New Haven Independent

Lone Green Alderman Faces Challenge

by Melissa Bailey | March 16, 2009 8:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (28)

Taking off his gloves after tackling invasive plants in East Rock Park, Justin Elicker announced he’ll begin a new neighborhood challenge — running for office.

Elicker, a Democrat, announced his candidacy Saturday afternoon for alderman from the 10th Ward in an interview with the Independent, following a workday with the group he co-leads, the Friends of East Rock Park (FERP).

He seeks his party’s nomination to run against Green Alderman Allan Brison, who’s seeking election to a second term in November. Brison is the only Green on the city’s 30-member Board of Aldermen. The board has only one Republican, with the other 28 members Democrats.

Elicker’s announcement sets the stage for a potentially lively fall race of citywide interest because of East Rock’s traditionally high voter turnout, and because of the neighborhood’s willingness, rare in New Haven, to consider electing non-Democrats to office.

Based on interviews with Brison and Elicker, the race could focus partly on what it means to be “Green” — whether the label requires a capital letter — and on what it means to be independent of City Hall. Brison argued that he has been able to work with Democrats to push progressive positions in city government. Elicker stressed his background in environmental, community-building work.

FERP Mover

Elicker, who’s 33, spent Saturday morning with a group of 20 volunteers, hacking away at multiflora rosebushes and wisteria vines that were strangling native trees alongside Rice Field, at the edge of East Rock Park.

Along with co-leader Betty Thompson, an activist in the Cedar Hill area, Elicker revived FERP last March. Since then, he has spent two dozen afternoons as he did Saturday, cleaning up trash and overgrown plants in the city’s iconic park. The group has tossed out heaps of bottles and tires and brought in new benches and daffodils.

Last year, the organization spent over 4,000 volunteer hours putting together park-oriented events, including a massive graffiti cleanup, stargazing nights, and an Oktoberfest party that drew 200 people to the park to eat chili and contra dance.

Elicker’s work with FERP has gained him the attention and early support for his aldermanic candidacy from several community leaders, including former Ward 10 Alderman Ed Mattison.

“I think he’d be great,” said Mattison Sunday. “I think he’s got enormous amounts of energy, and an administrative capacity” as demonstrated through FERP. Mattison was a member of the previous incarnation of the park group, which fizzled a decade ago. He credited Elicker for “rescuing” a defunct organization.

“It’s really astonishing what he’s done,” said Mattison. “And of course he does it without any official positions. He does it because it’s something he believes in.”

After two hours of clipping and hauling Saturday, the park volunteers discovered an old park bench that had been hidden from sight by 25 years’ growth of thorny bushes. (Click here for some photos).

After the crew went home, Elicker sat down on the new bench, and outlined his quest to transition from community organizer to elected official.

Elicker, of New Canaan, Conn., moved to New Haven in the summer of 2007 to pursue a joint masters degree from Yale in environmental management and business. He’s halfway through a three-year degree program and said he “absolutely” plans to stay in the New Haven area long-term. Before heading to Yale, he spent five years in the U.S. Foreign Service. He moved into Ward 10 from East Rock’s Ward 9 in January.

Co-leading FERP was Elicker’s first try at community organizing. He devotes 10 to 15 hours each week to the group’s activities. Besides beautifying the natural space, the group seeks to strengthen neighborhoods by bring people together around a common cause, Elicker said.

Why is he running for public office?

“I like fixing things; I like people; and I’m interested in government,” Elicker replied. “I think I’d be effective as alderman.”

A Three-Point Plan

Elicker said his campaign will have three focal points: neighborhood issues, environmental issues and communication and transparency of government.

Within the ward, Elicker said he’s ready to devote his energy to helping people get their potholes filled and their roads paved.

“A lot of aldermen think that’s the crappy part of the job,” said Elicker. “But how nice is it when you fix a bench and you see someone sit on it?”

“It’s the same deal with a stop sign,” he said. He recently conducted a neighborhood survey to gauge support for adding a stop sign to English or Farnum Drives. After hearing overwhelming support for the idea, FERP plans to lobby the city for a new traffic-calming plan for the area. If elected, Elicker reckoned he’d continue doing much of the same type of work.

To tackle crime in East Rock, Elicker encouraged creative community solutions such as the citizen bike patrol.

Environmental issues rank high on of Elicker’s priority list. Shortly after his arrival in town, Elicker co-founded an environmentally themed monthly happy hour called Green Drinks. The events now routinely draw over 50 people, he said.

