Left In Lowell

Liveblogging the Cultural Dept Vote

22 Responses to “Liveblogging the Cultural Dept Vote”

1. lucy the dog Says:
   February 5th, 2008 at 9:50 pm

   caufield is giving her a run for her money for most bizarre, wrongheaded, doltish speech.

   but unless he can come up with a phrase better than “i cannot in good consciousness,” his efforts to one-up her will fall short.

2. lucy the dog Says:
   February 5th, 2008 at 10:01 pm

   i found the only thing on television between 8 and 9 on a tuesday that made me feel dumber than i would’ve felt watching american idol.

3. Lynne Says:
   February 5th, 2008 at 10:06 pm

   Lucy: I know what you mean!

   I think I feel a need to listen to Dick on WCAP and maybe call in…

4. K-R-S Says:
   February 5th, 2008 at 10:18 pm

   And a win for St. Onge!

5. Mimi Says:
   February 5th, 2008 at 10:33 pm

   Great live blogging Lynne. I am most surprised at the Mayor’s vote. What does he intend to do to lead this City in a positive direction? What will be his legacy? How disappointing!

6. jdayne Says:
   February 5th, 2008 at 11:13 pm

   Truly time to start to organize–by condo building, block, neighborhood . . . to have members of the forward looking community be ready to turn out and vote in the next City Council election in 2009. Tonight illustrated how critical that very local vote is. I know that in my Ward 2 few registered voters actually turned out and voted in November 2007. I truly hope that every individual who was in the Chamber this evening, many of whom spoke eloquently on behalf of the Office of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, did vote. Now it is time to enlist far, far more like minded individuals to participate in local level voting.

   I can say from my experience at the Ward(s) meeting on Saturday, it is pretty much a “machine” operation here in Lowell. But you know, if the barbarians would register and vote maybe, just maybe we can walk through — rather than have to break down — the gates.

   The willful ignorance, the dreadful manipulation of fact and the sheer showboating tonight really reduced Lowell. I did not agree with the ultimate vote, but ultimate vote or not, the discussion that lead to it simply embarrassed me.

   I also think it is time for the adults in the business community, if there is one of any meaning and involvement, should step up and show some leadership. But then when I introduced myself to our glad-handing (when he came up to me) State Senator that I knew he used a certain local bar for all his fundraisers and that I hoped he would encourage the owner to improve its appearance in its significant location as a gateway to the City, I had an illustration of how peeved and childish the “adults” in leadership positions can be. Still, one can hope and one can vote.

7. Interested Says:
   February 5th, 2008 at 11:45 pm

   Unbelievable…
   I was there as well. As I was leaving, I thought about creating my own blog and calling it CITY COUNCIL FAILS…but then I came back to reality. What is wrong with these people? I instantly thought, “they need to not be re-elected”. I didn’t understand where Rita’s anger was coming from…I found her downright rude and obnoxious. Lanzi(sp?) made a TINY bit more sense than the other nay-sayers, but come on. Can this Council REALLY think this is bad for the city of Lowell? Do they understand how important this is for the city right now? Shame on them for voting against this proposal - do you know if this will be re-submitted to answer the “concerns”? Sure makes me wish it were council election time.

8. sd Says:
   February 6th, 2008 at 1:34 am

   lowell continues to be a 21st century city with a 19th century government

9. waittilnextyr Says:
   February 6th, 2008 at 2:20 am

   The Empire strikes back!

   There was an overwhelming show of support from the public, one of the strongest of any recent public hearing.

   I thought Caulfield might live up to the position, but he fell back into his old ways. Too bad, as a coordinated marketing plan would be good for not only the artists, but the entire community.

10. Bob F Says:
    February 6th, 2008 at 8:55 am

    This very bad outcome is something to worry about in terms of the larger issues the city faces in it revitalization efforts. There is no question but that the region’s creative economy and all of the activities taking place in Lowell are a very, very important engine for future growth. For so many on the Council to exhibit such narrow, ill-informed, and supremely self-absorbed behavior in their comments and vote goes well beyond what I anticipated would happen last evening. And, it makes me wonder what happens as the Hamilton Canal project moves forward. This vote coupled with the vote the other evening to block further development of the Western Ave studios area sends out the wrong message to artists interested in coming here, developers other than the ‘chosen ones’ who want to do something interesting here, and it calls into question the lonmg-term future of the city. To vote no and clearly have no alternatives in mind to build from the creative economy report completed by Mt. Auburn, is to play deaf, dumb and blind to the city and region’s economic realities. For the nay sayers to exhibit a level of commitment to economic growth and care for taxpayers, as they repeated over and over, they must present a growth alternative or take credit for the slide that is inevitable otherwise. Artist and creative folks welcome - but don’t expect us to actually understand what you do and help things move forward! Ugh!!!

11. Bob F Says:
    February 6th, 2008 at 9:07 am

    BTW - watch the same crowd in action as they continue their mean=spirited attack on the poor and homeless. Further proof that there is little interest in moving the city ahead - esp when a broad-based group of residents has been working for months to come up with a series of recommendation on how to end homelessness in the city. Lets just move everyone without a place to live to Tewksbury - makes perfect sense if you lack any historical understanding of why people are homeless or who isbeing made homeless by the foreclosure crisis, or how so many of the folks that need facilities like the nTransitional Living Center are military vets and the working poor, folks who have served the country or are working in miserably low paying jobs with no hope of getting out of a rooming house or shelter housing. This discussion has started to take a mean and nasty turn and there is a danger that a lot of the good will built in the city in th elast few years will be lost, making further outside investment less likely and exacerbating problems in an already weak local and regional economy!

