Meet the Middletown Republican Candidates LIVE on The Edge

The Edge is hosted by Jon Pulino & William Wilson and is shown live on local cable Comcast  channel 15 Middletown. Below are some of their shows featuring candidates for local Middletown offices. 

September 23, 2015-Author Dan Blanchard co-hosts with Republican Common Council candidate Jon Pulino as they interivew the following candidates from the Middletown GOP slate: Phil Pessina, (Common Council), Lindsey Fralick (Common Council), Nick Fazzino (Common Council), Linda Salafia (Common Council), Sebastian N. Giuliano (Common Council), Deborah Kleckowski (Common Council), Molly Salafia (Planning & Zoning) and Geno Cuddy, host of Geno in the Evening.



September 9, 2015-Meet the GOP Candidates- Jon Pulino and William Wilson host a live Comcast Channel 15 program dedicated to meeting the GOP candidates. On this program, the newest and (some) younger members such as: Troy Meeker (BOE candidate), Molly Salafia (Planning and Zoning Candidate), Emmakristan Sveen (Board of Education/Treasurer) and Christopher Petter (Board of Education)discuss the GOP's platform and important issues facing Middletown.



August 7, 2015- Watch members of Sandra Russo-Driska's team appear on The Variety Hour Ct tonight at 8:00 PM on Comcast Channel 15 or Frontier Channel 99 Middletown Feed. Scheduled Gusts: Common Council Candidate Jon Pulino (current member of Zoning Board of Appeals, Cable Advisory Board and Board of Assessment Appeals); Sebastian Giuliano, former 3 term Republican mayor looking for his second term as a common councilor; Linda Tolman Salafia, a former member of the Middletown Common Council who is looking to recapture her council seat and to secure a spot on the Board of Education. Per usual, the show is live and we do accept calls from viewers like you because government is about people. You are important. The on air number is 860-613-3031! Comcast's newest member and host Geno Cuddy will making a cameo at the end of the program to discuss his new program.



Ryan Kennedy hosts Middletown Perspectives with guests: Ken and Cheryl Mcclellan

Candidates Kleckowski, Pulino, Wilson, Giuliano, Salafia & Wilson speak out on 'The Edge' Live on Comcast

Jon Pulino and William Wilson interview Councilwomen Deborah Kleckowski and Linda Salafia with calls from former Mayor/current Councilman Sebastian N. Giuliano and the public. Jon Pulino is a candidate for Common Council and William Wilson is a candidate for Board of Education and Planning & Zoning.
Pulino & Wilson host 'The Edge' on Channel 15 Comcast. 

Middletown GOP Chair to Mayor Drew: Obey the Law Fill Committee Seats

It isn't for lack of willing citizens that's behind unfilled city committees.  Local Middletown Republican Town Committee Chairman Ken McClellan recently sent a letter to Mayor Dan Drew and copied to media outlining the mayor's lack of attention to state statute in filling empty committee seats in a timely manner and with legally required balances of majority and minority political party representation. McClellan states he tried to work with the Mayor's aide Joe Samolis and City Treasurer Quentin Phipps to get the matter resolved on several occasions. to with no results. McClellan also describes instances where individuals were encouraged to change political parties to fill seats. These instances, McClellan points out, Mayor Drew acted immediately to put that individual on a committee.  (That's some dirty sh*t.) As McClellan points out, this puts any decisions by committees in violation in jeopardy of not being legal; and lawsuits for the city costs us the taxpayers money! Didn't Drew campaign on ending lawsuits?

 McClellan does the job that the Council Clerk ought to be doing outlining which committees are in violation.  Marie Norwood, Council Clerk, a position that was upgraded to over $90K a year in salary, is on the Technology Committee and in charge of keeping council meeting minutes & therefore up to date records of committee appointments as made by the Mayor and approved by the Common Council. These should be made available on the city's website. The City website operates on circular logic with no conclusions. The city site has links to committee lists under the "Community Involvement", however; no lists are attached, only outdated meeting minutes for some of the committees.

