The following is a "Community Voice" printed in the Chronicle on Tuesday, September 20th, 2005. The writer is a member of the Board of Education and a member of the Democratic Town Committee. Any thoughts about this voice?
Community Voices
Give Willington political parties a fair shake
By LAURIE MAZICH SEMPREBON
I am surprised at the Chronicle’s implied endorsement of the A Sentinel Party political party in Willington. I understand editorial endorsement of candidates or issues, but I thought that proper newspaper ethics demanded a neutral presentation of facts in articles on the front page and throughout a newspaper, other than in an editorial. Over the past couple of years, the Chronicle has had several articles heavily skewed in favor of the A Sentinel Party. You are not presenting accurate facts to the voters of Willington. As a resident who reads the minutes of many town commissions and boards, attends meetings, serves on a board in town and votes, I object to your pseudo- endorsement of the A Sentinel Party.
To be fair to the Chronicle , maybe you are getting phone calls or mail from A Sentinel Party members with information that you think is accurate and, because of time constraints or lack of reporters, you are not able to follow through as well as you should to present a balanced account of what is really going on.If that is the case, you are doing the readers a disservice to present only part of the facts.You are also contributing to the demise of our political system by presenting an unbalanced and unfair account of what is going on in the town of Willington. That makes me wonder how balanced the rest of your articles are, either on local events or nationally.Making an attempt to call one person and reporting in the article that he was “ not available for comment” and yet reporting quotations from several A Sentinel Party members ( or “ Primary Republicans” — the same thing) does not appear to be balanced reporting.
To give you just a few examples: 1) Terry Hoffman has been an invaluable, trusted servant of Willington and did not deserve John Patton’s implication that there was some kind of “backroom deal” to raise her salary. Terry has worked above and beyond her job description for years and is finally being placed at a more reasonable level, both in title and in monetary compensation; 2) If you read Bob Lisiewski’s letter to the editor accusing the Democrats of being “ the devil” and the cross- endorsing political parties of being “ the Taliban,” you might think twice about taking anything he says seriously ( it was amazing that he was able to insult almost everyone in town in a single letter).
3) Remember the big stink John Patton raised about First Selectman Michael Eldredge paying town employees overtime when they had taken sick or vacation time? It turned out that the same practice existed the entire time Patton was first selectman? These are just a few examples of how Patton’s A Sentinel Party has tried to create trouble for Eldredge and Willington when they could be spending more time and effort doing positive things for the town.I also wonder if you are reporting what you hear or read from the A Sentinel Party members because it sounds like a great story — the underdog being crushed by the bigger, stronger parties, so to speak. I think it would be a more interesting story to report the reasons behind the Democrats and Republicans cross- endorsing. I cannot imagine the crossendorsing happening on a national or even a state level, so I would think that you would be interested in what is really going on in Willington.
The Democrats and Republicans on the local level really are interested in doing what is best for the town of Willington; there is no ulterior motive for some sinister control of the town. I, myself, always vote for the candidates and not the parties ( including A Sentinel Party members) and the Democrats and Republicans put forth candidates that we felt would serve the town well.
Patton’s party had control for many years and townspeople got tired of one person trying to run everything from one position. And, although I do think that John did some good for the town when he was first selectman, I have lost a lot of respect for him in his relentless political trashing of the Republicans, especially Eldredge and Blessington. I do not agree with all of Mike’s and John’s views, but I try to listen to and respect all views. If Patton were really interested in doing the best for Willington, he would have spent more time over the past two years helping his fellow selectmen in working for the town of Willington and not creating controversy and getting in the way of every good thing that the other two selectmen have tried to do.In your future reporting of events in the town of Willington, try not to listen and report on only the A Sentinel Party side of an issue.
Semprebon is a member of the Willington Democratic Town Committee, a board of education member and a former conservation commission member.
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23 comments:
If the author attended more than one or two meetings as some of us do, she would realize the many inacuracies in the article that she wrote. Inacuracies such as the reporter is generally at the meeting being written about.
I too have noticed that The Chronicle tends to give John Patton "airtime" but each time it seems to me that it's because a) he's making a whole lot of sense or b) others "cannot be reached for comment."
I do believe that The Chronicle reporters TRY to speak with others and would give them a voice if those others wanted to be heard.
There's a serious problem when our curret elected officials cannot take the time to explain their position on an issue to the press. How else can voters know what they are thinking (or NOT thinking as the case may be)?
I also agree with this writer that an interesting story would be why the Democrats and Republicans decided to cross-endorse. The problem seems to be that when asked, nobody can offer an explanation other than 'it's best for the town this way.'
I'm sorry, but I'm not buying that. She says in her letter that "there is no ulterior motive for some sinister control of the town" but it is clear the ulterior motive is to make damn sure that control of the town doesn't go to certain people. I can see how some might view this as "sinister."
Aside from that obvious reason, I think the Democrats and Republicans decided to cross-endorse because there simply aren't enough candidates on both sides to run. My guess as to why we would have a lack of candidates in town is because the political climate is just too hot for many who are trying to raise families, run businesses and make/keep friends.
What can we do to make it better going forward? How can we attract more energetic, talented and committed people to serve on these boards so that Willington can not only have a fair election, but an election that indeed is in the best interest of the town?
every article I read in the Chronicle seems to quote Mr. John Patton all the time. They explain that the first selectman "was not available" Is he never available?
