October 30, 2008

Ward: 'They shoot mad dogs'

Claiming that "Mad Dog is back," city Councilor Ken Cockayne today blasted the mayor for being a 'coward' who's in the pocket of the unions.
Mayor Art Ward, a Democrat, denied the charge and fired back at the freshman Republican councilor.
Ward called Cockayne’s charge “totally disgusting. He should be ashamed of himself.”
Cockayne decried Ward's decision to put so many union representatives on a new panel looking into the possibility of tapping excess pension cash to lower property taxes.
"It's absolutely ridiculous," Cockayne said. "The unions basically control the whole board. This is not a fair and balanced committee."
Ward was stunned that Cockayne would have hurled such insults, especially since the two men hadn’t spoken about the appointments.
“That’s very childish,” said Ward. He said Cockayne isn’t setting a good example for his son, or thinking about the impact the personal attacks could have on Ward and his family.
“It’s uncalled for,” said Ward. “He needs to grow up. Get a lasso and rope some maturity, park his little pony.”
Nine of the 19 members of the new GASB 45 Committee are union representatives and some of the others are friendly to the unions.
"When I looked at the list, I almost fell off my chair," Cockayne said.
Cockayne said the pro-union leaning of the panel is "another example of Ward pandering to the people who got him elected."
Cockayne also took a shot at Ward for failing to put himself on the panel.
"Removing himself from the issue is just cowardly," Cockayne said.
He said the mayor ought to be the panel's chairman so he would have a stake in its decision.
Though he was in the office almost all day Thursday, Ward said, Cockayne didn’t approach him with his concerns.
“I guess maturity is very elusive for some, or fleeting if he ever had it,” said Ward. “I can’t believe this kid. He’s never called me. He’s never asked me about it. He shoots from the lip. He needs to think about putting his brain in gear.”
Ward was surprised that Cockayne referred to himself as “Mad Dog.”
“They shoot mad dogs,” said Ward. “I think he needs a tetanus shot.”
Ward said his wife’s 26-year employment with the Bristol Board of Education – and membership in an employee’s union – could pose a conflict if he served on the board, which is why he opted out.
Ward said his wife’s position had nothing to do with politics – she had held the job for seven years before he ever got involved in politics, he said.
While under “normal circumstances” it might make sense for the mayor to chair the board, Ward said, it didn’t apply in his case.
Cockayne’s assessment showed a “limited ability to exercise any type of rational judgment,” said Ward. “While he didn’t give it any forethought, I did.”
Ward "has really stacked this committee knowing the outcome," Cockayne said.
"Here's an example of direct savings for the taxpayers and we know what their answer is going to be," Cockayne said.
He said the unions won't agree to transfer money from the pension accounts to cover their own health care without getting something extra in return.
Cockayne said the decision about how to handle the pension excess is "a management issue" and "not a collective bargaining issue."
There's no reason to give unions so many seats at the decision-making table, Cockayne said.
But Ward said the role of the new panel is “strictly advisory.”
“They make a recommendation to the Joint Board,” said Ward. “It’s up to the Joint Board where it goes. It’s highly unlikely that anything that was not favorable to the city would go any further.”
The Joint Board is made up of members of the City Council and finance board, and finance commissioners outnumber councilors nine to six, said Ward, who said he’d like to believe that it would offer objective oversight.
Because the decisions made will directly impact the employees who belong to the unions, Ward said, it made sense to make sure they were represented on the panel.
“They need to have input,” the mayor said, because the decisions deal directly with their pension money.
“If he’s talking about being fair and equitable, why wouldn’t they have representation?” Ward asked.
Ward said he appointed T.J. Barnes, the chairman of the Bristol Republicans, to lead the new board. It wasn’t because of politics, said Ward, but because of the financial expertise that Barnes has.
Barnes, a banker at Valley Bank, has “a wealth of knowledge that he can contribute to the process,” Ward said.
Ward questioned whether Cockayne’s latest outburst would undermine Barnes’ work on the board.
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

64 comments:

Anonymous said...

an embryo has more maturity than cockayne. if I had to make a choice cockayne would be the one aborted.

Anonymous said...

