberts Committee?
I thought that one of Art Ward's early campaign promises was that the reappointment of Jonathan Rosenthal was going to be the first order of business when he was elected mayor?
I don't believe Ward ever said he would reappoint Rosenthal. He said Stortz should make a decision and either reappoint him or try to replace him. What Ward opposed was leaving Rosenthal in limbo.
Nonetheless, it is curious that Veselka was reappointed but Rosenthal was not.
I'm not sure if it means anything or not.
Looks good to me Mayor Ward. Maybe Bristol can really move forward (one word) now.
Blocks committees aren't that bad. Someone has to take them. It might as well be him. He needs to get his feet wet - he hasn't been involved in the City at all.
I find it interesting since Rosenthal has made no bones about strutting thorugh City Hall as the kingmaker lately. And there was quite a bit of talk about the rumored work he and other city employees were doing behind the scenes for Ward.
With only two R's on the council, they are going to get a fair share of ocmmittee assignments for balance. That makes sense.
I am pretty sure I heard Ward say somewhere that he was reappointing Rosenthal at the first Council meeting.
Mayor Ward do the right thing and move Bristol forward Fire rosenthal.
You'll have the public support bith Dems and Republicans
Looks like Minor, McCauley and Block, all Zoppo supporters, didn't fare too well.
Payback time I guess.
doesn't seem as though any of the assignments were challenged by any of the councilors so why would the people on this site be bitching? sickos
poor Cliff Block, those assignments stink. at least he has the Elks Club.
No, it's payback for you, Mr. Moccabee.
Rosenthal wasn't acting like a kingmaker. He was home sick with a "bad back."
Rosenthal has developed some baggage along with the purchasing guy. They both should go in my opinion. Since Ward was so critical of Stortz for not re-appointing Rosenthal, why has Ward not done it? He had the perfect opportunity the first night of his administration. It's not like Ward needed time to review the matter...he created it as much as Stortz did. Come on Art...put your actions in gear as you have made you dissatisfaction with Rosenthal's lack of appointment very well none. Do it or fire him. If you do nothing, then there must be some other reason we do not know about for keeping him. What could that be Art?
So much for continuity:
Minor off BOE (or is Art saying he did bad job?
Minor off those assignments he is truly interested in, disabilities, social work, etc?
Frank on Library: does he ever go there?
And Rosenthal will stay, no matter what. He was a big Ward fundraiser, and those people need to be rewarded
Hey mr. ward ....... I didn't notice who you posted as the assistant mayor .( your previous position ) Isn't it time to move back-ward to your prior arrangements ??? I mean mr. stortz did recieve such a whomping by the press and yourself for removing that illegal position shouldn't bristol be moving back-ward to your true self now that it won't be necessary to fool the public for another couple years ?
Give Art Ward some time, he will have Kosta in place as Corperation Counsel soon enough. I'm sure he will find a position for Donna Achille too. Also look for Ward to appoint Couture to a big board, or create a part time job for him.
Prediction:
Achille will be back: Ward needs her to run the show.
Gald to see that there is a new liasion to the Housing Authority.
Maybe now City Hall will find out what is happening (or isn't).
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