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Norwalk: The Council Gets Sworn In


by turfgrrl


November 20th, 2007 · 42 Comments

Common Council, the Swearing In and the Swearing At
Wendy G. Opened the meeting with an acapella of the National Anthem.

Public Participation:

Richard McGregor: Don’t chew on the mic don’t hit the mic and wishes all of them luck over 2 years/ The councilmen and women in the city that the council people as much recognition as they deserve. You deserve a raise form the $600/yr. Good luck and ope that you are all smiling in two years.

Swearing In Cermonies:

All of them rise and get sworn in. Then Fire Commissioners (Andreoli and Coffey) and Peter Torrano get sworn in. Then Mary Roman gets sworn in. Then Robert Maslan gets sworn in.

Moccia: Moves that the council rules get moved up. They vote unanimously to do so.

Hempstead: Moves Fred Bondi as council president. Speaks to his involvement in Norwalk, his community involvement and has provided good leadership.

Nick Kydes: Seconded.

Krummel: Surprised that Mayor didn’t ask for other nominations. Has great honor to nominate Doug Sutton as council president. [Looks like ti will be contested. Speaks to his involvement in the community and leadership. Sutton has the nomination of the Democratic caucus of this council. The Democratic voted that they would stand behind the nomination. The past practice has been for the majority to make the nomination. Is very upset that the procedure.

Moccia: I have no involvement in this, this is council business.

Any other nomination

They vote that the nominations be closed

Then they take a recess. (5 minutes)

They resume:

Moccia: Reminds that there were two nominations on the floor, Bondi and Sutton for President. They will vote on them in the order that they were nominated.

Bondi Y
Brown N
Hempstead Y
McQuaid Y
Seraissi N
Bolden N
Hilliard Y
Kydes Y
Lindstrom N
Stanititi Y
Krummel N
Conroy Y
Geake Y
Sutton N

9-6 votes for Bondi as president.

Majority Leader

Krummel: We have an announcment.

Brown: “Sir,”Asks for a recess… 2 minutes, promise.

McQuaid: You don’t have to call him Sir

Lindstrom: Democratic caucus has voted for Bill Krummel as majority leader

McQuaid: We voted on Kelly Straniti as minority leaders

Rounds of applause on both of those.

Moccia: Mr. Bondi?

Bondi: You want appointments to Committees.

Finance:
Hilliard
Geake
Brown
Sutton
Hempstead
Kydes

Building & Land Use
Lindstorm
Krummel
Sutton
Geake
Hempstead
Bonnefant

Personnel
Seraiss
Geake
Lindstorm
Mcquaid
Bonnefant

Public Works
Krummel
Bondi
Lindstom
Hempstead
Straniti
Conroy

Krummel makes a comment about the ration of the majority and minority ratios.

McQuaid: Where is that in the rules that you have to follow that? Tradition was broken along time ago. If you don’t like it you can vote nop.

Health

Geak
Lindstorm
Bolden
Serasis
Rick Mcquaid
Kydes

Ordnance
Brown
Hillaird
Biondi
Krummel
Conory
Straniti

Planning

Bolden
Hilliard
Krummel
Brown
Controy
Hempstead
Straniti

Parks
Bondi
Bolden
Serais
Bonnefant
Mcquaid

Hempstead motions and Kydes seconds

Krummel: It’s an unfortunate departure from our normal procedures to have committee unduly favored

Hempstead: THe majority of all these committees is Democratic In the past there are 7 members. Every council is different and there is no tradition. I’m little surpised at all the partisanship this early. There are no trasitions the ruels that say you can have 7

Nos
Serasis
Krummel

The rest were yeses.

Committee Chairs:

Finance: Hillaird
Public Works: Krummel
Health: Geake
Ordinance: Brown
Planning: Bolden
Parks & Recreation: Bondi
Personnel: McQuaid
Land use & Building Mangement: Hempstead

Krummel: Disucssion. We are departing from national tradition. When have we have had minority chairmen when the majority party is in charge. Cites example of congress. Objects.

