Passions run high
This past week, the following memo was emailed to me:
TO: Town Council Members
Planning & Zoning Commission Members
FROM: Michael A. Milone, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Town Planner Bill Voelker - professional membership
Recently a local newspaper reporter confronted me with information that was given to this reporter from an anonymous source, indicating that Town Planner William Voelker is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and that S. R. Weiner and Associates, Inc. are also members of this organization.
Given the implication of conflict that was made by the individual who provided this information to the reporter, I asked Bill to explain the ICSC organization and the role played by its numerous and varied public sector members. I have attached Bill’s letter of explanation since I feel it is important to share this information with you to dispel any rumors, misunderstandings or misrepresentation of the facts.
In addition, you should know that Bill disclosed his participation in this and other professional organizations during his application process for his position as Town Planner.
I do not believe Bill’s membership in ICSC represents a conflict, nor does it compromise the Town’s Planning and Zoning process. In fact, Bill’s involvement in this organization provides a benefit to the Town.
And here is the text of the letter from Bill Voelker to Michael Milone:
Dear Michael:
The International Council of Shopping Centers is a non-profit professional trade association with more that 65,000 members worldwide. Of these, approximately 4,000 members are from the public sector including planners, economic development officials, city managers, mayors, and members of local boards and commissions.
ICSC has relationships with several local government related organizations and associations including the International City/County Management Association, the International Economic Development Council, the International Downtown Association, the National League of Cities, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
The ICSC Alliance Program was established in 1997 to explore ways to encourage public officials to become familiar with the intricacies of the shopping center industry and to initiate dialogue and develop working relationships between developers, retailers, brokers, lenders, and local government officials. The Alliance Program achieves this through educational and networking opportunities at regional Alliance meetings.
I have been a member of ICSC for approximately ten years. I have co-chaired and have been a moderator at many Connecticut Alliance Program events. In 2006, I was named the Eastern Division Alliance Co-Chair. There are four such divisions, each with co-chairs from both public and private sectors. All of us are volunteers.
The panels that I have moderated included a variety of topics. A few of these are: “Economic Development Strategies for Smaller Communities – Back to the Basics”, September 2003, “Guess Who’s Coming to Your Town- A discussion of market analyses, small business assessment, and niche identification”, November, 2005, and “It’s Not Easy Being Green….Or Is It? – A discussion of the myths and misconceptions of building green and why it is and can be of benefit to developers, retailers, and municipalities.”, November 2006.
The ICSC membership has been very beneficial to my professional development and has given me a body of knowledge and expertise that could not be obtained anywhere else. A substantial portion of the economic base of this community is made of commercial enterprises that pay taxes and provide employment. Those businesses and the Planning and Zoning Commission that regulates them will continue to have the full benefit of that knowledge and expertise.
Very truly yours,
William S. Voelker, AICP
Town Planner
This whole episode is disturbing to me. It seems as though passions are running so high on "northend development" that some people in opposition to this proposed project are beginning to act irrationally and illogically.
Why do I say that?
I say that because the suggestion that "membership in an organization represents a conflict of interest" is absurd.
For instance, if the SEC (Securities & Exchange Commission) or the FASB (Financial Accounting Standards Board) considered making new rules that would have an impact on CPA/accounting firms, then should SEC/FASB employees (who are CPAs) be allowed to provide advice to the SEC/FASB decision makers?
Of course they should be allowed to provide advice. If they are barred from advising on new rules, you're removing a lot of the knowledge and insight from the process.
I'm not certain who called which reporter and tried to "push" this story, but the individual is clearly passionate about stopping this northend development... passionate to the point of being irrational and illogical.
Tim White
Town Council, 4th District
p.s. With regard to the aformentioned "anonymous" source, I want to remind people that if you feel an "anonymous" post here is inappropriate, please tell me and I will consider deleting it. However, I'm not a journalist and do not purport to be one. So I don't feel that every comment here needs to be credited to someone.
Rather, I'm just trying to provide this blog as something of a community service... sometimes to provide information... sometimes to ask for advice... and also to simply hear your thoughts on various topics, in turn elevating the dialogue... all the while though, keep in mind that many of the anonymous posters should be taken with a grain of salt... at least that's how I treat them.
19 comments:
Tim Someone (you) should find out who did this and why.
7:32... I'm curious to know who did this, but I really don't have the time to dig into it.
