Gerard McKistry
This is going to be ugly. I am at an Irish bar near Notre Dame so I will need readers to fill in the blanks in my absence.
9 thoughts on “New Rochelle GOP Prepares to Drop Mayoral Candidate Richard St. Paul”
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THE CRUEL GODDESS OF REVENGE…AND NOAM GOES MARCHING ON
And Noam goes marching on…
The Residents of New Rochelle are livid!
As long as we are “indifferent” to our city government, our city government will be indifferent to us.
Is anyone really surprised? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…neither Richard St Paul nor Noam Bramson are the best we have to offer. They should voluntarily run for a salary of ONE Dollar per year.
We need public servants, not public serpents!
The cruel goddess of revenge looks mockingly upon us from her throne of antagonism. We have wasted our potential and allowed – even accelerated – the pitiful and shameful political, social and economic collapse of our city.
This is the inevitable result of our political indifference. Our lack of energy, intensity and enthusiasm have sealed our own chains for another four year sentence.
But, is it over for New Rochelle?
I think not! Richard St Paul was never the candidate that would have pulled Noam from this city’s foundation like a weed from a bed of roses.
I like Richard, but this is serious business and it should be taken seriously. His nonchalant attitude would never have inspired this community to get behind him full force. New Rochelle has been falling in a downward spiral for many years.
It is time to re-build the city by re-building ourselves.
Hope is not lost. New Rochelle is the crown jewel of Westchester. Our city can, with the right mix of community pride and a clear vision, have a more prosperous future. We need leaders, not politicians. That is why Steve and Ilyse will win districts 5 and 6 in a few short weeks.
Has a single candidate presented a vision for new rochelle that actually made you believe in the greatness of what can be achieved here?
Has anyone outlined a clear and BOLD plan for true social, political and economic re-development here that did not include Cappelli, Iona or Trump?
We are our own community! Do not forget that! We pull the strings, not them.
For those of us that are longtime residents of New Rochelle – those who remember the real New Rochelle, before it was the commercially disastrous “New Roc City”. (Sorry, but it sounds too much like Emerald City – plus we have a cast of characters in our city hall that have no brains, no heart and no courage—sorry Noam, Chuck and Barry).
If you’ve been here in New Rochelle for awhile, I want you to think back to what Main Street was once upon a time. Think back to the time when this city was an economic boomtown. THINK BACK TO THE TIME WHEN PROSPERITY LIVED HERE.
I will be the first to extend an invitation for prosperity to move back to New Rochelle.
We will get through these next FOUR long years and in the process build a base of support and ignite a flame in the soul of our city!! Our best days are ahead of us…it’s time to work for it.
A social, political and economic redevelopment plan is in the making that will yield nationwide private investment capital to resurrect the soul of this dying city.
I will be recruiting capable people from the community to work on this project which i’ve named “Brand:New Rochelle”. (details will follow in early 2012)
This city will be one of the most desired “brands” in the country. Not just a city, but a “brand” that is known for quality, strength, character integrity, prosperity…and of course FUN!!
Let’s make our city fun again. Nothing says prosperity like 3 different movie theateres on one “main street” block. Do you remenmber those days? I do, and I would like to bring the experience back to New Rochelle once again!
Regardless of the recently unexpected setback, we have a big future ahead of us…all we need to do is embrace it.
I’ll finish by saying this,
We have become a city of strangers…
Let’s get to know each other once again..
Here is a fill in for
Here is a fill in for you..
Journal news has it front page the GOP is distancing from St. Paul and dropping support. We have a 1 party government in New Rochelle a very stupid head of the GOP as they could have gotten a better candidate in Saxon Woods Park at Night Cruising the woods. We can hope for change in District 5 and 6 but you can bet Bramson will find something on them soon. New Rochelle’s best option is to hope Lowey turns up like Vinny the chin in a Bathrobe in the chambers of congress forcing Boy Wonder to come in from the Bull Pen. Other than that we have business as usual in New Rochelle.
Time to move.
st paul
come one. This happens often and it is just poor vetting. Colety does not spend the time necessary to come up with a slate that will work despite the registration advantage for the dems.
This is an ideal time nationally for a strong GOP push and yet they often put forth less than strong candidates. Richard St Paul’s issues were known before this became a public issue. Perhaps Jim Maisano should have a larger voice in the selection process than he appears to have. He is solid as are Louis Trangucci and Ilyse Spertus and perhaps one or two others.
I think this likely means no one can be on the GOP line based on filing requirements. Not sure.
Kurt, you make a case that Noam is almost the “Anti Christ.” I am a supporter, perhaps more disappointed than most because performance has not reached potential. But, building a community requires much more positive action than slinging mud and you are a talented, committed guy and perhaps you can build on your last sentence.
It is time for this City to become more focused, more issue oriented. I have made frequent references to what is troubling me and they are cited often in TOTS. the issues, as usually is the case transcend the candidate or office holder and part of why Bramson seems to be out of touch is that the entire management system, the City Code, and the ability to understand the management process and adapt a planning process is almost non-existent at this point.
