The Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) unanimously called for the Common Council to investigate the "abrupt" movement of Water and Sewer administrators to an office in City Hall. Mayor Sebastian Giuliano on Friday responded to this letter by detailing a long series of failings in the management of Water and Sewer, "The department has been running inefficiently for years."
John Giuliano, Chair of the WPCA, objected to being told of the move after it had already taken place. In their letter to the Council, the WPCA pointed to the significant tasks facing the Water and Sewer Department, mostly surrounding the transition into the Mattabassett Sewer District. The letter was signed by all of the members of the WPCA, including the Democratic and Republican Council members, James Streeto and David Bauer.
The Mayor's response, in a Friday press release, listed a series of problems with Water Department finances, and suggested that future work on joining the Mattabassett District would require extensive meetings with the Mayor's office and with the Finance and Legal Departments, all located at City Hall. He cited the presence in City Hall of the Public Works director, who supervised more employees, most of whom work at a field site.
Mayor Giuliano said, "We have tried everything to get this department back on track and quite frankly this move is the last option before termination proceedings of top administration officials commence."
Dan Drew, one of two Democratic mayoral candidates, questioned the Mayor's previous management of Water and Sewer, "The buck stops with the mayor, so when he condemns the Water and Sewer Department, he is condemning the job he himself has done as mayor. He can’t claim to be the city’s leader when things go well and then disabuse himself of responsibility when they don’t."
Christine Bourne, the other Democratic candidate for mayor, has not responded to a Friday request for a comment on Mayor's remarks.
Drew also took the opportunity to repeat his call for more jobs and lower taxes, "We need to cooperate to improve Middletown’s economy, but we have too much conflict coming from the sitting mayor. We need to bring people together to expand job opportunities and reduce taxes rather than engage in internal fights.”
6 comments:
Leave it to Drew to come up with a twist to make this an election issue. Nice try. Especially when your buddy Streeto is the one blowing this up just in time for the elections and he's not even running. They put him up before in the last elections after they dumped him and now he pays them back with this. Nice job guys. Keep up the good work Seb. At least you are not afraid to stand up for what is right.
Can anyone please tell me what are Drew's qualifications to be mayor of Middletown? He's been a grantwriter and an investigative reporter! He hasn't managed anything!...not a little league team, not a cub scout troop, nothing! Its an embarrassment to the Dems to even run him, except, of course, he will do what he's told to do!
I would like someone, anyone to tell me how the City is to cut spending and as Dan Drew calls for "create jobs"??? How in god's name does that make sense?? The Mayor keeping the Water Department does not make the mayor a bad mayor, it makes him proactive for doing something about it. Also Dan you claim to be a business owner in Middletown someone please tell me what the name of the business that Mr. Drew owns and number of emloyees???
Dan would have had a fit if the Mayor did NOT investigate Water and Sewer- damned if he does damned by Drew if he doesn't. Where are these jobs you are making up coming from Drew?? The so called Middletown business of one you own?
It saddens me also that the Middletown Press is endorsing Drew, they might as well hang a giant flag that says they are bias and only offer slanted reporting.
It is transparent that Mr. Drew is trying to make this a political football. The Common Council has enough of a problem finding their seats for council meetings, let alone investigate... investigate what?
Regarding Mr. Drew's qualifications: he remains the Muppet for the Democratic old-buddies to hold on to political power, because enough of the voting populace have already seen their politics. It's that simple.
Sounds like something's fishy. Hope the investigation turns up something.
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