What's with all the sloppy practices?  As mayor, Drew also set forth an official rule that all committees were to meet after 7 pm so that members of the working public could better attend. Many committees, such as Design Review & Historic Preservation (DRHP) meet much earlier in the day violating the decree. Harbor Review hasn't met in months, despite recent attention to riverfront redevelopment. Redevelopment Agency & the Riverfront Redevelopment Committee have taken several months of hiatus for unknown reasons, much to the disadvantage of the public. Here is a link to the yearly meeting schedule of the Riverfront Comm. which basically says it will meet when "needed" which from the looks of it means never. DRHP and others are permitted to operate outside of Robert's rules, issue rulings without legal quorums, and don't keep accurate meeting minutes. Speaking of representation, Mayor Drew often names committees "task forces" to attempt to thwart the state statutes of minority representation- 'ala the Task Force on Government Efficiency. Try getting meeting minutes, schedules or agenda's from the City's website and one will find many committee's minutes are several YEARS out of date.  Despite the progress to decommission the City sewage plant and allow new development of the riverfront, the Riverfront Comm., according to the city website last met in May 2014- almost a year ago. As McClellan points out, the last minutes for Redevelopment Agency are from 2011! Who knows what meets when or what goes on! 

Unfortunately this thwarting of the law is nothing new.  McClellan has been attempting since 2013 to get accurate committee lists directly from city hall and he hasn't been the only one . Also, in a 2013 via an official FOI request filed with the Town Clerk MRTC Vice Chair William Wilson tried to obtain list of vacant committee seats & active members from Norwood whom indicated to Wilson the lists of committee members could not be provided because they "did not exist." Wilson's FOI letter can be read here.

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Middletown Republican Town Committee

PO Box 1121

Middletown, CT 06457

March 30, 2015

Mayor Daniel Drew

City of Middletown

245 DeKoven Drive

Middletown, CT 06457

Subject:  Board and Commission Appointments

Many appointed commissions are out of date or out of balance without the representation required by the state statute.

This non-compliance means that some commissions are not properly constituted, and opens any decisions rendered by those commission to challenges.  In the case of Inland Wetland Commission, whose decisions have a financial impact on home owners, businesses and developers, it opens the possibility of lawsuits challenging decisions.

Since February of 2013, I have tried repeatedly to get a current list of appointments, and to work with Mayor Drew to ensure that all boards and commissions are properly and fully staffed.  Mayor Drew, on various occasions you asked me to work with Joe Samolis and the City Treasurer, Quentin Phipps, to bring the list up to date, and to receive recommendations on minority party appointments.  Neither has responded to my requests for information, and the mayor has acted extremely slowly on the recommendations that I have made.  You did, however, act quickly when an individual, after a lifetime as a registered Democrat, changed party affiliation to Independent, and was appointed to a minority seat on a commission within 2 weeks.  While possibly legal to appoint someone that quickly after a change in party affiliation, it definitely violates the spirit of minority party representation required by the state statute.

The ‘current’ appointment list published by the city does not match the member lists published for various commissions or the city website.  Neither list matches the members listed in Meeting Minutes published by the various committees.  So it is not possible to know who the members are, what political party they represent, or what actual vacancies exist, in order to make nominations to fill those vacancies.  It makes it difficult to determine if the individuals attending meetings and voting on issues were properly appointed.

The Inland Wetland is an example.  The current composition of the commission, according to the city website, is:

Joe Carta  (Dem)

Robert E. Whitney Jr.  (Dem)

Hector Bartoli (Dem)

Fred J. Terrasi (Rep)

Trevor H. Davis Jr. (Dem)

David Pritchard (Dem)  (Listed as Republican on official appointment list.)

Daniel Paul Pelletier (Rep)

Paul Henry Turenne (Dem)

Member – Vacant

Member – Vacant

Alternate – Jack Pieper (Dem)

Alternate – Gabriel Russo (Dem)

Alternate – Vacant

Alternate – Vacant

Alternate – Vacant

David Pritchard is listed as a Republican on the list of members, however, the David Pritchard on the committee is a registered Democrat.  His son, of the same name and address is registered as a Republican.  If this is a mistake on the part of the Mayor, it is certainly a careless error.  The result of this error is that, with two vacant seats, and both Alternates being Democrats, the commission has a de facto 8 to 2 membership, even though the state statute requires 1/3 membership be non-majority party, which would be 4 members.  As such, this commission is currently not legally constituted under the state statute, and any decisions rendered are subject to challenge.  

Redevelopment Agency:   Joseph Tine is currently listed as a member, on the city web-site, although he passed away last year.  The most recent published minutes available on the website for the Redevelopment Agency are from May 2011.

Conservation Commission

The member list in the meeting minutes do not match the members listed on the city website, and does not match the report I received from the council clerk.