As alderman, he said he’d push for the city to adopt a more coherent, long-term policy.

“City Hall has done things in a hodgepodge way,” and has failed to articulate a long-term vision for sustainability, he said. He said he’d push for more reforms that could save the city money, such as a recent change to the city’s recycling contract. Under its newest contract, the city’s solid waste authority is earning $25 per ton for its recyclables, instead of paying $23 per ton to have them hauled away.

On the issue of transparency, Elicker said he seeks to involve more Yale students in their government, and to open roadblocks of communication between neighbors and City Hall. For example, he said, many people aren’t aware of the city’s plans to repave Whitney Avenue; a simple email would help keep them in the loop.

Elicker declined to be pinned down on issues including Tweed-New Haven airport, charter schools and the city’s new solid waste authority. He said he’s been spending time learning the issues at public hearings and in one-on-one chats with decision-makers.

Through his work, Elicker said he’s built strong relationships with community-minded activists like State Street’s Ben Berkowitz, cyclist David Streever, Ward 9 Alderman Roland Lemar and Fair Haven Alderwoman Erin Sturgis-Pascale.

He described Brison as a friend.

I’m not running against Allan because he’s doing a bad job,” he said. “I’m running because I think I could do a great job.”

“I’ve been effective in getting things done by being active and being for something,” he added. Elicker plans to file papers announcing his candidacy by Tuesday.

“An Independent Voice”

In an interview last week, Brison said he is planning to seek reelection but has not yet formally announced. From a seat at Café Java on downtown Orange Street, where one of his daughters works, he reflected on his first term.

Brison (pictured), 71, is a retired computer programmer. He home-schooled his two daughters, who are now grown. In his 2007 campaign, he spent countless hours knocking on every door in the ward, offering to bring an independent voice to City Hall. He decried the city’s development priorities, such as the downtown Shartenberg project. He advocated for an elected Board of Education, to hold board members accountable for the budget and to reduce “patronage.” He defied expectations by toppling a three-term incumbent alderman, Ed Mattison, getting a Green Party candidate into elected office in a one-party town.

“One of the main thoughts was because I was a Green, I’d be off on my own,” said Brison. “I’ve not found that to be the case at all.”

The silver-haired Brison showed up to the interview on his bicycle, wearing a fleece, hiking shoes and a signature Green Party button. Reading off a typed piece of paper on a clipboard, he ran down the accomplishments of his first term.

He co-sponsored a bill that would require the city to use green cleaning products. He supported the complete streets initiative. He has sat on the Blue Ribbon Commission, a citizen’s advisory panel set up to give aldermen recommendations on the city budget.

Brison gave three examples of how he’s stood up to Mayor John DeStefano’s administration on issues before the board: He opposes a subsidy to the Tweed-New Haven Regional Airport. (Click here for his comments). He spoke out against, and voted against, the creation of a municipal solid waste agency. And he opposed creating two new assistant police chief positions, calling it an “unnecessary expense.”

Brison noted that he didn’t automatically vote against the administration’s agenda. For example he supported the complete streets traffic-calming proposal.

“I’ve often been with, and often been against,” Brison said.

Asked for a list of proposals Brison has sponsored during his tenure, aldermanic staff released the following 10 items:

• resolutions recognizing Sgt. Aponte and Office Gonzalez
• resolutions urging Major League Baseball to retire #21 in honor or Roberto Clemente
• resolution on the passing of Cornell Scott, former director of Hill Health Center
• resolution commemorating Earth Day; supporting mandatory carbon emissions caps
• resolution recognizing anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• resolution calling for noise barrier walls at the Howard Avenue Bridge
• order calling for a policy for healthful cleaning products and practices in city buildings
• order calling for development of a complete streets policy for new haven
• order calling for investigation of recent layoffs
• ordinance amendment requiring waiver of city pensions by persons receiving compensation from the city for city work

“Sponsorship” does not mean that an alderman authored the bill. In most, if not all, of the cases above, Brison signed on to support for a colleague’s proposal.

Brison said much of his work has been on constituent issues: He worked with the city to get a two-hour parking ban removed from one block of Cottage Street; removed an eyesore fence at Willow and Mitchell streets; and helped a lady get her power back when United Illuminated shut it down one December weekend. He advocates traffic-calming, and is trying to add a speed monitor to Willow Street.

His future plans include collaborating on a “Bike to the BOA” night in May, encouraging all aldermen to pedal to City Hall. Brison himself can be routinely spotted in the Orange Street bike lane, pedaling from his Everit Street home to meetings in City Hall.

