October 20, 2008

Ken Johnson defends COO from union attack

Former Republican mayoral contender Ken Johnson, a leader in the effort to create a chief operating officer position at City Hall, sent this along:
Bristol’s taxpayers have the right to decide on creating the Chief Operating Officer position.  They earned that right when over 3,600 of them signed a petition demanding so. If taxpayers are satisfied with the status quo, they can vote ‘No.’ If taxpayers think it’s time for a change in our city government, then they can vote ‘Yes’ to question #5 on the November 4th ballot.
Regarding the letter: What is the union leadership afraid of? The COO “will not be a friend to the unions” the writer says. Implying what? That the current city government is?  Come on. This proposal isn’t anti-union.  It is PRO-TAXPAYER!
            Craig Yarde and I have formed a committee to promote the COO/City Manager concept. 65% of our sister cities of similar size across the entire country have already adopted a similar change. I believe this decision about the form of city government is too important a decision to be left to the politicians and special interest. This decision should be made by the people. They can vote with the confidence that a bi-partisan Charter Revision committee studied this, recommended the COO and wrote the job description. If the people of Bristol vote ‘Yes’ to Question #5 on Nov. 4th, they can be assured that they will have a professional in City Hall who will PUT THE TAXPAYER FIRST and not be beholden to special interests or political whim.
            I encourage every taxpayer to exercise their right and take back City Hall by voting ‘Yes’ to question #5 on November 4th.

Anybody got a copy of the union letter? I haven't seen it.

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

46 comments:

Anonymous said...

ken, little touchy are we? you are right ken, much to your dislike EVEN THOSE WHO WANT TO "VOTE NO" have a right to express their opinion - get over yourself.

Anonymous said...

Steve,
Since you're not in the union, you won't get the letter.

What planet are you from again?

That's OK. have a nice day.

Anonymous said...

Someone has to be willing to give up a copy of this letter, unless that is they are afraid of retribution.

Anonymous said...

I want to see this letter. As bad as people want this COO thing clarified, I think I want to know why exactly the unions are against this, and I'm not talking their pat answers of how do we get this person out? or I want a right to vote him in or out. blah blah blah. There's the trueth they tell you, then the one they don't. That's the one I want to know, but it sounds like this letter reveals some of their motivation that they didn't want us to know.

Anonymous said...

Wow, looks like their is not as much solidarity in organized labor any more. This is usually when intimidation tactics are employed.

Anonymous said...

this just seems to be a way fro ken johnson and his cronies to divert your attention away from the fact that they have no justification/common sense for this move other than to burden the taxpayers with higher taxes and hide the fact that they can't get themselves recognized any other way - repeat after me "$300,000 dollars and increased taxes, $300,000 dollars and increased taxes, $300,000 dollars and increased taxes."

Anonymous said...

Say NO !!!! To the money people that want to run the City and bleed them for what they are worth !Tax and spend for a COO you can't get rid of ???? Salary, benefits out of taxpayers pockets ? I don'tthink so !

Anonymous said...

Gee 1:41 seems like you got all the answers. Not bad for a nobody !!

Anonymous said...

Who does Kenny boy think he is? If he wants to shove the COO down our throats, that's all okee-dokee....but God forbid anyone has an opposing view point! Sorry Kenny, but the union (or any other citizen of Bristol) has the same right as you to say whatever they want. I'm not a union member, but I agree that the COO will be a HUGE and very costly mistake, that's why I'm voting NO!

Anonymous said...

Gee 2:22 I know you are but what am I?

Anonymous said...

you people had better ease up or ken johnson is going to take hiss coo and go home - please don't slam the door on the way out Ken, the baby - not you, the real baby - might be sleeping.

Anonymous said...

I love it when my fellow anonymous posters attack each other for posting anonymously - anonymously. It is very funny - ha, ha, ha.

Anonymous said...

going to be amusing seeing the contrast of ken johnson in his orange shirt and red face - oops, we did that already, huh?

Anonymous said...

Uh oh, I've got vote no COO sign in my front yard....is Ken gonna come over and through a hissy fit in my front yard???

Anonymous said...

Ken,

Name three municipalities that have a COO!!

Not a Town or City Manager, but a COO.


Then we can see how it works (or doesn't).

Anonymous said...

You couldn't beat Ward, even with teh help of Minor and Zoppo.

Anonymous said...

Kenny, how about some answers to the questions?

Or don't you have any answers?

C'mon, surprise us.

Anonymous said...

Ken sure would have liked to have a Union on his last job.

Maybe he wouldn't have gotten "laid off".

Anonymous said...

kenny, kenny - whiney, whiney - don't say why - sit back and cry - when the dust settles, you'll find out that he/she who only mettles, ends up wondering why they only can hope to settle.
2007 is over, you and the queen should get your head out of your butt and start thinking about working for the city, not against it, only to satisfy your own egos.
my bills are due and i could give a crap about your political junk. think about us taxpayers - for a change.

Anonymous said...

love 10:24

Anonymous said...

I love 10:24 & 10:59

Anonymous said...