Website Members	March 15 Meeting Minute Members
Kate Miller(Chair) (D) Sheila Stoane(Vice-Chair) (U, Former D) Liv Baker Jane Brawerman (D) Ellen Lukens (I) Steven Ladd (D) Lee Sawyer Jonathan Morris Joan Liska (I) Diane McGrath Vacancy David O'Brien (alternate) (D) Vacancy(alternate) Vacancy (alternate)	Chairperson Kate Miller (19) Vice-Chair  Jonathan Morris (17) Shelia Stoane (16) Diane McGrath (17) Steven Ladd (16) Jane Brawerman (19) Joan Liska (20) Lee Sawyer(17) Liv Baker (16) Eric Mosher (15) Ellen Lukens (17) Alternate: Michael Singer (16) Alternate: David O’Brien (19) Alternate: Vacancy (16)

Eric Mosher is listed as a member whose term expires this year, but he’s not listed on the website member list.  Michael Singer is listed in the minutes as attending meetings, but is not listed in the City website as an appointed member.  Are these two legally  members or not?

In addition, Shelia Stoane was registered as a Democrat until shortly before she was appointed to a ‘minority’ seat on the Conservation Commission.  She changed her party affiliation to Independent and was quickly appointed to the Conservation Commission by Mayor Drew.  I also understand that she spoke to Mayor Drew about an appointment before changing her party affiliation.   Her appointment violates the spirit of the minority representation provision in the state statute.  Several Republicans have requested and have been recommended for appointments to the Conservation Commission, all of which have been ignored.   The current composition of the commission may be technically legal, but  could be open to challenge in court.

Citizen’s Advisory Committee

Website Members

March 15 Meeting Minute Members

Deborah Kleckowski (Common Council Seat) Grady Faulkner (Common Council Seat) John Rumberger (Middletown Housing Authority Seat) Vincent Szynkowicz (Planning and Zoning Commission Seat) Robert Blanchard (At-Large Seat) Linda Szynkowicz (At-Large Seat) Ronnie Bantum (Low/Moderate Income Seat) Harvey Cushing (Elderly Seat) Richard Pelletier (Disabled Seat) Sean King (Westfield Seat- Census Tract 5412, 5413, 5414) Jessica Broderick (Westfield Seat- Census Tract 5412, 5413, 5414) Pat Murray (Downtown Seat- Census Tract 5411, 5415, 5416, 5417) Karlene Duplessis (Downtown Seat- Census Tract 5411, 5415, 5416, 5417) Howard Reid (South Farms Seat -Census Tracts 5418, 5419, 5420, 5421, 5422) Susan Owens (South Farms Seat- Census Tract 5418, 5419, 5420, 5421, 5422)

D Kleckowski G Faulkner R Rumberger V Szynkowicz R Blanchard L Szynkowicz R Bantum H Cushing R. Pelletier S King J Broderick K Duplesis H Reid S Owens

Pat Murray is listed as a member on the city website, but are not listed in the meeting minutes, either as present or absent.  Is this a valid vacancy or an oversight?  Party affiliation is also not available, making it impossible to determine if the commission is properly constituted.

The examples above are not the full scope of the issues with appointments to boards and commissions.  There are other problems, both with vacancies and non-compliance with party affiliation requirements.  As I said earlier, I, as Chairman of the Republican Town Committee have tried to work with Mayor Drew, and at his request, with his designated representatives, with no positive results, which has prompted me to write this letter.  

But the real danger of not filling the commission seats properly, in accordance with state statute, and by not complying with minority representation, as required by the state statute, is the liability to which the city is exposed.  If the commission is out of compliance, that brings all of its actions into question, and an aggrieved party could cite this as a basis for appeal and potentially, a lawsuit.  And lawsuits, as the Mayor has told us, are not good for the City of Middletown

I would like to continue to work with you and your staff to correct these discrepancies, and would appreciate your response.

  

Kenneth A. McClellan

Chairman

Middletown Republican Town Committee

Northern Middlesex Cable Advisory Board Donates Printers to Local Senior Centers

The Northern Middlesex Cable Advisory Board has announced that they have delivered  HP Officejet 7612 Wide Format printers to all senior centers which fit into the purview of the committee.  The project began in mid-2014 when Assistant Director of CAB, William Wilson pointed out that during the spring meeting that the committee must focus on those who do not have essential items during the holiday season.

 "I felt it was a great endeavor and unfortunately the seniors get overlooked during this crazy times.  A new printer for each center that we cover would help the residents create brochures and other creative documents."  After consulting with the NMCAB board in the late spring and followed by a vote that was enthusiastically unanimous, the project was on its way.  Secretary Marco Iacoviello organized a sub-committee of the board and with the funds allotted was able to purchase and deliver the products in a rapid fashion.

