Showing posts with label City Council. Show all posts
Showing posts with label City Council. Show all posts
October 16, 2014
Council to meet on Oct. 30 about Renaissance
August 20, 2014
Brown says he won't cave to condescending mayor
The Mayor recently attacked me at a public meeting for being
someone who “does not pay property taxes.” His condescension has been directed
at me and other colleagues many times. As we all know, after all, the Mayor’s
favorite catch phrase is “Because I’m the Mayor and I said so!” With an ego
that big – let’s face it – a little condescension every now and again is to be
expected.
But
since his comments were particularly personal in nature and irrelevant to the
discussion at hand at the time he made them, I feel compelled to make a public
disclosure:
Yes – I
still live at home with my mother. No – I do not own my own home. While the
Mayor seems to think this makes me less of a person, I think it makes me a
prime example of the generation that will soon be taking the reins in society:
in business, in government, in academia. Plus, the Mayor drastically
underestimates the burden of my own personal circumstances. Like so many people
of my generation, I come from a household with divorced parents. Since my
parents’ divorce in 2009 (at the height of the worst economic collapse since
the Great Depression, mind you), I have had to work to earn money to help make
ends meet around the house. My mother and I shared the financial burden that
comes along with trying to put food on the table, keep the lights on and the
water flowing in the house, and planning for the future at a time when things
seemed despairingly uncertain. On top of all this, we had to figure out what on
earth we were going to do when it came time for me to go to college.
Luckily
for me, I was able to manage notable scholastic achievement, and when I
graduated high school in 2011 I got accepted into the Honors program at Central
Connecticut State University. In the program, any student that can complete the
increased rigor of the coursework and still maintain an overall GPA of 3.5 or
higher is privy to a full academic scholarship. I’m truly privileged to say I
was able to do that, and I will graduate from college this upcoming December
without any student loan-debt.
This
privilege has enabled me to continue to work, and use all of the money I earn
to support my family when it’s needed. Working with my mother and now my
brother, we are able to all pool our resources together so that we can keep food on the table, and we can repair our cars, and we can keep the lights on in our home. No,
Mayor, I don’t own a home or pay my own property taxes. But the only reason me
and my family have been able to stay
in our home is because we work with
one another to make ends meet.
The
Mayor seems to think I should be ashamed of that; that my voice and experience
doesn’t matter. But I say to the Mayor and to everyone else – young or old –
that’s ever found themselves in a situation like mine: I’m proud of what I’ve
been able to do to help my family, and I do
know what it’s like to struggle to make ends meet. My voice does matter. Our
voice matters.
Yes, the Mayor thinks that people
who don’t pay property taxes don’t matter. But I think to disregard the voices
of thousands of young up-and-comers in our city simply because they do not yet
pay property taxes is penny-wise and pound-foolish (… then again, that does seem to be the Mayor’s idea of
‘fiscal conservatism’). Young people should be encouraged to exercise their
voice in government. They should be encouraged to be involved! And they do
matter, whether they own homes yet or not.
I just want to say to the Mayor:
you can be as disgusted as you want with what I have to say about the city’s
public policy and the expenditure of taxpayer resources. You can insinuate all
you want that my voice doesn’t matter because to you it appears as though I
don’t yet pay property taxes. But Mayor, I don’t work for you. I work with you.
And I will use my voice for my constituents whether it annoys you or not.
July 13, 2014
GOP says: 'Let the public decide' on Depot Square
Let the public decide this time
Bristol, CT – July 13, 2014 – Although a formal proposal to do so has yet to be made, the idea of allowing the public to weigh in on the potential public financing of Depot Square by way of a non-binding referendum placed on this November’s electoral ballot has been floated. Public support of such a referendum can be heard around Bristol, from the barbershop to the post office, City Hall to the gas station, and everywhere in between.
However, not everyone is on-board with allowing the public to have a say. This past week Councilors Zoppo and Brown came out in opposition of such a measure. Councilor Brown equated asking for the public’s opinion to “throwing his hands up” and “not doing his job.” Representing the public’s desires for Bristol is your job, Councilor, and the best way to get the public’s opinion is through a referendum.