Moccia: I don’t know if we can use congress as an example of good government.

Kydes: This is the first night of the new council and Krummel has brought anything but partisanship. Change is good sometimes Mr. Krummel. We are herere to look beyond partisanship that holds progress down. Plese give change a chance to succeed.

Conroy: I don’t think we should use congress as an example.

Lindstrom: Agrees with Krummel Thinks that there are members that could be chairs becuae they have experience. Put a new members as a chair.

McQuaid: I do notice that there are some new people heading committees and looks forward to working with them.

Krummel: Is astonished that they are introducing a way fo doing government. He cites masons rules as a precedent. You are destroying democracy.

Moccia: I don’t think we are going to destroy democracy by appointing chairman from a minority party.

Hempstead; Our constitution is a living document. America is an experiment. It is refreshing that this council takes a different way. We have a great opportunity, and its not without precedence it happened 25 years ago and XX years ago where the Republican majority gave two council chairmanships in the past. “Let’s share our toys”

Serasis: Why has a new face been denied?

Lindstrom: Agrees with Serasis is also a new face that has been denied

Chair Assignment Roll Calls

Bondi Y
Borwn N
Geake Y
McQuaid Y
Sutton N
Bonnefant Y
Serasis N
Bolden Y
Hilliard Y
Kydes Y
Lindstrom N
Hempstead Y
Stanititi Y
Conroy Y
Krummel N

Passes 10-5

Maritime Authority:

McQuaid
Bondi
Serasis
Sutton

Concludes All business tonight.

Tags: In the News · Norwalk

42 Responses so far ↓ “Norwalk: The Council Gets Sworn In”


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  • 1 Andrew // Nov 20, 2007 at 9:47 pm

    Turfie, I believe that Geake and Hilliard voted for Fred Bondi for President, while Lindstrom voted against it.

  • 2 anonymous // Nov 20, 2007 at 10:55 pm

    This council meeting was the most despicable display of partisan politics ever witnessed. How can Laurel Lindstrom look at herself in the mirror? A great price to pay for a moment of fleeting fame. No respect in the public eye. No respect at all. Does she realize that so many voted for her because she seemed as if she would vote her conscience? My God.. how obvious Krummel, Lindstrom and Serasis were. What a waste of skins! What a complete disappointment to the nonpartisan voter!

  • 3 anonymous // Nov 20, 2007 at 11:02 pm

    Hats off to Mike Geake and Phyllis Bolden! These two are to be wholly commended as “men” of conviction. Glad to see they are not to be controlled nor will they sell their soul. And what’s up with Steve Serasis? How unbelievably inappropriate to sing his own praises and demand a chairmanship! Nothing like a little humility from a newbie. No thanks, but I think we prefer to have some experience run the city. What the hay was THAT? Can you imagine announcing that you are the most qualified? Where DID that guy come from? Talk about dysfunction with a capital D!!!

  • 4 turfgrrl // Nov 20, 2007 at 11:10 pm

    Andrew: Thanks I corrected it. THey were talking way to fast for me to keep up, so as always, I apologize for the typos etc.

  • 5 anonymous // Nov 20, 2007 at 11:13 pm

    Kudos to the brave democrats who carried on with the tradition of the last council to do what is in the best interests of the residents. They have again stood up and beaten the corrupt local Democratic party leadership. They will soon be standing up and taking control of the local democratic party. It is about time that the back room dealing of Galen Wells and her cronies gets put to rest.

  • 6 Watchdog // Nov 20, 2007 at 11:29 pm

    That meeting was just plain embarrassing! I am humiliated beyond belief to think that Krummel, Lindstrom and Serasis are representing ME!

  • 7 anonymous // Nov 20, 2007 at 11:36 pm

    two years of the idiocy of some of the dems will be painful to watch.

