Despite comments to the contrary, it seems clear that backroom politics is alive and well and living in Auburn.
Most recent case: the Auburn Enlarged City School District Board of Education's manipulating around the “secret meeting” controversy and a seat on the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES Board of Education.
It looks like some strong-arm tactics are being used.
Auburn board member Joe Leogrande was true to form when he courageously exposed what was clearly a shady deal with that gathering at a local restaurant involving board members Mike Stearns, Charles Cator and Ginny Kent - who make up the entire board audit committee.
Now we have Cator, who was threatening to go after a BOCES seat, dropping out of contention. This leaves the coast clear for Kent Brandstetter, an ally of Leogrande's on the school board, to move into the top spot on the BOCES board. It's a position that Brandstetter has earned after serving nine years.
It's so obvious that even I could figure it out. You file a complaint, we threaten your colleague's job. You drop the complaint, we don't threaten his job.
See how easy it works?
There's a part of me that hopes this isn't the way it went down. We all would like to give people the benefit of the doubt in situations like this. We like to think that most people, especially elected representatives, are well-intentioned and are trying to do the right thing. But this time it sure looks like the good guys are outnumbered and are being strong-armed by the bad guys.
And once again the people who lose are the lowly taxpayers who elect these guys.
I don't blame Leogrande. Sometimes I guess you have to admit when you've been out-maneuvered by the bad guys and wait for your next chance to watch out for the taxpayers. But we all need to become more aware of how things work in this town so we can act accordingly in the next election.
Of course it would have been Leogrande who made the first move to try to smooth things over and create a more peaceful atmosphere on the school board. Now let's hope they can move past this experience and learn from it. Maybe they can avoid the typical infighting of the past, ignoring the best interests of the taxpayers and pull together as a team.
That's what we elected them for, and that's what we expect.
Leogrande and Brandstetter are role models for the others and they're exactly what we need from our elected officials. Watchdogs to keep things honest and above board.
Ducayne's column runs
Tuesdays in The Citizen and she can be reached at
sacredheart6005@hotmail.com
It looks like some strong-arm tactics are being used.
Auburn board member Joe Leogrande was true to form when he courageously exposed what was clearly a shady deal with that gathering at a local restaurant involving board members Mike Stearns, Charles Cator and Ginny Kent - who make up the entire board audit committee.
Now we have Cator, who was threatening to go after a BOCES seat, dropping out of contention. This leaves the coast clear for Kent Brandstetter, an ally of Leogrande's on the school board, to move into the top spot on the BOCES board. It's a position that Brandstetter has earned after serving nine years.
It's so obvious that even I could figure it out. You file a complaint, we threaten your colleague's job. You drop the complaint, we don't threaten his job.
See how easy it works?
There's a part of me that hopes this isn't the way it went down. We all would like to give people the benefit of the doubt in situations like this. We like to think that most people, especially elected representatives, are well-intentioned and are trying to do the right thing. But this time it sure looks like the good guys are outnumbered and are being strong-armed by the bad guys.
And once again the people who lose are the lowly taxpayers who elect these guys.
I don't blame Leogrande. Sometimes I guess you have to admit when you've been out-maneuvered by the bad guys and wait for your next chance to watch out for the taxpayers. But we all need to become more aware of how things work in this town so we can act accordingly in the next election.
Of course it would have been Leogrande who made the first move to try to smooth things over and create a more peaceful atmosphere on the school board. Now let's hope they can move past this experience and learn from it. Maybe they can avoid the typical infighting of the past, ignoring the best interests of the taxpayers and pull together as a team.
That's what we elected them for, and that's what we expect.
Leogrande and Brandstetter are role models for the others and they're exactly what we need from our elected officials. Watchdogs to keep things honest and above board.
Ducayne's column runs
Tuesdays in The Citizen and she can be reached at
sacredheart6005@hotmail.com