The Common Council meeting held April 2, 2012 was eventful. Last week the Insider was the first to break the story of
Mayor Drew going to China. Here
is Our summary of the meeting &; response to what was left out of the
Middletown Press article regarding the meeting:
1. 9 out of 12 members vote in favor of reimbursing Mayor Drew
$5.5k for going to China after he goes without consulting anyone but
members Serra and Santangelo. Mayor Drew criticizes public and
Republican Councilpersons Kleckoski and Salafia ( the two dissenting
votes) for opposing this, for in their opinion failures to adhering
to proper procedures regarding input from the Common Council and
possible public comment regarding taking on such an endeavor.
2.
Mayor Drew proposes budget with a 1 mil rate increase in taxes and
the addition of a $60k grant writing position.
3. Mayor
Drew proposes in his budget to reduce education by $3.5 million
dollars, no mention of previous missing million.
The rest of the Council was not told about even the possibility of such a the trip no asked for input until they were asked at the April 2
Common Council meeting by Mayor Drew for $5.5k in reimbursement.
Drew's explanation was that at least he was asking even after they
fact, that in his opinion he had ultimate authority to decide to go
on the trip and ultimate say to even tell the Council after the fact
so they should not complain. No official notice, no written email
piece of paper was every generated to tell the Common Council –
representing the public- that the Mayor was going to China or wanted
money for it until he had already done so. Until Drew gives the
Council a report he only promised after questioning by Councilman
Pessina will the public know what was discussed in China or why this
trip may benefit Middletown. Councilperson Pessina was among those
who applauded and praised the secret trip and felt it will benefit
Middletown. The Councilwomen who spoke questioned the failure of
notification, secrecy behind the trip even from the Councilpersons,
and the lack or transparency and explanation of benefits of the trip
to China and Mayor Drew basically said they had no business asking
such questions and criticized them for doing so.
The only Councilmen
who knew about the trip at all prior to the 15 min EDC meeting held
that evening were Councilmen Santangelo and Serra.
Councilperson Debra Kleckoski had this to say, which she posted as a comment on the Press, regarding the trip
to China:
“The endeavor is not the problem-we all want to have an
economically secure and growing economy in Middletown. However, a 15
minute meeting prior to a Council meeting is just bad practice, and
to those Councilman who said EDC was more transparent, really? Note,
that there was no list of expenditures. How was the $5,500 spent?
And, Councilman Serra said, "We decided"...going to EDC was
more appropriate than the Community Promotions fund. I ask,"who
is the "we"? Paying after the fact is the same poor fiscal
management/accounting for which the Board of Ed was held accountable.
Lastly, if the Mayor is representing the City, using monies which
need to be approved by Council, the legislative branch should know
about the project.” The Insider can answer the WE- its a select few Democrats who control the Council who routinely are voted in, and until that changes nothing else will.
Councilperson Salafia echoed the sentiments of Kleckoski. She was quoted by
the
Press as saying:"
I can’t support this, the EDC held a meeting 15
minutes before this one. I resent that I didn’t know prior to the
trip. I would like to know beforehand. I agree with the public —
we’re paying after it’s a done deal. I would like to have some
input prior to your going.” You go girl. Councilperson Salafia
also said
“ I can't imagine how this trip will improve the economy
in Middletown, but I hope I am wrong. I want this trip to work out
for something since it is already done. I hope I am proven wrong and
it is a good thing, but I still resent the fact that you did this
without asking anyone for input that might have been beneficial, or
asking us or the public to spend this money. You just went and did it
and didn't care.”
Councilperson Salafia asked Mayor Drew directly
“ Are you going
on any other trade trips on behalf of Middletown? Can you tell the
public that? In the future are you planning on going us to tell us
before you go?”
Mayor Drew said he declined to answer at this time. WHAT! The Insider
heard Drew is planning a trip to the moon in to talk about a possible
interstellar Middletown-Moon colony.
Don't worry; he plans to keep
the receipt and stick citizens with the bill after the fact since now
precedent has taken place.
One nice sentiment from Councilperson Bob Santangelo
was quotedin the Middletown Press who actually managed to get it right for a
change: “I appreciate that you said in your campaign speech you
made mention of the fact that if you had to, you would go to
corporate headquarters,” Santangelo said. “You have to be bold
and not sit there and expect the world to come to us. I commend you.”
Point for the Deputy Mayor with the mustache. We commend you for remembering this! Yes, during the
mayoral debate held at Wesleyan this past fall, Drew did say
“ I
will get on a plane if I have to and speak to the CEO's of the world
on behalf of Middletown.”
So yeah- you got what you voted for Middletown- a world traveler!
The Press however, fails, once again to tell the whole story and publish comments that may seem unflattering to certain members of the Democratic majority of the Council.
