Left In Lowell

Even anonymous sockpuppets can troll this Open Thread.

For now….

This diary is a special shout out to Councilor Ed Kennedy. Sir, I’m wary of you and what, I think, you mean to municipal governance. You are an ol’ skool Democrat. The kind I’m not enamored with. But, thanks for your leadership, last night. I think you successfully “split the baby,” in such a way, that any reasonable person could accept. You provided a means for the Council to provide a type of oversight that fits squarely within the bounds of Plan E. Your motion allows ‘due diligence,’ while concurrently protecting privacy.

What I’m hoping is the intended consequence of your sitting in the front seat, last night, is that your peers see the significance of conducting themselves in a manner that is in keeping with proper decorum and comity. Your amendment asserted that the Council Chamber is not a Colosseum. That Councilors are not combatants. That the Court of Public opinion stops at the rail that lies between “We the People” and our duly elected officials and their appointees.

For those not in attendance, last night; it should be noted that Tim Green & Mickey O’Keefe, shook hands and walked out together. They are Union brothers and know solidarity is paramount. Our Councilors, and those surrounding them, would do well to heed their living example.

I’m hoping we have pressed, “Reset.”

Let’s resume making Lowell a better Lowell than the way we found it, on this Open Thread.

“Lowell Resident” has picked up the gauntlet.

“DON”T READ! or Write your own BLOG ! This one is mine and my opinion and I force no one to read or agree.” -Gerry Nutter, January 20, 2012

Well I finally went ahead and did it. After years of reading and commenting on Lowell area blogs, I have started one of my own* But to call this a real blog would be a disservice to the industry. I don’t intend to post all that often and certainly won’t be in the same league as leftinlowell or gerrynutter when it comes to my sources. I am, just an ordinary Lowell Resident, and my opinions are mine and mine alone. I have been called a coward by a 50-year-old man who acts like he’s in high school (and spells like he’s in 2nd grade) because I choose to let my observations and opinions stand for themselves by using a pseudonym. That gentleman said that if I don’t like his opinion I shouldn’t read and should start my own blog. So I’m taking him up on his challenge. …

I’m all for more bloggers. Also, if Gerry does fulfill a weekends only approach, we could use a hand keeping up with city events. “Lowell Resident” is quick to pick up the trail. The second diary is titled, The Character Assassination of Vesna Nuon.

I’m looking forward to more from “Lowell Resident.”

Please follow the links above and use your spell check on this Open Thread.

We’ve heard about this exchange between the City Manager and the Editor of the Blog of Record.

As Campi says, “Let the People decide.”

From WCAP’s website:

1/7/2012 City Manager Bernie Lynch Confronted by Sun Editor Jim Campanini
Lowell City Manager Bernie Lynch was a guest on Saturday Morning Live with Warren Shaw this week. They were discussing the Lowell Sun’s coverage of the Lowell Housing Authority permitting scandal when Sun Editor Jim Campanini called in to challenge the City Manager on his statements.

(h/t to Teddy Panos, Warren Shaw & Shawn Ashe)

Please confront this Open Thread.

Quick Update: A couple of clips from today’s proceedings. First, a clip (16:58) of the election of Patrick O. Murphy as Lowell’s Mayor, Murphy’s swearing in, the vote of unity by C.Elliott and the Mayor’s remarks.

There is a nice telling of the events over at richardhowe.com.

Next, a short clip (1:14) of the swearing in of the new School Committee.

(more…)

It’s been slow blogging since the election. LiL and Nutter output is down, along with commenting. Dick Howe’s blog is on pace, even with the namesake listed as ‘day to day’ due to an eye injury. (btw, Dick’s prognosis is good) The stand out Lowell blogger is Cliff Krieger. That blog is grinding out post after post. I suggest, especially as we head in to a national election cycle, you give Cliff more of your mouse clicks.

There are a few things worth glancing over. The CM is looking for the Council to shit or get off the pot, re: plan design. The Council’s multitasking skills will be challenged, as they also have to pick a new City Clerk. Will they reinforce the “Townie Turnstyle?”

