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December 3, 2007

Lynch's proposal for board turned a few heads

CITY MANAGER Bernie Lynch's initial proposal to appoint Kristin Ross-Sitcawich to the Conservation Commission set tongues wagging last week.

Ross-Sitcawich first became involved in Lowell politics two years ago. She opposed home construction on wetlands behind her Pawtucketville home, and appealed the Conservation Commission's approval. She objected that the lot was developed by Charles Gill, one commission member, who was consulted by Peter Kaselis, another commissioner.

Ross-Sitcawich's appeal scaled the project down to one home, built by Alan Kazanjian, then chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Gill quit the commission during Lynch's tenure. The manager did not reappoint Kazanjian, who won a City Council seat in the Nov. 6 election.

Ross-Sitcawich's efforts made the question of whether active Lowell builders should serve on city regulatory boards a citywide issue. The controversy led Ross-Sitcawich to run for council in 2005 when she was endorsed by The Sun. She ran again in November, was not endorsed, and received 29 percent fewer votes than in her 2005 campaign.
Lynch's appointment of Ross-Sitcawich would have had great symbolic significance. But at the last minute, Lynch opted to appoint civil engineer Kyle Davis.

Lynch said he received Davis' application after he'd already tapped Ross-Sitcawich for the job. He decided a civil engineer will make a better fit for the commission. Ross-Sitcawich, who has experience as a program director of a Rock Street homeless-services agency, will fit nicely on a substance-abuse commission he is creating.

"She was very supportive of that," Lynch said.

THE SWITCH certainly was appreciated by local builders and developers and some on the council, particularly Councilor Armand Mercier.

Mercier apparently approached Councilor Kevin Broderick with his discomfort during the City of Lights Parade. Broderick brought the issue to Lynch, concerned that it would only open another avenue of opposition to the manager. (Broderick said he did no lobbying of Lynch.) Mercier also had been spreading concerns that Ross-Sitcawich would anti-everything throughout some Lowell political circles.

The chief concern was that Ross-Sitcawich would vote in step with Stephen Gendron, whom Lynch appointed. Gendron earned the ire of builders for helping to block a 128-unit condominium complex that Stephen Beati is developing on Middlesex Street. Beati ultimately won that matter on appeal in state Land Court. Gendron has also criticized certain aspects of the zoning ordinance, which was overhauled by the present council after extensive review.

After Jan. 7 -- when the Kazanjian and Michael Lenzi take office -- Ross-Sitcawich's appointment likely would have been unable to garner the necessary five council votes.

THE COLUMN sends its sincere condolences to the Fleming family of Lowell, which on Monday unexpectedly lost its respected and beloved matriarch, Bernice (Kenney) Fleming.

Bernice, the wife of former Lowell Mayor and City Councilor Brendan Fleming, suffered a massive heart attack.

On the Saturday night before her death, Bernice Fleming attended the Keith Academy/Keith Hall reunion with her husband and "danced the night away," said one of her seven children, Thomas Fleming, a Lowell police sergeant.

Then on Sunday night, Bernice, a football fan, watched with Brendan as the Patriots beat the Eagles in a late-night nail-biter.

"We had a terrific weekend," said a teary-eyed Brendan Fleming during his wife's calling hours at the Dolan Funeral Home in North Chelmsford on Thursday afternoon, where hundreds of friends, family members, politicians and police officers paid their respects.

Bernice was seen at her husband's side at many different political and government functions during the past four decades. Her funeral Mass was held Friday morning at the Immaculate Conception Church in Lowell and officiated by their son, the Rev. James. J. Fleming, a Boston College Jesuit.

MOST PEOPLE just hack off a chunk of the trunk when the Christmas tree tickles the ceiling.

Not at the White House.

A two-century-old chandelier was put in presidential storage in order to squeeze an 18-foot Fraser fir into the Blue Room, which traces the tree's symmetry with its curving elliptical walls.

In that same esteemed theme, it's highly unlikely you'll find a log of premade cookie dough in the executive refrigerator.

But if it were there, the log would be Paul-Bunyan big. About 20,000 Christmas cookies will be served over the holidays, along with 320 gallons of egg nog.

TWICE A year, the Blue Shamrock in Lowell serves two key purposes other than, well, you know.

It was the place to be on election night, as state Sen. Steven Panagiotakos transformed the watering hole into headquarters for that day's City Council and School Committee candidates.

Next Friday, the Market Street pub will take on a holiday flair as Panagiotakos holds his annual "Toys for Tots" drive for needy kids.

So bring a gift, preferably wrapped, and knock one down and enjoy the season. The event runs from 5 to 8 p.m. For more information, call one of the senator's right-hand-men, Brad Doyle, at (978) 454-0086.

MARK DEC. 12 on your calendar. That's the last day state officials can set a special election for Feb. 5 to refill Rep. Dave Nangle's seat, should he take a ceremonial job as sergeant at arms in the Statehouse.

A Feb. 5 primary election would coincide with the presidential primary, saving Lowell and Chelmsford time and money on ballots and polling posts.

Word is that discussions are moving forward between House Speaker Sal DiMasi and Nangle, who has been reconsidering taking the position since last month when DiMasi asked him to take the job. According to sources, DiMasi is enhancing Nangle's future job responsibilities.

Nangle could be dusting off that top hat within the next week.

TALK ABOUT good timing for Lowell Superintendent Karla Brooks Baehr.

