Sadly to read that our former Mayor of New Britain, William McNamara, resigned from the city’s Ethics Board because the common Council rejected the Ethics Board findings against Aldermen Paul Catanzaro, a current employee of the Park and Recreation Department.
The democratic controlled Common Council refused to sanction their fellow member as recommended by the Ethics Board with a 13-2 vote.
The former mayor, who served six terms, concluded his remarks by saying the work serving this commission was a tedious waste of time. It also should be noted that Mr. McNamara is also a retired New Britain School Teacher and is currently teaching part time at CSSU.
The Ethics czar on the Council, Alderman Phil Sherwood, is trying to implement the city of Hartford’s ethics program for review by his New Britain council members.
With his own democratic council members voted along with him against complying with the existing codes.
Much is to be said about trusting this group of their recommendations for new ethics mandates.
Needless to say it will be hard to find someone with Bill's background to serve on the commission he is leaving.
21 comments:
What a shame that former Mayor Bill McNamara resigned from the Ethics Commission...he's about as ethical as anyone can be. The Council should bpw their heads in shame!!
The looney tunes on the council will see this as fabulous news, because they are now free to appoint one of their comrade socialists to the ethics commission, so that they will be able to rig the outcome of future commission votes.
The Fairness Doctrine only applies to radio - not to any other major media source (i.e. newspapers and television). The scary thing is that some of these Communists are talking about not only restricting free speech on the nation's radio waves, but on the Internet like - (Frank Smith Says NB...) as well.
Hmm...United States Democraps taking a page right out of the Hugo Chavez/Fidel Castro/Josef Stalin playbook.
So, we citizens living here in New Britain have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to worry about! Obama - Chains we can't believe in!
You think the dirty 13 were ashamed of the vote? They were ecstatic that they beat down those dastardly Republicans even though a NEUTRAL un-bias committee heard the ethics complaint. It was interesting that a 12 year DEMOCRATIC ex-Mayor sided with the commission.
I cannot believe how proud these 13 are that they can claim a victory against a whooping TWO Republican alderman even though they know one of their own is dragging them ALL down. What dummies!
Come on already. Only the election will purge these characters.
The middle of the road president, Mr. Obama has already indicated he favors "localism" via the FCC instead of the "fairness doctrine".
That approach will be even more effective in shutting down opposition radio voices. In existing FCC rules “localism” refers to a requirement for stations to serve the interests of their local communities in order to hold onto their broadcast licenses.
Obama will then install his "community organizers" that will get the power from the Obama-appointed FCC chief to shut down dissident radio voices.
Just another example of how drunk with power these left wing loons on the council have become. They are saying to the public, through their revolting actions, that they are simply untouchable and what the public thinks matters not to them because they are THE POWER!
Just another example of how drunk with power these left wing loons on the council have become. They are saying to the public, through their revolting actions, that they are simply untouchable and what the public thinks matters not to them because they are THE POWER!
Anonymous says...
I know of nobody who loves New Britain and rails against communistic, socialistic and liberalistic oppression like former Mayor Bill McNamara (The Greater). Sad to say that his work on the NB Ethics Commission will be no more. We in NB are now left with the idiotic and moronic 13 Dems on the NB Common Council to direct us to truth and fairness in government. The "baker's Dirty Dozen" of Council Democrats should be ashamed of themselves.
Anonymous says...
I know of nobody who loves New Britain and rails against communistic, socialistic and liberalistic oppression like former Mayor Bill McNamara (The Greater). Sad to say that his work on the NB Ethics Commission will be no more. We in NB are now left with the idiotic and moronic 13 Dems on the NB Common Council to direct us to truth and fairness in government. The "baker's Dirty Dozen" of Council Democrats should be ashamed of themselves.
The Fairness Doctrine was adopted in 1949 and held that radio broadcasters were obligated to provide opposing points of views on controversial issues of national importance. It was halted under the Reagan administration.
A report in the American Spectator said aides to Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman, California met with the staff for the Federal Communications Commission to discuss ways to again enact Fairness radio Doctrine policies.
The report stated that Rep.Waxman also wanted to apply these renew policies standards to the Internet.
Where was Tim Stewart before Mac resigned? If he had given any support to Mac and did his job with Catanzaro's impeachment, Mac would not have resigned.
Stewart is a lightweight when it comes to doing the tough things. He weighs every situation as how it will effect him. That is not leadership. He is a coward.
Let's give Billy Mac credit for showing his flair for the dramatic, or should I say grandstanding again and again and again.