Would like to see the list of people that Artie is looking at. Bet I could tell you, all of his kroneys. how about Zoppo artie?

Anonymous said...

so does anyone have any ideas on how this situation will end up?

Anonymous said...

Ward can try to spin this any way he wants. He is against doing anything that might endanger his standing with the unions.

How can he say that his relation to his wife, a union member, preclude him from being on the committee, yet he sees nothing wrong with putting the heads of every municipal union in town on the committee?

Cockayne is right and should not back down. Ward has proven over and over again that he is a union lackey.

Keep fighting Mad Dog!

Anonymous said...

For 8:38 -
Steve posted the committee list. Here it is:Here's the committee membership list:
Phyllis Amodio (public health union)
T.J. Barnes (Retirement Board)
Cliff Block (City Council)
Greg Boulanger (Local 818)
Dan Carter (BPSA)
Dale Clift (city attorney)
Ken Cockayne (City Council)
Steve DeVaux (school business manager)
Diane Ferguson (personnel director)
Jack Hines (Fire Board)
Paul Keegan (Local 1338)
Glenn Klocko (city comptroller)
Peter Kot (police union)
Chad Lockhart (Local 2267)
Rich Miecznikowski (finance chairman)
Peter Munn (fire union)
Collen Ryder (education secretaries)
Mayra Sampson (Local 233)
Bill Veits (city treasurer)

Anonymous said...

Poor Ken clearly does not understand this pension issue. Maybe his ignorance is what makes him so angry. I almost feel embarrassed for him. Instead of these knee jerk reactions, he should read up on irrevocable trusts and defined benefit pensions. There he would find out that it is irrelevant who put the money in the trust fund, or how much. Once the money is in the trusts, it is under the control of the trustees of the pensions. The trustees have the responsibility to protect the trust fund solely for the benefit of the pensioners. They are even bonded to protect them in case they get it wrong. It is a huge responsibility. The pension language is in the charter AND the collective bargaining agreements and can't be changed without union input. It is extremely complicated, if he would even talk to one of the city attorneys, I am sure they would fill him in. Ken, educate yourself instead of making a fool of yourself.

Anonymous said...

Steve:
The comments you let be posted here about Ken Cockayne are disgusting. The fact that you refer to Cockayne's comments about Art Ward as "insults" (your wording) is an example of your partisan, baised favoritism of your buddy Ward. The same can be said about you chastising people for asking sarcastic yet relevant questions about Colapietro's leftist ideology. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Anonymous said...

Steve, maybe you should do a little research yourself, you are making a lot of innaccurate statements when it comes to this issue. I know you like to stir the pot, seems like that is your main focus at times, but please at least make an attempt to bet the story right. That is your job.

Steve Collins said...

9:51 - 'Insults' is probably accurate, for both men's words about each other, but if I could rewrite it, I'd probably pick something else.
It's funny how I get accused of being both Ward's buddy and Cockayne's buddy. I probably shouldn't get between them.

Steve Collins said...

9:59 - What's inaccurate? And, for what it's worth, I didn't stir the pot. Ken called me and I wrote what he said. Then I called Art and when he called back, Jackie wrote down what the mayor said. Then I printed it all. No need to stir. I just watched it bubble on the stovetop.

Anonymous said...

Well for starters, in your most recent article "City eyes pension Options", here is a quote from Mr. Klocko - "It has a trust fund established to cover that tab, but “the problem is we don’t have any funding” for it, Klocko said. The trust fund is empty." If you look back into the archives of your articles on this issue going back over a year, there are probably half a dozen refrences to over a million dollars being socked away into that fund and more planned. Can't you even remember what you wrote? Why didn't you call him on this? Do you really want me to do all your research for you? I will go back and find a couple of more examples for you, but please, do your job.

Anonymous said...

Finally we have an elected official not afraid to call a spade a spade...or a donkey a donkey.

Go Cockayne Go Cockayne Go Cockayne GO!!

Anonymous said...

Ward is CRUDE and has NO CLASS.

Anonymous said...

Last one, you are on your own from now on.

