(From Faebook)Another Outstanding Tory Germann’s view of Lowell
20″ No way..I agree with Dick Howe at least 24″ in my neighborhood and with the drifts even more.
PLease! Encourage your neighbors to NOT throw snow into the streets, the city crews are back working hard to clean up the streets and they still have the schools to clear.
Asst. Manager/DPW Chief Ralph Snow would like to remind everyone this morning of the following:
We’ve got crews going throughout the city. If you have a concern regarding snow removal please call 978-674-1807. We are working a long list. Concern will be added and handled accordingly. Please be patient. I’m sure the list will continue to change. We will continue to work it until all concerns are addressed.
Thank you.
The SUN did a great job covering the storm and getting the newspapers and on-line editions up and out. The carriers delivered in very tough conditions and the SUN also set up extra customer service lines for those whose papers didn’t arrive on time.
Speaking of the SUN – The Sun staff received 10 honors in Saturday night’s New England Newspaper and Press Association annual awards contest in Boston.
Congratulations go to:
• David Brow, first and third place, personality photo
• Dan O’Brien, first place, business and consumer reporting
• Robert Mills, first place, spot news photo
• Lisa Redmond, first place, courts and crime reporting
• Staff, second place, digital strategy excellence
• Suzanne Dion, third place, arts and entertainment section
• Chaz Scoggins, third place, sports column
• Lyle Moran, third place, investigative reporting
• Tom Zuppa, third place, editorial writing
Condolences to my friend Paula Fredericks and her family on the passing of her Dad. Many may know Paula from her days as a nurse in the Maternity Ward at Saints and others in her career as a lawyer.
onto other stuff not snow related…
Today’s SUN Column (not un-expected) whacks away at Mayor Murphy for his comments when announcing he had decided not to seek another term. I say not unexpected because the Mayor and the SUN haven’t been cordial for a long time and the SUN has been clearly behind the Mayor’s political foe Councilor Rodney Elliot for the past 2-3 years.
If you count all the stories which quote or compliment Councilor Elliot you can easily see that the SUN is 100% behind him and overwhelmingly include and highlight him more than ANY other Councilor by far. Not exactly a fair and balanced approach to covering the City Council and yet many in management positions at the SUN can’t understand why so many Councilors don’t return a call.
Anyway the SUN takes a swipe at both the current and former Mayor. With this nugget:SOME POLS questioned the timing of Murphy’s barrage, noting he has nearly 11 months left in the term.
The timing, however, wouldn’t matter if Murphy is planning to pull a Kevin Broderick, who three months ago abruptly announced he was stepping down from the council and moved to Groton. Some folks are wondering if Murphy’s planning the same getaway.
If the expectant father does, next in line to fill a vacancy would be Milinazzo, who finished 12th in the 2011 City Council election. How convenient for Milinazzo, who is thinking seriously about running again.
Showing they still hold some bitterness against a female reporter for leaving and going to work for the Mayor the SUN also takes a shot at Mayor’s Aide Jen Myers mocking her with her Quote from Facebook:
“Mayor Patrick Murphy will not run for re-election. Sad day for Lowell. Sad day for America.” — Mayoral aide Jennifer Myers posting on Facebook about her boss’ decision not to seek re-election. When a commenter suggested her emotions were getting the best of her, she replied: “Not melodramatic at all. Very much true.”
Some might suggest they are jealous that she didn’t show them the same loyalty she shows the Mayor. The saying you reap what you sow comes to mind.
The rest of the column is mostly repeated from the daily Column Blog.
The question of who will run for the City Council especially with an open seat does make for some interesting speculation. Here are a few names making their way around the Political Bubble
Jim Milinazzo – Former Mayor and Councilor, is said to be considering a return but speculation is his family is enjoying life with Jim in the private sector and he’s not sure if a return is the best thing.
Dave Conway – Current School Committee member who was considering making the jump last election season. However that was when he was topping the ticket. His actions trying to assist a politically connected family friend getting a promotion might come back to bite him.
Jim Leary – Current School Committee member who is very popular and has worked with many Councilors on the facility sub-committee. Jim would seem a natural to make the jump and reunite the JL Connection with pal John Leahy on the council.
Bob Gignac – Did very well in his first run and a Council seat would be the natural progression. He has watched and learned from the Mayor and might be ready to try and make the jump to Council.
Corey Belanger – Has tried for the council before and many thought he would have announced he was in already. however scuttlebutt on the street says he is concentrating on his business which isn’t going as well has he thought it would when he moved into the downtown and may not have the time that is needed for a run.
Taya Dixon Mullane – The leader of the Lower Highland neighborhood group has worked well with many of the City Councilors, City Departments and other neighborhood groups and would be a new and energetic voice on the Council.
Deb Forgione – The Pawt. neighborhood group leader isn’t shy about taking a stand and has been a vocal opponent to the Manager. perhaps running on the Strong Mayor Platform and her record of standing up for her neighborhood she could take a seat.
John MacDonald – He has been the face of the Strong Mayor movement but so far has just talked the talked and done nothing else. He made a strong first run and kept his name around getting involved in local charity’s and hosting a WCAP Radio show.
John Decouteaux – Coordinator Family Resource Center Lowell Public Schools. John is also a business owner and Treasurer of Mickey Ward Charities. He has a lot on his plate now but is considering a run. A fellow Class of 1980 graduate John would bring some business sense and education concern to the Council.
Paul Belley – Paul was very disappointed after the last election and has gotten very involved in Charity work, veterans issues and homelessness so he may sit this out but would be a quality candidate.
There is still a lot of time and other names may appear such as Pat O’Connor , Mark Goldman or Fred Doyle (who claimed he was done after the last election).
