Left In Lowell

Reinstating the Assistant City Manager Position

by Mimi at 7:27 pm.

Yesterday’s Lowell Sun’s “The Column” had a few paragraphs on City Manager Bernie Lynch’s plans to ask the City Council to reinstate the position of Assistant to the City Manager. I am not going to review the whole history, we all know what happened. But just in case, here is the story.

I would link to the Column but the Sun has decided for business reasons not to have “The Column” available on line for its non-paying customers.

Back to CM Lynch, according to the Column “he is evaluating the needs of his office, putting together a job description and planning to ask the council to restore funding for the position.”

And during his weekly radio interview on WCAP CM Lynch has raised this same issue. Here is a 30-second clip from last week’s Finance Sub-Committee meeting where the topic is raised by the CM. (More on the Finance Sub-Committee meeting and the City Budget at a later date).

I am one of those who believe that the results of this year’s municipal election indicate a vote of confidence for the Lynch administration. Any manager, including this one, needs to structure his administration as he sees fit. I do believe that the majority sentiment of the new City Council will be to give him the tools that he needs to accomplish the CCs goals and objectives.

Even if the CC were to approve this in mid-January, the Assistant will not be in place probably until early February. So for the remainder of the fiscal year, the added cost will be less than $40,000; a sum that can be transferred from the Manager’s contingency fund. That money will be a good investment in our future if it gives the CM the opportunity “to identify and implement cost savings idea and improve our efficiencies.” I hope the reinstatement of the position will not be as turbulent as the elimination was but we will see.

[Filed under Local politics, City Council] [link]

10 Responses to “Reinstating the Assistant City Manager Position”

Greg Page Says:
November 30th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Bernie, seize the moment!
Right In Lowell Says:
November 30th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
It will be interesting to see if he makes his move before January or waits till a ‘friendlier’ group is in place.
Lynne Says:
December 1st, 2009 at 11:00 am
I wouldn’t do it now, I’d totally wait. No use hitting one’s head on a brick wall repeatedly.
Fran McDougall Says:
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:09 am
Andy, we hardly knew ya. It’s not your problem any more. Too bad your loss wasn’t corrected earlier.
Big Dog Says:
December 3rd, 2009 at 4:34 pm
I hear that Sheehan had a terrible personality anyway, hell he didn’t live in the city so why should he right??? I say get a qualified local person in there and let’s see how they do!
Mimi Says:
December 3rd, 2009 at 11:07 pm
Big Dog:

I do not what you heard from whom but I served on a board with Andy. I found him to be polite and attentive. I will let the CM decide who and what he needs to make this City run as best as possible. This is not a Mr. congeniality contest, is it? I do not what the Assistant City Manager to be hired because he or she are the social director at City Hall.
The Messenger Says:
December 4th, 2009 at 9:25 am
Well I heard big dogs like to sniff other big dogs’ butts - but that doesn’t make it true… Rather than hearsay I’ll give you what I know about Sheehan personally: he’s smart, he’s a pro & he’s the kind of guy you want on your team. Lowell lost out with the political infighting of late. Let’s hope the new council learns from history.
Kam Says:
December 4th, 2009 at 9:28 am
Have we so soon forgotten that Andy Sheehan admitted to what HE described as “gallows humor”. I don’t think its funny in any way, shape, manner, or form to laugh while handing out pink slips to long time employees with your gal pal about it. I can’t believe anyone would condone that type of behavior. Especially when it was the “little guy” that was getting the pink slips. Not the Managers.

I always thought left leaning thinkers were for the rank and file worker. I guess Sheehan could do no wrong. As long as it fits with YOUR vision of how things are supposed to be done.

He did not have to be the city social director but he had a responsiblity to act professionally. Isn’t that whats always being touted here “professional management”? A professional Asst. City Manager does not act like that. You can defend it any which way you want but it was crude and cruel to those individuals losing their jobs.
Lynne Says:
December 4th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
OMG that canard again? Good lord, can’t we move on? He’s gone, you can stop beating the crap out of the guy now.

(By the way, you’re full of you know what.)
Katz Says:
December 4th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Kudos Lynne. Time to move on. Andy was a professional, as is the Manager..Could it be that Andy was beginning to peal away the skin of the rotten apples, thereby some city councilors made it their personal mission to get rid of him. Oh what a tangled web we weaved!!! We need a council that works for all the people not just a few friends..Time to get this city moving in the right direction-do some departmental reorganizations-clean up the neighborhoods-fix the infrastructure. Oh! But wait! We can’t do departmental reorganizations until the Feds and Atty. General’s Office finish their investigation of yet another corrupt group political hackies. Let the City Manager do his job… Hire an Assistant City Manager, someone like Any Sheehan, with good business sense.

Katz

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November 30, 2009

Reinstating the Assistant City Manager Position

10 Responses to “Reinstating the Assistant City Manager Position”

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