Councilor Fortier, meanwhile, did not offer a position on this issue, saying, “I don’t know. I’m not privy to anything.” Has Councilor Fortier not been a part of these meetings? Has she not met with the developer or others? Does she simply not have an opinion, or does she not want to make her opinion known? Perhaps she has just been spending too much of her time grandstanding on issues she has no authoritative power over, rather than focusing on matters she does.
The last time a major financial decision was made by the City on “Depot Square” back in 2005, it resulted in several million taxpayer dollars being spent on the mall. The decision was made in the middle of the night, with no public input. That administration decided they knew better than the public, and the result can still be seen today: a 17 acre parcel of emptiness in the center of our community, with millions in lost tax revenue and an I.O.U to the City’s “Rainy Day” fund.
Coincidentally, Councilor Zoppo - who opposes a public referendum on this issue - was a member of the City Council that made the initial decision to buy the mall with no public input in 2005. If the public is going to be asked to contribute additional money to this project, the Council needs to do the right thing and ask the public for its support. It is up to Renaissance Downtowns to sell this project to the public, as they have been working to do over the last few years.
At the end of the day, the City Council will have the final say – referendum or not – and will have the opportunity to lead. Why not at least get the public’s input before making that decision?
July 8, 2014
City councilors divided on whether to back cafeteria workers
A sharply divided City Council declined Tuesday to take a stand in favor of the school cafeteria workers who may be replaced by a private food services firm.
The council’s three Democrats supported a move to call on the Board of Education to abandon any legal appeals and focus instead on working with the union representing the 53 cafeteria employees who are slated to lose their jobs in the privatization bid.
 |
| Calvin Brown |
But the four Republicans, including Mayor Ken Cockayne, opted to sidestep a direct vote and instead backed a motion to postpone indefinitely any action on city Councilor Calvin Brown’s resolution asking the Board of Education to cease fighting with the union.
Brown said the GOP council members “don’t want to take a stand” and chose instead to shirk a vote. He accused them of “acting out of cowardice” instead of standing by the cafeteria workers.
City Councilor Eric Carlson, a Republican, said he believed that requesting any action by the school panel would be “a little bit overstepping our bounds.”
“I don’t have a dog in this fight,” Carlson said.
Another councilor, Republican Henri Martin, made the motion to table Brown’s resolution. He said he did not think the council should interfere with a school board choice.
“Let them settle this. This is not our fight,” said Martin, who is seeking election to the 31st District state Senate seat representing Bristol, Plainville, Plymouth, Thomaston and most of Harwinton.
At its Wednesday meeting, the school board plans to discuss whether to appeal a decision last month by the state Board of Labor Relations that ordered it to honor the tentative agreement it negotiated with the union. The school board had decided to drop the deal and hire a private cafeteria operator instead, a decision made along partisan lines by its Republican majority.
City Councilor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu, a Democrat, said the $140,000 the school board has already spent on legal fees trying to push privatization would have been better used for classroom needs.
The other Democratic councilor, Mary Fortier, said the GOP majority’s refusal to take a clear vote was “a cowardly way of getting out” of making their positions clear.
But Cockayne, who said during last year’s mayoral race that he opposed the cafeteria privatization, said the mayor and council “have zero to do with Board of Ed contracts” and shouldn’t take a formal position.
“It’s not our say,” the mayor said, adding that councilors “would be pretty peeved” if the school board sought to tell them what to do.
Brown said the council has a duty to try to protect the 53 cafeteria workers whose “lives are being toyed with” by a school board that made an “unjust or illegal” decision to ignore the deal it negotiated with the union.
The school board meets at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the auditorium of the district headquarters at 129 Church St.
June 13, 2013
Zoppo: "Political pettiness" at play in cemetery panel choice
The Cemetery Commission is a focused, specialized group of committed volunteers who have been working for almost 8 years to reverse decades worth of neglect in these “outdoor museums,” which are a critical link to our past, from a genealogical, military and industrial point of view. Most of this work has been accomplished with private donations and grants, as well as some wonderful Eagle Scout projects, collaboration with other community groups, and no taxpayer dollars expended - all of which garnered the Commission a national award.
