March 26, 2008

Chelmsford town, school leaders support override

On April 1, the voters of Chelmsford will be given the opportunity to vote on the operational override. The Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee and School Committee all have voted to support this issue. Paul Cohen, our town manager, and Donald Yeoman, our superintendent, have stood side by side describing our financial situation and the impacts to our services should the override fail. Our fire chief and police chief have been clear: A failed override will directly affect response time. This is an unprecedented and unique support from our town boards and leaders.

In 2002 the state slashed aid to Chelmsford, and since that time our leadership has worked diligently to address our financial situation. Together we have advocated for more state aid, implemented cuts in services, streamlined and improved efficiencies, consolidated functions, and addressed medical costs by increasing employees' co-pays. All of this has been accomplished because of hard work, and cooperation among our boards.

In the last three years the communication between boards has steadily improved, beginning with the formation of the Cost Savings and Revenue Generating committees and most importantly with establishing leadership meetings. These leadership meetings include two members from each board, the town manager, the superintendent, the town treasurer and the school business manager. Meeting consistently, including over the summer months, has facilitated an open exchange of ideas, a comprehensive analysis of the financial challenges facing Chelmsford, and fostered excellent communication.
The culmination of this work resulted in the unanimous decision by the Board of Selectmen to place an operational override on the April 1 ballot. The Finance Committee, a board appointed to objectively review our town budget, has voted to support the override. The School Committee, mandated by state law as responsible for its budget, has unanimously voted in support of the override. The town manager, superintendent, police chief and the fire chief have all stated a failed override will result in a significant reduction of services provided. When making your decision April 1, please take into consideration these strong messages of support from both our elected and appointed officials.

KATHY DUFFETT

School Committee chairman

Chelmsford

Posted by Admin at 3:21 PM | Comments (1)

March 19, 2008

Save ONE Lowell's anti-truancy program

Since its inception in 2001, ONE Lowell has helped tens of hundreds of immigrants get settled, learn English and begin job training while launching the newcomers on a path toward becoming U.S. citizens.

The group's mission is to make immigrants feel a part of their new community, quickly, so that they can become self-sufficient and productive.

Over the years, the advocacy group has taught immigrants the value of participating in local events and the governmental process. More than 1,000 have become citizens and are registered to vote.

For several years now, ONE Lowell has expanded its services to work with the city's School Department on an anti-truancy program in the immigrant-minority community. That program recently came under fire from two members of the Lowell School Committee who felt ONE Lowell wasn't doing enough to document its caseload and results. Two school board members even suggested that the program be suspended. That would be a big mistake.

ONE Lowell provides a nonprofit service that would be extremely hard to duplicate in the public sector because of a lack of funding. As it is, ONE Lowell relies on $218,000 in state and federal funds, plus private donations, to operate its anti-truancy program.

According to Victoria Fahlberg, the group's executive director, ONE Lowell works closely with school principals to keep them informed of progress being made with individual students and their non-English speaking parents. Last year, the group worked with 218 students/families to get the kids back on track and attending school regularly. Data show the efforts were successful in the 60 percent to 70 percent range on a month-to-month basis.
So far this year, ONE Lowell has worked with 130 students/families, although the overall caseload varies as students are added or eliminated as improvements are made. As of Jan. 31, 71 percent of students had improved their attendance performance, a marked increase over the prior year.

Fahlberg said ONE Lowell is required to deliver comprehensive annual reports to both state and federal agencies to meet funding obligations. She said she'd gladly oblige the School Committee with regular reports if that is the members' desire.

We don't want this to become a turf fight in which a nonprofit agency with limited resources is forced to create unnecessary paperwork just to satisfy its existence. That said, accountability is important, and we urge the School Committee and ONE Lowell to develop a reasonable reporting method that won't reduce the program's effectiveness.

The anti-truancy program has received high praise from middle-school principals who have witnessed improved attendance. It should continue.

Posted by Admin at 11:24 AM

March 17, 2008

Is there a school leader in the house?

Should the Lowell School Committee select a new superintendent of public schools if a majority of members don't believe they have the best candidate available?

I would hope not.

If a strong consensus doesn't emerge for a single candidate, members should have the courage to renew the search. They have an overwhelming obligation to do what is in the best interest of the city and its 14,000 students, not their electoral constituency of 6,000 voters.

Lowell needs a strong, dynamic change agent who can hit the ground running, not a learn-as-you-go-leader.

The School Department is a $134 million education-business enterprise. It should be commanded by an executive who respects best management practices and value-added results both in the classroom and on financial ledgers.

Elected officials shouldn't settle for a superintendent-lite when a superintendent-more is what's needed.

There's too much at stake for our children and the city's future prosperity.

Even though I don't have children in Lowell's public schools, I regard each of the city's students as “my” children. I must care for them to succeed. If they do, the city's fortunes — and my family's quality of life — will assuredly improve. Yours will, too. But if the students and schools fail, we'll all bear the burden in increased unemployment, crime and social ills.

Selecting the next superintendent is very critical. It will define the School Committee's legacy. More so, it will set the direction of Lowell's 22 public schools — 18 of which are classified as underperforming — for the next five to 10 years.

The next school leader will have to convince people who don't have children in the public schools to take a stake in the lives of nameless others for the sake of the city's future.

Just 17 to 20 percent of the city's 103,000 residents have a connection to the school system as either a student, parent or grandparent.

The next superintendent must find a way to win over a sizable share of that 80 percent outside the circle and make them care about education and all it entails. This includes rallying business and civic groups to partner with schools on a mission of excellence.

This mission is as vitally important as closing student-achievement gaps. The community at large and the schools must connect, must engage, and must be willing to share resources and ideas.

Karla Brooks Baehr, for all her educational accomplishments during her eight years here, never closed the connection gap between the people using the system and those separated from it. Granted, she faced her own hurdles just getting parents involved in the lives of their schoolchildren. But there can be no excuses going forward. Funding issues will mandate that the next superintendent mount a determined campaign to bring a majority of Lowellians into the fold to save our kids and schools.

Is that dynamic leader present among the finalists — Lowell school system insiders Paul Schlichtman and Wendy Jack and outsiders Chris Augusta-Scott of Norfolk and Portia Selene Bonner of Hamden, Conn.?

Of the four, only Augusta-Scott has experience as a superintendent, leading the 1,100-student Norfolk public school system. Schlichtman and Jack play major roles in the Lowell system as data assessment director and curriculum coordinator, respectively. Bonner is Hamden's assistant superintendent.

Baehr had been superintendent in two school systems, Lexington and Wellesley, before being selected here (she wasn't Lowell's first choice, either).

Certainly, the finalists have potential or they wouldn't be here. It will be up to the School Committee to determine whether that potential is big enough to fit Lowell's oversized challenges.

However, Lowell is beyond being an experimental enterprise for a novice superintendent. It demands a wise, perceptive, accomplished leader who can build new alliances and create a community-wide mission statement that is accepted and implemented. More important, the next superintendent must not only inspire the minds of students and staff to succeed but also be able to move them to action.

Jim Campanini is The Sun's editor. Send comments to jcampanini@lowellsun.com.

Posted by Admin at 5:00 PM

March 7, 2008

Billerica Watchers Group encourages others to join its fight against power plant

I am writing this to all who have genuine concern for the future of the Merrimack Valley. If you're not concerned about your health or your home value, you don't need to read any further.

After standing in a doorway at a recent Billerica selectmen's meeting while hearing and watching the DG Clean Power Limited Liability Corp. speak, I thought, imagine if the Billerica Watchers had the financial bandwidth to challenge, in a court, the Board of Selectmen's decision not to allow any rebuttal. While many of Billerica's concerned citizens stood in the aisles and hall, with many of them being elderly and some with disabilities, non-residents sat sleeping or half asleep in their rightful seats. DG Clean Power LLC proceeded to attempt to discredit their valid concerns, as well as contradicting their own previous statements. If allowed to respond, BWG would have been able to address the accusations and misinformation which was put forth for the unaware public to digest. The constitutional rights of the average American citizens, who generally do not have an abundance of wealth, have been clearly violated.

Here are example of some of the mistruths:

One: Under sworn testimony the proponents stated this power plant was not a "reliability plant." Monday, it was called a "reliability plant."

Two: Full-page ads in the newspapers claimed this plant would not require water from the Concord River nor harm it. Monday stated on record DG meant no "direct withdrawal or
discharge to the river," water will still be coming from the river and displaced.
Three: Stated was, the five-year flow of the river data was hidden in the submission filed with the state. The five years of data submission was not provided to BWG, so who did they provide this to? Yet another part of this fable, or perhaps this is yet another research effort that DG Clean Power LLC will force BWG to create yet another motion to obtain the information.

Four: Stated was the project has been 16 acres for over a year and a half now. The original filing was for 13.8 acres.

