In a deliberate political maneuver, Mayor Noam Bramson plotted with his fellow council democrats to deny Council District 3 qualified representation for five months. This flies in the face of the democrat’s long standing policy of appointing a provisional council representative in a timely fashion. Council minutes reflect council representative Bramson was appointed provisional mayor three days after Mayor Idoni was sworn in as county clerk at the January 3, 2006 special council meeting. Seven days later, January 10, 2006, Barry Fertel was appointed provisional representative for council district 5 to replace Bramson. Later that year Councilman Jack Quinlan moved away from New Rochelle leaving Council District 2 unrepresented. Quinlan’s farewell council meeting was on June 29, 2006 and twelve days later on July 11, 2006 former councilwoman Chris Selin was appointed provisional representative for Council District 2.

GOP Announcement

As you are probably aware, New Rochelle City Councilman James Stowe passed away earlier this month. I greatly admired Councilman Stowe for his dedication to the residents of the City of New Rochelle, and ask that you extend your thoughts and prayers to his family during this difficult time. Councilman Stowe will certainly be missed.

Because there is now a vacancy in Council District 3, we will interview candidates both on Thursday, September 2nd and Thursday, September 9th starting at 7:00 p.m. at The Old Police Court Facility, 90 Beaufort Place, New Rochelle, NY. We will also be holding a New Rochelle Republican City Committee Convention on Thursday, September 9, 2010, 8:15 p.m., at the same location to endorse a candidate to run this November to serve the final year in Councilman Stowe’s term.

I am pleased that several interested individuals have already contacted me to be considered to run for this seat.

Dems Press Release

Leaders in Third Council District to Choose Nominee for Special Election

NEW ROCHELLE, NY – The New Rochelle Democratic City Committee members within Council District Three are seeking candidates for the position of City Council Member. The Third District was vacated on August 4th, with the sudden and tragic passing of Council Member James Stowe.

“No one can fill Jim Stowe’s shoes, but there are many talented and dedicated residents of the Third District,” said Patricia Carter, the Democrats Third District Leader. “We are committed to an open and inclusive nomination process aimed at choosing the very best
representative for our community.”

Citizens of the Third Council District who are interested in seeking the Democratic nomination should submit a resume and cover letter no later than Tuesday, August 31st, 2010 to:

Sarah Dodds-Brown
11 Slocum Street
New Rochelle, New York 10801
sdoddsbrown@hotmail.com

Candidates should also be prepared to address the Third District’s Democratic leaders in- person on Thursday, September 2nd, 2010 between 7 and 9 p.m.

A special election for City Council will be held on Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010, with the winner serving the final year of the current City Council term.

The Democrats on the New Rochelle City Council have reversed course on their announcement last week, and now do want to immediately fill the District 3 seat, left vacant when former Council Member James Stowe died earlier last month.

New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson put out a statement declaring the Democratic Party's intention to nominate Roxanne "Roxy" Stowe to fill her husband's seat until a winner is declared in the special election.

Bramson called Roxy Stowe "the only individual with the standing to uphold Jim’s legacy through an appointment and to honor the will of the voters as expressed in the last election".

Stowe said she would agree to step down after the November 2nd Special Election to fill the unexpired term of Jim Stowe "if the Council agrees to seat the people’s choice immediately and not wait needlessly until January 1st."

ANALYSIS:What Mayor Bramson is proposing is not accurate. Mrs. Stowe cannot both fill the District 3 seat until "a winner is declared in a special election" and fill the seat so that District 3 has representation at all times from the moment of her appointment through when the winner of the Special Election is seated until the end of Jim Stowe's expired term.

Talk of the Sound turns two today.

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