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At The New Britain Council meeting held on December 10th I was completely shocked to watch the Democratic side of the isle select Sherwood’s puppet that he called to ask this individual if she wanted to go back onto the Board of Education. This selection was made after three council meetings with the selection being the topic of discussion and having a multitude of parents, former Board of Education members, teachers, and many concerned citizens speak on behalf of Jamie Giantonio as being the right choice and that was the choice of the RTC to fill this existing board vacancy. Many who spoke referred to the former board member as being unworthy to fill this vacancy because of her argumentative disposition during board meetings rather than to discuss issues being presented in a polite manner. They also mentioned that she had missed approximately forty per cent of the meetings when she was a board member. Many who spoke did so for the sake of the school children that the school district and its board members are there to protect and to preserve each child’s educational interest.
Mr. Sherwood, being a Democrat, was out of his realm to be involved with a Republican replacement or was it that she would make a good puppet since, is was reported that, she is a former employee where Mr. Sherwood works.
For the Democrats to ignore the many speakers who made substantial presentations supporting Mr. Giantonio’s appointment was somewhat appalling to watch, as all these comments made by the voters of this city in support of Mr. Giantonio were completely ignored by the Democrats--showing that they posses all the power and the voter’s wishes mean absolutely nothing to them. Like sheep not one democratic Alderman voted with his good conscience but that of the dictates of the leadership.
Hopefully, on Election Day, these voters will remember who chose to ignore them. One thing is for certain, I intend to be right here to remind them!
40 comments:
Mr. Trueworthy in his address last evening, pledged his committment to Ms. Jacobs again and voted to override the mayor's veto motion. He felt Leslie Jacobs was the most experienced to take the job. He did state that her new position would most likely be a temporaryone due to the large support of Mr. Giantonio. Mr. Trueworthy also implied that once Mr. Giantonio ran for the office he would then get the opportunity to serve on the BOE and that he felt he was equally qualified? Mr. Sherwood also stated that he has decided that Jamie Giantonio is equally qualified and he found this vote difficult? Mr. Sherwood asked Ms. Jacobs to take the Republican seat
himself! How can he find the vote difficult? Do these two council members have any idea what their talking about? Do they hear themselves? We are listening and what we hear is contradiction after ontradiction.
The remaining democrats don't have anything to contribute other than
to fall in line with Trueworthy and Sherwood. This just opens the door again for the reasoning behind ignoring BOE members, parents, teachers and taxpayers who spoke in support of putting the father of two and business professional into the vacancy now.
From an outside perspective it would seem either a political power play or there will be decisions on the BOE that the democrats will need her vote.
The bottom line voters, the children of The City Of New Britain are being let down again
and so are your hard earned tax
dollars.
In one of his rants last night the Majority Leader talked (and i am paraphrasing here- not quoting) about how the Republican party "could not even put up people in all the state Rep Races, and that the candidates they did have, could not even show up for debates" He then went on to say "and now this is the MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE WORLD" I say to that- Yes, Mr Majority Leader, this is important. To parents of school children in this town, the people looking out for their interests IS a concern. That is why people showed up. That is why people blogged about it.
The council proved last night, they only care about doing what they want - they do not care what the public thinks. They want Ms. Jacobs on the board, so there is one less person to question what Dr Kurtz and the current board do. Temporary or not- there is alot of damage that can be done by one person.
A quote that was said that last night was that Ms. jacobs said she was only doing this to "stick it to the Republicans", if that is true- it just makes this appointment and this council even worse in my mind.
This is a political game, and like all games there is a loser. In this case it is the children in the city of NB.
I hope that people remember this next year when it comes time to vote. This council has no fear- no fear of not being re-elected. As long as they "fall in line" and get the nomination they feel they will get elected. 11/03/09- mark it down, and remember these games.
Frank, I hesitate writing this as part of me am motivated to encourage your electoral delusions but feel compelled to write none the less.
The same people that came out last night were the same old same old for the most part that would not normally vote dem anyway. Maybe that's up for debate.
My point, you harp on the veto as if the sky is falling yet the city is absolutely depleating it's reserve money at a fantastic rate...WHAT DO YOU THINK VOTERS CARE MORE ABOUT? A 9 month vacancy or a nearly bankrupt city hall?
Seriously, we know were the economy is and where it is likely to go in the near future...we have nothing in savings...and you focus on Jacobs....
Next year is shaping up to be one of the most devastating budget years we've seen in a generation. I know you're brighter than the average person but am surprised Frank that you Jacobs should even be on the radar screen.
