Alderman P. Sherwood
Alderman Phil Sherwood’s recent proposal he submitted for council review which would dictate ethics regulations for all city employees and the citizens that serve on Boards and commissions.
This proposal if enacted by the council would be deterrence for city citizen’s desire or willingness to serve our city.
A case in point was when a current commissioner who rose to speak to the council during the public participation portion of their council meeting stating that if this proposed ethics resolution should be enacted by the council he would be forced to resign.
He cannot violate the confidentiality agreements he has with his clients and that his wife who is a medical professional would also be unable to co-sign the ethics form since she is restricted by the Federal HIPPA mandates of confidentiality.
Alderman Sherwood quest to push his power onto the electorate he is elected to represent rather then listening to their wishes. Let’s not forget his ignoring their wishes with his vote to over-ride the Mayor’s veto on the board of education appointment. He made a comment at the council meeting and contradicted this comment in a local newspaper leaving the electorate wondering which statement was accurate and not the fabrication. Another issue that should not be forgotten was the fiasco he created with his FOI regulation costing the Police department a fairly large hole within their current budget.
Yes, Alderman Sherwood continue on pushing your fellow freshman Alderman to go along with your costly proposals to the city’s taxpayers and watch their reaction at the election poles when they say so long to you and the others.
56 comments:
Another brilliant proposal by the freshman councilman.
His proposal would require all elected officials, department heads, board members / commissioners AND THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILY to:
list all of their business associates and acquaintances
list all investments
list all property owned
Immediate family is grandparents, parents, and children.
Acquaintances? Is this the socialist version of McCarthyism?
Class warfare in New Britain?
Wow. What corruption is Alderman Sherwood implying that is going on in New Britain?
Why would anyone want to VOLUNTEER for public service when community organizers get PAID to serve?
What is Phil Sherwood doing with this ethics proposal?
We need ethics reform that is agreed. We can no longer have Paul Cantanzaro telling his boss
Bill DiMaio how it's going to be
or controlling spending and making
votes on the council that affect
HUD but....to ask these questions
such as investments, who your friends are?
Phil, keep it real and one more time.... about the car taxes, do
you have an answer yet?
I too am waiting for Alderman Sherwood to keep his promise to the people and release the information regarding how much in motor vehicle taxes remains unpaid. He promised this information to us months ago, and like most of his promises, it has been an empty promise.
As a commissioner, when I make as much as the Aldermen do for serving, I may consider Sherwood's proposal. However, since Commissioners do NOT get paid, they should not have to disclose what the "esteemed" alderman proposes.
Also, it is no one's business who my friends and acqauintances are, nor who my immediate family members are.
The Gestapo days are over!!
If commissioners attend council meetings on a fairly regular basis, there is a strong possibility they have become acquainted with some, if not all, of the Council members. Would these commissioners be required to list these council members as acquaintances? Would the council members have to list these commissioners as acquaintances?
GET A LIFE...
Gestapo is 100% correct. These commies on the council are way out of control!
Phil Sherwood said...
Frank,
This is pretty interesting. I'm certainly open to learning more about this technology and if New Britain could benefit from it. Thanks for the post,
Phil
November 1, 2008 12:28 PM
FRANK,
Apparently Phil hasn't learned enough yet, or he is a very slow learner, because he hasn't done a thing about implementing this boot to collect one thin dime in overdue taxes. Like anything in this city, if you want something done, you are going to have to propose this to the Mayor, because the council Democrats, like usual, are worthless unless it has something to do with a personal interest (conflicts of interests are everywhere in this council).
Maybe Mayor Stewart could implement it like DeStefano did. DeStefano seems to be looked upon as such a hero over this plan, that West Haven was implementing a similar program. Maybe Mayor Stewart could be the hero for New Britain taxpayers. Anyone who pays their taxes would be happy to know that tax delinquents are finally being held accountable!