MAKE THE TIME
10:59 "Recently a local newspaper reporter confronted me with information that was given to this reporter from an anonymous source"
With all due respect, Peter Fitzgerald spent the past few years of his life (he even sent at least one reporter to jail) trying to do what you're asking me to do... get a reporter to identify an anonymous source.
I just don't see me getting you an answer.
If this was Schrumm who told this to the reporter than it would not be anonymous. If he feels strongly about an issue, then he would come out and ask the town planner directly. He is not shy. I have seen some Dems that are strongly opposed to the development write articles. Some people don't like Scrumm but he is not a coward and would say that he gave the information to the reporter.
People need to be careful of what they write. By suggesting that a particular person is the anonymous source, even though the suggestion is conditioned with "if", you inevitably cause readers to think that that person is somehow involved. Imagine a politician says of his or her opponent, "I am confident that my opponent has never taken a bribe." Even though the politician has stated that his opponent is not corrupt, the effect of the statement links the opponent with corruption. Your first thought is not that the opponent is clean but to wonder whether the opponent has in fact ever taken a bribe.
No one knows who is the anonymous source, aside from the reporter and the source. To speculate on the identity of the source is unfair and even malicious to those people who are named. Although many of us, including myself, disagree with Mr. Schrumm's position on the northend development, we have to respect his right to vigorously state his argument and recognize the importance of his position. The last thing we want is to plunge into the development without having considered all the information and ramifications of the development. By pointing out potential negative effects of the development, Mr Schrumm forces us to think carefully about the development and helps to ensure that we will build a life style center that is best for Cheshire.
Time has past Schrumm by. He doesn't have any ability to lead. He doesn't know how the work with people, he is a very ineffective. I am sure that our party can come up with better leads.
You people that are finger pointing make me sick. For all I know, you might be the one who wrote the letter and are purposely directing attention to someone else. I would never mention names, but I bet this was all started by some council person trying to ruin the reputation of another. And I bet it comes from the right side of the table.
a concerned citizen who is sick of all this crap being thrown out there
Thanks Dave, you can run but you can't hide.
Or maybe it's you trying to hide.
White man anger management is needed for George W Schrumm
Thanks, Tim, for cleaning up some of these ridiculous comments. There's another one here you might want to delete like anon 1:01 for example.
sz
Anyone with access to the internet can google someone, something and someplace. It took about 3 minutes to find Mr. Voelkers association with the retailers group. No big deal really. He's involved with a host of positive things that advance his professional credentials and justify his salary. Certainly a decent reporter gets this and perhaps attributing it to anonymous source makes that reporter seem smarter.
You will be amazed all the information, pro and con you can glean by googling lifestyle centers.
As for you Schrumm bashers the truth hurts sometimes and listening to what he says at the very least is his attempt to bring clarity to those of you with the foggy vision ready and willing to jump into change for the sake of change. If you share his interest in cost benefit anaylis, long range community goals and areawide impacts and do research as he does it will be to your benefit. You may come to the same conclusion or a different one but at least you did some digging.
On another note...all you "Republicans" stating that the Democrats have it right are really being intellectually dishonest. You're not Republicans. Your just lazy, haven't changed your status with the registrar and quite frankly don't deserve the association anyway.
Anon: 10:10 p.m:
Instead accusing the unamed reporter of making something up and defending Mr. Schrumm (who really doesn't have a problem with development as long as it's "his kind" of development, why not consider how he got a copy of one of the conceptual designs for the lifestyle center. He claims that someone sent it to him, but my question is did he use his position as a councilman to obtain it from a source within W/S Development. He's certainly entitled to do that as a councilman, but he should have asked for all the other conceptual designs and should have shared them all with the entire council, not just with people who agree with his view of life.
"The truth hurts?" Right now the only "truth" is some elected officials want to be both judge and jury - and not let elected members of the PZC do their jobs - and instead of questioning these folks motives, some people are willing to be walking, talking lemmings, spouting the party line as they march into the sea.
Anon 10:10 All of what you said may be true, but the facts in this case are that a person approached the reporter. And that person knows who he is and why he did it, his intentions were not pure.
Regarding the February 2007 uproar over Bill Voelker being a member of the ICSC it is important to also point out that he is a paid consultant of the Konover Development. I think someone should check his conflict of interest form at the Cheshire Town Hall. It is odd that a Town Planner is also paid by a Developer.
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