Five: Selectman Marc Lombardo held up a DG propaganda flier that stated, "We will not see it, hear it or smell it," yet the supervising engineer finally admitted that it will be seen and it will be heard. Noise was claimed to be mitigated, but DG failed to mention its would need a waiver from the DEP for noise levels. A false impression was left that if any violation of standards was to occur the plant would be shut down. It would take months to do; read the laws!

The best performance was on air quality. The claim that the BWG experts were being overly conservative with their air modeling and taking layers of pollutants and toxins into consideration is a no-brainer. The BWG would like to state: This is "our valley" and the "conservative toxins" referred to are in "our air" for every man, woman, and child to breathe. Why shouldn't we take all these toxins into consideration? We speak of reality, not of financial influence or laws based on "BACT" Best Affordable Control Technology. Why wouldn't the citizens of "our valley" want to ensure that every worst-case scenario on air, safety, the environment, and the health of ourselves and future generations to come, be analyzed?

All statements can be validated on record, because truth is plainer than fiction. Speak up; we all have the right to a voice. Become informed and join in with the BWG, to prevent this manipulation of facts and suppression of our freedom of speech. Together as one indivisible group of concerned citizens, we can save "our valley" from fiction supported by finances.

ED CAMPLESE

Posted by Admin at 3:06 PM | Comments (2)

February 29, 2008

Why wait for the worst to happen?

Lowell needs a police surge downtown. The city needs more feet on the street and working the beat.

Violent crime might be down statistically, but disturbing, brazen, daylight violence is up in the public's mind. And that's all that matters.

Cars windshields are being smashed in broad daylight, and packs of teens are horsing around on sidewalks, giving the impression that there's a fight waiting to break out.

In one instance last week, a group of teens, including a female, either smashed a restaurant-front window on Merrimack Street or pushed someone through it. A visitor from Pennsylvannia, eating dinner at 6 p.m., was sprayed with glass and injured. He needed 34 stitches to close his head wounds.

No one has been arrested and likely never will be. The business owner faces a $1,000 loss to replace the window and the very distinct possibility of a lawsuit that could threaten the restaurant's future.

Several days earlier, a bank and two convenience stores were robbed near the city proper, during business hours. The bank in question was robbed for the second time in less than a month.

What's disturbing is that the crime trend is continuing less than two weeks after Police Superintendent Kenneth Lavallee predicted a "lull" in the surge in robberies. At least he didn't declare "mission accomplished," as President Bush did.

For the record, there have been eight bank robberies in Lowell since Sept. 20, 2007, and 12 others involving restaurants and stores.
Granted, there are factors that drive urban crime: drugs, the economic downturn, joblessness, etc.

Still, the city can't tolerate lawlessness on any level, especially with the delicate economic highwire Lowell is already riding on in its effort to attract new businesses, residents and visitors.

It doesn't help that on any given day when school gets out, emboldened youths jaywalk the city streets, daring the oncoming traffic to strike them. It's as if the punks are toying with the public. It's as if they command the downtown streets.

These punks might represent a minority, but they are a pretty visible and intimidating minority. The impression is a bad one for Lowell and anyone entertaining the notion of investing here.

Lowell police don't only need more of a working presence in the downtown -- they need a presence with a purpose. And that's got to come from the top. When police see citizens being being disrespected and property being threatened with damage and abuse, they should act decisively and set down the law. Saturate the downtown. Take back the streets.

This is sensitive stuff. We're sure we'll hear from the great defenders of Lowell's public image that we're overreacting. Well, we'd rather overreact than wait for the worst to happen before we weigh in. Consider this an ounce of preventive advice.

Lowell needs a police surge downtown.

Posted by Admin at 3:32 PM | Comments (1)

February 26, 2008

Food for thought on casinos

The Providence Journal headline said it well but didn't say it all: "MGM Grand a good bet for job seekers."

The second line of type made it clearer: "The new casino at Foxwoods expects to hire 2,000 workers, including many from Rhode Island, for its May opening."

The article had my attention, but I couldn't read on. My mother said the chicken cacciatore was on the table and the Brunello di Montalcino uncorked.

I put the newspaper down, walked exactly six steps from the living room to the kitchen and sat down to a Sunday dinner that was a tradition at our home when I was growing up years ago.

My mother is 88 and will turn 89 on the Ides of March.

She critiques Emeril, Rachael Ray and Anna Esposito nearly every day from a blue-cloth lounge chair, making notes on looseleaf paper she keeps on a small table nearby. In a cookoff of all three against Mrs. Campanini, mia madre would razzle-dazzle 'em before they could say linguini con scungili nero (linguini with black squid, a Sicilian delicacy).

My mother has never been to a casino and has no desire to visit Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. However, she has many friends from her small church, St. Agnes, who go there weekly. They "play a little," she says, "little" being the slots and blackjack, and then "they eat a good lunch and come home" on the bus.

My mother says her cacciatore and la sua cucina (her kitchen) would suffer if suddenly she were to join the casino club. I could see her point. On the table before me were such savory smells that when I closed my eyes, I thought I was 14 years old again. The tender chicken cutlets were slightly floured and pan simmered in a special brodo (broth) of crushed tomatoes, oil, peppers, onions and mushrooms. They flaked at the touch of a fork. Gingerly, I transported each delicate morsel into my mouth. I truly can't say what divine taste is but, mio Dio, this gives me something to shoot for in the afterlife.
A sip of Brunello and the conversazione was casinos and jobs.

I told my mother that I couldn't remember the last time a Massachusetts newspaper ran a headline announcing the creation of 2,000 jobs.

I filled her in on Gov. Deval Patrick's plan to build three resort casinos in Massachusetts but how House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi is resisting. I told her Massachusetts could use the jobs.

"Twin River (Rhode Island's slots casino) keeps adding something new every week," she said, dipping her crusty bread in the cacciatore. "People have jobs who never had jobs. Even the priest goes up there. He says he's looking for his parishioners, but I think he plays a little, too."

Oh, mamma mia, don't let me write that. But I just did. And that's the point. Casinos are a destination for nearly everyone.

Massachusetts has to make a decision and soon. Government spending is killing us at all levels. People with and without college degrees can't find good jobs here, can't afford to live here and are leaving the state for better opportunities elsewhere. The economy is the issue, and expanded gaming, let's face it, must become a part of the fiscal picture because government spending isn't going away.

Basically, Patrick's plan would raise $400 million to $600 million in licensing fees immediately. In addition, the state would receive annual payments based on total casino revenues. From my perspective, however, jobs are the key.

Building three casinos would create hundreds of high-paying, temporary construction jobs. The permanent jobs would come from casino management and services. Let's look at what the MGM Grand hotel is offering those willing to work:

According to the Journal article, the new jobs will include 350 supervisor/ managerial positions and 277 dealers, along with security officers, cashiers, food and beverage servers, housekeeping personnel, maintenance workers and facility engineers.

In addition to the 2,000 jobs at the MGM Grand (2 million square feet with 825 hotel rooms and a 4,000-seat theater), there will be 1,000 jobs available at five new restaurants that hire separately. Foxwoods now employs 10,000 people, according to Steve Heise, the resort's VP of human resources.

At present, Rhode Island and Connecticut casinos are making hundreds of millions of dollars on Massachusetts residents who enjoy gambling and the entertainment offered. Jobs are also piling up south of the border while Massachusetts sits on the sidelines.

How long must this go on?

The answer must wait another day. My mother has just placed a dish of homemade tiramisu on the table. My nostrils are flaring: creamy ciccolata and baked lady fingers have overtaken my senses.

Jim Campanini is The Sun's editor. E-mail him at jcampanini@lowellsun.com.

Posted by Admin at 8:42 AM | Comments (1)

February 20, 2008

When driving pay attention to roads, avoid risks

I read an article in The Sun written by Matt Murphy on Feb. 9 concerning some Beacon Hill lawmakers requiring elderly drivers to pass a vision and road test before a license renewal. The senator who refiled this bill is Sen. Brian Joyce. Then Gov. Deval Patrick interjects with: "No disrespect to seniors, but public safety has to come first."

How magnanimous of our esteemed governor and some of our state legislators to show this legitimate concern, but aren't we forgetting something that is of equal importance if not more, namely: "drunken drivers"? We all know how some of our liberal judges just issue a reprimand and then release these individuals back on the road again. Some of these drunken drivers have been arrested not once but as much as 10 or more times. And they are still driving on a street where you live.

Why doesn't our governor and the state legislators get together and work to change the law that keeps putting these offenders back on our roads? Isn't this a more serious menace than spending time trying to weed out elderly drivers? And while they are at it, they should also do something about these liberal judges. They are the ones who see these drunken drivers appear before them time and time again and release them with a fine and a slap on the wrist!
Mr. Murphy's article also stated statistics that showed younger drivers had fewer fatalities than elderly drivers. Maybe it is because they killed themselves more than they killed or injured others. Yet, right on the front page of the Tuesday, Feb. 12, Sun, it showed an allegedly drunk 19-year-old speeding down the road at 80 mph and killing a passenger who was standing in the road near a disabled vehicle. What about the young teen who with four or five of her young passengers hit a tree at high speed and all were killed? How about the two young men who were chasing each other on the Connector and caused the death of a young pregnant woman?