38 different cities and town have something just like this on the books, its nothing new. I'm sure that this will be changed at the committee level to address any issues with information requested. You do realize that neither Federal or State law can be overridden by local ordinance, so the hipaa argument isn't really valid. Also if you read the document you'd see immediate family applies to those who live in the persons household, not everyone in their family. This is going to be a process just like anything else, if you all would have some patience I'm sure you will all see the sky is in fact not falling.
You are trying to convince these Democrats on the council who are consumed with their own power that they don't have the power to override the state or federal government? They will never believe you as they believe they are the all mighty authority on everything!
The politics of 2009 will be dominated by a continuation and deepening of the global Depression. Under the guise of stimulating the economy, look for Obama to pursue a radical, socialist agenda that will bring America into conformity with the government domination of health care and the economy that prevails in the European Union. When the dust clears, the economy will still be in the tank. The new president's stimulation packages will do little or nothing to abate the depression, but they will transform American life and politics. For his part, Obama will take advantage of his built-in majorities in Congress to pass his agenda, but will suffer rapidly dropping ratings. By the end of the year, he will be as radioactive as Bush is today.
That will be another step in the clean sweep of the Democrats on the council. By next November, Obama will be as popular as George Bush today, and Democrats will be swept from office similar to the clean sweep of Democrats that were run out of Congress after 2 years of Clinton's administration. Because of all these socialist programs that are doomed to failure, the Democrats will be the party who can't win by next November. The Republican Town Committee needs to start planning their strategies now for an impressive run at all 13 of the City Council seats. All the predictors are that 2009 will be their year.
"Anonymous said...
You are trying to convince these Democrats on the council who are consumed with their own power that they don't have the power to override the state or federal government? They will never believe you as they believe they are the all mighty authority on everything!"
Do you honestly believe that? If you do it might be time for a vacation, even if only for a day. I think everyone is overestimating the thought process that goes into deciding whether or propose an item. Again, this is simply a way to move New Britain forward with other large municipalities. I assure you, neither McCarthy nor Stalin had anything to do with it, if they did we would not be having this wonderful dialog.
These council Democrats are legends in their own minds, but definitely not in the eyes of anyone else in town.
The Tax Collector must be a Democrat, otherwise why would these Democrats be trying to cover up the amount of unpaid taxes she has failed to collect?
And yet they get elected.
Tax Collector is a republican
http://www.topix.net/content/trb/2008/05/e-mail-making-light-of-hindu-practice-violates-new-britain-policy
Then that must mean she is doing a great job, and that is why these Democrats don't want us to know about it, there is always an ulterior motive with this dirty baker's dozen!
TO all the readers of FSSNB the tax collector is a republican elected official. Also the mention of a boot finder,being used in New Haven successfully, is an electronic plate finder that Alderman Sherwood had mentioned he would look into for New Britain’s evaluation to see if it could help in collecting passed due taxes.
Also be reminded that this tool also helps the police departments to locate wanted persons for crimes or are wanted for questioning by other authorities.
Last but not least it also serves as locating unregistered and uninsured motor vehicles that would reduce the taxpayer’s insurance rates when all these uninsured motor vehicle accidents become a thing of the past.
The fact that she is a Republican elected official and they are hiding the total of unpaid taxes means that amount must be somewhat low--meaning in other words that the tax collector is doing a good job. If she were being negligent with collecting the taxes, you know these Democrats on the council would be all over her.
Frank,
Your blog is an admirable effort to keep us informed and your opinions, be they right or wrong, appreciated.
I am just wondering where you found all of these buffoons and village idiots to make these comments..
