Left In Lowell

Her Blog. Her Computer. Her Time.

25 Responses to “Her Blog. Her Computer. Her Time.”

1. Mr. Lynne Says:
   October 2nd, 2012 at 8:58 pm

   Now I have to slog through LTC’s video. Hopefully somebody will put in in a clip.

   I have a feeling some backlash is coming someone’s way.

   From a comment I put on Facebook:

   I think we had Bud for so long that some people assume there’s a rule that councilors are supposed to come to meetings prepared with an issue (preferably one suggested by the Sun) with which to take extreme time-wasting umbrage.

2. Lynne Says:
   October 2nd, 2012 at 9:00 pm

   Ahhh, Lowell. Where the stupid meets the inane. And mates with bitchiness. Fun!

3. Lynne Says:
   October 2nd, 2012 at 9:00 pm

   On a side note, my training class with Hector was fun and productive and NOT watching a Council meeting. Bonus!

4. Prince Charming Says:
   October 2nd, 2012 at 9:09 pm

   Off The Deep End.

5. Kathy Says:
   October 2nd, 2012 at 9:28 pm

   Has rodney elliot lost his mind? What an embarrassing and childish display he put on tonight. Anyone who pays any attention to Lowell politics knows he is bitter about not becoming mayor, and he reminds us every council meeting with his tantrums. But those tantrums also show us why he wasn’t made mayor. He has to be the most vindictive and immature councilor this city has ever seen, and in Lowell, that’s saying something!

6. Lynne Says:
   October 2nd, 2012 at 9:32 pm

   Yeah…you sorta gotta get your colleagues to like and trust you before they will vote for you for mayor…

   He’s taking the Bud seat. Someone had to do it, he believes.

   He also gets reinforced by the “editor” and the cub reporter, and maybe a few others I could mention from the Sun, who enable and affirm him. I mean, it’s hard to have low self-esteem, guys. Give him a break.

7. Prince Charming Says:
   October 3rd, 2012 at 6:47 am

   New Bud Light, now even lighter.

8. Magnolia Says:
   October 3rd, 2012 at 1:39 pm

   Up until I read this post - I and several of my neighbors were under the impression that the Room 50 was an OFFICIAL blog. Perhaps a little change in appearance might give people a different impression. Other than that - I do enjoy the blog.

9. Mr. Lynne Says:
   October 3rd, 2012 at 2:27 pm

   Assume for the moment that it *was* a website set up by the Mayor. There isn’t anything in there that couldn’t be construed as having to do with the Mayor’s and his aid’s official duties given that communicating to the public is part of those duties.

   He just doesn’t like that Jen communicates so well and that it undermines his campaign of undermining Murphy. He’s grasping at straws to find a way to turn a positive for the city into a negative for Murphy.

10. Jack Says:
    October 3rd, 2012 at 2:37 pm

    Maybe some of you have quit visiting Gerry Nutter’s blog, as he has been on hiatus. But, he has had several post about this matter, one of which includes this comment from Jen (with one “n”):

    “I will not change what I do or how I do it to satisfy those who wish to use my blog a a canard in the continued crusade to taint this Mayor, this Administration and the majority of this City Council. I am incredibly proud of the work I have done on the blog, writing about the POSITIVE events and happenings in the city (and there are many) and my experiences in my new role. In many cases the coverage on my blog of events (i.e. the solar groundbreaking and Harvest Festival) is better than you will find anywhere else.

    My blog is not about re-electing Patrick Murphy or falsely propping him up. I have been an observer of Lowell politics my entire life and in the last 4 years have had the unique opportunity to see it from the inside and outside.

    I believe in Mayor Murphy. I believe in the Lynch Administration. I believe in the majority of the City Council. I believe in Lowell. And I find myself in good company in doing so.

    Is Lowell without problems? No. Is arguing about my blog or some of the other petty fights that turn Council meetings into all night affairs going to solve the issues facing the city or make it a better place to live, work and play? No.

    I had every right to post the Mayor’s letter on my blog. It was the truth and needed to be shared among the din of naysayers who think if they say something long enough and loud enough it will become reality.
    Clearly my background is in communication. Clearly written, accurate communication. I will continue to provide that in an effort to increase communication between the Mayor’s office and the residents of Lowell and beyond.”

11. George DeLuca Says:
    October 3rd, 2012 at 4:22 pm

    I attended the City Council meeting last night. The best I could figure was that Councilor Elliot was going for a front page headline in today’s Sun, i.e., “Ameresco Controversy Erupts at Council Meeting”. However, Lyle Moran’s coverage appeared in the local section with no real mention of the spectacle. His coverage was fairly straight. I’m going to score the Sun in the class column in that they didn’t take the bait. However, “several councilors” equals 3; and “several calls” equals a couple.

    Councilor Elliot embarrassed himself and his colleagues last night once again with his childish posturing. I want to know who called him about the Ameresco contract, and since when should allow 2 phone calls out of 106,000 residents disrupt a City Council meeting when there’s so much crucial business to discuss. Were they residents? were they voters? were they Cox supporters? WHO? If one or two residents have concerns about our energy efficiency program, why didn’t they come to the meeting themselves?

    No something isn’t sitting right … Here we are coming off of a “City of Lowell Sustainability Week” that has become a yearly rally of the people; a rally that all City Councilors should be on board with in complete solidarity; and a City Councilor picks this moment in time to arbitrarily criticize the program? Councilor Elliot has some explaining to do … The Lowell Sun didn’t take the bait this time. Two other Councilors expressed an interest in seeing the contract, but Rodney sat alone in his corner, and unrelentingly embarrassed his Colleagues. The Mayor showed genuine concern for what was happening to the integrity of the City Council, and had the class to not use the gavel, but to sternly and clearly express his displeasure on behalf of his partners and fellow City Council members. Councilor Elliot chose sarcasm as his response.

