Patriot's Opening DAY ! I'm a Fantasy Football geek and look forward to the entire football season. Nothing better on a Sunday than a crock pot simmering filling the house with that lets eat smell and the Patriots on TV!

Today's Sun has a nice feature on well respected and well liked Atty Richard Cavanaugh and his wife Annie choosing a lifestyle change in their 50's and trading city life for the country and farming. Lisa Redmond who covers the courts does a nice job on this feature.

I'm not a tweeter but I do enjoy the tweets of Lisa Redmond and Rob Mills, my wife enjoyed hearing Lisa talking about attending the the Long Island medium show at the Auditorium yesterday and this is classic Mills from yesterday:

Robert_Mills Lowell woman called police after finding two guns in her apartment. Tells police her boyfriend doesn't have a license for them. #Girltrouble

If you are into twitter, these two are must follows. Ted Panos from WCAP also does a good job keeping those of us who work out of town up to date with what's going on here in Lowell while we're at work.

Editor Jim Campanni has a big write up on some of the upcoming changes to the Sun both hard copy and on-line including launching a new digital arts/entertainment/dining magazine called WhatdoUwannado.com on Thursday, Sept. 13. There will also be a print version of the same name to take the place of Steppin' Out.

The Political Column deals with the Bayliss issue, Water dept issue and the Inspector Generals Letter..not much that you haven't read or heard already.

I've gotten a few comments that say I have "turned on the Manager" or have been on a "defending Rodney Kick" or am blogging for "Old Lowell (the SAC CLUB) or "The Boo Birds."

Which I find funny because when I defend the Manager I am call a Lynch pin or Manager Defender, Manager suck up etc. so I'm happy to know I upset everyone equally. I have stated before but will do so again for clarity "I'm an average working stiff who see's things and hears things and ask about what I see or hear. My view and my opinion and I've always welcomed and encouraged people to respond.

I point this out to also state that the Manager has not tried to defend his handling of the IG's Letter or his comments on WCAP that set me off. Usually even when on vacation if he thinks I am wrong and he can show me why, he has done so.

So either he knows he has no answer that will satisfy the question about why he said that a dept. head who gets a letter that says the City violated the Law doesn't have to tell him about it and why needs an executive session to explain the Bayliss outcome (when the Alan K resolution was very public) or I have him so ticked off that he is just ignoring me hoping I move on to something else. Either way Tuesday night should be an interesting meeting.

The City Auditor ASKED the City Council to begin negotiations for a new contract. One of the 9 files a motion to say let's not and instead let's advertise and see who might be available including allowing her to apply (much like the Dracut Housing Authority did with their Executive Director) and it is seen has sinister and political by the Manager's defenders.

I always found it funny that when the Lynch administration did something political or for his protectors/defenders appeared to me to be political (Fire Mercier, not connect a bathroom at the soccer field) there is no outcry by these people that his administration was being sinister or political. Sorry I don't think you can have it both ways.

I would like to hear the rational that went into firing someone who stole a couple hundred dollars in gas while the Head of the dept. steals equipment and time, gets fined $5,000 by the State Ethics Board and keeps his job. Wonder if the Ethics Letter wasn't sent direct to the City Manager so like the Inspector General's Letter it wasn't viewed as being a big deal? At least than we could see some consistency in the way the Manager dealt with things.

The worker who connected the generator and according to testimony at the Mercier trial used city gas to operate them was given a promotion and transferred out of the Water Dept. to become the City's Wire Inspector. Who say's sucking up to the boss doesn't pay off?

Why hasn't a councilor filed a motion that plainly states " City Manager and every Dept. Head that receives a letter from a Federal or State Agency that states "The City Violated the Law" has to turn that over to the manager and share it with the Lowell City Council? That way the manager cannot claim it's a matter of perception and if you don't work in city government you don't understand that this was just administrative. (Yes I am still ticked at being talked down to).

The Manager has a response in this weeks Council Packet to "Reg. Mgr. provide report on mosquito control efforts in the City." I've attached the response in PDF form above. It appears the City next year should probably pay to be included in the States Mosquito control program where anyone in the city could get their yards sprayed and the state could spray throughout the City. It appears this has not been the practise of the city and up to this year hasn't been an issue. Since the rate of West Nile and EEE are up state wide, the city should be proactive next year.

