[UPDATE] Cheshire Council Chairman Expands on His Apology

Noting this his comments were not official Town Council communications, council Chairman Tim Slocum expanded on his apology to the athletic community regarding his email about the condition of the Cheshire High School boys' locker room:

To all,

It is not my attempt to make this an ongoing blog exchange but since my email has generated great concern from members of the public I want to state here and for the record that I am sorry for my lapse in judgment. I also wish to share my email reply to Mrs Cundiff and her very polite reply to me. I believe I expressed sincerity in my tone but not wanting to leave anything to misiterpreation I want all to be able to judge for themselves.

-----Original Message----- 

From: Tim Slocum <tslocum@snet.net> 
To: cavell722 <cavell722@aol.com> 
Sent: Fri, Apr 20, 2012 12:35 pm 
Subject: Re: your "sissy boy" comments

Mrs. Cundiff, 

I have sent a note of apology to the four coaches (baseball, football, soccer & lacrosse), their staff and their respective student athletes. In my note I conveyed my sincere apology and asked them for the opportunity to meet with them and the students to have the opportunity to apologize in person. My email reply to Rob Daly was not an official council document. I'm certain my council colleagues take exception to and find no reason to embrace them. This is my problem not theirs. The problems with the locker room are serious and they are at the heart of this to begin with. I want them fixed and the record supports this. I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you personally at your convenience if you would like. 

Tim Slocum

Here are other comments about the issue:

I completely agree with you, Cathy. Slocum's statements show an utter lack of respect for anyone who doesn't fit in with his opinions.

I don't agree with what Slocum is doing in our office whatsoever as many people know he was against the turf field. And I'm not joking when I say this, there are no slots available for any sports. The only slot open is the 9 o'clock p.m. slot and nobody wants that. Even though my views are slightly biased, the democratic party would be better in office than this guy. He should take some seminars for his behavior, that was inappropriate. This is coming from a Cheshire High School football player as well

Here is the original story on Slocum's initial apology:

It’s a toss up whether the Town Council will vote (Thursday) whether to request bids for the Cheshire High School boys locker room. What’s clear, however, is the recent disintegration of the relationship between supporters of locker room project and Town Council Chairman Tim Slocum.

(see attached) from Slocum to former Gridiron President Rob Daly. In the message, Slocum calls baseball and soccer players  “sissy boys” and contrasts them with the “CHS mighty” football players. The respective teams have separate locker rooms and Slocum wrote that baseball and soccer players have pristine headquarters. “Surely they have testosterone too,” he wrote.

In an interview (last)Thursday, Slocum said, “My words were poorly chosen. I have to make apologies.” He went on to say he needs to mend fences. “I offended student athletes,” Slocum said.

, (see attached) the day after the council heard from about a half-dozen parents and supporters about their concern over the health of the locker rooms. “The project needs to move forward as soon as possible,” Daly wrote.

Many of the public comments from the April 10 meeting focused on the council’s delay in requesting bids for the project. The issue was tabled at the March council meeting.

Daly wrote that if the project must go to referendum this fall because the costs are greater than approved in 2009, the locker room must still get attention. “That also will require us, as a Town, to provide a safe and healthy space for the athletes when they return for Fall sports, which normally means August,” he wrote.

The locker room hasn’t been renovated for about 20 years, according to Daly. Slocum wrote in his response that the room “is not just old, there is a lack on institutional control.” He went on to write the students “clearly have no regard for the place and they seem to have the support of their coaches in that regard.”

Daly declined to respond to the personal comments Slocum made in his email. “What I directly see is these kids are getting sick during the season," Daly said. He said up to 90 athletes use the locker room during a game and viruses and germs could easily be transmitted.

Parents have related athletes' experiences with illnesses, including staph infections, ringworm and mononucleosis which they believe have been contracted in the locker room.

The special Town Council meeting to discuss the locker room project will be held on April 26 at 7:30 p.m.