The meeting notice is rather odd given what's already happened.
The first item is moot since the Forestville School Building Committee's request for the city to acquire the Daley Street homes is no longer needed, though the panel hasn't yet met to rescind it.
Then having the City Council meet as the Real Estate Committee, with no topic at all listed, means they can't discuss anything.
Then they have a motion to go into executive session "for the purposes of receiving the findings pertaining to the negotiations for land to be acquired for new public schools, first from the Forestville School Building Committee and then from the West Bristol School Building Committee."
But that information is already public. There's nobody to keep anything secret from since Crowley already knows the appraisal figures and so does Scalia. Crowley's willing to take the deal. Scalia is not.
What's to talk about in secret? Nothing that ought to be done out of public sight.
Then they are supposed to come back into public session to take action.
I suppose they could agree to pay Crowley $2.1 million. They might even agree to use eminent domain on the Scalia property.
There's no provision in the meeting notice for anyone to talk about other potential sites, let alone the obvious other alternative - renovating the old schools.
This is all a much bigger mess than it ought to be. It'll be interesting to see if the pieces fall into place as those pushing the project expect.
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
I guess it's all speculation until you get to the meeting.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting though....2.1 mill for crowley when everyone made a big fuss out of 5.5 for 14 acres downtown. Seems rather high to me especially since they have already determined that there will need to be an environmental clean up and no one knows how much that will cost.
They probably want to discuss tactics and strategies re the Scalia property, which should be done in confidence. That is permissible under FOIA.
ReplyDeleteCould we bribe Mike Werner to move back to Bristol? Perhaps give him an income tax exemption?
ReplyDeleteDUMP WARD!
ReplyDeleteOf course they can talk about it in executive session. It's just that it's pointless. The only decision they need to make can be done in public - whether to buy Crowley's for $2.1 million and whether to use eminent domain to take Scalia's.
ReplyDeleteRmember how they pulled the Mall deal off???
ReplyDeleteExec Session, than a vote, even though it wasn't on the agenda!
Maybe Stortz wasn't so bad after all.
Ironic that the original plan was to replace OConnel and Bingham.
ReplyDeleteFrank Nicastro moaned and groaned.
Now His District will get he school and the other won't.
Shows who is running the show.
I am a big Ward fan but wish to God he would get his act together and stop screwing up these things that should not be screwed up.
ReplyDeleteSince executive session can only be used for legal and personnel matters it wouldn't surprise me if they were talking about Eminent Domain on Scalia's site. Other than that Steve your thoughts are right on.
ReplyDeleteC'mon guys, Ward is doing a greaat job.
ReplyDeleteIf he wasn't, the republicans i.e. TJ, Mocabee, Scaffrick would be all over him.
Since they have been quiet, they must approve of his performance.
Or do they even have a clue?
He's not the one screwing it up 5:56. Tough to make any progress when you've got people on your team working against you.
ReplyDeleteWARD epitomizes "My way or the highway".
ReplyDeleteHe has 5 democrats on the Council and still can't get anything done.
Worst example of lack of leadership in a long time.
"He has 5 democrats on the Council and still can't get anything done. Worst example of lack of leadership in a long time."
ReplyDeleteHe may have 5 democrats on the council, but at least 3 of them spend most of their time undermining his efforts (at our expense), and Mayor Ward is still getting things done in spite of them....leadership at its best!
1:07
ReplyDeleteJust what has he gotten done?
And if no one agrees with him, then maybe he is wrong.
Seems like he doesn't have 14 years of experience, but one year of experience 14 times.
Unfortunately, the people who disagree with him don't care if he's right or wrong, they just want to stop his/our progress. As long as they continue with their silly games, Bristol will suffer....
ReplyDeleteWhat happens in Sports: the team doesn't produce, fire the manger.
ReplyDeleteBristol is a sports town.
3:31
ReplyDeleteJust like he tried to stop progress during the previous administration, and even before.
If it isn't his idea, or his way, he is against it.
4:40 - Sounds more like if it isn't YOUR idea, or YOUR way, you're against again it. It's time for you guys to put on your big boy pants and get over it. Bristol needs a team pulling for us, not a bunch of pissed off babies looking to get even....
ReplyDelete"What happens in Sports: the team doesn't produce, fire the manger."
ReplyDeleteToo bad we don't have the option of trading the players who don't want to play ball...if we could get rid of the dead weight, then the team could produce. No need to fire the manager!
Bristol is a sports town....and we like to win.
3:31 I am under the impression that that is the Republican philosophy ! Or is that just on here? Because you just continue to whine about everything unless you think of it. And of course you don't dare to go public and let the public decide what losers you are and they can see why then.
ReplyDeleteto 5:57 At least they have a team. Not like you four !
ReplyDeleteYOU have the ability to fire or "trade" players. But YOU didn't do it last November.
ReplyDeleteSo YOU are stuck with them.
Of course the General Manager (Ward) didn't help, and still isn't.
Again, doesn't seem like he learned much in 14 years.
"YOU have the ability to fire or "trade" players. But YOU didn't do it last November."
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize how poorly the "players" would perform. I had foolishly assumed they'd step up to the plate and win one for the home team. I was WRONG. It won't happen again. These petty fools gotta go. Once they're gone and we've got some new players, it'll be a brand new ballgame and I think our manager (Ward) will lead us to victory!
Keep in mind that Ward is a "player manager", and isn't doing well in either capacity.
ReplyDeleteHe too should be fired or let go.
Keep in mind that there's only so much Ward can do as a "player manager" with team members who sabotage his plays at every turn. It's the dead weight on the bench that's holding Bristol back, not Ward....
ReplyDelete10: 31
ReplyDeleteAs Yogi said, it is deja vu all over again.
Ward is getting a taste of his own medicine. This council is behaving as Ward did during the last administration.
He is in no position to complain.
How incredibly pathetic is that.... These are grown men who are supposed to be working together for the betterment of Bristol. Instead, they act like spoiled, petulant little children exacting their revenge on the mayor and in turn, the entire City suffers. They may think they're giving Ward a "taste of his own medicine" but Bristol is the one getting the enema. The mayor may be in "no position to complain," but the rest of us are....let these fools play their stupid games on their own time. They need to go!
ReplyDeleteDid you ever think that maybe they are correct and Ward is wrong?
ReplyDelete7:18 ~ Let's be honest...these boys aren't sabotaging the mayor's efforts because he's wrong or right (they couldn't care less)....they're just out for revenge and we're all suffering because of their childish grudge. They need to go!
ReplyDelete9:57
ReplyDeleteAnd Art is suffering because of his "m way or the highway" attitude.
He does not, will not work with others and it shows.
Unfortunately 9:07, Bristol is the one suffering from the childish attitude of certain council members who won't work with our mayor. They need to go....
ReplyDeleteWard has a long record of not reaching out to work with others.
ReplyDeleteHe is reinforcing that image and reputation daily, and the city is the one that is paying for it.
The blame falls squarely on those who will not work with the Mayor, NOT the other way around. These gentlemen may perceive him to have a long history of not "reaching out and working with others"....and that falls under the category of "TOO BAD." It's over. It's history. It's time to get over it and move on.
ReplyDeleteMr. Ward was elected by the majority as our City's leader. If these councilmen are not willing (or able) to get over their childish resentment and work with our Mayor for the betterment of Bristol, they should seek psychotherapy instead of another term on the city council.
I guess you could say the same thing for President Bush and the Congress.
ReplyDeleteMayor Ward---
ReplyDeleteLead, Follow, or GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!
But do something!!!