After a contentious, year-long attempt to unseat the former chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission, and elect a new chair, P&Z member Deborah Kleckowski has switched parties from Democratic to Republican, and has announced her intention to run for the Common Council.
"I am a nominated candidate," Kleckowski said Sunday. "But the consideration for the slate is not complete. The slate will be announced officially on July 27."
Asked about the party switch Kleckowski admitted to a great degree of frustration with the leadership of the town's Democratic party.
"I was asked to join the Republican Party," Kleckowski said. "And it was a good opportunity given the circumstances of leadership. I didn't receive any support to oppose the chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission in the matter of her attendance."
Kleckowski, and former P&Z chair, Barbara Plumb, were in the same party, but Kleckowski was active in an effort to unseat Plumb who was absent from P&Z meetings for most of the winter. Kleckowski found herself voting with Republicans on the issue. A regular series of votes has never produced the necessary majority to elect a new chair, and for seven months, the Planning and Zoning Commission has operated without an elected chair. Richard Pelletier, P&Z vice chair, who in recent months placed his own name in the running to serve as chair, has been running meetings.
Speaking with regret about her need to switch parties to achieve "opportunities for leadership values and to move forward with my sense of vision," Kleckowski spoke of a need for continuity and commitment.
"There should be a continuum between municipal boards, the Common Council, state Representatives and our Representatives in the U.S. Congress," Kleckowsky said. "Right now, we don't have people who will talk with one another. Not once since I've been on Planning and Zoning has a Common Council member attended a meeting to build support for a point of view about an issue."
Kleckowski expressed disappointment with the Democratic Town Committee for failing to react to her plans to build such a coalition.
"I have presented it to the Democrats for the past six years, and there was no interest," she said. "By the simple fact that they have volunteered to serve the city, they should be inclusive. I don't find that sense of inclusion. Instead I've experienced a sense of exclusion. There are good people who want to progress, yet I know several who are not supported."
Kleckowski feels that as Middletown changes, elected officials need to reflect those changes, and the diversity in town, and not live by old rules and relationships.
"Deb has made her own decisions, based on her perspective" said Dan Russo, chairman of the Democratic Town Committee, Sunday. "She effectively switched parties almost two years ago. She stopped communicating with the party. She chose to stop communicating."
"One of the strengths of the Democratic Party," Russo said. "Is that we have a larger number of qualified and interested candidates for positions than there are available positions. We have brought many young, women and minority members into the party in the last several years."
As for progress within the Democratic ranks, Russo indicated that the party was not interested in fixing what wasn't broken.
"We have eight council Democrats working well together," Russo said. "And I don't see a need to change that."
"We need to look forward, not back," Kleckowski said. "We have new people who have chosen Middletown, who have moved here because it's such a vibrant and diverse community, and they want to be involved, and should have that opportunity."
Kleckowski said she has been informed that she will retain her status on the Planning and Zoning Commission.
6 comments:
Congratulations Deborah! Yes, we need to be a City United!
Ms. Kleckowski has reached the point that many Democrats in and outside the party have already gotten to. The frustration we have with the leadership of this party will destroy it. Democratic Town Chairman Daniel Russo believes his party is not broken, so don't fix it? He is so out of touch with the community, and those of us serving on the Democratic Town, that he should step down.
When is the last time some new ideas and new people were "allowed" by the Democrats to be placed on their election slate? With all the intelligent individuals on the Democratic Town Committee who are willing and very capable of being placed on the ballot and elected, our own party continues to tell them, "It's not your time yet."
I applaud Ms. Kleckowski for her unwillingness to follow the "good ole boy network" which has been part of the Democratic party for to long. Middletown's Democrats need to change their way of thinking, from the top on down.
Ms. Kleckowski has spent the last year caucusing with the Republicans. The Republicans, who couldn't win an election the fair way, did an end-run around the system by running a pro-developer Republican as a "Democrat". We need to do away with minority representation rules. If you can't win an election when you're honest about who you are, then maybe it's because the public doesn't want you in office.
You talk about the Republicans winning an election the fair way! I know how the system works. The Democrats take elections for granted because they have a 4 to 1 voting edge, and know many of the voters will go in the booth and vote for all Democrats because of party affiliation, no other reason!
Why haven't any of the illustrious Democratic Common Council members wanted to run for Mayor? Because they know Republican Mayor Giuliano is doing a good job, and they don't have a chance to beat him. That is why the Democrats have a sacrificial lamb running for Mayor again this year, because they don't want to lose their hold on the City.
Do you see any Councilman or women walking door to door with the Democratic Mayoral candidate? I didn't any when he came to my house. The Democrats are a selfish bunch, and what they do in this City proves it.
I must add to this contentious debate between parties, in my younger days my dad Anthony Sr. was the one who brought me to the political arena in his involvement within the City of Middletown.
If my memory serves me correctly, "and I know it does"' my dad was a staunch Democrat up until the day when Sebastian Garafalo chose to run for Mayor at which time my dad," a very respected individual", chose to switch parties and support a dear friend. Someone whom he believed in and shared common interest in the advancement of the community.
My point is, that in my humble opinion, it truly has nothing to do with the party but it is the individual that should be focused on, granted the two parties have an agenda and not always in the best interest of all but that is democracy at its best and one should not be condemned for their beliefs but challenged at the polls.
May the best candidate win, and Deb you have my support as a registered Democrat, because I know where you stand and what your intentions are for the betterment of the community.
You are wrong with this statement:
"Ms. Kleckowski has spent the last year caucusing with the Republicans. The Republicans, who couldn't win an election the fair way, did an end-run around the system by running a pro-developer Republican as a "Democrat". We need to do away with minority representation rules. If you can't win an election when you're honest about who you are, then maybe it's because the public doesn't want you in office."
Yes we should go to a one party system while we are at it. You know like Cuba, Venezuela and other countries with such government rule. That is what you are calling for where the minority has no say. What next prison for those who don't fall in line. All I can say is "1984"
Post a Comment