Left In Lowell

This little tidbit was in the Lowell Sun yesterday (I hate it that they don’t update the website til the afternoon - I usually take my trip around the web in the morning, and then I have to remember to go back there in the afternoon.)

In the article, it’s mentioned that Councilor Rodney Elliot is questioning a permit issued up in Pawtucketville:

City Councilor Rodney Elliott is unwilling to accept Building Commissioner Joseph Guthrie’s contention that the permits he granted to a controversial Pawtucketville neighborhood development are legal.

“The more I look at the zoning code and the more I drive by that location, it doesn’t make sense to me,” Elliott said of the project at 5-7 Wright St. during Tuesday night’s council meeting.

“I know Mr. Guthrie has indicated it meets all the criteria, but it can’t possibly do that,” he said. “That development clearly is not what we want, and I don’t think the permit was issued correctly.”

Okay, good on Elliot, too bad the council seems to have lost all control over development before horrible things happen to the city, but at least this is a start. Here’s the part I found interesting, which a reader mentioned in comments the other day…

The issue dates to May. Paul Mercier, a local real-estate agent and the son of Mayor Armand Mercier, purchased a 12,000-square-foot corner lot at 33 Woodward Ave., which is located in an area of the city zoned for two-family homes.

A buildable lot need only measure 6,000 square feet in such a zone.

Mercier subsequently received Planning Board approval to subdivide the property into two 6,000-square-foot lots, one of which contained an existing duplex, and sold the vacant lot to O’Neill.

No, no image of impropriety in the development deals made in this city. Nothing to see here, move along.

wontNOT! points out a new blog, Idealism Without Illusions, on the Massachusetts scene. Welcome!

He starts off his blog with an excellent post:

Too often, in our current political environment, “leaders” put their finger in the air to determine their values. They test the polls and talk to the interest groups, to avoid a misstep. This is not leadership, it is timidity.

If we are to move forward in progressive manner, our leaders must be able to make tough choices and take difficult stances.

Amen to that!

I just think this is so cool! Local comic book artists! It is just nifty.

Editor-in-Chief Patrick Cook, illustrator Kris Carter and publisher Larry Doherty (the Larry of Larry’s Comics) have formed their own comic company, Wicked Good Comics. Their debut, The Original Nine, will be unveiled this weekend for what Cook calls “the real test.”
…
Wicked Good’s The Original Nine has storylines that take place with one foot in Boston, the other more than three centuries ago.

And in homage to their hometown, the publishing trio plans to create for Lowell its own comic-book hero in 2006.

The initial reaction to Wicked Good from the comic community has been, like comic book justice, swift and positive, says Cook.

I might just have to pick myself up a copy! I’m not obsessed with comic books, but I know plenty of people who are. I love’s me a good super hero story, though.

If you’re interested in joining others to collect health care ballot initiative signatures, here’s the schedule that’s been put together:

Saturday, Oct. 1: two shifts, 10am - 12pm and 12pm - 2pm at various area supermarkets (the more volunteers, the more supermarkets that can be covered).

Sunday, Oct. 2: signature-gathering at the Tsongas arena after the Jericho Road Ride event from 12pm - 2pm.

If interested in any of these, contact Paulette at 978-746-7848 or email at her: rencar -at- comcast.net (change the -at- to @).

I watched the first half of last night’s city council meeting, the important part really. City Manager John Cox was up for his verbal and written reviews to determine if he deserves a 4% raise, and there were plenty of obsequious comments as well as some critiques. Most expected was Dick Howe’s rant and “Unsatisfactory” rating; others had mostly good things to say, and a couple had mixed reviews of the city manager. Jim Milinazzo might - might! - have redeemed his vote from me. Maybe. He rated “Satisfactory” which was the second lowest rating (Howe’s of course was “Unsatisfactory”).

Oh, and Cox made a touching *sniff, sniff, wipes tears away* speech at the end of the review. Maybe he should stop being city manager and run for an office. (Ha!)

