February 10, 2010

Four year terms for the mayor and council?

Former Mayor William Stortz said he opposes a longer term for elected leaders. He said that mayors will be more responsive to the public if they have to face voters every two years.

Mayors who are doing a good job, Stortz said, will get re-elected. The problem with four-year terms is that people can be “stuck for four years” with a mayor they don’t want anymore, Stortz said.

Forcing mayors to face the voters regularly is a way to push them “to get the job done,” Stortz said.



So is Stortz right? Is the move to extend the terms of mayors, city councilors and other elected leaders to four years misguided? A decision may be in the offing this year.

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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

47 comments:

AnonymousWestconnStudent said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Stortz is postively right. Make the Dumb-o-crats with their 2.5 to 1 voter registration advantage answer to the voters. Otherwise the bums won't do diddley-squat.

proof or puddin' said...

maybe stortz is right, maybe he is the best example as he was voted out twice after two year stints, because he did a rotten job.

Anonymous said...

Ward opposed this when Stortz was Mayor - now that Ward is Mayor he wants it? Two-faced Ward!!

Anonymous said...

Here we go with bill stortz. He couldnt do his job right and hes going to preach. Stay out of the press and cockyane office and take your meds.

Anonymous said...

Sorry Mr. Stortz, but I have to disagree. Four years makes much more sense. It gives the mayor a chance to really dig in and not only start projects, but see them through without having to waste time stopping to campaign every other year. Four years is the way to go.

Anonymous said...

9:08 - I think you are a ward lover, but hey, everyone has their faults. Keep the citizens involved every 2 YEARS. We get stuck with Ward for 4 more years this city will be history.

Anonymous said...

5:59

I know that stortz was defeated by the unions and Nicastro in 1993, but when is the other time you are referring to?

people rule said...

Wward hasn't taken a position one way or the other as far as I know; I talked to him about it a while back and he said that some want it and some don't so I guess this is the way to find out.

Anonymous said...

9:008

Do you honestly believe that just because it becomes a four year term that the elected official will wait for two years before starting to campaign?

Be prepared for FOUR years of campaigning, less questioning from the opposition to keep them in line!

Not good!

Anonymous said...

Maybe we should make it a 2 year term at first and if you get elected again, by a very large margin, then you would get a 4 year term. I think the council needs to stay at 2 years though, so we can vote them out if we don't like the job the Mayor is doing.

Anonymous said...

Concerned Conservation and Positively Right are the same person and it is not Stortz.

Anonymous said...

Less time spent campaigning and more time spent concentrating on the city sounds right to me too!

Anonymous said...

This is not about party it's about stability. Unlike Bristol, some of the neighboring communities have competitive political campaigns that can cause elected officials to be tossed out every two years. Sound great. Until you realize it takes a new mayor 6-12 months to get up to speed on all the projects and issues a town faces. That leaves 6-12 months to put your stamp on governance. If the public gets antsy, you get thrown and the whole cycle starts over again.

Very inefficient.

memory loss? said...

11:13 - when he knew that he wouldn't get the gop nod over ken johnson two years ago.

Anonymous said...

OK Bill you had your chance and you showed your true colors. Your all done. Go to kennys office and cry.

Anonymous said...

12:43

I know that 3-4-5 people think that they are the Republican Party, but in reality, Bill is still very popular with the people, democrats included.

He is the Populist type that attracts many everyday people.

Anonymous said...

As I read the comments from what appears to be just a few (maybe one or two) people slamming Stortz, I can't help but recall the following expression:

"Great Spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds"

Hang in there Bill!

Anonymous said...

2:12

Politicians start campaigning for reelection the day after the election, no matter the length of the term.

And they tend to try to accomplish more as the election approaches.

Keep their feet to the fire with a two year term sounds good to me.

Anonymous said...

2:32

Don't recall that Stortz was on the ballot.

HE chose not to run, probably because he couldn't stomach Mocabee and Schaffrick.

By the way, is this the republican Ken Johnson that openly supported McCauley, and ripped the city off, both in Real Estate dealings and CL&P????

me, me, me, me said...

7:11 - identify yourself and "maybe" we can determine that.

Anonymous said...

Stortz is right. A bad mayor can do a lot of damage in four years. A review by the people at the end of two years is a good thing.

Anonymous said...

Bill you suck! But you are right about this issue, you are also proof that your theorey works.

Anonymous said...

As I read the comments from what appear to be Bill and maybe 1 or 2 other people slamming Ward I can't help but recall the following expression:

Geez, what a putz!

Buh-bye Bill!

Anonymous said...

2:13 - We shouldn't be electing someone who doesn't know what is happening in town! If we are electing knowledgeable, involved people with a quick mind, it shouldn't take that long. They don't have to know HOW to do the City jobs, just how to MANAGE and hold people accountable. You either have it day one, or you don't (or haven't done your homework before running). 2 years - prove yourself, or let the voters decide.

Anonymous said...

Bill you write about yourself on here telling facts that only you would no. People arent stupid. Do you forget how bad you treated us. At best like crap. you were the worst at best.

Anonymous said...

9:02

And you are?

Other than self centered as indicated by your use of " Me ME Me "

Anonymous said...

The issue here is terms for the mayor and council.

Why do you keep bringing Stortz onto the picture?

Anonymous said...

12:32 pm, because Stortz keeps trying to put himself in the picture...and he doesn't belong.

Anonymous said...

Example: Ar has been in city politics for 14 years.As Mayor,
he still cannot figure out minority
representation for the Charter Revision Committeee. With all his experience, he stil cannot get it right, so why reward him for his
short-comings with a four year term. two year terms keeps the voter involved and offers some level of protection from the incompetent.

Anonymous said...

Because they are afraid of him, and want to remove him from any involvement.

Anonymous said...

Afraid of Stortz???
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Stop, I think I just wet my pants.

Anonymous said...

2:07

Au Contraire

It is you guys that keep putting him in the picture.

But why do you say he doesn't belong?

He has been more involved for longer than most of you.

Anonymous said...

5:59 PM, therein lies the problem. Nobody wants him to be "involved."

Anonymous said...

The only pay check stortz ever made was when he was mayor . Bristol needs educated people to take over not guys like stortz and company.

Anonymous said...

Walk around Bristol all you see is failure from the top down.

Anonymous said...

Wow 8:03, if you think our town is soooooooooo bad, why don't you leave. Last time I looked, there wasn't a fence around it...don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out! Buh-bye!

Anonymous said...

8:14

Seems like you are the "NOBODY"!

Anonymous said...

1:33, believe me when I say that I am only one of many, many, many NOBODYs.

Anonymous said...

7:59

I don't!

the pot overflows said...

7:59 - and growing.

Anonymous said...

Sickening how Ward didn't want this when he was a councilman, now that he is Mayor he thinks its a good idea? Flip-flop Ward.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry 10:52, but I didn't read anything in the article about Ward saying this was a good idea. All I read was Stortz putting in his usual unsolicted 2 cents. What's sickening is the mentality of the anti-Ward folks who have to make stuff up so they can bash him. Shame on you.

sranger than strange said...

10:52 - flip this.

Anonymous said...

3:34pm - you can read it when stortz was Mayor - Art was opposed to 4 year terms for Mayor!!

Anonymous said...

Is a four year campaign better than a two year campaign?

Keep in mind that reponsiveness starts in the LAST year of ones term.

Anonymous said...

33:39

If Stortz was against it, and Ward is for it, the "NEW" Republican honchos will come out in favor of it.