Mayors New Rules For Council

Randy whats the new rules 

This is ridicules now we need motions if a Council person has additional comments or questions after the 2nd  go round of speaking.  What a Circus.  Council is voting on important legislation at times and to prevent any council member from getting a question answered is utterly ridicules.  I would say nothing has changed this week over the last meeting and recall is the only way to solve the stalemate and animosity on council and while we are at it put the Commission/Board members being allowed from outside the city as a referendum to the voters.

Jag, this is Mickey Mouse time in Middletown.

Ok, just home from the meeting and boy oh boy are things sure getting hot in those meetings. The fact the council (Scott-Jones) asked Landen the city is appealing the court case brought against Lenny Robinson and he said the City Manger made me was classic.

Middletown is such a disgrace. I haven't watched TVMiddletown in years, but just got sick listening to the "talkig points" of Becker, Allen, Pickard, and Mulliagn on the rationale for regionalism for the need to go outside Middletown for experts. Frankly, I could care less if someone lives outside Middletown is appointed to a Commission, the question which begs to be answered is what in the hell is the concept of "regionalism" and coopertaion? Aren't you people just sick and tired of these pompous "nothings" dumbing everyone down in the city with these "handler talking points" on "regionalism" and cooperation?

First council restricts the ability for the public to ask questions and expect answers.
Then council moves from city council chambers upstairs with no comments on camera etc.
Now the mayor makes procedural rules that limits council members their speech.

Does anyone have a copy of the mayors new rules.? Betsy Parr is not in her office today.

What are you people whining about....first you criticize the mayor for not taking charge of the meetings and not doing anything about the outbursts, now you criticize him for setting up an orderly process for comments as it restricts "free speech".  First off, all you constitutional scholars on this board should know it's not a "free speech" issue.  Second, why is it too much to ask council members to gather their thoughts and questions and then speak in turn?  Frankly I'm tired of certain council members blurting out whatever silly thought or question comes to mind at any in moment.

As to the 4 to 3 thing .....

 

Sunday December 20, 2009

 

“Middletown voters say

out with the old”

 

Last Sunday while I was picking up a few essentials at a local market, I happened upon one of our city’s more prominent citizens. After the usual introductory pleasantries our conversation turned to the outcome of the recent City Council election. Our chat had little to do with the success of the more mature candidates from the 1^st and 4^th Wards. It was more about the youthful candidates elected from the 2^nd and 3^rd Wards.

 

Who were these kids whose combined ages are younger than three of their new peers on Council? What life experience could they possibly bring to their newly elected civic responsibilities?  Have they ever lain awake at night worrying about putting food on the table, the health of their children or paying the mortgage?

 

To begin with, why did the voters choose youth over maturity? Was it about that old adage “the lesser of two evils” or was it more about a desire to bring real change to our community? Not the kind proposed by traditional candidates in past election cycles, but a generational change that could bring a new perspective to the many challenges unique to our local public sector.

 

Many of us would like to believe that our political representatives can be relied upon to listen, learn, and help promote change that would better serve the interests of the public.  However, all too often when change involves politics, there is little support for anything that may alter the status quo. Those who enjoy power have always demanded influence and the invisible line which separate them from us is rarely crossed by those who are not of the same generation or political persuasion. Youth is seldom trusted with the rewards of political power.

 

How can those elected to serve our community maintain such a firm grip on any opportunity for new blood or solutions to our city’s challenges when the old guard has demonstrated so little skill in solving them? When does middle age, personal wealth, and business connections become the criteria for admission to the local political scene? Why can’t our city also be served by younger open-minded and unassuming citizens who have more interest in serving the public than playing politics?

 

Any new generation has always had to get around the entrenched power brokers. However, be it in business or politics, there will always be the need for new solutions to remedy old problems even if we can’t find a way to build a better mouse trap.

 

According to Fortune Magazine; in the last ten years alone, over 25% of our nation’s successful private sector start-ups were launched by entrepreneurs under 30 years old.

Everything from computer software to communications technology has been a product of new thinking and innovation from the younger generation to reinvent the way things work.

 

If you’re wondering what kind of local young leaders are willing to step up and change the world by working for causes larger than themselves, they can be identified as those who volunteer to work for months on a national presidential campaign or enlist in the military and risk their life for democracy in Iraq.

                                                                           

There have been few times in our nation’s recent history when a group of young people were asked to confront the insanity of war while at the same time work to maintain the fabric of civic trust without which democracy could not survive. If our youth are willing to serve their country or promote social equality on a national or global stage, they certainly are qualified to help govern their local community.

 

The practice of democracy should not just be about average people selecting average leaders. It should be about average people understanding that real change requires true leadership. Not the kind that enforces the status quo but the kind that is more inclusive to the people they represent. It is this type of shared generational leadership which has helped to define the success of the communities around Middletown and is critical to the future of our city.

 

The new kids on the block may have little success in turning Middletown’s ship of state with the current leadership at the helm, but their immediate impact can be to bring voice to those citizens and issues that normally would not be heard. One would like to think the old guard should not be the only ones who know how to use the levers of government to get things done.

 

The time has come to welcome this new generation of public servants to our City Council and offer them the support they need to better represent the community they were elected to serve.

 

In the end, the outcome of our recent city council election may not have set in motion a new era in local politics, but it might possibly mark the beginning of the end for the current one.

 

 

Merrell Wood

 

 

Merrell Wood is the chairman of the Middletown park board, the founder of Middletown Habitat for Humanity, TV Middletown & the “Sink or Swim” pool campaign.

VietVet, do you really think AJ, Laubach, and Scott Jones are the best choices for council?  I agree with Neil, you criticize the mayor for not taking control of the meeting, and then when he establishes rules for taking control of the meeting, you criticize the mayor for...taking control of the meeting.  Do you see your own contradictions here? 

AJ, Laubach and Scott-Jones seem to be more in tune with my ideas about the direction of this town than the others, yes. I see this town going nowhere with the Becker/Mulligan/Picard/Allen camp. I beleive the current condition of the city says alot toward proving that to be so.
Going from the ungaveled outburst to the heavy-handed control mechanism issued by the mayor is extreme. The mayor should have done something when this occured but failed to act. Then, a few days later, he lays this "straight-jacket restrictive crap on council that inhibits free flow of meetings. Not contradictory, IMO- just extreme in his actions.

Look. AJ and Josh are very young and are new to council. Like alot of young people they run the risk of being easily influenced by older people, especially in a city government setting like this that seems to be a den of lions at times. There are indications of vindictivness on council, primarily exhibited by the "group of 4" targeting the "group of 3". Some is out in the open, some kept hidden. I have patience with some shortcomings of people trying to learn. I have no tolerance at all with people who have been around and are running their game with the newer ones. They should know better. Don't remember agreeing that AJ made a stupid comment about firefighter training. Might have. Just don't remember. Bottom line- AJ/Josh are still trying to find their places as they encounter many things for the first time while trying to function within the confines of city government. In addition to that challenge, they are also trying to battle the resistance being offered by Becker, Picard, Allen and Mulligan, who obviously seem reluctant to agree with anything offered unless it agrees with their agenda. It is a "my way or the highway" type of attitude demonstrated by that camp IMO.

Molly how many Recall's have you been involved in?  Ever lived in a city where a recall took place and seen the outcome?

VietVet, from what I have observed, Scott Jones seems to operate with a constant chip on her shoulder, and so does AJ.  So I would claim that While Laubach has some libertarian leanings that I can sympathize with, he seems extreme in his views.  I for one am not willing to give AJ and Laubach a pass for their youth.  Elected position is not appropriate for anyone who is tender of mind/will, and needs time to settle in.