Brison was asked about the challenger to his seat.

“I understand that he has Ed Mattison’s endorsement. I think that’s very significant,” Brison replied. “There’s some people that think that because I’m in the Green Party that I should be pushed out. But there’s many Democrats who don’t feel that way.”

Join The Crowd?

In a phone conversation, Mattison argued that to have a voice in City Hall, East Rock needs a Democrat in the Ward 10 seat. Before each full board meeting, Democratic aldermen hold a caucus, Mattison noted, where “everything is talked about and people decide how they’re going to vote.” As a Green, Brison is excluded from the meeting.

“If you’re not in that room, how are you going to influence what happens?” asked Mattison. “For the sake of the neighborhood, it really is important that we take back that aldermanic seat, and I think Justin would do it.”

Brison argued that he has been able to work around that obstacle. “Thinking Democrats” are willing to support candidates across party lines, he added.

“I was elected as an independent voice, a voice for change,” Brison argued. “Justin, as well-intentioned as I know he is, is a step back on that. His support will come from the other side,” from those who always vote the party line.

Elicker dismissed the line of reasoning.

“I think parties are kind of silly, especially in a town where almost all of the voters are Democrats. Most of the issues are not party-focused,” he said. Regardless, “what I’m interested is pretty much everything Green.”

Dyson v. DeStefano?

The two candidates were asked if they’d support Mayor John DeStefano, Jr. against former State Rep. Bill Dyson, a Democrat and DeStefano critic who has hinted at a possible mayoral run this November.

“Bill Dyson,” replied Brison. “That was an easy one.”

Elicker declined to take sides.

“I think competition is a great thing, and I believe in democracy,” he responded. He rejected the notion that a candidate should have to be “with” or “against” the mayor.

“If the mayor’s with East Rock, then I’m with the mayor,” Elicker said. He said he intends to vote on a case-by-case basis. “If it’s good for East Rock, I’ll support it.”

A Cedar Hill Switch

Elicker’s organizing efforts have earned him the support of community leaders in Cedar Hill, an isolated, eight-street enclave inside Ward 10 that has historically been neglected from city services.

Feeling underrepresented in City Hall, leaders from that neighborhood inserted themselves in the last Ward 10 race. They knocked on doors and made noise at public debates in favor of the underdog candidate, Allan Brison. They celebrated when he beat Mattison.

This time around, however, some Cedar Hill support appears to be growing behind Elicker.
Two of the most vocal neighborhood activists, Rebecca Turcio and Betty Thompson, both said they’re backing Elicker. Turcio supported Brison in 2007; Thompson supported Mattison. After a year and a half in office, Brison has failed to deliver, they said.

“I don’t know what he’s done for the neighborhood, to be honest,” said Thompson.

In a separate conversation, Brison cited three examples where he believes he has helped Cedar Hill: working with neighbors on plans to renovate a playground; securing state funding to improve a dangerous intersection at State and Ferry streets; and getting the city to clean up View Street, where blight was attracting prostitution and drug dealers.

“Those things, we had already been working on for a long time,” Thompson remarked in response.

“I’m backing Justin,” she said Sunday. “I think he has the energy and a feel for the Cedar Hill community’s needs, and he’ll be a fair player for the whole 10th ward.”

Thompson made those remarks as Elicker and FERP finished picking up trash along Rock Street, where the East Rock Park borders Cedar Hill. Elicker said working closely with Thompson, who’s 65 and often brings her grandkids to cleanups, has opened his eyes to the needs of that community.

The problems come down to parks and crime, he said. “There needs to be attention given to Cedar Hill,” he said. That includes police presence, “not only when there’s a call.” He pledged, as Brison has, to help neighbors get heard in City Hall.

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Comments

Posted by: Beansie's Mom | March 16, 2009 9:13 AM

Former Alderman Mattison's comment,"that to have a voice in City Hall, East Rock needs a Democrat in the Ward 10 seat. Before each full board meeting, Democratic aldermen hold a caucus, Mattison noted, where "everything is talked about and people decide how they're going to vote." is exactly what's wrong with government in this city.

Officials shouldn't be making deals in the Party Meeting. It's not just Greens and Republicans that are left out of this meeting but the tax paying residents of this city. This works better when there is coooperation between individuals.

One alderperson is known for saying that all 30 should be challenged because it's good i.e. healthy to have competition.

I'm hoping for 60 to 40 ratio. That would mean no more rubber stamping of certain policies.

