City Councilor Kevin McCauley sent along his thoughts on what happened last night. Here they are:
I am baffled that a simple procedural matter turned into a circus. This was strictly about courtesy and respect for the city council, due process and, most importantly, our constituents. It was a simple request to postpone the discussion to ratify a contract by one week, which is within the September 14th deadline, to allow ample time to review all the associated information of the Tentative Agreement and to ensure all council members are in attendance.
At the time I met with the Mayor to request that he consider rescheduling this agenda item, we had not yet received all the pertinent information requested by council members. We were expected to take action without having all of the information to do so, nor ample time to review what we had received. We were also given conflicting answers as to the deadline date. I now understand that if no action is taken on this T.A. by September 14, 2010, it will automatically be ratified with the July 1, 2010 retroactive date taking effect.
There have been requests to the Mayor in the past to consider dates and time of meetings so that the full council can be in attendance. There was no reason why a week postponement or a time of 6pm could have been considered in light of the fact we were not supplied all of the information or that there were conflicts with council members on the date selected.
A quick time line of events is as follows:
Negotiations since January, 2010
T.A. signed August 2, 2010
Council notified August 21, 2010
Rec’d T.A. highlights of changes/additions August 31, 2010
Met with Mayor September 1, 2010
Rec’d cost share/co-pay comparisons September 2, 2010
Special city council meeting scheduled for September 2, 2010 @ 5 pm.
As far as the blindsiding, I am confused as to why, when I do give the Mayor a courtesy visit and explain the concern, even with 24-hour notice, that I am blindsiding him. He said he would “get back to me” and had ample time to do so, but instead chose to spend his time orchestrating the fiasco of last night.
The Mayor’s version of the events that unfolded in his office on September 1st is in conflict with what actually took place. That being said, I wish to reiterate that I also expressed to the Mayor at that meeting, as I did last night, that I was in favor of the T.A. based on what I had received thus far, but would support a postponement of the agenda item to further review new information provided and to ensure all council members are in attendance if the deadline date would allow. That has now been confirmed. *****
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
47 comments:
Since when did wanting to table a vote until next week be a violation of any laws or, in this case, would harm anyone? Disregard the negative comments, Mr. McCauley. don't waste your time on such small minds!
He's baffled? SHOCKER! Shoelaces are probably baffling for Kevin, unless someone else gives him direction.
Baffled appears to be McCauley's status quo.
It's not just Kevin...everyone in Bristol is baffled by the union's unwaivering support for Ward, even when he screws them time and time again. Some day these people will realize that Ward is only taking care of the union bosses (who also happen to be his campaign manager, treasurer, etc): contracts that protect their perks; no COO (city managers make union bosses work for their constituents); on and on.
All Democrats & Unions will pay a high price for at least a generation at the polls.
It is disgusting to see all these clowns scramble for our taxpayer dollars.
We can't wait for every November these thieves are on a ballot at all levels of government.
Interesting to see two mental midgets go at each other
Ward holds meetings at time he complained about when he was on the council. Guess its okay for him notw that he let the Mayor role go to his fat head.
wonder who wrote this piece for mccauly, couldn't have been him because it didn't ramble on endlessly, repeating itself over and over again plus he is supposedly out of work, again, and on worker's compensation, again.
5:52: Where did you get that brainiac comment? Probably from the mayor! You're just another Ward robot.
to poster 5:57: Is that all you can come up with? I bet that took you all of an hour to come up with. You certainly are a friend of Artie's!
And here he comes (McCauley)
...crawling back to the feet of the unions bosses just like the worm he is.
Will he be sending them flowers soon?
8:37/8:49 - Sorry, merely stating the obvious.
McCauley to unions:
I really love you and would do anything for you. But besides being arrogant and haughty I just have some serious problems getting along with people.
Please forgive me.
Love, Kevin
"It's not just Kevin...everyone in Bristol is baffled..."
Hardly. Please do not attempt to speak for everyone in Bristol. The only thing the majority of us find baffling is why Kevin McCauley hasn't resigned.
I have to admit, when Minor, McCauley and Matthews get together they can write decent letters and they can plan excellent political hatchet jobs.
Too bad their appointments stink.
First I have to question Mr. McCauley's motives for the delay in voting, second I have to question how stable this gentleman is after watching him run into the audience to argue with people in the middle of a Council meeting and to have the Mayor ask him to get back to his seat,then when the meeting is over he continues his bad behavior by egging people on to hit him, these are not signs of someone whom is educated, and should be an elected offical, but that of a thug. Mr. McCauley you should consider resigning.
Union Leaders to McCauley:
We are sorry we were such an embarrassment to the city and behaved like thugs. We were only following orders from the "Big W."
Love,
Union Leadership
It was great to see Mccauley grow a set of balls and stand up to the school yard bully. Now show the union leadership the same respect they showed you and vote NO on Wed.
The Union stewards are adding a ton of heat to this topic and are stirring the pot. The Mayor needs to make hard choices and the time is now.
8:11 - based on kevin's actions, maybe mccauley should be known as MCBRAWLEY from this point on.
if someone were to hit him, kevin would immediately be on workman's compensation - oops, he already is on workman's compensation, AGAIN/STILL/YET.
mccauley - the way that you WAFFLE on anything of importance leaves everyone of us BAFFLED, let alone yourself.
the most BAFFLING thing is that you ever got elected, must be amazing to you also, huh?.
union leadership:
If you're actions were merely per orders of the big guy, I'll take this opportunity to applaud you on a great performance. In this uncommon instance I support you 100% in your effort to rid Bristol of the worst elected officials in Bristol's history...Kevin McCauley
"It was great to see Mccauley grow a set of balls"
Atta boy Kevin! Speak...roll over...good boy! Here's a cookie. HAHAHAHA!!!
