Middletown Voters Must Reject Charter Changes
When Middletown voters come to the polls on Tuesday, they will be faced with 6 local ballot questions: Question 8, which relates to the fire department, and Questions 9-13, which are all proposed amendments to the Middletown Town Charter. I am urging all Middletown voters to reject these proposed Charter amendments because of the Town Council’s failure to adhere to its own past practices and outright disregard for the intentions of the people they serve.
Beginning in December 2010, Councillor Ed Silveira proposed the formation of a Charter Review Commission to review several proposed amendments, as well as perform a comprehensive review of the Town Charter. After some discussion, and dissent from Vice President Long and Councillors Semonelli and Viveiros, a motion to form a Charter Review Commission failed to pass. Not to be deterred, the Council then “directed the administration and legal counsel” on January 18, 2011 to “review the Town Charter, identify provisions which impact the collective bargaining process, and propose changes” (memo from Town Administrator dated May 23, 2012). After these proposals were crafted, and with no input from members of the community, the Council received them and scheduled a public hearing for April 4, 2011.
At this first public hearing, 6 residents got up and spoke to the Council; 4 of them specifically asked the Council to drop the proposed amendments. The fifth spoke in favor of the amendments, and the other noted that he felt the charter was “being held hostage.” At this same meeting, Mr. Long, Mr. Semonelli, and Mr. Viveiros all voiced their support for the proposals, less than six months after stating that now was not an appropriate time to review the Charter. The public hearing ended with no action being taken by the Council.
More than a year passed before the Charter amendments again came up at a Council meeting on April 16, 2012. "At this time, an additional amendment, proposed by Vice President Long, was submitted to the Council and reviewed by Attorney Dan Kinder. A second public hearing was scheduled and was held on May 21, 2012. At this meeting 7 people again got up and addressed the council, 6 of whom spoke out against the changes, noting that the Council made no attempt to involve the citizens in the process. Council President Weber stated that night that the amendments “would [give] more control” to the Council with regard to labor and budget matters. Once again, there was no action taken by the Council.
On June 4, 2012, the Council again discussed the proposed changes, and voted to remove one proposed change that the majority felt overstepped the bounds of the Council’s authority. All of the other changes were passed by unanimous vote and forwarded to the Secretary of State’s office for approval to be included on the November 6 ballot.
At no point during this entire process did the Council seek to have the citizens involved in reviewing and amending their governing document; even when their opinions were heard at 2 separate public hearings, the Council ignored the majority’s request to drop the changes and form a Charter Review Commission. This is a process that the citizens of Middletown have always been a part of, yet this Council seems to prefer leaving matters in the hands of lawyers who do not even reside in the town. I again ask all Middletown voters to stand up for their right to be a part of their government and reject the proposed Charter amendments. Please vote NO on Questions 9-13 on Tuesday.
William F Horan
8:42 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
Middletown Voters Must APPROVE Charter Changes
Our Government must continue to serve with in the bounds of charter & constitutional limits.
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The town council (TC) alone is responsible for setting policy & tax rate. The TC is our ultimate authority where the buck stops. The fire, Police, public works, & school board, etc. like any other elected or appointed board or service ; MUST subscribe to the charter & constraints / budgets & processes established / implemented by the TC.
The charters & procedures that serve as the bounds for methods of operation subscribe to the fundamental tenant that the buck yesterday, today and tomorrow stops at the TC. Yes, where accountability & authority starts and must be upheld. Employees of the town must ultimately remain accountable to the TC.
In government if confusion or a rouge agenda once or twice removed from the overall authority, where board or employee engages in a behavior that is not consistent with the elected TC authority - Such can become costly and even destructive to the well being of the citizens.
As such, we support all the recommended charter modifications as recommended by the Town Council e.g. COST, predictability, accountability, responsibility, authority is realized. The assignment of a narrow limited responsibility to the important but lesser bodies, committees, boards and councils & their employees is well understood / bounded & reflecting the will of the citizen through our town council.
Jon Reese
8:56 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
Mr. Horan, I think you're missing my point. Nowhere in this letter did I say that the Council has no responsibility to the taxpayers to efficiently manage the town; nor do I believe that town employees are not to be held accountable to either the Council or the taxpayers they represent. My point is that the Council completely left the citizens of the Town of Middletown out of the process of changing how their town is run. Indeed, the "will of the citizen," as you so nicely put it, was anything but reflected in these proposed changes; the Council blatantly ignored the requests of residents and taxpayers, as well as concerned employees of the town, when they were told at 2 separate public hearings not to pass these changes and instead form a Charter Review Commission which would include the citizens in the process.
