February 10, 2011

Courant says city workers shouldn't serve on City Council

Figured many readers would be interested in the Courant's editorial today calling for an end to city workers serving on the City Council. It is based largely on reporter Don Stacom's scathing indictment of the city police department in this story last Sunday.
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

42 comments:

Anonymous said...

Everyone can have such a conflict of interest at some time. If I am a school teacher, how can I approve the budget when the largest portion is allocated to education? If I am a businessman, how can I vote on issues that may benefit or hurt my business? It is done by reclusing yourself from a specific vote.
That is why we have voters. The voters need to decide if the realtionship/s will interfere with the decision making.
If there is mismanagement - then those in power should not be re-elected. The buck stops at the top.

Tim Gamache said...

Capt. Osanitch hit it right on the head.It's a damn shame that all the excellent,professional officers on the Department are taking a hit from the "broadbrush" criticism of the BPD.It's the age old axiom "a few bad apples......"

Anonymous said...

I agree...McCauley should go

Anonymous said...

Hatford Courant

Finally - a voice of reason!!!

Anonymous said...

we all know that stacom is cockayne's friend. every time cocakyne wants something "dirty" published he calls stacom from the courant. shame, shame, shame...don't pee where you sleep

Anonymous said...

Tim:
This focus of this article is the City Council not the police force.

As far as keeping these Democrat, government-class lackeys like Kevin McCauley (who's also a dunder-head) off the Council, I say DITTOS!!!

Thank you Steve for publicizing this on your blog.

Anonymous said...

Cockayne will talk to anyone that will print what he says.

Sort of a standing joke among the council members

Anonymous said...

tim gamache is a moron

Brian k said...

Steve
Wow what happened and article? Are you feeling ok? There has to be a rapper story somewhere to cover!! LOL

Anonymous said...

This has been a burning issue in Bristol for many years. Maybe the public will now see how wrong it is to have City employees serve on the City Council. Most of these candidates are union puppets put there to serve their interests. City Council members should serve the interests of the taxpayers not the unions,

Anonymous said...

what does the police investigation have to do with council members serving their city? it wasn't as if a council member swept under the rug what happened here. This whole thing was between the mayor, ferguson and the chief and if anything was done inappropriately, then it's between them.

Dump McCauley and the other two stooges said...

Kevin McCauley is a huge disappointment.

Oh and thanks Ken Johnson for working so hard to get him elected.

Former Member said...

This issue has come up and been officially proposed at least twice with past charter revision committees and has failed miserbly. Even if the issue somehow got put on the ballet, which is unlikely, their are a lot of city employees, and even more retired city employees, living in this city who believe the process is in fine order and do not believe anything should be changed. People are wasting their time even discussing this. It will never change and is most likely unconstitutional.

Ben said...

@5:58,

Everyone has their "own" special interests. It's up to the voter to vote for the one whose interests serves them the best.
We had business people, city workers, and others with vested interests.

I find it courious with all the budget problems we are facing that we can find so many foolish and childish things to debate.
When do you plan to work the budget? Time to do some cutting....

Anonymous said...

If it is an issue then I'm sure the voters would see fit to NOT elect them. As long as the voters choose to elect these candidates, it's a non-issue.

Anonymous said...

City workers should be on more boards because these board members don`t have a clue what has to be done from day to day or the needs of the dept they just listen to the mrgs.And alot of mrgs don`t have a clue like public works, and i`am sure it`s in all depts

Anonymous said...

About time someone got there say. These city workers in office are killing BRISTOL. They play the game but they get there way. Look the mayors family works for the city, Big man krawicki has his family in there and you wonder whynwee in trouble.

Anonymous said...

5:58 Too bad they don't but I guess you'd be happier if they do what you want!

Anonymous said...

Sometimes the aspirations of serving on the city Council is not to serve the people, but rather serve a small group of people. You should I repeat - never ever have too recuse yourself from voting on any City matter.

Stop using the argument that we choose to elect them knowing they were already a City employee. Most people when they go and vote for that person really have no idea that they will be rescuing themselves from discussions or a vote on a particular city matter. That my friends is not fair to the people in that city's district and to the city in a whole.

I agree there are a ton of other city activities one could participate in if they wanted to be involved in city matters that would not require a vote. The Charter revision needs to take a look at this matter, or maybe the City of Bristol's HR policy should make a policy that if you are a City employee you are re-framed from serving on any boards/council in the city.

Anonymous said...