  • 8 norwalkphil // Nov 21, 2007 at 12:34 am

    The time of senseless agreement is over.

    Bi-partisanship: YES (when its done for the benefit of the People and betterment of Norwalk)

    Partisanship: YES (when its done to oppose Republican cronyism and old business as usual)

    First Round: Geake, Hilliard, Bolden, Bondi (not a good sign)

    Lindstrom, Krummel, Brown, Serasis, Sutton (Kudos for sticking together) Don’t listen to bad comments, its a plot.

    Noticed how 6 Republicans stuck together for partisanship and used 4 Democratic members for their purpose?

    Whatever happened in the combined caucus stinks! It was a trap and some fell into it.

    What happened in the Democratic Caucus? (did you have one?) and Who’s being divisive?

    We are taking notice!!!

    Turfie, I commend you for taking a vote count for the record. Keep up the good work!

  • 9 norwalkphil // Nov 21, 2007 at 1:04 am

    The writing is on the wall.

    Bondi for President, (nominated by Hempstead)

    Republican vote: 6 YES (unanimous)

    SPLIT Democratic vote,
    Democratic vote: 3 YES (Bondi, Hilliard, Geake)

    Democratic vote: 6 NO (Lindstrom, Brown, Krummel, Bolden, Serasis, Sutton. Kudos for sticking together)

    What happened in the Democratic Caucus?

    Divide and conquer; Hilliard, Geake, Sleeping with the enemy?

    Notice how 6 Republicans stick together and used 3 Democratic members for their purpose?

    Noticed that Moccia didn’t call for more nominations?

    Wake Up People!!!

    Moccia and Conroy get on the record,

    Moccia: I don’t know if we can use congress as an example of good government.

    Conroy (chimed in): I don’t think we should use congress as an example.

    Of course you can’t, you don’t have the benefit of a rubber stamp Council, like Bush had (Congress) and used it to his own (destructive) advantage.

  • 10 Speak Up! // Nov 21, 2007 at 5:05 am

    Galen Wells and her cronies fail again.

  • 11 anonymous // Nov 21, 2007 at 6:44 am

    Galen Wells and her husband were sitting in the audience watching this chaos unfold. She did a horrible job as a leader. There was never any attempt to broker a compromise in the best interests of the party. Only her usual poison phone calls that spew continuous threats that are even more empty as the days go by. Maybe some of the other supposed leaders of the party will understand that in order to move forward there needs to be a real effort by all to move forward and bring everyone together, not just window dressing. Galen Wells needs to get over her own personal agenda of vendetta against people in the party and resign immediately in the best interest of the party. It is the only way that the party will move forward.

  • 12 Not surprised // Nov 21, 2007 at 6:48 am

    Not surprised that this leadership thing could not be worked out. Dems like Poruban,Wells,Duff,Knopp prevented the incumbent Dems from getting together and hammering out an agreement. Wells and company have no moral or political authority and were really dumb about all this.

    After all, they worked very hard to deny Bondi his nomination and then Poruban bull dozed in and tried to keep Bondi from having a “come together” meeting on Saturday with all the elected Dems. Bondi owes Wells and company nothing. Let’s stop pretending that this outcome is a surprise. It is not desireable but was inevitable considering who was trying to control with an iron fist.

    The Republicans simply took advantage of a disaster in the making - due to Wells’ lack of common sense and leadership. Good luck to all.

    Newbies better wake up fast and stop acting like they are entitled. They will have to earn the respect of the Council and the voters before they can make any demands on anyone.

  • 13 Watchdog // Nov 21, 2007 at 6:53 am

    Norwalkphil, I have no idea who you are, but I brought my friend, a Democrat, to the council meeting. A very intelligent woman, she stays far away from the political arena as possible, but is on top of education issues. She left the council meeting with lots of questions and comments, one which I’ll share. “I’m so disillusioned with the Democrats in this town. I’ve always been a Democrat, but between what I’ve seen with the Board of Ed and now this, I don’t wish to be,” she said. “Does the Independent party still exist?”

