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Tom
Duggan's Notebook
Four years ago when Patrick Blanchette was seeking the city vice-council presidency Nunzio DiMarca stepped up to the plate and supported Blanchette. But, years later when DiMarca submitted his name to fill the vacated seat by Nilka Alvarez, Blanchette returned the favor by ... well, voting for Barbara Gonzalez. So, it was no surprise (to those who pay attention) that Nunzio DiMarca voted "present" on the nomination of Patrick Blanchette as council president this year. Blanchette won the council presidency again by a nearly unanimous vote with only DiMarca not voting yes. A vote that apparently cost him in the world of "gotcha" Lawrence politics. The day after Blanchette was elected as Council President he announced his assignments for city council sub committees and wouldn't you know it? Nunzio DiMarca was not appointed to one standing committee. He was assigned to a new ad-hoc public safety committee, but they only meet three times a year. I guess The Greater Lawrence Technical School, where both Blanchette and DiMarca teach, is no longer one big happy family. NOT SO FAST! 2 open seats on the North Andover Finance Committee? While North
Andover Finance Committee members Steve Dawe and Paul
Stewart have taken out Whidden off to early start? The Eagle Tribune is never shy about showing its bias in local political races. Last week it printed a story about how North Andover School Committee candidate Barbara Whidden was “off to an early start” in her campaign. It was an interesting headline considering the incumbent School Committee member, Charles Ormsby, took out and returned nomination papers long before Whidden did. Ormsby has been actively campaigning to inform voters about his education initiatives since being elected 3 years ago. Gee, I wonder who the Trib is getting ready to endorse for this seat? Let Bygones be Bygones
But when the City Council met for the first time last week, it was evident that there is already a split between the anti-DiZoglio, and/or anti-Pollard camps and those councilors who supported them. The "anti" group consists of Giordano, Andrew, Cronin and Willette. The pro group seems to be Leahy, Rahme, Leone, Quinn and Zanni. We'll have to see if this "anti" group will establish themselves as anti-Manzi as well (though I have hope for Willette). I'm also curious to see how Developer Councilor Leone is taking that slap in the face on the proposed moratorium on construction in Methuen. Yeah that's what Methuen needs right now ... to STOP growth! Visibly absent from Inauguration At the
Lawrence Inauguration of city officials I noticed Barry
Finegold, and State Senator Sue Tucker Why I hate Israel Reyes Former Lawrence City Councilor Israel Reyes had a good excuse for missing the Inauguration of city officials last week. He and his
wife (newly elected School Committeeman Patricia
Sanchez) were on their honeymoon. More Wedding Bells Amy McGovern also got married over the Christmas holiday (everything was supposed to be top secret CIA stuff so don't tell anybody and don't talk about it). I do want to congratulate her as well as former councilor Israel Reyes. How would Greg Feel? Newly elected Methuen Mayor Bill Manzi invited a special guest to his Inauguration to say the invocation, Brother Martin Hyatt of St. Basil’s. All i can say is, I wonder how this makes Greg feel? Sullivan Reigns in School Committee Lawrence
Mayor Mike Sullivan wants to reign in renegade members of
the School Committee who Too often, members of the committee use the public's time at a School Committee meeting to ask a multitude of open ended questions that can be asked and answered privately. All too often these so called "informational" items placed on the agenda result in very little substantive information being passed on to the public and almost never end up in a vote of the committee to achieve real results. So, Mayor Sullivan, as chairman of the committee says he wants to change the way committee members are allowed to place items on the School Committee agenda. Much to his credit, Sullivan wants to require fellow board members to make a motion before discussing their agenda items so that the committee can consider SOLUTIONS to whatever concerns they have. This will make for a more responsible School Committee focused on results, and problem solving and not wasting our time with speeches and complaints. Rurak's Predictions! I'm not sure what our good friend and Valley Patriot Columnist, Jim Rurak is thinking these days but I'd certainly like to make a bet. In Rurak's column this month, (page 5) he predicts that the Democrats will not only retake control of the Congress but that George Bush will actually be impeached. (I'll buy you dinner Jim if that ever happens, do you like sushi?) While I fully agree that the partisan hacks in the Democrat Party would be thrilled at the opportunity to impeach the president it just isn't going to happen... at least not in this world.
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DiMarca snubbed
from Sub-Committees
nomination papers for the Board of
Selectman, they may not realize that they both need to
resign from FINCOM prior to running. Town Moderator
Charlie Salisbury, who appoints Finance Committee
members, said he plans to speak with both Dawe and
Stewart to reiterate what he told them during their
interview for the position. Salisbury is concerned about
potential conflicts of interest. The moderator has long
held that the credibility of the entire finance committee
is best served, and flexibility of candidates for
town office are best allowed by FINCOM members resigning
before declaring a run for office.
With the recent elections of a new
Mayor, City Council and School Committee in Methuen we
were starting to hope that old grudges, alliances, and
political pettiness that prevailed in recent years would
no longer be a factor and Methuen could get down to
business. 
but once again no sight of David
(Where-is-He) Torrisi. State Representatives Willie
Lantigua also failed to attend Lawrence’s
swearing in ceremonies for Mayor, City Council and School
Committees. I was surprised because after all, it is an
election year once again for the missing reps and this is
usually when they come out of the wood work to mug for
the cameras. Also absent were exiting City Councilors
Marcos Devers, Barbara Gonzalez, Israel Reyes and Carlos
Matos (though Matos showed up at the dinner afterward). I
think it would have shown a little class for Marcos
Devers to have shown up and proven his commitment to
"unity" as he talked about during the mayoral
campaign. I think Marcos Devers has a bright future in
Lawrence and he would serve himself well to stay visible
and show he is not a sore loser to those who are so eager
to bad mouth him the minute he is not around. 
Patricia also missed her
first School Committee meeting, where Amy McGovern was
elected Vice-Chair of the Committee. (Who could
have predicted THAT?) Reyes announced at his last city
council meeting that Patricia is pregnant and the two
were married the week before. And you wonder why I hate
this guy? 
place items on the agenda and then
make endless speeches with no proposed solutions at the
school committee table.