Heard on the Radio: Peter Welch did not file his campaign paperwork on time. Campaign manager Carolyn Dwyer says he mis-read the deadline for filing the report.
What are the ramifications of this?
Is there some sort of penalty Politically or Financially??
Although I’ve only lived in Vermont a couple of years now, I have observed a few campaigns and I’ve noticed a pattern of what I called “playing the insiders game” instead of making appeals to the general public with an agenda, platform, well thought out message or even ,God forbid, “idears” to use a Howard Dean word. Anyone NEW with new idears, new blood is ostracized.
In that context, I submit the newspaper article below from today’s Bennington Banner newspaper about some of the familial relationships of the insiders who run this county.
Lets play that high school game of “who knows who”……..INBREEDING at its BEST…….( “Deliverance” music playing in the background) …. i know, i know, this is “just how it works” (or doesnt) around here. . . . .;-)~
Bennington Banner newspaper article here [http://www.benningtonbanner.com/headlines/ci_3530806]
Local relationships
Bennington
Tuesday, February 21
More than 50 people in municipal government in Bennington County have some relation to another person in elected or appointed office, according to an analysis by the Banner. Sometimes, these connections are through a person’s immediate family; the links may also cross municipal borders. In rare cases, two people from the same family sit on the same board or commission.a.. Select Board member Lodie Colvin’s husband, James, is town moderator.
a.. Town Clerk and Mount Anthony Union School District Clerk Timothy R. Corcoran’s wife, Linda, is a justice of the peace. Their son, Timothy R. Corcoran II, is a state representative.
a.. Select Board member James A. Gulley Sr.’s nephew, Robert Sherman, is a Mount Anthony Union School Board member.
a.. State Rep. and Select Board member Joseph L. Krawczyk Jr.’s cousin, Albert, is a justice of the peace.
a.. Retiring Select Board member and School Board member Michael L. Lochner’s wife, Peg, is chairwoman of the School Board.
a.. Town Manager Stuart A. Hurd’s wife, Justine, is a justice of the peace.
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Dorset
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a.. Justice of the Peace Margery Freed’s husband, Walter, is a member of the Vermont Liquor Board.
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Landgrove
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a.. Cemetery Commissioner James Ameden’s wife, Josephine, is the civil defense officer.
a.. Cemetery Commissioner John E. English’s wife, Mary, is a Planning Commission member, Zoning Board of Adjustment chairwoman and a School Board member.
a.. Planning Commission member and Zoning Administrator Steven Hall’s wife, Greta, is a School Board member.
a.. Town Clerk Casey Henson’s husband, Craig, is a Select Board member and assistant forest fire warden.
a.. Select Board member Sarah Ishu’s husband, Albert, is a Board of Library Trustees member.
a.. Town Agent W. Byrd LaPrade’s wife, Fay, is a justice of the peace.
a.. Auditor Anne McClaran’s husband, Tim, is a Planning Commission and ZBA member.
a.. Retiring Lister Michael Mole’s wife, Margaret, is an auditor, and Planning Commission and ZBA member.
a.. Justice of the Peace Sheila Ogden’s son, John, is Planning Commission chairman and a ZBA member.
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Manchester
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a.. Assistant Town Clerk Jeanne Clark’s husband, John, is a Planning Commission member.
a.. Justice of the Peace Cynthia Kilburn’s husband, Douglas, is Cemetery Commission chairman and a water commissioner.
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North Bennington
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a.. Development Review Board member Jonah Thiem’s wife, Julianne, is a retiring Prudential Committee member.
a.. North Bennington Auditor Katherine “Kiki” Traver’s husband, Jon, is a Tree Committee member.
a.. David Monks is a member of the North Bennington Board of Trustees. David’s wife, Rachel, is chairwoman of the North Bennington Planning Commission.
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Peru
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a.. Town Clerk and Town Service Officer Tracy Black’s husband, Charles, is a retiring Select Board chairman and Fire Department chief.
a.. Townscape Preservation Board member Susan Bradford’s husband, Peter, is a ZBA member.
a.. Planning Commission Chairman and Auditor Paul Martin’s wife, Adele, is a Townscape Preservation Board member.
a.. Treasurer Karen Utiger’s husband, David, is a ZBA member.
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Pownal
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a.. Select Board Chairman and Zoning Administrator Nelson Brownell’s wife, Cynthia, is School Board chairwoman, E911 coordinator, a grand juror and a trustee of public monies.
a.. Auditor Clinton Hutchins’ wife, Gudrun, is a School Board member.
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Readsboro
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a.. Select Board Chairman Teddy Hopkins’s brother, Larry, is a School Board member.
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Rupert
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a.. Select Board member, a weigher of coal and fence viewer Edward Lewis’ daughter-in-law, Kelly, is an auditor.
a.. Select Board Chairman, Fire Warden and Tree Warden Mark D. Lourie’s brothers are Jeff, a second constable, and Michael, a Volunteer Fire Company treasurer. Mark’s sister-in-law is Jane Lourie, a School Board member and library trustee.
a.. Select Board member Thomas Wilson’s brother, Jay, is road commissioner.