The Council has a responsibility to "reflect the will of the citizen" and to answer to the taxpayers and voters who elected them. Pursuing their own agenda, contrary to the will of those very same people, is a complete disregard for that responsibility. The Charter changes need to be rejected to send a message to the Council that the people of Middletown, not power-hungry politicians, should be the ones leading the process of change. A Charter Review Commission comprised of citizens of Middletown is the only fair and equitable way to ensure that happens.
William F Horan
11:47 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012
The specifics of the charter changes gives the Town Council the ability to better manage any and all cost including an improved transparency re school & other committees and or employee / union’s et al.
Let us not beat around the bush on this topic. .
If you thought otherwise you had the ability to get signatures and tirelessly return to the council and make your point early and often.
Rather You chose to describe a convoluted grievance, I think?
Have you and others chosen a grandstand at the election - exercise a rear guard turf protection action?
Based on the economic conditions; we have a clear and present danger of the last remaining major employers on Aquidneck Island to reduced in size or perhaps even eventually depart. Yes, if both state and national reform does not happen very soon.
The local reform here in Middletown has with this first step started, if the voters approve the charter changes. OBTW We have had charter changes in the past.
I encourage the Town Council and their designated committees & boards to continue looking for additional means to make a limited government even more responsive and efficient at a lower cost and higher quality.
Hopefully we all share this agenda along with open & candid dialog.
Business as usual is just unacceptable.
The ship must be tightened and further streamlined.
Accordingly the proposed charter modifications are an overdue first step in that direction. Hopefully the voters will approve the charter modifications.
Jon Reese
6:37 am on Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Again, you completely ignore my point, other than to call it a "convoluted grievance." How convoluted is it to say that the Council failed to represent and listen to their constituency in developing and passing these amendments without citizen input? That seems quite straightforward to me. You continue to dance around this point in an attempt to paint me as someone who believes the Council has no responsibility to ensure the Town is fiscally sound and able to run smoothly. In fact, I share your beliefs here; I just feel that the people of Middletown need to be a part of the Charter review process--just like they have each time "we have had charter changes in the past." If the Council had formed a Review Commission and they came up with these same exact changes, I'd have nothing to complain about in this respect.
You're right, Mr. Horan, "business as usual" is completely unacceptable; this Council has demonstrated time and time again that they do not care to listen to the voices of the voters they represent. These proposed changes and the entire process behind them are just another slap in the face to the people of Middletown and as such they should be voted down.
William F Horan
12:34 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Middletown Charter changes approved by voters.
The town Council now has the tools identified as necessary to better manage our town. We are a Constitutional Republic where locally the citizens and Council in partnership must provide the adult supervision and exercise a companion adult critical thinking.
Robert Hargis
12:47 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
It sound like Mr. Horan is describing a totalitarian gov. In which he feels the people are to stupid to think for themselves. Only those elected to power should have thier way. On 2 separate occations people spoke out against These changes with only 1 person speaking for thier approval. As a veteran I am saddend by the complete forfeiture of the democratic system. The majority of speakers were against these changes but the council went along with it anyway. You have your right to an opinion that's one of the reason a fought or this country. But don't give up your rights to democratically heard, and alow the few to mandate to the many. Just my two cents
Stanley Martin
4:04 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Im sure the only thing that went Mr Horan's way were the charter questions. Deep down inside he is weeping for Moonbat Romney. I rejected them because Dan Kinder keeps getting rich off stupid Town Councils. Oh well, there are other ways to fight these changes
William F Horan
8:50 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
The welfare dependent Americans, unions, and illegal aliens have chosen for the rest of us the dark path of serfdom
B.D.
10:02 am on Thursday, November 8, 2012
Mr Horan, please explain to me how these charter changes allow the Council AND THE citizens to work together??? The way I see it is the PAST council set themselves up for a "dictatorship" in the future. The citizens spoke LOUD and CLEAR about this past council, and now we will have a new council president, along with many not so new comers. I'm sure this new council will restore order to town in a fiscally responsible way, as they have in the past. Unfortunately, I think many of the citizens assumed that the previous council had what was in their best interest on the ballot and voted to approve these charter changes. Speaking to many of them Mr. Horan, many did not understand what they meant nor there implications. Be that as it may, Mr. Horan, please note that these changes were not overwhelmingly voted in. A 60/40 split of questions 9-13 isn't a win by a landslide. While I appreciate your views on welfare, unions, and the like, and agree with you to some very mild extent, I wish someone with your intelligence was willing to at least listen to our side rather than be so concrete on yours. But after all, that is how America became this great nation. Congratulations on your win, and hopefully these charter changes don't come back to bite us on the backside.