Councilperson Tom Serra slammed Salafia by saying” Councilwoman
Salafia, How long did you work for the City ? 25 years? Haven't you heard? You should have found out from the gossip mill where the he [Mayor Drew] was.”
Say what? To translate : Councilman Serra excuses the lack
of transparency about the trip, ironic as this was a key phrase from
Dan Drew during his campaign, and basically tells the public and the
rest of the Council that their lack of paying attention and knowing
the “in” people close to the mayor (himself & Councilperson
Bob Santangelo ) its their fault for not knowing about the China trip
or being allowed to have input.
Mayor Drew rebutted (tried to cover his tracks) by saying he was
concerned about his family's safety in his absence, however failed
(miserably) to explain why he did not
even notify the 12 members of
the legislative body even
confidentially.
Prior to the Council's discussion, resident Kenneth
McClellan,MRTC Chair, and who also serves as a Republican alternate
on the Planning and Zoning Commission spoke passionately during the
public session also about procedure.
The Press quoted McClellan
“The resolution has the appearance that the trip was approved after
the fact. I’m looking forward to the report, but an after-the-fact
approval of expenditures would set a precedent,” he said, before
urging the mayor to inform the public if he takes trip.”
Resident (and former Council member) Earle Roberts asked the
Council and more directly Mayor Drew
“ All that I have heard is a
bunch of promises and vague possibility of investments that in all
likelihood, as world trends have indicated, from what I have read, I
don't believe will happen. What I have a right to know as a citizen
is : What exactly am I getting for my $5,500? What is China going to
do for Middletown?” Well played, Mr. Roberts, we were wondering the
same thing.
Mayor Dan Drew responded to Roberts by saying something more
about vague hints or inklings that he thought he got positive
responses from the those who shall not be named mysterious Chinese
investors. Drew also said he felt the
“restaurants on Main Street
will benefit from the increased traffic during the trade conference
at Wesleyan in June.”
What the Insider would like to know is if
Wesleyan University is hosting, ( any who by the way already has
spent millions in China to develop a variety or branch & sister
campus programs as part of its educational endeavors overseas) why
didn't they pay for the trip or the Malloy administration who
sponsored the trip? Is this “trade show” really what it is
described as which as of yet is so vague we can't even find a
description, or really part of Wesleyan's international China program
which, let's face it, main goal is to benefit Wesleyan?
The meeting closed with Mayor Drew giving some speech about
“benevolence” or something, but the bottom line was he is
proposing a budget to raise the taxes of Middletown citizens despite
having campaigned on the promise he would not and hung his hat on the
fact that previously he claimed to have single handedly re-written
the prior administrations budget after serving only 4 months on the
Council to save tax payer money.
Un-oh Danno. No Republicans to blame
this time, the Democrats are the super majority and YOU wrote the
budget this time. Included, in this proposed budget is a $60k a year
newly created grant writing job in the Mayor's office. Too bad there
wasn't a grant writer already in the Mayor's office (cough Dan Drew
cough).
However,it will be convenient when Drew is at his office in Hartfordlobbying with Councilmember Todd Berch at the state capital forminimum wage increases earlier this year as reported in the Middletown Press & Courant, he is in D.C. chumming it up with Senator Blumenthal & Rep. Rosa Delauro, or as proven with China, sending himself on secret mission on our behalf. The Insider would post the links to these promises & and in addition his promised “transparency” in government, and the debates that were
taped with him making this speech, but frankly, there were so many
times he said this we might break the internet doing so. Here is an
outline of Drew's campaign promises written by himself, so you can
play along at home and cross off the ones he has already broken.
Here
So if you missed the Council meeting, rest assure the future is
clear for Middletown: More international trips for “trade” that
you as a citizen won't get as say in, go on, or even know about,
but you will be paying for; more taxes- in fact a 1 mil increase-
which by our calculations is about $40 a month in taxes not $13 as
stated by the Mayor (differences in accounting principles where have
you heard that before), and less education for your children 'cause
Mayor Drew proposed a $3.5 million cut to that! Fugagettabout the $1
million deficit in the BOE budget, if we stop talking about it surely
it will go away. Thankfully, Mayor Drew gave a few low income senior
citizens a tax cut of about fifty bucks earlier this year, and oh we
had that pond at Pat Kidney field that was supposed to be a skating
rink or something, so its all good. :)
Oh and according to the rumor-mill Councilmember Tom Serra says
we should all pay attention to and get our “official” information
from-
Mayor
Drew, Deputy Mayor Councilman Santangelo, and Big-Cheese Council
Majority Leader Tom Serra have redesigned, relocated, the
proposed Senior Center project away from Eckersley hall which was
already purchased for the project and bid on for design services.
Stay tuned.