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Sandgate
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a.. Retiring Treasurer Valerie dePeyster’s sister, Suzanne, is chairwoman of both the Planning Commission and ZBA, pound keeper, BCRC representative, Green Up Day coordinator and a fence viewer.
a.. Select Board member, Cemetery Commission member, and Inspector of Wood and Lumber Al Roy “Leroy” Gattlin’s wife, Jane, is a lister.
a.. Auditor, Conservation Commission member, and Justice of the Peace Phoebe Sheres’ husband, Julian, is a lister, E911 Coordinator, and BCRC representative.
a.. Select Board member Richard Zoppel’s wife, Jeanne, is a School Board member, lister and Lothar Wuerslin Scholarship Committee member.
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Searsburg
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a.. Town Agent Stanley Florence’s wife, Marjorie, is a justice of the peace. Their son, Andy, is also a justice of the peace.
a.. Town Clerk, Town Treasurer and Lister Josephine Kilbride’s husband, John, is a constable and tax collector.
a.. Select Board member Gerald Lind’s wife, Sherrie, is a lister.
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Shaftsbury
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a.. ZBA Chairman and Justice of the Peace Gary A. Burgess’ wife, Cathy, is also a justice of the peace.
a.. Justice of Peace Joseph Coonradt’s wife, Elaine, is a lister. Their son, Jay, is first assistant chief of the Fire Department.
a.. Planning Commission member and Cemetery Commission member David Mance’s son, Trevor, is a Solid Waste Task Force Committee member.
a.. Town Moderator Thomas J. Dailey’s wife, Marna, is a justice of the peace. Marna’s brother, Arthur, is chairman of the Economic Development Committee.
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Stamford
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a.. Conservation Commission member Robert Barlow’s wife, Barbara, is a library trustee.
a.. Select Board member, Assistant Civil Defense member and Town Service Officer Sheila G. Lawrence’s father-in-law, Stanley, is a Conservation Commission member.
a.. Administrative Officer, Planning Commission member and BCRC representative Ronald W. Plock’s wife, Paula, is a library trustee.
a.. Select Board member Bruce C. Robare’s father, Edward, is a Cemetery Commissioner and Board of Adjustment member.
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Sunderland
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a.. First Constable Jesse Stone’s sister, Sally, is a justice of the peace. Their mother, Rose, is also a justice of the peace.
a.. Planning Commission member Bruce Whitaker’s wife, Fran, is also a Planning Commission member.
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Winhall
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a.. Moderator Paul Carroccio’s wife, Carol, is a justice of the peace.
a.. Tree Warden and Second Assistant Fire Chief Stuart Coleman’s wife, Barbara, is a Recreation Committee member.
a.. Planning Commission member Patricia Glabach’s husband, David, is a ZBA member and acting health officer.
a.. Town Clerk, Assistant Town Treasurer and Town Report Committee member Elizabeth Jenks’s father, Lawrence, is forest fire warden and town service officer.
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Woodford
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a.. Treasurer, Assistant Town Clerk, Trustee of Public Funds, Lister and Justice of the Peace Ron Higgins’ wife, Maureen, is the delinquent tax collector.
a.. Woodford Select Board member and Trustee of Public Funds Neil M. Hoag’s brother, Gary, is a forest fire warden. Neil’s sister-in-law, Susan, is a cemetery commissioner.
a.. Constable Richard “Rick” Jones’s wife, Lori, is an auditor.
a.. Town Clerk and Lister Aileen O’Neil’s daughter, Maureen, is a School Board member and justice of the peace.
a.. Select Board member and Trustee of Public Funds Stephen J. Wright’s mother, Erma, is a member of both the ZBA and Planning Commission and a justice of the peace. Stephen’s sister-in-law, Lauri Wright, is a ZBA and Planning Commission member.
I saw Russ Feingold in Brattleboro with Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch a few weeks ago. This was a great event and Senator Feingold was impressive. Although the attendance in Brattleboro was good for this event, it isnt often that Democrats and Progressives in Vermont get an opportunity in VERMONT to see a Democrat of national stature like Senator Feingold. When national figures like Feingold visit Vermont, we need to do everything we can to come out, show up, engage, and participate including car pooling, phoning others to turn out, etc. Lets let the rest of the nation know that Vermont is a hot bed for democracy and we wont allow the country to go down the sewer without a fight!
FINALY FINALLY FINALLY – The Dems are starting to unite around Howard Dean on IRAQ! Its about time! Here’s a link to an article in today’s Boston Globe Newspaper:
The following appeared on Boston.com:
Headline: Democrats may unite on plan to pull troops
Date: February 20, 2006
“WASHINGTON — After months of trying unsuccessfully to develop a
common message on the war in Iraq, Democratic Party leaders are
beginning to coalesce around a broad plan to begin a quick withdrawal
of US troops and install them elsewhere in the region, where they could
respond to emergencies in Iraq and help fight terrorism in other
countries.”
____________________________________________________________
To see this recommendation, click on the link below or cut and paste it
into a Web browser:
I consider myself a Progressive Democrat and worked on the Howard Dean Presidential Campaign in New Hampshire. I also worked for Bill Clinton’s Labor Secretary, Robert Reich, as a personal aide. I helped found the Progressive Democrats of Massachusetts and I am finding many Dems in Vermont to be DINOs – Democrats in Name Only…..they are Republican lite. This is disconcerting to me, given this is that state that hatched Howard Dean.