From a volunteer standpoint, I think the action of the Mayor and Council in removing me from this Cemetery Commission sends a chilling message to those who may consider stepping forward to serve, only to know that they may be removed, not for cause, but for petty political reasons.
I am saddened that the Cemetery Commission, which is comprised of both Republicans and Democrats, has worked so closely to accomplish our goals and done such spectacular work, has been dragged into this. If asked, I will assist the newest and the current members of the commission with their tasks, including grant writing, because political pettiness will only imperil our historical treasures.
This is what happens when elected officials play politics instead of acting as statesmen. And, it speaks volumes for the small-minded approach members of this Administration has taken over the last 6 years.
When the epitaph for the Ward Administration is written, the words “professional government for the betterment of Bristol” is definitely not going to be what is etched in stone.
May 13, 2013
Ward says he will nominate Sampson for council seat
.JPG) |
| Mayra Sampson |
Effective at
the May 14th Bristol City Council Meeting, Mayor Arthur J. Ward will
be requesting City Council confirmation of the appointment of Mayra Berrios
Sampson to complete the remainder of the City Council term of former City
Council Member Kevin Fuller, who has resigned.
The City Council
term will expire upon the swearing in of the newly-elected representative
resulting from the November municipal election.
Mayra has
been employed with the City of Bristol Bristol Retirement Board
Mayra was
presented the Exceptional Women’s Award for 2013 from the Queen Anne Nzinga
Association for the promotion and advancement of young women role models and
the Women And Girls Fund award for volunteerism. Mayra is a life-long resident
of Bristol
May 10, 2013
The new Kevin Fuller? Bet on Mayra Sampson
Republican city councilors said Sampson called all of them this week and had pleasant conversations with them. It doesn't appear they'll attempt to block her nomination.May 1, 2013
Fuller resigns from his City Council seat
City
Councilor Kevin Fuller is resigning from his council seat as of 5 p.m. today.
Citing “personal
reasons,” Fuller told the mayor he was leaving with “a heavy heart.”
Fuller, a Democrat,
is in his second term. He had sought to run for mayor this year, but pulled out
of the race recently.
“Kevin has
served his constituency and the city of Bristol with both distinction and
dedication, committing his sole mission to be for the betterment and best
interests of the people of this community,” Mayor Art Ward said.
Ward said
that Fuller told him of the decision Wednesday and handed in a short resignation
letter.
“It has been
an honor to serve as a councilman under your terms of mayor,” Fuller wrote. “Not
only have you been an example to follow but I consider you a friend for life.”
Ward said he
did not know what personal reasons may have caused Fuller to resign.
Fuller, a
computer technician for the Board of Education, has been working long hours
lately. He also runs Dunphy’s Ice Cream Parlor on Stafford Avenue and plans to
expand it.
City officials
who heard the news late Wednesday expressed shock.
City Councilor Ken Cockayne said that Real Estate Committee slated for Thursday to discuss the fate of Jennings and Memorial Boulevard Schools will no longer take up the schools issue.
City Councilor Ken Cockayne said that Real Estate Committee slated for Thursday to discuss the fate of Jennings and Memorial Boulevard Schools will no longer take up the schools issue.
“I’m alone
now,” Ward told officials at an industrial committee meeting Wednesday.
March 1, 2013
Find the GOP city councilors on Facebook
In an effort to provide an additional mode of communication between the public and the City Council, this week the Republican Council majority unveiled a new public Facebook page. The page, titled “Bristol Council Republicans” is aimed at providing frequent updates on issues of importance to the public, as well as reminders about community events, open board positions, public hearings, board and commission reports, and poll questions.
This week’s current poll question asks visitors of the page “what would you like to see in the former Memorial Boulevard School?” Responses so far have shown the public’s desire for commercial development, non-profit and educational space as well as the need for a performing arts school to ensure frequent use of the historic theater.
One thing the page will not feature is campaigning. Our goal is to help facilitate discussion through questions and frequent informational updates so the citizens of Bristol can be heard throughout the year, instead of just on Election Day. Community engagement and open government was a pledge we made to the citizens of Bristol back on Election Day 2011, and continues to be a focus today.