    If you think that’s a plot, Galen, think again. That’s good honest Norwalk folk you’re affecting.

  • 14 anonymous // Nov 21, 2007 at 7:02 am

    Wells, Knopp Poruban and company never attempted to compromise. They were behind the usual scorched earth threaten and destroy. Nice to see the good guys win again. The only time it will come together is when the entire party starts to move forward in a positive, inclusive way. A good start would be if the elected officials have Wells tender her immediate resignation so that the party can start to heal and move forward.

  • 15 anonymous // Nov 21, 2007 at 7:24 am

    This morning when I woke up to sirens outside my house. The police were racing all around the city as my streets, as I could imagine the rest of the city was being looted. It was chaos, pure chaos. I really wish that the Republicans hadn’t voted for Bondi, or for minority party Chairmanships. Bill Krummel was right, we destroyed the American democracy last night. We failed, and now without any order in Government, the city has failed, and we are all in grave danger. To quote the great and almighty Krummel “We’ll all regret this”

    And boy, he was right. God save us.

  • 16 John Pupodopulos // Nov 21, 2007 at 7:31 am

    Re #6 “That meeting was just plain embarrassing! I am humiliated beyond belief to think that Krummel, Lindstrom and Serasis are representing ME!

    Well I suggest that you get used to it. Lindstrom will vote the way she thinks her constituents want her to vote, not the ass kissing that was so prevalent on the council in the past, and had better not happen again. REMEMBER it is only 715 days and counting for the next election, and much less than that for the campaigning to start. The next 2 years the voters will be holding a lot of feet to the fire. Everything that is not liked will be exposed and reported on.

  • 17 the oracle // Nov 21, 2007 at 8:37 am

    With Bondi as council president, watch the historical commission slowly disappear as Parks and Rec takes over the city’s historical properties.

    Watch Bondi/Conroy broker a deal on Ordinance that “tweaks” the demo delay to remove the public process and weaken the ordinance, so that developers don’t have to worry about a thing.

    Reflect on the rhetoric that anything that the “in-crowd” cronies raise is supported as bi-partisan; anything that “out-crowd” raises is painted as partisan and ridiculed.

    My sympathies to those Democrats who won based on their committment to Norwalk (Krummel, Lindstrom, Brown, etc.) as they get crushed by the old boys, the cronies, and the developers.

  • 18 Chad Lematt // Nov 21, 2007 at 9:04 am

    You have to admit, Fred Bondi is a good Republican.

    If they think they have the last laugh, they are going to be shocked back into reality, “FAST.”

  • 19 William Blore // Nov 21, 2007 at 9:09 am

    If Fred thinks that he can pull the same “Let them eat cake” BS as an At Large councilman as he did in his old District C, he may soon long to be back in District C even as a garbage man. Distric C will seem like Heaven.

  • 20 Speak UP! // Nov 21, 2007 at 9:16 am

    #18 Fred is a good man -I hope Herb Grant and Mike Coffey join the Norwalk Republican Party.

  • 21 yippy yappy // Nov 21, 2007 at 9:21 am

    #15 let me guess, you were a DRAMA major in school, weren’t you? Quick everyone! Gather up as much food & water as you can and head for the underground bunkers! Run for your Life!!…. PALEEZE! Lighten up! Your post was comical.

    #15 The oracle you sign off should read “The orafice” and I’m not talking about your mouth. Funny how the KNopp, Wells & Pouruban team are really not “the good ol’ boys” to you. No orafice, all they did was destroy their party. That’s all.

  • 22 William Blore // Nov 21, 2007 at 9:24 am

    Re 20 “Fred is a good man” I agree Fred is a good man, now if he can only bring himself to be a good councilman and TRUTHFUL to his Democratic constituents, unless more Republicans voted for him then Democrats?