Cheese Ball
7:21 am on Friday, November 9, 2012
Could someone please explain why the town seems to be so "anti school system". When it comes down to budget everyone throws a crap-fit because they don't feel like the school department should get anymore money. The school department works extremely hard to abide by all of the rules and regulations that have been put on them and are always doing whats in the best interest for the kids. Why deprive them? And DPW gets a new facility too? They subcontract out for all the big projects why do they get spoiled? Take that money and fix our schools. Invest in something that has a positive return. None of this has any logic, it's like we all agree to go raise money for Bill Gates. DOESN'T MAKE SENSE
Bill
12:42 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012
Because teachers unions make themselves poster children for town finance abusers. Maybe it's just the news coverage, but any time there is a potentially contentious contract negotiation, the teachers demands are typically reported as something along the lines of cost of living, plus no medical co-pay, plus lifetime coverage, plus full pension after a week, plus the head of all first-born children in the town. Add to that the fact that the cost per pupil keeps going up while enrollment is generally dropping. On top of that, inflation has been relatively flat (1-2%) for more than a decade but cost of living adjustments have been on the order of 2-4%. Finally, add the costs of bloated adminstration and unfunded mandates to the mix which are generally transparent to the common resident and you have a huge, expensive system which becomes the the only target which is even remotely reachable.
Generally, people want good, quality schools with quality teachers for a reasonable cost. Everybody has a threshold for what's affordable. Once that threshold is crossed, the anger starts to rise.
Cares About Middletown
1:03 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012
Cheese Ball , you must work for the school department or blind to what goes on there. We have an administration that hires people from out of town, re. Ed Collins as facility manager from Central Falls. Yes, Central Falls! Guess no one locally would qualify for that job. Then he bs's everyone with "bells and whistles" and ppretty computer graphics to keep his staff level even though we're down to 4 schools. Quotes some stupid custodian per thousand sq. feet. Mr. Collins ; there ARE no such quotas! Now, we have a custodian supervisor that hires, yup, get this - his son! I questioned this before the hiring but to no avail. Well, now it's even better, because the custodians supervisor's BROTHER was just elected to the council. Mr. Collins does things as he wants with no oversight. Said custodian supervisor the same. When Cathy MacLeish retired as business manager we had to hire somone from Fall River; again, no one locally must have been able to do the job. After all, we only PAY taxes. NOW, do we wonder why the TC needs more say over where the money is going! There is one hell of a mess in the school department; it's just that people don't know and the people working under the administration are afraid to speak out! Seriously, you can't make ths stuff up.
Bill
1:22 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012
Nepotism has been rampant for decades. As to hiring from the outside, Middletown has a chronic problem of doing just the opposite. We have students who attend Middletown schools, go to URI/RIC to get a degree and teaching certificate and then get jobs as Middletown teachers. All this does is produce a downward spiral of knowledge and experience in our town. In order to ensure maximum results, we need to put all potential candidates in a pile and evaluate them equally based on qualifications, life and work experience. Nepotism needs to go away, but so does preferential resident hiring.
Lester
10:06 pm on Saturday, November 10, 2012
Your "stupid" custodian comment is uncalled for and from all of your comments I have been reading, you are the Poster Child for an Adult Bully. How can you care about Middletown with the hateful comments you make about people who live and work in our town and their families, especially their children...not nice at all, who they voted for, etc.. Middletown is a great town with people who are proud of their community and personally, if you do care as your name claims, take all of your negative and try doing some positive things to make Middletown a place that you can be proud of too. This Islander is not proud of your "stupid" comments at all.
Cares About Middletown
1:30 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012
One other thing about the ammendments: to the Middletown fireman standing near the entrance to the polling place with the signs urging rejection of ALL. Ha Ha
Not exactly my picture of a fireman, either.
Lester
10:07 pm on Saturday, November 10, 2012
If that is true....so sad as well.
Cares About Middletown
8:16 am on Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Diane, yes, it's true. Everything I have written in here is true, I do not just arbitrarily throw stuff out there. And yes, it is sad. I was disgusted, to be honest. Why is my "stupid" custodian comment uncalled for; it is the truth. And if you want to talk about bullies, all you have to do is look at the school department's maintenance "leaders." I DO care about Middletown and wish more people realized what happens in this town that no one knows about.