CAB Secretary (R) Gary Aubin delivers a brand new HP printer to members of the East Hampton Senior Center.  

The Northern Middlesex Cable Advisory Board covers: Middletown, Middlefield, East Hampton, Portland and Cromwell. The committee will meet next in March at Middletown's city hall located at DeKoven Drive.

CAB Member (R) Marco Iacoviello delivers a brand new HP printer to the Cromwell Senior Center. 

TV GUIDE Previews (Part I)

Look Inside!! EXCLUSIVE

  The Middletown Insider gives readers a sneak preview at the new television season for Middletown 2014!   The list has a lot to pick from and if you read real carefully you may find yourself a treat like an Easter egg or two!

1)   The Mayor and His Mom (FOX)- This ½ hour comedy on the FOX network tells the tale of a former Mayor and his Mom who co-habitat together, argue with one another and basically drive one another batty in a style that is reminiscence of Neil Simon’s classic play The Odd Couple.

2)        Devoto and The Man- (Satire/Encore Vineyard Networks) Follow the adventures of a college professor turned politico as he uses his followers, known as the The Villagers, on his quest for domination of the town’s planning and zoning committee.  The  pilot episode focuses on the professor's many ambitions and shameless deal making techniques in order to become chairperson of an organization he  just joined.  Watch as  his beloved Dems chew him up and spit him up while in the same breath he hopes to dodge a political bullet by putting a “Vote Serra” sign on front lawn.

3)       P/Z Commissioner Russo in Charge (BET)- From the team that brought you Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Charles in Charge comes P/Z Russo in Charge.  Directed by the DMTC and their minions, after Commissioner Chisem is forced to stop down and settle in at his Common Council seat, the DMTC has a field day with this one by naming Daniel Russo, Chisem’s successor.  Watch as the entitled Villagers write letter after letter hoping to force a change against Russo who they openly dumped on (remember how nasty they were?)throughout both campaigns.  The second episode deals with Karma as it crosses over with Devoto and the Man as the viewers see the professor's reaction when he was told Russo beat him for chair.

4)        Bait Car-(Reality on F/X Network) Watch as Republican Town Committee Vice-Chair person William “Billy” Wilson drives a taxicab all around Middletown looking for trouble with the hopes that he can pick up a few fares while keeping his tire threads from going bald.

5)         Phillip Pessina- (Biography Network) The educational channel looks at former deputy chief Phillip Pessina and his rise to power.  Interviews with William Shatner and Lynn Baldoni are included.

6)         Baywatch- (TV Land) The number 1 syndicated show in America returns for a very special episode that features former State Representative Jim O’Rourke leaving the scene of a boating accident that left one innocent female dead.  Watch as Mitch and the gang attempt to unravel the threads of guilt in Mr. O’Rourke’s remarks and attitudes after the tragedy. The episode is based on an actual event that took place in Rocky Hill, Connecticut a few years back when the Mr. O'Rourke left a young woman to die after picking her up at a Rocky Hill bar.

7)   I Lead Two Lives- (Documentary/NatGeo) starring Tim Lennox as the once and future Republican/Independent who has composite view points on most social issues.

8)   Mr. Santangelo’s Neighborhood:  (PBS/Children) The producers of Mister Rogers Neighborhood have a new resident in the neighborhood, Mr. Santangelo and his wife Lisa.  Lisa talks to the children about all the important work she does with everybody while Bob follows her around and basically does what is asked of him. "Bob, get the dogs off the bed!"  Special Guest: Darryl Lucas as the Pizza Delivery Boy.

9)        Dateline (NBC/News) Keith Morrison takes a deeper look into the mysterious Connecticut Health Center CEO Mark Masselli and attempts to figure out why somebody in the non-profit field is making over $607, 000 a year.  What is Masselli’s hidden connection with Former Speaker of the house Christopher Donovan? Who paid for Masselli's trip to Tibet and his meeting with the Dali Lama?  The news-team will also conduct interviews with former employees that claim Masselli forced them to give Donavan’s campaign $100.00 donations. 

10)       Growing up Micciulla- ( E! Reality/Style Channel) Follow the adventures of a young Italian man running a massage parlor while running for office and hanging out at the Bada-Bing club.  Early episodes include cameos from: Jimmy Smits, The Lombardo Boyz, Kool Moe D,  James Caan, Big Pussy from The Sopranos and Frank Vincent.

