Democrat Knickerbocker to run for Bethel first selectman

Democrat Matt Knickerbocker has thrown his hat in the ring as a candidate for first selectman of Bethel this year.

[Splat Knockerplunker]

Knickerbocker comes to the table with a lot of baggage, and a fundamental ignorance as to what is necessary to run the town.

Knickerbocker, throughout his tenure on the BOE has shamelessly promoted himself and Gary Chesley's agenda to the detriment of the town.

Outside of the road maintenance that perennially suffers, subordinated to the school lobby agenda, the maintenance to the schools and other town buildings is a major concern. See how the the schools, managed under the BOE 460 account, have deteriorated under the tutelage of Matt Knickerbocker who has been on the BOE for TEN YEARS, NINE of which he was Chairman!

The slight-of-hand Knickerbocker presents about a "five year plan" is laughable, particularly considering the Stony Hill repaving was a fumble of Alice Hutchinson's administration, and that there is federal funding coming to help complete that project. But just as you cannot count on the speed of government to react any time soon, the Dems are relying on the slowness of funding to make the only campaign issue they can - that the Stony Hill Sewer Project is not yet done.

It should be close to being done by election time. Then Knickerbocker will have to defend his crying wolf every year from the BOE, seeking to cut road accounts to give Chesley bonuses and providing retired BHS Principal Flanagan with a $27,000 per year for ten years secret annuity - and now he has the audacity to speak to unfinished road paving?

[Same old story]

Splat Knockerplunker wrote:

Knickerbocker comes to the table with a lot of baggage, and a fundamental ignorance as to what is necessary to run the town.
Knickerbocker, throughout his tenure on the BOE has shamelessly promoted himself and Gary Chesley's agenda to the detriment of the town.
Outside of the road maintenance that perennially suffers, subordinated to the school lobby agenda, the maintenance to the schools and other town buildings is a major concern. See how the the schools, managed under the BOE 460 account, have deteriorated under the tutelage of Matt Knickerbocker who has been on the BOE for TEN YEARS, NINE of which he was Chairman!
The slight-of-hand Knickerbocker presents about a "five year plan" is laughable, particularly considering the Stony Hill repaving was a fumble of Alice Hutchinson's administration, and that there is federal funding coming to help complete that project. But just as you cannot count on the speed of government to react any time soon, the Dems are relying on the slowness of funding to make the only campaign issue they can - that the Stony Hill Sewer Project is not yet done.
It should be close to being done by election time. Then Knickerbocker will have to defend his crying wolf every year from the BOE, seeking to cut road accounts to give Chesley bonuses and providing retired BHS Principal Flanagan with a $27,000 per year for ten years secret annuity - and now he has the audacity to speak to unfinished road paving?

Well it's good to see the Rebublicans waste no time on starting a nasty campaign again! And I see you failed in your rant to say any thing about the past 5-years that Mr. Knickerbocker has NOT been the Chairman of the Board of Ed. And you also failed to talk about the inprovements to the school system while Mr. Knickerbocker was Chairman like ROTC, the music program and AP classes at the high school, but then again same old, same old! And the sewer project and roads try again, it's all Burke.

[Splat Knockerplunker]

Same old story wrote:

<quoted text>
Well it's good to see the Rebublicans waste no time on starting a nasty campaign again! And I see you failed in your rant to say any thing about the past 5-years that Mr. Knickerbocker has NOT been the Chairman of the Board of Ed. And you also failed to talk about the inprovements to the school system while Mr. Knickerbocker was Chairman like ROTC, the music program and AP classes at the high school, but then again same old, same old! And the sewer project and roads try again, it's all Burke.

Knockerplooker was chairman eight of the last ten years - sorry.

Music came courtesy of Frank Infurchia, as did the AP courses you credit Knockerplooker with coming up with as was ROTC.

No, Mr. Knockerplooker has to his credit the most divisive issue that has burdened the town, and that was the demogogueing of the BHS renovation project. Who can forget his foray into "OSHA" violation with then First Selectman Cnadidate and eventual loser, Dave Olsen. Remember they stalled construction for political purposes, calling in OSHA who found no violations, as if he were the superintentendent of the project?

Knickerbocker is going to endure his record, that is true, and people like me will remind the townspeople every chance we get.

[Bethel resident]

To the first poster:

#1 - Never a good idea to make a blanket statement about a person's history or character, but an especially a poor idea when you cannot support your claim with facts.

#2 - Never a good idea to write a note that complains about spending money on education when the manner of your language reveals a serious lacking in your own education.

It's quite sad that a nice town like Bethel has a loud contingency of residents who are more interested in bickering over politics than in nourishing its future.

[Bethel resident]

Pardon my mis-type in the previous post, it should read...

