The month is rolling and we’re gettin’ closer to Turkey Day. That is exhibited by the fack that Sammy Bluejay was flutterin’ about the Green t’other afternoon and the angels and toy soldiers are out and the preparations for the annual tree-lighting on the center square are proceeding as usual. Whilst that is goin’ on, the cold weather is comin’ perty much the way we thought it might – with a vengeance. The forecasters say we’re gonna be in the midst of a cold snap by the time yew git this missive, and we should expeck frosty weather for the next lit’le while. Before yew know it, snow will be on the ground, and the holiday season will be in full force.
The election last week, dearie, went perty much as the professionals thought. That is, herronner won a second term from the voters by a 60-40 margin. Things went off well, but there were a couple surprises. For the foist time in almost three decades, the GOP will have more than one voice on the City Council, and be able to second a motion. That’s something that we ain’t seen since George H.W. Bush’s term.
Louise Martone, who the Demmies supporting the incumbent will tell you wasn’t one o’ their people, got beat in the Tenth Districk by Barry L. Cohen. Of course, we suspeck the Rossi people helped along the way. Still, it was a special feat we’ll discuss below.
How this recent election fits in the balance o’ power in the Demmie house is still to be seen. This is the most recent time the so-called Picard branch of the Party – witch I guess we now hafta call the Rossi Branch – completely smoked the two other appendages. These things are cyclical as we know from past history, but still, it’ll be interestin’ to see how things play out over the next couple o’ years.
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With the publication in last week’s papyrus of the changes in the City Charter, the move toward a vote becomes more apparent. Until last week, the talk about the charter was all abstract. This made it real. The thing to remember is that last week’s election might very well be the last of its kind. The new charter calls for a total reorganization of the city’s government, and makes the mayor a member of the City Council as foist amongst equals. The day-to-day administration of the city would go to a city manager.
Some of the other changes are more by attrition. The new charter, if passed, would mean that credentials would be needed for city department heads, getting rid of the spoils system we now have – eventually.
When this thing is gonna be voted on is anyone’s guess. I know that the April Presidential Preference primary is the date some people on the council are pushin’ for, but it remains to be seen if that can be done under the state’s regulations. We shall see.
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The wag wrote Cobina a missive, and she thought she’d shre it with you:
“The West Haven Republican Town Committee (RTC) continues its attempts to hide or heal wounds that have been exposed after an election season that witnessed only modest gains. Instead of unifying after a contentious primary, some noted that the pent-up hostility of Chairwoman Pat Libero spilled over into deeper divisions between the party’s factions. After months of tension between Libero and GOP mayoral candidate, Michele Gregorio, both put on a good front the last couple of weeks of the campaign. However, the die had already been cast, as the party had been crippled from what is now acknowledged by many as a primary that caused irreparable divisions within the RTC.
“Barry Lee Cohen and Silvanna Apicella received virtually zero support from the Republican Town Committee (RTC). As some may recall, Cohen, RTC Vice-Chairman, and now also Councilman-elect of the 10th District, supported the endorsed candidate, Michele Gregorio, while Libero backed Steve Mullins in the primary. Apicella ran an energetic, yet unsuccessful bid for 8th district councilwoman.
“Some RTC members are quietly calling out Libero’s lack of leadership and poor management of the under ticket which has added more flames to the fire of discontent. Furthermore, some candidates were disgruntled and dismayed with the delayed and often inadequate support provided. Line cards of the under ticket WITHOUT including its top of the ticket, Michele Gregorio? Lawn signs that subjugated the district council candidates in small type on the bottom of signs? A good number of candidates refused to use these materials, while voters scratched their heads as to why the GOP had limited exposure on the streets.
In the meantime, we are wondering why the chairman of what some call the Pity Party has yet to publically congratulate Cohen for his hard-earned win. It’s the first time in 28 years (thereabouts; since Clem Engeliste left office) that a GOPer has won a district seat outright. Reviewing his social media, Cohen is thankful and looking forward to serving every neighbor in his district.
Make no mistake, Gregorio’s gallant attempt at being elected mayor also brought to light the critical need for the RTC to clean house if they ever stand a chance to expand its footprint on the Asylum by the Sea.
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With the new slate of council people coming into office in a couple o’ weeks – remember, the inauguration of the new administration is the foist Sunday in December — one wonders effen our Gripe Vine gal, Eleanore Turkington, will get more — or less – cooperation from the membership.
It must be remembered that whilst most of the members were very cooperative after the Rossi administration punted the responsibility of districk complaints to the various council seats, there was a stubborn minority that felt it didn’t need to answer to anyone – and it didn’t.
With new voices and new people on the council, one would hope that the woik that Turkington does with the people who read this papyrus will be a shared responsibility by those who asked the voters to come out and support them. Yew’d think so, no?
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Iva Lootey came by and opined that it might be his imagination, but there seems to be more For Sale signs out this fall than at any time in the last few years. One o’ the reasons, he averred was the fack that the city is now undergoing revaluation again, and that, with the guaranteed tax increase under the five-year plan, people are lookin’ to get out. There could be something to that.
Cobina has been traversing the berg in the gassamobuggy and has noticed more and more signs are up. The last time that happened this way, the city was the worse off for it. Most of the new owners don’t live here, they buy the properties as investments, and don’t care who comes in. Over the last several decades the city’s residents have been poorer, less educated and more transient. That means that they don’t have a vested interest in there domiciles. That spells more trouble for those of us who have stayed in the berg.
We hoped gentrification would happen a while ago, but it hasn’t. About a decade ago many people from Westchester County were coming into town, they saw our high taxes as lower than what they were used to, and it looked like things were gonna change. They didn’t.
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With that bit o’ chatter, I’ll close this time till next, mitt luff und kizzez,