That would translate into 12 alders not being part of the one party system. Which 12 wards are likely to have energetic community activitist willing to work hard for their neighbors?

It should be a very interesting summer.

Posted by: Not again | March 16, 2009 9:59 AM

Sound like a King John puppet to me. Wonder where he stands on the "New" Hooker (to be renamed "John De Stefano") school mess? At least Brison has tried to get the two factions to work together. Is this guy going to do any better?? When the bill comes due for all of the Saturday overtime that's gone into the construction, the sh*t is really gonna hit the fan.

Posted by: jawbone | March 16, 2009 10:59 AM

This will be an interesting race.
I think Mr. Brison will need to clearly show what he has been able to accomplish in his first term.
Wonder if Mattison will get back in the ring and really make this a battle royale?

Posted by: East Rock resident | March 16, 2009 11:20 AM

Isn't Elicker's platform really just "I'll be just like Roland Lemar?" We all love Roland out here and, in fact, he makes it easier for us to have an Allan Brison in Ward 10 - we can always rely on Roland to get things done for us while Allan acts as thorn in people's backside. In East Rock I feel like we have a two senator system - Roland is the person who gets things done and keeps govt. working for us, Brison is the guy who keeps throwing bombs and shaking things up... I never expected Brison would get anything done (and he hasn't) but he seems to piss off the democratic establishment, so I'll keep him... (while having Roland Lemar's cellphone # on speed dial for when I really need something)

Posted by: bystander | March 16, 2009 11:36 AM

Justin Elicker is terrific! He will be a zealous, committed and creative advocate for East Rock. Gook luck, Justin!

Posted by: jawbone | March 16, 2009 11:39 AM

ERR,
Can you give me an example of Brison 'throwing bombs and shaking things up'?

Posted by: Ward 10 Represent!!!!! | March 16, 2009 12:16 PM

Justin will be great!!!

East Rock Resident,
All that Allan Brison does is sign on in support of the work of other aldermen and give long-winded, self-important speeches. The guy has done nothing.

Where are the Democratic Ward Chairs on this?? They are useless enough to be important in this fight.

Posted by: robn | March 16, 2009 1:13 PM

I hope that these guys debate. I can see the tri-color promo posters...

East Rock and Roll!

Greener Than You!

Da Thrilla At Da Bottom Of Da Hilla!

Posted by: City Hall Watch | March 16, 2009 3:30 PM

There is more to being a good alder than a stop sign, an email on re-paving, picking up trash in Cedar Hill or sponsoring a Bike To the BOA night. Some of you are acting like you're a mix between Jonas Bros. fans and the drop your drawers quick crowd on Desperate Housewives.

In an attempt to keep you from having your hearts broken, please consider and demand that Justin Elicker address and tell everyone where he stands on DeStefano's re-election; charter schools; city spending/borrowing; city budget as its presented now; the trash authority and using one time revenues to prop up city spending; Tweed subsidies and the other substantive issues confronting our city. It should not be acceptable to delay, obfuscate and sidestep these critical issues. There is enough of that at City Hall without adding to the confusion.

Posted by: why not Gary D? | March 16, 2009 3:53 PM

Hey ... City Hall Watch, why don't you run?

Posted by: cedarhillresident | March 16, 2009 3:59 PM

First...a big hug to friends of east rock!! I have been dealing with heath issues for the past 2 months and have not been able to clean the garbage in the woods across the street from my house (which I do several times a month). Saturday I got a knock on my door and the FERP group had cleaned all of it for me!! MY HEART IS STILL PITTERING!!! I LOVE ALL OF YOU!!!

Now as for the race... first "Ward 10 Represent" I spoke with one of the co-chairs and as he stated it is not up to them, it is the Ward committees choose. We all have to meet and vote on who we are going to support.

I have been working with Justin on many projects in the past year. I personally feel he is one of the most genuine people I have met in a very long time. Everything he has worked on weather the city supported it or not he has fought for (all things to improve the community). I have watched him get so many things done... even in Cedar Hill.
Allan is a great man and I love him very much. But their are things that we need done... letters from his assistant is a help, but reality is we need an alder that is not so concered with the boards and committees they are on...but with what is need in the community. But group has been working years on the intersection, right before Allan was voted in we did finally get the ok and allan did visit the site and made sure that they did not to a take back on the promise, which sadly they did do on our playground (which we did get ok'ed but then of course they reneged on it). We have been screaming for cops as all know. For the past 1 1/2 we have had none. Prior to that we at least had bike cops ever so often. These are all issues we have asked for for many years...we will keep fighting for them but we need someone to make them happen. I want all to remaine on the committees he has been working with...but I need someone that will be an alderman on the ward level to.
I love both these guys!!! This was a very hard coose for my area.

