Managing 'His' Future
The Election is over and the people have spoken. If there is one message this election has sent us, it is that our municipal elections have turned into a popularity contest. Candidates from both sides have thrown their fellow party members under the bus to get the popular vote. Both sides have been heard saying “I don’t care who you vote for just make sure you vote for me”. The vote totals seem to back that up. Give the winner a Miss Totoketville sash and let the Council members pick their Chairman. That would elevate the popularity contest.
Our town manager, Karl Kilduff, has tendered his resignation. For those who haven’t been to or seen a Town Council meeting on TV, the town manager seems to have become increasingly frustrated over the past several months with the confusing manner in which the Council has conducted themselves. With the leadership role still vacated and no one seeming able to step up to fill that spot,the town manger has decided to move on. What a great loss to this community. Despite the council’s political games, infighting and inability to move the town in the right direction Mr. Kilduff has always managed to keep his focus on moving the town forward and assuring the residents concerns were addressed.
Our ex Mayor and the Democrat town committee Chairman have apparently decided to make the search for a new town manager even more difficult. They announced in yesterday’s paper their desire to change the form of our town government and eliminate the town manager. That should reduce the application reviewing by about 98%. Nice job guys. Quick thinking. Did I say quick or quit.
12 comments:
Oh no! I've lived in town all my life and Karl is the best we've ever had. When is he leaving and where is he going?
He's staying in CT and going to Darien in January. It's a shame isn't it.
Quit thinking is better.
I heard your bother, Harry, was at DTC headquaters most of the night.
I heard the same thing. New Haven politics at it's worst. Harry has no loyalty accept to himself. Neither party in town really wants him. He's not politically savvy. He's an old style politician....you wash my back I’ll wash yours.
What, Joe and Harry are brothers?!! Now that is town news!
Oh please. Harry is from the Staven Bloggers. No relation.
Umm hello, our towns form of government is acient. There are too many resident to continue with a government that is more like a "parliament of friends" rather then a form of representative government. If you don't get what I mean. Go back to school and take political science 101. The mayors position is a Joke, and so was the Town manager. This is not to say that Karl was not excellent at his job, he was. We must say goodbye to him, and the goverment he once helped run.
If you mean we should elect a mayor or selectman I would strongly disagree. Nepotism is present with the form of government we have now and would only run rampant in the absence of a town manager. The town manager form of government is actually the most prevalent throughout the country. The nepotism that seems to follow every form of government is what is ancient.
Mr. Sweet, there is a comment that has been falsely attributed to Winston Churchill. I don’t know who said it but it goes something like this…..If you’re 20 and not a liberal you don’t have a heart. If you’re 35 and not a conservative you don’t have a brain……Mr. Sweet, you sure have a lot of heart.
You obviously have taken 101. I look forward to speaking with you after you taken 201
There are over 18,000 municipalities in the U.S. and a little more than 2,800 use the council-manager form of government, so it's bogus to say that it's the most popular form of government.
Do some research before you type Joe Blogger. See you in 201!
I did.
From Wikipedia: "The council-manager government is one of two main variations of representative municipal government in the United States. This system of government is used in the majority of American cities with populations over 12,000."
I hope political science isn't your major.
Let me ask you this. Which member(s), sitting on the Council, do you think is qualified to run this town?
Karl has done his best working from within the parameters of his authority. He has persued economic development that can enhance our tax based; something this community lacks. Its time for many of our taxpayers to break out of their glass homes and welcome businesses into North Branford. We are one community - North Branford! The Route 80 commerical project(s) are looking good and I'm sure each one of us will continue to provide support to those businesses just east of the new shopping plaza. What this growing town needs is a unified voice into our furure that can provide relief for old and new families while enhancing new partnerships that will build a better community. As we vitness this growth, town services will need to be expanded; police, fire, public works alwys seem to take a considerable hit at budget time. We, the taxpayers should stand up and support their goals not ask the council members to cut services. The minute a crisis arises who will we blame for lack of service? Blame ourselves! We need an increase in our police force and begin to consider a paid fire department. Why is North Branford one of two communities still lacking paramedic service? How much is a life worth? Is there a price tag attached? Stand up and be heard . . . unite for a better community that serves us with pride.
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