It's very simple. The Council should not be forced to vote on something that they have not had the opportunity to review. A minimum of 7 days should be given to the Council to review the information they are voting on and ask the Personnel Dept. any questions they may have.
To force them to vote on something they haven't had ample time to review if just plain wrong. Wrong for them and wrong for the constituents that voted them in to office.
Where were you guys when McCauley and his crew, inclucing Ward, were dumping on Stortz?
What goes around comes around!
It is very simple. The council members knew that this vote was on the agenda. They had been given the material to read 2 days earlier. They should have been prepared to vote at that time...plain and simple.
This was meant to be a slap in the face. Hope they can take as good as they give!
1:56 - I don't know what world you live in, but 2 days for half the information and less than 24 hours for the other half of the information is certainly not enough time for the city councilors to review the information appropriately.
The Mayor disrespected them by not giving them enough time to review the information and then attempting to force a vote knowing they wanted adequate time with the information.
WHEN ART WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER HE WOULD HAVE NEVER LET ANY MAYOR GET AWAY WITH WHAT HE TRIED TO DO. HE'S FORGOTTEN WHERE HE CAME FROM.
There is a rumor that the information Ward originally gave to the council tried to hide the fact that the new contract takes pension money and uses it to pay for health benefits. If true, his effort to ram this contract down the council's throat is about to blow up in Ward's face.
10:00PM Never believe rumors...
Hey 10:00 pm why would art hide that 1.5% pension money going into health care that saves the taxpayer. This is why we have promblems in this city because people like you, go read a book or something.
would seem to me that the contributing factor of the council meeting being turned into a circus was mccauley's actions as a CLOWN. there was no reason for 3 rings because all of the spectator's eyes were fixed on the clown seated to the far left. grand performance.
6:58 PM: I live in this world. Why don't you join me? In the world I live in, 24 hours is PLENTY of time to read and absorb information.
The disrespect was shown by McCauley and company following the orders of their fearless leader. Unfortunately for McCauley, his little dog and pony show turned into a circus with himself as the head clown.
He really does need to go!
10:55 - Come on. You say 24 hours is plenty of time but you don't know (and neither do I) what the councilors had to absorb. But I know the new contract creates tiers of benefits, which may be common elsewhere but a first for Bristol City Hall. It also includes payment into a GASBE 45 account, which is controversial and has not been endorsed by the current city council.
24 hours is only plenty of time if you just want the council to rubber stamp the contract. That is not the "checks and balances" system we have in Bristol. You might not, but I want more from my councilmen. That's why I'm glad they tabled it. Sorry if this "pisses off" Ward, but it didn't have to be that way. He made it into a circus by calling in the union.
I'm not a huge McCauley fan, but it seems to me that this time he had the entire council that agreed with him and the only person that didn't agree was the Mayor.
What happened to Majority Rules? Why did the mayor refuse the request of the ENTIRE COUNCIL prior to the meeting instead of pushing the issue and opening the door for the chaos that happened?
6:43 PM: Come on now, how much time do you think they need? According to the "sources" here on the blog, most of the material was given to them 2 days before and the last part 1 day before. PLENTY of time. Grade school kids are expected to read, comprehend and take a test on material the next day. I think our city council should have been up to the challenge.
This really isn't about "checks and balances" or their apparent inability to read and absorb the material anyway. This was Mr. McCauley trying to make a "statement" (as instructed by his master). He's playing games and we don't need it. If Ward was "pissed off," he's not the only one, not by a longshot!
8:00 PM/Kevin:
Nice try.
9:06, 9:09
Did Ward really signs this agreement FOUR weeks ago?
Anybody know for sure?
How about you Art?
9:06 am: If you honestly think that negotiating labor contracts is grade school level material, then I thank God you are not on the city council. But you cannot really be that stupid, so you must be one of Ward's stooges and all you know is what his handlers tell you. Go back to sleep.
10:55 has noyhing to do with gasp the money is going into a acct thats what klocko job is get over it and move on
some people are use...some wanna be use...
all of this so dave mills have his say??? humm...do i smell a wanna be mayoral candidate??
5:15 PM: Equating the aforementioned council members' intelligence level with grade schoolers would actually be a compliment in this case.
As I stated earlier, this clearly is NOT about their ability/inability to comprehend. It's all about making a statement, McCauley & Co. doing their master's bidding.
But you cannot really be that stupid, so you must be one of Zoppo's stooges and all you know is what she wants you to know. Go back to sleep.
Well at least tomorrow night should be less of a mob scene because mcbrawley's savior, uncle davie, is back and can guide snookie thru the meeting. maybe ward will sit them closer to each other from now on so that they can rely on each other.
9:19 - the only thing that tonight's meeting proved is that cockayne and mills are self-serving in that mills is receiving his teacher's pension, look at their raises this year, and could care less about anyone else's livlihood,and that cockayne doesn't care how his customers, some of 233 could be his customers, pay for the raises in premiums that he charges for insurance.
talk about 2 faced.
10:46
Dave Mills hasn't shown me anything, and Cockayne has shown me even less!
McAuley listens to Mills, and Mills listens to Zoppo
How about everyone keeps zoppo out of the picture because what has she done... nothing! Ward needs to retire, quit, get the hell out of the mayor seat and move over for a true democrat.
Maybe Stortz wasn't so bad after all.
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