August 18, 2008

Signatures for referendum confirmed?

Mayor Art Ward just told that he understands the city clerk's office has confirmed that there were enough valid signatures to force a referendum on the chief operating officer issue.
I have a call in to the city clerk to make sure, but it appears the matter will be on the November 4 ballot.

Update at 5:45 -
City Councilor Craig Minor said he doesn't know if the required signatures have been checked yet or not. He said that City Clerk Therese Pac told him the other day that the checking would likely be done this week.
Minor said it might be done already, but he hasn't heard.
City Councilor Ken Cockayne, who probably isn't on Pac's Christmas gift list these days, said he doesn't know either.
Anyone have any solid information?

Update at 6:10 -
This strikes me as a good opportunity to explain one difference between this blog and a news story in the paper. As it is, I have only Mayor Ward saying that he understands there are enough valid referendum signatures to have a referendum on the issue. But since he's not directly responsible for doing the work, I need another source before I'd feel comfortable writing a news story about it.
On here, I think it's sort of interesting sometimes to let you all in on stories as they unfold, to go from the initial word through other phone calls and information until we get to the last word for that day's story (for example, see the blog pieces about the Millionaire Maker who wanted to buy the mall).
This is one of those cases, where I don't really know for sure what happened, but it's not really hurting anyone to let you know what I know, even if it's not yet solid enough to reach print, so here it is, for what it's worth.

Tuesday, 9:50 am. -
City Councilor Ken Cockayne just sent me an email that says Pac told him this morning the signatures were certified. More to come later, but that's the second source I needed.

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

Terrific news! I can't wait to vote NO!!!!

Anonymous said...

Thanks Steve ..... Maybe now the taxpayers will have an opportunity to repair Bristol .

Anonymous said...

Steve, I couldn't find your email....you should have a link on here so we can contact you. Anyway, I was wondering if we could discuss the City going to a 4 day school week to save on energy and other expenses?? I've heard some people talk about closing City Hall for one day per week, which would save a few thousand dollars. But why not close down the schools every Wednesday for example? I saw on the news that other Towns across the country are doing this and saving a ton on fuel expenses for buses and energy bills. Anyway, just a thought.

Anonymous said...

I think we should also close down the police department and fire department for one day a week.

Anonymous said...

Thank God for Art Ward.

AnonymousWestconnStudent said...
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Anonymous said...

wesconn...go back under the bridge you came from you dope!

With Love from the peanut gallery

Anonymous said...

Now Bristol can start moving in the right direction!!!
Thank you Craig, Craig, Ken,Ken and
all those that got the signatures.
One happy voter!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Terrific news. I can't wait to vote YES!!!

Anonymous said...

If voting "yes" will create a city government less beholden to the public employees and their union I will do as such.

Anonymous said...

Moving forwards, backwards or sidewards...just away from Ward, Zoppo or any of those union-lackey Dumb-o-crats!!

Anonymous said...

City Manager's first task:

Fire Pac!

Anonymous said...

It's a bird, it's a plane, no it's a COO!! Holy cow I can't believe it. We the tax payers of Bristol will get to vote on something. Now it's time to start voting out the dead weight that has crippled our city! Vision people! Vote people in that have vision, not the one that buys you drinks at the bar and remembers your name. Vision! and acts on that vision!

Anonymous said...

Oh GREAT idea to shut down the schools one day a week... are you going to take care of all the students whose parents work and don't have a four-day workweek? You clearly have never had to juggle work and kids.

Anonymous said...

ooooh, Steve, I love it when you let us peek behind the curtain!!

Anonymous said...

Close the schools for 1 day a week? I gues all ideas should be on the table.
Whoever posted about "Are you going to take care of the kids..." made a valid point. Bristol is full of democrats who rely on government to take care of eveything for them and if this ever was endorsed (highly, highly unlikely) these people would be ripped!

AnonymousWestconnStudent said...
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Anonymous said...

wes conn:

Please go away...your ignorance is embarassing to the City.

Anonymous said...

"It's a bird, it's a plane, no it's a COO!!"

Wow, let the brainwashing begin! Sounds like this COO can walk on water, stop world hunger and cure cancer, all before breakfast! I don't know who this miracle worker is supposed to be, but if he/she can reverse the recession, end the war and stop global warming...they've got my vote! Otherwise, I'll stick with the system we have thanks.

Anonymous said...

"Vision! and acts on that vision!"

Huh? The ONLY vision I have is of Bristol getting stuck with someone we overpaid at the helm that we can't get rid of without emptying the bank.

AnonymousWestconnStudent said...
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Anonymous said...

GO ANONYMOUSWESTCONNSTUDENT, GO! You rock!!!

Anonymous said...

wes con: your UNION is showing. You have an obvious bias.

Anonymous said...

and stop global warming..

August 20, 2008 8:20 AM
`````````````````````
I find it interesting that the same 'intellectuals' that believe in the evolution of mankind can NOT comprehend the evolution of the planet .

Just because al gore invented the internet AND global warming it does NOT make it true .

Anonymous said...

If a few more people would take the time to read what is proposed, and then think it through, they would find many many questions and problems similar to what West Conn pointed out.
It is an abomination as proposed!

Anonymous said...

As much as he is holding back, Art Ward loves this idea.
He keeps his $100K plus job, has his workload cut by 70%, can cut ribbons and glad hand and stay mayor forever.

Smart move TJ, Mocabee, Schaffrick etal

Anonymous said...

"He keeps his $100K plus job, has his workload cut by 70%, can cut ribbons and glad hand and stay mayor forever."

Think it through. How can the city council justify keeping his salary at $100,000 after the heavy lifting has been shifted to the COO? The political pressure on them to reduce the mayor's salary for the 2009-2011 term will be intense, and they will have to vote on it just before the 2009 election.

Anonymous said...

11:20

That is just ONE of the many unanswered questions, ONE of the many, many vague areas.

ALL should have been addressed up front and haven't.

I can see the political games and spin already.

Anonymous said...

Maybe cutting the mayors pay will discourage Johnson from running for Mayor!!!

Hurrah.

Anonymous said...

You know even "My Space " is more interesting than this .