Ooh, it was such a juicy rumor for the scandal sheet business, we couldn’t let this one go without fanning the flames. City Councilwoman Lydia Martinez, the city’s queen of absentee ballots, wants to lead the Town Clerk’s Office that oversees absentee ballots.
Could ya just imagine the chatter on OIB if this one were true? On second thought, turns out political operatives say Lydia may be more interested in replacing long-time City Clerk Fleeta Hudson if Fleeta decides to pack it in after 24 years serving as keeper of records for the City Council.
Lydia, who’s been fined twice for election law violations, may feel city clerk is a safer harbor. Just imagine the headline possibilities if she were town clerk?
Town Clerk Alma Maya, elected to the position in 2007 and again in 2011, isn’t sure she wants another four years in the part-time role. The positions of city clerk and town clerk became four-year terms when voters approved a four-year term for mayor in a charter revision vote in 1998.
Maya has an independent streak that doesn’t always sit well with some members of the city’s Democratic political establishment, so whether Alma receives the endorsement for another four-year term is an open question.
Alma is a disciple of one of the city’s preeminent social irritants, the late Cesar Batalla who was a stick in the eye to the city’s powerful, be it politician or business. Alma was alongside Batalla as one of the leading community warriors for social change: school desegregation, special education, police presence, political influence and voting power.
Ask Alma a question, she gives you a straight answer. Seasoned politicians are generally programmed to give the answer they want to give no matter the question. Alma’s attitude? You ask me a question I give you an answer.
Some don’t always like the response.
As we segue into the 2015 municipal cycle, a lot of maneuvering is taking place for various city positions including mayor, city clerk, town clerk, City Council and school board.
John Marshall Lee for City Treasurer or City Auditor since both positions were eliminated due to budget cuts.
Thank you, Bob Walsh. I will happily continue, God willing, as Bridgeport resident-taxpayer-meeting attender, researcher and voice for those who are less interested in attending to public business. Unpaid, but thank you, appreciated by a good number of folks.
When a position is deleted in the City a statement is made it is in the name of efficiency and saving taxpayer money. Is that true? Or is it a continuing attempt by those in power to reduce the duties and voice of those who might by Statute or position impede plans to keep things in the dark?
And when positions are added by this administration, is there ever a metric mentioned by which one could see whether the work was necessary, as in accountability? Or are these appointments purely political, as in increasing power and control over all governance? The Mayor provides a statement each year along with a budget that might be called a plan. But if there are no priorities, no transparency and no accountability for ‘last year’s priorities,’ isn’t it essentially meaningless? Time will tell.
Maria Pereira for Town Crier or for Board of Ed.
Bob Keeley for whatever is open.
Lennie Grimaldi for City Historian.
Hector Diaz Jr. for Town Clerk. Keepin’ it in the family.
Steve Auerbach for Cheerleading Captain.
Bob Walsh, I am honored to be mentioned for a position that would and should be considered a most prestigious seat in the City administration. Does it pay $90,000? I accept!!!
We would have to make that Deputy Chief Administrative Officer and Cheerleader. That should be worth at least $80K.
🙂
Let’s have fun with this. I’ll let you guys fill in the blank: Christina Ayala for ____________.
Are you just being an instigator? Very nice!
Dog warden.
It must be Finch publicly gushed about his close friendship with her, that with a straight face she can actually say she is considering being on his slate for Town Clerk? That would be Line A. Please, do us a favor and run!
Rumors … rumors … and more rumors …
The Queen of AB is eyeing the Registrar of Voters or Town Clerk. Milta Feliciano wants the Registrar of Voters. Evette Brantley wants City Clerk. Lydia and Evette … forget about it!
I say Lydia should go for Registrar of Voters and steal the whole election instead of just the ABs.
Brantley should run for Sheriff. She loves pushing people around.
Finch should run for Dog Catcher because he’d be right at home.
Keeley should run for mayor because he’s a no-show and that beats what we’ve got now.
Baffled in Bridgeport, that was pretty entertaining.