Read the article in Thursday's Chronicle. The First Selectman again is unavailable for comment. I wonder whose fault it is now?
I don't see anywhere in the letter that the author said the reporters were at the meeting. Where does it say that? (See comment 1)
"getting in the way of every good thing that the other two selectmen have tried to do"
I would just like to know what "good things"? As far as the reporter goes, she is one of the best Chronicle reporters in a decade, because she does attend meetings and understands the issues. She sees first hand and writes about what is happening at the meetings. The fact that the First Selectman will not answer her or take her phone calls is not her fault. Maybe Ms. Semprebon should ask Eldredge and Blessington why they have to conduct their business outside of the light of the fourth estate and public meetings and not blame the reporter and other people for bringing questions to issues which affect Willington.
The author clearly stated a point of view which I am sure is held by many in this town.
In my opinion the First Selectman does a very good job of explaining his position. Selectman meetings have been moved to a larger room to allow all who wish to attend to do so. Under the past First Selectman if you were not one of the "lucky" six or seven people to get seats you would wind up standing in the hall.
The current First Selectman is also available by telephone at any time.
Why the reporter has trouble reaching him remains a mystery.
I think it's great just being able to read in the Chronicle what's going on in Willington. We've gone for long periods with little or no coverage in the newspaper.
The Hartford Courant won't print any Willington news; but they are very serious about selling their paper here. Shame on them.
I agree. The Chronicle is devoting a lot of space to Willington and that is good for us. It is pleasent to pick up a local paper and see our town issues being covered.
willington taxpayer
It appears that you subscribe to the idea of four estates.
The first estate is the clergy
The second estate is nobility
The third estate is common people
The fourth estate is the press
The French had it wrong from the beginning and our country does not, as a whole, believe in this. That is why we work under a differnt set of rules.
Are you serious that clergy and nobility should run our affairs?
Although you seem to imply this: nobility is not a part of our system.
maverick said "check it out"
I did.
maverick is off base and has no reason to say what he did.
So much for that.
anonymous said...
willington taxpayer
It appears that you subscribe to the idea of four estates.
I suspected that there would be some rediculous things written on this blog. This comment was probably written by the same person who doesn't understand the Zippy comic strip.
maverick
I could not check it out with the spin doctor. Patton was not available for comment.
Patton stated that Eldredge and Blessington work outside the light of the fourth estate.
This indicates he believes in the four estates. The comment is relevant.
Someone asked "... Are you serious that clergy and nobility should run our affairs? ..."
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Just as words become disassociated from their original meanings, the idea of the press being called the fourth estate has been a part of the American language for a long enough time to be removed from any implication of the other three estates mentioned in the anonymous comment. There was no implication anywhere, just a statement saying that Eldredge and Blessington prefer to do their work outside of public meetings and outside of the press, which is true.
As a case in point, I used to write a letter to the editor to the Horizon Magaizine about various topics in Town. I had to stop because the editor was called by Mr. Eldredge and was told that he didn't like the letters and the editor felt that there was an implied threat if he continued to publish my letters.
In order to have an informed electorate and an open government, people need information about their government. It needs to come through the press or other means. Nobody benefits by not being available to discuss, advocate or defend your position in the public arena.
It would be great if Mr. Eldredge could offer some insight on this blog. Just as he's not available for comment, he's probably not available for blogging either.
Horizen Magazine
Willington Taxpayer states that the editor of Horizen Magazine will not publish his letters on "various topics" due to an implied threat by Mr. Eldredge.
If this is true, a statement in writing from the editor to this effect should be obtained and posted on this blog in it's entirety.
Accusing the First Selectman of Willington of intimidating the press is a very serious matter.
I highly doubt Horizen Magazine lacks the integrity to subject themselves to this.
Please work on getting this letter and I will do the same.
Blogging
I get it-any port in a storm.
If you are not available for blogging you are a bad First Selectman.
Maybe would should add that to the job description for the First Selectman that he or she is required to respond to this drivel (mine included).
maverick
You appear believe that a fact is what you or others just say.
Do some research. Get the record of all telephone calls made on that date and see who called who at and at what time.
When you have that you will have fact(s).
Looking forward to the facts.
Mrs. Semprebon thank you for the ackalades to the A Sentinel Party in your latest letter to the editor. While the two ReDems Mikey and Johnnie B were not available for action in the flooding of Willington, public works did an excellent job of responding to the emergency. The 3rd selectman with prior experience responded with professionalism and the speed necessary in such a situation. Thank you Laurie for pointing this out and THANK YOU JOHN PATTON FOR BEING THERE WHEN NEEDED AGAIN!
to: NO ONE SPOKE OUT. Are the ASP's really trying to take credit for fixing the roads? Can I get some of what you're smoking?
to anonymous: I don't think No One Spoke Out said the ASP fixed the roads. I think he/she said (rather exuberantly) that the public works crew did a good job and recognized the contribution of John Patton. Mr. Patton did step in and and take charge of the situation when asked by the road foreman and does deserve credit.
Ms. Semprebon's defense of the First Selectman missed the point of the "needles" that the Chronicle gave to Eldredge. Eldredge is needled for creating a department which cannot function independently not for going on vacation. I think they could have also needled him for passing out political flyers when the Town is in trouble.
I think I will go out for a smoke now (nicotine only though).
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