Mayor Art Ward wants to get a part-time assistant if the COO plan loses -- and add another part-timer for the City Council as well, if necessary.
Want to guess who several political insiders say is likely to get the job working for Ward?
Ed Krawiecki, Jr, the former city attorney that city councilors have refused to consider hiring as one of Bristol's part-time lawyers despite Ward's pleas that the city could use Krawiecki's knowledge and experience.
Krawiecki is a former state House minority leader and served as city attorney for two years during Mayor William Stortz's administration.
It could get quite interesting.
*******Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
54 comments:
IF the COO question fails, and IF Ward does indeed hire Krawiecki as an assistant, then good for him. He's the mayor, he's been saying he could use Krawiecki's help, and Krawiecki is knowledgeable and experienced. If the two of them can get over their political differences and work together for the city, it's a big plus for all of us.
Looks like Artie continues to work at alienating himself with his party.
Wow a paid assistant and a campaign manager all in one, and at the taxpayers expense.
Great Country.
A good reason to vote for the COO
If Krawiecki wants to be mayor, why doesn't he just run?
I'd love to see Ed Kraweicki working with Ward. I hope this happens. Kraweicli's better than the current RINOs on the GOP TC anyway. I'll support Ward in 2009 if this happens.
Artie,watch your back!
And if the COO wins, will Krawiecki go to work for him?
Does anyone know if Ward has discussed this with the City Council? I hear he never tells them anything.
Either way, this assures Bristol of a Reppublican mayor in 2009.
Any other Democratic town committee would be furious if their mayor took an activist, partisan Republican, someone who has worked to get Republicans elected in the past and will again in the future, and tried to install him in the bosom of the administration. So why is the Bristol DTC letting Ward hire Krawiecki? We all saw last fall that Ward has no loyalty to the Democratic Party, but what about the Bristol DTC leadership? Can they really be that weak?
odin...maybe the Dems want what's best for Bristol, first and foremost. But that's probably too good to be true. After all, they keep running Colapietro.
Sounds like Ward has given up on getting reelected.
Obviously, Artie wants what's best for Bristol. He's all about moving Bristol foward!!! GO ARTIE!!
Vote NO COO!
a few things are quite obvious (1) the democrats on the city council are still licking their wounds from last year's primary and last year's election and are hampering the process by harboring their animosity (2) these democratic council members were only trying to save their ass when they appeared at ward's victory party pledging unity - and were actually viewed correctly as nothing but hypocrits by almost everybody present (3) ward has gotten nothing from these scabs other than knives in the back (4) if anything, the democratic town committee should paying more attention to the allegiances of the democrats on the council to the republican nemisis' of johnson and schaffrick (5) ward's office has been open to anyone who has ever wanted to walk in, and even one young fella that wasn't wanted in,(6)ward's efforts have been what he has considered to be in the best interest of the city in a non-partisan way, without prejudice.
If ward's choice is to seek an assistant, kraweicki or not, and it isn't respected by this council than this council should all resign because they will be doing more harm than good, for petty partisan ego trips.
%:53- that town committee that you are dictating to should be taking care of democrat minor's aiding and abetting in a conspiracy to undermine bristol government along with republicans ken johnson and gary schaffrick with this COO FARCE.
This is what is wrong with politics today. Congress has the lowest approval rating in history - even lower than the all hated GWB, because politicians refuse to work together. If they do, they have to worry about reprisal. We need to focus on where we agree and go from there. I didn't vote for Ward but I have to say that he has the right attitude. Hire the best person for the job - period. Further, Ward is the boss. Why can't he make his own hiring decision? I honestly don't understand your partisan concerns; but then I have nothing to lose either way. I suspect many of you worry about losing control due to job concerns. No offense, just an observation.
Getting back to Ward - I think he has the right idea and applaud him for his open mindedness. But whatever he decides is fine by me.
Yeah Ward's office is open to anyone alright. If you're called to this office you never know if you'll be yelled at or if you'll get a pat on the back. His temper is notorious around city hall. It's his way or no way behind closed doors.
