Mayor Art Ward said Friday he may have made a mistake in picking a Republican city councilor to serve as the council's representative on the West Bristol School Building Committee.
He said that he may replace Councilor Ken Cockayne and install a Democrat in order to ensure that the school panel's mandated three-person subcommittee won't consist entirely of GOP members.
The law requires that the subcommittee recommend names to fill vacancies on the full school site committee. The subcommittee's members are the Board of Finance, City Council and Board of Education representatives.
As it is, all three of them are Republicans.
Ward said that he doesn't think either party should hold all three of those positions.
Since the mayor can only affect the council choice, Ward said he might need to replace Cockayne.
He said he wouldn't be doing it as punishment for the freshman councilor's participation in an illegal subcommittee meeting recently or to slap him down for backing both of Ward's former mayoral foes, Democrat Ellen Zoppo and Republican Ken Jhnson, to fill vacancies on the panel.
The mayor said he just wants to ensure that there are diverse views considered by the subcommittee.
Ward said he hasn't talked about the issue with Cockayne yet.
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
13 comments:
And the beat goes on.
Haven't I seen this movie before?
Congratulations Art Ward, you have taken the worst of Stortz and Couture and made it your own. In less than a month, Ward has showed that he is vindictive like Stortz and beholden to flunkies like Couture was.
He has gone bonkers.
According to Section 18-132(a)(1)of the city charter/ordinances the mayor can ONLY appoint a member of the council to be part of the 3 member nominating sub-committee of a school building committee. This committee "will nominate and present to the city council" the names for the other 6 members.
S0..which Democratic councilman will it be????
And if the mayor appoints a non-council Democrat, won't he be violating the city charter and or ordinances?? So much for the oath of office to uphold all laws etc.
Cookayne got some plum assignments but already HE is planning on 2009.
Art can appoint himself, at least until he gets the committee complete.
This is what happens when someone gets elected mayor and has no supporters or inner circle willing to help him avoid looking like a complete, maniacal jerk. I think he expected everyone to be kissing his ring. Dumping Cockayne serves no purpose since even if he appoints himself, Wilson and Soucy are two votes and they don't seem to pleased with the antics.
Its hard to believe that all this fuss is over which two unlucky souls win the right to serve on a thankless committee which will be a huge time commitment and extremely involved for the next several years. No offense to the "fresh faces" but I think I want some experience on multi-million dollar committees.
but Ken initially voted against "experience" on the Park Board, flipped his vote after the fact and now doesn't know what he wants - pray people, pray.
There is a differance between leadership and being controversial, perhaps certain Republicans don't know that....including Cockayne.
You got that right.....hmmmm lets see they didn't like Couture, Stortz, Ward I wonder who they do like ? Art Mocobe ?
WELL FOLKS YOU PEOPLE VOTED FOR WARD AND THIS IS WHAT YOU GET UNEDUCATED AND JUST A GOOD DRINKING BUDDIE TO A FEW LOCAL DRUNKS. 1 YEAR AND 10 MONTHS OF HELL LEFT. GET READY TO WATCH BRISTOL SINK.
Nah, Cocayne will shift his vote on Rosenthal and get whatever he wants.
He is flexible.
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