So, come on all you seniors, middle-agers and young drivers. Let's use a vehicle for what it was meant to be used and that is getting from point A to point B in the safest manner possible. We must all also remember to have respect for the sanctity of human life. Otherwise we are no better than predators who seek out and destroy their prey. Perhaps the emphasis should be placed on retesting our conscience instead of retesting at the RMV. If we choose not to try to understand this simple but good advice, then I might as well lock myself in at home and throw away the key.

Posted by Admin at 3:38 PM

February 4, 2008

Napping is good, just don't get caught on tape

How about that Bill Clinton?

Surely by now you've seen video of the former president nodding off during a Martin Luther King Jr. observance at the Convent Avenue Baptist Church in New York City's Harlem neighborhood. If you haven't, go to YouTube and check it out, or just Google, "Clinton sleeping." You'll get a ton of possibilities.

It's classic Clinton. I call it the "Bill Had a Dream" video.

There is the eye-drooping, head-bobbing former president seated right behind the son of the slain civil-rights leader, who was delivering a fiery speech. Still couldn't keep Bill awake.

He's well-tested and war weary. Don't forget, he's put up with Hillary's voice for years now. He has an automatic mute button built in. He can tune right out.

I've never been a big fan of President Clinton, but watching the video, I almost felt bad for him. The guy is trying so hard to stay awake, or to appear as if he's awake. I especially like the part when his head bobs up and his eyes open and he starts nodding in approval of what the speaker is saying, like he actually knows.
Then he looks at his watch. Classic. He then shifts arms and rests his head on his fist. Bad move, Bill. You're just asking for a ticket to dreamland now.

But I can certainly sympathize with him. I know exactly how he feels.

I've been known to nod off at municipal meetings, especially when the developers come in with all their charts and graphs, and they start talking about variances, culverts, retention basins and wetland boundaries. Toothpicks couldn't keep my eyes open.

How about at staff meetings? I have a method. I usually stand in the back of the room, near a window, just in case, because the last thing I want to do is start sawing logs when my boss is in the front of the room, rattling the saber.

I've fallen asleep at my computer on occasion. One time, the pinky finger on my left hand actually rested on the letter "z." It was a great visual when I woke up. Several rows of "zs" on the written page.

I have a track record of falling asleep in church. Everyone knows it, and it's become a running joke. After the service, people will come up to me and say, "Did you have a nice nap?"

In my weak defense, I point out that Sunday mornings are pretty busy for me. I cook breakfast for the family. I get ready for church. I attend adult Sunday School, after which I run down to the choir room to rehearse for the service. Then the service begins. I sing in the choir. By the time the pastor gets up to preach, I'm done. Lights out.

The average sermon is 45 minutes. Sometimes a little longer. I'm just thankful that the choir doesn't have to sit up there in front of the church for the entire service, like they do in some churches. There is no worse feeling than battling slumber. My son will poke me in the ribs as I doze off. My wife will give me a gentle nudge. Nothing works.

As a joke on my birthday a couple of years ago, my friend John made this contraption to assist me. It's a stiff board that is worn under the shirt. A little chin rest protrudes from just behind the necktie, making the head-bob thing a virtual impossibility. As an added feature he threw in a pair of glasses with eyeballs painted on. He's trying to perfect a little audio device that can offer a loud "Amen," at appropriate intervals.

I've attended Catholic churches in the past. There is less chance of falling asleep there, what with all the standing and sitting and kneeling throughout the entire service. Maybe that's why they do it. Maybe they're onto something. We don't do that at my church.

Yeah, me falling asleep in church is a big joke among the brethren, and highly exaggerated, I might add. My reputation precedes me.

It's not that bad. But when it does happen, as President Clinton can attest, it's the worst.

My only consolation is that there are no video cameras in our church to capture the moment.

Dennis Shaughnessey's e-mail address is

Posted by Admin at 4:58 PM

January 23, 2008

The next superintendent of Lowell's public schools should be an "outsider."

I don't mean someone who lives outside Lowell. I mean an "outsider" from the educational establishment.

I'm thinking of the CEO types who handle budgets, create marketing strategies, set priorities, eliminate waste, develop accountability measures, demand success and also have a passion for education.

Where do you find such people?

Well, you don't find them by posting the same requirements and qualifications as you did in 1999 when the last search for a superintendent took place. But that's exactly what the Lowell School Committee is doing.

Lowell could never hire a Michael Bennet or a Mark Roosevelt under the job requirements recently posted in the hunt for Karla Brooks Baehr's successor.

Bennet was a CEO who made millions restructuring ailing businesses into successful ones. The Denver school board hired him in July 2005 to rescue a public school system that had built up two decades of failure under traditional superintendents.

Roosevelt is the former state representative who co-authored Massachusetts' 1993 Education Reform Act. He is also the 1994 Democratic gubernatorial nominee who lost in a landslide to Bill Weld and later went on to be CEO of a biomedical research initiative. The Pittsburgh school board, frustrated with a lack of progress in student achievement, hired him as superintendent in August 2005.

In both cases, the schools boards waived the superintendent certification requirements so Bennet, a Yale Law School graduate, and Roosevelt, a Harvard Law School graduate, could be hired.

Needless to say, the Denver and Pittsburgh school systems are prospering under goal-oriented, innovative management.

Bennet wrote the Denver Plan, a living document that outlines the district's vision for every student, teacher and principal. He's overhauled curriculum standards, balanced the budget and pushed through a first-of-its kind teachers' merit-pay system.

Roosevelt is the architect of the Pittsburgh Promise, a scholarship program that guarantees college aid to every high-school graduate. He's signed all school principals to performance-based contracts. He's negotiated teacher raises without raising taxes. And most impressive of all is that he's stripped away $33 million in wasteful spending over three years.

Find one superintendent in all of Massachusetts who has the business acumen -- or the desire -- to save taxpayers a dime while also being committed to improving education.

Lowell needs a new breed of educational executive, a change agent who'll see things from an accountability and performance perspective. Someone who won't tolerate the expenditure of $1.2 billion in seven years with the result being 19 failing schools.

To land a remarkable "outsider" the school board needs to do three things:

1. Summon up the courage to reject the traditional model.

2. Pay an annual CEO salary of at least $200,000.

3. Recruit, recruit, recruit.

There are 50 superintendency openings in New England, 39 in Massachusetts alone. Most communities will be looking to fill these positions with traditional educational "insiders," making the competition for the status quo extremely fierce.

The way I see it, Lowell's got a prime opportunity to make a break from the past by hiring an "outsider" with uncommon, unique ability.

Jim Campanini is editor of The Sun. E-mail comments to jcampanini@lowellsun.com.

Posted by Admin at 11:58 AM

December 19, 2007

Developing the 'new' Lowell

Is the Lowell of the future also the Lowell of the past?

It's an intriguing question, one to be discussed and dissected over the next several months as city officials and citizens shape the vision of the Hamilton Canal District in a series of public meetings with representatives from Trinity Financial, the project's master developer.

Today, the 15-plus acres of the Hamilton Canal District are littered with crumbling mill buildings and relics of the 19th century's Industrial Revolution.

Historic Board members and preservationists marvel at this graveyard of bricks and mortar. Some hope to see it rise again. They envision a miraculous reconstruction of mill debris where new "old" buildings come to life and permanently lock in Lowell's historic heritage.

But is the mill renaissance landscape what Lowellians really want for the downtown's potential jewel?

I believe if the Hamilton Canal District turns out looking anything less than a modern center of inspirational beauty and energy, Lowell is doomed. A great opportunity to really reinvent Lowell would be lost forever.
This is no "mills to martinis" project for dilettantes. The stakes are high. A "minds to millions" (as in dollars) project is more like it. The vision that emerges will likely determine the city's economic fortunes for the next five decades and beyond.

The district represents the last chance to get it right for a downtown lacking the spatial amenities of other urban centers. Two that come to mind are Providence, R.I., and Portsmouth, N.H. Both cities have taken advantage of waterways to connect residents and tourists to downtown attractions.

Anyone who's been to Providence's Waterfire evening galas has likely been mesmerized by the torch-lit barges sitting in gleaming rivers. It's enjoyable to walk along the wide boulevards, stop at kiosks for a fanciful delight, or hop inside a quaint bar for a drink. Providence had to uncover three rivers running underneath the city surface, plus divert them, to create a business district showcase.

Portsmouth too has cashed in on its waterfront, turning a tired downtown into a fashionable sea of boutiques, coffee shops and restaurants.