At any point in time a member of the council, the mayor, the tax collector, should have an idea of
the outstanding motor vehicle taxes. These items are reviewed as
a part of the city budget, I would think? Phil Sherwood working on the council and the budget should
have an answer. A response might be
we billed "X" amount of dollars this year and we collected "%" of
those invoices. Simple. Is this
question going unanswered because the amount is in-significant or because it is significant. Last year we fell short meeting the budget waiting for the Pinnacle Heights deal to close and fill the
gap. What will happen with this coming year's budget? Towns and cities all around us are talking about cutbacks and expected short
falls. Attending council meetings and witnessing what little communication goes on between the
mayor and council, how do they get
down to business with each other
with regard to our budget.
Some of us baffoons and village idiots want to know how our taxes
are being spent and how our elected officials are working to oversee that spending.
Frank:
Perhaps, self proclaimed lawyer Larry Hermanowski and some of the clueless Democrats on the Council could put in a petition to find out how much money is owed the city in unpaid taxes - they already put in a petition to give away wood for home heating. The Dems could get help in this endeavor from DeFronzo aide, Rick Lopes. Rick knows how to get information.
Congratulations to Registrar of voters Ms. Turnrose for calling what it really is: “Communism”
Up until now I have been referring to the ratings of Alderman Sherwood as Socialistic but Ms. Turnrose has introduced the right word for the Aldeman's actions “Communism”
Congratulation Alderman Sherwood you have just graduated from being a socialist to a “communist”
What you should be doing is demanding, of the three Aldermen that were sanctioned by the HUD edict to resign, “to resign.”
Alderman Sherwood doesn’t this solution make it easy for you?
Anonymous wants to know where Frank gets all the buffoons and village idiots who write in. You would be surprised to know how well informed, bright and community conscious we are. I will match my IQ against yours anyday!!
Anonymous wants to know where Frank gets all the buffoons and village idiots who write in. You would be surprised to know how well informed, bright and community conscious we are. I will match my IQ against yours anyday!!
You shouldn't talk to the “the moral alderman from Commonwealth Avenue.” like that. He may put through an ordinance that no one can post on Blogs without full disclosure.
We watched the common council meeting last night. When did they change the channel? We missed the first several minutes channel surfing.
What is up with Alderman Trueworthy?
Hair messed up, tie skewed, continual rambling (sometimes incoherent) and a verbal diatribe with the Mayor. Is he ok?
Oh, Alderman Trueworthy had just lost his cell phone in a Hartford
Parking lot. He was just flustered
and running late and then started
running at the mouth making no sense at all. Hopefully he has fully recovered from technical difficulties.
geez, I wonder what Alderman Trueworthy was doing in a Hartford parking lot in the middle of the night. I just wonder who he might have been meeting that he was all "flustered"?
then started
running at the mouth making no sense at all. why is that news, isn't that how he is at most council meetings?
What a revelation!
I don't think there are too many of us that ever wondered about Sherwood's communist ways.
You would have to be blind not to see it.
If Phil Sherwood wants to start policing ethics in city government, why doesn't he start with his fellow Democrats on the council? We haven't heard a word from him about the serious conflicts of interest that exist with at least three of the aldermen. When conflicts of interest start costing the city money, isn't it about time to do something to correct the problem????
Instead of picking on city employees and volunteers, why don't you go after someone your own size and take on the conflicts of interest in your own house Mr. Alderman?
To the anonymous postings that are clearly coming from Democrats who are displeased about their underhanded sneaky politics being exposed on here, to all you Democrats who keep attempting to portray that this blog has only "5 village idiots" following it, I did a little investigation.
This blog has been online for roughly 3 months. It has received over 122,000 hits in that time.
If the same people checked in once every single day, that would amount to 1355 people checking in once each day for the last 90 days. Since most people are probably only checking 2 or 3 times a week at most, that would mean there are about 3,000 or more people viewing this site on a regular basis.
Of course these numbers are in no way scientific, but certainly show that the readership of this blog is a significant section of the New Britain population, so ignore them at your own risk, especially if you are going to have to win an election in the future.
Sherwood, a communist? What a breaking story....
I think the Village Idiots that person was referring to are the 13 idiots on the council!