Board of Assessment Appeals member 
 stars in the reality show "Growing up Micciulla"

11)                  Star Trek The Middletown Generation (SyFy)- Starring Councilman David Bauer as Spock, Billy Russo as Captain Kirk and John Killian as Q.  Early adventures include: plans to put the budget in space and beam Tribbles into the Mayor’s office with the hopes that the cute cuddly characters won't be eaten alive.

"Damnit Joe these friggin tribbles!!
Get me appropriation for the Council to rubber stamp STAT!!"

12)                  Dr. Fred Carroll is Dr. Who- (BBC/Drama)-  The traveling Doctor is back for his 50^th year.  This time the 10th Doctor Who morphs into an American, Fred Carroll.  In this episode, the new Doctor plans to grab a broom and sweep up the solar system.When things get rough, the Doctor fights a Demalak and zooms away in the TARDIS call box.

13)                  Who’s Line is it Anyway? - (GSN/Reunion) Anniversary edition that pits the improvisational skills of Richard Pellitier, Joyce Rossittier, Dan Russo and Stephen Devoto against one another.  Watch as the gang goes after Devoto and his selfish agenda of promoting his self as the expense of anyone. Blue House anyone?  Does anybody know what the hell is going on? Does anybody care? 

14)  Sons of the Village- (Fox/FX) From the Kurt Sutter the creator of Sons of Anarchy.  The show returns in October and Sutter promises fans that all plot lines will be resolved. he The creator told TV GUIDE, “Let’s just say that Ed ‘Jax’ McKeon’s team of bicycle riding social vigilantes attempt to defeat a Starbucks drive through proves to be quite interesting as he tosses tofu bars at cars that refuse to honk whenever the villagers are having a protest.”    Sutter also mentions the final story arch will look at the financial motivations behind some of the Villagers actions as they are forced to admit that are indeed capitalists like those they are publicly protesting.

15)                   Judge Joe Gallo (Court TV/30 Minutes)- Yep, another court show on Court TV, makes sense doesn’t it?  The producers claim unlike Judge Judy, Judge Joe Brown, Judge Alex or The People’s Court this show is different- the judge is worse than the defendants.   The first episode brings us inside Gallo’s court house as we watch Bailiff J. Milardo push Gallo’s eyes back in his head, cartoon style after an attractive paralegal walks by.  “This show is so much fun that after I hid my wife from Gallo, I had to pee,” claimed an employee from Call Before You Dig.

16)                  Little Blue House on the Prairie (PBS)- The award winning investigative news show Frontline takes a hard look at a group of creative capitalist people in a small town in Connecticut who claim they are buying and fixing houses for the joy of it and to bring quality folks into the city.  The special asks serious questions with regard to Blue House: Did the 7 principal owners make money off the deal?  What is their real reason (non-Villager political correct) to buying the property other than money? Could this be a case of elitism gone wrong or something more sinister?

17)                  Blue’s Clues: The Case of the Missing Midnight on Main (PBS)-  Host Donavan Patton as Joe sends BLUES on a special mission to figure out who is responsible for killing the Midnight on Main Street dream.  Did  Masselli pull the plug because he was angry at the Mayor? Was it something else, something more devious?  Be on the look out for money clues and other things that spell out C-O-R-R-U-P-T-I-O-N.

18)                   Somalis: When the Time is Right (Spice Channel/Adult Programming)  For $49.99 viewers can watch as the Mayor’s chief of staff Joseph Sherman Howard Somalis shows the world his inner John Holmes as it’s Wonderland all day and Boogey Nights, well, all night in this steam feast that will make Milton Berle’s third leg look small in comparison. 

19)                   The New Odd Couple (CW)- Starring William Wilson and Grady Faulkner as they live together above Vechitto’s Lemon Ice. Tonight’s episode has Billy refusing to do the laundry and watching the game, while in retaliation, Grady buries all the laundry inside Billy’s bed.  The laughs keep on flowing for 30 minutes of quality entertainment on the CW network.

20)                  Walking Dead: Middletown (MSNBC)- From Robert Kirkland and Dan Pickett comes a new chapter in horror.  It seems the voting machines in Middletown have been contaminated with a toxic waste substance which forces the voters to bitch and moan about taxes, jobs, and other important things but vote the same way.  Watch as the voters slowly become zombies and slaves but continue to keep the status quo the same making sure that a plate of JELLO has more smarts than them.

