Sunday Photo-‘Toons 1.9

Ken O’Brien

Well, town elections are only a little over a week away 

Just as spring is marked by the blooming of flowers, so this season sees campaign signs sprouting all over the local landscape.

In the spirit of environmental preservation, The O’Zone confines its campaigning to cyberspace.

With that proviso, let’s season your Sunday breakfast or brunch with our unique mixture of cynicism and sass.

The Cart Monster That Wouldn’t Die

Kenneth M. O’Brien

The newly reconstituted town council of Casellaburg will hold its first regular meeting on Monday, July 25 at 7:00.

The community’s new power couple of town manager Christopher Clark and council chair Catherine Nickolla (which in the spirit of other such power couples as Brangelina and Bennifer I will dub Clickolla) has put forth their first collaborative agenda.

Among the items to be acted upon are the following:

Ain’t That A Crime?

Kenneth M. O’Brien

To begin by answering my own question, “I don’t know for sure.”

What I can do is provide you with the facts as I know them and allow you to formulate your own opinion. Perhaps those among you with even greater knowledge can do even more.

On April 19, 2011, The Southbridge Evening News published a front-page article titled. “Town releases top delinquents on water, sewer bills”.

In that article, the town manager was quoted as follows: “One of the things this year that has come to my attention was, ‘What can we do for a collection rate?’ said Town Manager Christopher Clark. ‘If we send out 4,200 bills to all of the customers in town and for every 100 bills, about 80 percent of them pay them on time. Four percent of people pay them within two weeks of it being due. It was brought to my attention and I was asked how efficient was it and how can we do better?’”

Now, at first glance, this would appear to be a reasonable matter.

"Let Your Voice Be Heard?"

By Dennis

Guest Contributor

One thing that politicians don't seem to realize is when they become a caricature of themselves.

In Southbridge, Councilor Clemence is a prime example of that ignorance.

The self-proclaimed know-it all (Robert's Rules), who's one of us, what with her helicopter, her Forrest Gump like way of getting into any photo-op to further her political ambitions (see Brown, Scott), fails to recognize her arrogance and ignorance when it comes to the issues.

Not the brightest bulb in the pack (and she's only up against the likes of Nikkola, Regis, Detective Livengood, and Spinelli), she thinks more of herself than the people in town.  She's quite the legend in her own mind.