At a recent meeting of the incoming Republican Council members it was decided that District 2 Councilman Mark McGrath would be the Council's President Pro Tempore.* Third District Councilman Dean Bodnar was not at the meeting due to a scheduling conflict.
Everyone knew, before the meeting, that Bodnar desired the position. However, at the meeting, people were informed that Bodnar had withdrawn his name for the position. McGrath was the selected. Bodnar is not pleased. The fourth term councilman expressed anger not at losing the position to McGrath but rather at the blatant lie that he had withdrawn his name from contention.
According to the Charter, the President Pro Tempore:
...shall perform the duties of the President of the City Council in the case of the absence of the President of the City Council or in the case of a vacancy in the office of the President of the City Council. The President Pro Tempore shall have the salary of a Council member and, in addition, such further amount as may be set by the Council.
Sounds like a heavy lift. In fact, the duties of the Pro Tempore are generally only exercised during the Wiltshire family vacation.
Still, this is a misstep by incoming Council President Carmella Mantello. Aside from fetal alcohol syndrome, there is really no excuse for placing Mark McGrath in any position of authority. He is prickly and obnoxious and past-due for distemper shots for the last three years. Furthermore, if McGrath disagrees with the majority he will not hesitate to publicly embarrass Mantello and the other council members. After all, he does not hesitate to publicly embarrass himself. On the other hand, Bodnar is pragmatic, reasonable and well-liked by both sides. The choice was clear and Mantello exercised poor judgment that does not bode well for the future.
Bodnar has indicated that the Council now has three factions: Democrats, Republicans and Bodnar.
McGrath is not officially the Pro Tempore. The actual vote occurs at the organizational meeting which, pursuant to the Charter, takes place in January. Will McGrath be voted Pro Tempore at the January meeting? If yes, the Republicans will no longer have a veto-proof majority. If no, Mantello looks weak. Not good choices for someone who has not spent a day at Council President.*Pro Tempore is from the Latin meaning in support of (pro) and a light, flaky batter used in frying fish (tempore). McGrath, if successful, will be battered at the organizational meeting in front of friends and family.
45 comments:
Everything you have written makes this the best choice. Nice job Carmella
Mark McGrath is a first class asshole with a permanent lobster face for forever being angry he's not Kevin McGrath! Bob Cox caught him red faced, oops I meant red handed, taking Rodneys signs out of the ground. Apparently Mark doesn't like signs ruining the landscape of 2nd ave, strange because he doesn't seem to have any problem at all picking up Harry's dry cleaning or putting 2 coats of wax on Harry's deli truck like Biff from back to the future! Absolute proof that two negatives (lobster face angry troll Mark McGrath and Anastasia AmeriKKKa Robertson) don't equal a positive! I have spoken, now excuse me while I watch Mark McGrath clean the Windows for Harry at the old Chubbys
Bravo Mr. Dunne. In an attempt to divert attention into the developing corruption case with Mayor Lou you have attempted to drive a wedge between Ms. Mantello, Mr. Bodnar, Mr. McGrath and the new council elects. You have dunne a whale of a job teaching Lou the ins and outs of public corruption.
"Aside from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, there is really no excuse for placing Mark McGrath in any position of authority." Classic and so true.
Ah, you know it's winter when Mark takes a break from golf and being laughed at by the young chicks he tries to hit on to praise himself in the blogs.
Muscles McGrath has the taxpayers back!
The main problem with Bodner is that without Gordon's hand up the back of his shirt, he will have no idea what to think, feel or say.
Again, how do these stories become about Dunne? What corruption? Blah, blah, blah. I bet Dunne pays his taxes.
I think Carmella drove her own wedge.
Free healthcare for life after 10 years! Money for nothing and your chicks are free!
I can wait till the democrats get Dumb Dean to stick his tongue to the frozen pole in front of city hall. What your saying is Dean is like the weak gazelle that the lions single out for slater. I think Dean knows how weak he is. He was smart enough to take the working family line or he would have lost with out it. I think that Mark won by a 2 to 1 majority. I also believe he is the first person to return after being termed out. I think that would make him the "elder statesman". Dean has been on a love fest with Kenny, Rodney and even meet with the leader of the working family party at his house. He's no republican and will sell his sole to the dems. This is the right choice. You don't reward someone with this position that won by 4 votes over Russell Ziamba. Go Mark Go.
3:00 how about Harry ? Why does his name show up?
Wtf. Why would anyone want to be Kevin McGrath?
I think Mark is super.
Where did your name even show up Harry? Your such a twisted troll! Dave Merlino says hi
7:59 go back and read 9:33 numb nuts.
Another day another democrat Mayor Lou embarrassing the City of Troy. Yawn, is there any wonder why people don't vote? Chances are democrat Madden will pick up right where democrat Lou left off.
If you knew how these contracts worked you'd realize this is hardly a big deal. Approved contracts with the PBA often leave details of future years to be approved at a later date. Lou and Fitz worked out a deal and the Council can say yes or no. Once again, a handful of cranks trying to find a scandal where none exists.
