OK, you asked for it, here it is. A new post for you to abuse and disabuse the civility associated with reasoned discourse about issues and ideas.
Freshly Minted Invective, or Where to Rant About Political Stuff
by turfgrrl
August 2nd, 2007 · 95 Comments
Tags: Eggs & Bacon Bits · In the News · Norwalk
95 Responses so far ↓ “Freshly Minted Invective, or Where to Rant About Political Stuff”
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Any teachers out there want to comment on the Freedom of Information Act request by Dr. Scott P. Merrell? He is asking for your age address salary eduactional credentials college attendance and bank depository, all things a good hacker can ruin your life with…why you ask? Because he is running for Mayor of Norwalk. I don’t mind my name and salary given but the combination of the rest is a little much don’t you think?
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I like the idea of doing evaluations on candidates for this Novembers local election.
I think first there should a healthy discourse of the qualities,traits of the candidates that people who either read or participate on this blog want.
What is the ideal candidate “person”. Treat it like you have the ability to build a person to represent you from the ground up!Where talking character her not looks.
Lets not talk about agendas or idealogy, that comes later after the perfect candidate base is established,
Folks lets give a try.
Listing “honest” is not enough
Listing” honest with their opinions” whether I agree
or not is a respectful trait for one to have, is enough.
Turf Girl you can help make this happen and you can have a blog report card of your own. -
i told you so-not!: -ok, start here! it was on another thread. All you need to do is copy and paste it into a new post and evaluate away!
Mayor- Moccia/Briggs
Town Clerk Garfunkel/Romano
Common Council-Miklave, Poruban, Krummel, Briggs, Bolden, Hilliard, Bondi, McQuaid, Hempstead, Straniti
5 at large and 10 in district - A- B- C- D- E-
BOE
Jody Bishop-Pullen, Gregory Burnett, Bruce Kimmel, Rosa Murray, Susan Hamilton, Migdalia
Rivas,Thomas Vetter5 in district
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i told you so-not!: Oh yes, a political flunkie report card is in the near future. Then the challenger report card. Maybe even a totally unscientific poll or dozen. Must first break out of day job gravity.
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Anon432: It is an odd request from Dr. Merrell, and I was alerted to it be another reader. I will be looking into it.
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Anon432 and turf-why is Merrill asking for this information and what has it got to do with him running for office? Is he trying to weed out donors who don’t make enough money for his high standars? The guy is really weird!
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As a NPS teacher I am VERY UNCOMFORTABLE with this FOI request. I have spoken with many colleagues and no one is happy about having this information disseminated. Hope this FOI request is worth upsetting a group of Norwalk voters – many of whom live in Dr. Merrell’s district. At the very least Dr. Merrell could explain WHY he wants this info. The good news is that he’s my vet, and once he gets a look at my paycheck he will be able to understand why I can’t afford to have my dog’s teeth scaled and cleaned. It’s a choice between the dog and college tuition for my child! So, Rover will always have bad breath.
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Anne Sullivan wrote
” why I can’t afford to have my dog’s teeth scaled and cleaned”
There are people paying taxes in this town who cannot afford to HAVE THEIR TEETH CLEANED, let along worry about the dogs.
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Anne Sullivan-I can’t for the life of me understand the reasoning behind this. Is he only doing this for teachers or are there other groups? I don’t think this is a reasonable request from FOI. This is very disturbing and perhaps he’s done one too many dog’s teeth scaling and cleaning and has inhaled way too many fumes. Why would anyone allow this information to be given to someone that is running for mayor? What does he plan to do with the information and how can this affect ones livlihood. It is usually the norm that employers ask employees not to discuss wages with other employees for the simple reason that it causes dissension. This is a very ugly can of worms and should throw up some pretty huge red flags as to what abuse of power will mean should he get elected. The BOE does not come under the jurisdiction of the city so what the heck????
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Mr. Morton -the following dental colleges offer free and reduced dental care: Central CT College, Middlesex, and I believe Quinnipiac does as well. I do believe people in Norwalk can pay their taxes and take care of their teeth as well, but as always it takes some research to find out where services are. Taxpayers whose schools have FRCs can get assistance and referrals from the FRCs as well. Retired taxpayers can get information at the WONDERFUL senior center.
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I have a hunch that Dr. Merrell is looking for information on a select few. In the meantime, this is a willy-nilly way to go about doing some light research. I have no problem submitting my name, salary, and credentials. Heck, I’ll even throw in my address. I draw the line, however, when someone asks for my bank depository. I have to wonder why my own personal choice in banks has relevance to anyone other than myself and my banker. Age also is something that isn’t required for a job interview, and I question that relevance, as well.
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Oops… sorry, but I’d like to tack on a question for Anne Sullivan.
Anne:
Did you get notice of this request via Human Resources or did a colleague “pass it on?”
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Turf Girl . All I was trying to get into play is what do your readers percieve to be the perfect candidate.After reading comments on this blog it would leave you to belive all the local elected officials , are incompendent, crooks, in the pocket of developers, and in the pockets must be the gold they divey up to certain indviduals and care nothing about ant thing historical. That they all have ethic violations.
On the whole I disagree with this assertion, but I am curious what makes a good (local) elected official? I thought it was relevant since there is a local election this year and it never gets the attention it deserves.As to a score card it would have as much value(more I think) as the two that were mentioned in the Advocate , since they are both a lobby group with an specific agenda.
PS maybe Mr Merrell can run for the BOE he can probably make horse sense out of their double speak.
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What makes a good local candidate? Knowledge and respect for Norwalk’s history. Knowing all the neighborhoods not just the one they live in. An understanding of the city’s needs. A people person. A listener. For starters.