Lowell's existing downtown lacks adequate on-street parking. As a result, the traffic flow manufactures choke points at nearly every turn. Imagine, though, if the Hamilton Canal District could be designed as a no-car zone, just like Venice.

It's time to think big again -- and forwardly -- as in 20 years from now.

I, for one, love Lowell's existing mill buildings and the wonderful renovations that have taken place over the past decade. Lowellians should take pride in the past and preserve historic buildings. But when is enough enough?

A walk up and down Merrimack Street and along the city's Historic District satisfy my lust for preservation.

As a four-year Lowell resident -- and someone who's worked here for 19 years -- I want something new and innovative to be proud of. Bowl me over with ideas, please.

Lowell has a chance to create a city within a city, to inspire awe with eye-catching designs, elegant green spaces, and wondrous canal waterways.

Canadians take equal pride in their "old" Montreal and "new" Montreal. Why can't Lowellians do the same here?

To be successful, the Hamilton Canal District needs its own identity. What if its centerpiece was a tall, glass building featuring a see-through elevator that rode all the way up to an elegant, top-floor restaurant? Would you visit? I'd find it irresistible.

What we don't need are refurbished tax-exempt mill buildings where developers get all the breaks and the taxpayers get all the burden.

I'm aware that Trinity Financial has its hands full. The pressure from community groups -- and preservationists -- to build an all-encompassing development that meets everyone's needs will be overwhelming. What a trap. If Trinity tries to make everyone happy the district is destined to become a nightmare.

Here's three goals for Trinity: Think beauty, safety and functionality.

And words of caution: Don't panic. If investors are slow to respond, resist expedient deals and ugly development that will cheapen the district's future prospects.

With Trinity's help and forbearance, Lowell can enhance the downtown with the creation of a unique extension that enlivens streets, sidewalks and shops and produces new residents, workers and tourists.

Lowell's vision for the Hamilton Canal District should be a sight to behold -- not a site beholden to the past.

Jim Campanini is editor of The Sun. E-mail him at jcampanini@lowellsun.com.

Posted by Admin at 12:01 PM

November 14, 2007

Why they are the people's choice

The performance of the two top vote-getters in last week's City Council election, No. 1 Rita Mercier and No. 2 Edward "Bud" Caulfield, should not have come as any surprise.

Both are constituent-first councilors, replying to the concerns of others at the drop of an Owl Diner pancake.

Still, the Mercier-Caulfield showing was remarkable. Voters responded to them despite a yearlong effort by the council majority -- the so-called six pro-Lynchers -- to paint them and Councilor Armand Mercier as obstructionists to progress, simply because they were viewed as supporters of former City Manager John F. Cox and weren't in total lockstep with Cox's successor, City Manager Bernie Lynch.

The propaganda continued when challengers Alan Kazanjian and Mike Lenzi entered the council race. The pro-Lynchers questioned their motives for running, since they too had longstanding friendships with Cox.

The strategy backfired.

With Armand Mercier placing fifth, the "obstructionists" finished Nos. 1-2-4 (Kazanjian)- 5 and 8 (Lenzi), securing five of nine council seats.
The pro-Lynchers finished Nos. 3 (Mayor Bill Martin), 6 (Kevin Broderick), 7 (Rodney Elliott), 9 (Jim Milinazzo) and 11 (Joe Mendonca). Mendonca lost his seat.

The final rankings say it all: Lowellians rejected the pro-Lynchers' "we are the good guys" and "they are the bad guys" rhetoric.

So why did four of the five pro-Lynchers survive the election?

Because, at heart, they are quality people too. They have a lot to offer a city that faces extraordinary challenges over the next two years and beyond.

Still the message is clear: Lowellians want both sides in this political power struggle to knock it off.

Manager Lynch has to do his part to foster unity. And that's why I believe, at this point, Caulfield is a better candidate for mayor than is Elliott.

In Caulfield, Lynch has an ambassador who can communicate with both Merciers, Kazanjian and Lenzi. If Caulfield and Lynch find harmony, so will the rest.

Elliott, though, remains a chameleon. He inhaled Lynch's ether about "professional" government, as if the prior City Hall administration had anything but Lowell's best interests at heart. On election eve, at an East End Club candidates' forum, Elliott had the temerity to read a misguided poem denigrating the Cox administration and his endorsed candidates. It hit bottom like an anchor, as well it should. Is this the councilor to unite the city?

Elliott might make a good mayor someday, but not for the next two years. Caulfield has vowed to smooth relations, and he is credible in that regard.

Which brings me to my second point as to why Rita Mercier and Bud Caulfield remain the people's choices. Back in September, they backed a motion calling on Lynch to publicly release the Stoklosa School report. The motion failed 7-2, with Armand Mercier joining Eileen Donoghue, Broderick, Elliott, Martin and Mendonca to suppress a public report that cost taxpayers $9,000.

Lynch has used a new legal exemption -- "attorney-client privilege" -- to shroud the report in mystery for 11 months. He says the report is the basis for a pending lawsuit against DRA Associates, the Stoklosa School's architect, and its release would weaken the city's legal position to recover costs.

Since September, O'Connor has told Sun reporters that a lawsuit was "imminent," just like Lynch said way back in March.

The stonewalling, in my view, was conceived to keep the report hidden from the public before the city election. Why? Because the financial dirt certain councilors were hoping to dig up on former City Manager Cox never materialized yet they wanted to keep the rumors of impropriety alive.

According to sources, the report says there was a lack of oversight on the city's part but no financial hanky-panky.

The shame of this entire episode is that Lynch could have released a summary putting all the rumors to rest without damaging a lawsuit against DRA. He didn't. Why?

Now Lynch and the City Council have the Public Records Division of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts -- as well as The Sun -- breathing down their necks.

Alan N. Cote, the state's supervisor of records, wants to examine the Stoklosa report. In a Nov. 5 letter to Lynch, Cote writes: "As privilege claimant, you bear the burden of proof in demonstrating the City possesses a valid (attorney-client) privilege ... As emphasized by the Supreme Judicial Court in the Suffolk decision, you will be required to produce a detailed index to support your claim of privilege."

Cote doesn't stop there. He requests Lynch to submit all "responsive records" for an "in camera review" to his One Ashburton Place office in Boston.

So what is the city's response to Cote's letter? When asked by a Sun reporter, Lynch deferred questions to O'Connor who, in turn, said she had not received the letter yet. Typical.

The solicitor also told the reporter that a lawsuit was imminent. This time she might be right. The city election is over.

Jim Campanini, editor of The Sun, can be reached at jcampanini@lowellsun.com.

Posted by Admin at 2:30 PM | Comments (1)

November 12, 2007

Time for unity

Now that the Lowell election is over and the political dust is settling, it is time for city councilors to start fulfilling the promises of unity and cooperation made on the campaign trail.

For more than 15 months, there has been a deep division on the council, a rift sparked by the change in city managers. It is time for that break to be healed -- for the good of the council, the city and its residents.

Every councilor elected Tuesday told voters he or she had no hidden agendas, no axes to grind, no political battle to avenge. We believe they spoke from the heart, that they want what is best for all of Lowell's 108,000 residents. The actions they take over the next two years will let us know if we were right.

Certainly, a unified City Council, working alongside City Manager Bernie Lynch and other local officials to boost economic development, increase job opportunities, repair roads and improve neighborhoods, is in the best interest of every Lowell citizen.

Lowell's leaders must work on the ambitious $500 million Hamilton Canal District plan, smooth the way for a new Target and Lowe's to move into the city, aggressively market the community to attract more business and maintain the city's improved crime rates.
This is difficult work, and it becomes more difficult if the City Council split continues.

In two months, there will be two new faces on the council. They must join with the seven returning councilors to put aside petty political bickering and old grudges. Lowell can move toward a brighter tomorrow only if all of its leaders are willing to look to the future instead of gazing wistfully at the past.

In recent interviews, Councilor Armand Mercier said the council must "move forward" and "stop talking about the past." Councilor Rodney Elliott promised to reach across the aisle to unite the fractured board "to work to improve the lives of every resident of Lowell." Councilor Edward "Bud" Caulfield vowed to organize a unity breakfast.

It is heartening to hear these words from veteran councilors, and to have heard similar vows of unity and cooperation from the two councilors-elect. Lowell voters, and The Sun, will be watching to see if the councilors keep their promises.

Putting their positive words into action -- by working cooperatively as a council alongside City Manager Lynch -- will restore faith in residents and in business leaders who may be considering moving into Lowell.

Posted by Admin at 11:44 AM

Extend school day

The fact that Lowell school leaders are again considering an extended-day program at two of the city's middle schools is good news. The bad news is that School Committee members and union officials apparently don't know much about the plan.

Certainly, we know why children aren't performing to their full potential -- because our kids aren't spending enough time learning mathematics, science, history and English. Now we need a detailed plan that will allow the city to obtain additional grant money to keep schools open longer.