The former six-term mayor is an ardent supporter of Mayor Stewart and Mr. Salvio and was put there to do the Mayor's sniping.
He's right. The ethics group is a waste of time because it has been turned into a kangoroo court by Stewart and Salvio, as they use it to attack opponents on phony charges. Tell us what thing of value did Catanzaro get or get in line to get from his council action? True enough it was dumb to vote on the ethics report. But you guys got nothing.
But I digress. Back to the former Mayor's credibility on the ethics board. Who wears his Democratic badge and attacks and opposes Democrats at the drop of a hat? None other than the former Mayor who should have the courage of his convictions and register Republican.
Annonymous said...
But I igress. Back to the former Mayor's credibility on the ethics board. Who wears his Democratic badge and attacks and opposes Democrats at the drop of a hat? None other than the former Mayor who should have the courage of his convictions and register Republican.
Perhaps it is that the former mayor attacks unethical behavior, and since the Democrats, especially the council Democrats, seem to be up to their eyebrows in unethical and illegal behavior, who would you have the ethics commissioner go after? Sounds like just another left wing loon suffering from diareah of the mouth.
Anonymous said... But I digress. Back to the former Mayor's credibility on the ethics board. Who wears his Democratic badge and attacks and opposes Democrats at the drop of a hat? None other than the former Mayor who should have the courage of his convictions and register Republican.
Ahh the party of inclusivness, I see you have the memo from the DTC.
If it questions us "ATTACK"
The New Britain Democratic party is becoming a joke.
As they purge the sane members of the party they give more and more power to the ultra liberals such as Alderman Sherwood.
I don't know about the rest of you but I plan on resigning from the party as well.
Maybe if enough of us change our party affiliation in town we can get rid of the current Democratic leadership.
Mr Defronzo is a joke.
Mr Trueworthy is a joke
Mr Macnamara (DTC leader not Billy Mac) is a joke.
Sherwood and his posse are all just pawns of the above.
HOW DARE THEY QUESTION A CONCERNED FORMER DEMOCRATIC MAYORS ETHICS!!!
LOOK IN THE MIRROR YOU HYPOCRITS!
Take a look at the democrats on the town council. Playing partisan politics with FOI. Working to destroy anything the Mayor does weather it is for the common good or not. I implore any sane democratic town council person to begin the process. If someone does not stand up to this injustice then we will again be moving backwards. Progress will grind to a halt. As people look for places to grow and do buisness New Britain will be the last place they want to be.
SOS SOS SOS SOS SOS SOS SOS
When is the Mayor going to intiate the process for articles of impeachment in the House of Representatives (Connecticut Constitution, Article 9, Section 1)
or do we as citizens have to start calling the Governor to get action on this issue? An elected official has committed an offense for which the articulated punishment is "expulsion" so what is so difficult?
Think this will derail Catanzaro's bid for Mayor?
Think this will derail Catanzaro's bid for Mayor? I would like to see him be the candidate, if he hasn't been impeached by then, so we can laugh our butts off at how bad he loses to Tim Stewart.
Our common council serves absoulutely no purpose other than
to create havoc with the taxpayers of New Britain. They consistently
stand in the way of progress, they
fight the mayor on any and all proposals he has just because they
can. The thirteen collectively cannot produce one honest, ethical
person with half a brain. Mr. McNamara is right in resigning because the ethics commission is a waste of time in this city just like the council.
Our family pays into the city $500.00 per month in property taxes
and look what we get for our hard earned money? It's disgusting and
these council members are disgusting it is amazing how they
can live with themselves.
The New Britain Herald (newbritainherald.com), Serving New Britain, Conn., and surrounding areas
News
Ethics chief’s vote protest: quitting
Wednesday, February 18, 2009 10:31 PM EST
By JAMES CRAVEN
Staff writer
NEW BRITAIN — In a surprise move, ethics commissioner William McNamara has resigned in protest of a vote by Democratic members of the Common Council on a recommendation to reprimand alderman Paul Catanzaro.
McNamara, a Democrat and mayor from 1977 to 1989, sent a letter to Mayor Timothy Stewart declaring his resignation as of Feb. 11, at 9:27 p.m., the approximate time and date the council voted 13-2 against the Ethics Commission recommendation.
McNamara said his resignation had less to do with this action by the council than with the history of the council in heeding the recommendations of the commission.
“I was cautioned by those who know better than I that service on that commission would be a tedious waste of time, since its recommendations are blithely and routinely ignored,” he said, adding that he wished now he had listened to the warning.