Did Alderman Platosh ever find his hot dogs?
Update 12/19/2008: After nearly 10 hours of pushing, pulling, and carrying, CTGOP staff and some stellar volunteers were able to move almost everything from our current office space at 1010 Wethersfield Avenue in Hartford to 321 Ellis Street, suite 501 of the old Harris Building in New Britain, CT.
Many thanks to all those that helped, especially to 2006 GOP candidate for Secretary of State Richard Abbate, whose assistance was critical.
The new space is nearly twice as big as our current digs, and provides us with some exciting new opportunities.
We’ll be able, for the first time, to host training classes in-house so that our candidates can improve their communications skills, learn about web-based tools like Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace, and engage in discussions on key policy questions with the smartest people we can find. It is a good move.
It does mean new numbers for the telephone and fax, as well as the new mailing address. We’ll post all of those as soon as it is all squared away. It will take at least the rest of the week to get everything set up properly.
Welcome to New Britain...
The state GOP is heading to New Britain, apparently to a building that I’m sure those of us from central Connecticut will recognize: The Harris Building with loads of parking at Ellis Street in New Britain, a massive amount of floor space compared to what we’re used to, and some other features, like moving into a City of New Britain with a fabulous Mayor, made this move a winner for us.
Under the leadership of Chairman Healy we’ve held losses down, and maintained a balance sheet in the black despite a very trying season.
Our new, more central (and easier than ever to access) site will lend itself to a greater number of on-site seminars, saving the party even more.
It’s not ALL politics, Healy’s one heck of a good administrator.
The bills are paid, and the exceptionally bright, hardworking staff has been stable with no labor turnover.
All things considered, Houdini himself had nothing on Healy.
If they’re anything like me, the GOP Staff at Ellis Street will be spending lots of time over at the nearby ballpark, which happens to be one of my favorite ballparks in Connecticut.
Obviously, Alderman Sherwood lacks the political "juice" to get an answer to such a question, otherwise he would have kept his promise long ago and provided us with the answer.
awwww Phil, no political muscle!
Looks like there might be a political ethics position opening up in Washington policing Bill and Hillary Clinton as she takes the Secretary of State position. They need to know who Bill's friends are his investments etc. Just
letting Phil know so he can get his
resume in. The city will give you
a good recommendation if it means
we can see you move on, move up and
best of all, move out.
Just another sign that a wave of Republicans will sweep in the Council elections in November!
With everything else these Democratic loons have stacking up against them, now they have to contend with their opponents having the resources of the state GOP right here in town. This should be a great asset and a great resource to the Republicans next year!
looks like NB is well on its way to becoming a red town!
The New Britain Progressive Blogspot: Election 2009- Part Two.
Continuing the series on how the Democrats can win the Mayor's office in 2009 in New Britain:
We Democrats cannot afford to let The Herald or, worse yet, the comment section on Frank Smith's blog, choose for us how he or she will be defined as a Democrat candidate for Mayor in 2009.
Try a little exercise to see how a potential Democrat candidate might fare at this: Google the candidate's name. Since this is a local race, you may want to add the words "New Britain." What comes up? Do you see a news article admonishing the City Council? Do you see the person's listing on the City Hall website? Or do you see a candidate blog with policy positions, giving him or her a head start framing the coming debate in Democrat's favor?
Or utilizing a candidate presence on (MySpace and Facebook) and providing instant direct access to tons of supporters? In other words, do you see someone who has been defined by them, or someone who has already defined himself (or herself)?
Once again, think of Obama. He offered the media a compelling story: A (Community Organizer) from the mean streets of Chicago going head-to-head with the establishment to become the first black President of the United States. Of course, he had a lot of other factors going for him, but he sold the media a story that practically wrote itself.
Right now, the Republicans are winning that battle hands-down in New Britain. The mayor of New Britain provides the media with a natural hero of the narrative: Tim Stewart and his two allies defending their vision for New Britain against that perpetual thorn in their sides, the Democrats on the City Council.
