Still here…

It’s been quite a while since my last post, the election had me quite distracted, and I couldn’t get fired up about much of the local issues, with so much going on nationally. Originally my post was going to be about this letter to the editor in the Newburyport Daily News on Friday, November 7, 2008 by Patty Spaulding and how I couldn’t agree more with her assertion that our elected officials have put the citizens best interests on ice as they move ahead their agenda. I was going to cite the recent debacle that is the solar panel project at the middle school, something I can’t even fathom as to how it was approved and allowed to happen, or how our city council sat idly by and did nothing. And of course I was going to cite the senior center and how it is be forced upon a neighborhood that doesn’t want it by a city councilor that doesn’t even live in that ward.

But then I saw this story in today’s Daily News about local developer Great Woods trying to build 20 homes, each worth over a million dollars, on Toppans Lane. This, city council, is your time to prove that you have the best interests of this city at heart. This is your chance to prove that the local government isn’t in the back pocket of the developers. This is your chance to protect and preserve the city you live in and the city I hope you love as much as the citizens you represent. This project is too much, and we as a city have suffered as much over development as we are willing to handle. It was refreshing to see Councilor Cameron speak out with concerns over the development (as he was the aforementioned councilor pushing the senior center), and I hope the other council members have similar fears. Again, this is your chance to defend Newburyport from a potentially devastating development, and for the sake of us that care about this place, people like Patty Spaulding, please stand up and say no.

Signs, Signs, Everywhere are Signs…

With all the recent hub-bub about A-frames as well as the new story about the city adding a stop sign to Spofford Street, you would think we’d just about milked signs for all their worth. But a regular emailer sent me this photo today of a sign on the corner of Buck and Washington Streets, on the grass at Cushing Park. He asked a very simple question, one I could not answer, so I’m sending it out on the internet, perhaps one of the local city councilors (Ed Cameron or James Shanley, one with an interest in taking Cushing Park and making it a senior center, the other the ward representative) could answer this for us.

Does this sign have the necessary permits or city council approval to be placed on city property? After all, how would it look to all those downtown businesses who can’t have an A-frame down the street, if we as a city don’t obey our very own rules!

Further, i would imagine a permit must also be obtained to hold a yard sale on city property, so let’s pray that all our ducks are in a row!

September 11th

It’s the 7 year anniversary of one of the darkest days in American history. Thankfully, we haven’t had another attack since that day, let’s all pray something like that doesn’t ever happen again.

Tangent

I generally avoid posting about national politics, but i was reading the Newburyport Blog this morning and saw Mary’s post about Rep. Barney Franks take on Republican VP nominee Sarah Palin. I think Frank should be the last person questioning someone else’s family issues, after all, he is the same Rep. whose boyfriend was running a prostitution ring out of Frank’s D.C. home. If we were to judge Palin based on the mistakes her daughter has made, then Frank deserves equal judgment. People in glass houses….

Regarding Mr. McCavitt

I thought I’d take a minute and commend Councilor McCavitt. While the comments attached to the article on the Daily News Website are overwhelmingly (as in 100%) against the Councilor’s decision to file suit against the owner of the clam shack, I have to say that if there was indeed a shady deal, or if that land is public property, then he has a duty to make sure that the law is followed and that the best interests of the city is upheld. Now many say that it’s a waste of money, and it could very well turn out to be so, but much of that rests with the ZBA, the City and the owner, who didn’t fully investigate the claims that the city owned the land. I personally am glad to have at least one councilor who is looking out for the city first, and developers second. How many times has this city been taken advantage of, simply because no one bothered to look into the deals? I’m sick of it, and I know most citizens are. Further, the statements made by the owner of the property and his lawyer seem very unprofessional, trying to degrade Mr. McCavitt’s points by attacking him personally. I’ve met the councilor a few times and he may be a strange fellow, but from the brief conversation I’ve had with him, he is out to protect the waterfront and the city of Newburyport, putting our best interests before those that would profit off of us. I can’t say I have a problem with that, I only wish more of our council acted similarly.

Also, as far as the comments go, it seems pretty clear that most of those people have an axe to grind with the councilor in the first place, especially the first comment by the owner of Licorice and Sloe, who recently had to close down his shop. Calling him a menace is a bit much.

ps. I think we’ll all be glad Mr. McCavitt and his Chapter 91 committee are around when Karp brings his plans to Newburyport.

Very Interesting…

As of 9am Tuesday, McCain/Pallin seems to be leading the voting on the Newburyport Daily News website, who’d have guessed!

Clarification

I was emailed today by one of my readers asking if I had posted something on the Daily News website regarding the bike lanes. It was not me, it’s imposter, I’ve actually yet to post on that site, but I may in the future.  Just setting the record straight.

Also, the bike accident story is quite interesting, i may need to post on it soon…