The typical student receives fewer than six hours of instruction a day for 180 days a year. And that's not considering time lost to absences, assemblies, field days and similar activities. There's simply not enough time to learn and truly comprehend all the information students need to be successful in college and careers.

The current thought is to add an additional one hour and 45 minutes to the school day at the Stoklosa and Robinson middle schools. It's a good idea and one we hope can be implemented.
A similar plan was attempted more than a year ago, but regrettably an impasse between the administration and the teachers union scuttled it.

We are concerned that union leaders and School Committee members say they have heard very little about the new effort to extend the school day. It is imperative that everyone be on board if this plan is to reach fruition.

We realize it's early in the planning process, but it would be prudent for Superintendent of Schools Karla Brooks Baehr to include board members, administrators and teachers in her planning efforts and keep them informed of the progress being made.

The need to improve our students' academic performance is an issue nationwide. Clearly, it's time for Lowell to grant our children the additional hours they need to survive and thrive in a global economy.

We urge the city's educators to work together to successfully implement a longer school day in Lowell.

Posted by Admin at 11:31 AM

November 1, 2007

Six incumbents, three challengers

Lowell has experienced significant changes during the past two years. A new city manager and police superintendent were hired, finances have been stabilized, the crime rate is down and new businesses have arrived.

Thanks, in part, to City Council efforts, Lowell has grown economically and is moving ahead with significant projects that should continue to spur job development and boost city revenues.

Lowell's leaders are forging ahead with the ambitious $500 million Hamilton Canal District, new Target and Lowe's stores are scheduled to move into Lowell, neighborhood parks are being renovated, and roads are getting repaired. Subcommittee meetings are now televised, council motions are listed on the Web site and more people are getting involved with city government.

Unfortunately, there also is a widely perceived division on the council, a break that must be healed for the good of the council, the city and its residents. That division, sparked by the change in city managers, has continued for more than 15 months.

Lowell has always prided itself on its ability to pull together when times are tough, and to ignore personal and political differences when the future of the community is at stake. It is necessary now.
It is past time that all councilors put aside petty political bickering and old grudges. Lowell can move forward only if all of its leaders are looking to the future instead of wishing for the past. We think the slate of candidates we have endorsed could heal the rift and allow the new council to proceed on a united front.

With all this in mind, The Sun recommends returning Kevin Broderick, Edward "Bud" Caulfield, Rodney Elliott, William Martin, Rita Mercier and James Milinazzo to the City Council on Nov. 6. The Sun also endorses challengers Jo-Ann Keegan, David Koch, and Mike Lenzi.

Keegan sits on the Board of Health and has been a public-health nurse for 26 years. She would like to crackdown on code and health violations to improve residents' quality of life.

Koch is president of the Back Central Neighborhood Association and wants to represent every resident of Lowell. He would push for more industry and additional jobs.

Lenzi, who sits on the Greater Lowell Technical High School Committee, is a successful businessman who would like to bring his experience to the council.

Broderick, an attorney, wants to continue to move the city forward, keep government transparent, finances stable, attract more business and provide good services at the least possible cost to taxpayers.

Caulfield, who is running for his 11th term and promises to unite the new council, supports the Hamilton Canal District plan and worked hard to help last year's flood victims.

Elliott has solid financial skills, is a proponent of neighborhood preservation, supports bringing in new business, wants to help unify the council and would like to crack down on the problem of absentee landlords.

Martin, an attorney who is currently Lowell's mayor, wants to help properly develop the Hamilton Canal District project, work to keep middle-class families in Lowell, maintain open government and support reasonable, affordable contracts for employees.

Mercier is known for her strong constituent services and her work to aid flood victims. She is always willing to listen to residents' concerns.

Milinazzo has considerable development expertise, has worked to protect neighborhoods from dense developments, and hopes to continue Lowell's revitalization and focus on cleaning up city neighborhoods.

Posted by Admin at 2:26 PM

October 31, 2007

Four incumbents, two challengers 10/31/2007

The Lowell School Department far too often sees additional funding as the way to resolve district problems, is slow to push for increased accountability -- both financially and educationally -- and is lacking in communication with the community.

The district has made some progress in its MCAS scores, but Lowell still has too many schools on the state's "needs improvement" lists and too many students struggling. The pace of progress must be stepped up.

Certainly, we recognize that the School Department faces significant challenges. More than 65 percent of its students live in poverty and 38 percent are not proficient in English. It's not easy to overcome such hurdles, but it can be done. It's been proven in Memphis, Tenn., where that city's former superintendent -- who now leads Boston's school district -- pushed struggling students to excel and was rewarded with skyrocketing test scores and college acceptance rates.

We would like to see the school district more willing to embrace innovations and initiatives recommended by teachers, administrators and parents. There is a wealth of knowledge and experience in Lowell, and school leaders should take advantage of it.
Also, the district should have a detailed strategic plan as a guide toward achieving excellence. It doesn't.

We believe a majority of the incumbents are striving to reach those goals. We see a core group of incumbents -- Jacqueline Doherty, Regina Faticanti, John Leahy and James Leary -- who are working well together to improve the school system and deserve to be returned to office. However, they need assistance from some new voices who are willing to challenge the status quo. With this in mind, The Sun also endorses challengers Dennis Canney and David Conway. We see this as a strong team to assist Superintendent Karla Brooks Baehr in pushing for academic excellence.

Canney, who taught English and coached a variety of sports in the Lowell School System for more than 30 years, wants to see more emphasis placed on mathematics and science. He knows that is where we will find the jobs of today and tomorrow. He believes in teaching civics as well as character and self-discipline to students. That is the way to build good citizens and successful students.

Conway has made a strong case that too many new hires are coming from outside the Lowell School Department. Longtime employees feel they have no opportunity to advance in their careers, and they should not feel that way. Conway is scheduled to retire in December from his position as housemaster at Lowell High School. He knows the school system and will have time to devote to the School Committee. Conway initiated the Laptops for Lowell program that helped boost attendance at Lowell High, and would push for a board to review innovative ideas and reward those employees whose suggestions come to fruition.

Doherty remains an outspoken advocate for Lowell's schoolchildren. She wants to raise standards for all students. We would like to see her question the superintendent more, but recognize her passion for improving education.

Faticanti has no problem challenging the administration. She would work with the challengers to instill a culture where internal candidates have a fair shot at promotion and where all employees are treated with respect.

Leahy has worked to bridge the communication gap between the School Committee and City Council. Leahy tends to question school leaders behind closed doors, but we'd like to see him speak up during board meetings.

Leary wants to continue scrutinizing the budget to seek additional efficiencies. He pushed to start an internship program for future high-school housemasters and for school principals.

Posted by Admin at 4:57 PM

October 30, 2007

The Sox sweep

The curse is definitely reversed. With Sunday night's sweep, the Red Sox became the first team to win two championships in the 21st century.

Take that, Babe Ruth.

Just like in 2004, when the Sox swept away the St. Louis Cardinals in four games, they showed no mercy again. They won their first two games at home, absolutely crushing the Colorado Rockies in the first game, and then beat them twice at Coors Field in Denver.

We are particularly proud of those players who once graced LeLacheur Field in Lowell with their athletic prowess. Kevin Youkilis, Jonathan Papelbon and Jacoby Ellsbury all once played for the Lowell Spinners and were instrumental in the Sox winning the World Series in a four-game sweep. To date, more than 30 Spinners have gone on to play in the major leagues.

Papelbon pitched in Lowell in 2003, Youkilis was the Spinners' Player of the Year in 2001 and Ellsbury was here a mere two summers ago but is showing great maturity and focus at Fenway Park.

The Red Sox have made the minor-league team an integral part of its system, investing heavily in player development and spending more than $5 million a year in signing bonuses to top amateur players taken in the draft.
Clearly, John Henry's syndicate knows what it's doing.

And, of course, Mike Lowell was named the World Series Most Valuable Player. Lowell, a four-time All-Star, was considered by some to be a "throw-in" on the 2005 deal with Florida that brought ace pitcher Josh Beckett to the Red Sox. Lowell did have a disappointing season that year, but the third baseman has since proven that he's far more than a throw-in -- and what a great last name.

Adding poignancy to Sunday night's game and the overall Series, was seeing pitcher Jon Lester delivering a solid 5 2/3 innings in the fourth -- and final -- game of the series. At this time last year Lester, 23, was undergoing chemotherapy for lymphoma. After beating cancer, the young player had to fight his way back from the minors before helping the Sox to win the World Series for the second time in four years.

It seems long ago that Red Sox fans were wondering if they'd ever see a championship. They had come so close so many times, but for 86 years it was always snatched away.

That ended in 2004 and again in 2007.

The future looks bright for the team, and Red Sox Nation can rejoice.

