Well, it is time to start my life after politics. I feel that I have spent too much time and effort learning and studying this "garbage" to sit back and do nothing with it. Even though I am no longer a candidate, I still have a vested interest in WHO is elected to the council. I think that the "conservative" needs to be represented by a blog as well as the "liberal" that have several.
My first post will be MY opinion of the remaining candidates. You can take it, leave it or argue it. This is what I feel regarding the candidates, but make no mistake, I have not decided where my votes will go on April 3rd. It is up to each candidate to EARN that vote. Hopefully, this forum will give them the chance to earn more than mine.
Now to the candidates, they are listed in the order that they finished in the primary.
1. Bryan Bain- I am really torn with Mr. Bain. He has had my respect since he was elected to the council 2 years ago but his actions as of late are becoming troublesome. During an interview with WOSH, he was asked about his "flip flop" vote on the garbage fee. Mr. Bain almost came unglued on the radio. He became extremely defensive and hostile towards Mr. Burnell. That was out of character for him so I dismissed it until his response to one of my recent posts (on the old blog). After he posted that, he did call me to discuss it. I amended the post and apologized for my "error" and removed the post altogether the next day but the courtesy was not returned. Is this a sign of things to come? I guess we should wait and see.
2. Tony Palmeri- Mr. Palmeri has historically been very conservative when it comes to city politics. I don't see that changing. His message has been very good when it comes to open government and accountability. He believes in many of the same things that I do but he may want to tone the "brashness" down a notch. Right now, I think he will remain a contender.
3. Meredith Scheuermann- Ms. Scheuermann has been a large disappointment since her election 2 years ago. She had run on the platform of "asking the tough questions" but has yet to really ask them. There are several questions that she asked during the Five Rivers mess that seemed tough... too bad they weren't hers (somebody was asking the questions of her). In addition to that, she sent out a flyer that claimed "fiscal responsibility" yet she has no problem spending $280,000 on floating docks when there are several streets in dire need of repair or replacement and could use those dollars.
4. Jessica King- She is bankruptcy attorney and I don't know much about her with the exception that she is new to city politics and doesn't do well answering questions that she isn't allowed to prepare for. We need to watch the televised forums to be sure that she is a viable candidate. Perhaps a bankruptcy attorney is what the city needs if the council and staff continue to spend the money like they have...
5. Bob Cornell- I read on the ONW Election forum posted on 2/18 at 1:16pm (screen name 'positive') where he tells us that he will not continue a conversation with anyone that wishes to remain anonymous. I have a real problem with that. In addition, he and I had a conversation when he took out papers where he admitted that he does not agree with any of my positions and is only running because of a vacant seat. He said that he is happy with the current council and their decisions. Mr. Cornell will NOT have my vote.
6. Mark Nielsen- He is largely unknown. The only thing we do know is his connection to Joe Paulus. He didn't do much prior to the primary so it will be interesting to see how he rebounds from a sixth place finish. We all know that it is possible after Mr. Bain did it 2 years ago. I will be looking forward to hearing more about him over the next several weeks to see what his message really is.
That is a short summary, I will open up the comments (moderated of course) for a limited time to see if everyone can behave themselves. I will remind everyone that I AM NO LONGER A CANDIDATE in this race. Insulting me will get you nowhere. I will delete any inappropriate comments and also point out that I have not discussed the Mayor race, so you don't need to either.
Have a nice day!!
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Sounding board and Opinions of politics in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The views expressed in each post are solely the opinion of the author and should not be attributed to any other person or group.
25 comments:
FIRST!
Bryan Bain: The first thing you should do Kent is get his name correct. Bryan not Brian. That being said, I didn't vote for Bryan. First of all, I kept my word to not vote for anybody who voted for the garbage fee originally. He voted for it. I can't see myself voting for him in the future either. He is quickly becoming too much of a politician. He won't take a stand on something where he's afraid of "offending" somebody. We need people who are sharp and do the right thing. I've gotten the impression over the last 6 months that Bryan is certainly sharp, but he's becoming too "slick".
Tony Palmeri: I voted for Tony, because I think for Oshkosh politics he will do a good job. I have not and will not vote for him for higher office, unless perhaps it is for mayor some day. He seems to have the passion to do the right thing for the taxpayer.
Meredith: Huge disappointment. I voted for her originally. Not this time however. Again, if they voted for the garbage fee, they didn't get my vote this time. Beyond that, she comes across as clueless. The questions she asks are often "dumb". She's been on the council long enough that she should know procedures and whatnot, she doesn't seem to know those either. I have no idea how she manages a bank. She doesn't know the tough questions to ask. We would all be better off without her.
