Aside from Mayor Art Ward and the city councilors who showed up, there were only two announced municipal candidates in attendance at tonight's City Council meeting.
And one of them took the occasion to pull out of the race.
Independent Mark Blaschke, who lost badly two years in a 2nd District bid, said health concerns forced him to pull out this time around.
The only other contender to make an appearance was Kate Matthews, a Democrat aiming for a 3rd District seat.
Members of both parties are wondering what's happened to Ken Johnson, the Republican running for mayor. He hasn't been seen in weeks at City Hall.
Among possible candidates, Democrat Tom Ragaini was there tonight. He might run for a council seat.
But it sure doesn't look like an election year yet.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Showing posts with label Blaschke. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blaschke. Show all posts
April 14, 2009
Blaschke bows out
Mark Blaschke, who ran as an independent for the City Council last time around, said tonight that he's pulling out of this year's race. Blaschke said his health doesn't permit him to run again in the 2nd District, as he had hoped.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
January 21, 2009
Blaschke leaps into 2nd District City Council race
Independent candidate Mark Blaschke said today that he's going to run for City Council again this year.
"We have to have some common sense in government here," Blaschke said.
Though Blaschke acknowledges that the political establishment doesn't take him seriously, he said he is willing to tackle the hard issues that politicians prefer to ignore.
He said, for instance, that the school system is socking taxpayers for too much.
Blaschke called for school Superintendent Philip Streifer and the entire Board of Education to resign.
"We have to start from scratch," Blaschke said.
He said the Bristol Downtown Development Corp., the nonprofit created during the Stortz administration to oversee the revitalization of the 17-acre downtown mall site, should be axed.
"It's a waste of the taxpayers' money," Blaschke said.
Blaschke, who lost a 2nd District council bid in 2007, said that he would also impose a 10 percent pay cut on top managers at City Hall and the school district.
One of the 2nd District's two incumbent councilors, freshman Republican Ken Cockayne, said his week he would seek reelection. The other, veteran Democrat Kevin McCauley, isn't talking about his plans yet.
Blaschke said that Cockayne is "way off base on the issues" and is too anti-union and too opposed to social programs in general. McCauley, he said, is mostly invisible.
He said the council needs someone who will stand up to the out-of-control school budget and oppose two proposed new schools sought by educators.
"We can't afford them," Blaschke said. "People are paying enough in taxes."
Blaschke said that the problems at City Hall extend beyond the high visibility issues that political leaders are taking the wrong stands on.
Even snow plowing, he said, is "getting a little slipshod."
Blaschke said the city needs to tackle big issues that it typically doesn't do anything about.
He said the methadone clinic on Farmington Avenue is attracting convicted felons to town, pushing up crime rates and holding down property values. It needs to be run out of town, Blaschke said.
He said he is opposed to Cockayne's push to tape the city's overfunded pension plans to cover at least part of the tab of a new trust fund to cover retirees' health care benefits.
"Don't touch the workers' pension fund," Blaschke said. "They should leave the pension fund alone."
Blaschke said he wants to run an upbeat, issues-oriented campaign.
But, he said, if his opponents want to tangle, he's ready.
He said that if Cockayne, with whom he has had run-ins since the last election, "wants to play boogie-woogie, I can play boogie-woogie with him, too."
He said the city leaders need to be held accountable.
"They're getting away with too much stuff," Blaschke said.
*******
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
"We have to have some common sense in government here," Blaschke said.
Though Blaschke acknowledges that the political establishment doesn't take him seriously, he said he is willing to tackle the hard issues that politicians prefer to ignore.
He said, for instance, that the school system is socking taxpayers for too much.
Blaschke called for school Superintendent Philip Streifer and the entire Board of Education to resign.
"We have to start from scratch," Blaschke said.
He said the Bristol Downtown Development Corp., the nonprofit created during the Stortz administration to oversee the revitalization of the 17-acre downtown mall site, should be axed.
"It's a waste of the taxpayers' money," Blaschke said.
Blaschke, who lost a 2nd District council bid in 2007, said that he would also impose a 10 percent pay cut on top managers at City Hall and the school district.
One of the 2nd District's two incumbent councilors, freshman Republican Ken Cockayne, said his week he would seek reelection. The other, veteran Democrat Kevin McCauley, isn't talking about his plans yet.
Blaschke said that Cockayne is "way off base on the issues" and is too anti-union and too opposed to social programs in general. McCauley, he said, is mostly invisible.