"but an especially poor idea"

rather than

"but an especially a poor idea"

[Good News]

Thank God when Matt and Rich get elected things in this town will be back to normal. Say good bye to the good old boy net work. This is the best news Bethel has had in 4 years

[Mentos]

Good News wrote:

Thank God when Matt and Rich get elected things in this town will be back to normal. Say good bye to the good old boy net work. This is the best news Bethel has had in 4 years

John Menti -(South Britain)- talk about the "good old boys"! Will you be pining for a paid fire chief job again?

And Richie Straiton isn't a "good old boy"?

And, finally, how do YOU define normal; the Green Machine Tammany Hall back in business?

[check facts]

J Vaughey wrote:

Knickerbocker was canned by Fuji in 2008 and the company never filled the position. That goes to show he was useless there, just as he would be if elected First Selectman.
He's simply running for paid public office because nobody in the private sector would hire him. Maybe Chesley needs someone to shine his shoes. Interested, Matt?
http://www.imaginginfo.com/web/online/News/Va... $3772

He has a job, and lots of people are being laid off in this economy. OK, you don't like him, that's clear. He was part of a team that liked to use tax dollars when others thought there was a better plan. Is it possible to have a discussion or debate here in some way that addresses issues and stops with this name-calling and other inane "drivel" as one poster would say?

[Bethel resident]

J Vaughey wrote:

Knickerbocker was canned by Fuji in 2008 and the company never filled the position. That goes to show he was useless there, just as he would be if elected First Selectman.
He's simply running for paid public office because nobody in the private sector would hire him.

They cut the position because of economic downsizing. That's no reflection on the performance of the worker - just an indication that Fuji, like so many other businesses in the past couple of years, had to cut back. You don't keep someone on your staff for 25 years if you think they're doing a poor job.

And while one might think the salary for First Selectman is reasonable, it's hard to imagine wanting to take on stress of running a town whose residents rarely see eye to eye in exchange for a paycut.

I'd suggest you get your facts in order, and take your personal agenda of judgment back to your home so the rest of us don't have to waste time looking at it.

[The Record]

Bethel resident wrote:

<quoted text>
They cut the position because of economic downsizing. That's no reflection on the performance of the worker - just an indication that Fuji, like so many other businesses in the past couple of years, had to cut back. You don't keep someone on your staff for 25 years if you think they're doing a poor job.
And while one might think the salary for First Selectman is reasonable, it's hard to imagine wanting to take on stress of running a town whose residents rarely see eye to eye in exchange for a paycut.
I'd suggest you get your facts in order, and take your personal agenda of judgment back to your home so the rest of us don't have to waste time looking at it.

There'll be plenty to talk about with Knickerbocker's record and his disdain for the town side of the equation going back more than a decade. The Republicans have a whole dossier to pull from that they don't need to speculate why his former job was eliminated.

[Rational]

The trouble with Bethel is everything is done on the cheap; cheap downtown, cheap housing, cheap malls so when you are all done you spend the time fixing all the unnecessay crap that you build. One exception is the firehouse in Stony Hill (Great improvement, looks good will be a positive influence.)
Compare Bethel to Southbury, one is "upscale and the other is down market" One has good schools the other one marginal" In southbury they sort of do things once and right in Bethel there is never enough money to do it right only enough to do it again.
It will take a major change in attitude to fix it. Do less better and soon the town could be a great place. Fix the crappy downtown area, get rid of the overhead electrical wires that ruin the street scape, stop wasting money on stuff like bigger libraries that are only blockbusters on steroids anyway and encourage the good business that are there such as Rings End to coninue to grow.

[Daniel Gaita]

Splat Knockerplunker wrote:

Knickerbocker comes to the table with a lot of baggage, and a fundamental ignorance as to what is necessary to run the town.
Knickerbocker, throughout his tenure on the BOE has shamelessly promoted himself and Gary Chesley's agenda to the detriment of the town.
Outside of the road maintenance that perennially suffers, subordinated to the school lobby agenda, the maintenance to the schools and other town buildings is a major concern. See how the the schools, managed under the BOE 460 account, have deteriorated under the tutelage of Matt Knickerbocker who has been on the BOE for TEN YEARS, NINE of which he was Chairman!
The slight-of-hand Knickerbocker presents about a "five year plan" is laughable, particularly considering the Stony Hill repaving was a fumble of Alice Hutchinson's administration, and that there is federal funding coming to help complete that project. But just as you cannot count on the speed of government to react any time soon, the Dems are relying on the slowness of funding to make the only campaign issue they can - that the Stony Hill Sewer Project is not yet done.
It should be close to being done by election time. Then Knickerbocker will have to defend his crying wolf every year from the BOE, seeking to cut road accounts to give Chesley bonuses and providing retired BHS Principal Flanagan with a $27,000 per year for ten years secret annuity - and now he has the audacity to speak to unfinished road paving?

FYI,

The unpaved roads are on the slate for completion. The reason for the delay is not financial, but due to the abnormally wet and cold spring season.

