The Sun has The Sunday COLUMN up on their free newspaper page so click on and read about former Sen. Steve Panagiotakos – City Councilor Ed Kennedy – Councilors Rodney Elliott – the Lowell Collegiate Charter School – JEANNE OSBORN and U.S. SECRETARY of the Interior Ken Salazar.
Then consider subscribing to the e-edition or home delivery SUN to read great stories by Jenn Myers, Rob Mills, Sarah Favot , Lisa Redmond, Joyce Tsai , Lyle Moran and contributing members Nancy Tuttle and Dennis Shaughnessey.
How bad can it get for Councilor Elliot? He can’t even get a motion passed to eliminate a cop at the Council meeting? The fact he sulks, snaps and acts like the spoiled kid who didn’t get his own way may be getting on his fellow councilors nerves. It sure comes across that way on TV.
This city is in the best financial shape it has been in the past 6 years. The Administration with the support of MOST Councilors has restored our reserve accounts, is finally addressing Capital repairs and is able to increase funding for recreation by only increasing the tax rate by by 0.2 percent when the majority of the state and surrounding communities are increasing taxes by 2.5%. The Manager has shown cynics like myself that savings the Administration has said will occur have occurred and we are able to do the correct and proper thing by maintaining and repairing city owned schools and property and that is still not enough for some Councilors and his critics. They want more.
Anyone who complains about the Manager setting 1 Million dollars aside for raises for the various city unions are disingenuous and irresponsible. Most of these Unions gave up raises and switched health insurance plans that assisted the city. Lowell has a total budget of about 300 Million and to say that 1 Million is to much is absolutely nothing but whining for the sake of being negative and trying to find something to complain about. In the Private sector were I work, we also haven’t had raises for the past few years but now that we are seeing a slight increase in business we are looking to give our workers a minimal increase. The city needs to do the same and especially when the Unions have done their part in the past few years when things have been tough.
Is it proper for a School Committee person to draft a letter and then have it signed and sent by someone from the Administration?
Erik Gitschier may understand the MA. Laws better than most, working for a Municipality in a Supervisory position he deals with bureaucracy all the time. He may have the interest of the students at heart. However you still can’t join a committee and constantly tell the members many who have been there for many years that they are wrong, that they do everything wrong and that they need to listen to him because he is the smartest guy in the room and knows what is correct and NOT expect his fellow members to NOT support his motions and be resentful of him.
He can say time and time again ” It’s all about the kids” but when you constantly publicly criticize and report on rumors about your school, administration and infighting then you are NOT serving the kids…you are self serving promoting your superiority over the other members and you won’t get 4 other votes no matter what you propose if you keep it up.
The City Manager’s current contract runs through 2014, the city is in the best financial shape it has been in since he took over when Lowell had used all its reserve funds and was placed on the State’s watch list. The Cambridge job is looming (you can argue he may or may not have a real shot at it) but it makes me wonder if perhaps we may see a motion to extent the Manager out until 2016 with a modest raise sometime before year’s end?
Speculation has been around that this could be the last term by choice of Councilor Broderick and possibly Councilor Martin, the Managers two top supporters. Mayor Murphy if he keeps up his missteps could find himself in the same situation as former Mayor Milanazzo and that would severely weaken the Manager’s power base.
No councilor would bring up a contract extension in an election year (2013) so doing it in 2012 when Taxes are the lowest and the city is in the best financial place makes perfect sense. Who will bring forth the extension at summer’s end or early fall?
Privileged and Thankful to be sitting in for George Anthes this Friday on City Life / City Life Today In Dracut this coming Friday with co-host State Rep. Colleen Garry. Lots to talk to the Rep. about including the State budget, EBT reform, her bill on Vocational Education and her bill requiring Voter ID. Tune in and call us.
Finally between opening the Pool or the summer-house and firing up the grill, take a moment to remember the real meaning of the Holiday Weekend. My Dad, Father In-Law Fred Knox, many Uncles and a couple Aunts all served their country during war time and my Uncle Jack Quinn of Dracut never made it home. His two sons Jack and Mike never knew their Dad. Many children across this country lost their dad or mom, brother, sister, cousin,son, daughter or friend. Let us never forget the high price these people paid to protect and defend their country for the many liberties we sometimes take for granted.
The Column:
Elliott said he is on board. He said Lynch proposed a 0.2 percent increase because he did not want to fully comply with the no-new-taxes motion, which failed.
“I’m sure we can find some wasteful spending in a $300 million budget or the manager could refuse to give every union pay raises,” said Elliott, pointing to the $1 million Lynch said would be in the budget for pay increases.