He said the council needs someone who will stand up to the out-of-control school budget and oppose two proposed new schools sought by educators.
"We can't afford them," Blaschke said. "People are paying enough in taxes."
Blaschke said that the problems at City Hall extend beyond the high visibility issues that political leaders are taking the wrong stands on.
Even snow plowing, he said, is "getting a little slipshod."
Blaschke said the city needs to tackle big issues that it typically doesn't do anything about.
He said the methadone clinic on Farmington Avenue is attracting convicted felons to town, pushing up crime rates and holding down property values. It needs to be run out of town, Blaschke said.
He said he is opposed to Cockayne's push to tape the city's overfunded pension plans to cover at least part of the tab of a new trust fund to cover retirees' health care benefits.
"Don't touch the workers' pension fund," Blaschke said. "They should leave the pension fund alone."
Blaschke said he wants to run an upbeat, issues-oriented campaign.
But, he said, if his opponents want to tangle, he's ready.
He said that if Cockayne, with whom he has had run-ins since the last election, "wants to play boogie-woogie, I can play boogie-woogie with him, too."
He said the city leaders need to be held accountable.
"They're getting away with too much stuff," Blaschke said.
*******
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
September 11, 2008
Blaschke apologizes
Former City Council candidate Mark Blaschke this week took the public comment period of a council meeting to issue an apology.
Blaschke said he owed Republican Councilor Ken Cockayne and his family an apology for a rambling, threatening phone message last month.
"I should have used more common sense and restraint," Blaschke said.
He apologized to Mayor Art Ward and the council as well for the time and trouble surrounding the incident.
"Apology accepted," Cockayne answered. "It's in the past. Forget about it."
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Blaschke said he owed Republican Councilor Ken Cockayne and his family an apology for a rambling, threatening phone message last month.
"I should have used more common sense and restraint," Blaschke said.
He apologized to Mayor Art Ward and the council as well for the time and trouble surrounding the incident.
"Apology accepted," Cockayne answered. "It's in the past. Forget about it."
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
August 14, 2008
Blaschke warned by Cockayne
During this week's City Council session, unsuccessful council candidate Mark Blaschke criticized Republican Ken Cockayne for supporting a $70,000 reduction in the city's aid to the Bristol Visiting Nurse Association.
Blaschke, who lost an independent bid for council last year, said "a whole lot of people" are hurting and the cuts won't help.
Cockayne defended the budget move as necessary and pointed out that the VNA has a large reserve to cope with emergencies.
Then Cockayne ripped into Blaschke.
He said that Blaschke left a rambling, threatening phone message at his home following July's council session.
Cockayne warned Blaschke that "if you ever leave a message like that again, I'll call the police."
"Do not threaten me," Cockayne said.
A police officer was present at the meeting in case their confrontation got ugly. The officer left after Blaschke departed.
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Blaschke, who lost an independent bid for council last year, said "a whole lot of people" are hurting and the cuts won't help.
Cockayne defended the budget move as necessary and pointed out that the VNA has a large reserve to cope with emergencies.
Then Cockayne ripped into Blaschke.
He said that Blaschke left a rambling, threatening phone message at his home following July's council session.
Cockayne warned Blaschke that "if you ever leave a message like that again, I'll call the police."
"Do not threaten me," Cockayne said.
A police officer was present at the meeting in case their confrontation got ugly. The officer left after Blaschke departed.
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
November 1, 2007
Overview of the 2nd District City Council race
With five men are vying for two City Council seats, voters in the 2nd District will have plenty of choices Tuesday.
Among the five is only one incumbent, first-term Democrat Kevin McCauley, a city firefighter who’s looking for the chance to kick the city’s blight fight into higher gear.
The other four contenders include another Democrat, Bruce Lydem; Republicans Ken Cockayne and Joe Geladino; and independent Mark Blaschke. None have held political office before.
Democrats are most worried about Cockayne, fearing he could perhaps knock off McCauley.
Vowing to work across party lines, Cockayne called himself "a taxpaying citizen who got fed up with the partisan politics and getting nothing done here in town.”
The other incumbent in the district, third-term Democrat Ellen Zoppo, is stepping down. She ran unsuccessfully for mayor rather than seeking another stint on the council representing Chippens Hill, the West End and Federal Hill.
McCauley is one of four councilors trying to reclaim their seats this year, angling for a chance to work with a new mayor soon.