Since when can you believe this Council when they say they knew nothing about this? These are the same group that acted surprised by the proposed tax hike and then we find out they are talking about a substantial tax increase for 2016 a year ago.
@ 6:43 you used the word "approved", when did the council "approve" this? And if your theory is true why were the officers given full health benefits after only ten years 18 months ago? Future? C'mon Bill they need to come up with a better one than that.
No wonder the cops are leaving Troy. They do 10 years leave for the same pay then grab 12k a year by not taking Heath insurence at their new job. What a show.
Can we afford to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars over the next 20, 30 , 40 years on family plan health insurance for a guy like Brian Gross who disgraced the TPD by tipping off drug dealers? Since he is married to a Casale, do you think he really needs us to pay?
Lou is disgraceful.
PBA President Tom Hoffman in the TU "I supplied them a copy because maybe they misplaced theirs". The plot thickens.
I hate to climb on the grassy knoll but look back at what was going on. Gross in trouble. Father in law goes to Dunne who goes to Peter. Then poof we have an agreement. This thing smells. What do the letters ODM stand for?
I guess there's no news out there today. Awful quiet.
Are you kidding!?! Was Dworsky involved in this sweetheart deal? So if a cop works for Troy for 10 years and leaves to be the chief in West Timbuktu, we're on the hook for his (and his family's) health insurance until he finally says goodnight at the ripe old age of 102!?! Really? Really?
Mayor, what were you thinking? While your going around telling everybody you see there's no money for raises? Sounds like a raise to me - but only for the precious few. I think my head might pop off, somebody stop this!
One of the problems with a majority is that the larger it is, the more difficult to make everyone happy. Regardless of your take on her, almost everyone concedes Carmella is far more capable to act as an effective leader than Rodney. Even if Dean takes a walk on some issues, she could potentially poach one of the Dems. What a sad scenario this backdoor negotiating is for Lou. How in the name of God does one justify this? This is almost a perfect microcosm of the past four years. A Dem mayor with a 7-2 majority cannot properly negotiate an agreement with arguably the most important department in the city. It speaks volumes of the ability of the chief administrator and the dysfunction of Council leadership. At this rate, I would not be surprised to see Pat Madden sitting in Barker Park with a bottle in a paper bag next to him muttering "why did I agree to run?"
It's way more $ than that over the course of an average life span. Imagine if someone covered need cancer treatment or an organ transplant? Shit happens.
Wow ! ! !
What a deal.
Work for the city for 10 years, quit the job and get free health insurance for life.
Even a better deal if you are a dirty cop who tipped off drug dealers and endangered the lives of honest cops doing a drug bust.
Great job Mr. Mayor.
Please continue to look out for the taxpayers who are on the line to supply these ever increasing benefits for years and years and years.
You wonder why we have financial issues.
You can wipe your ass with this illegal document.Hope Lou & Silverman realize what a potential legal disaster they've set the city up for down the line. Free health insurance my ass. What F-in planet are these guys living on
There's a reason the electorate rejected Carmellazilla so many times. You'll see exactly why over the next 2 years
That's the best you got? Shots at Carmella while crazy Lou has a fire sale. Asshole
4:08 what the fuck have you been looking at the last 4 years?
Some are rats off a sinking ship and some will go down with it. As any sane person can see the rats have destroyed this city over the last 4 years. And then they bring up Carmella, McGrath? Keep drinking that Lou- Wade loser juice.
Angry midget
Troy police have almost a dozen officers leaving for Watervliet PD and other smaller Depts. thanks Lou
Almost is right. Once they find out they aren't stealing health insurance from us they will be rethinking that move.
Dave, the convicted drug dealer??
your obsession with Harry is very unhealthy
This sweetheart deal for the cops is a throwback to the Dworsjy era.
Give the city away to police and fire and leave a trail of debt for the next two generations. The city is still paying $6 million a year in debt service thanks to Dworsky blunders. That's $6 million we shouldn't have to burden the taxpayers with EVERY YEAR.
Dworsky is the culprit for the city's financial plight.
4.08 I can't wait to see how Carmella could be worse than the present.
Good lord Carmella, you can't be serious in appointing McGrath....that will be your undoing if you run again.
Cause she'll be in campaign mode from day 1 Phana. Her desire for the big seat will prove detrimental to the big picture. She's as phoney as Gordon is dull.
If that's the case, it will be a huge mistake. We saw how well that tactic worked for the past two years. Even if she is planning to run in 2019, she would be well-advised to just focus on Council business for this Council term. If some partisan is needed, let McGrath do the heavy lifting. He enjoys it, and Carm can play the reasonable mediator.
Carmella lost credibility by aligning herself with McGrath. Very foolish move.
If you think Carmella is capable of sitting back and letting McGrath do the "heavy lifting" you have a lot to learn.
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