On the day her application was due for the state education commissioner's job Friday, the nonprofit organization Massachusetts 2020 released a report highlighting the success of extended-day learning in 10 schools.

Baehr has been a vocal proponent of extended-day learning. Some political missteps on her part, and her inability to get the teachers and the union on board have prevented her from implementing the program during the past two years.

But her advocacy will no doubt look good to those considering her for the state's top education job.

She's not alone. Worcester Superintendent Jim Caradonio has not only supported the extended-day plan, but the Hiatt Magnet School in that city has succeeded at it.

Baehr's competition for the commissioner's post looks like it will include Caradonio, but not Brockton Superintendent Basan Nembirkow, who did not apply. Nembirkow beat out Baehr for the Lowell job when he was in Greenfield, but turned it down.

Another potential candidate, Springfield Superintendent Joseph Burke, appeared late last week to be leaning against tossing his hat in the ring.

THE FUROR over Gov. Deval Patrick's excessive spending on drapes and a Cadillac may have subsided, but no one in the Statehouse is eager to repeat history.

So when DiMasi started renovations on his office this week, his diligent spokesman David Guarino sent out a release to reporters and editors, replete with photos of the horribly water-stained carpets to be replaced.

Apparently, DiMasi wanted to head off any backlash at the pass, and make his case before the press made it for him.

The rugs are 21 years old. Probably time for a newer model.

And though taxpayers will be footing $13,000 bill for the speaker's new carpets, DiMasi said he plans to spend $30,000 for new furniture out of his campaign account.

Have fun decorating, Mr. Speaker. As long as it's with your money.

THE FALTERING state Lottery has triggered a flurry of finger-pointing, and Treasurer Tim Cahill has been scrambling to make sure the issue doesn't tarnish a potential run for the corner office.

The blame game started a few weeks ago, when DiMasi said poor performance from the lottery could harm cities and towns.

Cahill joined forces with Patrick's finance head Leslie Kirwan to shoot back a message of his own: lawmakers better tighten their belts.

The bottom line? The fiscal outlook is bad, not just for the state, but nationally. A recession is on the horizon, never good for ambitious politicians.

Cahill, the man responsible for keeping our finances healthy, is ducking from the storm to save his political career.

TAXES. CASINOS. Immigration. These are the topics the audience expected to learn about at last Tuesday's Lexington League of Women Voters debate of the candidates for the 4th Middlesex District senate seat.

However, voters learned a whole lot more about two of the candidates.

Gasps of shock and horror echoed through the crowd when Constitution Party candidate Thomas Fallon, of Burlington, seemed to be confused regarding the date of his wedding anniversary. He then explained that he and Kelly, his wife of nearly 20 years, had married three times. They eloped, then were married in front of family and friends, later divorced, but reconciled and remarried a couple of years later.

Fellow candidate Rep. Jim Marzilli, of Arlington, added that he never forgets his anniversary. He and wife, Susan, also eloped, the same day that he proposed -- Valentine's Day.

GOOD NEWS for the Lowell Festival Foundation, the fundraising arm for the Lowell Folk Festival and for her many friends, as well.

Janet Leggat, the well-liked Foundation director for 12 years, is not pulling up roots and moving to Colorado to be closer to a niece and her family, as she'd originally planned.

The niece and family, it turns out, moved east to Hartford so Leggat can stay put. And, while she and her husband are starting a cruise-travel business, she'll still be around to volunteer at the festival, which turns 22 in 2008. Fundraising duties are now being managed by Foundation chair Arthur Sutcliffe, who reported Tuesday that the festival finished in the black this year at a "thank-you" lunch for supporters at the Nesmith House.

PEPPERELL SELECTMAN Joseph Sergi, who was considered by many to be the candidate for "new Pepperell" during the election back in spring, is pushing to create a job description for Town Administrator Robert Hanson.

But veteran Selectmen Lyndon Johnson and Darrell Gilmore say they prefer the old way: Keeping the job description blank and providing ongoing feedback to Hanson.

Gilmore says that's because what members of the board want tends to change with who is currently serving on it. Sergi counters that it's hard to hold the administrator accountable for his/her performance without a job description, and the line between the selectmen's and the town administrator's responsibilities can blur.

It's time that the town had a job description for a position that pays more than $90,000 a year, Sergi said.

HUMOROUS? WESTFORD selectmen didn't think so, after an e-mail exchange between Town Manager Steve Ledoux and East Boston Social Centers Executive Director John Kelly allegedly became threatening.

Ledoux said Kelly implied that local officials might need police protection for asking the East Boston Social Center to move all equipment out of the camp.

Kelly says he considers the town's request unreasonable, but says he was only joking about the police-protection remark. "The whole tone of the conversation was humorous and Steve was cracking jokes himself," Kelly said.

However, Ledoux wasn't amused.

"If I said something like that, I'd probably get disciplined," Ledoux said.

Contributing to the Column this week were City Editor Christopher Scott, City Hall reporter Michael Lafleur, Statehouse Bureau Chief Hillary Chabot, Statehouse reporter Matt Murphy, Washington reporter Evan Lehmann, Billerica reporter Jennifer Amy Myers, Lifestyles reporter Nancye Tuttle, Pepperell reporter Hiroko Sato and Westford reporter Bridget Scrimenti.

Posted by Admin at December 3, 2007 3:43 PM

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Posted by: Noinerewfeeme at December 7, 2007 4:10 AM