Geladino and Blaschke are running in large part as anti-tax crusaders.
Residents are “being zapped” by taxes, Blaschke said, and city government needs a massive shakeup.
"The way the whole thing has been run, it should start over again," Blaschke said.
Geladino said that he worked for the election of some incumbents two years ago, but regrets it.
Calling the current council “dysfunctional,” Geladino said that he’s running mainly “to help the taxpayers.”
Last winter, he got so frustrated at the council that he threw a white towel on the floor at City Hall to declare his surrender. But he opted for another course of action when he jumped into the political fray instead.
Cockayne is more measured in his speech – and much less angry – but he also expresses frustration at the existing system. He said he’d like to see a city manager, a larger council and more businesslike approach to governing.
In a district where a substantial number of older houses have been turned into occasionally shoddy rental property, all of the contenders said they’d like to see a tougher stance taken on bad landlords who don’t keep up their property.
Cockayne said the housing code pushed into law by Zoppo in 2005 "was a great thing," but more is needed, including a tall grass ordinance.
Geladino said codes “should be enforced and fines should be levied.”
McCauley, the co-chair of the panel that did the work, said there’s been improvement because of the code enforcement effort but more can be done.
Lydem called the code changes "long overdue" and praised Zoppo for her leadership and vision. Blaschke said he wants to see stiffer fines and arrests for especially crummy landlords to "make them pay big time.”
Geladino, a contractor, said he once sought to buy the city-owned mall, which is unusual for any candidate. He said he made an offer, but nobody responded to him.
“To get past the smokescreen is impossible in Bristol,” Geladino said.
City councilors serve part-time for about $10,000 annually. There are three council districts in town, each represented by two council members, who can be from the same political party.
Key issues
School plan – McCauley said that “new schools are the way to go” because pumping money into old ones is “too ineffective” and costly. Lydem said, “It’s time to build new schools” and warned that trying to renovate old ones would be too expensive.
Cockayne and Blaschke said that he’d like to see more effort put into renovation instead. Proponents of the $115 million plan are "hurting the kids. They're hurting the taxpayers of this city, and they ought to start over again," Blaschke said.
Geladino said he’s concerned about the spending eyed for the school plan.
City manager – Blaschke said changing to a city a manager “would make more bureaucratic noise” and introduce even more politics into municipal decision-making. Lydem also opposes switching to a managerial form of government.
While McCauley is willing to consider the idea, both Cockayne and Geladino strongly favor the proposal. A manager would bring in "a professional person who could run this city," Geladino said.
Mall – All five candidates said they want to see the downtown site revitalized quickly, though Geladino is willing to explore selling the mall “as is.”
District 2 polling placesChippens Hill School
O'Connell School
South Side School
*******
Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Among the five is only one incumbent, first-term Democrat Kevin McCauley, a city firefighter who’s looking for the chance to kick the city’s blight fight into higher gear.
The other four contenders include another Democrat, Bruce Lydem; Republicans Ken Cockayne and Joe Geladino; and independent Mark Blaschke. None have held political office before.
Democrats are most worried about Cockayne, fearing he could perhaps knock off McCauley.
Vowing to work across party lines, Cockayne called himself "a taxpaying citizen who got fed up with the partisan politics and getting nothing done here in town.”
The other incumbent in the district, third-term Democrat Ellen Zoppo, is stepping down. She ran unsuccessfully for mayor rather than seeking another stint on the council representing Chippens Hill, the West End and Federal Hill.
McCauley is one of four councilors trying to reclaim their seats this year, angling for a chance to work with a new mayor soon.
Geladino and Blaschke are running in large part as anti-tax crusaders.
Residents are “being zapped” by taxes, Blaschke said, and city government needs a massive shakeup.
"The way the whole thing has been run, it should start over again," Blaschke said.
Geladino said that he worked for the election of some incumbents two years ago, but regrets it.
Calling the current council “dysfunctional,” Geladino said that he’s running mainly “to help the taxpayers.”
Last winter, he got so frustrated at the council that he threw a white towel on the floor at City Hall to declare his surrender. But he opted for another course of action when he jumped into the political fray instead.
Cockayne is more measured in his speech – and much less angry – but he also expresses frustration at the existing system. He said he’d like to see a city manager, a larger council and more businesslike approach to governing.
In a district where a substantial number of older houses have been turned into occasionally shoddy rental property, all of the contenders said they’d like to see a tougher stance taken on bad landlords who don’t keep up their property.
