Nice job by the TAB this week asking our aldermen what they believe is the right number of aldermen for Newton.
Their answers ranged from the very specific to the very vague. Oh and then there were those who never responded or ducked the question all together.
It’s worth reading but here’s my Cliff Notes summary of their positions:
- Likes the status quo: Ciccone Jr. , Albright, Yates, Fischman
- Likes the status quo and a chance to promote his TV show: Baker
- Likes the status quo but left wiggle room in case he runs for mayor: Lennon
- Wants a smaller board and know what size it should be: Hess-Mahan (12), Rice (16).
- Wants a smaller board but don’t know/won’t say what they want: Johnson, Crossley, Lappin
- Wants to leave it to ‘the people’ to decide: Linsky, Blazer
- Was for it before being against it but still may be for it: Harney
- Still wants to be mayor: Sangiolo
- Gave a fuzzy/wussy answer: Schwartz, Loredo, Fuller, Kalis
- Too wussy to answer the question: Swiston, Danberg
- Don’t read email and/or were out of town: Salvucci, Gentile
- Not actually aldermen yet/anymore but still got their picture in the paper: Steele, Ciccone Sr, Lipof
- Busy serving veterans in heaven: Merrill
Great analysis, Greg!
Nicely done. And I thought that Amy’s response was refreshingly honest.
Entertaining categorizations but I think this (mini) discussion is missing the point. The question of how to most effectively and efficiently manage the BOA and our City is an important issue. My takeaway from this is that more members than not are open to a discussion on optimizing the size of the BOA. That’s a good thing.
@Aldermen Kalis: Aldermen have long been “open” to discussing this but, historically, that’s as far as it has ever gone.
In a perfect world (and really, is Newton all that from that?), the aldermen would have as much say as their constituents regarding what size of Board they serve on. It is, as Steve Linsky stated, the People’s Board.
Got it. Thx.
I believe the value and benefits of having a 24 member Board far outweigh the marginal increase in efficiency that would result from reducing the size. If we have frustrating stalemates in City Government, I think it is caused more by a failure of some groups to practice give and take politics than it is by the Board’s temperament due to size.
Over the past 4 or 5 years, I’ve carried on a long and sometimes deep discussion with at least 18 or the 24 current members, and even more if past members are included. I come away from these encounters with a deeper appreciation of the depth of their knowledge on a range of issues, their commitment to the City and to public service, and the hours they put in no so many critically important issues and programs that most of the public is, at best, only vaguely aware of.
The size of the Board can seem a bit unwieldy at times, but it also means that we have more “to to people”–members with deep expertise and ;personal experience dealing with a wide range of issues that concern the City and municipal government in general; God only knows what we would pay private consultants for this kind of knowledge, but their level of commitment could not possibly be as high or intense.
Here in Ward 5, we are particularly blessed because the expertise and temperament of the 3 aldermen are quite different, but remarkably complementary. I’m a member of the Newton Highlands Neighborhood Area Council and I’m certain that every other member will attest that there is no finer ward alderman than John Rice; Deb Crossley has brought a timely and much needed focus on complex planning, development and architectural issues at a time when it is most needed; Brian Yates knows every nook and cranny of City Government, every intricacy of how the Board functions, the dynamics of our villages, what ideas will work and what probably won’t fly. no alderman has worked harder or with more quiet persistence to help and advise countless underrepresented constituents, as well as block and neighborhood associations throughout the City. I figure we pay less than $40,000 a year for the collective services of these three individuals. If they made even the minimum wage, it would be a lot higher.
I propose we have three at-large aldermen from Ward 5 and one at-large from Ward 1. I further propose that Bob Burke be that third alderman.
The categories of Aldermanic stands on the Board structure oversimplify my position and probably many of my colleagues as well though they are kind of funny. I agree that 24 is the correct number of Aldermen to have as much as possible of the people’s business done by officials accountable to them at the ballot box and to keep aldermen visible to and approachable by as many citizens as possible. However, I continue to feel that the two Aldermen at Large per ward should have staggered four year terms so that only one At Large
Aldermanic seat per ward would be before the voters in every election. This would respond to the valid concern about lengthy ballots while making every Alderman at Large more accountable for her or his performance albeit at the end of a longer period.
The observation that Newton has the largest municipal council of any city in the Commonwealth does not necessarily lead to the conclusion that the number should be
reduced. I would respectfully suggest that the quality of life in Newton is better than that of any other city in the Commonwealth. The data collected by CNN and Money Magazine and their analysis yielded the conclusion that Newton is the Fourth Best city to live in in the country. It’s not unreasonable to believe that the size, structure, and diversity of the governing board of the community might have something to with this status.
Brian, as I am sure your learned self knows, Everett, as the sole bicameral legilslature in the nation, has a legislative body consisting of 25 members: 18 members of the common council (3 elected from each of 6 wards) and 7 members of the board of aldermen (1 at large from each of 7 wards and 1 at large citywide). While we must agree to disagree with respect to the correct size of the Newton BOA, I am glad to be on the same side as thee with respect to the special election to fill the vacancy on the occasion of the demise of our colleague Ald. Carleton Merrill.
The #1 City listed by CNN/Money is Carmel, Indiana. It has a seven-person city council. http://www.carmel.in.gov/index.aspx?page=48
Maybe Newton should aim for five.
Ted Hess-Mahan – thine respectful florid flourishes whilst communicating with your esteemed colleague is truly inspiring.
I respectfully submit to the Village 14 powers-that-be, that henceforth, all contributors to Village 14 blog be required to address their equally esteemed citizens with said archaic rhetorical embellishments.
Perhaps our learned blogster Kim could begin with a:
@Jerry, you know, I was actually speaking Pirate. But, whatever. 🙂
Ted – Aaaaargh!
The characterizations are indeed entertaining and I apologize for my apparent “wussiness”. Between pre-New Year preparations, accommodating the the storm and then having to catch up on Chinese New Year obligations … I still did not get a chance to sit down (or stay awake) long enough to compose a well thought out response (or even come up with something as clever as Alderman Sangiolo’s response). Emily even gave us a 12 hr extension to get a reply in and I missed it.
My gut reaction was to say some number that was much smaller than 24 and ideally odd rather than even. Something like 11 or 13. It was a number that popped in my head and everyone knows it’s never good to give a reporter anything that simply pops in your head.
So, mulling through all the implications (and yes, now getting to see how all my colleagues have responded) it occurs to me that perhaps it really isn’t the number of Aldermen that should be the question, but how to optimize and maintain the quality of members of the board, attract more candidates, and therefore have more choice and selection for election.
Focusing on the goal of wanting a well run City with good communication between the public and the officials we entrust with the day to day operations as well as with our elected representatives … how do we get our neighbors more engaged in the City? Have more people stepping out to run and willing to serve?
Alderman Hess-Mahan and former Alderman Verne Vance once proposed staggered terms. I actually thought that had merit in that having continuity built into the system would make sense.
Yeah, I guess I still don’t have a number. Actually, I believe the initial response I’d given to Emily as a place holder was that I was open to a change in number of BOA members depending on what the Charter Commission comes up with as an overall recommendation. I’d imagine the size of the Board would be part and parcel with the overall recommendation on how we may wish to restructure our city.
@Greg. Thanks but no; I’m having too much fun on the Highlands Area Council.