    Councilor Elliot embarrassed the City last night. It was a time for celebration of a solid effort to reduce the carbon footprint in the City; a time for the City to bask in the potential for savings that can be realized by embracing a comprehensive energy efficiency program; a time for Lowell Pride and solidarity. Councilor Elliot … who do you represent exactly? Last night, it wasn’t Lowell.

12. Mr. Lynne Says:
    October 3rd, 2012 at 6:24 pm

    There used to be this thought that the guy ‘deserved’ a committee chair.

    I think his behavior lately has pretty much cinched it that he doesn’t belong anywhere near a chair position.

13. Joe S. Says:
    October 3rd, 2012 at 6:34 pm

    This (previously uncharacteristic) irritability and anger is disturbing, even refusing to stop interrupting others and speaking before being recognized, and then arguing about it when it is called on him. But that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t get a copy of the documents associated with the solar farm.

14. Robert Forrant Says:
    October 3rd, 2012 at 9:23 pm

    Caught this on TV and was wondering why no other council interrupted RE’s moments of personal privilege and called him on what he was doing. This bothered me more than the predcitable rantings.

15. Lynne Says:
    October 3rd, 2012 at 9:28 pm

    RE Nutter, last I checked, a simple statement of “this is not a city sponsored blog” ought to put any and all of this to rest. This has been stated multiple times. End of story.

    Are we really THAT bored that this has to be made into a fucking issue??

    No, wait, don’t answer that.

16. Lynne Says:
    October 3rd, 2012 at 9:29 pm

    PS - on Amaresco - the fact the CITY gets ownership at the end of the lease of 20 years is a HUGE deal…most solar leases on residential homes includes a re-up ability, or you can “buy out” the rest of the value of the panels, but you don’t automatically get to own them.

17. Mimi Says:
    October 3rd, 2012 at 9:38 pm

    Joe:


    I agree that he and all other Councilors have the right to answers whether it is a copy of this contract, correspondence, data or any other piece of information.

    However, this weekly barrage of accusatory questioning aimed at the Administration (not only the CM but also the Fire Chief, the Health Director, the CFO, the City Solicitor) has damaged the atmosphere in those Chambers. It is not about getting information, it is about damaging the Administration.

    All the other Councilors ask questions as he does but unlike him they have not left their civility at the door. It seems that it does not matter what the issue is, every week there is an interrogation sprinkled with charges. It must be exhausting to face this line of fire every week regardless of what is presented. It is not the content of the question but the delivery.

    Unfortunately, I do not see the atmosphere changing within the City Council; most of his colleagues do not want to get involved so they are letting this go on.

    So instead of discussing public policy issues and developing large-picture, long-term programs, the City Council is dormant.

    How is this helping Lowell? I do not know.

18. Huh Says:
    October 3rd, 2012 at 10:02 pm

    The meeting was awful. I’m tired of Elliot’s confontational approach (ask questions and get info? sure, but the negativism and grandstanding is beyond belief). I looked at the meeting information online. There were numerous chances for him to raise questions and get more and more information (btw, he has gotten plenty of information on every issue he has raised but it doesn’t stop his crazed ranting and accusations) but not a word.

    I’ve just about had it with the City Council and frankly, this City. Are we heading backwards to the days of old school politics? Lived here all my life but starting to wonder if its time to give up the hope. If Elliot’s the future of this City I want out.

19. molly Says:
    October 4th, 2012 at 6:45 am

    Giving up is not the answer. The answer lies in calling and writing to all the councilors and telling them how you, the voter, feels about what has been going on.

20. Lynne Says:
    October 4th, 2012 at 7:30 am

    Elliot is not the future. Obviously no one else is backing him, even if they are not calling him on it.

    Molly is right, and what’s more, don’t waste time with Elliot. Write to the ones that sometimes seem to listen to his bull. If they figure out that aligning themselves to Elliot is a losing proposition trust me, they’ll reconsider.

    There’s always been a Bud Caulfield on the Council, and in fact they once were a majority. We just need to keep them from being a majority again, but they aren’t exactly going through a population explosion.

21. Mr. Lynne Says:
    October 4th, 2012 at 8:13 am

    It’s times like this that I really miss Eileen Donoghue. She had a real knack for getting people to move on from bloviating.

22. Paul@01852 Says:
    October 4th, 2012 at 9:45 am

    @Mr Lynne: It’s funny you should mention that! Just about two weeks ago I begged Senator Donoghue to reconsider her resignation from the CC for just the reason you mentioned. And note that was BEFORE the latest RE shenanigans.

23. Christopher Says:
    October 4th, 2012 at 2:54 pm

    Ok, I’m big time missing something here. What if the letter from the Mayor WERE posted by Jen on city time using city equipment via a city-run blog or website? If a public communication from the Mayor regarding his official duties is not city business, what is? I don’t understand what the problem would be if the opposite of Jen’s quote above were all true.

24. Paul@01852 Says:
    October 4th, 2012 at 8:08 pm

    Christopher it’s called Rodney being BudLight! If he didnt have that letter to complain about he would find something else trust me

25. Lynne Says:
    October 5th, 2012 at 10:01 am

    What Paul said…

    There is no spoon. But if there was, Elliot would claim it was acquired fraudulently without any evidence and then when proven wrong by an inspector general, will not apologize and just drum up the next fake controversy.

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