Left In Lowell

Last night the Lowell City Council held two meetings: one to discuss the contract of the in-coming City Manager, Bernie Lynch and the other was the bi-weekly (Summer session) scheduled meeting. (To be posted later).

Well, I guess all those rumors about Executive Session to discuss the contract were just that, rumors. Where do people get their information? The CC should be congratulated for having the whole process of selecting the new CM so open. But that will not satisfy the critics. We know what this is about. It is not about the in-coming CM, it is about the out-going CM.

City Solicitor Christine O’Connor presented the terms of the contract to the Council. Apparently, the final draft was sent to the City Council yesterday. The terms of the contract are pretty much standard. He will receive the same vacation, sick leave, personal time structure as the Department Heads.

The terms of termination are also outlined. For example, if Lynch gets fired without 90 days notice, he gets 4 months severance pay. All that is pretty standard. The Human Resources Department reviewed the terms of accrued sick leave and vacation to make sure it was the same as other Department Heads, and it was.

The only area of confusion was the 10% payment to his personal 401 (K) which will be made in August when he comes on Board. I am not sure how this came about.

The dynamics of the discussion and questions from the City Councilors were predictable. The City Solicitor did a good job not only drafting a contract under though scrutiny but keeping her cool in answering questions that at times seemed like an interrogation.

O’Connor did tell the CC that she did ask the State Ethics commission about her drafting the contract for someone who will be her boss. They gave her the go-ahead.

O’Connor did answer that no, Mr. Lynch nor his attorney did not tell her what to insert in the contract; but yes there was negotiations. She was asked a number of times if Lynch told her what to insert in the contract.

O’Connor also said she did what was best for the City and that Lynch’s contract with Lowell is not as lucrative as the one he had in Chelmsford. She mentioned that she used the contract drawn for Jim Campbell (a previous CM who also got a contract) as a major guideline.

A couple of observation: Bernie Lynch was there to answer questions. Actually on my way home from work, I saw him briskly walking towards City Hall. Yes, I did see that famous black convertible BMer parked on our City Street. The car question did come up, and O’Connor said he will get a city car like all the previous City Managers. If he gets a better car than CM Cox, we will never hear the end of it.

I am not sure why CC Bud Caufield did not support the contract. He did explain that yes he did want a contract but he did not like the provision of making a donation towards the 401 (K) but if I understood correctly the total amount of the package was decided by the CC; the distribution was devised through negotiations. Am I wrong? I am sure if I am confused, someone out there will straighten me out.

We knew all along that both CC A. Mercier and R. Mercier did not want to hire Lynch and did not favor a contract. So there was no surprise there.

By the way, in case you did not figure it out, the vote was 6-3 in favor of the contract.