The resignation follows allegations by alderman Louis Salvio of ethics violations by Catanzaro, also a city employee in the Department of Parks and Recreation. Catanzaro suggested that a landscaping job be done in-house by city employees to save money, rather than employ an outside contractor at a higher price.
Salvio maintained that if the work were done by city employees, Catanzaro would benefit because there was the possibility of his being paid overtime to landscape the area. Saying he would not work on the landscaping at all, Catanzaro voted against hiring the contractor.
A quorum of the commission dismissed the complaint 2-1, but on Dec. 22, commissioner Jill Kemp, a Republican, made a motion to reconsider the dismissal. During a Jan. 21 meeting, the commission heard testimony and added two letters to its investigation. After reviewing the material, Republican commissioners William Dworski, Jill Kemp and Carmelo Rodriguez, along with Democrats Kemp and McNamara, voted unanimously that Catanzaro be reprimanded for two violations.
At the Feb. 11 meeting of the council, all 13 Democrats voted not to accept the commission’s recommendation.
“The Ethics Commission, if one considers how its last several recommendations were disregarded, is apparently past its sell-by date,” McNamara wrote in his resignation. “It is time to take it off the shelf and put it out at the curb for Trash-Away.”
Alderman Phil Sherwood said he was disappointed to hear about the resignation of a person he respected but felt the decision by the council to not accept the recommendation was correct.
“The Ethics Commission plays a very important role in the city, but it’s clear to me this process has been too political, and I hope we can now put this past us and get back to the important work of the taxpayers,” Sherwood said.
He hoped the city would consider revamping how the commission works. “The whole process has been a little too partisan,” he said, adding that by having the mayor appoint the commissioners, there was little chance of objectivity. “I think it’s ridiculous to have cities try to regulate their own ethics. This is something the state should be doing.”
Having local people appointed by local politicians leads to suspicion and mistrust, Sherwood said.
With no ethics violations under investigation, Stewart said he would not appoint a fifth member immediately, but would take time to find a proper candidate.
James Craven can be reached at jcraven@newbritainherald.com or by calling (860) 225-4601, ext. 231.
URL: http://www.newbritainherald.com/articles/2009/02/18/news/doc499ccd723fe6b078308868.prt
© 2009 newbritainherald.com, a Journal Register Property
.........Alderman Phil Sherwood said he was disappointed to hear about the resignation of a person he respected but felt the decision by the council to not accept the recommendation was correct.
“The Ethics Commission plays a very important role in the city, but it’s clear to me this process has been too political, and I hope we can now put this past us and get back to the important work of the taxpayers,” Sherwood said.
He hoped the city would consider revamping how the commission works. “The whole process has been a little too partisan,” he said, adding that by having the mayor appoint the commissioners, there was little chance of objectivity. “I think it’s ridiculous to have cities try to regulate their own ethics. This is something the state should be doing.”
Having local people appointed by local politicians leads to suspicion and mistrust, Sherwood said.
With no ethics violations under investigation, Stewart said he would not appoint a fifth member immediately, but would take time to find a proper candidate ...........
Is this not the most absurd statement yet from Sherriff Sherwood???
Alderman Sherwood of course local politicians and should be making local decisions. The ethics commission is set up per the city charter. You and your merry men had every opportunity to question the appointments made by Mayor Stewart.
Partisan politics is your game. Ned Lamont taught you well.
Please stop with the, I admire and I respect garbage.
It is clear that the democratic town committee has chosen a hostile approach to governing New Britain. You my friend are a political hack. You and your merry men have erected obstacles at every turn.
We should not be changing our charter and ordnances to suit the Democratic Party.
Your friend Alderman Catanzaro is in clear violation of the current ethics rules. He should be reprimanded or expelled.
Though you haven’t run afoul of the letter of the ethics rules in my book you are the most unethical person on the council.
What ever happened to Alderman Trueworthy? Why does he not address these issues? Why is he leaving it to a freshman Alderman to speak for the majority party?
If I were you Alderman Sherwood I would be concerned about the silence. History says that when one of the town committees attack dogs doesn't get result they usually don’t get support.
Wouldn’t that be ironic?
Frank seems that this is a national problem. I guess we shouldn't be surprised though. Chris Murphy, Chris Dodd Ned Lamont and all the other national democratic politicions must be training our local boys. See Analysis: Democrats self-destructing over ethics. An associated press article by
By LARRY MARGASAK
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j44ku9zUM9IEdkkoWbIYStDVE6SwD96EH4JO0
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