>>Valley Patriot>> |
The Honeymoon is Over Two years ago,
Lawrence Mayor Mike Sullivan was so giddy about the
prospects of Israel Reyes getting on DiMarca on Private Property At least one local
candidate in the Merrimack Valley is outraged enough by
the Supreme Court’s ruling on eminent How Low is Low-Low Income? Paramount Construction and Rockett Industries are back on the map in Lawrence. Once again, Kenneth Rockett and Richard Derosas are trying to rehab the Blakely building. This time, it includes demolishing the Bicknell building next door as part of the “revitalization” project. As The Valley Patriot readers may recall, in the April ’04 edition we exposed that there was an IRS lien on the building and that the City Council had voted to reject plans to rehab the Blakely and Truell buildings. The buildings still remain dilapidated with a red “X” on them. Now Kenneth Rockett and Richard Derosas are back. They have teamed up with Volunteers of America National Services to build “46 units of one- and two-bedroom apartments for low and very-low income” families. Just wondering what “very-low” income means. Is it free? And will the council approve the plans this time around? In reviewing documents from the Registry of Deeds, it appears that the $65,000 IRS lien has not been paid. The Valley Patriot will be watching Round 2 on this story. But is he Sorry? On June 22, 2005, Superintendent Laboy signed a $155,000 contract with Michael Lupoli (Sal Lupoli’s brother of Sal’s Pizza) to rent 10,000 sf of space on Sal's Riverwalk on Merrimack St. in Lawrence. Nice, huh - prime, waterfront property for the superintendent. The RFP (request for proposal) was written with such detailed specifications that it was tailor-made for Sal and coincidentally enough, he was the only bidder. The contract was signed without approval of the school committee (nothing new there). Committee members actually received a copy of the signed contract at their August meeting, with no prior notice or knowledge, in violation of school committee policy. Of course, Laboy gets the last laugh, because it would cost more if the school committee voids the contract resulting in a breach of contract suit by Lupoli. So it is nearly impossible to get out of the lease now if the committee decides this is an unneeded expense. I’m not sure if Sal is aware of it, but our sources say that the school department is storing live animals (insects?) in the rented space. So, while Laboy is apologizing to Amy over the assault and battery incident (which is rooted in his disrespect for her authority as a school committee member), he is usurping her and the rest of the school committee’s authority by entering into apparently illegal contracts.
At last year’s North Andover town meeting, there was an amendment to the town warrant proposed by Officer Danny Lanen to add money to the police budget for overtime and crossing guards. The amendment failed - we were told there was no money in the budget for these important public safety measures. With just two weeks before school was to begin in North Andover, the money has been ‘’found.” According to Town Manager Mark Rees, the cost of insurance came in under estimates — surprise! — just in time for school. Isn’t it funny how officials conveniently “find” money when they need to? More “Found” Money Speaking of who is in charge at North Andover’s central office, the school committee obviously thinks that Harry Harutunian is doing such a great job that it voted to give him a $10,000 bonus. I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve the raise, but I do find it funny how the school committee complained that there was not enough money in the FY06 budget, forcing layoffs earlier this year. But of course the school committee “found” enough money to give Harutunian a nice little bonus. Missing Minutes I went to North Andover Town Hall last month to pick up copies of the North Andover School Committee’s official meeting minutes, only to discover that the last minutes provided to Town Clerk Joyce Bradshaw were from October 2004. By Massachusetts state law, meeting minutes must be taken, voted on and accepted by the committee (including executive sessions), and then released to the public. I guess the school committee has not approved any minutes since October of 2004, or maybe they are just “missing.” Or maybe someone is not following proper procedures at the superintendent’s office. After sending an email to the superintendent's office about the matter, the minutes, we have been told, are now at town hall. But it does beg the question again, who is in charge at central office?
The race for City Council in District “F is heating up. With incumbent councilor Michael Fielding running city wide in the at-large race, the woman he defeated two years ago, Marie Gosselin, is hoping to return to the council. It looked at first as though Gosselin didn’t have a chance with Jim Stokes and Jim Hoole mounting strong campaigns in their respective neighborhoods. Scores of their signs have popped up all over the district, many on yards and fences of former Gosselin supporters. Hoole has been knocking on doors and sending out campaign literature throughout the South Lawrence East neighborhoods. But Gosselin has gained strength in recent weeks, making the District “F” race a real close one to call. Conventional wisdom says Gosselin will make the final cut in the Preliminary Election. The question is: who will she face in the November final election? Lantigua the same ”on” or “off” the record Lawrence State Rep.
“Willie” Lantigua (Lawrence’s own Al
Sharpton) seemed to take exception to his own comments,
or should I say “no comment,” in last
month’s lead story about the morning after pill.
When Lantigua showed up in court last week for Wilfredo
Laboy’s criminal hearing, he immediately sought out
The Valley Patriot reporter to lodge his complaint.
“You are a f*@# liar,” Lantigua charged.
“Your reporter told me she wanted a comment off the
record, so my ‘no comment’ was off the record.
You had no right to publish that.”