Cockayne said the housing code pushed into law by Zoppo in 2005 "was a great thing," but more is needed, including a tall grass ordinance.
Geladino said codes “should be enforced and fines should be levied.”
McCauley, the co-chair of the panel that did the work, said there’s been improvement because of the code enforcement effort but more can be done.
Lydem called the code changes "long overdue" and praised Zoppo for her leadership and vision. Blaschke said he wants to see stiffer fines and arrests for especially crummy landlords to "make them pay big time.”
Geladino, a contractor, said he once sought to buy the city-owned mall, which is unusual for any candidate. He said he made an offer, but nobody responded to him.
“To get past the smokescreen is impossible in Bristol,” Geladino said.
City councilors serve part-time for about $10,000 annually. There are three council districts in town, each represented by two council members, who can be from the same political party.
Key issues
School plan – McCauley said that “new schools are the way to go” because pumping money into old ones is “too ineffective” and costly. Lydem said, “It’s time to build new schools” and warned that trying to renovate old ones would be too expensive.
Cockayne and Blaschke said that he’d like to see more effort put into renovation instead. Proponents of the $115 million plan are "hurting the kids. They're hurting the taxpayers of this city, and they ought to start over again," Blaschke said.
Geladino said he’s concerned about the spending eyed for the school plan.
City manager – Blaschke said changing to a city a manager “would make more bureaucratic noise” and introduce even more politics into municipal decision-making. Lydem also opposes switching to a managerial form of government.
While McCauley is willing to consider the idea, both Cockayne and Geladino strongly favor the proposal. A manager would bring in "a professional person who could run this city," Geladino said.
Mall – All five candidates said they want to see the downtown site revitalized quickly, though Geladino is willing to explore selling the mall “as is.”
District 2 polling placesChippens Hill School
O'Connell School
South Side School
*******
Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
October 1, 2007
2nd District Debate, Live - Part 1
"Are we ready to start?" asks Tim Gamache, who's president of the Federal Hill Association and apparently in charge of the forum tonight.
"I wouldn't leave those microphones on unless you're ready to speak. They pick up everything - everything," Gamache said.
Now he's introducing the event to the crowd of about 30, nearly all of whom are politicians or political people. The moderators are City Historian Bob Montgomery and David Fortier, the library board chairman.
Mike Saman is taping the forums for potential broadcast on Nutmeg Television sometime later. I'll fill you in on that whenever I know more.
The five candidates for the 2nd District are going to field three questions they've already seen and then take questions from the audience.
Questions will be on economic development, downtown and the school system. They're all pretty broad questions and, no doubt, will be answered broadly by most of the candidates: Republicans Ken Cockayne and Joe Geladino, independent Mark Blaschke, and Democrats Bruce Lydem and Kevin McCauley. McCauley is the only incumbent.
McCauley and Lydem are sitting beside each other to Montgomery's left while the other three are on Fortier's right. The moderators are in the middle.
All of the candidates are wearing dark suits except for Blaschke, who's earing a white Polo-type shirt. They all have a bottle of water in front of them.
In the audience are mayoral contenders Ken Johnson and Art Ward, among others. A few more people are trickling in, including a few I don't recognize.
The moderators are running through the candidates' backgrounds.
More later.
*******
Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
"I wouldn't leave those microphones on unless you're ready to speak. They pick up everything - everything," Gamache said.
Now he's introducing the event to the crowd of about 30, nearly all of whom are politicians or political people. The moderators are City Historian Bob Montgomery and David Fortier, the library board chairman.
Mike Saman is taping the forums for potential broadcast on Nutmeg Television sometime later. I'll fill you in on that whenever I know more.
The five candidates for the 2nd District are going to field three questions they've already seen and then take questions from the audience.
Questions will be on economic development, downtown and the school system. They're all pretty broad questions and, no doubt, will be answered broadly by most of the candidates: Republicans Ken Cockayne and Joe Geladino, independent Mark Blaschke, and Democrats Bruce Lydem and Kevin McCauley. McCauley is the only incumbent.
McCauley and Lydem are sitting beside each other to Montgomery's left while the other three are on Fortier's right. The moderators are in the middle.
All of the candidates are wearing dark suits except for Blaschke, who's earing a white Polo-type shirt. They all have a bottle of water in front of them.
In the audience are mayoral contenders Ken Johnson and Art Ward, among others. A few more people are trickling in, including a few I don't recognize.
