Coup you: Charlottesville Democrats’ secret scheme to topple “Norris Plan”
By Schilling Show on Nov 11, 2010 with Comments 4
A high-level operative from within the Charlottesville Democratic Committee has taken direct aim at Mayor Dave Norris and his alternative water plan.
Linda Seaman, a 2007 candidate for Charlottesville City Council, and an obsequious delegate of Charlottesville’s “old guard” Democrat cabal, is conspiring to arrange a coup d’état headed by three “sympathetic” councilors: David Brown, Kristin Szakos, and Satyendra Huja.
In a November 10, 2010 email (pictured below), exclusively obtained by The Schilling Show Blog and News, Seaman expresses concern over the eroding Charlottesville City / Albemarle County relationship vis-à-vis the controversial community water supply issue—and she suggests the councilors conspire to revoke the City’s current position on the plan.
Seaman’s animosity toward Norris is glaring as she characterizes her fellow Democrat as “inappropriate” and “irresponsible” in his recent clandestine meeting with Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Director, David K. Paylor.
Charlottesville City Council adopted the so-called “Norris Plan” unanimously during their September 20, 2010 meeting; although, Szakos and Brown’s support was tepid at best, and undeniably reluctant.
Notably AWOL from Seaman’s email cc list is Charlottesville Vice Mayor, Holly Edwards, perhaps due to close association with the Mayor during Edwards’ tenure.
Unknown, is how the intense intra-party dispute will affect the relationship between former running-mates Kristin Szakos and Dave Norris, who formed a “mutual admiration society” during the 2009 City Council campaign, where another Democrat intra-party schism deposed then-councilor, Julian Taliferro, in favor of Szakos.
A final, problematic dimension of Seaman’s backdoor email scheming with three of Charlottesville’s five councilors is the potential violation of Virginia’s open meeting laws. Concealed attempts to set public policy out of the public eye ultimately may land these conniving councilors in deep, deep water.
Click image to see Linda Seaman’s super-secret “council coup” email:
Filed Under: Breaking News • Environment • Featured • Government and Governance • Politics • Taxes and Spending • The Schilling Show
ms. seaman is welcome to address the city council during
the public comments portion of the meeting.
ms. seaman may certainly run for public office again in our city
where her views can be held up to public scrutiny.
” …working together we can build one community..”
these words appear on lindaseaman.net
“… the time has come to count to three and move forward..”
does not appear on that web site.
Communicating behind someone’s back? Linda Seaman seems to be guilty of the same thing that she accuses Dave Norris of and her actions are “inappropriate” and “irresponsible.” Linda Seaman has long thought of herself as a power broker within the Democratic Party and therefore within the city. Several years ago, she was hired to run a program for the city. Each year, she reported she had not met her minimum goals. I believe she is no longer in that position. Did she get this job through qualifications or through political payback? If it’s the latter, I see why she feels she has clout. (She didn’t have any when the city allowed RWSA to run a wider sewer line through her neighborhood.) She didn’t get the message when she failed to get her Party’s nomination for Council. Linda, you old heads have been pushed aside and a large new group is running things now and don’t appreciate your working behind closed doors. I agree with with the previous commenter. Come out in public at the next City Council meeting and make your comments fully public. Maybe the rest of the members of the Party will come out and join in getting revenge for Norris’ and the rest of the Democrats for Change group’s takeover of THEIR party. They obviously don’t have the support of the rest of the citizens in town.
It’s hilarious that one email somehow constitutes a conspiracy. I’m sure the councilors get emails telling them to “count to three and vote” on every single issue. Linda Seaman has a perfect right to express whatever opinion she likes. And she can express that opinion to one councilor or any combination. Now those emails are public record and they may be revealed anytime–those are the rules. But there’s nothing wrong with her having an opinion or sharing it with her elected officials. I think that might be called … representative democracy?
Ms. Seaman can write whatever she wants to the Councilors. Three of them reading it is not a conspiracy. That said I wish the old guard Dems would show a bit less concern for the campaign contributions of the sprawl growth lobby and a bit more for the Citizens of Charlottesville.
I think Dave Norris and Holly Edwards have shown that folks appreciate, and will vote for, honesty, compassion and a clear understanding that city council represents Charlottesville.
Here’s a short skit I made with my friend Ted about why we are even talking about borrowing over 100 million dollars to build an expensive, unneeded, and destructive 42 ft. high earthen dam.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS2oSMFGkuk
Let’s take our country back from big money special interest disinformation and domination by starting with our own backyard.