Ed is one of Bristol's shrewdest politicians.
Seems like he doesn't see much future for and with the Republicans in Bristol.
Why else would he take the job?
7:57 - so if the coo proponents say that no one is overseeing department heads but you say that ward really does admonish or, at least, give direction as to what he thinks is right for the community - who is right or do you play both sides against the middle?
Bingo - can't have it both ways honey.
If the Council agrees to Ed, then Ward will be talking even less with them.
He will use Ed as the go between.
O-Dumb:
Ward and quite of few of the Bristol Democrats are better than haters like you (certainly not all though). They'll do what's best for Bristol and for good government.
Kraweicki is a knowledgable and competent man. This would be a good move for Bristol.
Dear 8:12
I didn't say anything about my stance or opinion on the COO. I only mentioned that Ward should be able to hire whoever he wants if it comes to that. Also that appreciate him reaching across the aisle, if that is the best candidate for the position. If he doesn't hire Krawiecki, that fine too.
I have to admit that I am in favor of letting the people decide through a vote. I wish the gay marriage went out to vote. What ever happened to of the people, for the people, by the people?
Art needs some better bunch of "advisors" that the ones he has been listening to over the last year. The fact that he wants it to be Eddie - the guy who hosted a fundraiser for Art's opponent in his own home in the rich section of Chip HIl last year, is the funny ha ha ha part. It's too bad he never got over his war with Zoppo since she is of the same party and would make a great assistant. So would a few of the other younger guys at the DTC now who have college degrees and have been working their buts off at HQ these past weeks but we all know where those suggestions would go and we would all be able to hear that flush loud and clear. As to the DTC - he got rid of most people who didn't support him and his pals are the new leadership so nothin' is going to happen there.
Ward is a spoiled brat. He throws temper tantrums when he doesn't get what he wants. Like the time he got so pissed he had to leave the council meeting when they turned down one of his appointments. Like the fact he won't hire anyone else to replace Krawicki even tho the office is stretched too thin. Like when Block and MacCauley fought with him over the budget for building inspectors and the school budget. Which is what a councilman is elected to do, not rubberstamp his whims. Ward cannot get over the fact that all four Dems on the council wanted Zoppo for mayor. Like a second grader that no one chose to be one their team, he will never forgive them for it.
11:09 / 11:28
Man, I just don't understand Ward and the his Zoppo supporting councilmen just moving ahead. The past is just that. In this frigged up economy it should be "all for one and one for all". Jeez guys - get over it and move on for the betterment of the council, the DTC ad the city. I had no idea that so much childish crap was going on.
I may have to amend my Ward statement. I applaud him for considering a republican, but jeez man, grow up. Grudges are so last year!
So - let me get this straight. Ward doesn't want a COO because it's an added expense, and he has a full time assistant, and a dept head that should handle every issue that comes up - but now he needs another assistant, and maybe one for the council? How much is this going to cost? Will he delegate to Ed and Ed will delegate to the dept heads and corp counsel? I don't get it.
11:28pm - now if it is that easy for you to see that ward is the mayor then why is it that the council is so stupid?
Tell them to stop whining, accept the facts that ward kicked their candidate's ass in the primary, fended off johnson in the general election and that he is the mayor -and they aren't.
Times are tough and they should be recognizing that they haven't done shit in a year other than pander in the background with the likes of zoppo, o'brien and ziogas, licking their boot straps and trying to undermine anything positive from happening.
Bristol suffers, the democratic town committee suffers, all because of a smidgen of losers thrashing about in self-pity and hate.
Uh-oh, sounds like the COO backers are finally getting the message that Bristol voters are nowhere near as gullible as they thought.... so it's on to plan B, attack, attack, attack. Is the "mad dog" mentality the most we can expect from these losers? How pathetic!
Art Ward is better and bigger than the Bristol Dumb-o-craps. He's proved it by beating their liberal spoiled brat queen in the primary in 2007 and he's proving it now.
