Saturday, October 13, 2012

Guest Blog: South Fire's Endorsement of Lesser 'Shameful'

Deborah Kleckowski, 2010, Moose Riders, photo South Fire District website

Dear Citizens,
  The South Fire District Firefighters' Union has announced its endorsement of incumbent representative Matt Lesser (D) for the 100th district. No surprise, unions typically always endorse Democrats no matter what the facts really are.  The Middletown Patch quoted Local 3918 Union President James Mastroianni as follows:  “Matt Lesser has been a friend of South Fire District’s  Professional Fire Fighters for many years and we fully support this  endorsement.”

      I would like to know what exactly has Matt Lesser done to deserve this endorsement? Where are the actual facts?

      Councilwoman Deborah Kleckowski, Lessor's Republican challenger, was not even given a fair shot for this endorsement as she was never given an opportunity by union members to discuss any South Fire issues or  interviewed by them before the endorsement was summarily announced.  Furthermore, no vote was taken by the local union members nor were they otherwise polled to determine who they wished to endorse.
      Deborah Kleckowski has always been a proponent of public safety. She  sits on the Public Safety Committee of the Common Council. In 2011, she and  former Republican Mayor Sebastian Giuliano aided in the support of the Middletown Moose Riders'  program to distribute stuffed animals to children during emergency calls. Kleckowski ardently supported the South Fire budget every year, attended the Fire Ops 101 Training program for public officials and completed the entire exercise.
     In 2010, Matt Lesser showed up for this training briefly to show off his Dan Malloy campaign shirt and take a photo before leaving. Kleckowski spearheaded the effort to purchase  and install specialized communication equipment inside the helmets of all city firefighters so that they may more effectively communicate in a fire, not only helping to save  more lives, but to ensure their own safety on the job as well.
      When no emergency access road was designed into the original plans for the new Middletown High School, Deborah Kleckowski advocated and made sure a road was installed at the site.
      Kleckowski worked tirelessly at the emergency shelter set up at the High  School after the power outages last summer and fall. She worked  to make sure emergency personnel had access to the facility when the last  Board of Education Administration fought to block the shelter from even being set up. She also made sure all the union workers- everyone- was paid when the Board of Education, under the direction of then Superintendent Michael Frechette, withheld their pay for over a month. During all this, Lesser was nowhere to be found.
      It would be most enlightening and helpful to be able to compare Lesser's status as a "friend of South Fire District's Professional Fire Fighters" with Kleckowski's actual involvements and accomplishments.
     The failure of the employees of South Fire not to stand up for a person like Kleckowski, and to permit their parent union to endorse Matt Lesser is shameful.
       Kleckowski has proven herself as a true public servant time and time again. Not endorsing her is demeaning, not only to the rank and file firefighters, but to all of the residents and taxpayers of the South Fire District. 
     What is more, it perpetuates a stereotype in Middletown that party affiliation and cronyism outweigh proven hard work  and dedication to the greater good. The firefighters' union owes taxpayer’s more of an explanation than Lesser is a “friend.”

William Wilson,
Vice-Chair Middletown Republican Town Committee

18 comments:

  1. I cannot believe they are not endorsing her after all she's done---so what do you think is being planned behind te scenes that probably very few know about???

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  2. Just another rubberstamped endorsment. Rank and file union members should be reminded to follow their conscience, and not necessarily their leadership, when casting their vote on November 6th.

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  3. Comment Removed by MI!

    We do not print comments about one's little kids- let's get real people.

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  4. You mean to say a local taxpayer endorsed by the non tax paying, "king of the tax and spend" democrat? No wonder SFD is in such trouble.

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  5. Dont know how Kelckowski can be for public safety when she was an active participant in dumbing down the requirements for public safety leadership.

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  6. Thank god you cant stomp your feet like a 5 year old William. Its a matter of them or us. Plain, simple and to the point. They, have the numbers. You (not us William) associate with every nut realeased from the padded cell at CVH. Gadflys, mis-guided youth and us. Not me William you. I still love you as a person tho you big teddy bear !

