Mayor Art Ward sent an email out to the City Council saying that he's thinking about appointing former Board of Finance member Robert Dunlap to the panel to take the place of Republican Don Soucy.
Dunlap, a fiscal conservative during his stint on the finance board, is Ward's former campaign treasurer.
What's unusual about the choice is that by law Ward can only appoint an independent or Republican to the board this time around.
Dunlap was apparently a registered Democrat until he switched his voter registration this week to unaffiliated, making him eligible for the appointment.
Councilors on both sides of the aisle are concerned. It's not yet clear whether Ward will try to push through the nomination or not.
Update on Friday afternoon: Dunlap's out, Tonon's in
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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
28 comments:
Is this a joke? This guy was so inept at being a campaign treasurer that he was fined $1500. Now Ward is appointing him to the Finance Board? Does this guy have something on Ward?
Mr. Republican Town Chairman: show you're not as inept as Dunlap and demand an investigation. The Democrats are walking all over you.
Isn't he the one who was fined for improperly documenting contributions to Ward's campaign and for taking over $1500 from the unions in one lump sum?
Why would the rest of the council approve this guy?
Good ole Artie taking care of his boys.
This is bizarre. The spineless, clueless Bristol GOP should demand an inquiry, but they won't. That is why the Democrats run roughshod over them and the taxpayers year after year.
A fiscal conservative Democrat is better than a fiscally liberal Republican union-whore any day.
Just another example of the "good old boy's club"! Changing his party to fit what Ward needs. Sounds fishy to me. What will happen when he gets on the board and Ward needs something? Will they just do what ever needs to be done!
Ward moving bristol back-ward!
Steve, please explain why it has to be a Republican or UNAFFILIATED voter?
I thought that with Soucy gone there were still 3 Rs and 1 U, which would give the Ds a simple majority.
There can't be more than six Democrats on the finance board (Ward and five others). I assume that they can't appoint another Democrat given what I've heard, but I don't know the party affiliations of everyone on the board now so I can't say for sure. I'll try to find that out, though.
Why didn't he join the Lieberman Party?
Would a COO appoint Dunlap?
Dunlop is Mizes boy, and Klocko really likes him.
Need I say more?
Another example of Ward thumbing his nose at the people AND not working with the Council.
And, embarassing citizens like he did Krawiecki.
Why not Dunlap? The head of corporation counsel was severely fined by the State for inept business practices............
9:58
Is it two wrongs making a right, or is it "if you can do it so can I", or is just total disregard for doing things right, above board and what is right for the city?
Artie knows that the last council did not support Dunlop.
Is he trying to stick it to them?
It is not a lie that Ed Krawicki was severely fined by the State when he was a State Legislator for mismanaging an estate of a client and then trying to cover his butt by attempting to pass a bill that would fix his mistake.
Maybe you should check your facts. I dare you to tell me that it didn't happen, because it would be too easy for me to get the information from the State website and post it here.
And I was being sarcastic about "why not Dunlap". It's nothing new that this City would consider people for important positions and board rolls that have displayed inept business practices, as a mistake or on purpose.
Artie knows that the last council did not support Dunlop.
Is he trying to stick it to them?
Word last night is that the mayor is pulling back Dunlap's name. He thought he was a U, of course forgetting that the entire Dunlap family became D's to vote for him last fall. Un-freaking-beleivable. How many times on this blog have people stated "If it wasn't so pathetic it would be funny?"
Dunlap was absolutely Mize's boy and now I hear the new name is Mize's close friend too. I guess good old Richie didn't like losing control of the BOF last year.
Erling may be a U, but this is what I think is the breakdown
Peterson - D
Smith - D
Messier - R
Erling - R
Moylan - D
Thibault - R
Ward - D
Mizenikowski - U
Never mind the inept role as campaign treasurer - he just took up space as a BOF member which is why some of the Dems put their foot down with Sotrtz and wouldn't back his reappointment last year, went to statemate and then he eventually resigned and became Artie's treasurer.
What is Artie thinking? I heard he never even checked with the Council over the special meeitng he called or the name. Maybe we should start calling him King Arthur.....
Stortz, on his own, was not going to reappoint Dunlop.
Stortz was looking for new people, was trying to break the control that 2-3-4 people had.
Seems like Art wants to still perpetuate that good old boy approach, even though he might be bringing up a new name.
As has been said on thi sblog before, maybe Stortz wasn't so bad after all.
LETS PUT BRISTOL ON THE MAP FOR SOMETHING OTHER THAN DIRTY POLITICS.
If 7:08 is correct, why did Dunlop change?
Does Ward have something else up his sleeve in the future?
Ward is circumventing the law this is why we need a City manager who will look out for Bristol.
Recall Ward Bristol is going Back-Ward.
Can't ward count, or doesn't he know the law?
Embarassing.
June 26, 2008 10:48 PM:
At least Krawieki pays his property taxes, right?
You dare me huh? Well I say it didn't happen. I say you have no proof of what you're stating.
But I also say who cares about Krawiecki. He's not the corporation council anymore. This isn't about partisan politics you Dumb-o-crap union sucking sleeze bag, it's about "moving forward" with good government (or in this case the lack of)
I guess the Dumb-o-crap hack who posted on June 26, 2008 at 10:48 PM doesn't see any difference in something that happened almost 20 years ago vs. something that happened a few months ago. Typical "hack".
Way to go Mayor - take care of your boys!
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