Elliott is hoeing a tough row, here. Slamming the manager and the unions in one fell swoop. It’s rare to see a ploitician so addicted to their own rhetoric. It’s obvious why Elliott wants nothing to do with gambling in Lowell. When the odds are against him, he double downs.
It would be unfortunate if Bill and Kevin were to sit 2013 out. The Bernie Bashers would swarm around Elliott and Kennedy, holding them up. Plus, we’d see some hand picked candidates slated to end Lynch’s tenure. Very bad timing for a shift in the Council. Above all, the so called “rubber stamps” know this. Thus, I don’t think that rumor holds much water.
PS. Kudos to the Blog of Record for sharing The Column online.
Ok Gerry
Enough is enough with Erik Gitschier and his this is about the kids, your right he can’t always be saying that because people have to know what his real agenda is ok.
Erik ran at the urging of Dean Fallon and Timmy will admit that, he worked very hard to get Erik and Freddy elected and I don’t have a problem with that ok. He feels he is getting the short end of the stick at the school and is working against any member who was there in the past or still there who he feels is not behind him 100% I would probably do the same thing if I were in his shoes.
Now that said lets look at Eriks position, He does think he is smarter than everyone else ( in his little mind) He is arrogant, condescending, and dam right rude. He says one thing when the camera’s are rolling and another when they are off. He often lies to other board members.
He approached me in front of my house shortly after being elected and told me he how much he admired me and thought I was the cats meow when I served on the board ( yet he worked his tale off for Freddy against me) Anybody who thinks Erik Gitscher is for the kids is smoking some illegal substance. Erik is for himself and his buddy Tim Fallon and that is the bottom line.
I think he is out to make the school look bad and to get his own Supt in who will do what he wants when he wants This is the way I feel.
Mike:
How much booze and illegal substance have you been on?? You are an arrogant has been who still can’t accept loss. You took care of your family and friends and now you can’t stand that it is someone elses turn to attempt to fix what YOU screwed up. Mike, go write your “Dear Abby” column and stop bashing people who really do give a damn. I doubt this will get printed because there is a lot of truth in it.
Jay why don’t you use your full name ????????????????????
Mike,
Are you the same guy who stated on the same show (City life) Mary Jo was the best choice for Superintendent. The answer is yes. Now that helped with the submission of resumes for the job. You didn’t care because the fix was in by your friends. Dracut had over thirty people apply for their Superintendents position that pays between 120k -140k and has to make deep cuts.
Greater Lowell had five apply for a position that pays 160K in one building because everyone knew the fix was in. But you say he wants his own Superintendent and you were for the kids.
I don’t expect any committee member who took health insurance (Lenzi, Olson, Tully, and Bahou) to like Committeeman Gitchier after he stated publicly what you and all the members already knew they were taking insurance when by law they were not entitled. But we do not what someone on the board who knows the laws, we want someone with a little mind as you put it.
We as voters want someone in office who will do their work and follow the laws as written. You as a former Committeeman do not like this as Jay put it because you have a vested interest with friends and family working in the building. The time has come for the club to change it’s membership.
All your friends perks are now being looked at and you don’t like it.
Gerry, I do agree it will be hard to get votes when you have taking away health insurance from members and questioned the Superintendent on missing funds that no one knew about but the Chairman (If you believe this I will sell you swap land).
Mikey, Mikey, Mikey:
You never cease to amaze me. Missing funds at the School that you were probably aware of seeing how you are a fit into the most corrupt committee and administration around. Retirees pay 20% for Health Insurance whie the rest of your loser buddies pay 15%. Yup, they really care abot the kids and the taxpayers of Dracut, Lowell, Tyngsboro & Dunstable. You Mike Hayden were corrupt going back to your days at the American Legion and now you are the DEAR ABBY for Anger Management. Get a lare, very large mirror Mike and take a look into it and you will see one of the most angry, corrupt person I know.
JAY
Jay
You make me laugh, you are such a coward you can’t use your real name. If you knew me at the Legion you did not know me well as I have never keep company with a coward Have a wonderful day and please keep reading my column and maybe you can write in for some help some day.
Okay Boys now that you have each had you’re say, take you fight elsewhere. I will not post anymore back and forth
Please, please, please continue to post Mike Haydens comments. Fantastic!!!
Joe80 I see you posting all the time. One question. Who is Joe80. All postings should have ful names.
Joe has given his full name many times.. stop by the tavern some time and I’ll introduce you… lol