In addition to utilizing social media, we have organized monthly “Town Hall” meetings with the public at the Main Library. These meetings are informal, and they allow for open discussion on a variety of topics. The mission of these meetings is not to provide a soapbox for us to talk, but rather a forum for the public to offer their opinions, concerns, and questions – and for us to listen.
We understand there are a number of citizens who want to make their voice heard, but are turned off by the idea of speaking publicly in front of the press and TV cameras. These meetings allow every citizen the opportunity to discuss what’s important directly with the Council, without the pressure of the spotlight.
It is our hope that over time these meetings will become very well attended, and that the Facebook page regularly generates solid traffic. We are currently exploring utilizing Constant Contact and Twitter as well, and are planning on scheduling additional meet and greets in alternate forums across the City to make accessibility even easier for our citizens.
We were elected to represent Bristol’s best interests, and with your feedback we will continue to do everything in our power to make sure your message is heard loud and clear.
November 25, 2012
Mills: City panel 'squandered opportunity'
City Councilor David Mills issued this statement today under the heading "An Opportunity Missed," about the Real Estate Committee's decision last week to reject the Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce proposal for the reuse of Memorial Boulevard School:
 |
| City Councilor David Mills |
This week, the Real Estate Committee rejected a worthy
proposal that would, in my opinion, improve Bristol’s quality of life and
preserve a valuable asset for generations to come.
Let me present some background on the issue. The Bristol
Board of Education closed the Memorial Boulevard School, as well as two other
schools, as of September 1st of this year. As chairman of the Building Committee, I
received many inquiries from Bristol taxpayers who felt that this building was
an important landmark in the city that must be maintained. I decided to discover why so many people
named this Rockwell creation on their must-save list.
The Memorial Boulevard building is a gem that holds great promise
for our community. The auditorium of
this school is reminiscent of a New York City theater, with a 4.5-story fly
space above the stage. This site has the
potential to house a variety of productions, from touring musicals and dramas
to film, travelogue, and children’s theater.
Professionals in the technical production industry, including
representatives from the reconditioned Palace Theatre, recently toured the
auditorium, and were struck by its many possibilities. They strongly feel that
this unique facility should not be compromised, and have offered
recommendations for its improvement and usage.
The renovation of this space offers some exciting
development opportunities. However, the greatest challenge would be funding. As
the plan developed, conversations began with Chamber of Commerce President
Michael Nicastro, John Smith who as former Assistant Superintendent of Schools
has vast knowledge of the building, Sean Taylor, businessman and Treasurer of
Bristol Theater Arts, and others. They all agreed these theater improvements
and an arts program could be sustained using the rest of the Memorial Boulevard
building as an “economic engine” that would help pay for the auditorium
improvement project. Under this plan, start-ups and arts-related businesses
will rent space at below-market rates. The building would need minimal
reconfiguration, allowing existing building codes to prevail.
The Chamber of Commerce presented an outline of their plan
to the Building Committee, and the matter was turned over to the Real Estate
Committee.
When the city put out an RFP (Request for proposal) for a
future use for the building, the Chamber of Commerce submitted its plan. As it
turned out, it was the ONLY plan submitted.
The Real Estate Committee rejected the Chamber’s proposal,
purportedly on the basis that there were “too many unanswered questions.” This despite the fact that, at a special
meeting arranged for the Chamber to answer the committee’s questions, there
were no questions asked. Instead, the
committee simply set another meeting so that municipal departments could come
forth and detail other uses they might have.
By rejecting this proposal, the Real Estate Committee has
missed an opportunity to make a lasting contribution to the city of
Bristol. This plan would provide a
state-of-the-art theater and art space for our community. It would attract new businesses to the city,
especially technology, media, and bio science companies. It would create more
activity downtown and create momentum for development. It would establish a cultural center for arts
and community activities, providing entertainment that would enrich the lives
of our citizens.
I urge our city leaders to reconsider this plan and to take
the following actions:
- Convene a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce, as well as building and fire inspectors, to review the requirements for bringing the building up to code.
