Council mtg 7/10
Ramblings from a tired blogger...
4) Consent calendar - David Schrumm voiced his opposition to including a request for a grant for the fire department's ladder truck.
6A) Post Office - the perpetual standstill continues.
6B) Culvert collapse funding - I opposed this because I feel the property owners should be required to pay for part of the funding of the $530,000 project... with rights (to develop) come responsibilities (to maintain). I asked about the maintenance records of the culvert/tunnel for the past few years, but no one at the meeting could speak to my question. This motion passed 7-2 (Schrumm, White opposed).
7A) Update of Veterans Memorial Plaza - thanks to my dad and Ernie Dipietro for having gotten this motion passed. They've both worked hard for many years to ensure the men and women who fight for us are shown proper respect.
7C) Bid waiver for tasers - At my request, the Town Manager provided details on the total number of contracts (and dollar values) that have had bids waived during the past year. (If you exclude the $530,000 culvert costs) I think... the town has had four of 27 bids waived. And they were for a total value of $80,000 for $2,700,000 in contracts. Furthermore, those four contracts all related to "sole source" purchases. Anyway... I know people have raised concerns about the town overusing bid waivers, but IMO, we don't. Aside from the bid waivers though... we got quite the taser show. I hope the full effect is caught on The Henry Channel.
7D) Town Manager's contract - I said my piece during the meeting. I could add more here, but the list is long... and detailed and nuanced... so I'm not planning on doing it. I will point out though that... for all the points I raised tonight and elsewhere, I've had both Council members and numerous residents agree with me that my concerns/disappointments/frustrations are completely valid. And frankly, the only disagreement I've found has been with various Council members. Regardless, I registered my concerns with my vote. The motion passed 8-1 (White opposed).
7E) Town Manager's Goals & Objectives - my only comment is that I was glad to have gotten one additional point into this document... "explore the possibility of adding videotaped meetings to the town website." As I said... this gets to the heart of transparency and accountability. Not that information is unavailable, but with today's technology... information should be much more easily available than it already is. Anyway, my goal is good government and I feel this could only help.
12A) Committee reports - I mentioned that the town is saving money by using biodiesel (B20?) and that the Bowmans should be opening their biodiesel factory in Cheshire this month... which is great news on a number of different levels... more on the town savings in a different post... probably later this week.
signing off...
Tim White
Town Council, 4th District
14 comments:
Once again schrumm votes against public fire dept
good job dave
What's up with that? Why?
Tim, you've taken some lonely positions in asking good questions and making good points. I'm sure some of your colleagues would rather you just go quietly along. But I applaud your honestly in demanding accountability from town agencies, employees, and the council itself. And despite some nay-sayers, I think most voters agree.
Your statement in regards to the culvert collapse is interesting. "with rights to develop come responsibilities to maintain". I could not agree with you more, I hope that thought carries over to the Strathmore Dam.
It's rediculous that taxpayers pay for Bowman and Calcagni's culvert.
They sam people that will be selling our schools and we will then have to pay to educate all the kids that will be going into their apartments.
"What's up with that? Why?"
I just watched the replay of the meeting and as I heard it, the fire truck was incorrectly listed as a "replacement" when it actually is a new truck. The council hasn't approved the purchase of a new truck yet the consent calendar included a grant request to put towards a new truck. It does seem to me that first the council should discuss and vote on whether to buy a new fire truck BEFORE a grant request is filed. If the grant does go through then it has to be used for a new truck...but it didn't seem like it would cover the cost. Do we need a new truck?? Who knows. But we'd likely be forced to get one because you can't use the grant money, as far as I know, for anything else. So I can understand Mr. Schrumm's questioning of the whole thing.
When it gets complicated no one ask the right questions. Everybody looks to the TM for answers. He gives them what he feels is the best for the Town but they (TC) should come forth with their own. After all isn't that why we elected them to represent us.
" Do we need a new truck?"
Thank you Dave for asking questions. Why didn't others have questions? That's a lot of money to ask for and granted it is not town money, but we are state and federal taxpayers and there is no free lunch, except for some special people.
Is the need for this truck connected to the W/S development and the 65 ft high buildings and possible new fire station? If it is, let's get it out in the open, instead of slipped into a laundry list of small expenditures. Instead of talking about open govt, let's actually have it.
Let's stop the sneakiness.
MR. SCHRUMM NEEDS TO GROW UP. EVERY ISSUE THAT COMES BEFORE THE COUNCIL IS NOT A SUBVERSIVE PLOT INTENDING TO MISLEAD THE PUBLIC. (FIRE TRUCK, PENSION VS. DEFINED BENEFIT)
HIS TIRADES AGAINST MS. ESTE, MR ECKE (AKA THE OTHER PARTY) ARE AN EMBARASSMENT TO THE TOWN. I AM AN INDEPENDENT AND JUST WANT GOOD REPRESENTATION FROM WHEREVER I CAN GET IT.
MR SCHRUMM HAS BEEN VOTED INTO OFFICE BY PANDERING TO THE SENIORS IN TOWN. THE SENIORS DESERVE EVERYTHING THEY GET DAVE, BUT SO DO THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN
I'd say Ms. Esty's recent false accusations against the town clerk are what's a HUGE embarassment to the town. Totally uncalled for.
I am still not sure that what she said about the Clerk was false. It is wrong that a member of the republican town committee, and a member of the commitee who decides who runs for jobs like the clerk, goes to her and says a end date of a key position is wrong and she reviews it three times and comes to three different decisions? This does stink and there is clearly something wrong.
The council meeting was just a show.
Just to keep some bit of correctness; the fire department has replaced one truck twice and the original truck that has been replaced twice is still in service. It is the old shell game, ask the questions. The fire laddies know that if they use the old fear tactic that will get them what they want. I know, I'm a member of the fire department, and the internal conversations will scare the public.
"the internal conversations will scare the public."
You people do so much for us, please tell us more.
We have too many that do to much to us.
Thanks
"I am still not sure that what she said about the Clerk was false"
Let it go Estey.
Post a Comment