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  7. I take it you mean the DC spot at the PD. What's up with that? Any new news?

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  8. We addressed issues with the deputy police chief issue here:
    http://www.middletowninsider.com/2012/09/letter-to-editor-haunting-past-of.html

    We will continue to look into it. But citizens need to step up and show up to the council meeting and express their concerns directly to Councilman Serra and the Democrats. They hold the majority, hold them accountable.

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  9. Citizens can call Mayor Drew and ask him what he is doing to the police department. Drew is usually at City Hall 2 days a week to serve the public.

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  10. Here's some insider info for the insider. They PD is worse now then ever. McKenna has no clue what he is doing and he's putting people who are just as clueless in power.

    Can't believe it? Think just disgruntles complain?. Just wait and see for yourself. He's lost the respect of his troops already.

    Sit back, pop some popcorn, and wait. Coming soon to a news station or maybe the Middletown insider soon?

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  11. To anonymyass october 16, 2012 1:44 PM and William ;

    Are you kidding me ????? The MPD is worse of than ever ???? You clearly are a cop who was told the word "NO" , didnt get your way and probably complain all the time "how come he got that and I did'nt" ??.

    Lests see, you probably complained that under AC/DC McMahon's administration that you went from the pan to the fire after Cheif Baldoni's tenure. GET REAL YOU NO GOOD MALCONTENT SOB !

    You guys got a $10,000 a year raised by then Mayor Giuliano and AC/DC McMahon ( both who were horrible administrators in my eyes ) and people like you completely sabotage the heck out of both admins after they supported you, your family and your union.

    I know you don't have any mirriors im your house because the likes of you are so self centered that you wouldn't even throw a refflection back or have the courage to look at it you girly man scaredie pants chicken.

    I did not support the previous administrations bit YOU must have which shows how far your loyalty goes as a person. At least with the previous admins I can have respect for the convictions in their beleifs, standing by them and not being so WISHY WASHY !!!!!

    So can you really tell us the public, the taxpayers and the people who pay your mortgage out of town one thing, the frying pan, the fire and what comes after that ?

    Go suck an egg you premidona.

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  12. Wow, some one struck a nerve? Maybe someone has it made under Drews New Democratic pick? You cops are all pathetic. You bash each other for your own gain. Truth, justice and the American way. I guess time will tell, just like the last 3 chiefs. So far fast Eddy is in the lead for longest lasting chief within the last decade. Tick tock......

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  13. Bill Mckenna is a god guy and always fun to have at parties. People need to stop the hate. MikeTimbro is a good guy too. No one is perfect and I'm sure they make mistakes but they would be good chiefs for Middletown. Who cares about education and training. They are good middletown guys who actually live here. They are no dummies. I just hope they can get moral up. The PD has been a mess for too long. Good luck.

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  14. Candidate Klecowski is on the Personnel Review Committee and had it in her power to just say no to the dumbing down of leadership requirements throughout the PD. Several times in this administration as well as the last. She didn't vote against it when she could have, and could have kept it from even getting to Council if she had.

    Saying she is for public safety when her actions say otherwise is downright wrong.

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  15. Middletown guys ? Really! How many Middletown guys has McKenna promoted? Not many at all! Unless its his boy Timbro he'll agrue that. But he'll find excusing why he hasn't promoted middletown guys or galls. How about practicing what you preach. Oh, thats right, only if its good for them.
    Stop the hate? They are the biggest haters.

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  16. Let's talk about the covering up of when a certain councilman's son who is a coach put his hands on a certain student... what say you now?

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  17. Yes....lets talk about that. Why was a capt. Specifically McKenna given the responsibility to investigate that. And at the end of the investigation "Poof" he's cleared. Then next thing you know "Poof" McKenna is the chief. They own him now. Just my opinion.

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  18. Because Serra keeps drumming home that who ever is hired for the City better live and "worship' here the next city attorney who he has hand picked better be both

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