Wake up you idiots! OF course everyone potentially can have a conflict of interest at one time or another. My issue as a tax payer is that (as stated in the Courant article,) I did not elect someone that has to continually recuse themselves from votes due to conflicts of interest with the city. Your voting on business that may affect you and your busy does not affect me nearly as much as a City employee voting on where and how our tax monies are going. I can't even believe anyone with a sane mind would adhere to this principle . You cannot serve 2 masters. Its 2011 and yes the economy is bad, how long are we going to complain about the same things/problems/etc year after year? What city services do we get as a taxpayer? When was the last time our elected officials put thier noses to the grindstone and generated ANYTHING that will start bringing substantial revenue to this town. Yet again. the mill rate showed little growth so guess what, TAXES WILL BE GOING UP AGAIN.

Anonymous said...

let's see. its OK for an ex con drug dealer named Marion Barry to be a Mayor, but if you're a cop or heaven forbid, a relative of a cop you can't hold office?? Please, while you're at it why don't we limit others their freedoms...maybe like Freedom of the Press for the Courant..like it or not city employees have the same freedoms you do or should we repeal the Emaciation Proclamation or any other sticky paperwork that might be in the way?

Anonymous said...

With out ever getting elected, Mr.Johnson has done an awful lot of damage.
He lost for council, lost for mayor, supported dems, and kept some good people out of office.

Oh yea, Gary is his biggest supporter

Anonymous said...

What about the fact that Ward who has a son, son-in law, daughter in law and wife is a retired city employee. Kevin Fuller who is a city employee and his wife works for the city emploies credit union. Whos boss is Kilanie from the PD. Oh and Kevin is on the police board. Dave Mills retired teacher.

Anonymous said...

And what has the current DTC leadership (handpicked by Ward) done to recruit non-city workers to run for the council? Nothing. In fact, notice how Ward is hostile to the only two Dem's on the council who work in the private sector. They need to sweep out the whole DTC crowd, starting with Ward.

Anonymous said...

10:57 What's Hatford? Voice of reason? LMAO

Anonymous said...

3:47 You forgot to mention ending with bigfoot. (Cockayne) But you are showing that you are just a dumb biased Republican.

Anonymous said...

7:00 am You forgot to mention the ex con radio announcer that was governor. Do I have to mention his name? You hypocrite!

Anonymous said...

"In fact, notice how Ward is hostile to the only two Dem's on the council who work in the private sector"

--McCauley is employed by the city fire department.

--But you're correct is stating that ward has always been in the tank for public labor...as are almost all Democrats.

Anonymous said...

Can't recall any republican mayors that were city employees

Ben said...

Who in the private sector would want to run for council?
You people are nasty to each other.

Run for election, win, or lose, then work toghether.
No, it's election time %100 of the year.

The best reason to keep city workers off city council?
Control costs!

Anonymous said...

How about some of the attorneys on land use boards?

Conflict??

Bristol is run by a few, the insiders and good old boys

Anonymous said...

And people like you too Ben! Nothing but your special interest. "You" It's all about poor you !

Anonymous said...

3:33 How about Mike Werner. Didn't he own the BOE buses?

Anonymous said...

3:33

Not when he was mayor

Odin said...

They tried this back in 2004.

http://articles.courant.com/2004-10-09/news/0410090313_1_city-attorney-city-workers-police-officer

Anonymous said...

4:29 Better check you facts . Theres a lot more to the bus story.

Anonymous said...

Hey, 10:30 AM:

There's only one attorney on any of the city's land use boards (Planning, Zoning, ZBA, and Wetlands), and that individual is a corporate lawyer. So exactly where's the "conflict of interest" that you speak of?

Next time, you might want to actually get your facts straight.

Anonymous said...

Werner did'nt have to be Mayor when he owned the bus company. But there sure was a conflict then but the Republicans didn't bring it up then. Why not?

Anonymous said...

9:01

Corporate or not, is he working for Renaissance or Monte?

And, he does not work for a corporation, unless his firm is incorporated.

Anonymous said...

6:55

He was a driver when he was on the council.

Remember, the BOE controls that contract

Ben said...

@12:12,

Where is that comming from?
Typical, can't argue the facts attack the person.

Instead of justifing why city workers should be on the council, you have proven what?

My vested interest is you stop raiding my wallet everytime you can't make the budget work.

Maybe the Courant was right, and I was wrong.

Anonymous said...

To 1:04 PM: The only attorney who's also a member of a city land use board is a woman, not a man. Once again, you have your facts wrong. But apparently that doesn't stop you (and others) from seeing conspiracies where they don't exist.

Wanna try again?