May 26, 2009

City eyes Kilbourne, Krawiecki to fill lawyer slots

It appears that two former city attorneys may be hired soon to fill a pair of vacancies created by the resignation of both of the city’s part-time municipal lawyers.
A deal is in the works that would install Dean Kilbourne, a former city attorney, as the city’s top lawyer, according to several Bristol officials.
Filling the part-time assistant’s slot would be Edward Krawiecki, Jr, who served as the city’s top lawyer from 2006 to 2008.
Kilbourne was the city’s top attorney from 2004 until Krawiecki took over after the election of Mayor William Stortz in 2005.
Mayor Art Ward declined Monday to name the lawyers he’s spoken with about the possible jobs, but confirmed there are “two potential nominees” who would need City Council backing.
Ward said the two he’s eyeing “would definitely enhance the ability of that office” to handle the workload placed on it.
He said that he and city councilors have informally agreed to accept the resignations of Dale Clift, the city attorney, and Jeff Steeg, the only part-time assistant city attorney.
Both Clift and Steeg said they would step down at month’s end unless the city added health care benefits to their positions. Clift earns $33,000 annually and Steeg collects $27,000.
Krawiecki said he spoke with Ward over lunch last week, who asked him if he could lend a hand.
While he’s still considering the offer, Krawiecki said, he believes that when a mayor asks for help, people have an obligation to try to assist.
“If you can do it, you step up,” said Krawiecki, a former state House minority leader who has a private legal practice in town.
Kilbourne, a former city Democratic Party chairman, could not be reached for comment this morning.
Clift has been city attorney since last spring. Steeg has been an assistant city attorney for a decade.
The city also has two full-time lawyers, Richard Lacey and Ann Baldwin.
There is a part-time city lawyer slot that’s been vacant for more than a year because Ward had long wanted to hire Krawiecki to fill it but couldn’t get the Democratic-controlled council to go along with him.
The two Republican council members, Ken Cockayne and Mike Rimcoski, have said they think Ward should tap Krawiecki to fill the gap created by the resignations of Clift and Steeg.
Ward said the city plans to advertise the third attorney’s slot and hire someone to fill it.
The city charter requires the mayor nominate a corporation counsel -- or city attorney -- and that the choice have the support of the City Council. The job runs with the term of the mayor.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wonder how Chris Wright feels about that?

Anonymous said...

Ward may not be the best of mayors, but he sure is a shrewd politician.
He effectively has bought off one of the best republican stategists.

Anonymous said...

The way I see it is that Kraswiecki has basically written off any republican getting elected mayor.

And he should know better than most.

Anonymous said...

1:57 He just put the fox in the hen house !!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Wouldn't it be nice if Ed then decided to run for mayor?

Anonymous said...

Kilbourne? I hope not. Krawiecki would be great though.

Anonymous said...

Kilbourne will be the token. Everyone knows Ward wanted to keep Krawiecki but the Dems made them get rid of him. Now Ward has him back. Guess the Zoppo people didnt get there way after all.

Anonymous said...

I agree with 4:52. What is Ward thinking? And to 1:57, Ward hasn't "bought off" one of the best republican strategists - he's just given him and the entire local republican party the inside track. Ugh.

This is not "shrewd", its moronic. Or more accurately, it helps the mayor (who won't have to run against Krawiecki in the upcoming election) at the expense of the local dems.

Seeing the "fox in the henhouse" scenario, the city council previously has poo-pooed Krawiecki for the post of corporation counsel. Now he's to be an assistant? This seems to be a poorly thought out compromise.

Although he's a little too polished for my taste, I have no substantive problems with Kilbourne.

Anonymous said...

Good for Ward! I applaud Ward for doing what he thinks is right, as opposed to cave to political pressure from the left. I think most democrats and republicans are fair minded - however there are some on the democratic side that are so fearful that people may think for themselves - why is that? I think it is fear of losing control and that's what drives them. Elect the wrong person so that you can have a puppet in office, instead of a fair minded individual. So what this really all about is you putting your own special interests (union?) ahead of what's best for the populous.

I have and maintain friends on both sides of the aisle and am proud of it. I also will not be a special interest puppet.

That all said, good job Mayor Ward looking for the best guy regardless of affiliation!

Anonymous said...

Bye Bye Baldwin.

Anonymous said...

Looks like the big money boys win again.

Anonymous said...

Ward: lead or get out of the way!

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