City councilors once again rejected a proposal Monday to create a chief operating officer at City Hall.
The 5-2 refusal to back the Charter Revision Commission’s call to establish the top administrative position effectively kills it unless supporters can round up the necessary signatures to force a referendum on the issue this fall.
The two backers of the idea, veteran Democratic city Councilor Craig Minor and rookie Republican Councilor Ken Cockayne, said they plan to lead a bipartisan drive to secure the needed petitions.
They have 45 days to pull it off.
But charter commissioners, businessman Craig Yarde and others have promised to help keep the plan on the front burner.
Backers say the post would bring more long-term planning and efficiency to municipal government, saving more money than the relatively small tab for a new office in city government.
Critics say the job isn’t needed and will cost taxpayers more at a time when Bristol is already struggling to hold down taxes and pare spending.
Two other proposal from the charter panel – to increase the terms of office for the registrars and assistant city clerk from two to four years – will be on the November 4 general election ballot following a unanimous thumbs-up from councilors.
Opposing the chief operating officer plan were Mayor Art Ward and Councilors Cliff Block, Mike Rimcoski, Kevin McCauley and Frank Nicastro.
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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
17 comments:
I can't wait to sign that petition! This city is a mess and needs some that knows what the hell is going on! I also like the idea that I get the possibilty of being able to vote on the next chapter for the city. I hope the folks that voted it down just didn't commit poltical suicide. Time will tell.
Craig Minor:
You're a good man. I plan on supporting you in the next election (today I do at least, ha- ha).
don't count on minor - history dictates that he will change his mind - unless it helps him politicaly.
Minors action is as much anti-ward as it is pro COO.
He was a supporter of Johnson in the last election too.
They will quickly learn that they won't be able to get the signatures. It's not as important to the residents as Craig and Ken think it is.
"He was a supporter of Johnson in the last election too'
-I don't believe that. Supporting Johnson would have helped his opponent on the Republican side more than him. This man is one of principal. But you may have a point about him being anti-Ward. Perhaps Minor has Mayoral ambitions?
Minor is the next Joe Lieberman. No party loyalty whatsoever. Didn't he learn from the ousting of Ellen? Is he a Rep or a Dem? I have a new catagory, FHD....Federal Hill Democrat.
? -8:07am - you are so correct, minor talks out of both sides of his mouth and only responds to what is in his - oops, ellen's, best interest.
woe is bristol if this nerd ever runs for mayor.
Minor was and is not a supporter of Ward.
He is friendly with Johnson as is Ellen and MCAuley.
With Johnson as mayor, Minor knew he would have a bigger role.
He also knows that with a COO, he could play a bigger role in the selection process and control process.
Who worked up the details of the Charter change?
Or will they leave that up to the Council?
Anybody with ANY common sense would have voted NO on this open ended proposal.
Where are/were the specifics?
Typical political approach: do something, anything, and we can repair it as we go along. Who cares how much damage is done.
The "specifics" are/were contained in the Commission's final report.
Typical blogger approach: criticize what you don't know and are too lazy to educate yourself about.
And the petition people are too lazy and irresponsible to provide that information to the public.
What are they hiding?
11:28am - good question, what are they hiding? I repeat, what are they hiding? Again, I repeat, what are they hiding?
"11:28am - good question, what are they hiding? I repeat, what are they hiding? Again, I repeat, what are they hiding?"
If you'll ask using your real name, I'll post the text of the charter revision calling for the chief operating officer. Then you can ask questions about who's hiding what.
2:00pm - why the conditions, something to hide?
"2:00pm - why the conditions, something to hide?"
The specific wording of the proposal is public information - you could get a copy of it from the City Clerk if you really wanted it. The point is that YOU'RE the one who is hiding.
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