12. Mr. Lynne Says:
    February 6th, 2008 at 9:52 am

    They’d rather spend $10 badly than $12 wisely. What vision. Never mind that a better analogy would be $10 vs $10.

    Just remember… they all support the city manager strongly… they said so to get elected. Sheesh.

    Only could a place like Lowell do the kind of groundwork that went into the report, praise its conclusions unanimously, and reject a motion on its implementation by a highly regarded technocrat with the support of entire swaths of the Lowell community.

    They probably think they are ‘protecting’ their friends. Bud had an opportunity to put Lowell’s future ahead of its past last night. He failed to summon the courage to do the right thing in favor of sticking with his buddies. GOBers to the end.

    And don’t forget that K has made an offer to buy the Western Avenue Studios’ building… a reinvigorated arts community might get in the way for him. hmmmm.

13. kami Says:
    February 6th, 2008 at 10:07 am

    The vote was no surprise. You’re now seeing what the Mayor is really like. This was all about Cox protege Andy St. Onge having to report to someone instead of doing whatever he likes. It’s about Deb Belanger not wanting her turf stepped on and its about the operators of the Lowell Memorial Auditorium protecting their cash cow. It was a very sad display of politics versus progress.

    The Western Ave vote by the Zoning board was the first shot across the bow aimed at the Artist community. All orchestrated by Kazanjian. If the Manager reappoints any of the zoning board members that voted against the Western Ave artist district it would be a travesty. I believe two of them (Belanger & Knox) are up this spring. Belanger has a bar in the area and doesn’t support any more housing development that might intersect negatively with his business. John Knox is a Cox protege and a friend of the Mayor. Kevin Cavanaugh was Kazanjians campaign manager. The only member that voted in favor of it was Manager Lynch’s latest appointment William Bailey. Unfortunately, he’s only an alternate. If you haven’t already seen the meeting, watch it on LTC.

    The Artist community is a welcome, vibrant addition to our City. I am disgusted with how their wonderful contributions were trampled on last night. Rita was the angriest I’ve ever seen her. And over what?? I don’t know what she was referring to when she spoke about “power”. Unless she was referring to giving Lz Nunn the ability to make St.Onge show up to work. It’s still all about Cox. They’ll do anything to make Bernie look bad and bring Cox back. It’s pathetic. Bernie applied for an open job. He didn’t have anything to do with Cox’s ouster. Talk about shooting the messenger.

14. MOONLIGHT Says:
    February 6th, 2008 at 10:16 am

    I cant understand were mayor bud-lite is coming from
    no new funds were necessary, mgr. lynch made that quite clear
    talking to councillor towtruck is a waste of time
    k.r.s is right win fro st. onge, and deb belanger
    lets hope things get better but i doubt it. also, jim
    millanarzzo said he would talk on the subject later but never did !!!!

15. Lucy the Dog Says:
    February 6th, 2008 at 10:42 am

    As a sidenote, can anyone on this site confirm whether the city budget includes $80,000 for the Folk Festival? The Mayor mentioned that huge contribution by the city during his soliliquey on all he’s done for the ungrateful masses with their silly little artsy dreams. But then Lynch seemed to indicate that the amount was not $80K, and not $50K, but more along the lines of $0K. That seemed like a pretty large discrepancy. Just curious.

16. K-R-S Says:
    February 6th, 2008 at 11:02 am

    So, K makes a bid for Western Ave. buildings, he gets turned down and the brd which he just stepped off of, comprised of many of his buds, turns down the Western Ave project at ZBA hearing?

17. Turtledove Says:
    February 6th, 2008 at 11:33 am

    The city budget is available on-line
    http://www.lowellma.gov/newsitems/City%20of%20Lowell%20FY2008%20Proposed%20Budget.pdf
    I did a search, no mention, as the manager stated, of the Folk Festival.

18. jdayne Says:
    February 6th, 2008 at 11:40 am

    21 months +days before the next City Council election. Register, research, recruit your friends and neighbors and show up to vote.

    Until then, and as a part of the process, recruit your neighbors who are not artists (thus not appearing “self-interested” giving the Council an excuse) to attend Council meetings and Finance Committee meetings and, in general, to be visible as invested community members.

    The City Council may seem willfully ignorant of economics, and maliciously mis-informed, but they can count votes–and they know what Wards vote and what Wards do not.

19. Mr. Lynne Says:
    February 6th, 2008 at 11:42 am

    When it comes to the future of Lowell, the guy is in the way.

20. jdayne Says:
    February 6th, 2008 at 11:43 am

    Oh, and I should have said that I agree with Bob F’s larger points about, among other issues, the Hamilton Canal District and overall tenor of the next decade(s) in Lowell and the area. This was a bad, mean-spirited and intentional vote and–while one truly hopes not–could signal a bad, mean-spirited and self-limiting future for Lowell.

21. Interested Says:
    February 6th, 2008 at 12:11 pm

    And another thing..
    I wish someone would PLEASE tell the Mayor that casino gambling is NOT something that Lowellians should rely on for economic development. Do I really need to list the reasons why?! Kudos to everyone that is commenting here….

22. kami Says:
    February 6th, 2008 at 12:27 pm

    I would like to make one correction to my posting. The member of the zoning board that was Kazanjians campaign manager was Rick Bienvenue. I mistakenly got the two confused

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