Obviously electing a left wing loon like O'Brien
isn't a way to run a city, and electing a young girl certainly isn't working,
so maybe it is time for a charter revision to change the city from a strong
mayor to a city manager form of government. At least then the council can hire
a professional to run the city.
Berlin has a town manager form of government and it seems to work wonders for them!
ReplyDeletethis would strip girlie mayor of all that power.
ReplyDeleteThe legislative body, which is voted into office by public elections, appoints a professional manager to oversee the administrative operations, implement its policies, and advise it. The position of “mayor” present in this type of legislative body is a largely ceremonial title, and may be selected by the council from among its members or elected as an at-large council member with no executive functions.
ReplyDeleteThe city manager position in this form of municipal government is similar to that of corporate chief executive officer (CEO), providing professional management to the board of directors. Council–manager government is much like a publicly traded corporation. In a corporation, the board of directors appoints a CEO, makes major decisions and wields representative power on behalf of shareholders. In council–manager government, the elected council appoints a city manager, makes major decisions, and wields representative power on behalf of the citizens. The city manager is, in turn, responsible for hiring a city staff to carry out implementation of city ordinances.
This system of government is used in 40.1% of American cities.
I agree. Let's professionalize leadership and think long-term instead of just pandering and using gimmicks.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Let's professionalize leadership and think long-term instead of just pandering and using gimmicks.
ReplyDeleteIt should be pointed out that our Mayor, Erin Stewart is working out very well. And a City Manager that the council hires would be 1) the worst thing ever to happen, i.e. they would hire a commi loon like O'Brien, DeFronzo, etc etc. 2) I live in America, here we elect our leaders.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteIt should be pointed out that our Mayor, Erin Stewart is working out very well. And a City Manager that the council hires would be 1) the worst thing ever to happen, i.e. they would hire a commi loon like O'Brien, DeFronzo, etc etc. 2) I live in America, here we elect our leaders.
You elected your council leadership, did you not?
The people have spoken and they chose the Democrats to lead this city!
I guess Berlin, Newington Farmington, Southington, West Hartford, Avon, Meriden Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Cheshire must all be in some other country because they all have a professional town manager form of government and it is immensely popular in those unAmerican towns!
ReplyDeleteThe truth is that an elected mayor with the power of a burgermeister is actually a rarity in this area as most towns around here are run by the town or city manager who works directly for the common council and the mayor is nothing more than a ribbon cutter with absolutely no authority whatsoever. Simply a figurehead.
...and a little child shall lead them!
ReplyDeletewouldn't we all trust Trueworthy to be the boss of the city manager?
ReplyDeleteI am all for a city manager form of government. While we are revising the City Charter, let us go back to 15 aldermen or women at large. That way we will get rid of some of the "dummies" who keep getting reelected in their districts but would lose by a landslide if we elect everyone at large!
ReplyDeleteThat last post makes me picture Adam!
ReplyDeleteWhy not do it like O'Brien's home town of Manchester? There is no election for mayor. There is no town council. The town is run by a board of directors just like any multi-million dollar corporation.
ReplyDeleteThe board of directors, after being elected by the people (much like stockholders in the corporation elect their board) then select the CEO from among their own ranks.
Council-manager government combines the strong political
ReplyDeleteleadership of elected officials
with the strong managerial experience of an appointed manager
or administrator.
All power and authority to set
policy rests with an elected
governing body, which includes a
mayor or chairperson and members
of the council. The council in turn hires a nonpartisan manager
who has very broad authority to
run the city. Born out of the U.S.
progressive reform movement at
the turn of the 20th century,
the council-manager system was
designed to combat corruption
and unethical activity in local
government by promoting effective
management within a transparent,
responsive, and accountable
structure. Since its establishment, the council-manager
form has become the most popular
structure of local government in
the United States.
The form is also widely used
throughout the world in countries
such as Canada, Australia,
the Netherlands, New Zealand,
and the United Kingdom.
I'd love to be a fly on the wall to witness the cussing in the Stewart household over this holiday weekend!
ReplyDeleteThe best part is that the city manager will be riding around in NB-1 while her highness walks her fat butt around town!
ReplyDeleteThis is a joke. We are a city, and except for Tim O'Brien, the worst mayor in the history of NB have done just fine. This is never going to happen. Let's look at term limits , and recall elections first.
ReplyDeleteCouncil-Manager
ReplyDeleteThis is the most common form of government. According to surveys by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), this form of government has grown from 48% usage in 1996 to 55% usage in 2006. It is most popular in cities with populations over 10,000, mainly in the Southeast and Pacific coast areas. Some examples are Phoenix, Arizona; Topeka, Kansas; Salt Lake City, Utah and Rockville, Maryland.
Lets do RECALL ELECTIONS !!!!!! This way we can vote out Trueworthy, Sue B, Adam P, and Dave DeFronzo.
ReplyDeleteRecall elections are not allowed in this state. Once they are elected, they own that seat like a piece of property and you are stuck with them for their entire term no matter what they might do (like yelling at local business owners calling them fagots and cock suckers).