"He said the unions won't agree to transfer money from the pension accounts to cover their own health care without getting something extra in return.
Cockayne said the decision about how to handle the pension excess is "a management issue" and "not a collective bargaining issue."
Did you even bother to check the accuracy of this statement? There is a BIG story here if want to bother taking it seriously. If you would rather continue with your "C" student journalism, that is up to you.

Steve Collins said...

Hey 10:35 - First off, you really should register so you have a handle of some sort.
Second, that $1.1 million earmarked for the fund is NOT YET IN IT.
And 11:02 - who should also register! -- I'm not about to spend what little time I have delving into the technicalities of pension law. That's what the city's pension lawyer and others are doing now. What's allowed will become quite clear in the coming weeks and months.
So far, though, it appears that as long as the Pension Board agrees and a few relatively minor things are done as part of the plan, the city can indeed tap the extra money. If it can't, we'll find out soon enough.

Anonymous said...

“the problem is we don’t have any funding” is quite different than earmarked but not funded. If the funds are earmarked they are set aside, they exist. Actually, in one of your previous articles, you actually say that the money is in the trust, so either that article is innacurate or the newer one is. I will not, however go back, cut and paste the quotes and post them here. I see where your bias is. Wow.

Anonymous said...

Steve - here is a question? Can the tax payers decide if we should tap our money to fund this mess? if they can what do they need to do? because based on the folks I talked to they do not want their money going to funding this pension and it was quite a bit of people!

Anonymous said...

This whole pension plan system is out of date and should be terminated entirely. Payout what the union hack leaders stole from the taxpayers and let the little unionites pay for there own benefits as most of us do. They have 457 and 403 b plans they can contribute to, the same way private sector employees contribute to 401k's. Let the city match the first 3% and we will save money. That will take care of the PENSION side of this problem. As far as post retirement medical benefits are concerned, they need to be eliminated entirely...that eliminates the benefits the $71 million dollar liability (close to 50% of the total operating budget ofn the city for this fiscakl year!) Why should the unions get more then private sector employees who are tax payers?

LET THE VOTERS DECIDE....PUT IT TO REFERENDUM>>>>LET THE TAX PAYERS DECIDE. If the unions think they have the right to negotiate these outracious benefit packages, then I say that the people who have to pay for them should also have a say. LET'S LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE!!

Anonymous said...

Go Kenny..tellit like it is. Ward is not only a coward here he is a snake in the grass. MAKE THIS COMMITTEE THE WARD COMMITTEE...he should chair. To cop out behind his wife is VERY COWARDLY. In the past when he and others were accused of conflicts of interest because they either were city employees like mccauley the fire guy or lavigne the police guy, ward said it was NOT a conflict for them and NOT a conflkict for him just because his wife and son are city employees. Now all of a sudden, when his voter base is threaten...the UNIONs..he says it is a conflict of interest.

WARD...YOU FLIP FLPPING COWARD>>>STAND UP FOR THE TAXPAYERS WHO OPAYY YOUR SALARY OR RESIGN>>>

Anonymous said...

Very unprofessional of Cockayne. Is this what we want officials to be like when they represent the taxpayer? I think he's proving to be the typical republican on this blog. All they do id make up stories and call people names when they don't get their way .I certainly don't want him representing me he will be totally ineffective.

Anonymous said...

Wards lack of leadership is exactly why we need the COO.

Thank You Mr. Cockayne for telling it like it is. I hope you seek re-election...but this time FOR MAYOR!

Anonymous said...

Funny Steve how the crybabies can get personal all they want but when they get caught they cry accusing you of letting insults be printed on here about their golden boy Cockayne. They can dish it out but what cry babies they are when they get it back. Like I said before Hitler would love them !

Anonymous said...

I can't believe Cockayne went straight to the media without mentioning a word to Ward about his concerns. What a publicity seeking brat! Mad dog indeed. Someone should check him for rabies....

Anonymous said...

If I remember right didn't Cockayne ask the Ethics board if Ward had a conflict? Ward at the time said he didn't and the Ethics board agreed!

Now he has a Ethics issue!! Why then did Ward negotiate with the Police contract? His son is a police officer! For that matter, why did Ward vote on the police contract??

Once again Ward talking out of both sides of his mouth!!

Anonymous said...