"Ward cannot get over the fact that all four Dems on the council wanted Zoppo for mayor. Like a second grader that no one chose to be one their team, he will never forgive them for it."
....more like the four Dems on the council cannot get over the fact that Zoppo lost. Like angry little first graders, they sabotage Ward every step of the way, going so low that they've even sicced their self-proclaimed "mad dog" on him. Geez, what an embarrassment to the City.
Guess Ward is now seeing what he put Stortz though when he was Mayor. How does it feel to be all alone Ward? Opps...my mistake...you still have Rimcowski with his head up your ___!!
Hopefully the council will now take over and run this city as it should!
Zoppo for Mayor 09!!!
Strange days in Bristol indeed. I sense that there is something more going on here behind the scenes than simply a mayor who has more than a passing interest in a seasoned Republican lawyer.
Out of one side of his mouth Ward says "Hiring Freeze".
Out of the other side, he says, I want to hire TWO political appointees.
Which is it Artie?
"Hopefully the council will now take over and run this city as it should!"
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH....oops, my bad! You're actually serious, aren't you? Rabid mutt and the 3 stooges running our city (into the ground) really isn't funny....but, suggesting that the amazing Zop accompanied by her sneaky little henchmen could win an election IS actually a hoot. I mean, they can't even BUY their way in....LMAO!!!
Gee 9:25 - The COO proponents bring up the whole "the mayor needs help" issue and that's just swell....Now the mayor says okay, let's hire a part-time assistant and you're ready to run up one side of him and down the other. Hmmmm, I wonder why?
10:41 poster,
there is a huge difference between the COO with a finance background and a helper in the mayors office!
this will be a non-issue anyway, since the public is sick of the way things are run and will pass the COO!!
Vote Yes COO
"there is a huge difference between the COO with a finance background and a helper in the mayors office!"
There sure is....we understand the need for an assistant and we know it won't cost us a fortune....
VOTE NO COO!
9:04 and 9:25 seem to have raised some interesting points.
Krawiecki for COO! Irony of Irony's. Be careful what you wish for because you might just get it.
Ward working for a better Union!
Ed won't qualify by the proposed standards: no 4 years experience in running a city.
(Except in his own mind)
What was he thinking??
Ward could have hit a home run (or at least a triple) by suggesting Zoppo for assistant.
He would have helped heal our party, she would have gotten the job done, and at the same time eliminated some of the support for his next years opponent.
Where is he getting his advice?
9:04 AM: The reason you haven't seen this is because they (unlike King Arthur)is too mature to air their dirty laundry in public. They have tried to work it out in private - only the King refuses to meet with them. Dont beieve me? Ask Tom Ragaini and Eliott Nelson.
Of course, his k-a defenders will whine that he shouldn't have to meet with them. He is the king, after all. They should come crawling to him.
"Ward could have hit a home run (or at least a triple) by suggesting Zoppo for assistant."
Get real! do you honestly think for a nanosecond that her royal highness would accept a position as a mere assistant to her arch nemesis?
4:06 - the reason that he won't meet with them is because they stuck it to him after he met with them before - they meet, report to the queen and then show their true colors as asses.
I had hoped that Queen Zoppo was buried, and we would not have to hear her name again. She deserves no place in town hall. Krawiecki is everything that the power-hungry brat is not. If Ward wants Krawiecki, that's fine with me.
they have never approached him to meet either, they talk through third parties, not having the nerve to confront him one on one.
4:37
That would be the HOME RUN:
Make the offer and let HER refuse.
Again, where is he getting his advice?
Maybe Stortz wasn't so bad after all.
YOu gotta be one of Ward's union flunkies he put on the town committee. they did approach him, he refused so they tried asking people close to him to mediate - - strike three. he's done.
Don't do it Art.
Art
What happened to the hiring freeze?
Or doesn't it apply to the hiring of political friends?
The DTC people are a bunch of jerks who do not get along with them each other. Elliot Nelson who is the chairman is doing a good job but for what reason? What good is it going to do him. He is joined at Wards hip too. Best of drinking buddies.
Post a Comment