Posted by Admin at 12:53 PM

October 29, 2007

Good site, solid future

The Lowell Sun
Article Last Updated: 10/26/2007 11:56:28 AM EDT

It's no secret that UMass Lowell needs to upgrade its facilities or that nanotechnology and green chemistry are expected to be the economic future of this region.

By responding to the university's facilities needs, Chancellor Marty Meehan may help spark the growth of exciting new businesses in Greater Lowell. UMass Lowell's recently released facilities plan contains about $155 million in new buildings, including an $80 million Emerging Technology and Innovation Center to be built on the corner of University Avenue and VFW Highway, a highly visible site on North Campus.

We believe that to be an excellent location for a facility that academic, government and business leaders hope will create spin-off companies and good-paying jobs for skilled residents.

About a month before Meehan's announcement, City Manager Bernie Lynch had named the developer of the $500 million 10-year Hamilton Canal District project -- Trinity Financial of Boston. We hope the research and development that will eventually be conducted at UMass
Lowell's Emerging Technology facility will lead to a collaboration with Trinity and the city to incorporate satellite nanotechnology businesses and other research facilities into the Hamilton Canal District plan.
Trinity president James Keefe has proposed a mixed-use development -- a "vibrant urban village" -- that will include commercial, retail and offices as well as some residential use. That concept should tie in well with the new facilities to be constructed at UMass Lowell.

Meehan chose an excellent site for the Emerging Technology center, nestled in the heart of North Campus where science, mathematics and engineering are studied. It will allow for easy interaction between professors, scientists and students. It can also become a showpiece for the university and the city, attracting more interest and business to the area.

We commend Meehan for his site selection and look forward to the opening, scheduled for the beginning of the 2010 academic year.

Posted by Admin at 11:29 AM

Compromise on affordable housing

The Lowell Sun
Article Last Updated: 10/27/2007 03:14:07 PM EDT

There's no question that lawmakers need to debate the merits of the state's Chapter 40B law, but there should not be an all-out assault on the regulation, nor should the law be entirely abolished.

Many Massachusetts residents need affordable housing to continue living here, particularly younger people, senior citizens, and residents employed in low-paying fields. Without a requirement that communities provide some kind of affordable housing, many residents -- including people who were born and raised here, and others who lived here for decades -- would be priced out of the market and forced to relocate.

Not only is that unfair, but it would have a detrimental impact on the state's economy. If those with high-paying jobs are the only people who can afford to reside in Massachusetts, who will fulfill the employment needs of our restaurants, hotels, grocery stores and social-service industries? Positions in these businesses typically pay considerably less than high-tech jobs, but are necessary for the Bay State's economic survival and the quality of life of residents.
Currently, activists are diligently working to get Chapter 40B repealed. We understand their reasoning and share many of their concerns, but we feel abolishing the law would be going too far.

A better solution would be to strive to improve Chapter 40B, to make it work for everyone -- both affluent and struggling residents, lawmakers and developers.

Should the regulations be tightened up? Absolutely. No community should have a ridiculously high-density development shoved down its throat. But communities also shouldn't be allowed to perpetuate "snob zoning" where there's no room for anything less than half-million dollar homes.

Otherwise, where will our children live when they've finished high school or college? How can our parents remain in the town in which they raised their families when they live on a fixed income? If some people want to spend their entire lives in their hometown, shouldn't they have that option?

We think so. And we hope legislators and 40B activists will discuss this issue in a cooperative manner to find a solution that works for everyone.

Posted by Admin at 11:26 AM

October 25, 2007

More risk to smoking

If America's youngsters need another reason to not smoke cigarettes -- beyond the increased risk of lung cancer and emphysema -- the results of a report by Columbia University certainly gives it to them.

Research released last week by the institution's National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse highlights additional evidence that links youth smoking to substance abuse, and points out how nicotine affects teenagers' brains.

Most people are well aware that smoking is an unhealthy habit that can lead to debilitating illness and even death, but how many realize that smoking at an early age can trigger a susceptibility to drug and alcohol addiction and mental illness?

Columbia University's report cited scientific studies that show the nicotine in tobacco products -- cigarettes, cigars, chew, etc. -- can produce structural and chemical changes in the developing brain that make youngsters more vulnerable to addiction and mental-health problems.

This information should prompt considerable concern among parents whose children have started smoking cigarettes. Tobacco use should not be considered a youthful folly that can be dealt with later. Not only is smoking illegal for youngsters, it is now shown to be detrimental to brain development and can lead to a lifetime of struggle and heartache.
Columbia's researchers found that the younger a child is when he or she starts smoking, the greater the risk of underage drinking and other drug abuse.

The statistics are alarming. Children who start smoking by age 12 are three times more likely to binge on alcohol, nearly 15 times more likely to smoke marijuana, and almost seven times more likely to use hard-core drugs such as cocaine and heroin.

This report proves, once again, that parents cannot turn a blind eye to their children's infractions, even if the child claims he or she rarely smokes. An occasional cigarette can quickly become a habit, which in turn can harm brain development and lead to a lifetime of regret.

Posted by Admin at 2:23 PM

October 24, 2007

The manager, the champion

The Red Sox may come and the Red Sox may go. Big Papi may hit homers, and Manny may knock in runs. Or they may strike out. The fortunes of the team may rise and they may fall. Red Sox Nation may cheer and howl in victory or slink off sniffling quietly in defeat. But one thing remains constant, reliable, assured always to be at the very peak of performance, one super star.

He is the manager. In the manager the Red Sox have a leader who, by constant example and unvarying demonstration, shows the world what a manager should be, what he should do, how he should lead. The manager is a paragon, a beacon shining in a dark world, an example to all who see him, an inspiration and model for the thousands of hero-worshipping boys who aspire to don the uniform of a big-league team and play ball. In the manager the Sox have perfection.

In baseball? Oh no. Baseball is trivia. Who wins and loses is of little consequence. Performance on the field is a sometime thing, forgotten when the last inning ends. The manager is excellence personified in something far more substantial and universally practiced than mere baseball.
Here is a man who can spit.

Watch him. Observe every move through every game, note the timing, the posture, the head movement, the unflagging production, the constancy of it all. You see a thing of beauty. Pay close attention to the manager when the team is playing. You see a man of great talent, dedicated to his art.

As he sits in the dugout the head is bowed slightly. The chewing ceases for a moment. The lips purse. There is a pause, not prolonged, but noticeable. Then it comes. The perfect spit, dead center between the feet, of major volume but not overbearing, aimed like rifle fire. Magnificent. Then the head rises momentarily, the chewing begins again, and the next one is soon to come.

Does anyone dare to suggest that there is a better spitter in the world of baseball than the Red Sox manager? The very thought is heresy. And this sort of talent does not come easily. A spitter of this caliber is like a sculptor or a flute soloist or a novelist, all of whom spend countless hours bringing their vocation to the highest level of excellence. The Red Sox manager is the Ernest Hemingway of spitting.

Consider the time the manager through the years put into achieving the correct posture, the back straight leaning ahead a little, neck bent slightly forward. Think of the hours spent practicing as a young man, when others were out enjoying their pointless existence of having youthful fun. In the Red Sox manager you see determination, dedication, self-denial and the steadfast pursuit of excellence.

And there is the matter of what brings about all this excellence of performance. From time to time, as the game rages and the roar from the stands reaches a crescendo worthy of the world's brass bands put together, there is the manager stuffing something into his mouth. Tobacco? Probably not. If it were, the manager would not have any teeth; and the chaw, once as much a part of baseball as home plate, has pretty much disappeared from the Big Leagues, and the almost constant spurt across the field of brown goo from the mouths of the players has subsided. Gum? Not likely, although some of the players have reached fourth-grade status at producing bubbles. No, it has to be something that will produce sufficient quantities of the essence of spitting to allow the performance to go on through a full game, even into extra innings.

Spitting is such a vital part of baseball that one can dream up a scene of a rookie coming up to the Big Leagues. The scouts have found him. He looks ready for years at the top. But one thing remains. The manager looks over all the records. Fielding? Great. Hitting? A long-ball man. Base running? Fast. Then comes the key question. Can the kid spit? Let's have a look. The kid puckers up, draws all the material he can and lets one go. Not bad, not bad, says the manager, impressed. To himself he says, this kid's got a big career ahead of him.

But not as good as that of the Red Sox manager. He can out-spit anyone who ever put on a pair of spikes. He is the champ, uncontested, with a rapid-fire pace, unlimited endurance and perfect execution every time. Let the game go on. Let the score seesaw back and forth. Let the crowd go wild. But there in the dugout, standing occasionally and leaning on the railing looking out at the field but usually sitting on the bench, is the manager, chewing and chewing, his cheeks distended, getting ready. Then from the head bowed in the perfect posture, comes the beautifully executed spit. The Red Sox must be walking about with chests thrust forward in pride. He's all theirs. And fans by the thousands across the country can watch him. It's enough to get you settled in your favorite chair in front of the TV or going back to the ball park game after game. It's the ultimate performance.