ReplyDeleteThe gays and lesbians probably still came out in force for Trueworthy because all they care about as a group is that D next to your name. As long as you are a Democrat, it doesn't matter what you do, liberals are going to support you no matter what.
ReplyDeleteThe gays and lesbians probably still came out in force for Trueworthy because all they care about as a group is that D next to your name. As long as you are a Democrat, it doesn't matter what you do, liberals are going to support you no matter what.
ReplyDeleteThe gays and lesbians probably still came out in force for Trueworthy because all they care about as a group is that D next to your name. As long as you are a Democrat, it doesn't matter what you do, liberals are going to support you no matter what.
ReplyDeleteROFL at the reference to the girlie mayor!
ReplyDeleteI thought the mayor was Irish. I read in the paper today she will be wearing a crown for 3 Kings Day, so I guess this week she is Puerto Rican?
ReplyDeleteare we supposed to kiss her ring or her butt?
ReplyDeletea tall black pointed hat would be more appropriate!
ReplyDeleteWhat are you democrats 5 years old ?
ReplyDeleteOne term wonder. Here comes Donny Boy.
ReplyDeleteDonny Boy and Danny Boy, what a radical communist team!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteWhat are you democrats 5 years old ?
You give Democrats a lot of credit. They usually act like they are about 2 years old. Look at Trueworthy and his childish antics!
And one that knows how to win.
ReplyDeleteBut what isn't Erin Stewart doing? I can't imagine the city running any better.
ReplyDeletefyi, I live in a city that's run by a professional manager and we're supposed to have a part-time mayor.
It doesn't really work as its supposed to and certainly adds a big expensive salary to the budget. It also gives the mayor cover because they can say it wasn't me for anything the people don't like.
If Terry Gerratana can beat Tim Stewart like she did for senate than it's safe to say that Don Defronzo would beat Erin Stewart by a larger amount.
ReplyDeleteGreat story on the budget today in the Herald.
ReplyDeleteObrien is so clueless, I'm surprised he can make it out of bed in morning.
I am a big fan of Miss Stewart and think she is doing a fantastic job. Still I am in favor of a Town Manager, Also, a council forced to have 7 from each party and a mayor in name voted in and not appointed.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteBut what isn't Erin Stewart doing? I can't imagine the city running any better.
How about the massive increase in parking fees which will certainly drive away any small amount of customers New Britain businesses may have had left?
I drove through downtown yesterday afternoon and it was like a ghost town in the middles of a work day!
but I did see the fancy new cruiser the parking enforcement person was tooling around in!
ReplyDeleteThis case was clearly a case of a witch hunt and a calculated maneuver by our Republican friends in an attempt to forcefully take control of The City Council. Besides that I wish to know the amount of money that has been wasted and I hope the voters held these Representatives accountable for wasting our Tax Payers money...All of you ought to be ashamed of yourselves!
ReplyDeletecreating a city manager form of government is a witch hunt?
ReplyDeleteHow so?
Whoever posted about Manchester is wrong. The Board of Directors is elected like the Aldermen at Large are, but the Mayor is not "decided" by the Board of Directors. It is actually merely the person who received the highest number of votes out of all of the elected directors.
ReplyDeleteA town manager isn't a bad idea, but it also isn't a perfect solution. The town manager model is very similar to how a school board is run. The elected officials hire someone to handle the day to day administration. And just like there are good and bad superintendents, there are good and bad town managers.
"I drove through downtown yesterday afternoon and it was like a ghost town in the middles of a work day!"
ReplyDeleteOK when was the last time it wasn't a ghost town? Or filled with bums, drug dealers or hookers?
Erin Stewart's only been mayor for 1 year and you try to blame her for everything under the sun when the reality is that she's done a pretty good job cleaning up Obrien financial mess.
If she can finish fixing that, then she can move on to other things, but it needs to start with the budget. (and she's done that!)
A council-manager government will certainly be more expensive, so I think this must be a Democratic idea to create patronage jobs.
ReplyDeleteStewart's soundly managing the finances, but her predecessor Obien could've used a lot of help.
Let's forget the manager and just reelect Erin! Why waste the money when you don't have to?
Not more expensive since you can eliminate the mayor's salary since once the manager takes over,the mayor would no longer serve any purpose whatsoever!
ReplyDeleteGet real, no mayor's going to cut their salary to 0.
ReplyDeleteNice thought, but it'll never happen.
And how do you hold the manager accountable when they screw up? The people can't elect a new manager. And the mayor's going it say, I didn't raise taxes, the manager's in charge of that.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteA council-manager government will certainly be more expensive, so I think this must be a Democratic idea to create patronage jobs.
Most of the area towns that have a Manager form of government are also run by Republicans and have tax rates in the low 20 mills.
What you have now with tax and spenders in office is giving you more than twice the tax rate of any town around here that is Republican and run by a town manager.
Sounds like maybe you are a Democrat trying to protect union jobs so that the unions can continue to send all that money to the campaigns of Democrats.