You might consider shopping around for a different host. (Although, that might prove to be a bigger pain than it is worth.)

 

Kurt Wright's site is really awful...He should take it down

Dan Smtih's and Montroll's are good...Kiss is still being updated after weeks have gone by...not surprised there.

 

Just because the Free Press doesn't report the good things that Bob Kiss has done, doesn't mean they haven't happened. He and Leopold have done an amazing job holding costs down (saying no to many) and keeping taxpayers from shouldering more burden. This ticks off some folks (that they're told not to spend), but as a taxpayer I'm appreciative.

 

The fact that you had to stick the "...and Leopold" in there is an example of what is wrong with Kiss.

He is too reliant on Leopold to do his job. Remember back to that SevenDays article about "King Leopold" ? Well, it's sure as hell true.

Leopold is the one who truly runs the City.

Kiss has earned my last place vote.

 

Exactly, having to mention Leopold tells you all you need to know about Kiss. I like Bob as a person too, but if he is going to hire out his job to another person then I do not believe he should hold the highest office in this city.

 

And WOW Kurt Wright's website is heinous. Kurt its not 1995 anymore.

 

Kiss has done a awesome job of running the city. His opponents see his modesty as a way of attacking him as ineffectual. They want to end Progressive government in Burlington. If they succeed they'll end progressive government in Burlington which would be a shame.

 

Dude, he doesn't do anything. He's never out there inspiring me to get involved.

The way he handled the Adam Cate thing was abysmal. I don't like how he treated the Police Department. I think that the BS about having the Air Guard putting together an Air Show over Burlington and him putting a stop to it is abysmal. I think that him proposing reducing lighting on Burlington's streets almost right after Michelle Gardner Quinn died on a dark street is even more evidence of his lapse of judgment.

The guy just isn't in touch. He's had his chance. Give it to someone who can do some good with the job. Nice guy, I agree, but not mayoral material. Andy, Kurt or Dan would be a far better Mayor than Bob.

I actually agree with the previous comments about Leopold.

 

About the lighting: I'm pretty sure that it wasn't to eliminate lighting. Instead, the idea is to focus the lights down onto the street to eliminate loss. As in, running the lights more efficiently and not polluting the sky with useless, wasted light.

 

No, it was to reduce and turn off lights. If you walk down Colchester Ave, you'll know what I am talking about.

Also, he was urged by Chief Trembley and other City Councilors, to not introduce his plan.

Remember, Bob's only claim to fame in the Legislature was his "dark skies" legislation which worked to reduce street lighting and light pollution.

I heard through the grapevine that the University's Student Government conducted an evaluation of the cities lighting around UVM. They presented their findings to the Council, the council voted to have the Mayor prepare a plan of action to deal with the problem and the Mayor didn't think there was a problem.

Well, the light outside my apartment has been out for weeks. I've called it in to Burlington Electric and they still haven't fixed it. Called the Mayor's Office and the problem still hasn't been fixed. Also, called the Police and they said they discussed lighting at their community meeting and the lieutenant said that it was a huge topic of discussion.

So, this is a problem and the Mayor is dragging his feet. Or maybe it's Leopold as some of the other posters have pointed out.

I wouldn't know. The man never leaves his corner office.

 

Correct me, but where are "street lights" suppose to be pointing? To the side?

The fact that it was a week after that horrible crime speaks volumes of Kiss' diluted vision of the city.

 

Oh fuck you, lighting is a non-issue.. I have plenty of spots to attack Bob, lighting our town, umm... definitely not one of them, let's stay focused on real issues.

 

Lighting is an issue. If it doesn't concern you, it doesn't concern you. Leave it at that. No need to be rude.

 

If my sidewalk is incredibly icy and it is dark because the Mayor insists on turning the lights off and I fall and break my neck, you better believe that it's an important issue. The fact that Colchester Ave was so poorly lit may have contributed to the crime spree through that neighborhood over the summer? Anyone remember that?

The mayor has been for turning off the lights for years. It's an important issue to me on top of our roads and the waterfront.

Yeah, don't be rude.

 

In response to the above comment about Leopold: Kiss relies on Leopold because Leopold knows finances and municipal budgeting. That's what the CAO is supposed to know about. I don't want a bean counter for a Mayor, but I do want his right hand person to be really good so I don't have to pay any more taxes. Leopold is attacked, I believe, because he insists on fiscal responsibility. Some department heads and commissions really hate that because he makes them accountable. Businesses also have to deal with his tough negotiating style. He is great at it and it seems to me Burlington voters should be appreciative, rather than disdainful.

 

I don't think he's attacked for being fiscally responsible. Heck, I respect Bob and Leopold's work on the whole budget issue. They're done a good job. However, my beef is that Bob's supporters have to tie them together (like they are a package). The reason why he's attacked is being the perception from anyone else not on the third floor and the City Council is that Leopold runs the City and Bob is, more of less, a caretaker Mayor.

I'm keeping it correct here. That is simply what people feel and perceive.

I don't necessarily agree with the argument completely because I do think that Bob is his own person, but the perception is VERY real and no one has tried to disprove it.

 

They are a team, plain and simple. And Leopold, being the Chief Administrative Officer, is fulfilling his role.