The day after the Bristol Downtown Development Corp.'s last meeting, where board members held a long executive session, the nonprofit's leader felt the need to lecture his colleagues about the need for secrecy.
In a Feb. 23 email he sent to the entire board and its lawyers, Johnson said that "certain representations and characterizations were passed to outside parties regarding conversations that took place in confidence."
Johnson said the breach of secrecy caused "certain members of the city staff" to become "very upset" and the loose lips exacerbated "the aready complicated" negotiations between the BDDC and the city about the terms that should be offered to Renaissance Downtowns.
Johnson said he felt "very disheartened" about the leak, which he did not detail.
"We may disagree inside the room, we may offer strong opinions, we may even comment on the other parties involved in the negotiations; but what is said in the room should stay in the room," Johnson said.
Johnson called the breach "totally unprofessional."
"I ask that this email remain CONFIDENTIAL and not be forwarded to any other parties," Johnson concluded.
To be fair, nobody leaked it. I received a copy as part of a Freedom of Information Act request for information that I'll probably still be sorting through when the project is done.
*******
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
21 comments:
This agency is a good thing, the alternative, BDA is not. However, their funding needs to be CUT STOPPED and audited. The amounts paid out monthly, for the low level of production is alarming in this era of austerity.
Screw Frank Johson! Who the heck is he to try to keep things from the public. He is as much a Republican as Marx. He should be replaced for such an arrogant rant.
The nerve of someone disagreeing with his magesty Johnson.
Time for Johnson and his lap dog John Lodovico to go. I hope the Mayor gets a set of B__LS and does not reappoint them.
They think there shit doesnt stink. But our political force does nothing asusal because they arent smart enough to figure out what to do .In bristol its all about votes.
I wish I could say I was not surprised that Janelle is involved in this mess.
I agree with 4:47 that the BDDC's books need to be audited and all funding halted at this time. We have one member bragging in the press that they bill $480/hour. Are the board member's salaried and billing the city hourly? Do we need an FOI request for that or is it public? There has been little to no tangible output from this group whatsoever.
There may be no impropriety but even the appearance that it could exist is inexcusable on behalf of this group of pseudo-politician wannabe's.
The in-fighting is ridiculous and it would appear from this e-mail that now we also see that they misalign individuals during their meetings? How un-professional. I am thrilled that my tax dollars pay for this knitting circle to get together to gossip and produce NOTHING in regards to tax generating property.
A picnic table in the empty lot should be set up and we should have them meet there until they get their collective act together as to why they actually exist.
And how much privacy and protection is really offered to the city's business if it is being conducted on a third party's e-mail server? What stake does Total Energy have in our city's negotiations and does a commitment to the city of Bristol exist to keep content residing on its server regarding sensitive negotiations private?
Who nominated Johnson and Lodovico?
Most likely Ward spilling the beans, then pointing his finger at someone else.
Will anything get built in the next ten years . These people like the attention there getting why move foward.
Hey, 8:05 AM, you need to learn how to spell before you comment. When someone uses improper English or cannot spell, whatever they state is discounted to zero.
I, for one, just love the new Walgreen windows.
We all know how much Frank Johnson loves secret meetings, especially where developers are concerned. It's ok when Frank Johnson violates protocol, though.
10:15 - take your bib, wipe the drool off your chin and cry until momma gives you your next fix.
While I am 100% supportive of FOI, I must say that the pragmatist that I knew as Bart Barnes is revolving in his grave at the HUGE, wasteful public expense of FOI as it is now constituted. It should be revised. I think the thousands of dollars that Steve Collins FOI request cost should be borne by The B Press. I spent 2.5 hours going through files. At $250/hour....Multiply that times 7 members, add in the lawyers fees. FOR WHAT?? Everything we've done has been in public except the negotiations and terms of the development deal.
Frank has been an excellent chairman. John Lodovico has expressed his opinion openly and honestly. Every member has spent many, many hours at public meetings, citizen in-put sessions, consultant selection sub committees...It is the way government works. In order to get state and federal moneys, all these efforts had to be expended.
The only way to avoid these expenses would have been to put the K-8 school on the site. That would have gotten 73% (sic) of our costs out and cut our expenses. The Committee rejected that proposal with the city's blessing. There is agreement that we want development on the site. Renaissance Downtown LTD appears to be our best prospect.
Front Street in Hartford is at 11 years and counting. There will be no shovels in the ground within the next 24 months at Depot Square. This effort is going to take a long time. There is no guarantee that success is in the offing. Development is a risky business. The majority wants to take that risk. So be it. Jump on board or get out of the way. Let's make a better Bristol.
I would like Steve to comment on whether his FOI request was worth $15-20K of tax payers money after he has gone through the memoes. Maybe there has been some communications I haven't seen that warrant the search but I can't imagine anything we've done that is that important. I suspect it's a gossip hunt.
As regards Frank's memo about confidentiality, I doubt any committee member intentionally made any statement to cause harm . The members are all good people.
Tom Cosgrove
Vice Chairman
BDDC
IT is this reason exactly why Southington is getting the state of the arts sports facility that was proposed or run by Bristol numerous times and rejected. Hockey, baseball, lacrosse, top of the line physical therapy. Going in on Spring st. and will be up and running and MOST importantly drawing much needed revenue to the town before Rennaisance will even break ground.
7:18 you must be stortz trying to act smart. Bill your wife said your using to much elect on this blog . You must stop. She will take your gas card away.
Tom,
If your numbers are anywhere near right, there's something seriously wrong with the BDDC.
In any case, City Councilor Ken Cockayne asked on 2/23 for all the emails between BDDC commissioners and staff. I asked for the same thing the next day -- adding exactly nothing to the expense of finding them -- and threw in a request for the emails among city councilors as an added bonus.
I'll have more to say about what's in the pile later, but it is perfectly ludicrous that the BDDC lawyers printed off multiple copies of public meeting agenda and minutes that are already online for every one to see. In all the years I've dealt with City Hall, which doesn't have a sterling reputation when it comes to common sense, nobody's ever done that before in responding to an FOI request.
This is the new Bristol we only work to get votes we say screw the tax payers. They feed us some shit before the elections and we vote for them. NO MORE BOYS PARTY IS OVER VOTE FOR NONE OF THE ABOVE.
Ward had you all fooled who voted for him! Send the drunk to the curb.
I think epithets like "throw the drunk to the curb" shouldn't be published and the sender should be sent to the penalty box.
Tom Cosgrove
Why are people picking on ward this is the frank and lodivico show. these two guys like attention they get none at home.
Post a Comment