Baseball does not offer anything better than this.

Robert Reed is a former editorial writer for The Sun.

Posted by Admin at 4:17 PM

Patient safety job No. 1

An excellent example as to why Massachusetts hospitals need to retain the ability to control their own staffing levels is the flood that devastated the region last year, forcing the evacuations of thousands of residents.

It was fortunate our hospitals had the flexibility to call in more nurses, LPNs, aides and administrators during a time of need.

The Legislature's Joint Committee on Public Health is scheduled to hold a hearing tomorrow on two competing nurse staffing bills -- a Senate and a House version. The House bill, being pushed by a nursing union, would impose government-mandated registered nurse ratios on hospitals, which we find troubling.

This issue was last debated more than a year ago, and there is still no solid scientific evidence to support an RN ratio. Equally important, the union's bill has not been modified to take into consideration the entire caregiving team.

A frightening thought is that if the proposed nurse-staffing ratio bill had been in effect, local hospitals would have been unable to react as quickly as they did during last spring's flooding. There's a good chance some patients -- including those evacuated from nursing homes -- would have been turned away and sent to hospitals farther from family and friends.
The nurse-staffing ratio bill would mandate the staffing ratios of registered nurses to patients. On the surface, that sounds acceptable. However, the legislation would not allow hospitals to factor in the many other caregivers assisting patients, such as licensed practical nurses, physical therapists and aides. In California, which has a registered nurse ratio requirement, hospitals are sometimes forced to send patients elsewhere to meet the state mandates. We don't think that best serves the needs of patients.

Another significant concern is that having such a requirement could force hospitals to eliminate jobs of other caregivers to hire more registered nurses. And the RNs then would be required to perform less-skilled tasks because there would be fewer LPNs and aides to handle those duties. Again, we find this troubling.

It is no secret that Massachusetts is experiencing a nursing shortage, so hospitals could well end up in registered-nurse bidding wars with each other as well as with nursing homes and visiting-nurse organizations, creating patient-care problems in those institutions.

It makes far more sense to us for hospital staffing needs to continue to be assessed on a shift-by-shift basis, taking into consideration the number of patients and their specific needs as well as the skills and experience of the staff.

The Senate's Patient Safety Act calls for increased accountability by health-care providers while also recognizing the contributions of all caregivers -- RNs, LPNs, aides and those who transport patients. We support this measure and believe legislators should vote against House Bill 2059 which could jeopardize jobs and patient care.

Posted by Admin at 4:14 PM

Keep camp open

Westford Special Town Meeting voters made a good decision Monday night when they agreed to continue a summer camp at the East Boston Camps property.

By voting in favor of the article, residents have authorized the Board of Selectmen and the Conservation Commission to enter into a lease or contract with a camp operator. Although the vote is nonbinding, it is clear that residents want a camp to continue, and they prefer a camp that will include low- and moderate-income children from inner-city areas.

Nearly 400 residents signed a petition stating they wanted a camp to be operated on the property. In fact, the citizens' petition is what sparked the Special Town Meeting warrant article.

The petition states that residents support a camp program that includes at least 20 percent of children come from low- to moderate-income homes. Residents also want a program that will encourage more Westford children to apply.

A request for proposal will be drafted, and interested camp programs can apply. Unfortunately, it seems that the East Boston Social Center, which operated on the property for 70 years, will have a difficult time competing because the successful bidder is expected to fund the financial expenses associated with the camp, maintain the buildings and pay a share of the caretaker's annual salary.
It is unlikely that the East Boston Social Center, which runs an excellent program for inner-city children, will be able to come up with that kind of cash. That would be a disappointment.

However, we certainly hope that whatever organization is awarded the camp contract, that group will include a significant percentage of low- to moderate-income children who would otherwise not be able to experience the wonders of the outdoors in a beautiful rural setting.

By striving to continue a camp that includes needy youngsters, Westford parents would be setting an excellent example for their own children.

Posted by Admin at 4:13 PM

October 23, 2007

Blame GOP for Ogonowski's loss

Blame GOP for Ogonowski's loss
The Lowell Sun
Article Last Updated: 10/22/2007 11:33:32 AM EDT

Republicans got what they deserved in Tuesday's 5th District congressional election: another loss.

Yes, Jim Ogonowski shook things up.

Yes, his man-of-the-people campaign tapped into voter discontent throughout the Merrimack Valley.

Yes, his fiery salvoes against Washington politicians, Beltway insiders, fat-cat lobbyists, and politics-as-usual ignited outrage.

Yes, he won 11 of the 5th District's 29 communities, pulling in an impressive 47,770 votes, or 45 percent of the total.

But he lost.

And Republicans have no one but state and national party officials to blame.

They hung out to dry the best hope they had of landing a major news story on the front pages of the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today.

The message -- "Democratic stronghold (Massachusetts) elects Republican to Congress" -- would have played in every corner of the country where the GOP is rightfully under attack for its misguided direction.

It would have sent shockwaves to Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and every other faker in the Democratic party who believes obstructionist politics breeds success.
But the GOP blew it.

When the Dracut farmer-citizen had big-time favorite Niki Tsongas in his sights, trailing in the polls by 6-9 percentage points, the GOP cavalry never mounted a winning charge. It dismounted instead.

Ogonowski was outspent 5-to-1 by Niki's Democratic machine. She raised $1.5 million on her own and got another $1 million in advertising support from the Democratic National Committee, Emily's List and a top union. Tsongas buried the landscape with campaign leaflets, mailings and TV and radio advertising. She launched a late newspaper ad blitz over the campaign's final weekend.

Ogonowski raised roughly $500,000. He tried to maximize every dollar with an unwavering message on illegal immigration, wasteful spending, the war in Iraq, Social Security, and health care.

But what if Ogonowski had received a $500,000 fund-raising match from the Republican National Committee? Might he have pulled off the upset of the year?

National Republicans should be ashamed they didn't come to the Massachusetts war front when duty called.

The fact Ogonowski came within 6 percentage points of knocking off Tsongas is remarkable, seeing that his campaign convoy consisted of his own 2002 Buick LeSabre and two pairs of worn shoes.

Fast jets and limos paraded around President Bill Clinton, House Speaker Pelosi and Sen. Ted Kennedy for Tsongas.

Ogonowski could have been the poster boy for a new breed of Republicans. A blue-collar worker who prefers blue overalls instead of blue suits. His victory would have invited others just like him to join a party that is perceived as only for the rich and tax-paying impaired.

Republicans had a great reward in their grasp with Jim Ogonowski.

They blew it.

Today, local, state and national Republicans are giddy about Ogonowski's performance. They believe it signals a "weariness" with same-old Massachusetts Democrats and that change is in the air.

They are dead wrong.
The GOP in Massachusetts has dug another grave for itself for at least another decade, thanks to its national power brokers. Because when Lazarus had a chance to rise, the GOP gave Jim Ogonowski lip service rather than the cold-hard cash he needed to make a dream victory walk come true.

Sun editor Jim Campanini can be contacted at jcampanini@lowellsun.com.

Posted by Admin at 11:04 AM

More jobs needed

Unemployment may have dropped a bit in Massachusetts, but there is still a tremendous need for good-paying jobs in the region as well as nationwide. Nationally, unemployment increased last week by the largest amount since early February.

We were pleased Gov. Deval Patrick spent time in the area visiting some of the state's 37 one-stop career centers, listening to residents who are struggling with unemployment and the workers who are helping in their search for new jobs.

Last Thursday, the U.S. Labor Department reported that applications for unemployment benefits hit 337,000, an increase of 28,000 from the previous week. That was the biggest one-week surge since Feb. 10.

That is a troubling rush for financial assistance and one that shouldn't be taken lightly. Economists believe it could be a sign that the labor market is starting to weaken under the impact of a severe downturn in housing and the credit crisis that hit the financial markets in August.

However, it's not all dismal news here in Massachusetts.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Advertisement

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Patrick pointed out that the state has 125,000 people looking for jobs and 90,000 vacancies.
"We know we have a lot of skill and talent in this state, but we need to do a better job of matching those skills to where they're needed," Patrick said.

He's right. The state must increase its focus on matching available employment opportunities with Massachusetts residents in need of work.

Also, by pinpointing what types of jobs are available and where they are located, state leaders will know what kind of training should be offered in each region. The state's academic institutions, particularly Middlesex Community College, do an excellent job of providing training for residents looking to improve their skills, adapt to a changing workplace or make a career switch.

Rising unemployment and sagging housing and financial markets are concerning, but we believe Massachusetts can meet this challenge through innovation, education and perseverance.

