Left In Lowell

Saturday’s editorial in the Lowell Sun is really one for the ages. In case you have not notice, we have a municipal election coming up and those City Councilor members who are friendly to the powers that be at the paper are getting good coverage, and the rest of them, well don’t expect the facts to get in the way of this agenda.

In case you have not read the editorial, here is the link.

The writer of this editorial accuses the majority of the City Councilors from preventing a citizen and taxpayer from speaking in front of the City Council. A taxpayer that is going to save the City $70 million dollars and these five do not even want to hear him.

I am convinced that this editorial is part of the Sun’s campaign to promote certain City Councilors and keep kicking around the rest of them. In this case, promote City Councilor Bud Caulfield and kick around City Councilor Bill Martin. BTW, CC Caulfield has been mentioned in 55 articles that have appeared in the Lowell Sun this past year and CC Martin, 14 times. Yes, that is one of the ways, I measure promote and demote.

Back to the preventing a citizen from speaking and helping the City save money. According to the discussions that took place earlier this month on the City Council floor, this person has met with the City Manager and his staff. Imagine that, he offered a plan to make all kinds of money and CM B. Lynch and CFO T. Moses, said, “uh, no!”

But most importantly, this particular individual did have an opportunity to address the City Council. It was on November 30th, less than 2 months ago at the Housing Sub-Committee meeting, chaired by CC B. Martin. Here is a video clip of the report that the Councilor gave later on that night to the full City Council. Please note that CC Martin mentions that the entire City Council was present at the Sub-Committee meeting and please note the vote on the Sub-Committee’s recommendation: 9 in favor; 0 against.

The issue of foreclosed properties presenting a source of revenue is complicated and I am grateful that Dick explained it to us on his blog today. The laws are complicated and I admit I do not understand all of it. But we do have City Councilor members and individual in the administration who do. BTW, Dick was also in attendance at that November 30th meeting and gave his opinion to the City Councilors. Does anyone really believe that the majority of the City Councilor does not want to seek new revenue streams? Does anyone really believe that they are not willing to listen to proposals that will benefit the City? But how many times do they have to listen to the same proposal?

Gerry also posted on this issue on his blog. In the comment section, Jack Mitchell has a link to the clip featuring CC Martin’s comments on the motion, discussion and vote during the Councilor’s appearance on City Life.

Senator Eileen Donoghue has been named chair of the state Senate’s Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development. Pretty cool, and it bodes well for the district, especially Lowell.

She also is serving on the following:

Donoghue will also serve as vice chair of the Joint Committee on Higher Education, and a member of the committees on Economic Development & Emerging Technologies; Telecommunications, Utilities & Energy; and Community Development & Small Business.

All have some obvious advantages, but she will have the opportunity to keep UML and MCC in mind as well as the rest of our state public higher ed; affect green energy policy and emerging tech (like nano?); and do some good on the economic front. All good areas of policy for Lowell. I look forward to seeing what Donoghue does on these issues!