Alderman David DeFronzo's Motion Meets With the Mayor's VETO

FRANKSMITHSAYSNB EDITORIAL:

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Some of the current members of the NB Common Council have been in office since 2003, notably, Mike Trueworthy and Larry Hermanowski. In all the years since Mayor Stewart was first elected, Council Democrats, many come and gone, have attempted - and failed - time and again to tarnish Stewart's reputation. Most recently and for three years, Phil Sherwood, professional agitator and dirty tricks expert was the Council Democrat leader in this effort. Phil had a lot of outside help from certain state legislators, a former newspaper reporter and most Council Democrats. It was obvious when Phil was on the Council that he even scripted comments for other Democrats. Phil's last attempt at a dirty trick was in the latter weeks of 2010 when he teamed with Mike Trueworthy to try to taint Stewart with what has become known as "no-bid-contracts." Phil and Mike targeted, Stewart and Republican Aldermen, Bernacki and Pabon. The public will soon learn why. The issue went dormant for a month or so. Then Phil resigned from the Council on Jan 1, 2011. Phil thought he would get John Geragosian's seat in the State House but was shafted by his own Party. Phil's seat on the Council was filled by David DeFronzo, son of former Mayor and State Senator, Don DeFronzo.



In early 2011, there would be a Special Election to fill DeFronzo's vacated State Senate seat. The candidates were Stewart and Terry Gerratana. Gerratana named Phil Sherwood as one of her campaign managers. Guess what? Phil convinced Gerratana to use the no bid contact lie as a campaign strategy; she used it right up to the end of the campaign.



Enter Dave DeFronzo. The dormant issue of no bid contracts was put forth to the Council again under the name of Mike Trueworthy. Trueworthy was castigated severely by Lou Salvio who said that Trueworthy was unworthy to be a member of the Council. The motion to pass the resolution was defeated. Alderman Dave DeFronzo suggested that Salvio was more interested in how the resolution was presented and by who presented it, Trueworthy. Now, Council rules are, that if a motion to pass a resolution is defeated, it cannot be brought up again until the next Council is elected. So what does brand new alderman DeFronzo do? DeFronzo is duped into presenting the issue again, only, using a completely different tack. Alderman DeFronzo is probably too intelligent to be duped so I will assume he did it of his own accord. DeFronzo presented his, “new resolution” to the Council – no question as to who was targeted. Although the vote was close, it passed.


Kudos to Mayor Stewart for his veto of DeFronzo’s resolution. It was an ill conceived and unfortunate display of partisan politics at its worst perpetrated by a young teacher in the New Britain School System. What a poor example to set for New Britain’s youth. One can only hope that the Council Democrats will not vote to override the Mayor’s veto.