It is time to move away from some theory around bad luck or being jinxed and unite around other more meaningful areas. Lets start with the basics; the efficacy and use of the City Code, the negative impact city-wide on taxes based on a radically underperforming school district, the failure to recognize you do not attract investment, commercial or residential by lacking cohesion, simple process management, adjusting to changes in our demographic profile and so much more.
Kurt, you are not the only gifted person in New Rochelle who have real issues with how the City operates. This blog has several very smart and committed citizens. Nothing positive will ever take place if we don’t understand how the city is should be managed and what the drawbacks are and fix them. I cannot believe that peope of good will despite party affiliation don’t want that to happen. If that is the case, well, I simply will pick up my suitcase and look for a place where Americans act like Americans. We are losing this.
Noam Bramson is not a beast, he is not a monster. He has some issues; a number are serious enough to really matter. Kurt, if you or anyone else came under constant attack from the opposition it is not likely you would change a thing especially when you are running with such as large registration majority.
My hopes rest with some of the new people as well as a few of the incumbents who likely will be re-elected and will I hope find a voice. I think they will.
Maybe we can start by a community-based society, looking critically at the actual reasons that thwart our development and move forward. The school district belongs under the Administration. Paduano and Tocci, two people who served with distinction would buy into this. Anyone with a modest understanding of a planning process would understand that a vibrant business district requires new forms of growth, development and as important, safety and security. I want to see people from both parties seeing this and comparing this to what the City Code empowers officials and high administration people to do and not to do.
Last week I challenged the readers to do something positive and supportive about what some now call “signage gate.” My example was a local, high membership health club, Retrofit. There was some initial response, but not enough and later when I reminded readers, there was more.
But, not enough! Bramson is not the major issue whether any reader wants to hear this or not. It is more of an inability to establish a management process that employs the proper oversight and evaluation that the Code indicates lies in the purview of the City Council. A bright guy, Stephen Mayo, running in District 6, doesn’t get the fact that the najor resposibility of the City Council might well be the classic board of directors role. The Code supports that, but frankly Kurt and others, when you reflect on Articles X and XIII, you can see many issues in governance that lead to a “ceremonial mayor” assuming with tacit permission of the City Council, the role of a “strong mayor,” a City Council that does not initiate much in the way of proposed legislation because they are either confused about who they are and what they do or more likely, are not paid enough to do much more than they are doing.
You need a business model and a code that supports this model or else this damn divisiveness will coninue year in and year out. Change the Code if necessary, correct the Code to appoint a different Board of Directors, perhaps an upscaled Planning Committee or leave it as is and change the relationship with the City Manager to create policy for him that largely represents new or revised City initiatives and manage these like a good business should via the Oversight function. Strome has literally too much to do, he needs backing and it should come from the Council. Unless a referendum is offered to go back to a “strong mayor,: change the ballot from mayor to head of the City Council and vote that way to reflect what the hell the City Code actually says.
If you don’t, you will continue to have the conditions you complain about frequently, caused the mayor to back away from anything that continually infests his comfort zone and you will get the government you deserve. This is plain and simple
Noam is not the second coming of Khaddafi, nor is he someone who can step into a business senior position and thrive. I recognize some, perhaps a lot of people have personal and negative interpersonal experiences with him. I have no reason to doubt this. To me, he has always been open and receptive but I am now active on TOTS because as Kurt Colucci suggests and states, the issues require a strong leadership presence, one that migrates appropriate to where the City is heading demographically and he is not stepping up. If it is any comfort to anyone out there, he has not communicated to me. I will accept that and still hope that changes.
Kurt, your posting was of great value and contained much of value. I don’t know you, but you appear to be a strong man who loves this City and one who has very definite view on how New Rochelle should be managed. I appreciate that and hope to meet you some day.
Perhaps a number of us can meet on an old issue and see if the changing tides bring new energy and purpose. I think we need to recognize the importance of re-visiting the Armory in new ways; a veterans chapel and museum, community center, training center for the unemployed and especially veterans who are out of work, but others as well. We have services for the aged, youth and others on the west end and we should parallel these on the east end. I can envision a strong tutoring and mentoring presence for youth and surely a role for Habitat.
Lets sink Napersink and his organization. Echo Bay is relevant, but it doesn’t need the Armory and perhaps we do not need the Forest City. We can find funding to retrofit this nicely using the best of sustainabilty or eco friendly building and yes, we can couple this with leaving the DPW yard where it is as well. We don’ need a legacy, we need a viable business project below Main Street.
Maybe people of the quality of Ron Tocci and others can be persuaded to meet with the expressed purpose of mind to convince the new Council, local representatives and other players that this is a significant effort that places us on the map as a community that gets it.
re: Richard St Paul
Warren,
You are a true gem, an asset to this community. Your ability to communicate your ideas in a positive and classy manner speaks volumes about you as an individual.