It doesn't matter that the Council is responsible for most of the good decisions that Tim Stewart takes credit for. The Herald, the Courant, the press sees Stewart as the one on a mission. The Democrats are just the impediment. We cannot count on this media to tell our story.
A Democrat mayoral candidate, and the party at large, needs to understand and see how these gatekeepers of the public consciousness can and should be bypassed this time.
The task before us Democrats is to build up a Hero candidate who stands for what the people want to see done, and equally important, recast Mr. Stewart as the villain of the piece. We have the ammo to do it, we just have to know what will stick. What makes a better villain, the mayor who fixed up the roads by giving no-bid contracts to his campaign donors, or the Man Who moved Pinnacle Heights into a Tech Zone.
I don't know anyone who would miss Sherwood if he moved on to a job in Washington. Good riddance to this cancerous boil on the butt of this city.
I'm not sure anyone wants to be citing Obama as a success the way Mr. McNamara is doing in his blog.
Does anyone think it is a coincidence that the stock market crashed 1200 points the day after the election? Just news of a socialist taking over this country has devastated not only our economy, but the threat of the end of capitalism in the world has crippled the world economy all because of one man. You don't have to be a Republican to think this either.
Dick Morris, a prominent Democrat who worked in the Clinton White House recently wrote this:
The politics of 2009 will be dominated by a continuation and deepening of the global Depression. Under the guise of stimulating the economy, look for Obama to pursue a radical, socialist agenda that will bring America into conformity with the government domination of health care and the economy that prevails in the European Union. When the dust clears, the economy will still be in the tank. The new president's stimulation packages will do little or nothing to abate the depression, but they will transform American life and politics. For his part, Obama will take advantage of his built-in majorities in Congress to pass his agenda, but will suffer rapidly dropping ratings. By the end of the year, he will be as radioactive as Bush is today.
Not something too many people will want to be close to, is it McNamara??????
Remember the clean sweep on Capitol Hill after 2 years of a Clinton Administration. You ain't seen nothing yet!
Let's see who will be the DTC pick for the 2009 elections? hmmmm... Paul? Phil? Michael? Phil is going to Washington with his ethics reform program, Michael is suffering from some sort of early
confusion, that leaves Paul! Ding! thats it we can clean up his ethics
issues by electing him mayor. He can leave his job, his post at HUD
need we say more. Mayor Paul Cantanzaro its a done deal. Just don't plan any fundraisers or parties over at the Golf Course. Remember Paul voted NO to the golf
course re-do.
Sorry about the democratic ladies on the council they never have anything to say. They just sit there, stone faced. Except maybe
Susan B. she speaks up now and again, she is nice but votes straight down the line with her party and I know she is smarter than that.
Excuse me, isn't it 13 painful boils?
Has anyone seen filthy Phil this weekend? Hopefully he is working on cracking the combination for that big safe where they keep that heavily guarded secret of how much remains unpaid in car taxes. Why else would he have completely failed to keep his promise to us?
"Sorry about the democratic ladies on the council they never have anything to say. They just sit there, stone faced. Except maybe Susan B. she speaks up now and again, she is nice but votes straight down the line with her party and I know she is smarter than that."
You must be kidding...Susan Bielinski talks, talks, talks, and hardly says anything! Could it be caused by osmosis, from being "friendly" with Michael Trueworthy?
Phil, do the city a big favor and take Catzanaro with you when you go!
If the voters of New Britain wake up and see what the 13 Dem simpletons on the Council do all the time under the direction of Sherwack, Unworthy and Chatty Cathy (Bielinski), perhaps NB will have thousands of sheriffs sweeping out corruption in the Dem ranks!