The moderators are running through the candidates' backgrounds.
More later.
*******
Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
August 15, 2007
The public speaks up...
At the City Council meeting Tuesday, the audience participation section proved to be something of a Greatest Hits compilation.
Among those who got up to talk were some residents who are frequent speakers, from Tim Gamache to Lewis Michaud.
I thought I’d give you all a taste of what gets said during the public’s section of the meeting.
First up was Stan Orzell, who is seeking a sign change on Route 69 near the Wolcott town line. His request sounded eminently reasonable.
Next up was Gamache, a near constant presence at municipal meetings. He talked about the “scripted meetings” issue, saying that making outlines is “simply good organization” but he has “serious concerns” that the outcome of the meetings were also orchestrated.
Following Gamache was Tom Doyle, who’s been addressing the council since long before I started attending meetings back in 1994. Doyle called for the city to leave the Roberts property undeveloped and defended the use of the older schools that educators are seeking to close.
Joe Geladino, a Republican council contender, got up next. Earlier this year, he threw in a white towel of surrender to express his disgust for the city’s administration. But last night, he merely blasted the council as “dysfunctional” and told its members that they are “not making the taxpayers happy.”
Mark Blaschke, an independent council candidate in the 2nd District, spoke next to say that existing schools should be renovate instead of pursuing a “really not solid” plan for new ones.
Michaud griped that a lot of people in town are not recycling, pointing to a neighbor who never has a recycling bin out. He said the city doesn’t take action against those who violate recycling rules because “you people are afraid you’re going to lose a vote” by cracking the whip.
Al Cianchetti, who once gave the mayor a failing grade during a long recitation of his record in office, rose to the microphone next. He said that the chief “told me to behave tonight.” He thanked the city attorney for clarifying the public referendum process and took a shot at city Councilor Ellen Zoppo for leaving Councilor Art Ward “out of the loop” in the scripted meeting about downtown last winter.
Finally, Maureen Carter addressed the council.
“I hate what’s happening in this city,” she said. “I hate seeing the decay.”
She said the council created the downtown corporation as a way of passing the buck so it wouldn’t have to deal with the mall issue before the election. Then she blasted the council for allowing themselves to be “led by the nose” on the scripted meeting issue, which she called “an egregious act that cannot and should not be tolerated.”
*******
Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Among those who got up to talk were some residents who are frequent speakers, from Tim Gamache to Lewis Michaud.
I thought I’d give you all a taste of what gets said during the public’s section of the meeting.
First up was Stan Orzell, who is seeking a sign change on Route 69 near the Wolcott town line. His request sounded eminently reasonable.
Next up was Gamache, a near constant presence at municipal meetings. He talked about the “scripted meetings” issue, saying that making outlines is “simply good organization” but he has “serious concerns” that the outcome of the meetings were also orchestrated.
Following Gamache was Tom Doyle, who’s been addressing the council since long before I started attending meetings back in 1994. Doyle called for the city to leave the Roberts property undeveloped and defended the use of the older schools that educators are seeking to close.
Joe Geladino, a Republican council contender, got up next. Earlier this year, he threw in a white towel of surrender to express his disgust for the city’s administration. But last night, he merely blasted the council as “dysfunctional” and told its members that they are “not making the taxpayers happy.”
Mark Blaschke, an independent council candidate in the 2nd District, spoke next to say that existing schools should be renovate instead of pursuing a “really not solid” plan for new ones.
Michaud griped that a lot of people in town are not recycling, pointing to a neighbor who never has a recycling bin out. He said the city doesn’t take action against those who violate recycling rules because “you people are afraid you’re going to lose a vote” by cracking the whip.
Al Cianchetti, who once gave the mayor a failing grade during a long recitation of his record in office, rose to the microphone next. He said that the chief “told me to behave tonight.” He thanked the city attorney for clarifying the public referendum process and took a shot at city Councilor Ellen Zoppo for leaving Councilor Art Ward “out of the loop” in the scripted meeting about downtown last winter.
Finally, Maureen Carter addressed the council.
“I hate what’s happening in this city,” she said. “I hate seeing the decay.”
She said the council created the downtown corporation as a way of passing the buck so it wouldn’t have to deal with the mall issue before the election. Then she blasted the council for allowing themselves to be “led by the nose” on the scripted meeting issue, which she called “an egregious act that cannot and should not be tolerated.”
*******
Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
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