"Cockayne isn't setting a good example for his son"

This comming from a guy who has a DUI! What did that teach Wards son? Don't throw rocks Ward, they might just come back to hurt you!!

I think Cockayne is teaching his son to be a leader and stand up for your values!!

Cockayne for Mayor!

Anonymous said...

Cockayne is doing a great job. What a guy you are! What guts you have Ken!! You're the best I have ever seen in Bristol at least since Mike Werner!!!

Although the comments from what apparently are city employees or local Democrats (mostly one in the same) are incredibly crude and ignorant, I somewhat expect it because many of those people are just that.

What gets me is the lack of support from the Bristol GOP "leaders". What a bunch of spineless/clueless RINOs they are.

Anonymous said...

If Kenny may have rabies...WARD IS JAUNDICE.. maybe from Kennys bite!

Look out Wardie...your own party is starting to sneak up on you!

Most good city employees want this issue settled for the good of all and do not like what you are doing...or not doing...in public AND BEHIND THE SCENES....the night has a thousand eyes Artie boy!

Advice: be guided by truth, not how many union votes you can get.

BTW...who are some of the losers you put on the committee you chicken out from? What are their qualifications? It looks like a bunch union card carry hacks!

Anonymous said...

With the exception for certain differences in political philosophy, I have to believe that the vast majority of bristol republicans are upstanding, concerned citizens, as are our democrats, unaffilateds and other registered political members.
So the reason that ken isn't getting any gop hierarchy support is because only the radical fools don't recognize the errors of his ways.
Truthfully, I could care less about that faction because that is the same people who do nothing for the party anyhow.
Grow up.

Anonymous said...

The GOP "leaders" thought they had a gold mine in Cockayne, and now they find that they have an albatross around their neck.

Their selecting of Ken and Ken will continue to drag them down.

Anonymous said...

I am a Repulican and I support Ken on this. His methods are strange b/c he obviously likes a fight, but Ward is a hypocrit and Ken just called him on it. He sees nothing wrong with loading the board with union leadership, yet he has an issue with keeping himself on the board because he is married to a union member? That makes no sense. He didn't see it as a problem when Cockayne filed his ethics complaint. He doesn't see it as a problem when he votes on Police contracts (his son is a detective), yet it conveniently is a problem now?

Thanks for taking us backwards Art. Everytime a tough issue comes up that really needs to be addressed, find out the union's take, do what you can from the sidelines (like stacking the deck), then recuse yourself to keep your hands clean. Cockayne is right - you are a phoney and a coward! You should be in the mix on this one instead of on the sidelines pretending you did something good by forming this committee.

Art Ward - the Great Avoider.

Anonymous said...

So if someone calls my actions cowardly I can attack his family and his child and his ability to be a father? You're worse then Cockayne.

I guess you just gave up the high road.

Anonymous said...

"This whole pension plan system is out of date and should be terminated entirely. Payout what the union hack leaders stole from the taxpayers and let the little unionites pay for there own benefits as most of us do. They have 457 and 403 b plans they can contribute to, the same way private sector employees contribute to 401k's. Let the city match the first 3% and we will save money. That will take care of the PENSION side of this problem. As far as post retirement medical benefits are concerned, they need to be eliminated entirely...that eliminates the benefits the $71 million dollar liability (close to 50% of the total operating budget ofn the city for this fiscakl year!) Why should the unions get more then private sector employees who are tax payers?"

If the city terminates the trust, they will have to give at least 20% and as much as 50% of the overfunding back to the IRS in penalties. That is called a reversion. Then, the city would have to start kicking in 3% for the 401k, when now they contribute nothing to the fund. Lastly, benefits are part of the compensation package and are earned year to year. The city could not stop benefits without paying out millions in benefits already earned. That is what GASB is all about.

Anonymous said...

I'm really not impressed w/ the choice of calling mr. ward "coward" . Perhaps using co-conspirator would have been more appropriate .

However , when mr. ward suggested shooting the messenger , THAT went well over any civilized line .

Anonymous said...

"So the reason that ken isn't getting any gop hierarchy support is because only the radical fools don't recognize the errors of his ways"

-October 31, 2008 9:15 AM:
Your comments don't make any sense. The "leaders" of the party are RINOs, not radicals.

