Monday, September 9, 2013

You Speak

You are Norwalk! You speak......what's on your mind?

27 comments:

  1. Just because Sue Haynie has been told to keep her mouth shut for the benefit of the election doesn't mean she has lost her mean streak. Don't forget what she is really like when it comes time to vote! She is not working for the best interest of the students.

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  2. I don't care if Haynie is nasty, if Angry Jack sleeps during meetings (when he's there), if Artie prayers before meetings and if Steve C. plays Perry Mason when asking questions.
    What I care about is what they stand for. How they vote tells you alot- if they abstain a lot, that tells me that they don't have the courage of their convictions. Haynie's nonsense of abstaining from critical votes is getting tiresome- tells me that she has no core beliefs. I respect Steve C.- doesn't back down ever- we need a fighter for us on the BOE. But I wouldn't want nine of him on the BOE.
    I like what Artie stands for- on the BOE and in the real world. He's somebody we need to keep on the BOE.

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    1. My four (FWIW) :)
      Kassimis (like his calm)
      Colarossi (we need one fighter)
      Roman(admire his community work)
      Mosby (time to restore some balance to Board of Ed).

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  3. Let me ask the obvious question- I see Colarossi and Roman are putting themselves out there. Where are the other 8 candidates?
    It goes a long way with me that those two dads are willing to work hard to meet the voters.
    BTW, I'm still undecided, but I'm leaning to giving the two independents my votes and no one else.

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  4. I'm not surprised that the people who come to this site favor the candidates who are visible.

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  5. I'm not surprised that this site favors these candidates.

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  6. Yes, people who come to this site prefer visibility. They prefer to know the truth and prefer to speak their mind. They also prefer candidates who work in the best interest of the children. They do NOT prefer candidates who are on the Board to satisfy their own personal agendas.
    The candidates preferred so far on this site are the intelligent, transparent and best candidates!

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  7. The NFEP staff who had their hours cut found out that they lost on a technicality on their lawyer's part. Staff members who have been in the school system for over 20 years lost their benefits and everyone who had their hours cut will result in their pension. What a disgrace! They believe that they were set up by the Board Members and someone who has a lot of power with the unions. All of the Board Members voted not to have their grievance sent to arbitration which is another disgrace! Steve C., you are a lawyer, maybe you should step up to the plate and find out what happened if you want to get re-elected. This is going to the papers because the NFEP is tired of being on the bottom of the barrel in the NPS. They are ready for new Board Members in November who will listen to the issues that affect this union.

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    1. If this was done to the teachers, you can bet your bottom dollar that BM would be in there reopening the case no matter what the cost. This lawyer admitted he made a mistake... he should reopen the grievance at NO cost! Perhaps a "blue week" by NFEP members would make the school system know how valuable these folks are!! Let the rest of the staff figure out how to do things in the offices. LOL!!!

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  8. Look at the budget from June 2012 that cut the hours and took away benefits. That was the Susan Marks-Dick Moccia plan. You want to blame anyone- blame Dick's "team" that voted for that plan- Sue Haynie, Heidi Keyes, Jack Chiaramonte, Mike Barbis and Mike Lyons. Ask Dick Moccia why he took half a million dollars from school funds to put in the City's "rainy day" fund- that could have been money that restored librarians and benefits.

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  9. Anybody know if any debates have been scheduled?
    Is it true the RedApples are trying to organize a "forum" so that their candidates won't have to debate anyone?

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  10. The low voter turnout for the mayoral primary is frightening. The Democrats have to vote to turn around this Board. Each and every vote counts. Vote for your kids when it comes time to vote for the Board of Education. The Republicans will get out the vote! Please be sure your vote is heard. Our men in uniform put their lives on the line so that you have the right to vote. Is it too much to ask you to get to the polls to vote? Think about it! No excuses!

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  11. Who cares that Moccia and Susan Marks and previous Interim Asst Supt decided who would be cut? The fact is that the NFEP lost their the arbitration based on a lawyer who did not file papers in time. Sue Haynie, Mike Barbis and Steve C. have to go.By the way Steve C.(lawyer) who always posts comments on this website and Nancy on Norwalk is very silent on this issue. Is it because you voted with all other BOE members not to let the NFEP issue go to arbitration. The word is out not to vote for you! If Mickey Mouse is running for BOE, they would vote for Mickey!

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    1. I wish that there were a way financially to restore the hours and benefits that were lost- unfortunately, no sustainable plan has been presented.
      As for the allegation that I'm part of some cabal with Mr. Barbis and Ms. Haynie regarding the aides and secretaries, I had actually proposed saving far more NFEP positions in my alternative budget plan. I was alone in making those recommendations (and was rebuked by the GOP Party Chairman for daring to propose an alternative budget that was better for education and that had less job loss).
      Regarding the claim that I somehow stopped a grievance from going to arbitration, that is untrue. Any union has a right to file a grievance. The Board of Education cannot dictate which grievances can go to arbitration. Some grievances can come before the Board of Education to review them (like management would); if the BOE denies the grievance, then the union is free to take it to the next level. As a member of the BOE, I don't have any say in how a union manages its grievances, who it hires to serve its members and whether its paperwork is, or is not, filed on time.

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    2. Steve is being very transparent about this. It is the truth, NFEP members.

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  12. If you want to pin the blame on someone for the NFEP cuts, look at some of your members. They were caught spending hours daily shopping online. That information alone made it a no brainier. Your members are their own worst enemies.
    Regarding getting rid of Haynie and Barbis.....absolutely!

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    1. Then go after those folks doing the shopping while working. Don't punish a bunch of us for what a very small group does. But of course that's how it all works at NPS. Pull in the entire group whether it's certified or non-certified and ream them all out.

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    2. And while we're talking about this subject, how about going after the teachers who leave early, come in late because they have a prep, complain about being soo tired because of a teacher open house, countdown the first day of school of having only 179 more days left. We need to create a whole new atmosphere in the teaching profession and perhaps our students will achieve at a higher level!!

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  13. Thanks Steve for posting your reply! As a lawyer, is there anything that the NFEP can do about the technicality on the lawyer's part? They think that he was told to not file the paperwork in the proper timeframe.

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  14. If I knew enough about municipal labor law to make an informed suggestion as to how to continue a grievance when a deadline may have been allegedly missed, I wouldn't be able to share that insight because technically I'm a part of management.

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  15. Quick question:
    Has Sue Haynie ever shared her resume?

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    1. I'm sure she will, once she figures out which name to put on the top of it.

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  16. Very very interesting....What other name has she gone under? I would like to Google her. Thanks!

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    1. Might be a good idea to google ALL the candidates.

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    2. True, but they don't have 'also known as' names. Sue Haynie obviously does. Sounds suspicious to me.

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    3. I don't believe that any of my colleagues are fugitives hiding on the Norwalk Board of Ed under assumed names-- rather than trying to find some deep dark secret in someone's distant past, you can look at our voting records and decide which of us have demonstrated that we will serve Norwalk's community interests, and not political interests.
      For the newcomers, you can review their backgrounds and community service and make an educated guess as to which ones will serve all our children and balance a respect for the taxpayers with an understanding of what is truly needed by our students and families.

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