Based on the newspaper article & this blog we can't wait to see the meeting next week.
Contradictions equal lies.
How can the Mayor work with these guys? How can they be trusted?
How can the rest of the Democrats on the Council trust what these guys are saying? Don't they know they are being brought down?
They lie about the golf course situation, they lie about their involvement in the Board of Education replacement, they are somehow clueless about how they absolve the City of the HUD ethics violations and now they are the champions of "ethics"?
If Leslie Jacobs is so great on the School Board why doesn't the Democratic Town Committee endorse her to run?
In reply to anonymous:
Who stated that my focus is on Jacobs and not the other problems that are faced at city hall?
Let face the problem right on and that is your choice for Jacobs:
I listen to the many speakers just as you have but I chose to listen to the speakers and support the better choice of the two seeking the same spot--- why didn’t you?.
You will hear from me, in the future, on how bad your council membership has planned for the bad economic time we are faced with.
So please wait for my remarks regarding that issue.
I take offense for being blasted for my choice or am I missing something? Isn’t this still a democracy?
to anonynmous- "WHAT DO YOU THINK VOTERS CARE MORE ABOUT? A 9 month vacancy or a nearly bankrupt city hall? "
I think the 2 go hand in hand for next year. Ms Jacobs will be nothing but another rubber stamp on whatever outrageous budget comes from Dr Kurtz. This is a huge budget year, no doubt. What was needed on the board was someone who WILL QUESTION THINGS, not another lemming.
Once again this council has dropped that ball and failed the majority of the people that elected them. I say majority because there are some who wanted this, for political reasons of course!
I am a republican that votes with
careful thought and consideration contrary to the democrats on our council. Several of them will not receive my vote this year. Don't assume that those who spoke on behalf of Mr. Giantonio only vote the republican ticket. You are right about the same people coming
to council meetings. We need more
people to get involved. Based
on how the voting goes with regard
to most council members ignorance is bliss.
As for the economy and the budget,
if the democrats had gotten their
personal "wish" they would have given approval to letting the current restaurant keeping running
at the golf course regardless of it's financial capability putting the city taxpayers at risk for a
bail-out over there.
Last nights meeting was unbelievable. You need to watch it.
I hope the public is paying attention. Leslie Jacobs is quoted as saying that she is only taking this position to "STICK IT TO THE REPUBLICANS." What she is openly admitting is that she is taking this position as part of a sick political game, and that she fully intends to use your children as pawns in her demented politics.
This fiasco about the Leslie Jacobs appointment to the BOE is the Democrats trying to take control of the Republican Party...Guess what? It ain't gonna work!!
The voters aren't going to forget..when it comes to our children's education, and improving the business environment of our city, this will be the year they get out to vote for a new council altogether...More letters to the Editor (if the Herald is still around) over the next several months should be a constant reminder of the inadequacies of Sherwood, Trueworthy, Catanzaro and others. It's time for the residents to take over!!
The Democrats are drunk with power.
We only need to look to Illinois to
see what can happen in this situation.
Frank,
Mr. McNamara is correct when he says that city hall is nearly bankrupt, but what he fails to do is take responsibility for it. It is the council Democrats under his stewardship that have run this city right into the ground. The best thing Mr. McNamara could do for this city is resign, or excuse me, let me write in simple one syllable words even he can understand: quit.
If this city is broke, there is no one to blame but Mr. McNamara's elitist Democrats on the council. What this city needs is CHANGE, CHANGE, CHANGE, and the time for change is coming.
That big broom is going to sweep across the council in next Fall's election, and last night the Democrats helped to hand that broom to the Republicans.
I hope the public is paying attention to the elitist attitude about all those parents, teachers, taxpayers, and citizens who took time out from their busy schedules to address the council last night, and the elitist attitude of these Democrats is to dismiss their views as being of "the same old same old" people.
Last night they chose to ignore you, but on November 3rd it will be your turn!
Did we ever get an answer as to which one of Phil Sherwood's statements was the falsehood?
When you issue two statements that totally contradict each other, it is clear, at least to the rest of us, that one of them was fabricated, Mr. Sherwood.
For those of us that are paying attention, we see you for the liar that you are.
These Democrats on the council are drunk with power and are using our children to further their socialist agenda.