Also, some folks are looking to set up another Charter School. Er, put me down as a NO! Lowell has enough school choice, especially K-8. I don’t want no stinkin’ vouchers & no ’scab hiring, for profit, cherry picking all the brightest kids to pump your test scores, using retreads from a failed board‘ charter schools, neither. :vP”’

The holiday charity industry is in full swing. I always feel so joyous as the Lowell Brahmin come down to mingle among us. It’s a hoot as they compete to out ‘good karma’ each other. I wasn’t the only one paying attention when Bill Clinton said, “To the truly enlightened, altruism is the purest form of self-preservation.”

Shame on me for poo pooing. Don’t I always look for a ‘Win-Win?’

Leave the pooing to me, on this Open Thread.

The body politic is formed by a voluntary association of individuals: it is a social compact, by which the whole people covenants with each citizen, and each citizen with the whole people, …

Update (11/29/11): Good stuff going on over at Gerry Nutter’s Blog. Check it out.

Here is a snippet from a commentor, Doubting Thomas:

Voters don’t see the City Council as being important enough to vote for because it doesn’t do anything independent of the City Manager. If the council is just going to play the role of ‘rubber stamp’ then who cares what names are on the nameplates? If the Council is just going to bash the manager that they hired, then why vote? Basically, unless the Council starts to act like an independent body with intelligent discussion and debate, people are not going to be concerned with it. What is most disappointing is that there is one segment that is pro City Manager and one segment anti City Manager, and everyone acts as if having intelligent discussion, either way, is a sign of changing sides.

Please covenant on this Open Thread.

Or Turducken Day, or Lobster Day, or whatever formerly-living animal you prefer to roast.

Consider this your open thread for the holiday. What are you thankful for?

Um, …
Er, …

Judge for yourself.

Santa, it seems, is making his list and checking it twice.

Please be merry on this Open Thread.

I’m going to take a trick out of the Gerry Nutter handbook and pull a comment out of another diary, making it a diary of its own.

This comment is well thought out:

48.Lowell Resident Says:
November 14th, 2011 at 1:39 pm
You know, I was going to jump in on the mayoral discussion earlier but I’m glad I didn’t. First, I think its important to note that Rodney does have some argument to being named the mayor, he had a better than expected and very solid #2 finish and he has time served (whether you choose to accept or reject these qualifications, they have been traditionally used. the ceremonial position is passed around and these two factors often come into play.) The idea that Broderick was still going to be the mayor after Tuesday’s election results seemed pretty head-in-the-sand, Milinazzo was bumped, Rodney had a solid night, and It didn’t occur to the Rodney-hates that to give it to Millinazzo’s vice mayor wouldn’t be seen as a little tone deaf. Thats why election night, I thought Rita was the compromise choice as someone who has spent time of both sides of the great Lynch debate and still is obviously very popular throughout the city.

But the switch of the anti-Rodney candidate to Murphy and some of the arguments posted here and elsewhere have me throughoughly convinced that a Murphy mayorship would be a good thing. Regardless of what the Sun may write, he does not follow Lynch on every issue. He stood up to him on the issue of plan-design, which was one of the manager’s top priorities.

I also think it is fitting that Rodney gets what he deserves for campaigning against his fellow councilors. The one good thing about a vote for 9 at large system is that it tends to limit negative campaigning. While Rodney didn’t attack his opponents directly, the way he presented contrast was in effect an attack on him. It’s easy to be the guy outvoted 8-1 on tough issues when you know your vote is nothing but a protest. In some cases, being the lone voice is admirable. When its obvious you have no credible alternative plan, its not. Then there’s just the fact that he probably wouldnt be good at the job as mayor, at least in the minds of several of the councilors-elect, judging by published comments.

There could be some backlash (beyond the Sun, where its a foregone conculsion) for “passing over” Rodney Elliot again, but isn’t that just indicative of the great question of representative democracy. It’s far from a slam dunk to say that the public wants Rodney Elliot to be the next mayor, but let’s say for the sake of argument they do. Do you as a fellow councilor vote as the public “wants” you to, or do you vote on the basis of what you think is right?

Please be nice because Santa reads every Open Thread.