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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Posted: Jan 20 2010 at 10:03am |
Does anyone else recall the last city council candidates’ Forum (the one at the Community Center)??? If so, do you recall a question that went something like this:
ALL FOUR successful candidates said: "YES!" In looking at the record of council’s appointment to "boards, commissions, and the like", Dan Picard and Armbruster seem to have forgotten all about their promise to The People: Housing Committee –Josh Laubach, Anita Scott Jones, Dan Picard Public Safety Committee – Jim Armbruster, A. J. Smith, Anita Scott Jones ***Emergency Management Advisory Council – Larry Mulligan Airport Commission –Dan Picard **Architectural Review Board – Dan Picard **Board of Library Trustees – Dan Picard
***Consolidated Plan Committee – Josh Laubach, Dan Picard, A. J. Smith Golf Course Commission – Jim Armbruster Keep Middletown Beautiful – Jim Armbruster Middletown Clean Community Board - ??????? Park Board – Jim Armbruster Tree Commission – Jim Armbruster Middletown Clean Community Beautification Committee - ??????
A. J. Smith and Josh Laubach seemed to have done better, it appeared that they at least tried (or perhaps they forced?) to limit themselves to committees and only the boards and commissions that are required by charter or ordinance to seat a member of council: Diversity Affairs Committee – Larry Mulligan, A. J. Smith Housing Committee –Josh Laubach, Anita Scott Jones, Dan Picard Public Safety Committee – Jim Armbruster, A. J. Smith, Anita Scott Jones *Citizen Advisory Board to the Middletown Division of Police –A. J. Smith, (Alternate Josh Laubach) *City Planning Commission – Anita Scott Jones (Alternate Josh Laubach) ***Consolidated Plan Committee – Josh Laubach, Dan Picard, A. J. Smith ***Middletown Moving Forward – Larry Mulligan, Bill Becker (Alternate A. J. Smith) *Youth Commission – Larry Mulligan, A. J. Smith [one seat authorized] ***No such thing exists by Charter (to date) or by Ordinance (as of May 1, 2007) in the City of Middletown. **Council seat required by Charter. * Council seat authorized by Ordinance. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Other things to consider:
Does Council follow the LAW with its appointments???
Since advising "the Department of Community Service" is the Park Board’s ONLY function, and the Department of Community Service no longer exists, why is there still a need for the Park Board??? Also, NOTHING in the Charter or The Codified Ordinances allows the Park Board to enter into contracts or otherwise expend public funds, yet they commonly do so with Council’s apparent "blessing". WHY??
Has the Council appointed "the Chairperson of the Middletown Clean Community Beautification Committee" to the Tree Commission??? Do they intend to do so???
Anyone want to hazard a guess how many "members of the commission" have served on other "incompatible" boards??? How many decisions were made??? Here's a clue: § 1225.05 ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD. (a) Establishment. There is hereby established a City Architectural Review Board (ARB). The Board shall consist of three members; one who shall be a member of City Council and two who shall be members of the City Planning Commission. The Director of Planning shall serve as Secretary to the Board members.
"Incompatible offices"??? Let’s imagine that Mike Presta wants to build a new house in Middletown, (remember, we’re using our imaginations) but my wife has her heart set on a gambrel or a mansard roof. So, like a good boy, I apply to the Architectural Review Board (a council member and two members of the City Planning Commission) for a variance. For some reason, they say "NO!" I mumble something under my breath and appeal to the City Planning Commission, where, on the other side of the curvy counter, I see four familiar faces--The three that had already turned me down and the guy from the planning department that recommended against approval!! The Planning Commission says "NO!!" I mumble a few more words to myself, and off I go to make my final appeal to City Council. So I do, but when I get there, something looks vaguely familiar. It’s déjà vu all over again!!! There sit’s the same Council member who turned me down TWICE. In the audience I see the Planning director, who recommended AGAINST me TWICE, by spouting some sort of babble about it was too near and incompatible with the HISTORIC (built in 1974) house around the corner and two blocks down the street where they will be able to see my roof if they hang out the attic window with a mirror duct-taped to a broomstick (but it must be an OLD broomstick, and only in the winter after the leaves have fallen) and next to him is his pal, the High Commissioner of Landmarks and Other Historic Stuff at the ready to "testify". I figure that I might as well leave now, and go have a few beers, but NO ONE ELSE in City Hall can see the conflicts in this!!! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Another thing:
Would ANYONE care to take a shot at giving a logical reason for council members to appoint THEMSELVES to all of these boards and commissions (a logical reason, and one that does NOT involve resume building, ambition for higher office, ego-stroking, or possible clandestine illegal activities)???
I would be interested in hearing your rationale!!!
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