Left In Lowell

…could, maybe, this little blog be influencing the Lowell Sun?

OK, I find it an unlikely scenario too, but lookey here…I mean, snippets about last night’s City Council. Maybe I’m remembering incorrectly or I’ve missed some coverage in the past, but as far as I know, it’s the first time I’ve seen them put the coverage of a Council meeting together like this (by the way, go Dick Howe! I agree wholeheartedly - bold text for emphasis):

* Rezoned a parcel of land off the Lowell Connector near Connector Park that will allow the Gervais family to build and operate a Suzuki dealership.

* Referred to the Law Department a request from Councilor Richard Howe to change the Planning Board membership from appointed by the city manager to elected positions. Howe also wants a report on the feasibility of having the City Council serve as an appellate board for petitioners rejected by the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Howe believes both boards are too cozy with developers.

* Transferred to the Fire Department’s wages and salary account about $360,000 from the manager’s contingency account. The money is needed to fund the recently approved firefighters’ contract, a pact that gives firefighters a 3 percent raise in each of the next three years.

* Agreed to form a subcommittee to investigate cable-TV fees from Comcast, the city’s cable provider.

Or maybe they have done little summaries covering all aspects, great and small, of the Council meeting before. Regardless, I like it. (By the way, LTC’s TV Guide is wrong, so I haven’t yet seen the meeting myself, though I did try, honest!)

I’m busy typing up a transcript of my Patrick conversation for you all, among other things. Expect it tonight sometime.