Posted by: You're Fired! | March 16, 2009 9:14 PM

Yes you, Brison! How dare you suggest other towns contribute to Tweed and vote against our dear Mayor. Johnny Boy would lose control. He's just stiffed Levin for $2.5 million from Yale. Now where do you think that's going. Ah ha. To get better air service for all Levin's buddies.

Elicker looks like really useful type. He'll not only do what JD tells him, but he's also working weekends for free to replace all those unionized park employees who were laid off. At 33 he can be considered highly mature compared with JD's usual recruits.

We can all welcome him aboard right now.

Posted by: Streever | March 17, 2009 8:53 AM

City Hall Watch: Yes, why don't you run? You seem to have an awful lot of time on your hands.
We could use someone doing something.

I believe that Justin is very capable & competent: and he's been doing so much of the things an alderman should be doing already, for so long, that it wasn't hard to support him & work with him.

I also like his stance on City Hall--if the Mayor is helping, work with him. When he's not, disagree with him & find a position both can work with.

This is a moderate. Knee-jerk reactions & political agendas aren't what the citizens of New Haven need. We need more smart people like Elicker--and Sturgis-Pascale, Lemar, and Berkowitz--who work with others & don't arbitrarily single them out as "evil" or enemies of the state.

At the end of the day, we all are in this together. Best of luck to both Brison and Elicker!

Posted by: BoA Watch | March 17, 2009 9:02 AM

Its nice to see how the Independent has become the advertising agency for Allen Brison. I take it the NHI will be listing out all the bills that incumbents have sponsored in their tenure?

Posted by: WATCHING THE MACHINE | March 17, 2009 11:05 AM

While I agree that Justin has done an incredible job of re-organizing and invigorating the FERP group, I am a little concerned about the transition into being a legislator.

You see, Justin very recently moved into ward 10. Word on the street is that this move was coordinated (maybe paid for) by the DeStefano machine. Johnny can't stand having ward in the city that aren't under his party's control so he's taking action to fix that problem.

We need more information about this....

Posted by: robn | March 17, 2009 11:37 AM

WTM,

Being that 28 out of 30 aldermen are democrats and create an unchallengable majority, do you really think that the mayor would go to the length of subsidizing housing for this individual? And can one really be accused of carpetbagging if one moves within the city of New Haven to run for political office? Please don't start unfair rumors...it lessens the political discourse.

Posted by: aaron | March 17, 2009 2:50 PM

Why didn't he just stay living in Ward 9 and run against Lemar? Its seems pretty clear that he moved to Ward 10 to run against Allan.

Posted by: Keep the Change | March 17, 2009 2:57 PM

Here are a few examples of how Allan Brison has shaken things up (or thrown some bombs as ERR puts it) in Ward 10:

1. Brison put Cedar Hill on the map. Before Allan ran for Alderman, City Hall acted as if Cedar Hill didn't exist. Since Brison's election City Hall has been scurrying around currying favor with Cedar Hill's residents, hoping to regain the Ward 10 seat. With this new attitude at City Hall, Allan was able to get funding to improve a dangerous intersection, get the police to clean up drugs and prostitution on View Street, and get the Cedar Hill playground moving. No one works harder for Cedar Hill then Allan does, and without all the grandstanding.

2. Brison campaigned on an idea called "Fight the Hike", a proposal to lower our electric bills by having New Haven generate its own electricity (like several Connecticut municipalities already do.) Allan was as ridiculed as naive, but now the BOA is considering having New Haven do just that.

3. Before the vote on the new Trash Authority Brison prepare a detailed analysis that explained that the so called benefits from establishing an independent Trash Authority could simply be achieved by the City reorganizing its trash and recycling operations, taking advantage of new State rules. Allan further explained that what the City really was doing by establishing an independent Trash Authority was once again selling off its assets to fund operating expenses and hide the extent of an annual budget deficit.

Brison couldn't stop the City from selling off its trash and recycling operation, but he did get an unusual amount of support and respect from his fellow Aldermen, especially unusual because he had only been in office then for less than three months at the time, and he was opposing a City Hall done deal.
[see scroll down the page to "click here" to read Brison's "outstanding" report.]