- Arrange a meeting between the Corporate Council and the Chamber to hammer out a time-sensitive lease agreement to protect the interests of both parties, with a measured result.
- Realize that government does not have all the answers. Engaging in a Private/Public partnership could be the best path to creating a vibrant Arts, Cultural and Business center.
This facility could be an enormous asset for our community
and for future generations. At present,
it is an empty building that costs the city a minimum of $10,000 per month to
maintain.
The Real Estate Committee has squandered an opportunity to
move Bristol development forward. We are left with another empty building, our
fourth, adding to the budget deficit, with no plan in sight.
We have a chance to develop a unique space that will enhance
our community. Let’s not miss that opportunity again.
May 22, 2012
Council seeks cuts, finance board refuses
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| Bristol Taxpayers Association President Bob Fiorito joked with Paul Keegan, a city union leader, following Monday's Joint Board meeting. |
In a rare twist, city councilors Monday pushed for spending cuts in a proposed
$177 million municipal budget that Board of Finance members refused to support.
The
spending plan for the coming fiscal year won approval on a 9-5 vote that saw
four Republican councilors and one finance commissioner argue unsuccessfully
for lowering the 6 percent property tax called for in the budget.
The
majority gunned down proposals to slice spending on parks, the library, a
contingency account, money set aside for salary hikes and other measures that
might have reduced the tax burden a bit.
The
fiscal oversight panel, created during the Great Depression to stifle
spendthrift politicians, said that last-minute cuts would hurt services, weaken
the city’s finances and undermine its work during the past few months.
Finance
Chairman Rich Miecznikowski said the tax hike will hit the average homeowner
for about $240 extra in the fiscal year beginning July 1, an amount he called “minimal.” Click here for the rest of the story.
April 27, 2012
Ward challenges GOP to take the lead
Fed up by
Republican complaints that he is moving too slowly to consolidate government
departments, Mayor Art Ward recently offered to let the GOP-controlled City
Council spearhead the process.
| Bristol Mayor Art Ward |
“It is quite
evident, based upon the City Council’s level of frustration and suggestions of
the consolidation efforts not being done readily enough, that the members of
the City Council seem to possess more expertise on this project than I, or
anyone else involved up to this point,” Ward recently wrote in an email to the
council.
Ward said he
would “graciously entertain nominations for the names of any City Council
members who wish to volunteer their experience, time and wisdom to become the
chairperson of this effort,” Ward wrote.
The mayor
said that nobody has yet expressed interest in taking up the position.
The move
followed complaints by two GOP councilors – David Mills and Derek Czenczelewski
– about the slow pace of consolidation efforts.
Ward said
the initial push has been to try to consolidate the computer divisions of City
Hall and the Board of Education. He said it probably wouldn’t save money but it
would improve efficiency.
Mills asked
the personnel director in an April 11 email obtained through a Freedom of
Information request how come nothing has been mentioned about other potential
areas for consolidation, including “vehicle maintenance, putting all buildings
under one department and all public grounds under another.”
“Has this
even been discussed yet? It has been five months since it was proposed to the
mayor,” Mills said.
Ward wrote
back to Mills, “Patience is a virtue.”
Mills fired
back: “In other words, it hasn’t started yet.” Link to full story
April 12, 2012
Mayor to Cockayne: "Shut the f*** up"
And God knows that many have privately indicated they wish city Councilor Ken Cockayne in particular would zip it.
But Mayor Art Ward made the mistake of letting the understandable thought slip out of his mouth during this week's City Council meeting. Here's the story, in case you missed it.
Plus, there's the must-see video:
Now newspaper people are famously crass -- the word f*** rolls off some editors' tongues as often as twice per sentence -- so the mayor's words barely registered with me. Until I got a copy of the tape, I really wasn't sure what Ward had said.
But we all recognize the mayor shouldn't curse in a televised, public meeting. That he's never done it before is all the proof anyone needs that he knows better -- and is better, since he's been there a long, long time as a councilor and the city's top elected official.
The Urban Dictionary helps clarify the "shut the f*** up" comment.
