In a deliberate political maneuver, Mayor Noam Bramson plotted with his fellow council democrats to deny Council District 3 qualified representation for five months. This flies in the face of the democrat’s long standing policy of appointing a provisional council representative in a timely fashion. Council minutes reflect council representative Bramson was appointed provisional mayor three days after Mayor Idoni was sworn in as county clerk at the January 3, 2006 special council meeting. Seven days later, January 10, 2006, Barry Fertel was appointed provisional representative for council district 5 to replace Bramson. Later that year Councilman Jack Quinlan moved away from New Rochelle leaving Council District 2 unrepresented. Quinlan’s farewell council meeting was on June 29, 2006 and twelve days later on July 11, 2006 former councilwoman Chris Selin was appointed provisional representative for Council District 2. In fact the minutes of the July 11, 2006 council meeting depicts Mayor Bramson stating “… it was important that City Council act quickly to appoint a new council member.” The democrats firmly established a pattern of replacing unrepresented citizens of New Rochelle in an immediate fashion which averaged about seven days. Why has Bramson deviated from his long standing practice to leave district 3 unrepresented for five months? It’s because the democrats have lost control of city council and are incapable of bipartisan collaboration. Their political ploy to leave Council District 3 unrepresented until a special November election was concocted without participation from the three republicans on council. What is most troubling is that in 1999 then Councilman Bramson voted to appoint Bea Brown as provisional council representative for District 3 replacing the Honorable Rhoda Quash who passed away which mimics the current District 3 situation.
Why have the Democrats deviated from their long standing practice of filling council vacancies? Why are Mayor Bramson and the democrats treating the citizens of District 3 like second class citizens? Don’t the citizens of District 3 deserve appropriate representation afforded the citizens of Districts 2 and 5? With a turbulent budget season fast approaching the council must appoint a provisional representative for District 3 as soon as possible. They must appoint someone with experience, resolve and a commitment to District 3. As a former County Legislator, past president of the New Rochelle Board of Education and upstanding resident of District 3, Ms. Pearl Quarles is the quintessential appointment. If Mayor Bramson and his fellow Democrats on council are truly interested in what’s best for District 3 and the City as a whole they will join hands with their Republican counterparts and unanimously appoint Ms. Pearl Quarles to represent the citizens of Council District 3.
UPDATE
UPDATE: Mayor Bramson and the Democrats have flip flopped and now agree with their Republican counterparts in appointing an interim representative. In what can only be described as a frantic political scheme, the Democrats headed by Bramson have decided to use Councilman James Stowe’s widow, Roxy, as a shield in their political shenanigans. The fly in their ointment is that once an interim is appointed there is no provision either in the New Rochelle charter or State Election Law to immediately seat the winner of the special November election. State Election Law is clear in that the winner of the special election takes office on January 1, 2011. The New Rochelle City Charter allows for an appointment process for a vacancy and once an interim representative is seated there is no vacancy so the interim must remain through December 31, 2010. What this boils down to is simple; if the Democrats are sincere in appointing an interim that person should be qualified and able to conduct the business of the residents of District 3 through the tumultuous budget process. I know Ms. Quarles has the experience, drive and determination to protect the residents of District 3 as she has successfully deliberated school and county budgets and while I don’t Mrs. Stowe it is a disgrace that Mayor Bramson and the Democrats would even consider putting Mrs. Stowe through this ordeal in her time of mourning.