If you didn’t stay up until 11:55 last night to watch the end of the City Council meeting (Yes I did and yes I have issues) you may have missed the discussion on going into Executive Session to discuss the Bayliss settlement.
Councilor Mercier and Elliot along with Councilor Kennedy all wanted to discuss this in open session but we found out that there “May be” a confidentiality clause in the settlement that BOTH side agreed to which would prohibit this.
The Solicitor stated the City would be willing to have a public discussion but even though Councilor Mercier stated Mr. Bayliss said he would allow it, the City wanted confirmation from his attorney before proceeding.
It will now be 100% up to Mr. Bayliss to allow a public discussion on the entire settlement.
Does he want to confirm that according to rumors he not only got his attorney fees paid but will be allowed to stay on the city health insurance and does he want the information to come out that part of the agreement called for him to resign within X number of days after the settlement was signed?
He went on the Radio proclaiming he absolutely had the right to stay on the board. Was that true or posturing on his part?
I’m willing to bet Mr. Bayliss through his Attorney will NOT allow the exact details of the settlement to be made public.
Let’s see if Mr. Bayliss who conducted a very public campaign to keep his position will allow the same public he appealed to, to hear the final results or will he hide behind his lawyer?
Wrong, Gerry.You must have been exhausted from the marathon of evasion or did not read my post here yesterday, which predicted the drone of deception to a “T”.
“Executive Session” benefits only those with something to hide, and the King chose to trash him in public without the common decency of even a call, much less the respect of an eyeball-to eyeball meeting before anything was done. Mr. Bayliss received his public trashing, and has absolutely nothing to gain or hide from “Executive Sesseion”.
He called me the Thursay night before the settlement was reached and believe me, he earned and deserved whatever he got from his yeras of service and employment with the City of Lowell and saved the King the monumental embarrassment that the King was all too willing to dish out. Note his final published word, that “all you had to do was call” and you are bright enough to tell the rest. Walter had the right to be at any “Executive Session”, and do you actually think he would get to hear The King admit that he was wrong?
After last night’s disaster, I am glad that my 42nd year in the martial arts begins on October 4, and that Tuesday nights will again be spent barefoot on hardwood floors. The last two Council meetings have been absolutely disgusting and reflect very poorly on the City. If this was occuring in the private sector, the King and His Court would be out the door this morning and you know it.
Who makes the agenda Gerry? Not Walter Bayliss and the King need only look in the mirror to discover who was responsible for any “Executive Session”.
Thomas A. Wirtanen
The Executive Session was posted in the agenda. I noticed C.Mercier mentioned something about the appropriateness of proceeding without Bayliss. I have to wonder, did Wally need a red carpet rolled out or will he stick with “all you had to do was call?”
The sense of priviledge reeks on this topic. We have folks that obstensively “serve” our City. However, as our friend Cliff likes to point out, “there is no free lunch.” That message is now coming through, loud and clear. All the volunteerism, charity work and assundry acts of civic goodwill are NOT karmic collateral, but “chits” to be tendered when the going gets tough.
Anyone note on Monday’s City Life, when Dave Nangle paraded Kazanjian’s “chits” for all to see, followed by an accusation that the trouble Kaz had was political retribution by the CM? That was Lowell’s “dark places” puking out into the light.
Gee, we all know plenty of folks that fully serve this City with no pay, perks or priviledges. Maybe they should all throw a shit fit and see what they can get out of it?!
Take your tribute, Wally, and go away. Thanks, and apparently not for nothing.
Bayliss was with the city long time. Great. This was badly handled by the Manager , yes. But I absolutely do not believe that Bayliss should receive any benefits , payoffs, lawyer’s fees or other bennies from this. A lot of people spent a lot of time trying to craft new Regulations for downtown. Push comes to shove and there is a meeting where Bayliss and Weicker basically told all those people that their work was for naught. God forbid the bars should meet acceptable standards. Should it have been handled better – yes . But Bayliss and Weicker needed to go, and that’s that.
Bayliss had to go but I heard he got 20K to walk away. He should be ashamed of himself if he doesn’t let the settlement be known
Mr. Bayliss was apparently already getting health benefits. So in negotiating a separation where he resigned, it is reasonable that he would retain “retiree” health benefits similar to anyone else who retired or otherwise resigned. Preserving that right was a reasonable element of the negotiations.
Getting his lawyer’s fees paid by the City is certainly not a right, but may be a reasonable compromise by the City in order to get this thing settled.
We’ll have to see if there is anything more to this, and whether a confidentiality agreement keeps that hidden.
He never got 20 K. You folks need to get a hobby……..
Excellent response Joe, and one that correctly anticipates at least one element of the facts… as a city retiree with his length of service, he has the same right to health insurance as any retiree, whether the King likes it or not.
Now, yes-men and bobbleheads. the City Solicitor had the agreement before her. There is either a confidentiality agreement or there is not. It is a yes or no question with a yes or no answer and none was forthcoming. He who set the agenda and picked the fight with Walter at the expense of the taxpayer sees his “Executives Session” cover blown away as the stroke of midnight approaches.
All for rejecting a non-solution that will do absolutely nothing to quell the violence and enhance public safety in the downtown, and Walter knew it. With all the blather, no body else has even attemted to address the interplay with drugs and alcohol that creates the violence in order to formulate a real approach towards a real solution.
Again, Walter earned anything that he received, and the King has cost the city the price of picking a fight at taxpayers expense and to avoid the embarrassment he would have suffered if the batlle had gone forward.
The Truth is brutal to those who ignore it.
Thoms A. Wirtanen
Bogus.
“… the King has cost the city the price of picking a fight at taxpayers expense and to avoid the embarrassment he would have suffered if the batlle had gone forward.”
You got brass ones offering a ruling for the pending question about where our Charter stands on this matter. A question, I should point out, that is still unanswered. Though, if we look at the outcome, meaning Bayliss rolling over, then we can presume that Mr.Nicosia was bluffing. That the “case” was used to hold the pending cost of a court battle over the head of the CM. Knowing that the Council would wobble, as the Owl Diner cackled about the burden on the taxpayer.
We don’t know if Christine O’Connor’s or Mr. Nicosia’s understanding of our Charter and the removal of a License Commissioner is more correct. We know why the City folded their cards, it was cheaper. Why did Mr.Nicosia?
The Bernie Bashers will spin this as a “win.” Just like they spin the shame and embarassment around so many of their leaders.
Bayliss did “well” here. He secured his investment of public work and exploited the predictible actions of a prudent City Solicitor, while slinging some public relations turd on the City Manager. This is a win, for Wally. But, there is no honor here. The slaps on the back Wally will get will be as shallow as the rascals offering them.