Fred Bahou the Greater Lowell Tech School Committee member has been told on several occasions by the Administration and LTC about the complexity of trying to get a meeting televised Live from the Tyngsboro School site but will not give up trying. However this past week he reached a new low going on the local cable show City Life and placing the blame on the Lowell School Department and a Lowell School Dept. employee for not being able to broadcast the meeting.
Even more surprising was a Lowell School Committee member trying to defend Bahou while throwing the blame toward the Administration who have told Bahou repeatedly about the problems and who came up with the VBRICK and Live Streaming alternative. Maybe she wasn’t aware but being a member of MLF she figured taking a shot at the Administration was the way to go. They have a history of doing that.
Gerry,
Thank you for running your blog, I’m sure it’s a good community service to the public. i.e, where there may be fundraisers or political rallies, street closings or neighborhood discussions, also who would be appearing on City Life, and as well as other announcements, all things our citizens should be aware of.
However, I must point out that many times when you make reference to my comments they are a small portion of what I have stated i.e. Dave Tully did not work on television because it does not effect his community, not that he doesn’t want to work on it. When asked about Mr. O’Hare, the question was has he done anything about it and I answered one word, “no” , not that he doesn’t want to, as you stated. Upon being asked about Mr. Boutin, I stated that he was working on the IPAD’s and implementation of that technology, stating that I would work on it. never saying or indicating anything derogatory towards him. When asked about Jack Pinard from L.E.T. I said that he just started learning about the procedures of implementing VBRICK and that it would be more time, you indicate that I was unhappy with what Mr. Pinard was doing and that is incorrect as well.
There was a time I posted in your comments section 2 years ago and you didn’t post it, instead you sent me an e-mail and agreed to bury it, so I did.
Gerry you have a lot to say about me and the Greater Lowell Tech, you seem as if you are in the know. If that’s how you feel that’s good for you, but with all that information the public is not getting a fair shake of who all the representatives from Lowell should be, minimal amount of people ever run for that seat and it’s important the citizens of Lowell have choices on who should be on that committee. So WHAT DO YOU SAY, DO YOU HAVE ANY COOKIES TO RUN FOR THE SEAT? or are you just a rock thrower with many partial statements?
Good Luck with your decision,
Fred Bahou
Learn your History FRED, I ran and Lost..LMAO
I write what I feel is things you have said that are NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE SCHOOL OR THE KIDS.
You don’t see a Lowell Committee members attacking fellow members or other School District Employee’s the way you do on City Life do you?
You also don’t see many making Gender Biased statements regarding their Superintendent the way you have Fred.
Your forgetting the Post I didn’t put up (not that you buried it,I have that control) made you look like a bigger Idiot and I was trying to help you save face…little did I know that required a full time commitment and needed a huge full time PR person to advise you to shut up and stop making yourself look like an ass every time you go on City Life.
YOU have been informed on several occasions why the meetings can’t be televised live and what the problems are and yet you blamed a Lowell School dept. Employee on City Life for your inability to comprehend that .
I’ll give you credit for NOT denying anything you have said, regardless of how wrong it has been.
I have said many times, It’s easier being the dart tosser than the Dart Board.
The people of Lowell were smart enough several years back to tell me elected office may not be my thing but several have told me that between this Blog and my contributions on Saturday Morning Live with Warren Shaw on 980 WCAP that I’m much better shooting my mouth off and doing this then being an elected official.
I respect their opinion! They showed they know better..Thanks for your service, I may not agree with things you do but I appreciate those who are willing to serve and who do it, Especially those that give me plenty to comment on.
Oh,Thanks for taking time away from stocking your shelves to respond…
Aside from what I have stated publicly, on a tactical note, the candidacy of Deb Forgione would accomlish nothing, except jeapordize the election of Joe Mendonca.
In 2011, we saw what I called “Ward 1 Washout.” Ward 6 doesn’t have enough votes to carry 3 candidates.
So, unless Forgione wants to pull the rug out from under Joe, she should encourage Taya to run.
I thought Mr John MacDonald said he was not going to run. Did he change his mind? On the other hand, two years ago did then Councilor Murphy say no before he said yes?
I am not sure I agree with Mr Jack Mitchell, but he does have a lot of insight. I would hope that Vice Chairman Joe Mendonça has established himself as a City-wide vote-getter, and thus Ms Forgione would not knock him out or cause them to so split the vote they both lost.
As for Fred Bahou, you note that he “has been told on several occasions by the Administration and LTC about the complexity of trying to get a meeting televised Live from the Tyngsboro School site but will not give up trying.” Is that to say it can’t be done? Or is this by way of complement to Mr Bahou?
Playwright George Bernard Shaw said “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” I will cede to you the point that Mr Shaw was a socialist. But, still, this is the 21st Century and if Mr John McDonough can produce a local access TV show out of his front room, I find it disappointing that GLTHS can’t make it happen.
Finally, you continue to poke at MLF (Move Lowell Forward). This I don’t understand. The MLF crowd went out and banded together to accomplish some things and did it by the book. I would have thought that such diligence would garner kudos, not condemnations. Is your silence about others an indication that you prefer folks to informally gather at tables in dark corners and not to reveal their finances? Just asking.
Regards — Cliff
Cliff,
I’ve been very forthright in my personal disdain for Political Action Committee’s and my feeling MLF went after the easy target Greater Lowell tech while they did NOTHING to get the Lowell School dept or City of Lowell. to put their contracts or other materials on-line.
It was MLF silence about others that upset me, so i take the shots when I can.
The fact that MLF Paid for ads and endorsed some candidates made it clear to me that MLF agenda was slanted to attack the Tech while leaving the politics of Lowell alone so they could present white papers and such.