Elected officials are, for good reason, held to a higher standard. They are representatives of the community and are the conduit between [good] policy and public opinion. Though altruistic (and optimistic) in nature, they are expected to do what is in the best interest of the community, even if it requires diverting from the path of conventional wisdom. However, there are times when elected officials step far beyond what is considered good and appropriate behavior. In Manchester, these times are becoming far more frequent – and far more troubling.
Earlier this week the JI reported on Director Cheri Pelletier’s baseless (and, frankly, stupid) accusation that Minority Leader Zingler had breached proper ethical boundaries by failing to distance his professional life (as Marketing Director for MARC) from his responsibilities as an elected official. According to the article, Pelletier “attacked” (without provocation, mind you) Zingler at the end of last week’s Director’s meeting (a lewd and childish act indeed), claiming that Zingler is “engaging the town of Manchester in laundering money from the state for his employer.”
What lies, what shameful tactics, what outrageous and disgraceful behavior!
Pelletier’s manufactured outrage stems from a bill presently working its way through the state legislature that would allocate $5 million to MARC for the building on a new facility on Sheldon Road. The bill, originally proposed by Rep. Ryan Barry, was drafted by the legislature’s nonpartisan staff only a few hours before the raised bill deadline and thus contained improper language that would have allocated the money to the Town of Manchester as opposed to MARC directly. Having personally observed the legislative process in Hartford, I can attest that this happens quite regularly and that any and all technical oversights are generally addressed in substitute language. Accordingly, a complimentary bill has been raised in the Senate (presently in the Public Health committee) that corrects the allocation procedure.
Perhaps even more puzzling is the silence of Mayor Spadaccini, who Pelletier alleges was a witness to Zingler’s improper behavior. Is it not a bit shocking that Spadaccini has nothing to say? Is seems to me that Spadaccini’s stillness is a striking demonstration that nothing Zingler did was improper or questionable.
This is clearly an example of Pelletier trying to divert attention away from the real issues – issues that the Democratic Directors have been actively attempting to address – while the Republican majority has frequently practiced the art of misdirection, and continually failing to accomplish anything of significance for the Town of Manchester – despite grandiose and sweeping promises during the last election season.
Maybe Director Pelletier should refrain from carelessly tossing about unfounded accusations and actually work on making life easier for seniors and hard working families in Manchester. Manchester needs leaders; not despicable, power-hungry office seekers who intend to increase their (perceived) status on the backs of honest people who are fighting hard for the people of Manchester.
By her ridiculous (and arguably illegal) actions, Cheri Pelletier has proven that she is spineless, accountable to no one (ironic considering that she has been beating the “accountability” drum the loudest), and does not deserve to be a Town Director.
Posted by gmyd 