2 Term Treasurer Que Phipps (D)
on the set of the new Middletown "Walking Dead"

Stay tuned for  TV GUIDE PART II!

Candidate Bio: Bill Wilson (R) for BOE

Middletown Insider blog is accepting bios from all  municipal candidates. 
See criteria: http://www.middletowninsider.com/2013/08/request-for-candidate-bios-for-all.html
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Republican Incumbent Candidate for Board of Education
William Wilson

Assessment Appeals Commissioner 2009 - 2011

Planning and Zoning Commissioner from 2001 - 2005
Personal Appeals Board for the City of Middletown 1995 - 1999
Cable Advisory Board from 1995 - Present
Member of Fellowship Church for the past 30 years
Host of the Cable Variety Hour Show
Self Employed website designer

Born and raised in Middletown 
Graduate of Middletown public schools
Attended University of Connecticut at Storrs.

Why I am running for Board of Education: 
I was an elected Planning and Zoning commissioner from 2001 to 2005 and Board of Assessment Appeals member from 2009 to 2011. I have sat on the Cable Advisory commission since 1995 and I am currently the vice chairman.  I am also the vice chairman of the Middletown Republican Town Committee.

I have chosen to run for the Board of Education because I believe there needs to be someone who listens to the taxpayers. I intend to bring accountability to the budgeting process. My goal is to see that we are using the taxpayers' money appropriately. I also want to focus on eliminating the threat of layoffs for the teachers and cancellation of student activities. I feel that I can bring fresh perspective and ideas to help make Middletown have a strong and effective Board of Education.

I hope you will join me in voting for the entire Row A team for a better Middletown

www.middletowngopct.com

Tonight Middletown Republican Town Committee Meeting All Welcome

Press Release:The Middletown Republican Town Committee is holding its monthly meeting TODAY Monday September 30th  at 7 pm in the Council Chambers at City Hall.
Anyone wishing to learn more about the committee is welcome & encouraged to attend.

They may also email Vice Chairman William Wilson at: uconnone@sbcglobal.net

 

The Middletown Republican Town Committee is seeking volunteers wishing to help with the 2013 municipal campaign. GOP headquarters are located at 790 Ridge Road.  Contact Vice Chair main William Wilson at the above email address for more details to get involved.

Head Quarters Grand Opening is 7 pm October 11 from 5-8 pm This is a potluck event so please bring something to share.

Meet the GOP Candidates at NORA at 700 Main Street Cupcake October 15th from 5 to 8 pm.

Other events, candidate information, and how to contribute to "Middletown Republicans 2013" Campaign is available on the website: http://www.middletownctgop.com/

Middletown Republican Pizza Party Fundraiser Thursday!

From Middletown GOP Vice Chairman William Wilson:

Join us for a fundraiser at Tommy's Restaurant (corner of Saybrook Road and Randolph) to benefit Middletown Republicans 2013. 

 The cost is $25 per person - pizza and cold drinks provided and cash bar available. Bring your family and friends - great opportunity to meet the candidates!
September 26th Thursday from
5:00pm until 9:00pm
Approved by Middletown Republicans 2013, Ann Morse, Treasurer

The Power of Bauer: Candidate Declines Endorsement, Clarifies Position on Former Councilmens' Performance

Former Councilman David Bauer seeks re-election

In an article published yesterday in the Hartford Courant three term Councilman seeking re-election this November, David Bauer elaborated on his decision to decline the endorsement from the Realistic Party of Middletown. Bauer was nominated to the Middletown Republican slate as a Council candidate, and in the Courant article,  he discusses his wishes to focus on being part of the GOP slate.

The Courant quotes Bauer as follows: "I am pleased and confident that the Republican slate has such a commitment, and they are the team I wish to associate with."

Republican Town committee executive board members  party Chairman Ken McClellan and vice Chair William Wilson, have said in various public forums that they, and the nominating committee for 2013 GOP candidates, no longer agreed with views held by Pessina and Bibisi. 

Bauer gave a letter to decline the Realistic Balance nomination to the Town Clerk earlier this week to have his name removed from the RB line on the ballot, the letter reads: 

"I was pleased to run on the Realistic Balance Party ticket in 2011 when there was a bipartisan selection of candidates. Sadly, the character of this year's Realistic Balance candidates is dominated by the inclusion of candidates Joseph Bibisi and Philip Pessina.

