David
04-21-2008, 02:12 PM
Meriden’s mayor
By John J. Ghidini III
With the potential resignation of Meriden’s mayor, legitimate questions concerning the appropriate selection of a mayoral replacement are now before the City.
While reasonable minds can, and probably will, disagree on the exact intent of a vague and ambiguous city charter, there should be no disagreement that any mayoral replacement should at least be an elected official. To interpret the city charter in a manner that would allow an individual who is not an elected official to take the position of mayor is an affront to core principles of democracy.
Currently, Meriden Democrats have put forth the names of former City Councilor Stephen Zerio, Majority Leader Michael Rohde and Freshman Councilor John Thorp as interested in becoming mayor.
Former City Councilor Stephen Zerio is exactly that — a former elected official. Zerio opted not to seek re-election to his council seat, citing various reasons. Now, Zerio is attempting to make a play, which can only be viewed as cronyism and the spoils of membership, to become mayor without being elected to this position.
Zerio purported not to seek re-election because of the time requirements, obligations to family and other factors. However, Zerio’s name has been floated as potential mayor and he has been nominated and elected as one of the two members from the 13th state senatorial district to the Democratic state central committee. This seems inconsistent with a position of wanting to invest more time in other endeavors besides politics. If Zerio truly wanted to stay in an elected city office (which his actions and words appear to convey as the truth), then he should have run for re-election.
Any appointment of Zerio to mayor is back-room Meriden politics and should not be allowed. Meriden deserves, at a minimum, an individual who at least won the last election they ran in, as opposed to an individual who decided to retire from the city council.
The other interesting aspect of the discussion of the mayor’s replacement is the lack of discussion concerning the deputy mayor (See, generally, Meriden City Charter §C3-3L). One would assume logically that the natural progression would be the second in line replace the first in line. However, it would appear that the current city council is pushing for an interpretation of the city charter that would allow the council to install any registered Democrat. Such an interpretation is wholly inconsistent with the concept of an elected government. However, if the charter truly allows such a transaction (which it arguably does — see, generally, Meriden City Charter §§C2-5 &C2-6), than there should be an honest and open discussion about a revision to address this issue at it relates to the office of the Mayor.
The residents of Meriden, at a minimum, deserve to have a Mayor who is currently an elected official and not an individual who holds no elected city office.
John J. Ghidini III is Chairman, Meriden Republican Town Committee.
By John J. Ghidini III
With the potential resignation of Meriden’s mayor, legitimate questions concerning the appropriate selection of a mayoral replacement are now before the City.
While reasonable minds can, and probably will, disagree on the exact intent of a vague and ambiguous city charter, there should be no disagreement that any mayoral replacement should at least be an elected official. To interpret the city charter in a manner that would allow an individual who is not an elected official to take the position of mayor is an affront to core principles of democracy.
Currently, Meriden Democrats have put forth the names of former City Councilor Stephen Zerio, Majority Leader Michael Rohde and Freshman Councilor John Thorp as interested in becoming mayor.
Former City Councilor Stephen Zerio is exactly that — a former elected official. Zerio opted not to seek re-election to his council seat, citing various reasons. Now, Zerio is attempting to make a play, which can only be viewed as cronyism and the spoils of membership, to become mayor without being elected to this position.
Zerio purported not to seek re-election because of the time requirements, obligations to family and other factors. However, Zerio’s name has been floated as potential mayor and he has been nominated and elected as one of the two members from the 13th state senatorial district to the Democratic state central committee. This seems inconsistent with a position of wanting to invest more time in other endeavors besides politics. If Zerio truly wanted to stay in an elected city office (which his actions and words appear to convey as the truth), then he should have run for re-election.
Any appointment of Zerio to mayor is back-room Meriden politics and should not be allowed. Meriden deserves, at a minimum, an individual who at least won the last election they ran in, as opposed to an individual who decided to retire from the city council.
The other interesting aspect of the discussion of the mayor’s replacement is the lack of discussion concerning the deputy mayor (See, generally, Meriden City Charter §C3-3L). One would assume logically that the natural progression would be the second in line replace the first in line. However, it would appear that the current city council is pushing for an interpretation of the city charter that would allow the council to install any registered Democrat. Such an interpretation is wholly inconsistent with the concept of an elected government. However, if the charter truly allows such a transaction (which it arguably does — see, generally, Meriden City Charter §§C2-5 &C2-6), than there should be an honest and open discussion about a revision to address this issue at it relates to the office of the Mayor.
The residents of Meriden, at a minimum, deserve to have a Mayor who is currently an elected official and not an individual who holds no elected city office.
John J. Ghidini III is Chairman, Meriden Republican Town Committee.