Cares About Middletown
1:54 pm on Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Has Mr. Reese once mentioned that he is a Middletown fireman? What are they afraid of? The town council, which represents US, the highly-taxed taxpayer having a little more say in negotiations? I know firemen are heroes, blah, blah, blah. And it's not popular to even DARE say anything negative. But at what cost to the taxpayer? I am NOT a happy taxpayer when I go to vote and there is a fireman holding up picket signs againt ALL charter amendments.
Lester
1:18 am on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Mr. Reese, A disservice to taxpayers is that you do not have to be drug tested, you do not have to possess a CDL to drive a fire truck, hence, no drug test, you waste SO MUCH GAS dragging out that HUGE truck full of water "just in case" you need it and while you are worrying about what other departments are doing, why don't you figure out how to pull Newport's trailer upright that has been stored unused on Middletown grounds for YEARS before it falls on a child. That is a disservice. It was refreshing to see young Tom Welch in his uniform raking up leaves as opposed to the group of guys flocking around like seagulls when someone's wife or girl friend dropped off a cake. Cares About Middletown....I believe you care now, still do not like the "stupid" custodian comment. Mr. Reese....ah hah....now it all makes sense. Mr. Brown put the charter changes in brail, no one understood them, and they trusted you voted yes on 8, no on 9-13 and you got your way. So the administration staff at Oliphant, teachers assistants, secretaries, etc. have you to thank. It affected everyone. Can not wait to see how this will work considering my daughter is in a class with 23 students and one TA, the TA's who were so proud to vote to approve 8 as you screwed them. I am on your side CAM.
Jon Reese
7:09 pm on Tuesday, November 13, 2012
No, I have not yet mentioned that I am a Middletown Firefighter; however, it isn't something I'm trying to hide. I wrote this article, and spent my day at the polling places last Tuesday, as a private citizen speaking out against what I believe to be a disservice to the citizens of the Town. I am not afraid of the Council at all; in fact, I had discussions with several of them at the various polling places throughout the day. Obviously, they didn't share my views, but all were more than happy to have a reasonable, civil discussion with me about the issue at hand. And yes, every single one of them was aware of my job as a firefighter.
You bring up the cost to you as a taxpayer; how much did it cost you while I was out there holding my picket sign? Nothing. I was out there on my own free time, as were all of the other people who were out holding signs that day. Are you suggesting that we are are not able to spend our free time as we choose? There are no secrets here; I took the lead in speaking out about an issue I cared about and several of my fellow firefighters chose to join me. All on our free time, exercising our rights as citizens. How much do you actually pay in taxes? I'd be willing to bet you have no idea how little of that money actually goes to the Fire Department (6.41% to be exact). That amounts to no more than a few hundred dollars per year for the majority of Middletown taxpayers. I'm happy to share all the facts; all you have to do is ask.
Cares About Middletown
7:19 am on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Mr. Reese; This is not a personal attack but do you know that most states do not allow public employees to "picket" at the polls? I'm sure you cannot see the conflict of interest because you probably have been raised in Rhode Island and do not know any better. It is tacky at best and not a very good way to build community relationships. Nice that you have so much spare time that you can organize so effectively on issues touching on municipal workers.
Diane; I am happy to see that you have an open mind. People will try to label me as a kook, when in reality I am just a taxpaying citizen fed up with the unionized machine that will not give an inch as our taxes go up and up and quality of services go down. Diane, do you realize that our kids' education seems to be slipping downhill? Our school department cuts teachers, closes schools, but maintains the same number of custodians and maintenance personnel. Just drive by the Oliphant school and look at all the vehicles. Watch as Dave Rodrigues hires his son, Michael as a custodian while umemployment is well over 10% in this state. THIS is the kind of town we live in. Nepotism is rampert. Yes, I care about Middletown and want as many people as possible to know what takes place; it's the only way things will ever change. And, please, before you attack me, just check out what I write. I would not put anything in here that could not be backed up with facts.
Jon Reese
7:32 am on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
I think you may be misinformed. The right to picket, whether by a public employee or anyone else, is a First Amendment right and laws prohibiting that right have been struck down numerous times over the years by courts at every level. Picketing while on duty is another issue, but that doesn't apply here, as I have already mentioned. What "conflict of interest" do you refer to? As a private citizen, don't I have the right to support or protest whatever issues I choose, even if they happen to be related to my employment? I must disagree with your assertion that it "is not a good way to build community relationships." On the contrary, almost all of the people I spoke with on Election Day thanked me for providing them with more information about the issue; I'm sure they didn't all agree with me, but they were still grateful for the info. I find it funny that you mention my free time. Don't you have days off of work? I know I don't work 7 days a week, and I'm sure you don't either; it just so happens that, due to our rotating schedule, sometimes our days off fall on weekdays. For me, Election Day happened to be one of those days. If I'm misunderstanding what you've said, please feel free to correct me.
