Board of Directors Candidates Engage in Subdued Debate

A small crowd gathered at the hearing room of the Lincoln Center Tuesday evening to witness a debate of the candidates for Board of Directors in the upcoming municipal elections. The tone was generally subdued and agreeable, as the candidates complimented each other and the current Board of Directors more often than trumpeting disagreement. Eight of the twelve candidates participated in the debate, and the the missing nominees had prepared statements read for the audience.

The format of the debate provided for two questions for each candidate, and a rebuttal for each question from a member of the opposing political party. The questions were generated and posed by a panel of journalists. Each candidate also received two minutes each for opening and closing statements. The debate was recorded for public television and will run several times before the election on November 8, 2011.

With the shape of the economy still paramount on everyone's mind, the issue of economic development received a good deal of attention from the candidates, and from the panelists. Though all agreed that the current Board of Directors had done a good job reining in spending so far, most anticipated leaner times were probably ahead.

On the question of pensions, sitting director Democrat Rudy Kissman said he saw the town likely to continue to move toward a 401k type plan for future hires, as well as using part-time employees.

"I am in favor of any plan that is fair to the town and to employees," he said, saying that employees who are treated well are an economic benefit.

Repubilcan challenger Kim Mencarini said that relief for the taxpayer is a primary concern for her, "our pockets are not getting any bigger, but the bills are getting bigger," she said. She was in favor of the redevelopment plans for Broad St. and felt the next area of concentration for economic revitalization should be Main St., but only after the current projects were completed.

The marketing of Manchester received a spirited response from republican incumbent director Cheri Pelletier. She felt the "press got it wrong" with the previous efforts to market the community to prospective businesses and families, and the message was reduced to sloganeering. She advocated for continuing the effort to create a marketing plan for the town as she sees it as a valuable leveraging tool for the future of the community.

In his rebuttal, Democrat Jay Moran said, "the best people to market Manchester are the people here. We live in this town because we love it. We need to remain positive."

He believes that too much attention has been focused on the negative stories citing the incidents at Manchester High School, the tragedy at Hartford Distributors, and the murders on Hartford Rd. He says those incidents were tragic, but do not represent everything in Manchester. He said it was still a great place to live and all residents should be ambassadors for the community.

Democratic Incumbent Lisa O'Neill and Republican challenger Susan Holmes disagreed over the plans to expand the footprint of the Mary Cheney Library. O'Neill insisted the expansion would have very little impact on the neighboring park, "only a one percent encroachment," she said, but that the expansion was necessary to serve the needs of the community.

Holmes, for her part, believes the updates and renovations were necessary, but does not believe in the additions. She offered the possible opening of the school computer labs in the evening to ease the pressure on computer usage in the libraries.

The most pointed disagreement of the evening took place after the suggestion by Repubilcan challenger William Johnson that the Guardian Angels, a neighborhood protection group, be approached and asked to operate in Manchester.

Democratic Deputy Mayor Leo Diana rebutted emphatically, “we definitely do not need the Guardian Angels.”

Curiously, the question that prompted the debate concerned the enforcement of  blight ordinances and conditions arising from the large number of foreclosed properties. Johnson took the question as an issue of public safety. Diana concentrated most of his answer on issues of blight enforcement.

Republican candidates Dennis Brenner and Mark Tweedie were not in attendance, but had their prepared remarks presented. Democratic candidate Steve Gates also prepared remarks which were read by Diana. Democrat John Topping had anticipated participating in the debate, but was called away at the last minute to a family medical emergency.

The debate was sponsored by the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, and chairperson Kathy Kamerer served as moderator.