Jessica King: The world needs fewer lawyers, not more. It especially needs fewer lawyers in politics, and by god if we have to start with the Oshkosh city council then that's where we'll start. When I listen to all the community things she's involved with, first I think hey that's great, second I think how will she have the time to do the stuff for the council that she needs to do? Look at her list of supporters on her web page. I am uncomfortable with several of them. Particularly the uninvited house guest. If you align yourself with people like that, I don't vote for you.
Bob Cornell: If he truly is happy with the current council, I won't vote for him in the general election. But, that's hearsay. I'll see what he says during the coming debates.
Mark Nielsen: Nielsen not Nielson. Being Joe Paulus' treasurer is not a crime. Obviously Joe fooled the majority of people, as they kept on electing him for years. I'll give him a chance.
My apologies... I understand getting Marks name wrong but misspelling Bryans is unbelievable, especially since I have been interacting with him for over a year. I have fixed it and I thank you for pointing it out.
"Look at her list of supporters on her web page. I am uncomfortable with several of them. Particularly the uninvited house guest. If you align yourself with people like that, I don't vote for you."
Can someone elaborate on who this uninvited houseguest would be?
3:06am is referring to Jessica King and the supporter is actually on her campaign committee. Mr. Hall has taken his shots at me lately, so I don't mind using his name here.
Remember what I have always said, past actions are a factor...
It's become difficult for me to choose now that you're not in the race.
I still believe there is good in Bryan and I will cast a vote for him.
Tony is on the right track...but I think he will not stand up to the Oshkosh City Unions. I think Tony may be a bit too pro-union for me.
Meredith: Same comments from me...HUGE disappointment!
King: Not enough info on her yet to know.
Bob Cornell: Nope not on my ballot
Mark Nielsen: The Paulus things got my attention. I think hes a long shot anyway.
The once "great" list has all of a sudden gotten alot smaller.
I plan to vote for Scheuermann, King, and Bain. I also plan on voting for Tower for mayor.
With that said, Palmeri wouldn't be bad, but his anger bothers me a little bit. I would also be interested to see what Cornell would do.
Nielsen hasn't offered anything that I can tell. He has been almost silent in getting his word out. I know he's a staunch republican, and I am not sure that is what Oshkosh needs right now.
I am choosing Tower because it's more of a no vote for Esslinger. His methods on the council now really turn me off.
1:20 -- just curious-- why do we have to be 'anti-union?'
Palmeri isn't angry, he's just assertive. Did you see him joking with Scheuermann at the end of the LWV forum? The only thing he is angry about is a city council that violates open meeting laws and a city manager who just gets by from day to day.
We don't HAVE to be "anti-union". We do HAVE to be "pro-majority of taxpayers best interests". If that includes throttling back the wages and benefits for those in the unions, then so be it.
Well in my mind, he comes across as angry.
I'll admit it, I am naive. Please tell me how the city manager 'just gets by' from day to day. I guess I don't see that. Discontent with choices the council has made when it comes to spending tax money is one thing. But really, what has he done to show he is NOT doing his job? From my standpoint, I think the city runs pretty efficiently.
Oh its efficient alright. Parks board approves a massive unsafe fishing pier in Millers Bay on Monday, City Council approves it on a Tuesday, no citizen input.
Parks board approves a "Christmas Box Angel" in Menomonee Park and City Council approves it with no citizen input.
City Council, with City Attorney and others go into closed session with Tom Doig to discuss the Five Rivers Project without the prying eyes of the public.
If Efficiency means cutting the citizens out of the process, oh yes this city is efficient.
The budget process was handled very poorly last year. The usual scare tactics of cuts in fire and police.
If one is not voting for anyone who originally did not oppose the Garbage Fee then one cannot vote for either candidate for Mayor come April.
Paul E. voted against the budget that included it (he does that every year it seems like) but did offer anything to get rid of the fee at the time it was discussed during the budget process. And Frank Tower was very silent when the budget and Garbage Fee was discussed in 2005.
Bryan Bain did offer a s solutions other than the Garbage Fee and he could only get 2 others to support him. He has lived up to his campaign pledges of a few years a go. he will get my vote.
I also feel Tony Palmeri will be a good addition to the Council for he will be a voice to keep the administration of the city honest.
Also I feel Jessica King will make a good addition to the council for she will be advocate for all-as she is a advocate for people now. She is new but experienced to be effective on the city council.
You failed to mention Scheuermann also voted with Bain to have the garbage fee removed from the budget only to come up one vote short. (Esslinger)
We have a micrcomanager, nit-picker, a chamber person, on the city council right now. It appears we will continue to have 2 university people.