It says that people use the phrase "when someone is talking, there is too much noise or when someone is talking shit. It is the upgrade of 'shut up' and is used mainly when you are angry and annoyed to the extent the you could lose it at any moment."
I don't really think Ward was about to lose it -- why would he? he had as much support in that union-filled chamber as he's ever had in his life -- but he was probably pretty angry that Cockayne was leaping in to try to tell him how to do his job.
At its root, what's happening between the GOP-dominated council and Ward is a power struggle.
The mayor runs the city, by charter and tradition, but this council is determined to try to force him to follow its dictates, something he's unwilling to do except grudgingly and slow.
What that moment of frustration when the mayor cursed at Cockayne really shows is how deep the divide between them has become in the last few months.
In a war, after all, you don't usually sweet talk the enemy.
April 11, 2012
City councilors explain their police pact votes
During last night's City Council meeting, the GOP majority managed to shoot down a proposed contract with the police union that would have granted officers an 8.3-percent raise over a four-year period beginning last July.
The four opponents -- Ken Cockayne, Henri Martin, Derek Czenczelewski and David Mills -- said the city couldn't afford to be so generous.
One Republican, Eric Carlson, joined the two Democrats in favor of the pact.
Its failure means the issue will head to arbitration -- which Mayor Art Ward said will cost more than $10,000 just to deal with.
It is also likely, officials said, the city will wind up being forced to give workers a more generous package than the one the council rejected.
In any case, here are videos from last night's council session in which Mills, Democrat Kevin Fuller, Carlson and Cockayne explain their votes on the issue:
Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
March 14, 2012
Dolan defends Board of Ed on lacrosse funding
I thought that it was a very interesting exchange. In fact the Board of Ed did include lacrosse in its budget for 2012-2013 even knowing that our entire budget would likely be cut. The mayor's comments regarding his side of the budget implied that he placed a higher priority on city services than the education of our children. If anyone believes that football, baseball, soccer or lacrosse doesn't contribute to the educational experience of a scholastic career, they are grossly misinformed. I don't believe that the mayor truly listened to the lacrosse advocates.
One concern that I have is that we will not be competitive with our surrounding towns. Bristol is a sports minded community. We are, after all, the home to ESPN.
I believe that the appearance of the lacrosse people were there to make the community aware of their desire to make lacrosse a varsity sport to be on a parity with our neighbors and to promote a good standard of sportsmanship, morality and citizenship. They were drawing attention to their plight.
The last thing that I want is to create a controversy between the City Council and other departments
within the municipal structure and the Board of Education. We all have our place in the community
and are necessary to create a cohesive and attractive place to raise our families. So let's not undercut the value of education to the market value of a community. A good reminder of that is not many of the employees of ESPN live in Bristol. Ask the mayor why.
I speak for myself not the Board of Education.
March 2, 2012
Educators Not On The Same Page
Note from Board of
Education member Genard Dolan on Friday morning:
Steve, you write that
the members of the BOE are in conflict with the City Council. Do not confuse the public by equating the
Supt. with the BOE Commissioners. The
Supt. is speaking for himself on behalf of the Administration not the elected
BOE. The BOE members have been unaware
of the discourse described in your article.
Unfortunately it gives your readers the misinformation of the Supt.
speaking for the Board of Education. You
should correct this misinformation with a retraction or a corrected version of
events. Chris Wilson's quote regarding
the cost per student seems unrelated to the conflict between Supt. Streifer and
the Council. In fairness to the
Commissioners, you should explain the difference between the elected Board
members and the Central office of the Supt.
Note from Board of
Education Chairman Chris Wilson on Thursday afternoon:
Education reform is swirling all around the
country, in CT and in Bristol. All of
this talk of reform causes anxiety and uncertainty for all those involved in
education-students, parents, BOE members, staff and the community at large. I am not sure about a rift. We are all trying to do our best. We may becoming at it from a different
perspective. 137 cities and towns spend
more $ than Bristol per student. It
seems that the city council wants to erode that position further. I and some other board members support what
we have accomplished over the past 8 plus years. We do not want the quality which has been
built here decimated. WE have attracted
a quality teacher staff and administrative staff which has delivered excellent
results. Since we have been level funded
by the city for 3 years the fiscal constraints are significant.