Frank:
Imagine if NB taxpayers had to wait for the ethically challenged Dems to come up with an untainted idea for property tax stability and ethical conduct! The mangy group of Sherwack, Unworthy, Chatty Cathy, Catanzero and Blogo Hermaowski would be speechless. The other eight dimwits would as usual, be silent.
Do those other 8 dimwits ever even have a thought of their own? The way they all speak, I am not sure if they are not 8 mutes!
Subject: The Saga of Court Hearings on Municipal Code of Ethics....?
The Government Elections and Administration Committee took a step forward toward eradicating political corruption at the municipal level when it approved a bill that would force all Cities and Towns (like New Britain)to adopt a code of ethics by 2007.
The substitute bill calls for municipalities to establish procedures to investigate allegations of misconduct by its public officials, public employees, and paid consultants.
The state has yet to pass its own contract reform package. The General Assembly has passed legislation toward that end three times, but Governor M. Jodi Rell vetoed all three attempts. State Rep. Christopher Caruso, [D-Bridgeport], said that municipalities, like the state, routinely award multi-million dollar contracts and in most towns there is no process for the public to address the behavior of public officials.
Two Glastonbury residents, Karen Emerick and Dana Evans, know what Rep. Caruso means all too well. They were in Hartford Superior Court filing writs of mandamus to enforce their legal rights. Since 2003, Emerick and Evans have been asking the Glastonbury Ethics Commission to specify how the public may initiate complaints alleging a violation of code, or how the public might request access to the commission's advisory opinions.
They say they have yet to receive an answer, though Karen Emerick says she was told on one occasion, in letter from the ethics commission chairperson, that the commission would not accept complaints directly from the public. Evans said she had wanted information on a code that would allow public officials to represent a developer and others doing business in the town, but was told advisory opinions are not for the public. If it becomes law, the substitute bill approved by the committee today will change that.
After filing and winning numerous state Freedom of Information Commission complaints and non-compliance actions against the Glastonbury Ethics Commission, Emerick and Evans said they felt they had exhausted all other avenues.
After filing the writ, Emerick said there should be a regional ethics commission, so that people on the commission do not hear cases from residents in their own town. She said she would support a statewide ethics code that doesn’t require public officials to disclose the contents of their bank accounts, but they would have to disclose all financial interests in property and list the names of their limited liability companies and private employers.
The substitute House bill that the committee approved prohibits public officials and public employees from representing private interests against the interests of their employer municipality, and closes the loophole in the revolving door policy so public officials can't take jobs with private companies that do business with the town.
Before it can become law, the bill still must be approved by the House, the Senate, and Governor Rell. Susan G. Kniep, former East Hartford mayor and President of The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayers Organization (FCTO) said that every time a public official writes a local ethics code for a town so that in the future he may, as an elected or former official, do business with the town - then the taxpayer again loses his/her shirt.
Without strong ethics laws on a local level, common sense tells you that local elected officials cannot and will not police their own, said Susan Kniep, President FCTO.
Posted by Anonymous to Frank Smith Says NB at December 24, 2008 8:18 PM
Phil Sherwood is not interested in strong ethics; he's interested only in making trouble for the Mayor. How you say? Filthy Phil knows that many commissioners are NB business people. If his cockamamy ethics proposal goes through most of these business people (all are volunteers) will have to drop off of commissions. This provision would thereby cripple public volunteerism, even for Democrats. As for elected officials; in addition to Hermanowski, Centeno, Gerratana, Bielinski, Trueworthy, Collins, Cruz, Catanzaro, Black and Sherwack, there are emplyees of the School District and the BOE who would have to resign also. Make it easy Phil, propose an ordinance prohibiting employees of the City (all of whom are unionized) from holding elected office. That would include school district employees. Come on Phil, I double dare ya!
After Posting our some fiver years ago that Alderman Catanzaro continue to persist as long has he holds his two positions and that is being an Alderman and a city employee.
THAT IS THE CONLICT IN ITS SELF!
January 5, 2009 5:43 AM
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