If we elect another university person we will be eliminating some of the representation whenever an issue comes forth regarding UWO.
We need someone who is not attached to any group. That is why Bob Cornell is the right man for the job. He's middle road and represents everyone.
Bain, Cornell, King,offer the best chances for progress and improvement for our Community
During an interview with WOSH, he was asked about his "flip flop" vote on the garbage fee. Mr. Bain almost came unglued on the radio. He became extremely defensive and hostile towards Mr. Burnell.
I heard this interview and your previous statement is totally WRONG. Mr Bain was NOT hostile toward Mr Burnell nor did he almost come unglued on the radio. He merely corrected Mr Burnell's statement.
Your new web blog is nothing more than a mudslinging tool and you and your buddies will NOT gain an single vote from it.
I really can not believe you can sling this garbage on week and have the gull to enter a church on Sundays.
2-26 at 7:15, the issues you complain of are the council's fault, not the city manager's!
The fishing pier, the statue, the closed session...those are are COUNCIL issues. How does Dick Wollangk have any control over those? All of those issues ultimately come back to the 7, not the 1.
Without a doubt, employee wages and specifically benefits (union and non-union) are the most pressing issues upcoming councils need to address. Wages and benefits amount to 87% of the entire yearly budget. When we hear the council review the yearly budget, the part we hear about consists of the remaining 13% of the costs which are EVERYTHING to run the city, other than labor and benefits of employees. The council holds workshops and department justification hearings to discuss 13% of what we as taxpayers pay for. The remaining 87% rarely gets discussed in public.
We need a slate of council members who can acknowledge that fact and are willing to address it. We can’t just have a bunch of wimpy, limp wrists that through their hands in the air and say…”It’s out of our hands” There are things that can be done. Downsize, reorganize, outsource etc etc.
We need that audit.
7:05, Don't worry, I sleep just fine at night. Especially now that I am no longer a candidate.
As for Mr. Bain's radio interview, you can feel free to call WOSH and have them play it back for you. It may have been the "flip flop" comment or the reference to "John Kerry" that set him off but Bryan was noticeably agitated by that question. He became very "stern" and direct with his answers. This is a side of Bryan that I and I suspect many others have not seen. It is something to keep an eye on and see if it continues.
That statement was and is my opinion. Nothing has changed. You may have a different opinion and you are entitled to that. I did also state that this behavior was out of character and that I initially dismissed it didn't I? You were so wrapped up with the first part that you didn't read the rest.
By the way, I don't ever take birds to church. You wanted GALL not GULL.
You must be right Kent. Once again, someone simply misunderstood you. Is it just me or does that seem to happen to you a lot?
As I watched the council meeting last night, a perfect example of why the public is a bit distrusting of the current administration.
Our Mayor Bill Castle exhibited a distinct impression of favoritism and supported those that say he is firmly seated in the “Good-Ol-Boys” network.
During the course of discussing the lease of riverfront land for two adjoining property owners to park their boat lifts, Bill got a little “uppity”. It appears he didn’t like all the questions the council members were posing.
He tried to make a case of…if the neighbors cut the grass, they should be allowed to park their docks on public land for $50.00 a season. Mr. Castle was clearly NOT looking out for the best interests of the general Oshkosh resident. He WAS looking out for the two property owners he admitted he knew. If that was the fact, he should have excused himself from the vote and simply voted present.
Mr. Castle once again has shown his true colors. He is lucky he is not running for re-election, as I’m betting he would be soundly defeated.
It was a great pleasure to see Mr. Burk Tower stand up to Castles bully techniques and have the council defeat this shame with a 6-1 vote.
In addition, I question the administration for rubber stamping the issue and forwarding it to the council with the $50.00 fee. If Mr. Wollangk were doing his job, he would have advised the council that the fee suggested is at the very least, far too low.
So many problems…we desperately need change!!
Kent:
You attribute Ms.Schueremann for:
spending $280,000 on floating docks when there are several streets in dire need of repair or replacement and could use those dollars.
To be entirely fair PLEASE tell us want OTHER councilors that voted for this civic improvement.
The approval was through the CIP budget. The vote was 5-2 and if memory serves it was Mattox, Scheuermann, Tower, Castle and Bain in favor, Esslinger and McHugh against.
The reason I mentioned Ms. Scheuermann is that when the council was discussing the docks, she mentioned that she was supportive of it so that people could tie up their boats so that they could go to the bathroom or buy asprin. I wish I was kidding.
I would give anything to have Bob Jungwirth back on the council. I can't remember anyone since him that cared for the people of Oshkosh like he did!
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