We as BOE members have had to tackle
difficult issues-closing schools, redistricting, program changes or
eliminations. All of these are
challenging tasks without the fiscal constraints but the fiscal constraints
make it more daunting.
I am committed to public education. I am committed to all students having the
opportunity to attend college or some other post graduate experience in order
that those 8500 students who pass through our doors have that opportunity. Sometimes as we modify programs and
reallocate resources to accomplish that goal the status quo is challenged.
As far as Ken’s point about the old
guard. 3 incumbents ran for BOE and were
elected so I am not sure what change he refers.
I think our rating within the state is pretty good and I am proud of
that. When one looks at quality schools
systems throughout the state those that have a single minded focus are the
successful ones. Those where the leaders
are not single minded are unsuccessful.
I am hopeful we will have the single minded and non partisan
relationship which existed prior the this past election.
Council, school board rift is growing
The rift between the City Council and Board of Education is growing.
The five
Republicans recently asked for detailed monthly school spending reports and
were turned down cold.
School
Superintendent Philip Streifer wrote Wednesday that “it is the policy of the
school administration to provide the public only those documents requested by
or created for the Board of Education, therefore, we will not be providing you
the detailed request” sought in an email sent to the Board of Education by city
Councilor Henri Martin.
“I don’t
know why the resistance,” Martin said Thursday. “I just want to know some
information.”
For city
Councilor Ken Cockayne, the superintendent’s response only serves to widen “the
disconnect” between councilors and school board members.
“I can’t
help wondering what the Board of Ed is hiding,” Cockayne said Thursday.
Chris
Wilson, the chairman of the school board, said that 137 cities and towns in
Connecticut “spend more dollars than Bristol per student. It seems that the City Council wants to erode
that position further.”
The sole
Democratic councilor, Kevin Fuller, said he is worried the GOP’s effort will
create “a bigger divide between the Board of Ed and the Council, and who does
that hurt in the long run? The students of Bristol.”
Streifer
said Thursday he will gladly turn over any of the financial reports prepared
for the Board of Education but it won’t create ones that don’t exist simply
because city councilors want more detailed data.
Streifer
said he hopes that problems don’t develop between City Hall and the school
administration.
“There is an
established process under the city charter to review and fund budgets,”
Streifer said, pointing out that the Board of Finance reviews budgets and “then
makes a recommendation to the City Council and they jointly vote on budget
appropriations.”
“I would
hope that everyone would respect and honor that process which has worked well
in the past,” Streifer said.
Martin said
the schools spend 61 percent of the city’s budget, a total of $102.6 million
this year, and he would not be doing his job if he didn’t try to understand
where all that money goes.
Fuller said,
“The council in the past has looked at the BOE budget but we cannot control it.
The only vote the council has is to approve or deny the total amount of the budget,”
and cannot deal with particular line items.
“We
understand that we don't have the power to line item the BOE budget and
determine where money should or shouldn't go,” said city Councilor Derek
Czenczelewski
“However,
that doesn't mean the city shouldn't be able to see where the money is going on
a monthly basis. We are looking for transparency, plain and simple,” he said. |”Unfortunately,
some administrators and officials believe that the BOE doesn't need to report
to the taxpayers in any way.”
Cockayne
said that voters showed last year they don’t want officials to tread along the
same old path.
“The
citizens of Bristol are fed up with the Board of Education,” Cockayne said, and
they very much want change.
Though
Republicans took control of the school board for the first time ever in
November, Cockayne said they failed to shake up its leadership.
“The old
guard is still in charge,” Cockayne said, and its members don’t believe there’s
a need to do things differently.
“The Board
of Education needs to open its eyes,” Cockayne said.
Fuller said
he is curious what the Republicans are looking for.
In his email
to Streifer, Martin sought detailed monthly reports on these accounts: central administration, principals and
assistants, supervisors, psychologists, other instructional, improvement for
instruction, instructional services, other professional services, rentals and
leases, and staff transportation.
“Give me
additional information,” Martin said. “Let’s break it down.”
