Left In Lowell

Waittilnextyr’s City Council Quarterly Report 6/30/07

22 Responses to “Waittilnextyr’s City Council Quarterly Report 6/30/07”

1. Mimi Says:
   June 29th, 2007 at 4:27 pm

   Wait:

   According to my calculations, this averages out to a C.

   Part of the problem is that instead of conducting business so that the City can move forward and overcome some of these obstacles facing us, we have Councilors beating on the current administration not on issues of significance but on who has what job and who gets paid how much.

2. waittilnextyr Says:
   June 29th, 2007 at 5:54 pm

   It seems that the city council gets bogged down on these personnel issues and many non-substantive motions, whereas their primary responsibility is to set policies for the betterment of Lowell.

   Some of the apparent lack of progress may be due to the need to have restrictions on disclosure of things of material importance during negotiations for prospective contracts.

3. Mr. Lynn Says:
   June 29th, 2007 at 6:34 pm

   “There has apparently been a delay in awarding a contract to the Master Developer, but no reason has been publicized.”

   Isn’t this information supposed to be public? Is there a law being broken here?

4. Mike Says:
   June 29th, 2007 at 8:26 pm

   what is mixed-rate affordable housing anyway?

5. The Prince of Darkness Says:
   June 29th, 2007 at 8:36 pm

   It appears that the current council reacts to things but doesn’t initiate anything. It will react to the moods of the paper, the past administration but rarely acts in the best interest of the electorate. We have a councillor like Bud-Light Caulfield who seems to have a hot-line to the newsroom at the Sun, but still carries water for Cox and crowd. Rita’s just a loose cannon, does her own thing as long as it doesn’t threaten her 35k/year “part-time” job for the High Sheriff. No heavy lifting, I’m sure. Let’s just hope she didn’t put up all those signs on Middlesex County time. Let’s broom these two to the curb. And if Caulfield is still driving the hearse for Mc Donough’s, I’m calling O’Donnells. I dont want a stiff giving me my last ride up Gorham Street.

6. Concerned Citizen Says:
   June 29th, 2007 at 9:41 pm

   Any idea how many citizens in Lowell actually follow the city council meetings? If more people would watch I suspect the M-C-M would not last long, how do we promote more involvement from the citizens? Any ideas?

7. Mr. Lynn Says:
   June 29th, 2007 at 9:49 pm

   I remember back when Lynne first started putting up notes on the meetings being startled at how positive the reaction was.

   Also… with regard to the RFR, after further thought I’d be it is a fiscal calander issue.

8. waittilnextyr Says:
   June 29th, 2007 at 11:30 pm

   “what is mixed-rate affordable housing anyway?”

   Unfortunately, “affordable” is usually based on median income of a community. For Lowell, that is:

   “The median income for a household in the city was $39,192, and the median income for a family was $45,901.”

   But that means half of the households make less than that, so what is established as affordable for some, does not apply to others.

   How can a city provide housing for a broad range of citizens without isolating the poorest in the old standby housing projects?

9. armand de caulaincourt Says:
   June 30th, 2007 at 3:52 pm

   Great information.
   In my opinion

   But # 18 should and must be # 1 for Lowell, it’s citizens and it’s future.
   Motorola? What is the true financial health of this firm? Was Lowell snookered again? How much direct or indirect Lowell ( Loewll Plan)$$ in the deal? Why is Cross Point now up for sale?

   #9. How about getting rid of” conflicts of interest” on local boards rather that just getting ride of the” appearance” of conflict of interest. That would be a bit of fresh air.

   Many Lowell board members are inter-connected and work in harmony with certain other board members and “select” developers and insiders. Why does one Lowell “board” member not use his true “legal” name? What’s he hiding? Anything to do with the Lowell License Commission?

   #2. Expand Commercial Tax Base. Yes, with what?
   With over priced and soon to be empty municpal parking garages? with empty stores?; and more empty press releases from DPD?

   The “CM” if he is smart should demand results; not more goofy plans from his departments.

   How much city, state and federal money is invested each year in the decades old talk about “revitalzing down town Lowell.” What is it’s the return in term of jobs, and taxes? $One million for every one job?

   Older downtowns almost every-where are history. It’s all over for them! No one cares about them except poliical hacks who are stuck inthe cities and who are well paid to ” always try save them”, and dying local newspapers desperate for something or anything to write about. Down towns are a thing of the past. Just like the daily press! Bye,bye Sun, you won’t be missed.

   99.99% of the “general public” shop at malls, at the well lit, crime free, parking free, shopping centers. Will someone inform the “CM” that even Burger King had to leave Lowell because of lack of business.

   And that even he former Lowell Chamber-of-Cash folded. See Ken W’s good buddy KC over at Saint Mem. Keep up the nice work. Dig deeper. Pobe a lot more and look behind the press releases.

10. Lark Says:
    June 30th, 2007 at 4:00 pm

    Armand wrote,
    “#9. How about getting rid of” conflicts of interest” on local boards rather that just getting ride of the” appearance” of conflict of interest. That would be a bit of fresh air.

    Many Lowell board members are inter-connected and work in harmony with certain other board members and “select” developers and insiders. Why does one Lowell “board” member not use his true “legal” name? What’s he hiding? Anything to do with the Lowell License Commission?”

    Armand is wright on with this one.

    As for #2, yes the CM should demand results, letting go those of who are not delivering.