Wow things are sure exciting around here again! Keep posting whoever you are and by the way if anybody ever answers any of bill stortz's questions from his letter in the press let the rest of us know.
I'm not holding my breath
14 days
Vote no COO

Anonymous said...

Kenny (s) both of you, we are waiting for answers from you, no matter how one sided they are.

Same with both Craigs.

Anonymous said...

I'd like to see the Headline "Ken Johnson answers questions on COO".

Anonymous said...

7:37 - you'll develop apnea first.

Anonymous said...

Ken claims that the Charter change was his idea.

That is because he is a newcomer to being involved and doesn't realize that this has been suggested many times in the past.

Another rookie mistake.

Anonymous said...

As you can see for yourself, in Ken's own words, it's all about "taking back City Hall"!!

Crybaby Kenny is still hurting over his loss in the election and he is doing whatever it takes to strike back at Ward, strictly personal, nothing to do with helping the taxpayers.

Vote No on the COO!!! Let the taxpayers decide that if the COO was such a good idea then every community, city, or town would have it.

I like knowing that if my Mayor is not doing a good job then I can vote against him/her in two years but I will have absolutely no say or vote if the COO isn't doing his/her job!!!

We have another Lieberman in Bristol and his name is Craig Minor, another Republicrat.

Anonymous said...

Kenny didn't finish the thought: he meant to say "I'm taking back city hall"!

Couldn't win a council seat, couldn't win a mayoral election, now wants to legislate himself into power?

Anonymous said...

I'm a closet republican because of the embarassment that people like ken johnson cause this party.
if you are going to run for mayor next year, get off your knees and give us something positive to shout about rather than this half-hearted COO crap.
stop playing up as though yarde is your long lost buddy to impress everyone, cut the strings to cockayne because he is just a hothead and distance yourself from demo-publican minor cause no one in either party cares about him anyhow.
you are committing political suicide by association ken.

Anonymous said...

All I can say is WOW... This town never stops amazing me... I have lived here my entire life, I have watched Bristolites fight over the Highway expansion, Bristol Centre Mall, I could go on and on and on. Why is it that every time someone tries to do something good for this dying city all everyone does is complain! I don't see any of you trying to improve this town... I applaud Ken and Craig for their efforts. As for the rest of you negative Bristolites why don't you get over yourselves....

Anonymous said...

The cost will be greater than the COO salary and staff!

Due to the vagueness of the language, the conflicts with the Charter, and the contracts, we will likely see many many challenges to this proposal if it is voted in.

There will be legal costs, concessions, inaction etc. etc., until things are settled, which may take YEARS.

Anonymous said...

Ken, ANSWERS, PLEASE!!!!

Anonymous said...

Johnson, if that is a defense, it is woefully weak and inadequate.

Is that the best you can do?

Anonymous said...

Vote NO and slam the door on Johnson!

Anonymous said...

The real costs are unknown at this time.
One can approximate salary and benefits for the COO and staff.

Even at $400,000/yr, that would pale along side possible challenges if the proposal passes. There are charter conflicts, bargaining unit conflicts, that could result in millions of dollars in claims.

And, there are NO, I repeat, NO savings that could not be realized under the current sysyem.

So, what is the benefit???

Anonymous said...

what a bunch of malarky, johnson must really take the citizens of Bristol to be real dolts.
65% of our sister cities have adopted the "COO" form of government?
Ken, I xhallenge you to provide confirmation of those figures before election Day.
What resources did you use to come up with these figures, what criteria was submitted to be sure that apples were apples and not some obscure data to meet your end result?
I and all of the voters of Bristol are awaiting the proof of your statements.

Anonymous said...

good luck, johnson, minor and cockayne have gone into hibernation on this coo thing. won't be shocked if they all grow beards to hide from the public when the coo thing is shot down.

Anonymous said...

A COO is NOT a Town Manger: hope Kenny doesn't try to sneak that by the people.

Odin said...

Bristol's COO will have all the training and experience of say Plainville's town manager, but not his unbridled power. If you're opposed to the COO, why is this a bad thing?

Anonymous said...

Just for that reason: the COO will not be running the city, and the politicians will hide behind him/her.

Want the job done: give the position the authority to do it.

Seems like the politicians want to keep the power, but put someone in position to blame when things go wrong.

Anonymous said...

well if you are a republican and can't win election on your own, this would ensure that if you did get in and could pass off the blame, you might have a shot at staying in office.

Anonymous said...

Is Ken Johnson really vacationing in Florida with his Municipal Energy partner?
Is that why we haven't heard from or seen him?

Anonymous said...

Hopefully ken johnson wil be taking up permanent residency in florida and will buy a tri-plex so that cockayne and minor can join him - nice thought, huh?

Anonymous said...

11:28

Where do I make my contribution??

Anonymous said...

Answers Ken, not rhetoric!

Maybe that is why you are no longer with CL&P.

Anonymous said...

Leave Ken alone.

The reason that he has not provided any answers to the many questions on his COO COO proposal is that he probably is working full time, and then some, on the Electric energy issue, working to earn the $10,000 plus 10%.

I am sure he regrets not being more available to respond to the many concerns that the voters have.

Happy Halloween.