It has come to Gossips' attention that Council president Tom DePietro was misquoted in an article published in the Register-Star and that misquote was picked up in this Gossips post: "City Hall Responds." The specific quote, in reference to the recent citizens' initiative for charter change, is this: "The idea has been concocted by a group of dissolute people, many who couldn't be elected dog catcher. . . ." According to an "Editor's Note" now appended to the article as it appears online, DePietro did not call the drafters of the proposed charter amendment dissolute, meaning "lax in morals" or "licentious," but rather disgruntled, meaning "angry or dissatisfied."
It's hard to imagine that Register-Star reporter Tiffany Greenwaldt-Simon could have misheard what DePietro said. The two words--dissolute and disgruntled--have nothing in common beyond in their initial syllable. But stranger things have happened.
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ReplyDeleteTom's like a cornered dog, lashing out in desperation. He sees the future at City Hall, and it is without him. Finally!
ReplyDeleteBoth of those words describe him well.
🔮For fans of "counterfactual history"... imagine if Common Council President Tom had said instead:
ReplyDelete"We hear the concerns of our residents and neighbors and we take them seriously.
I will work closely with the mayor and the Common Council to make sure that we understand the problems that lead to these feelings of frustration, and then jointly work on a plan to address them. Regardless of the referendum proposal, it is our job to make Hudson work for tax payers and we take it seriously."
And then he and the Mayor did exactly that.
Well that would be the politically prudent thing to do, even if they don’t feel that way. Instead Tom says things off the cuff to the press or his radio show and then has to retcon his way out of them when badly received.
DeleteThe mayor goes to his communication channel of choice, Facebook, where he seeks affirmation from his high school buddies and fear mongers by alluding his opposition (which is really not even about him) to Jan 6 insurrectionists and racists. He must have seen how that messaging strategy worked so well for democrats in the past election. But they also take inspiration from MAGA by stroking “blood and soil” type us vs. them xenophobia about how newcomers are trying to change everything. Never mind the fact that many of the charter reform supporters are from here or have lived here for decades.
The sad part is the whole narcissism associated with their defensiveness. This grassroots effort is neither a censure of recall of them. It is about taking inspiration from other cities and improving our system to of government to be more accountable.
Just for the record and for posterity...
ReplyDeleteI did write to Tom last night and formally requested an RFP (Request for Persuasion)... and implored him to write out why the Mayor-Council system, the status quo, is better for Hudson.
I copied the other 10 Common Council members as an FYI or input.
I also suggested that if Common Council President Tom is not up to it (he is under no obligation).... that he suggest or nominate someone who might be able to outline the case against a Council-Manager.
I genuinely want to understand why you believe a Council-Mayor system might be better than a Council-Manager system?