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even for starters those you listed would eliminate half of those elected officials we have now.
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Please let other teachers know about this request. Because of the switch from group wise to outlook in the school system many teachres are not getting their email over the summer. I was alerted from our union rep at my home email that we have shared friendly emails exchanges in the past. You can go to HR and sign a form that will keep your information because of an objection and privacy act. Thank you Turfgrrl for letting us talk about this in your posting space.
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How come the good Docotr is not asking how much of our own time and money we spend working in Norwalk for OUR students? I do not want my age and banking information out there not with today’s computer wizzes. Identity Theft is real and you only need a foot in the door to break in to someone’s life.
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I really should look before posting my mind types faster than my fingers I meant Doctor
It has been a day if you know what I mean? -
We need people who understand basic accounting. No one knows what costs are associated with anything. Projects get proposed, and bam, it gets rushed into action and the tax payer is left holding the bucket. My ideal candidate is fiscally responsible.
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After reading Briggs’ letter to the editor in today’s Hour regarding Gault’s application for an oil distribution and storage facillity, I’m not sure whether he is more concerned for the residents of Ely Avenue or that Gault is going to make a fortune developing their Westport land.
Would an oil storage facility be any worse than the chemicals that were stored there by Guard-All? Were people even aware of the dangerous chemicals? This is an industrial area and should remain an industrial area. We don’t have too many of those left in the City of Norwalk.
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Tke out the comma between “incompetent” and “crooks” and you have a more accurate description of our esteemed mayor and corporation counsel.
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nwlknative surf the EPA webs site find where to put in Norwalks zip codes find out what already exists your eye opening scan will tell you whats really there
only thing that bothers me is what Gaults EPA reports say they can release into the air legally in Westport by the ton,,,then double it in Norwalk without an ocean breeze next to it,,
at least whats in the ground cannot go airborne for the time being..
Whats to say there was an fire,,yes they have a great track record in Westport with half the amout of outside contractors with vehicles coming in with or without qualified drivers, or safety in mind..
I think for whats its worth the facts were given but the issues that were raised are sometimes over the heads of both the press and residents,,I say that respectively.
besides how hard is it to simply explore the earth with a excavator for the day and put some of the fears to rest,,or is to dangerous to do that..
a can of worms I think Mr Greenpeace has already said..maybe its time to go fishing before a vote.sometimes his rants are informative.
If I lived on the point I could get the power plant emissions or the oil tank farm emissions depending on which way the wind is blowing,,or if you want the junk yard fluff is blowing my way, anyway you look at it I may just buy gas masks for the whole family living in such a nice expensive gated community..
They just cleared another what 9 acres of woodland on Woodward for industrial buildings in the middle of a residential area,,you have seen that? ,,that was done last week..your right thou not in Norwalk just South Norwalk where Ely street is..
Maybe another part of the city would want the tank farm any takers?
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People buy the houses next to the industrial businesses and then complain that they are in industrial areas! People buy the houses next to I-95 and then complain about noise and pollution! People buy houses next to electrical transformers and then complain about the voltage!
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then there are people who complain about other people who complain so whats your point?
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I don’t know about you two ,but I didn’t think the residents in affordable housing bought anything.They count as well don’t they?
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As a former NPS teacher, I’m alarmed by Scott Merrell’s request. Why on earth would he consider teachers’ bank depository information to be appropriate for him or other members of the public to know?
It’s highly disturbing and something I hope members of the public will join teachers in expressing intense disapproval of Merrell’s invasion of basic privacy rights for city employees.
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Here is the letter NPS teachers received:
E MAIL TO ALL TEACHERS
July 30, 2007
Dear Teachers:
I hope your summer is going well. The Norwalk Board of Education has received a Freedom of Information Act request from Dr. Scott P. Merrell seeking disclosure of the name, address, salary, age, educational credentials, college attendance, and place where paychecks are sent of all Norwalk teachers and administrators. We have determined that the following items are subject to disclosure under the Act:
1. The teacher or administrator’s name,
2. The employee’s salary,
3. The employee’s “education credentials,†and
4. The college(s) the employee attended.An employee’s age and home address are subject to disclosure unless the employee has sought to keep that information private. If you object to the disclosure of your age or your home address, you must complete a form objecting to disclosure at the Office of Human Resources located in Board offices at City Hall within nine business days of the date of this email.
With respect to where your paychecks are sent, for those employees who receive a hard copy of their paycheck, such paychecks are, as you know, sent to the schools. It is our intention not to disclose the name of the bank of those employees who receive electronic transfer.
Please complete and send the attached form with your original signature to the Human Resources Office no later than Monday, August 6th. Alternatively, you may drop it off at the Human Resources Office.
Very Truly Yours,
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If I received this information request, I would be PO’d. Is there any other response possible?
Uh, any possibility that we are once again being played for the useful dupes by the 3rd floor? I know that they would NEVER twist an issue around for their own purposes. I was just thinking of the information request path: Merrell - 3rd floor - teachers. For me it plays: Merrell-unknown, teachers-good, 3rd floor…?
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Here’s a new campaign slogan for law & odor Dick: “Bank Robberies n’ Home Invasions: Just Say No-walk!®”
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Does anyone think that Merrill actually stands a chance? This is a party politic town. Moccia will win again as the Norwalk Democratic Party is in shambles thanks to its poor leadership. What are the qualifications to be town chair? Obviously not much. Being a dem in this town right now is not fun. It was a joke on how long it took name a candidate for Mayor. No personal offense to Mr. Dem Candidate but its over.