I put in the rest of the agenda from last night also, so you can see what else was discussed (I just couldn’t sit still anymore, so I read down the list and nothing seemed really important so I skipped the rest of the meeting). My notes and comments as usual are in brackets []. The rest of this post is on the flip side:
(more…)

I haven’t written anything about the Jack Abramoff scandal yet, and such a huge scandal it is fast becoming. Popular dKos diarist Kagro X puts the whole shebang into its proper perspective - it’s starting to look like Abramoff is more like a mafia boss - with crooked ties into half the Republican legislators, front groups, and the Christian Coalition - in order to run an old-fashioned protection racket, only with Abramoff “protecting” clients, like the Indian casinos he’s represented and stolen money from, from government regulation he had a hand in lobbying for in the first place. And then getting a Justice Dept prosecutor demoted when he was about to investigate the allegations.

I predict, when Abramoff goes down, he takes a lot of people, like DeLay, with him. It will be the national equivalent of the current Ohio GOP scandal which is killing the Republican party there. Let’s hope it’s sooner rather then later, because this country can’t afford to be run like a mafia for long.

All right, whether or not the debate is ongoing about the Katrina response fiasco being Chertoff’s and the DHS’ fault or FEMA’s and Brownie’s, we all know that Michael Brown had no background in emergency management, right?

But what does the Bush administration do after one of their friends screws up? Why, give them a promotion - or if that’s politically untenable, give them a high paying consulting gig. At the agency they screwed up in.

CBS News correspondent Gloria Borger reports that Knocke told her that technically Brown remains at FEMA as a “contractor” and he is “transitioning out of his job.” The reason he will remain at FEMA about a month after his resignation, said the spokesman, is that the agency wants to get the “proper download of his experience.”

During that time, Brown will advise the department on “some of his views on his experience with Katrina,” as he transitions out of his job, Knocke told the Associated Press.

Dude, we’re paying him to stay on and tell us how he fucked up? Why can’t we just make him testify in front of Congress or some other investigative body? Letting New Orleans drown makes Brownie a better expert at managing crisises than before he resigned? Oh, the logic of the Bush administration. [Via AMERICAblog.]

Well, at least the part of the city that’s good for certain developers, or at least that’s what many of you out there have said. This Lowell Sun article gives a lot of perspective from the point of view of Zaharoolis, and the opposing viewpoints are all deferential and lukewarm. Why is it that there are lots of people in this city (including people like Dick Howe) who see cronyism and the cozy relationship with developers as the main problem with the Planning Board and its chair, and not one quote is from any of those? Shameful, but only to be expected from the Lowell Sun, unfortunately.

Here’s some quotes:

Zaharoolis said he treats builders and residents equally. Some developers and attorneys may receive better treatment, but he said there is a reason: They are more prepared and have better plans.

He said the key issue is whether a development plan meets the city’s zoning guidelines, and added that any plans that stray are rejected.

“You’ve heard me say to these people, ‘It’s a lousy plan,’ “ he said.

“Everybody’s in the pot. If you talk to some of the attorneys and some of the other contractors, you’ll find that I’m as hard on them on certain things and maybe harder because they’re the people that should know and have the technical expertise to understand the zoning.”

He questions the wisdom of imposing term limits, saying it would deprive the city of much-needed expertise.

“It’s a bunch of words,” he said. “What does it actually mean? They want someone in the position they can control. That’s the long and the short of it.”

Uhhhhh, yeah. Since you’re an employee of the city, and of taxpayers, damn right there should be some oversight and control.

Zaharoolis also is active in local Democratic politics.

A former ward chairman in the city’s Highlands neighborhood, he now sits on the Ward 6 committee, which covers the city’s Pawtucketville section. Ward committee members concentrate on keeping up party membership and registering new Democratic voters for state and federal elections.

Well, that makes sense. Seeing as the old guarde Democrat machinery in this state is half the problem. Any of you out there should be thinking about joining the Democratic Town Committee in whatever form or fashion you can. We need to take back the city - and the Party - from the machine, people. It’s all related. Reform starts in our towns and cities.

Cox has not reappointed Zaharoolis. Nor has he reappointed Vice Chairman Thomas Linnehan, whose term expired in November 2003, or member Richard Lockhart, whose term expired last September. The council would be asked to approve any nominees.

