By SHELLEY TERRY - Staff Writer - sterry@starbeacon.com
ASHTABULA — As his last days in office approach, City Council President Rodger Altier has some advice for the newly elected council.
“The politics have to end once you take the oath of office,” he said. “This fighting is killing the city.”
Altier pointed to the battle lines drawn between the people who support former City Solicitor Tom Simon versus the people who back City Manager Anthony Cantagallo. He believes this in-house fighting is behind the hold-up to annexing Wade Avenue in Saybrook Township, where the Ashtabula Area City Board of Education is building five elementary schools.
“One of these days, someone is going to claim victory,” Altier said. “But they’ll be standing on a pile a rubble that once was the City of Ashtabula.”
The advice comes after a rough week for Altier, who wanted the city to annex Wade Avenue, as described by the Board of Education in its Jan. 21, 2009 application for annexation, before his term expires at the end of this month.
“But they chose not to have annexation,” Altier said Friday.
The contention came to a head Nov. 5 when Vice President Betty Kist filed a harassment complaint against Altier after listening to a phone message from him declaring her position that no revote should be taken on annexation until the president-elect takes office is “a crock of (expletive).” He further said: “The gloves are coming off at the last (council) meeting (Nov. 16). I hope you are prepared for it because I’m coming after you now.”
Altier called five more times, but didn’t leave a message.
City Solicitor Michael Franklin said no “reasonable person” could take Altier’s phone message, in the context of a dispute between two members of the same legislative body over the business of that body, as a threat of physical violence, he said.
Franklin did not press charges against Altier, he said.
Altier’s frustration with the annexation issue built up over months of stalling and excuses from his fellow council members, he said.
Wade Avenue is where the school board is building five elementary schools in a campus-style setting.
A special meeting on Oct. 27 was continued because Ward 2 Councilman August Pugliese didn’t want to vote on annexation without a full council present. He wanted to wait until Nov. 2.
Altier said he would be out of town Nov. 2. Even so, Pugliese wanted to wait, but indicated he would vote yes to annexation.
When City Council met Nov. 2, the vote on the resolution to annex failed by 4-2 vote. Altier was absent and only council members Julie Lattimer and James Trisket supported annexation.
“Council wanted to wait and let the president-elect vote, but they didn’t mind voting without me (on Nov. 2),” Altier said. “It’s all politics.”
According to Clerk of Council LaVette Hennigan, who keeps track of who says what and when, Altier called her Nov. 5 and wanted a special meeting scheduled for Nov. 9 before the 6:30 p.m. work session to discuss the annexation.
Hennigan spoke with all council members except Kist.
Only Ward 3 Councilwoman Ericka Severino said, no, she did not want to attend a special meeting, according to Hennigan’s notes.
Hennigan called the assistant city solicitor and he was available, so she called Altier and advised him six council members and the assistant solicitor were available to attend the meeting, she said.
“The President (Altier) was excited,” Hennigan said.
Then, Ward 1 Councilman Joseph Rose called Hennigan to say he changed his mind and he wanted to wait until the new president was seated, according to the clerk’s notes.
Hennigan then called Kist because she “sensed a change of heart was coming,” according to her notes.
Hennigan said she knew Kist would say yes because Kist called her on the morning of Nov. 3, after receiving an e-mail copy of Saybrook Township attorney’s letter (dated May 27. 2009 and previously distributed to all of council) outlining the Saybrook trustees’ commitment to road maintenance and resurfacing.
Kist told Hennigan she felt Saybrook’s attorney addressed the majority of council’s concerns and she was ready to vote. Kist suggested a special meeting be scheduled and Hennigan said she would talk to Altier, according to Hennigan’s notes.
When Hennigan reached Kist that day, she asked Kist, “Betty, are you ready to vote yes on annexation?” and the Vice President said no, that she felt the vote should be taken once the new council president was seated.
While not formally announced, the meeting was called off, according to Hennigan’s notes.
“(Kist) called the meeting and she was ready to vote yes to annexation,” Altier said. “Then, the calls started. Can’t people see? It’s all politics.”