Anonymous said...

"Cockayne is doing a great job. What a guy you are! What guts you have Ken!"

What guts? Do you honestly consider sneaking behind the mayor's back and going directly to the media with his concerns "doing a great job?" How about dealing with issues face-to-face? You know....the way REAL leaders do it. Hashing it out, explaining your viewpoint, listening to others. Instead, Ken chose the cowardly snake in the grass approach. Oh, but if he'd handled it like a man, he wouldn't get to see his name on the front page of the paper, huh?

Maybe Ken should consider changing his nickname from "mad dog" to "sneaky rat"....a much more fitting moniker.

Anonymous said...

Whiny weasel? Sniveling snake? Rabid mutt?

These might also be major contenders for Mr. C's new nickname. LOL!!!

Anonymous said...

How come we are not hearing anything from tratior Mr. Minor. He seems to be ready to share his views on this issue

Anonymous said...

October 31, 2008 3:58 PM
and or aka October 31, 2008 5:46 PM:

All you prove is that your a piece of trash or one with the mind of a 3rd grader.

Anonymous said...

After the election if TJ Barnes doesn't start getting behind Cockayne he should resign as Town Chairman. And if the one who replaces him doesn't then that person should too.

Ken Cockayne you're a great Republican (Bristol's #1 Republican) and a great American.

Go Cockayne, Go Cockayne, Go Cockayne, GO!!!

Anonymous said...

Or how about....

Ken the Crusader!

or

Killer Cockayne!

or

Art Ward's Nemesis!

Anonymous said...

Steve -
Had some extra time on my hands, looked up some of your work. care to comment on these quotes? How can they all be accurate?

March 7, 2008 Bristol Press

The city needs to sock away about $77 million to pay health benefits for its workers when they retire, said city Comptroller Glenn Klocko. It has only $1.1 million in the account so far and plans to add $200,000 more this year, a figure that’s slated to rise 25 percent annually for the next three decades, he said.

Bristol Press Jan. 7, 2008

This past year, the city created the mandated trust fund and put a starting payment of $1.1 million into the investment account.
But the most recent financial report, received at the end of December, calls for a trust fund 30 percent smaller than experts initially estimated.

Bristol Press Oct. 30,2008

"It has a trust fund established to cover that tab, but “the problem is we don’t have any funding” for it, Klocko said.

Anonymous said...

Have to say Ken didn't display a whole lot of professionalism here.I'm relatively certain if their roles were reversed he would feel the same.This isn't the sort of behavior I expect from any elected official.FTR Ken,your first move should have been to visit the Mayor at his office and raise your concerns there,not with the media.It's the old Golden Rule Ken,"do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Anonymous said...

Ken Cockayne, from all accounts, stands up for what he thinks is right. And this irritates the status quo politicians and their lackeys. It's always been like that...in Bristol and everywhere else in this country. Their are people, like Ken, who do the right thing all the time and their are peole who cowtow to others...
whether those others are friends, family, unions or special interests to whom some type of homage (or payment) is owned. Ken's not running for mayor...but if he does Bristol would be best served by his unabashed honesty and his unwavering integrity.

Steve Collins said...

