September 3, 2010

Ward vs City Council - Campaign 2011 is underway....

Mayor Art Ward is not very happy.

I caught up with him as City Hall opened this morning and found him still seething a bit over last night’s strange City Council session.

From the mayor’s perspective, members of the council have been “blindsiding and undermining” him instead of working with him to deliver the best possible government for the people of Bristol.

He said he was concerned that city Councilor Kevin McCauley came to him the day before the council meeting to tell him that he was “a messenger” for the council and that a consensus existed among councilors to put off a decision on the proposed contract for Local 233 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Ward said he’s not sure how McCauley knew that a consensus existed. He said he’s thinking of submitting a Freedom of Information request to obtain any emails that passed among the council on the issue.

Given that a consensus actually existed at the meeting to oppose Ward, the mayor said it was “pretty obvious it was pre-arranged.”

Ward said he doesn’t understand why councilors made such a fuss that one member of the council, David Mills, could not make the meeting.

He said he told Mills he would be happy to read the councilor’s comments into the record in either executive session or in public.

Ward said the city has to act soon because the contract is “time-sensitive.”

If the city fails to act on it by Wednesday, Sept. 8, he said, it automatically takes effect.

The contract, whose terms are pretty tough on the union, were “bargained in good faith,” Ward said, and it’s wrong “to play politics” with City Hall’s workers.

“I consider this to be a fantastic contract for the city,” Ward said. He said the negotiators for the union “stepped up to the plate” and did what was best for the community.

“To go through these unnecessary political hoops is not, I think, justified,” Ward said.

The mayor said he is “really concerned about the approach” taken by councilors, particularly McCauley, who has largely shunned Ward since a September 2007 primary in which Ward defeated Ellen Zoppo to capture the Democratic Party’s mayoral backing.

Ward said McCauley has been in his office only four times since he took office in 2007.

He said McCauley, the most senior councilor, never tells him what’s going on. “I mostly learn after the fact or at the time of” what McCaulely is up to, Ward said.

Though Ward placed McCauley in charge of some key city committees, it’s not clear that the veteran councilor’s positions are secure anymore.

“You can only extend your hand so long,” Ward said.

He added that some councilors who sided with Zoppo “have gotten over it” and talk with him regularly.

City Councilor Cliff Block said recently he figures it’s better to work with Ward than to fight with him because it’s the only way he can get things done.

Ward said he’ll clear whatever hurdles the council erects and do what’s necessary to guide the city through tough economic times.

Ward also handed me a copy of a four-page outline of all the changes made to the Local 233 contract in the draft deal. I’ll post them soon.


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

23 comments:

former GOP activist said...

Mayor Ward has been doing a very good job since he's been elected. McCauley is a political hack, an amateur, a lackey and a disgrace.

Mayor Ward: I plan on helping you defeat this big-spending, politcs oriented, vindictive opposition in 2011. The first thing I plan on doing is to change my voter registration to Democrat and encouraging all my family and friends to do so as well.

See you next year on the campaign trail...for Ward!

Anonymous said...

Mr. McCauley needs to resign.

Anonymous said...

Steve,

With all due respect, you admit you weren't there last night. So why would you just put the mayor's comments down? Where's Mccauley's statement? I would think you would have done a point/counterpoint before you posted this article. Wouldn't that have been the fair way to do it?

Anonymous said...

Mr. Mayor

What goes around, comes around.

Now you see how you looked as a councilman.

Why did you expect anthing different?

Anonymous said...

Hollywood in Bristol:

What we have here is a failure to communicate!

And it all starts at the top.

resign now mccauley said...

Judging by this episode and another recent one regarding his slandering of a good Bristol citizen (from a family of long standing history of public service in Bristol and elsewhwre) McCauley shows he is clearing unfit for the job as a council-person.

Anonymous said...

Is there any question now that McCauley is pawn of special interest?

Anonymous said...

Former GOP...


By doing so you will raise the IQ of both parties!

Anonymous said...