There was NO RESPONSE in the packet to this motion "Req, Mgr. explain impact the fire-alarm procurement had on local business and property owners and explain deficiencies found in the procurement of fire-alarm system and
boxes and " to include a strategy be established to allow business owners to recoup costs associated with alarm boxes. I'm guessing this will still be brought up for discussion!

Here is some information about the new logo's that have cropped up most of the major streets in the city:

New Bicycle Pavement Markings
Many people have noticed the new pavement markings on streets in Lowell. These are shared lane markings known as “sharrows”, which are part of Lowell’s efforts to improve its infrastructure for cyclists as many cities
across the region or even internationally are doing.

These markings designate primary bicycle routes in the City,where roadways are too narrow to establish separate bicycle lanes. They are designed to help alert drivers to the likely presence of bicycles on the road and help inform bicyclists how to use shared roadways while increasing safety for both. Clearly, this marking is new to many people and will require education. There will be signs posted along roadways reading the “bikes may use full lane” as bicycles are considered vehicles and subject to the same traffic laws and regulations of the Commonwealth with some minor exceptions or if specifically posted otherwise.

John Leahy gets sworn in Tuesday and those who are already trying to paint him into a corner where he has to choose either being labeled pro or against the Manager will be in my humble opinion very disappointed. John while serving on the Lowell School Committee did NOT vote to hire Supt. Scott yet he managed to work with her without being seen has an opponent of hers. I expect to see John operate with the Manager in the same fashion. He will ask questions and make motions and expect responses and actions and question why if he thinks his expectations have not been met. He has already proven that he can work with someone that he didn't fully support and hasn't stated that he is either for or against the Manager. He deserves the time to get to know how it is dealing with him before people apply a label to him. Don't paint him with a broad brush just yet.

Growing up here in Centralville I remember walking to St. Louis Field (Next to Toni's which is now Top Donut) to play baseball and stopping to visit my Nana who lived at 596 Lakeview Ave. which was and still is operated by the Lowell Housing Authority. Nana loved her apt. and would give us a quarter to go down a few doors to Gene's Ice Cream and get a square of 3 flavored Ice Cream after the game. With that memory, I conclude this week with an appeal from the Executive Director of the Lowell Housing Authority:

The Lowell Housing Authority (LHA) is celebrating its 75th Anniversary (1937-2012) as a public housing authority serving the housing needs of the low-moderate income residents in the City of Lowell. To celebrate our 75th Anniversary the LHA is planning a grand celebration to be held on Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 5:00 P.M. at the Nesmith House in Lowell.

The LHA is requesting that you consider being a Sponsor for our 75th Anniversary Celebration. The Sponsorship Levels are as follows: Gold Sponsor $500.00, Silver Sponsor $250.00, Bronze Sponsor $125.00, and Friends of the LHA Sponsor is a donation of any amount. The funds raised through Sponsorships will go toward the costs incurred in holding this event. The Sponsors will receive significant credit for their Sponsorship of the LHA’s 75th Anniversary Celebration. As Sponsor, your name will be prominently displayed throughout the event in recognition of your Sponsorship.

In addition to the Sponsorships, the LHA will also be raising funds through individual ticket sales for persons to attend the 75th Anniversary Celebration. The proceeds of these ticket sales will be donated to Operation Returning Veterans (ORV). ORV is a public-private partnership of the Lowell Housing Authority and local community banks dedicated to providing affordable homeownership and support services to our post 9/11 veterans. The LHA had an early history of assisting WWII veterans obtain housing in affordable neighborhoods which allowed them to get a good start, raise their families and contribute to their community. It is in the spirit of this history that I hope to raise much needed funds for ORV to continue their mission of assisting veterans.

I would sincerely appreciate your personal and/or organization’s support in the form of financial assistance for the Lowell Housing Authority’s 75th Anniversary Celebration. Your anticipated support will go a long way toward making a positive difference in the lives of our veterans.

Thank you for your consideration of a Sponsorship.

Sincerely,