10:47 p.m. -
First off, you should get a screen name!
As for the $1.3 million the city has already budgeted for this trust fund... As you aptly point out, it's been reported that they did begin setting aside money.
Why it's not in the trust fund yet, I'm not sure. I'm not an accountant and I don't have all the city's financial records at hand.
But I think that what's going on is that the city has put off bonding for so long that all of its extra money is tied up in lending itself cash to pay for projects. So the money earmarked for the new trust fund was tapped for something else with an IOU to pay it back when bonds are sold. At that point, the real funding for the projects would be in place and the cash eyed for the trust fund would actually be placed in it.
I could be entirely wrong, however. That's just an educated guess.
I'll ask Klocko about it after the election. He's the expert, not me.
The other point that's worth making is that $1.3 million is nice, but it's $70 million short of what the city needs for that trust fund right now.
Every year, it should be shelling out more than $8 million for post-employment benefits (mostly health care) in order to meet the current need and sock away money it knows it will have to pay in the future.
That means that if the city was being absolutely fiscally responsible, and had no other way to get the money, the property tax rate should be 2 mills higher. Good luck selling the voters on that.
Moreover, every year the city delays, that number it needs to fork over rises until it reaches absolutely staggering levels in 10 or 12 years. So the time to act is clearly now, particularly with the market generally down and likely over the long haul to grow.
There may be legal or technical reasons that the option of tapping into the excess pension cash won't work. But it's clearly crazy not to explore that option, since the only other ways to address the problem rationally are to raise taxes substantially or reduce the post-employment benefits sharply.
In the end, perhaps a combination of ideas will do the trick. Again, I have no clue.
I make no claim to any expertise in this area. All I can do is report what people with expertise and experience tell me.
I understand, by the way, that there are lawyers and other experts the unions have consulted who have a different take on things than the city's consultants. I hope that they'll get involved in the decision-making process so that they can help educate the community (and me) rather than sitting back and waiting to see if a decision they don't believe is proper gets made, and then suing to stop it.
This is a complex but crucial issue. Every voice should be heard. With this new committee in place, there's no excuse for failing to make sure that everybody puts their cards on the table so the community can do the right thing, whatever that is.

Anonymous said...

"unabashed honesty and his unwavering integrity."

You're kidding, right? If Ken had an ounce of integrity, he would have gone straight to the mayor's office and expressed his concerns in person instead of taking the sleazy low road, sneaking off and alerting the media with his ridiculous little "mad dog" attack. His behavior was unprofessional, undignified and cowardly. Mad dog needs a muzzle....

Anonymous said...

Steve,

While this may be the best way to fund the need, it does not have to be done all at once.

When, and under who, did the city start funding for this?

Maybe if Klocko was more open and candid, there wouldn't be so much of a flack on this issue?

He should lay all of this out, AND answer ALL questions so that the public, as well as elected officials and unions have all the information.

If we do it, Klocko will be hero in the eyes of his fellow municipal finance officers. Is that his main driving force?

Anonymous said...

"I understand, by the way, that there are lawyers and other experts the unions have consulted who have a different take on things than the city's consultants. I hope that they'll get involved in the decision-making process so that they can help educate the community (and me) rather than sitting back and waiting to see if a decision they don't believe is proper gets made, and then suing to stop it."

This is why there are union representatives and what YOU say are people friendly to the unions (exactly which ones do you mean with that insinuation?)on the board. By the way nobody other than Mr. Klocko was allowed to speak at the first committee meeting and nobody but Mr. Klocko had any input into what information was presented (which was far from complete, accurate or unbiased toward the city's position.) If anyone from the unions was asked to contribute I am sure they could have obliged.
The rest of your comments are all speculation, why do you have to wait till after the election to ask a few simple questions? You might just find out the truth.

Steve Collins said...

10:51 -
Register!
I didn't know there was anything wrong with being "friendly to the unions."
And if you seriously have to ask a political reporter who's already working on his day off on Saturday to finish stuff up before the election why he might not have time until after Election Day to delve further into this pension issue, you really need to look up.
The city, by the way, doesn't have a position on this issue. It has a committee exploring the question in hopes of reaching some kind of policy.
Cockayne has a position, of course, but I'm pretty sure that he can't tell the mayor what to do (or at least, he can't get the mayor to do what he would like the mayor to do).
My impression is that Klocko's presentation the other day was supposed to be an opening round, not any sort of statement about what the city's stance would be. After talking to the mayor and councilors about this proposal for a long while, I don't think most of them have any real position on it at all yet because they want more information. Now they're starting to get it.
I'm sure that people who think Klocko was "far from complete, accurate or unbiased" are going to explain in detail whey believe that in the days and weeks ahead. I will be among those listening to what they have to say -- and will report it, as always, as fairly and accurately as I can.

Anonymous said...

just thinking about this whole mess that cockayne isn't happy about - did ward upset your apple cart when he stepped off as chairman because took away your planned opportunity to claim that serving as the chairperson, he would have had a conflict of interest because his wife works for the city?
Damn, guess ward couldn't win either way, could he poopsie?
suggest that you do your job and surprise all of us and do something positive for the city rather than laying on the floor, kicking your fight and having your temper tantrums.
Your act is becoming real stale ken..
wipe the spittle off your chin and smarten up.