Time sensitive.
Mayor had this since August 3rd. Just gave it to the council last week - so at best held it for three weeks? Why couldn't they have received it sooner and allowed adequate time to read and vote. Shame on the Mayor - sounds like part of a plan to push it through without good balance.
Nothing done in secret is good.
I smell a rat.

Anonymous said...

Go ahead "Former GOP Activist" (I highly doubt that!) Please leave the GOP. "Mayor Ward has been doing a very good job since he's been elected." Oh yeah, right, I'm sure you're from the GOP. Another lie from a Ward lackey! I agree with your words regarding political hack, an amateur a lackey and a disgrace but those words describe the mayor, in my view. Exactly who is the big-spending, politics-oriented, vindictive councilperson? It takes a majority vote of the council and if you look at the voting records of the council, you will see just what they are all about, clear as day. Don't speak unless you have solid info to backup your slander.

Anonymous said...

September 3, 2010 12:43 PM:

Sure..OK. Do you have the "IQ" to understand that your statement really makes no sense.

My IQ is fine thanks. Everyone with any IQ knows that.

Anonymous said...

but yet Wardie hasn't spoken to Zopp-Sass in three years and still gets all red-faced when she is in a 3 mile vicinity. Yep, that's mature.

Anonymous said...

4:29 PM, Nice spin, totally wrong, but nice spin! Ms. Z is still smoking over her defeat and hell hath no fury...well...you know the saying. LMAO!!!!

Odin said...

"Sure..OK. Do you have the "IQ" to understand that your statement really makes no sense?"

Hey, "Anonymous", ask your middle-school kid to explain to you how "averages" work. LMAO!!!

Anonymous said...

Art, "I am the Mayor" is still bitter that his hand picked candidate for Registar was defeated by a newcomer.
Art will not work with anyone that he cannot control.
There are people out there that are willing to be involved and would be an asset to teh city, but paranoia prevents Art from approaching them.

Anonymous said...

Oh boy Wardie Boy is still mad - get over Artie you are acting like a child. Grow up or get out of public office. Better yet, we taxpayers will vote you out. You did nothing for the state and you do nothing for the city.

Anonymous said...

Ward needs to face reality. As a matter of fact I heard reality is going to hit home real soon! Pat watch your mail.

Anonymous said...

"If the city fails to act by Sept 8, it automatically takes effect." Maybe it's me but didn't our "super intelligent" mayor just say that if they didn't do anything like take a vote on this contract, that it will take effect anyway? Okay. So why all the theatrics last night? Why the union folks in identical t-shirts and posterboards and unruly conduct when the mayor knew all along that it doesn't matter if they voted on it last night or not? I'm sure Myra, Petosa, and the rest of the circus folks knew it, too. He was apparently out to get mccauley, but that totally backfired. Remember, folks, you voted this clown in.

Anonymous said...

O-Dumb: Living up to that name well. If one is of lower IQ and they leave a group then the average of that group rises. But if that person of low IQ joins the average IQ of the second group would go down.

You must have been a "public administration" major like your dumb, Democrat, government groupie buddies.

Anonymous said...

September 3, 2010 2:48 PM AKA Kate:

If you can't take the heat, get out fo the kitchen. Collins may delete postings about you that are the truth. But you're an elected official and the Press will publish my letters to the editor illustrating what a dope you are.

Anonymous said...

9:31

Simply explained:

If a lower than the average IQ leaves a group (R), then the average IQ goes up for that group.

When that person goes to another group (D) and their IQ is higher than the average for that group then then average for that group goes up.

Need I say more?

Anonymous said...

3:19

Some "active" republicans think that Ward is doing a good job, because he has sucked up to them.

Look at some of his appointments.

But then, look at the job that theses same republicans have done for their party and teh city.

NADA!

we all know you're kidding said...

September 4, 2010 6:52 AM:

Looking at who's on the GOP TC in Bristol, again I must say you make no sense at all.

I would say since "Former GOP Activist" became so, the average IQ of the Bristol GOP is lower.