Jamie Giontonio said:
Mr MCNamara-
"McNamara said the record of the Mayor and Carver on education and addressing the school district's fiscal challenges has been "abysmal" over the last two years. "If I were a member of the City Council concerned about the quality of education the last person of either party that I would pick would be a rubber stamp for the Mayor," said McNamara.
Do you know me? Have we EVER met? NO, so then dont call me a rubber stamp for the mayor. I did not ask to get on this board to simply go through the motions. I asked on this board because I care. I want the schools to be the best they can, for my kids and the rest of the kids in this town. NO ONE, including Mayor Stewart, would pursuade me to vote against what I think is best. I also dont think he would ASK me to vote against what I think is right.
I am insulted and appalled at the nerve you have to say that without even meeting me once. PATHETIC
Congratulations to Mr. Giantonio; for telling the Democratic Chairman of the DTC like it is.
Unfortunately, he too didn’t respect the many comments that the many voters presented to our city council members with only two acting the way the voters suggested they wanted on the mayor’s veto issue.
The Chairman merely continued his push, before the council, through uttering his choice for the republican candidate to fill the vacancy that is known to be a puppet for the democrats. If that isn’t the case then why would Alderman Sherwood have made the effort to selecting her to be the republican candidate that would be acceptable the leadership of the democrats?
I hope and trust that this adverse reaction to your desire to serve our community will not sour your future aspirations to serve our city, in some capacity, with the same vigor you have demonstrated to us all.
Sincerely,
Frank Smith
Dont worry Frank- I am not going anywhere. Actually this had made me realize maybe the Council is what I should make a run at come Novemeber. I guess we will have to wait and see.
Again- thanks to everyone who supported me. I guess you cant win em all!
Jamie,
You should do fine whichever position you decide to run for, council or board of ed. I have spoken to a number of people and you have a lot of supporters who are disgusted over what they did to you, even many Democrats, so you decide what you think is best.
The public is with you whatever you decide.
Someone asked, "How does the mayor
work with the council?" The answer
is he doesn't and they don't work with him. So how then has he been
an effective leader without them?
Mayor Tim Stewart has proven himself over and over bringing new business and continued economic
development to the City of New Britain. The council accuses him of being less than forthcoming, little communication. He has had to manuever around them to get the
job done. From firefighter to Mayor, Tim Stewart has proven himself the only thing that stops
this city is his council. It is time to give him the voter support
he deserves this election year by
providing him a new council with intelligent people that will support him and work with him.
sameoldperson
New Britain needs a Think Tank made up of well meaning people representing all political parties and unaffiliated voters. The group needs to meet on a regular basis to study the issues and make a plan of action to bring it to the attention of voters.
People will forget this latest mess. Many,if not most don't get a newspaper, are not informed or do not care about city government.
We need to elect out alderman all at large to prevent some of the people who should not be representing us to due to a lack of grey matter! I wish we had a better choice for the election of BOE members. We are stuck with ethnic voting.
The squeezing out of Jamie had a good side. It put the attention on the simple minded aldermen who play political games when our city is in dire straits.
It made us realize the frustrations experienced by the mayor.
Jamie will be endorsed for whatever position he wants and will be elected in November. Hang in there, Jamie. We will not forget you.
You are correct. How to reach the voters and keep them informed. By
November there will be no local paper and maybe The Courant will be gone too. People do forget and
the beat goes on with the same old
same old council members. Each of us who has a genuine interest in the success of our community not the success of himself and a few of his freinds, need to step up. We need to bring ourselves to the community and try to make a difference.
Imagine the uproar at the Democratic Town Committee if one of them strayed and didn't vote the way Mcnamara or Trueworthy wanted them to vote?
Remember the Wall of Shame?
Carroll, Kirejcyk, Wiskowitz, .... GONE!
Are Hermanowski & Catenzaro next?
So now we are led to believe by comrade Mcnamara that Leslie Jacobs is a good "republican" and Jamie Giantonio is a "rubber stamp"?
I'm getting confused as to who's the rubber stamp? You can't make this up!
I think any Republican who wants to run against any of the 13 Democrats who voted to override the Mayor's veto simply has to make it a campaign issue that his/her opponent voted to screw our children for a childish political game. Mayor Stewart was 100% accurate when he said it was the council that was acting like children. This is one issue the public won't forget and these 13 demagogues need to be held accountable for their actions. Now the Republican party has 11 months to organize their campaign against these fanatics. Let's hope Mr. Carver is paying attention.
HERALD Sherwood noted that he had never seen such mean-spirited attacks against any person as was leveled about Jacobs.