Let me also add that you, or anyone else, can feel free to contact me through the Fire Department if you'd like to discuss some of these issues further. I am happy to sit down with anyone at any time to try and address any problems or concerns you may have.
Jon Reese
7:42 am on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Diane,
First, every Fire Department employee is drug tested prior to being employed with the Town. Random drug tests are prohibited by state law; regularly scheduled tests are not, and I personally would have no issue with being required to do that. To the best of my knowledge, it has never come up in contract talks or otherwise, but I'm sure it would not be an issue if I ever did. As for the CDLs, that is another function of state law that doesn't require one to operate emergency vehicles. Again, it's not something I (or my colleagues, I'm sure) would have a problem doing, it's just that it's never been an issue.
Your comment about gas is, like so many other comments here, simply misinformation. Our trucks use highly efficient diesel engines (not gas), which burn very little fuel while running, and almost none while idling on the scene of an emergency. We bring the "truck full of water" so that we have extra hands available on medical runs; we rarely have all the information prior to arriving on scene, and more often than not, the work to be done requires more than 2 sets of hands. Lifting or carrying a patient (especially down one or more flights of stairs), providing life-saving treatment, or removing someone from a car wreck, all require extra people. The trailer out back is upright; we couldn't do anything with it until the insurance company was able to complete their investigation, which unfortunately took time. Again, facts matter; all you have to do is ask.
Jon Reese
9:39 am on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
As for the rest of your post, I don't think I quite understand what you are trying to say. I'm sure you're aware that all of the Charter Changes did actually pass, so I did not in fact "get my way." The fact that they did pass has the potential to affect all of those people you listed far more than if they had not. Can you please clarify how I "screwed them" by holding a sign at the polling places? Again, perhaps I'm missing something n what you've said, but I'm confused how the passage of the new station is at all related the Charter Changes' effect on the teachers and other School Department employees.
Like I said above, I'm happy to sit down personally with you or anyone else if you'd like to discuss these issues further. I'm not in the business of keeping secrets or spreading misinformation. Thank you though for your open and candid commentary, and I look forward to maybe meeting you personally at some point.
Cares About Middletown
10:45 am on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Mr. Reese;
Please explain why you and so many firemen were so vehemently against ALL the charter amendments without going through the process of the way they came to be on the ballot. I would also like to know how many of the people that opposed the ammendments at the Council meeting were town employees. Was it similar to all the firemen that spoke at the budget hearing meetings a few years ago when there was a proposal to change shifts?
Jon Reese
5:22 pm on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Your request is paradoxical; the very reason I and the others were out there was because of the way the changes came to be on the ballot. That is why we were advocating to reject ALL of them. Perhaps my original letter did not make that clear enough? You can go back and read the minutes from all of the Council meetings and see for yourself that, even then, most of the opposition was because of the way these changes came to be. I know the School Committee sent out mailers (and may have been out at the polling places handing out the same) specifically asking for 9 and 13 to be rejected because of the potential negative effects they would have, but for us it was as I have already said.
I don't have an exact number for you with regard to the Council meetings, but many of those who spoke (including myself) were or are Town employees. These changes were designed specifically to affect Town employes; wouldn't you speak out against a change you felt would negatively impact you? This really shouldn't surprise you.
I'm not sure what you're asking about the similarity to the budget hearing meetings. That was a completely separate issue that dealt with violations of contractual bargaining rights and possible legal violations (see the ongoing issue in North Kingstown--it was the exact same thing). So yes, we spoke out against that, and for many reasons. We speak out on issues that are important to us, whether they directly affect us or not, in accordance with our rights.
Cares About Middletown
7:13 am on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Mr. Reese,
Thank you for being honest about the employees that spoke at the council meetings; I have gained respect for you for writing that. I do NOT respect town employees picketing polling stations for their causes. Though it may be within your 1st Whether or not youb like the way the ammendments were put on the ballot or not, the voters have spoken and overwhelmingly passed them all. When I have a bit more time, I will explain to you how it is in the "civilian" workplace and why I feel that a 60-40 vote with all the campaigning, etc. that municipal workers did is a "shout-out."