Ken O'Brien
One of my regular readers, dismayed at the current paucity of "quality candidates", suggested that I run a survey among the rest of you loyal visitors.
Whom would you like to see as a candidate for Southbridge town council in this year's election?
I can tell you from personal experience that, often, all it takes to get someone to throw their hat into the ring is the knowledge that others think highly enough of them to encourage them to take the leap.
So, speak up! Whom would you like to see enter the fray for one of the three town council seats that will be up for grabs in June?
If you really want to help, it would be nice to say why you advocate this person should become a candidate.
If you really want to help, it would be nice to say why you advocate this person should become a candidate.
One request. Please don't suggest yours truly. For a number of personal reasons known well to my close confidants, I am totally unable to consider such an effort at this time.
Speak now or forever hold your pieces of your shattered hopes.
Speak now or forever hold your pieces of your shattered hopes.
With that having been said, the floor is open for nominations.
Anne Beinema. Lets see Cathy shut her up when she wants to speak the truth.
ReplyDeleteThe Observer
ReplyDeleteI would like to see Dr. Logan run. We need someone of his intelligence to separate out the BS
I would like to see our good friends Dennis Martinek and Gary Fontaine take another stab at it.
ReplyDeleteNot one of the gang says. We should support Shawn Moriarty. He already took out papers. we know about all he did for kids on his own time. When he worked for the newpaper he must have figured out how things were done. And he pulled thru a cancer. That shows he has guts. I’m for you Shawn. We have to get rid of the screwheads that are taxing us into the poor house.
ReplyDeleteThese are all good choices. What will it take to get them to do something? I’d love to hear from them.
ReplyDeleteAmelia Peloquin, Stephanie Demartino and Ann Beinema. These three wonderful, strong ladies would have my vote in a second.....and my support
ReplyDeleteBeinema? Absolutely correct. But A. P. and SDM? They would spend 3 hours arguing over who said what at a sub committee.
ReplyDeleteI think that the best three choices are currently two: Shawn Moriarity and Gary Fontaine. I'd love to have Ann, but I don't know with all the BS that she's been through that she'd want to run. I love and respect Rich, but I know how he feels and not running is probably the best for his life at this time (but if you change your mind, Rich, I'm behind you).
ReplyDeleteRegardless, my suggestion from months ago stands tall today: organize, raise money, and take it to the streets.
Amelia and Stephanie? Are you trying to win or setting up the incumbents for three more years? Good Lord, use your mind. They couldn't win if the Town Clerk stuffed a 1,000 ballots in the box for them!
ReplyDeleteWhy hasn’t anyone suggested Raciel Fernandez?
ReplyDeleteRaciel would be awesome, but when I brought it up some time ago, he didn't seem interested...he'd be a great third person. We need smart, articulate, and strong willed people that can connect with people, and he, like Shawn and Gary, fit the bill.
ReplyDeleteRaciel Fernandez or Eddi Phillips, or even better - both! They are articulate, intelligent and would do what is best for the people in this town. I would also like to see Larry Beinema run.
ReplyDeleteWe need new people on the Town Council! Moriarity, Fernandez, Peloquin and Larry Beinema. All would be solid but there must be only three. They need to run as a block against the tax and spend status-quo bureaucracy. I work with seniors and even those residents who like him personally think that Spinelli is a disaster on the council and Denise is known as the garbage lady!
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see Ann or Larry Beinema, Dennis, Gary or Raciel. Amelia is a good choice too. I'm glad Shawn is running. He'll make an excellent councilor.
ReplyDeleteIf any of these people decides to run maybe we can make an appointment to meet at Dunkin Doughnuts on a Saturday to sign the nomination forms. I'm sure there are 50 loyal readers who would show up to sign!