Thank you for engaging me on this issue – your words are greatly appreciated. I do hope we can meet soon, i’m sure I can gain much wisdom from an individual like you…we all can.
I whole heartedly appreciate citizens like you, Peggy Godfrey, Bob Cox and all the others who actively engage in community affairs.
Also, for the record, I do not think Noam is the Anti-christ. I know he is a good man, a great father, loyal husband and stand up guy. as well, Richard St Paul has served our community for the past few years as a conservative rock on the city council. Despite my rhetoric, I do appreciate the efforts of both of these men.
You can chalk my heated comments up to passion and ambition – it’s who I am. I don’t want anyone reading my comments to percieve me as an angry hot head (although I am at times), I like to have fun with my political rants.
I do not think Richard St Paul should be abandoned by the party for personal issues that may or may not be as severe as they are being presented by the “media” outlets. His personal life is his to handle and anything that does not do damage our city should be off limits. I like Richard and I wish him the best. He is a talented individual and will rebound from this and achieve a level of success regardless of any temporary adversity.
As for Jim Maisano, I think he is a respected member of the community and has served his constituents in a manner that works well for them.
I have been at odds with Jim as well on some issues, but he is a priceless asset to our city as well.
Warren, thank you again for the insight and I hope we can chat over a cup of coffee one day soon.
your posting
Thank you Kurt and you have affirmed my sense that you are a thoughtful, bright, and important voice in the community. I admire your courage and mostly, your honesty. It is rare.
Actually, I agree that removing St Paul at this point doesn’t accomplish much. I have problems with legislating any aspect of attitude; I would rather we deal with behavior. Richard has issues, talent, and a difficult path and perhaps he should have voluntarily stepped down. Better, he should have been vetted earlier; it would have saved embarrassment and it is difficult to think that his position at the head of the ticket would have led to people not to vote for a Sperus or a Barrett as examples.
Kurt, it is difficult to try to convince people that the real problems are likely systemic and no one seems interested enough in addressing thses. My experience with Noam, for example, is not what seemingly others have experienced. My experiences with others; Jim, Louis, Jared, as examples, have been enriching. I believe if we fix the machinery and its components, we will have gone a long way to fixing the City.
Once again, my issues with Noam revolve around these systemic issues as well as an unwillingness or a simple human matter about avoiding entering where he feels unwelcome. It is both his fault for not recognizing the need to walk the rocky path as well as those who rather argue and condemn around other than issues. At its core, Noam is a brilliant man, a man with great untapped potential, who needs what Harvey Hornstein of Columbia labeled accurately as “managerial courage” or the ability to do the right and necessary despite that rocky path. My expectation is that he is suffering from the excessive hubris of the young and will soon see this as detrimental to his legacy and not some island in the sound or some undeveloped waterfront.
I look forward to meeting you some day and hope you continue to be a strong voice in the community. Societies that work require strong, even opposing voices, to successfully balance and protect. It is always the mistake of a sitting administration to ignore such voices; time is a demanding dialetic and there is a price to pay for such inattentiveness.
Let me end here. I would invite anyone who is interesting to see the parallels between a political system and how the universe actually works. It is relevant. The universe works by compensating for what is known as “entropy” or over-simplified, disorder. We have disorder. We don’t burn up from the sun’s energy because the opposition (magnetic fields, atomospheric cover, etc. protects us from such disorder. The risk we run in the nation, state, county, and city is that such protections are eroding rapidly because we gather into clans that see only value in ideology, dispute, disorder.
Sorry to be pedantic but it fits. Your take on community is essential, it is the way to go. We need order, constructive order, even if the presence of human fraility especially in power, make this difficult. Noam needs support as well as constructive opposition. We all do.
Kurt, your passion does you honor and your follow up clarification even more so. Continue to help.
warren
Warren, for the record…..
Warren for the record it was Tocci’s legislation that changed the school trustees from a council appointed board to the current elected at large board allowing a public vote on school budgets.
Tocci
thanks for the information as painful as it is on the surface. old timer, do you know when this happened and what was his elective office at the time. want to see what the hell persuaded him that this was a good idea. thanks again warren
Electing the Bd of Ed
Warren,
This subject was bought to the table during school reorganization. I believe it was in the late 1970’s. During that time, it was necessary to close schools and the subject of elected Bd of Ed members was considered. We were worried about any mayor appointing people who supported his/her ideas and not being truly interested in our schools. We wanted people to have a choice and vote. Was this a bad idea? No, it is only bad because people do not care enough and are lazy and do not vote. Look at the appointed boards we have now. They are one sided and the mayor only appoints people who agree with him. He does not want a dialogue. He is too interested in his resume for future politiical jobs.
RE: ITs been UGLY for years.
We are all awaiting concrete information. Unfortunately, as we all know too well, this is New Rochelle, ” The soap opera on the Sound” and therefore, we can believe NONE of what we hear and only HALF of what we see. So far, its all rumors and innuendo, nothing concrete. I hope the other readers can fill in the blanks for us all.