Streifer
said the reports Martin asked for “are much more detailed than what we have on hand
or which the Board of Education has asked for, thus we will not create them for
him. “
Martin said
he did not understand the resistance to providing councilors with the
information.
Cockayne
said in a Thursday email to Streifer that he “can't believe the BOE doesn't
have a detailed expenditure report run every month. This is something at even a basic business
would do.”
“How then do
you do accounting on $100 million?” Cockayne said. “You must have more internal
detailed reports than you give out to the public.”
Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
October 6, 2011
Is the mayor going to give up his raise?
April 26, 2011
Who might replace Matthews?
It only took a few minutes Monday for politicians to start wondering who should take the City Council seat that Kate Matthews had to give up.
The early betting was that Mayor Art Ward would probably pick Terry Parker, the Democratic candidate in 2009 who fell short on Election Day in the 3rd District.
Parker is a longtime party activist, a moderator at Greene-Hills School elections for years and a genial, decent fellow.
He also doesn't seem to be tied in to any particular faction within the party, which is sort of a rarity these days.
But there are some who want Ward to ask state Rep. Frank Nicastro to fill in the rest of Matthews' term, since he's steeped in the issues and won't have a learning curve.
On the other hand, Ward doesn't like him.
Among the other possibilities are John Lodovico, a downtown commissioner, and Craig Minor, a former councilor. Ward, however, was never too keen on Minor when they served together.
There is also some pressure, of course, to pick another woman since the alternative is to have an all-male council, which is hardly an advertisement for the new with-it Bristol that Renaissance and others are trying to promote.
In any case, Ward has to act soon. The charter only gives him two weeks to pick someone.
The council gets to vote, too.
The only legal requirement is that Ward has to pick a Democrat who lives in the district.
Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
The early betting was that Mayor Art Ward would probably pick Terry Parker, the Democratic candidate in 2009 who fell short on Election Day in the 3rd District.
Parker is a longtime party activist, a moderator at Greene-Hills School elections for years and a genial, decent fellow.
He also doesn't seem to be tied in to any particular faction within the party, which is sort of a rarity these days.
But there are some who want Ward to ask state Rep. Frank Nicastro to fill in the rest of Matthews' term, since he's steeped in the issues and won't have a learning curve.
On the other hand, Ward doesn't like him.
Among the other possibilities are John Lodovico, a downtown commissioner, and Craig Minor, a former councilor. Ward, however, was never too keen on Minor when they served together.
There is also some pressure, of course, to pick another woman since the alternative is to have an all-male council, which is hardly an advertisement for the new with-it Bristol that Renaissance and others are trying to promote.
In any case, Ward has to act soon. The charter only gives him two weeks to pick someone.
The council gets to vote, too.
The only legal requirement is that Ward has to pick a Democrat who lives in the district.
March 17, 2011
City Council ignores charter requirements on ethics
When a city official has a conflict of interest, whether personal or financial, the city charter requires him to “excuse himself from the proceedings and refrain from voting’ or participating in discussion of the issue.
It also mandates that within seven days after citing his conflict, he “shall file written disclosure” of it with the city clerk.
Though the requirement has been part of the charter for years, City Clerk Therese Pac said nobody has ever filed any written disclosure.
“No one has ever done it,” said James Donovan, chairman of the city’s Ethics Board.
Another part of the charter’s conflict of interest section requires the City Council to “establish a policy for disclosure of financial or personal interests of elected and appointed officials and employees,” including a list of offices or positions that require disclosure of potential conflicts.
That, too, has never been done. Click here for the full story.
Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
It also mandates that within seven days after citing his conflict, he “shall file written disclosure” of it with the city clerk.
Though the requirement has been part of the charter for years, City Clerk Therese Pac said nobody has ever filed any written disclosure.
“No one has ever done it,” said James Donovan, chairman of the city’s Ethics Board.
Another part of the charter’s conflict of interest section requires the City Council to “establish a policy for disclosure of financial or personal interests of elected and appointed officials and employees,” including a list of offices or positions that require disclosure of potential conflicts.
That, too, has never been done. Click here for the full story.
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