| Author | Message | ||
     Dave |
A lot of people perceive of the township committee as lacking in discussion of issues and consideration of varied viewpoints because all of the members of the township committee belong to the same political party? Do you think this a correct point of view? Whether you agree with it or not, what would you do to try and change it if you were elected? | ||
| Admin |
DAVID HUEMER: As a leader of community organizations here in Maplewood, my first priority has always been to be listen carefully to all members of those organizations. Good decision-making processes consider different viewpoints - whether they are complementary or conflicting - before reaching a consensus, if possible. I invite everyone to ask any Maplewood resident who has worked with me about my work ethic, listening skills, responsiveness, and ability to follow through with decisions. The Township Committee is the decision-making body that decides what services are essential, how to rationally deliver those services and how to pay for them. Most issues addressed by the Township Committee are not controversial. The issues that are controversial rarely involve the defining Democratic or Republican principles. It's really a question of how responsive Committee members are to all residents. Both Republicans and Democrats make up Maplewood's citizen committees. The Township payroll in every department and at every level includes Republicans and Democrats. There is abundant evidence that party labels play little or no role in the issues that come before the Township Committee or in how the Township Committee implements the decisions it makes. | ||
| Admin |
SCOTT KISCH: Surprise, I am one of the people you've alluded to  . Not necessarily because they are members of the same party, but rather because the party (Maplewood Dems) has an incubation process for potential candidates that seems to have lasting affects on those candidates when they become active members of the TC. It has had a stifling affect on the way the issues are debated and the way the town is governed. Fred Profeta stole my thunder last week when he published the number of unanimous votes that came out of town hall last year. Last year, Bill Bradley, for his own reasons, felt compelled to challenge the imminent nomination of Al Gore. Locally, I was compelled to mount a similar challenge this year, for reasons I have mentioned above. Additional thoughts can be derived from the transcript of my statement before the Democratic Committee in April -- available in the "News" section of my website, http://www.scottkisch.com. I share the concerns alluded to in the question, but that does not lead me to conclude that we need to switch to non-partisan elections. |