  • 23 the oracle // Nov 21, 2007 at 9:45 am

    Ahh, the coprolalic is back. You may want to learn how to spell your scatological references before commenting on my jeremiad. You can look it all up in your Funk and Wagnell.

  • 24 Anonymous // Nov 21, 2007 at 10:00 am

    Ha! Good one, #23. I would have used “coprophagic” to describe YY (whom I suspect is our old friend “Concerned Citizen” due to the speech pattern).

  • 25 anonymous // Nov 21, 2007 at 10:10 am

    #21, it was supposed to be comical. I hope you were joking, if not, may God have mercy on your soul.

  • 26 reflections // Nov 21, 2007 at 10:22 am

    I hope so too, especially Herb Grant, maybe he’ll give us some feeback after a while about the racial poison and slurs that come out of the mouth of the man from the plains of Tennessee and other Republicans. You don’t believe me? ask Harold McCready.

    #20. Fred is a good man -I hope Herb Grant and Mike Coffey join the Norwalk Republican Party.

  • 27 Rita Epstein // Nov 21, 2007 at 10:24 am

    The problem may be the responder was confused between Anonymous and anonymous.

    Very confusing when you are reading a long thread.

  • 28 overandout // Nov 21, 2007 at 10:35 am

    That’s funny, I had the same experience. I brought my friend, a Republican, to the council meeting. A very intelligent woman, she stays far away from the political arena as possible, but is on top of education issues. She left the council meeting with lots of questions and comments, one which I’ll share. “I’m so disillusioned with the Republicans in this town. I’ve always been a Republican, but between what I’ve seen with the Board of Ed and now this, I don’t wish to be,” she said. “Does the Independent party still exist?”

  • 29 Totally disgusted // Nov 21, 2007 at 11:33 am

    Last night’s council meeting was nothing more than a comedy act and a bad one at that. Sitting in the audience was probably more painful than being on the floor in that we actually voted for these people. Krummel sounded like Galen Wells and Michael Moore combined. He was openly disrespectful to his fellow councilman and the mayor and disrespectful to those who came to wish them well. His comments were absurd and his last minute backroom deal was nothing less than disgraceful. Is anyone aware that Phyllis Bolden was the one that was supposed to majority leader? Because Krummel and others did not get their way they went into a time out(like naughty little children) and behind Ms Bolden’s back took away he nomination. How stupid was that? They were punishing her for what? Look how she voted:
    Bondi Y Brown N Hempstead Y McQuaid Y Serasis N
    “Bolden N” Hilliard Y Kydes Y Lindstrom N Straniti Y
    Krummel N Conroy Y Geake Y Sutton N. Why did they target her spot when she voted with them? I don’t know what they are trying to do but to the audience it was appalling. I think it was a direct insult to Ms Bolden and a warning to her that if she thinks of voting with the other side this is only part of what will happen.. What a shame they chose last night to display their unacceptable behavior. I can only imagine that those who chose not to run this time and those who lost the election are so happy they won’t be part of this debacle. If these are the people the voters think will do the best job for the city, God help us!

  • 30 norwalkphil // Nov 21, 2007 at 12:01 pm

    A Message for Phyllis Bolden (know your supporters and the backstabbers),

    The writing is on the wall.

    Bondi for President, (nominated by Hempstead)

    Republican vote: 6 YES (unanimous)

    SPLIT Democratic vote, (voted with Republicans)
    Democratic vote: 3 YES (Bondi, Hilliard, Geake)

    Democratic vote: 6 NO (Lindstrom, Brown, Krummel, Bolden, Serasis, Sutton. Kudos for sticking together)

    What happened in the Democratic Caucus?

    Divide and conquer; Hilliard, Geake, Sleeping with the enemy?

    Notice how 6 Republicans stick together and used 3 Democratic members for their purpose?

    Noticed that Moccia didn’t call for more nominations?

    Wake Up Democratic Council!!!

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