Amelia, Raciel, John P. and Dimitri immediately come to mind. It has always been my contention you are either part of the plan or part of the problem. Question is what do peple plan do do about it? Asking Dennis to run is a waste of time since he has made it very clear where he stands on all of this, and has gone above and beyond for Southbridge, and taken numerous hits for standing up for his town and the citizens. I think it is time to stand up for your town if you really want change and want to stop paying lip service to the idea of change. Or perhaps there is a person out there just fed up with the status quo of Southbridge and wants to try and make a difference. THAT is what this is all about.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to go out on a limb here and say being smart and articulate has nothing to do with winning a seat on the town council. If that were the criteria, half the councilors would not be there today. Livengood? Smart? "I-I-I say, that boy's got a mind like a steel trap, full of mice!" Spinelli? Articulate? "That boy's more mixed up than a feather in a whirlwind!" No, I'd say you have to have a strong desire to run, and you have to really care about the problems we are facing in Southbridge.
ReplyDeleteAnn would be an excellent choice and would bring some much needed integrity to the Town Council. Stephanie is too smart to run. As for Amelia she is too full of herself. No one needs another ego up on the town council.
ReplyDeleteNot living in Southbridge any longer should exclude me. But my choices as I stated earlier would be Gary, Dennis and now knowing that Shawn Moriarity would be excellent choices. As far as Ann and Larry having so much potential legal issues facing them and the town I don't think they would be the right candidate's at the moment. Regardless who runs, the person has to have a open mind, self assuring and thick-ed skinned because not matter what you do or support you will be in for it just because.
ReplyDeleteDid Shaun move back to Southbridge?
ReplyDeleteBefore I suggest who I think would be good, I would like to know who Eddi Phillips and Dimitri are?
ReplyDeleteA lot of these names are people who get up at almost every town council meeting and virtually all of them have nothing concrete to say . Is that the criteria you use to look for town council nominees? Most of these individuals are self-serving and provide no real solutions to Southbridge's problems. Maybe it's time to look beyond Cathy Nikolla's peanut gallery for candidates.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous at 05:24, you should spend less time watching "Jersey Shore" and more time watching the Town Council. Many of these people, including Larry Beienema, Dennis Martinek in the forefront, have led the pack in not only holding them accountable, but in offering solutions that these nitwits like yourself don't want to here. To quote Gisele, they can make the suggestions but they can't vote on them too! God, people like you make me wonder if this town is doomed and destined to the idiocy of people like you that try, and I mean, try, badly, to tie any of these people in as ineffective. Ten bucks says you don't have the cajones to even come to Citizen's Forum, since you have time to criticize those that do. C'mon, tell us how you've done anything? Scary thing is, it's nut cases like you who vote without thinking. This town sucks more every day, and you want who? I'm guessing some nobody with no balls. Good luck with that strategy. Later.
ReplyDeleteUntil reading your blog I had never heard of Jersey Shore but apparently you have. From the looks of your bad grammar, spelling errors and mud slinging, it appears that you would fit right in. I do, however, watch every Town Council meeting. I stand by my opinion and you are entitled to your name calling. Have a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteHey what about that kid that always goes and speaks, cant remember his name, but he always has good ideas
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure you mean Javier Melendez.
ReplyDeletePlease keep in mind that I only listed names suggested by others. I didn't want to inject my own biases.
The list that is up for a vote is based upon reader suggestions at the time it was posted.
Anonymous at 326 AM: I'm not Ken and this is his blog you dope! Good to see that you're up to snuff on the sister show to the town council. You should stop the name calling? What are you, two?
ReplyDeleteShaun Moriarty grew up in this town, has bought a home here, has been in the public eye for many years dating back to when Joe Capella was his mentor. Shaun cares about what is going on,, has somegood ideas, is well liked and is always giving back. Intelligent, resourceful, has volunteered many times around town, served on the little league board since the age of 18. Dealing with cancer at the age of 25 but never gave up with his obligations,or college career. Now a teacher, I believe he has what it takes to make some of the changes this town needs and I know he will listen to the people.
ReplyDeleteKen O'Brien:
ReplyDeleteGreat idea coming up with this. Sorry, I just became aware of
it. I certainly hope at the town election we have "another"
candidate for town clerk. We all know what that State Rep.
(joke) election was like. Did everybody forget what this
town went through?