The North Andover High School and Middle School children will be riding the bus together this year for the first time, thanks to Paul Szymanski, Director of Management Support Services. He devised a bussing plan without input or feedback from the public, the school committee or the superintendent. In fact, school committee members and Superintendent Harutunian had to read about the new transportation arrangement in the newspaper. This begs the question: who is really in charge at central office in North Andover? Can you spell “par” or “birdie”? The North Andover
School Committee is now having meetings at the Atkinson
Country Club in New Hampshire. Last week was an
official meeting (posted at town hall), but I am not sure
why it was “off site.” Could it be so that
Cindy Jalbert would not be there? To have this “off
site” meeting, the committee had to rent a
conference room, which begs the question, “who pays
the bill for the room?” Where’s Ellen? The Methuen Senior Center held its Senior Appreciation Day last week. Several candidates and elected officials attended, including candidate-at-large Kathleen Rahme, State Representative Barbara L’Italien, and City Councilor and candidate for mayor, Bill Manzi. Manzi said he was on hand to discuss his goals as mayor, but noticeably absent was his opponent, Ellen Bahan. Some would say she “just doesn’t care about the seniors,” or it could be that she was simply confused and went to a senior center in North Carolina. Open Meeting Laws Lawrence and North
Andover School Committee members take note.
According to the New England Press Association, the
Massachusetts Legislature may be considering changes to
the open meeting law and not a moment too soon! State
Representative Antonio Cabral originally introduced a
measure calling for a $1,000 fine for any elected or
appointed official who holds an illegal meeting ($500
fine for those officials who attend such a meeting). The
proposal also called for a $2,500 fine for officials who
violate the law a second time. Unfortunately, the
proposal was withdrawn, but Cabral is fully expected to
reintroduce the measure holding government bodies
personally accountable for public meetings in secret or
not notifying the public when meetings are going to take
place. I am sure “Willie” Lantigua will have
“no comment” on the issue, but I do hope the
other absentee Lawrence/North Andover state
representatives will support Counting their chickens.... Long before the Methuen City Council, School Committee and mayor’s race are decided, Methuen insiders are alreadylining up candidates and support for next year’s race for state representative. Current Rep. Arthur Broadhurst has announced that he will not seek another term, resulting in Councilor Hennessy and Linda Dean Campbell to start lining up support. As it stands, the power structure of Methuen political culture seems to favor Linda Dean Campbell. Mayor Manzi refused to comment on the record about whom he might support when he takes office in January, but Manzi supporters say it will be Campbell in 2006.
Patricia Sanchez no longer has any competition in the Lawrence District “C” School Committee race. The only other city resident who expressed an interest in the seat was Peter Valez of Holly Street, who did not get enough signatures to get his name on the ballot. Besides being a candidate for District “C,” Sanchez is also the girlfriend of embattled city councilor Israel Reyes and a political ally of Willie Lantigua and Wilfredo Laboy. James Cepeda, the grandson of Lawrence activist Isabel Melendez, has also given up his campaign. Cepeda was challenging Grisel Silva and Ruth Rojas for the District “C” city council seat. Silva seems to be the odds-on favorite in that race, but there is no word as to whom Melendez will support or whom her grandson will endorse. Who is Running for Office? The deadline for candidates to submit nomination papers to the city election department has come and gone. There are nine open seats on the Lawrence City Council, three are elected citywide or At-Large and six are elected by neighborhood districts. There are also six open seats on the Lawrence School Committee. Each seat up for grabs is elected by district, as well. There is also a mayor’s race this year; the mayor sits as chairman of the School Committee. Here is a list of candidates who will appear on the September primary ballot. GET INVOLVED! Contact the candidates running in your area; ask them where they stand on the issues. Volunteer to help the ones who will most effectively fight for your issues and interests. Incumbents are denoted below with an asterisk. Candidates for Mayor (Vote for One) *Michael
Sullivan –8 Burlington St. (681-8200) Council
At-Large (Vote for 3) Council
District “A” (Vote for One) Council
District “B” (Vote for One) Council
District “C” (Vote for One) Council
District “D” (Vote for One) Council
District “E” (Vote for One) Council
District “F” (Vote for One) School
Committee District “A” (Vote for One) School
Committee District “B” (Vote for One) School
Committee District “C” (Vote for One) School
Committee District “D” (Vote for One) School
Committee District “E” (Vote for One) School
Committee District “F” (Vote for One) Technical
School Committee (Vote for Three) *Send your questions
comments to ValleyPatriot@aol.com |
the Lawrence City Council that he was
constantly seen hugging Reyes at public events. This
picture of the loving couple was taken during the 2003
Hispanic Week luncheon after Sullivan was asked if he was
publicly endorsing Reyes’ candidacy. “I love
this guy,” Sullivan said while they embraced.
“He will be an important part of the Sullivan
team!” Reyes, however, had very different ideas.
After getting elected and taking his seat on the Lawrence
City Council, he quickly became one of Sullivan’s
biggest critics. Reyes and Sullivan have been constantly
butting heads ever since, taking verbal swipes at each
other through the media and at public meetings. What a
difference two years makes. This year, Sullivan is
actively campaigning against Reyes and is endorsing Nilka
Alvarez-Rodriguez for councilor at-large, while Reyes is
endorsing fellow councilor Carlos Matos for mayor.
domain to propose taking action. At-large
city council candidate Nunzio DiMarca told The Valley
Patriot that if (actually he said “when”) he
gets elected, he is going to introduce a measure
“making it illegal for the city of Lawrence to allow
private property to be taken by eminent domain for
non-public use.” The Supreme Court ruled recently
that it was not unconstitutional for a municipality to
take private property and give it to private developers.
At least somebody is “paying attention.”
“Found” Money
Who will face Gosselin in the Final
The Wheels on the bus go
’round & round’
stiff penalties for officials who usurp the
public process.
Sanchez has no competition