I wish to respond briefly to Rebecca Williams June 1, 2010 blog. Ms. Wiliams is one of the challengers for the seat I hold on the City Council. Her blog post was responding to my own blog post of May 29, 2010, regarding her failure to broadcast Council meetings when she was Station Manager for the Plainfield public access TV station.
First, I do not believe my blog entry smeared Ms. Williams reputation as a community media activist. I am sorry she feels it did.
Second, as best I can tell Ms. Williams accuses me of telling three lies :
- Ms. Williams says I lied when I said she failed to tape Council meetings. I did not say she failed to tape Council meetings, I said she failed to tape and broadcast them. She says "these [meetings] were broadcast on the station several times." I do not recall those occasions. However, "several times" is not what the people need in order to keep track of their government: every Council meeting should be broadcast. That is what I was able to accomplish.
- Ms. Williams says I lied about her record because I know "how hard she worked to get the city council meetings taped." I did not say that Ms. Williams did not work hard to get Council meetings taped. I said that she failed to get them broadcast.
- Ms. Wiliams says I lied because she was not "hired for $50,000 per year". Perhaps she was not hired for $50,000 in 2004, but her position was budgeted for $50,000 in 2005. Then for 2006 she requested her salary be increased to $64,657.
The proof that Ms. Williams offers that I lied about these issues is that I expressed appreciation for her efforts to get Council meetings broadcast.
Expressing appreciation for another's efforts is not proof of lying. It is a courtesy for one who perhaps tried but failed.
Ms. Williams blog post shows the style she uses in conducting disagreements. Casual use of words like "dishonesty," "deceitfulness," "unprincipled unethical leadership" and "outright lying" is divisive, alienating and hurts the welfare of our city. Plainfield deserves a Council-person who can use a civil tone in civil discourse to build coalitions and focus on results.
Plainfield also deserves a government which uses every means at its disposal to provide public access to its workings, like broadcasting Council meetings. I was able to get Council meetings broadcast. Ms. Williams was not.
I hope those living in the 2nd and 3rd Wards will consider voting for me on June 8th.
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ORIGINAL POST
I have stated many times this campaign that I am running on my track record. A track record of action, results, and accomplishments. These results and accomplishments are not promises. They are proof of my ability to focus and get things done for you, Plainfield.
Of course Ms. Williams has not been on the Council, so how could she show a track record of results and accomplishments? She cannot.
Except for one situation.
We can look at one example in which she had an opportunity to make a difference. An opportunity to increase transparency and let the sun shine on Plainfield's government. An opportunity to make the government more accessible to the taxpayers of Plainfield.
Did she deliver? You decide.
For Ms. Williams, her opportunity came when she became station director for the previous administration. She was appointed as the station director at Plainfield's (then) Ch 74 for a salary of $50,000 for what was then a part-time position.
I had been harping that we need to broadcast the Council meetings on our local access TV station. Ms Williams was station director, Mr. Mapp was Council President, and the New Dems outranked the Regular Dems four to three. So there was no issue of who had control of the Council.
Despite the clear council majority, Ms. Williams did not to tape and broadcast the Council meetings. It would have been very simple. Other syndicated shows were being broadcast. Other locally recorded shows were being broadcast. So why not Council meetings?
Might it have meant others could scrutinize what was going on at the Council? Might others see Council meetings and might have some questions? Might some even criticize the Council? So what is wrong with that? Isn't that part of the democratic process?
So why not broadcast the Council meetings?
The bottom line is that Ms. Williams was in charge of the station from 2004 to early 2006 and through out her tenure, no council meetings were broadcast on our local TV station.
This deeply disappointed me.
I am sure you will get a lot of reasons on why it did not happen. But I ask, are excuses really acceptable?
Thus the task was left undone when Ms Williams left the TV station in 2006. I picked up the pieces and start to get the task done.
After two years of pushing, I got it done.
Today, our council meetings are broadcast several times per week not only on Comcast but also FIOS. Many residents tell me now that they see us on TV and they enjoy watching us.
A transparent government. Wow!
This single event clearly contrasts myself and Ms. Williams on the same issue. The ability to get something done.....or not.
In summary, what you will not get from me is a lot of promises. You will not get grand visions that will never happen, and you will not get rhetoric that cannot be backed by facts.
But you will get straight talk, action and results.
On June 8th, I ask for your vote to allow me to continue the bring change and bring results for Plainfield. I am working for Plainfield. Not a political faction.