Justin Elicker has lived in New Haven for not quite two years, and he has lived in Ward 10 for a little more than two months. At a recent War 10 fundraiser for Mayor DeStefano, the Mayor introduced Elicker as his candidate for Ward 10 Alder. If Elicker is elected he will be the Mayor's Alderman, just as Ed Mattison was.

Posted by: anon | March 17, 2009 3:29 PM

There's nothing wrong with moving a few blocks.

The city should require that all of its employees live within city limits, not just Alderpersons. Currently, a much greater proportion of city employees live outside the city than do Yale employees. That means that a large proportion of our tax money is being shipped out of town. At the very least, the city should cut salaries and use the savings to fund generous homebuyer programs targeted at employees who buy homes within the city itself.

Posted by: better rumor | March 17, 2009 3:58 PM

The "on-the street" rumor I heard is that the Queen of England has asked Mr. Elicker to run for Alderman against Brison becuase she didn't like how youthful Brison was looking at age 71. made her look bad. Rumor #2 - DeStefano is actually secretly funding Mr. Brison's campaign as a way to punish Ward 10 for electing Brison the first time around. I also heard that Mr. Lemar has been ordained by god as the "Best Damn Alderman to Ever Live" and any challenge to him will be met with the otherwise unholy alliance of grad-student groupies, grown-up liberals, ex-green party wanks, conservative young property-owners and local business folk.

Which is your favorite unsubstantiated rumor? Why does the NHI print them?
East Rock is lucky to have this type of choice - have any of you seen the Aldermanic contingent from Dixwell or Newhallville?

Posted by: Research Assistant | March 17, 2009 5:09 PM

oh, man, Keep The Change. Good thing you're anonymous. I'd just love to see the verbal smackdown you'd get from actual neighborhood activists in Cedar Hill for claiming that Brison put the neighborhood on the map. Cedar Hill was organized and demanded to be heard in the last aldermanic race and that was going to happen whether Brison or some other windbag was elected. If your point had any truth to it, we wouldn't see key Cedar Hill advocates rallying behind Elicker.

Posted by: robn | March 17, 2009 11:16 PM

BETTER RUMOR,

You're almost exactly right and wrong on all counts and no counts. I salute your pointed ambivalence and unparalelled skew.

Now who was it that accused us all of dropping our drawers???

Posted by: Keep the Change | March 18, 2009 8:45 AM

Here is the link to the NHI artcle on Brison and the Trash Authority that didn't come through in my last post.

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/03/trash_plan_will.php

Scroll down the page to Allan's picture and "click here" to read Allan's report. You can judge for yourself whether Brison is a "windbag" or a thorough, thoughtful analyst of problems.

Posted by: watching the machine | March 18, 2009 8:58 AM

Robn

Do you think that Johnny D got a 28-2 advantage by not looking to crush and regain any seats he doesn't currently have?

Its a little freightening that people just shrug their shoulders at the Dems abusing power. These are the activities that have put the city int he mess that we have.

Get me some Greens, some Republicans, Independents, Libertarians...anything but a one party system. Remember how well that worked for the USSR?

Posted by: robn | March 18, 2009 9:29 AM

WTM,

I love dissenting opinion and look forward to the debate...in the mean time, do your homework and let us all know if and when you've found a quid pro quo.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | March 18, 2009 12:20 PM

Keep the Change
EXCUSE ME!!!!!! You are wrong and I am sure many would say the same that live in Cedar Hill! Cedar Hill Community Assoc. put Cedar Hill on the map, including help from NHI! Yes we did make sure that when Allan ran that our Name was out there and he did use our issues as a stepping stone! We both did benifit from that...as far as the intersection ask Ed Mattison who got the intersection. It was CH comm ASSOC. going to every mayors night out every mayors night in for several years with Sarg. Ratty out old district manager saying and monitoring the intersection to show how dangerous it was...not to mention one of my young people being crippled for life because of the intersection and another friend that is still 2 year later recovering from getting hit on his bike their.
I got pissed when ED claimed work that our group did as his own and I will get pissed if Allan does the the same shameful thing.

Represent the work you really do not the work of others.

Posted by: anon | March 18, 2009 12:48 PM

CedarHill - all work in New Haven is the work of the whole community. You can't really assign who did what and who gets the credit. Often there are unseen actors at play. Think of them as silent angels.

Posted by: OrangeGal76 | April 14, 2009 4:52 PM

Get it done, Justin. You have the necessary commitment to self, impact, and others to accomplish great things for Ward 10! Go FERP!

Lone Green Alderman Faces Challenge

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