Town Hall Talking Points Memo - trash hauling & Richmond Glen
A month ago I detailed the Town's $30,000 advertising budget, noting the obvious influence such a budget would give to Town Hall over the news media. Taking this into account, I offer thoughts on two recent Council votes - trash hauling and Richmond Glen.
Did you notice how the Herald had two consecutive editorials regarding the trash hauling contract? And there were no editorials on the Richmond Glen sweetheart deal $10 easement?
My thinking is that this indicates the level of concern shared by Town Hall and mimics staff's talking points memo given to the Town Hall press corps. In other words, staff sees value in pushing the trash hauling issue, but pain in discussing the Richmond Glen easement.
So when the press ask "what's happening?" You spend your time focused on one issue, but pay little heed to the other.
More specifically though... by continuing to discuss the trash hauling vote staff feels it will hurt Republicans... those same Republicans who ask all those pesky questions about things like the totally unnecessary Public Information Officer title, the take-home vehicles and the field at Bartlem Park that is not yet finished after five years!
Alternatively, staff see value in whitewashing the Richmond Glen deal. And herein lies the quid pro quo... if you rubber stamp all of staff's initiatives, then staff will work diligently to avoid public disclosure of any details of projects that benefit the majority's Rubber Stamp Leadership. We can even find a way to hide the details behind the guise of executive session.
The dirty little secret of how our town government works (you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours) is just wrong and needs to stop. It's time for a change. I wish we didn't need to wait five months.
Tim White
12 comments:
RE: The dirty little secret of how our town government works (you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours) is just wrong and needs to stop. It's time for a change.
“It is high time for us to put an end to your sitting in this place, which you have dishonored by your contempt of all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice.
"Ye are a factious crew, and enemies to all good government; ye are a pack of mercenary wretches, and would sell your (town) for a mess of pottage, and like Judas betray your God for a few pieces of money."-- Oliver Cromwell, 1653
Until the voters in this town really pay attention to what is going on, there will be Town Council's like this current one that will continue to screw the tax payers while they do favors for their friends.
It is sad that when the Superintendant of Schools calls on parents to stand up against cut backs in the education budget, the room gets packed with teachers who don't live in this town or people who don't realize the ramifications of increased budgets.
We need this town to get educated and see what this council is doing to us.
Lets hope the sensible party will get enough canidates to take control of the TC and bring back some sanity.
There are just too many cases of the Dem Town coucil and staff favoring developers, realtors, and giving contracts to the same favorites, without any regard of the cost to the residents.
If it looks like corruption, it most likely is corruption.
How about that Marty Coburn columm about "teabaggers"
Marty, better a teabagger than a d-chebag
How about the school's giving the plowing contract to the same people, without a bid, for the last 30+ years. 10's of thousands of dollars yearly to people who get called and asked if they want it.
Who does do the plowing for the schools? It should go out to bid - not just handed over to the same people.
competitive bidding. We can't have that. The bid might come in higher than we budgeted. Obviously you are some bilgeworthy right wing teabagger insistant on running this town in a transparent manner.
M.C.
how many pw managers take home plow trucks but refuse to use them because they might get damaged? We have the equipment, use it.
In my neck of the woods being a teabagger means something else.
School plowing contracts are given to the same 2 people every year without bidding.
Tim, I challange you to put this to a stop.
There are 2 things to consider
1-the people vote you in and want you to make the right decisions. They seem to want transparancy and competitive bidding on all jobs. They want this.
2-one of the contractors serves on the Cheshire Republican Town Council. Do you dare lock horns with the people that nominate you? How will an attack on a fellow republican look? How will he and his friends like you taking money out of his pocket?
Who do you serve, the party or the people?
You raise lots of points, but this one really confused me:
Cheshire Republican Town CouncilIs it Ruocco, Sima or Slocum who plows snow? None of them had ever mentioned that to me.
As for being concerned about Republicans getting upset with me... I've had some very public disagreements with Council Republicans in the past. Nothing has changed with me.
Finally, this seems to be a point best addressed with the BOE. FWIW, the Council has a $24,000 threshold for services performed by one contractor. Below that amount and the Council will never hear about anything. I'm comfortable with that. I presume the BOE has the same rules and follow them.
my error, its the committee not the council.
1 person reports that he bills about 35000 per year
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