The Greater Lowell Technical School Board seems to have fallen back to their old ways now that a new Supt. has been hired.

The next regularly scheduled meeting according to the School Website 2009-2010 School Committee Meeting Schedule is next Thursday June 10 but has of 12:40 on Friday June 4th no notice has been published nor agenda made available on the School Site as promised.In fact the minutes from the last Meeting May 13th have not been posted either.

It was May 4th when the school hired a new Superintendent but after a month has passed we have read nothing about a contract for her. Is that going to be done before they recess for the summer? What contract provisions is she working under now? Is Jim Cassin there or has he retired using accumulated days owed him?

I understand that the Tech School Graduation is Tonight and congratulate all the students but the School and School committee had promised to post agenda’s and minutes and now seems to be sliding backwards.

Dracut Town Articles

The Dracut Town Meeting at the Lester G. Richardson Auditorium, Dracut High School, 1540 Lakeview Avenue, is this Monday, June 7, 2010 at 7:30 and has over 20 Articles.

Selectman John Zimini who I believe is trying to salvage his political life, has filed a motion dealing with Health Care.

ARTICLE #20:To see if the Town will vote to declare that members of the Board of Selectmen and any other locally elected Town officials are no longer eligible to participate in the Town medical health plan, and to exclude them from participating in the health plan after July 1, 2010; or act in any other way relative thereto. Submitted by John Zimini, Selectman

As far as I know, only a few current Selectmen take the Health Care and a FORMER one along with the surviving spouse of another (Mrs. DiTillo) take the Care. It is not going to save the Town HUGE $$$ to stop offering this benefit. It is mostly a Politically driven move some say aimed at punishing Warren Shaw. No surprise as Zimini and Shaw don’t see eye to eye and Shaw is the great white whale to Zimini’s Captain Ahab.

However the article doesn’t specifically mention retired/former Selectman. I asked the Town Manager Dennis Piendak Via email if former members currently covered would be grandfathered in? (I thought it was a State Law that allows former members to be covered ) I was surprised by his NON-Answer response:

This office is not the sponsor of Article 20 so I am not sure what the motion will address because I haven’t seen the motion yet, although I don’t think it would seek to “punish” anyone.

For a Town Manager to state that he hasn’t seen, read or researched an article on the Town Meeting Agenda 4-5 days before the meeting leads me to believe that 1) He is not stating the truth to me or 2) He is retiring sooner than later and doesn’t care.

I’m leaning toward #1. While some claim Dennis E. Piendak doesn’t play politics, no Manager last for as long has he has without playing the game no matter how much he and his supporters deny it. To some in Dracut I appear to friendly with Brian Bond and Mr. Z’s supposed group so Mr. P isn’t going to provide a truthful answer to a Blogger who isn’t part of the in group. Especially one from Lowell not from Dracut.

Oh well,that is his right, as I have stated, I’ve known the Bond Family forever and though I just met Brian this year like him and his family. I spent 4 hours on Election day talking with his wife, daughter and mom and held his sign for them if they needed me to and I enjoyed myself greatly. Guess that but me on the blacklist.
I do also like John Zimini although I disagree with him on certain things. In Dracut I’ve learned you have to pick a side which I think is stupid and childish and I refuse to play that game.I call it as I see it and tick off everyone.

The fact is if the people of Dracut vote to pay the Selectman (and I believe $2,000 is not enough for the time involved) which I think they will, then Zimini’s motion Article 20 is moot. I believe Dracut would have to get their State Rep. or State senator to file a Home Rule petition to eliminate the Health Care option because as Mr. P did say in his email “Mass General Laws specifically provides that compensated elected officials may participate in the health insurance.”

As always Dracut is interesting to watch and if I am correct Mr. Zimini will lose again on Monday like he did in the May Elections and he will end up as a lame duck on the board unable to get re-elected next year.

Attached is a copy of the Complete Town Meeting Warrent