“This has resulted in physical threats against me and my family,” he said. “To have a threat so serious that the police have to investigate it, my wife shouldn’t have to be worried about that. We need to tone down the rhetoric.”
Bernacki reminded Sherwood he was the one who originally recruited Jacobs.
------------
Huh? What's going on, I don't get it? And is Bernacki saying he deserves threats because he recruited that person?
No one should ever be threatened for expressing an idea, but regarding Mr. Sherwood's comments about toning down the "rhetoric" as he calls it, let us remind Mr. Sherwood that he is the one who turned everything nasty in the New Britain political scene through his dirty political games and contradicotry statements which gave an appearance of an attempt to lie his way out of everything.
Unfortunately, when you call him on his contradictions, that is considered "nasty rhetoric."
I guess the truth really does hurt sometimes.
Oh wait a minute. Don't take things out of context. What Bernacki said was that the rhetoric
came up as a result of Sherwood recruiting Jacobs. Rhetoric is not
physical threats. Rhetoric is Rhetoric (BS) what Sherwood brings to the council. Sherwood was stating that he was having a difficult time making a choice between Jacobs and
Giantonio at Wednesdays council meeting (more BS) and Bernacki said "Why are
you having a tough time, you picked
Jacobs for the appointment" Mr. Bernacki stated that he was not responsible for engaging in any
personal attacks against either Ms. Jacobs or Mr. Sherwood. Mr. Bernacki never suggested that Mr. Sherwood deserved threats.
Sounds like Alderman Sherwood is unhappy because he got caught at his own game. Now we hear about another one of his lies. After all that has been written about how Sherwood actively recruited Ms. Jacobs to be his "chosen one" for the Board of Education, he can sit at the council meeting and tell the rest of the council he is having trouble deciding which candidate to vote for? Sherwood must think the rest of his council members are idiots to even offer such a ridiculous statement. The lies surrounding this appointment are adding up and the rest of us are certainly paying attention, and even if Sherwood's colleagues like the DTC Chairman are stupid, we are not.
By the way Mr. Chairman, how is the appointment of a Republican even a germane subject for discussion at a Democratic Town Committee meeting? Sounds like the party is overstepping its bounds.
Sherwood is nothing but a big cry baby, WAH WAH WAH baby Phil.
Isn't it interesting that everytime you expose Alderman Sherwood's childish games, he goes deep into hiding?
He is hiding. Doesn't want to show his face. He helped Lelie and the whole town is upset with Alderman Sherwood. So just let him hide so his big mouth can not cause any trouble like it has in the past.
Maybe he's not hiding. Maybe he's taking a vacation in celebration of the democratic victories of late...
which Democratic victory? the Governor of Illinois caught trying to sell the Senate seat, and now they have evidence that the new President's Chief of Staff discussed this appointment with the Governor! Sounds alot like the Demratic council filling a recent vacancy.
Sounds like a reason to celebrate to me!
Democracy working at it's best in
this country!
I have an idea, they might be celebrating that the Democratic legislator didn't take the white envelope full of cash because it is a big day for the Democrats that they finally found a Democratic politician with integrity.
There is a first time for everything!
Why is it when 13 democratic council members gang up on 2 republican council members that's democracy and "good government" but when the 2 R's stand up for what's right for the city and its school children the 13 D's call it uncivilized and threatening?
Who threatened whom?
The 13 'rubber stamps' need to be watched carefully. Now "ethics" is being proposed by the unethical?
How many of this group of 13 do you think would refuse an envelope full of cash?
Why is it that when former Council democrat, John Carroll, proposed that Ed Kirejyck (sic?) replace former alderman Sullivan, he was put on John MacNamara's "Wall of Shame", along with James Wiscowicz, Larry Hermonowski, and Paul Catanzaro? Wiscowicz is no where to be seen, Larry Hermanowski is still on the council, possibly because his daughter is married to Senator DeFronzo's son, and heaven only knows why Catanzaro is still there. John Carroll was a good alderman....in my opinion better than Sal Bonola, from the same district ever was. Catanzaro, Trueworthy, Sherwood and MacNamara should replace the others on the Wall of Shame.
To Jamie Giantonio: With all the positive comments made about you the last couple of months, you have a
great chance to be elected to whatever office you run for, whether it be for the Board of Ed, or Council. Just hang in there. You will have the support of me and my family.
Jamie,
You seem to have a lot of support, so you might consider running for the council as an "at large" candidate!
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