Newly elected Cape and Islands state Rep. Tim Madden, who takes office in January, announced late Wednesday that he has appointed Nell Coogan as the Vineyard legislative liaison.
Ms. Coogan, 29, is an Island native and 1997 graduate of the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. She has worked as legal counsel to the Massachusetts Senate Committee on Ways and Means for the last two years.
Ms. Coogan will replace Russell Smith, the former longtime liaison who worked under outgoing state Rep. Eric T. Turkington.
“She will be a large asset,” Mr. Madden said in comments Wednesday.
“I think we’re going to be a good team and I am excited to get started,” Ms. Coogan said.
A complete story about Ms. Coogan’s appointment will appear in the Friday Gazette.
This article appears in December 12, 2008.
What a waste of money. Maybe before the internet it might have been necessary to have a liaison, but nowadays it just seems like more political patronage, especially when the nominee is related to a family of Island poltiicians.
I wonder if Madden’s suspect endorsement from the Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror will be reported in the Gazette tomorrow as well. $4000 paid to the editor’s husband and for what? Didn’t Madden even once stop to think that this might be considered ethically questionable? Other news outlets have picked up on this (Cape Cod Times); why the news blackout from the Gazette?
Electing Nell Coogan into this position is a very positive move for local legislation. She doesn’t come from a purely political background like the other comment implies, and categorizing her as such would be very off the mark.
Whatever qualms one might have with Tim Madden, they shouldn’t be taken out on Ms.Coogan. She is a top rate islander who I trust in and that’s much more than I can say for her predecessor.
Government is a people to people business. We benefit from someone who cares enough to understand our needs, not just our e-mails. Nell will serve Vineyarders well in the tradition of her father.