In a stunning defeat, Mayor Noam Bramson’s chicken legislation went down to defeat on a 4-3 vote. More shocking, the deciding vote was cast by erstwhile Bramson ally District 5 Council Member Barry Fertel.
Bramson has been promoting new animal husbandry zoning legislation since receiving 2 letters last December — one from a pair of young girls, another from a woman living outside the United States who was planning on living in New Rochelle for 5 months.
Fertel had given every indication of supporting the measure. Before casting his vote, Fertel asked Corporation Counsel (the city’s lawyer) what would happen to chickens in the city if the law were later rescinded. Kathy Gill stated that the existing chickens would be grandfathered in and allowed to remain upon which Fertel changed his position and voted against the resolution.
Council Member Jared Rice of District 3 said he was voting yes because he was for healthy food. Council Member Ivar Hyden of District 4 expressed concerns about a slippery slope, asking “what’s next?”, and vote against the resolution. Council Member Lou Trangucci of District 5 said that resolution would be a hardship on people in the South End and voted “no”. Council Member Sharry Rackman of District 6 support the chicken law, observing that other communities in the area allow chickens as does New York City. Council Member Al Tarantino of District 2 votes no.
With a resigned air, Bramson voted in favor of the already defeated measure.
While the legislation may have seemed silly to many, the fact that Bramson lost a vote on a resolution he had publicly championed, is a stunning reversal for the Mayor is finding that expanding the number of Democrats on City Council from 4-3 to 5-2 has made the Democratic majority on City Council more unwieldy. The Mayor has been opposed on the Albanese project by Democrats Jared Rice and Ivar Hyden and on Echo Bay/Forest City by Hyden.
Many are wondering if the chicken vote makes a larger statement about the ability of the Mayor to keep his ducks in a row?
RELATED: Will Chickens Come Home to Roost for New Rochelle’s Mayor Noam Bramson
The way modern democracy works!
Now at least we know how to get on the chief New Rochelle executive’s legislative radar. Send your request for zoning and planning from a foreign postal or zip code! Perhaps if enough foreigners start agitating for a new Comprehensive Master Plan, we may finally get the long-overdue document that we have been promised for so many years.
Just make sure that you hide your party affiliation; contributing to the majority party’s political action fund wouldn’t hurt either.
Chicken vote
You are correct sir.
This was a staged vote so that Bramson can save face in the community. Fertel would never vote against the Bramson.
Noam penned in on chicken vote
Noam was unable to keep his ducks in a row on the chicken vote and ended up with egg on his face after Barry Fertel decided to spread his wings and fly the coop.
Fertel would be too affraid
Fertel would be too affraid to have his Goose Cooked to vote against the Egg Head Noam if would get him in a huge pickle.
This is a Dog and Pony show for the good of those who claim Fertel as Noams Bitch.
Fertel is sort of a weird Bird thinks he rules the Roost and in the end if Noam wants him quiet he would not let out a Peep.
If you know him you know he can’t tell Chicken Salad from Chicken Shi*!
A real Horses As*
Fertel Asks Bramson what he should do in the Mens Room
You mean to tell me Fertel went against his butt boy Master on a vote? You can not be telling the truth. Oh I get it this was an April Fools joke Fertel Votes opposite of Bramson, April Fools.
Fertel asks Bramson what to do in the mens room.
This has got to be a staged event so they can show differences in the voting record. Secretly Bramson was against the Chickens but he votes in favor of the Chickens to keep the money flowing towards his campaign coffers and Fertel follow orders once again.
I assume that Harvard has a Course called Feigning the chicken vote 101.
really
I honestly thought this was a joke when I saw the title. Even from my hippie liberal standpoint relative to most people on this blog this just seemed stupid and I’m happy council members looked beyond party lines.
Chicken Vote
In any other city, it would be a joke. But I figured, given Idoni Light’s constituency, that this was his way of thanking them for their votes.
I assumed approval for goat pens (for Santeria) wasn’t far behind.