That’s interesting, seeing as Zaharoolis’ term expired September 13th according to the Sun. Are they waiting til after the elections, so the sitting City Councilors who are running for reelection don’t have to vote on this appointment and risk pissing off a few voters? Hmmmm. Sort of like that whole flap over the reassessments of property values, eh?

Fellow board member Joseph Clermont said Zaharoolis does his homework for every project that appears before the board and runs an efficient, fair meeting.

“Everyone gets the opportunity to say their piece,” he said. “He doesn’t want a lot of back and forth and that sort of thing.”

Yes, because you know, real democracy is real messy and stuff. Better leave off all that actual debate and discussion. Yikes!

Zaharoolis acknowledged that he can be curt with some speakers if they meander from the subject. But he said he can be just as gruff with developers, too.

“I’m not out there to hurt anyone,” he said. “But I am out there to make sure that the meeting is run in an orderly fashion, and if I step on somebody’s toes, it’s got to be for a reason. If you don’t stay focused on the particular project and we get into personalities of developers, personalities of neighborhoods that are not relative to the subject, then I have to move on.

“OK, I’m harsh,” he added. “But am I fair? I’ve been fair to every one of them.”

OK, you all tell me. Has he been fair “to every one of them”?

[PS: think about writing a letter to the editor on this one. The Sun’s readers should be allowed to read about points of view that the Sun seemed to miss.]

Did you go to Lowell Open Studios this weekend? Talk about it here. I have photos of some of the artwork and will be featuring a piece or two a day this week, of things that struck me for whatever reason. As with last year, I had a total blast and come away from it inspired and energized.

As for excusing the laziness of starting an open thread, well, I’m going to be recovering from falling on my face prior to the Greater Lowell for Peace and Justice Open House today. If you wanna see me with a black eye get your fanny over to Lowell Drinking Liberally at The Brewery Exchange tomorrow night at 7:30pm. I’m sure my face will still be a lovely shade of purple for your entertainment.

I want to thank the new people who attended our Open House tonight - you are all lovely, even though I was not at my best the whole night (that ice pack was COLD!). And also thanks to those who went to Coalition for a Better Acre’s annual meeting. I heard it was amazing and fun and I’m sorry I had to miss it!

This weekend is hopping with events both cultural and activist. Here’s a rundown!

First, it’s Lowell Open Studios! It’s going to be great weather to wander around downtown, so check out the various sites listed on the map at their website. Open Studios goes from noon to 5 both Saturday and Sunday. There’s lots of artists in the new Western Ave studios, as well as the traditional Ayer Lofts on Middle St, the Brush Art Gallery, and St. John’s, among other places. I’ll be out there, with my health care petition and my camera, tomorrow afternoon.

Next, the Coalition for a Better Acre has their big annual meeting, [date/time added: Wannalancit Mills (600 Suffolk Street), Sat. 5pm] open to the public. Along with the typical board-voting activities, they will have cultural entertainment - dancers and music - as well as a dinner. This would be a great way to connect with the community, and take a look at the Affordable Housing campaign and learn about the Housing Summit CBA will be hosting in October.

On Sunday, join Greater Lowell for Peace and Justice (of which I am a member) for our Open House. Come learn about the group, see what we’re up to this year, and find out how you can help (be a member, or just volunteer!). Open House is from 4 to 6pm, and there will be a pot-luck at the end. Location and directions can be found at the above link.

If you’re in the mood for some theatre, check out the Image Theatre’s “Mill City Minutes Festival,” a series of 10-minute plays by Lowell playwrights. Scroll down to view a synopsis of the plays and which ones will play which nights.

And I have contact information if you want to join MassACT in petitioning in Lowell this weekend and next week. The effort here is being led by Paulette Renault-Caragianes (I hope I spelled that right!) and you can contact her at 978-746-7848, or at rencar -at- comcast.net (change the -at- to @). She would like to send people to the train station during high commuter hours, so volunteer if you can!

And don’t forget, Monday is as always Drinking Liberally night! Join us at The Brewery Exchange on Cabot St., second floor, 7:30pm.