Will Arlene Dunlop run for Mayor?

[eds]

I hope at least in this next election that Arlene Dunlop will run for Mayor.

I would vote for her. Libertarians do not believe in taxation, they believe in privatization. I should not have to pay taxes period.

I will not vote unless there is a libertarian on the ballot. If that means more of the same one party rule we have in Meriden, so be it. I will not vote unless its for a Libertarian. I am tired of the poor choices we have at the ballot box.

Lewis Black has a saying. Republicans come up with bad ideas. And Democrats can make them even worse.

[collie]

I'd vote for her too this time around. I called her house and left her a message that someone on the Record Journal forum wants her to run.

[eds]

She knows who I am. She invited me to attend the Meriden Concerned Citizens meeting in the library.

I sat next to her on her right near former Mayor Merrinam (sp?). I can't spell his last name...

She called me twice but I cannot remember her number. I should look it up perhaps.

[Eastside Bill]

While Meriden can certainly use some new blood among its elected officials, Dunlop would not be my choice to be among them. I don't see her being able to get a consensus among the city council or be able to provide a leadership role. Gadflies rarely have that ability.

[collie]

I thought the mayor's post in Meriden, according to the City Charter, was a ceremonial job, not one in which one is supposed to be wheeling and dealing being closed doors looking for a "consensus" under the guise of "leadership." The City Manager is supposed to be running the City, out in the wide open, as if we were in a democracy. Oops, forgot you get labeled as a "gadfly" if you actually try to figure out the "rules" at Meriden city council meetings and try to speak during public comment. I'll never forget Steve Zerio saying we didn't live in a democracy - the discussion at the time was the convoluted rules re public comment at council meetings. I'd say a mayor who oversteps the boundaries of his role is more of a gadfly than Arlene.

[eds]

Gadfly or not, she goes to most of the meetings and is in tune with what is going in Meriden, who the players are, and what the word on the street is.

She seems to me to be a straight talker and an honest person.

Can she be any worse than what we have now?

[Man in the Middle]

I I'll never forget Steve Zerio saying we didn't live in a democracy - the discussion at the time was the convoluted rules re public comment at council meetings.


I think Zerio said we don't live in a democracy, we live in a republic. the latter is a representative form of government, which is what his point was. If you don't like the representatives, replace them. And you get to replace Zerio this year, anyway.

[gene36]

I asked this once before. Whats with the concerned citizens group?
Whats the poop on them? Is it going to be worthwhile or just another one issue group?
Anyone!!!!!

[Eastside Bill]

I may be wrong, but didn't it pop up when Carabetta was trying to quarry Cathole Mountain and wasn't it set up by Carabetta's allies to help push that agenda?

[collie]

I went to many of their meetings the first time around - did make two very special friends by going but other than that, I won't get involved this time. Here's why - the first time they formed, the main decision made was to do a petition for Charter Revision. It died due to lack of follow through. It was Dave Swedock who picked the ball up and got that done. So this time around, I'm not wasting my time. I'm not trying to pick a fight here; I'm just saying I lost respect. I am interested to see if they do more than just blow a lot of hot air this time around, but not so interested I would go to meetings. And I frankly think those who threaten to be the winds of change and then drop the ball do more harm than good. They make the status quo feel real comfortable, if you know what I mean. Also, I remember Concerned Citizens was always rumored to be a Carabetta setup but, as one who went to their foundational meetings three or four years ago (already that long ago?) I think it was the Lincoln School project that prompted its existence.

[eds]

I went to the concerned citizens meeting when they met in the library. I met former mayor Marinan there. They were voting for forming the board of directors and officers or something like that.

Anyway...it seemed a lot of people were complaining at that time about the property tax reval and the one party system we have among the council.

It seemed to me that the meetings served to let people vent their frustrations and threaten a "regime change" at the next election. There was not a cohesiveness that might give the group a focus. It was haphazard and the agenda they passed out did not get used hardly at all. The leader of the meeting seemed to loose control and did not stay on track very well.

I do not attend their meetings as of late. I felt it was not worth it and after getting my reval I saw no appreciable difference in taxes whatsoever. For me anyway. Your mileage may vary. I hear others were not so lucky.

What I would suggest is that you go to at least one meeting and then form a conclusion. They might be talking about issues you find to be important. I did not reach that conclusion for myself.