I was part of the Middletown Republican Town Committee selection process that rejected both Phil and Joe's application to the GOP slate. My personal reason to reject their applications was my disappointment in their performance in the current term of the Common Council. 

Philip Pessina and Joseph Bibisi hold the minority leadership positions, so they must take responsibility that the council minority did not advance a single resolution to the council agenda in the entire term, and rarely, if ever, even met in caucus. They let the council majority do all the work of the council, and simply postured their opinions on the majority's legislative resolutions. 

An entire third of the council was rendered ineffective, and I consider that unacceptable. The council minority did show up at meetings, but they showed up empty-handed. 

If our local government is to work its best, all our elected officials have to work. I am pleased and confident that the Republican slate has made such a commitment, and they are the team I wish to associate with, and they are the team I hope the Middletown Voters will support on November 5th. 

We will reward your trust with hard work and innovative legislation to improve Middletown's services and financial stability in a sustainable manner, insuring that the 'checks and balances' that make our democracy so great, are consistently there the entire term."

An article in the Middletown Patch also elaborates on Bauer's position to run solely as part of the GOP team.

Press Release: Middletown Republican Town Committee Meets August 26th, all Welcome

Press Release: "Middletown Republican Town Committee Meets August 26, all Welcome.
Meeting to take place at 7:00 pm in the Council Chambers at City Hall.

We've nominated our candidates for the 2013 Municipal Elections!

Congratulations to all the nominated candidates, and my personal thanks to all who put their names forward to run for office.

We're now gearing up for the election, and we need volunteers to help:  headquarters volunteers, mailer prep, advertising, get-out-the-vote, drivers to get people to the polls, organizers.  Anyone who wants to help get Republicans into city offices.

We also need your financial support.  If you can help, please see our Help page.

call 860-346-4876 or email Chairman@middletownctgop.com

to volunteer and help."
Vice Chairman William Wilson

http://www.middletownctgop.com/

Photo credit: MRTC Press Release

Letter to the Editor: Pessina: Put Middletown First! Republicans Are Buffoons & Cartoons

Below is a letter to the Editor by Councilman Phil Pessina (R) originally sent to and published by the Middletown Press (here) and with excerpts published by the Middletown Patch CT. All views expressed are that of the author not necessarily those of the Middletown Insider staff.
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Shortly after being elected for my 3rd Term on Common Council, assuming the Role of Minority Leader and witnessing a Republican Administration led by former Mayor Seb Giuliano who created a time of a confrontational style of government within our city, both Councilman Joe Bibisi & I knew it was an opportunity for us to take a New Leadership Role for our Republican Party, transitioning our city government to work more cooperatively, collaboratively within a Bipartisan framework; essentially committing ourselves to making “Middletown First”, each within our own parties and our own Leadership roles!

Mediocrity and politics at its best started to raise its ugly head at various Republican Town Committee Meetings and especially over the past 7 months, which unfortunately I could not attend as they always seemed to conflict with my various Council Committee assignments I was appointed to. As I took these assignments seriously, along with my Council duties, I often notified our RTC Secretary sending my apologies due to my council commitments and responsibilities; putting “Middletown First”! I then became my Republican Party’s target of unfounded accusations, especially during the restructuring of our city government creating the Office of General Counsel. Our party has been and continues to be a party of “Cartoons & Buffoons”!

This political pressure was led by our former Mayor Giuliano, who wrote in an email on January 29th, 2013 at 5:37pm where he states his personal opinion to pressure the party to vote not in the best interest of Middletown, but to support his personal political agenda; his words were clear, “Secondly, municipal elections loom. Any Republican who votes in favor of these resolutions is putting the entire Republican ticket in an untenable position. The mayoral candidate-whoever it may be-will be compelled to run against positions supported by such Councilpersons. As such, it will be impossible for them to be on the same ticket. We cannot have a situation where members of the slate are criticizing Democratic initiatives and other members of the same slate are defending them. For me, I cannot support the recommendations of the “blue ribbon panel” in general, but any proposal to re-make the Legal department into anything other than an office of lawyers being lawyers and functioning in accordance with the Code of Professional Responsibility is especially troubling. I therefore intend to oppose such initiatives, as well as the re-nomination of any incumbent Councilpersons who vote in favor thereof.”
With this email, Seb’s interest for Middletown is his own best interest, filled with Mediocrity and personal politics; NOT putting “Middletown First” but attacks a Senior Councilperson, Joe Bibisi who served as his Deputy Mayor for his three terms faithfully. He now has set the stage for Joe & I not to be re-nominated for this Fall’s Republican Ticket! I suggest that if he is willing to do that and disregard personal friendships and commitments, what will he do to our city residents when they don’t happen to agree with his proposals? Remember, he has a track record of putting his personal political bias over that of the council and the public; surely NOT putting “Middletown First!”