    Armand, just one question, what is your issue with the Lowell Plan?

11. Mike Says:
    June 30th, 2007 at 7:34 pm

    “99.99% of the “general public” shop at malls, at the well lit, crime free, parking free, shopping centers.”

    Yeah, Pheasant Lane Mall is crime free. Suuuuure.

12. The Prince of Darkness Says:
    June 30th, 2007 at 8:43 pm

    Hey guys, knock it off, you’re making me look like Snow White.

13. Lark Says:
    June 30th, 2007 at 9:14 pm

    Armand had written,

    “Many Lowell board members are inter-connected and work in harmony with certain other board members and “select” developers and insiders. Why does one Lowell “board” member not use his true “legal” name? What’s he hiding? Anything to do with the Lowell License Commission?”.

    Please enlighten?

14. Lark Says:
    June 30th, 2007 at 9:15 pm

    Last question, in referance to the Lowell License Commission comment.

15. armand de caulaincourt Says:
    July 1st, 2007 at 10:29 am

    Issue with “the non transparent, non accountable, elusive” Lowell Plan? My, my how cynical?

    I view it as simply the isolated and insular “private kingdom” of a former DPD political mega-mastermind.

    He plays Lowell’s elected officials like they were his fiddle! I have no issue; just envious of his “fat-cat” pay check and percs for doing nothing and constantly delivering less.

    I have absolutley no interest in any elected or wannbe. I have no ax to grind. I’m sadden that Lowell’s government, has lost it’s moral and ethical compass.

    The Lowell elected are no longer “for the people” they are just for themselves. Idealism is dead.

    Too many former Lowell CM’s, from Uncle Joe; to “Saudi” Wild Bill, and Paul the Gambler, have a negative and powerful influence within CH.
    The only exception is Mr Clean Jim.( whom the da’Sun wants to discredit)

    How many key CH employees are “puppets” of these former CM’s? Mr present CM, take a deep hard look and watch your back. The real enemy is within and on the payroll.

    I’m sadden that the Fourth Estate is Lowell’s # 1 embarrassemt.
    Journalist integry, in Lowell, is a thing of the past.

16. Lark Says:
    July 1st, 2007 at 10:51 am

    Armand,
    was just curious your take, as we don’t often discuss the Lowell Plan except when they are funding a study of some sort.

    You didn’t answer the question abou the License Commission.Please do tell.

    Yes, the current CM’s greatest enemies are within the halls of City Hall, with one being/having moved to “the yard”.

17. armand de caulaincourt Says:
    July 1st, 2007 at 4:00 pm

    Mr.or MS Lark,

    No, I did not answer the question about the Lowell License Commision because my comments were not “directly” pertaining to that body.

    Read again: “Why does one Lowell board membr not use his true legal name. What’s he hiding? Anything to do with the Lowell License Commission?”

    Why wouldn’t anyone use his true legal name? “What is he hiding?”
    Maybe nothing? Maybe soemthing.

    The important questions is: does the City have a due dilligence review process to check on individuals named to it’s various board and commissions, especially after 9/11? Is any background check done, or required, and if not, why not?

    A. Let’s give this individual time to mull this over. Let “him” come clean. Perhaps he hs a perfectly good honest reason. And if not, mabe he will resign saving many from embarrasment. Let us have some compassion.

    B. If anyone reads this blog they may elect to review or even investiage the matter. Lowell does not have that many boards and commissions, does it?

    C. The CM office could request that all “present” board and
    commission members furnish his office with copies of postive name identification such as “birth certificate’s, green cards, etc. etc.

    When, and if, this does comes out in the open, and it dfoesn’t smell that good, then match the name with the name on file at the Lowell License Commission. Then cross index this Lowell License Commission name with the names of individual that have received” maybe” finacial aid, money, from the LP.

    Just the old story of Lowell politics and money grab. But is it public, private or quasi-public-private money? Only the Jimbo knows.

    I hope this has been of some slight illumination.

    Have fun digging. It’s all there just hiding in the open.

18. bd Says:
    July 1st, 2007 at 4:57 pm

    Armand, who are you, Deep Throat? If you have something to say, say it.

19. "walking the halls" Says:
    July 3rd, 2007 at 12:10 pm

    Armand – “Lowell’s government, has lost it’s moral and ethical compass”. As compared to when – under the reign of Former CM Cox? Wasn’t he convicted by the Ethics Commission, while serving as our State Rep. for taking gifts that violated the Commonwealth’s laws?

20. The Prince of Darkness Says:
    July 3rd, 2007 at 3:06 pm

    I think that if you go back and look closely at some of our former CM’s, most were ethically challenged. It seems that the past administration was very arrogant about it and, where the top guy was a lawyer and an old-time Boston pol, they knew how to skirt along the edges without (technically) breaking the law.

21. Eleanor Rigby Says:
    July 3rd, 2007 at 7:35 pm

    Funny, as I recall way back when, the charter of Lowell was changed from a Strong Mayor and Aldermadic (sp) form of government to Plan E because a mayor (his name escapes me) was convicted of wrong doing.

    …wonder if Bush will pardon him?

    Hopefully now that there is an actual professional administrator at the helm things will improve.

22. Lark Says:
    July 3rd, 2007 at 10:33 pm

    Eleanor, if the “other side” has their way, we will go right back to mismanagement and outright wrongdoing in government. Get out and vote, tell all of your friends, neighbors and friends!

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