Anonymous said...

"And if you seriously have to ask a political reporter who's already working on his day off on Saturday to finish stuff up before the election why he might not have time until after Election Day to delve further into this pension issue, you really need to look up."

Well, thank you for taking the time to write this. If you think Mr. Klocko's presentation was not strictly from the perspective of lowering the mill rate, you are the one that needs to "look up." This is the exclusive position that he has taken since this subject first came up. You should know, you wrote just about every piece on the subject(want me to look up the articles for you?) As far as Mr. Cockayne goes, it looks like he is just being used in a feeble attempt to sway pubic opinion . Poor guy.

Steve Collins said...

I have no doubt that Klocko favors doing this as well. I forgot that he's on the committee, too, so I guess that's at least two votes in favor.
Now I really have to finish writing about the chief operating officer before some editor starts breathing down my neck.
So I leave you with this thought: Register before you comment!

Anonymous said...

Doing it sounds good, and may be.

However, did we, have we heard the down side?

The cliche, "if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is". should be kept in mind until all the pros and cons are in.

And. Klocko is well known for doing what makes him look good, which may not be the best for Bristol at the time.

Anonymous said...

Doing it sounds good, and may be.

"However, did we, have we heard the down side?

The cliche, "if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is". should be kept in mind until all the pros and cons are in.

And. Klocko is well known for doing what makes him look good, which may not be the best for Bristol at the time."

This is what these forums should be about. Make an effort to get good information, and discuss it in a reasonable manner. Zingers, personal attacks and whatever else you call some of these posts add nothing to the discussion, but to the extent that they bring out public opinion and misinformation that can be addressed, they do serve a purpose. Moreover, whether you agree with the poster or not, they have a right to speak their mind.

Anonymous said...

Kenny, maybe Stortz wasn't so bad after all.

Anonymous said...

2:18 - and we have the right to speak our mind also so get off your soap box and stop taking everything personal - if it is about you, suck it up and move on.

Anonymous said...

the rabid pack of cockayne, minor, johnson, yarde and schaffrick are barking up the wrong tree.
VOTE NO COO!

Anonymous said...

It's too bad that people don't have to own up to what they say on this blog. Put your name after what you say...this is free country. Unfortunately, unions and their sympathizers will continue to harass and try to intimidate people whenever they can. The main reason for negative comments about Ken Cockayne is that he doesn't (and won't) tow the union line. Ken is his own man...keeps his own counsel and the status quo politicos just don't like that...and they don't get it becasuse they're not accustomed to anyone who will stand up to them and do what's right for all the people, not just a select few.

Anonymous said...

8:33am - don't break your arm reaching to pat yourself on the back Mr. Cockayne.

Anonymous said...

"The main reason for negative comments about Ken Cockayne..."

IS Ken Cockayne himself....self-proclaimed "Mad Dog." Someone who hasn't got enough guts or fortitude to stand up and face the opposition man to man. Someone who's easily led. His mad dog routine of running directly to the media and lashing out every time he's had a thought is getting old.

Anonymous said...

Poster 9:48

Cockayne isn't the self proclamed "mad dog"! Steve Collins gave all the councilmen nicknames! Therefor the name came directly from Collins, not Cockayne!!

Anonymous said...

10:43am - haven't heard cockayne refute the "mad-dog" name so his ego must drive him to be proud of it - easily gratified I guess.

Steve Collins said...

Just to clarify, I called Cockayne "Mad Dog" in a post months ago because of the way he was always stirring things up.
He renewed the name recently when he told me, "Mad Dog is back."
I don't know if he's proud of it per se, however. He told me he wished I had left that line out of the story.

Anonymous said...

cockayne doesn't have much to be proud of - proving to be a bigger loser than I thought that he was - and THAT WAS BIG.

Anonymous said...

It's funny Steve how these guys think that anyone who gives facts or tells the truth(unlike them) is biased. What jokes they are and they think people outside of their little teeny weeny circle can't see thru them. :o)