Mediocrity raises its ugly head again, as a result of a conversation between Seb and I at a Caucus Meeting, where I inform him of my disappointment with this e mail he sent out, essentially advising him that his words and actions are destructive to the party and he acknowledges that the party in already broken and not being responsible for the fracture, offering to heal it while we still can. His example of healing was by him standing up at a Town Committee Meeting shortly thereafter, raising 4 fingers stating to me that “We just need 4 members on the council and no one should feel comfortable in their council positions!”

During the Common Council meeting prior to the merger vote taking place I felt it my responsibility to stand on my principles and expressing my belief in smaller government, which is more efficient and a more cost effective way to doing business. I noted that a recent statement from a CEO in Business addressed the perils of change, that it is difficult and that voices to protect the status quo are loud, well organized and politically motivated; such as in our case and Not putting “Middletown First!”

I was and still am perplexed by the amount of resistance to the mergers which have been made and planned for by a Democratic controlled council supporting Conservatism in government; why as Republicans would we not support the merger? Is the real reason for the resistance and our treatment about Republican Mediocrity, verses providing for a more cost effective government?

Knowing the political fate ahead, Joe & I then made the decision, that we would not be controlled by politics and continued with our bold steps to shed a new light on our party from a confrontational approach, to continue to build upon positive relationships in city government; essentially putting “Middletown First”!

As my June 27th, 2013 Interview approaches, I now know that we are not being re-nominated. This feeling was based upon Bill Wilson, Vice Chairman’s email sent out prior to the Interviews, where he accepts Mediocrity by letting Joe & I know that there are people complaining about my endorsement of Mayor Drew’s Budget. ` Bill Wilson goes on to name Joe & I and that our spots on the ticket are not guaranteed on the next council; noting further “We are Republicans and should be voting as Republicans. I don’t want to hear there is no difference between the two, after what voters have been hearing from two of our council people. Things have to change. Remember we are guaranteed four spots on the council no matter who we run, so no one should feel safe or that their spot is guaranteed”. For the record, I did not state that I supported the Mayor’s Budget, which I eventually voted against.
The minutes of the May 28th, 2013 Republican Town Committee Meeting, again alludes to Mediocrity when “Seb Giuliano speaks out claiming that our issues are evaporating.” Bill Wilson, Vice Chairman of the Republican Party suggests that people within our own party agree too much with the Democrats and Party Chairman Ken McClellan singles out both Joe & I by name.

So we knew what we were up against going into the interviews, which was a tainted process. I immediately prefaced my interview that I was fully aware of the rumors which were circling City Hall about me and Joe not being re-nominated and expressed my disappointment with our party. I further noted, that we were going into a very important election and asked them the question for which they could not answer, why we would not put forth our strongest Council Slate, headed by Joe & I who have been the top Republican vote getters, especially during a time when two of the Democratic Council members were retiring?

I went on to give a very strong case with my experience, accomplishments, changing the image of our party and not giving up my principles of service to our community. I offered mentorship to new candidates and my support; but as predicted we were not nominated. For the record I am not filing any type of ethical complaint, but I will let the voters decide if these facts speak for themselves.

In closing, I would like to say that I am not bitter with this process, but I am highly disappointed with the Town Committee’s Leadership, who had neither the inability nor the willingness to stand up against Mediocrity and those that have self-interest over the interest of our city. Our party is being led by Seb Guiliano, Ken McClellan, Bill Wilson in the wrong direction, or as our Party Chair Ken recently stated that “our party wants to go in a different direction”; apparently they do Not want to put “Middletown First”!

I have always taken my oath of Offices throughout my 40 plus years during my Middletown Police Career and City Government service very seriously and will remind my naysayers and those who strive on controversy in government and self-promotion, that take a look in the mirror and ask this important question; Did I provide the service and honest approach to government, knowing that I have truly helped our city of Middletown move forward for the right reasons; Putting Middletown First! I know that Joe & I did!

Thank you to all our supporters for the wonderful and heartwarming phone calls and emails, during this transition period for Joe & I while we contemplate with our families of our future decisions!

Councilman Philip J. Pessina

Common Council, Minority Leader