[Daniel Gaita]

Same old story wrote:

<quoted text>
Well it's good to see the Rebublicans waste no time on starting a nasty campaign again! And I see you failed in your rant to say any thing about the past 5-years that Mr. Knickerbocker has NOT been the Chairman of the Board of Ed. And you also failed to talk about the inprovements to the school system while Mr. Knickerbocker was Chairman like ROTC, the music program and AP classes at the high school, but then again same old, same old! And the sewer project and roads try again, it's all Burke.

Fact Check…

Go back and look at the minutes of the BOE and compare them with the BOS…then tell me who brought in the ROTC program and the AP programs…

Also, go back through the records and study how the sewer project came to be, who was responsible for the short sighted planning, and how prior problems have been rectified…

Rumors are dead on arrival this year. It doesn’t matter what political party puts them out….they wont fly this year.

[Daniel Gaita]

The Record wrote:

<quoted text>There'll be plenty to talk about with Knickerbocker's record and his disdain for the town side of the equation going back more than a decade. The Republicans have a whole dossier to pull from that they don't need to speculate why his former job was eliminated.

If you all keep talking about Mr. Knickerbockers record he may end up not being nominated at all. WAIT until the candidates have been nominated, then let the histories of each out to the public. Stand down.

[Jon Menti]

Mentos wrote:

<quoted text>John Menti -(South Britain)- talk about the "good old boys"! Will you be pining for a paid fire chief job again?
And Richie Straiton isn't a "good old boy"?
And, finally, how do YOU define normal; the Green Machine Tammany Hall back in business?

It's nice to see my name in the blogs again. I come home from work go on line and what do you know a spineless fool that won't use his name attacking me! To go to your level why don't you grow a set and use your real name. Having a good idea who you are I'm not surprised at all. Grow up!

[Mentos]

Jon Menti wrote:

<quoted text>
It's nice to see my name in the blogs again. I come home from work go on line and what do you know a spineless fool that won't use his name attacking me! To go to your level why don't you grow a set and use your real name. Having a good idea who you are I'm not surprised at all. Grow up!

Judging by your usual schoolyard tone, I would think you need to grow up first. I'm not spineless nor a fool, just not willing to be somebody's pinata because I spoke up and mentioned something I know of. Your meddling during Alice Hutchinson's administration is well known and well documented. I'll pray for you eventual deliverance.

[Sir Bobnick]

How about the novel idea of having someone in the Fist Selectman's office that actually is on speaking terms with the Supt of Schools and the State Rep? I don't mean someone who agrees with them, I mean someone who will merely SPEAK with them. What a great idea!!! And this early salvo in the direction of Matt Knickerbocker does not smell so much Republican as it does Probe Ethel - the Party of the Stinky Weasels.

[Sir Bobnick]

Daniel Gaita wrote:

<quoted text>
If you all keep talking about Mr. Knickerbockers record he may end up not being nominated at all. WAIT until the candidates have been nominated, then let the histories of each out to the public. Stand down.

Was Bob Burke in VietNam? Can you put that controversy to rest?

[Old Vets die hard]

Sir Bobnick wrote:

<quoted text>
Was Bob Burke in VietNam? Can you put that controversy to rest?

Yep, Burke served with John Kerry on a swift boat in the Mekong Delta and I believe he also got sent to Iraq in the first Gulf War. He was in the predator movie too when Him, Swarzenegger and a few other roughnecks battled it out with that nasty Alien. Speaking of aliens, I heard Knickerbocker wants to bring more illegals in to Bethel so his buddy Chesley can bump up the school population and drain more tax money out of us. Is that guy for real?

[bookbabe]

Our School Board Czar Knick from what we’ve all heard,
Has issued an edict. Oh, oh my word!
He rules Mayor Alice may continue to stay,
as an oft featured writer in his quarterly play.
Since Alice and Knick are no doubt in cahoots,
It helps when Newsletters give her horn extra toots.
He infers that his Board has affirmed by an act,
that charges of conflict have no basis in fact.
But Board meeting minutes do not reflect,
any formal Board action in this respect.
His gavel indeed is a most potent stick;
Whatever he says you must not question Knick.
He will decide what’s best for us all;
the whole Board need not vote, he’ll make the call.
Now let’s look at Czar Knick’s expressed rational,
for giving such rights to dear Alice his pal.
He proclaims big town projects affecting the schools,
are best told by the Mayor since therefore she rules.
But suppose that their hookup began to grow thin;
would Knick then allow Alice to continue her spin?
You can bet that this forum would no longer exist;
he’d ensure Alice mission would cease and desist.
And what would Knick do if other leaders in town,
were to ask for some space to write their thoughts down;
Concerning their programs’ effects on the schools?
Would such requests be in sync with Knick’s stated rule?
Police, fire and highway would likely be told,
their requests are denied cause they’re out of the fold.
Is bad logic the sole reason for actions by Knick?
No, it’s very much likely he’s just being slick.
His example is bad for Bethel’s school youth,
For its quite clear he plays fast and loose with the truth.