Posted by Admin at 10:41 AM

October 18, 2007

More waste

Article Last Updated: 10/18/2007 02:33:19 PM EDT

With two Democratic U.S. senators and 10 Democratic U.S. congressmen in Washington, the average citizen could assume that Massachusetts has its political bases well-covered when it comes to watching out for our interests.

Evidently, Gov. Deval Patrick and the state Legislature don't think so.

Last week, the Democrat-controlled Legislature approved Patrick's request to spend an extra $453,292 on the governor's administration office in the nation's capital. The additional funds, Patrick said, would help with lobbying efforts to attract more federal dollars to the state.

Give us a break.

No one has ever accused our state's congressional delegation from shirking on the job.

If the federal dollars are there, they do their best to bring them home.

All Patrick and his aides have to do is dial any one of the state's 12 federal lawmakers and they'll listen and respond. This is what teamwork is all about.

Patrick, however, feels he can be effective with more personal lobbyists doing the state's work.
Pllleeease! Washington doesn't need extra lobbyists, nor does Massachusetts need the extra expense.
This is how big government just keeps getting bigger.

Patrick's expansion of the Washington office is wasteful and unnecessary, especially when the state is fighting through a $1 billion budget deficit.

Patrick needs to focus on Beacon Hill, and leave Capitol Hill to our federal lawmakers.

Stamp of approval

Why not have a stamp with Beat writer Jack Kerouac's image on it? Some argue that because Kerouac had substance-abuse problems, he doesn't deserve a stamp. Yet Elvis Presley and Ernest Hemingway have stamps bearing their images, and they weren't exactly tea-totalers.

We agree with Chelmsford resident Dean Contover who has been fighting for 14 years to get the U.S. Postal Service to put Kerouac's photo on a stamp. Kerouac is an internationally known writer and has helped to put Lowell on the map. His work is held in high regard and is studied by scholars.

We support Contover's efforts and hope newly elected Congresswoman Niki Tsongas will sign on to this endeavor.

Posted by Admin at 4:47 PM

October 17, 2007

Drug testing

Town leaders in Billerica took a positive step last week when Town Meeting approved contracts for firefighters and professional administrators that include drug-testing policies based on reasonable suspicion.

The decision by town officials and union leaders to incorporate such a policy into the contracts is a prudent one. It will serve to protect the town, its residents and its employees.

A policy calling for random drug testing, and testing when there is reasonable suspicion, was added to the Billerica police contract last year.

When split-second, life-or-death decisions must be made, no one wants someone impaired by alcohol or drugs to be running into a burning building, searching for victims or holding a loaded weapon. Such scenarios pose a threat to everyone at the scene and are a financial liability for municipalities.

The Boston Fire Department is now struggling with the knowledge that one of the two firefighters who died at an August blaze was drunk and the other tested positive for traces of cocaine and marijuana.

Last week, Billerica Firefighters' Union President Joe Bradley said no Billerica firefighter wants to go into an emergency situation with someone who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. That makes good sense. Who would want to risk their life, and the lives of others, more than is absolutely necessary?

In Billerica, examples of suspicious behavior that would warrant testing include: witnessed use or possession of drugs, erratic or abnormal behavior, a drug-related arrest, or an accident that results in the death or injury of another person or property damage in excess of $20,000. That sounds reasonable to us.

Employees testing positive once will be required to enter a rehabilitation program and be subject to unannounced testing for 36 months. A second positive test and the employee will be terminated.

That's fair. Employees are offered help; if they choose to ignore it or to become repeat offenders, they should be fired.

We applaud Billerica for incorporating these policies into their contracts and urge all municipalities to follow suit.

Posted by Admin at 1:47 PM

Inconvenient honor

It used to be quite an honor to win the Nobel Peace Prize. In some quarters it still is. But the days of Poland's Lech Walesa (1983), America's Elie Wiesel (1986), and the 14th Dalai Lama (1989) are long gone. These were award recipients who stood up to Communist regimes, exposed governments hiding Nazi war criminals and preached peaceful rebellion through religious dialogue.

Today, one just has to stand up for a radical, if not questionable idea to win the liberal popularity contest run annually by Norway's Nobel Peace Prize Committee.

Al Gore's name is now etched in granite, along side that of Jew-hater Yasser Arafat and United Nations conniver Kofi Annan.

It's a stretch how Gore won. The Nobel committee selected Gore for his determined drive to educate the world on the dangers of global warning, saying those threats are creating tensions that could lead to violence and war. Gore is the green peacemaker, so to speak.

What the committee didn't say is that Gore's environmental platform, while raising vital awareness, is also full of scientific inaccuracies and political biases.
If anything, Gore deserves a medal for turning his documentary movie -- An Inconvenient Truth -- into an Academy Award winner and parlaying it into a Nobel Peace Prize.

But while Hollywood and Norway have gobbled up Gore's green gloss, not everyone is so infatuated with the former vice president's climatological credibility -- or lack thereof.

On Monday, a British judge ruled that nine assertions in Gore's documentary remain unsupported by scientific evidence. In particular, the judge said Gore's claim that sea level rises of 23 feet might occur in the next 25 years was made in the context of "alarmism and exaggeration." (If Gore is correct, Norway's prize committee will be making its decisions under water by 2030!)

In reality, the best scientific minds say, under present conditions, Gore's calculations are off by at least 1,000 years. (Norway is saved!)

Still we're all for peace. And if Gore can end world conflicts by coupling inconvenient untruths with global warming warnings, that's great.

It's just too bad Yasser Arafat isn't around to see polar bears in Palestine.

Posted by Admin at 1:45 PM

October 16, 2007

Drug testing

The Lowell Sun
Article Last Updated: 10/16/2007 11:55:23 AM EDT

a wise policy

Town leaders in Billerica took a positive step last week when Town Meeting approved contracts for firefighters and professional administrators that include drug-testing policies based on reasonable suspicion.

The decision by town officials and union leaders to incorporate such a policy into the contracts is a prudent one. It will serve to protect the town, its residents and its employees.

A policy calling for random drug testing, and testing when there is reasonable suspicion, was added to the Billerica police contract last year.

When split-second, life-or-death decisions must be made, no one wants someone impaired by alcohol or drugs to be running into a burning building, searching for victims or holding a loaded weapon. Such scenarios pose a threat to everyone at the scene and are a financial liability for municipalities.

The Boston Fire Department is now struggling with the knowledge that one of the two firefighters who died at an August blaze was drunk and the other tested positive for traces of cocaine and marijuana.
Last week, Billerica Firefighters' Union President Joe Bradley said no Billerica firefighter wants to go into an emergency situation with someone who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. That makes good sense. Who would want to risk their life, and the lives of others, more than is absolutely necessary?

In Billerica, examples of suspicious behavior that would warrant testing include: witnessed use or possession of drugs, erratic or abnormal behavior, a drug-related arrest, or an accident that results in the death or injury of another person or property damage in excess of $20,000. That sounds reasonable to us.

Employees testing positive once will be required to enter a rehabilitation program and be subject to unannounced testing for 36 months. A second positive test and the employee will be terminated.

That's fair. Employees are offered help; if they choose to ignore it or to become repeat offenders, they should be fired.

We applaud Billerica for incorporating these policies into their contracts and urge all municipalities to follow suit.

Posted by Admin at 2:46 PM

October 11, 2007

Contract clash

It is a shame that filling the position of Dracut Housing Authority executive director appears destined for controversy from start to finish.

The DHA Commission has been bitterly divided in recent months, with complaints of an unfair screening process, seizure of authority, court filings and an illegal meeting.

Eventually there was a last-minute, surprise addition to the list of finalists, Dracut resident Mary Karabatsos, who -- to no one's surprise -- was appointed to the position by a 3-2 vote.

But now it appears there is difficulty in negotiating an employment contract. Commission Chairman Kenneth Martin and Karabatsos are reportedly struggling to come to terms. This shouldn't come as a shocker given the recent history of this board and this post.

However, what is rather stunning is that Karabatsos is apparently seeking an annual salary of about $70,000 along with another $4,500 to pay for educational courses related to her job and five weeks of vacation. She is also pushing for a three-year contract that includes an annual 3 percent pay raise.
Let's keep in mind that the job posting listed a salary of $60,000 to $65,000 a year. Former executive director Joe Tully Jr. was earning $62,000 a year, after 21 years of services, when he retired.

We realize that Karabatsos has 24 years of experience with the Lowell Housing Authority, but she has never been an executive director. She currently earns $63,000 annually as the LHA's family self-sufficiency director. According to the state Department of Housing and Community Development's salary schedule for new directors, Dracut's new director should earn only $57,812.

There are significant differences between the Lowell Housing Authority and the Dracut Housing Authority. The LHA is responsible for more than 1,500 units in eight developments, along with various units scattered throughout the city. Dracut Housing Authority has a total of 284 units. Plus, Lowell's population is much more diverse and challenging than Dracut's population.

Common sense tells us the Dracut post should pay considerably less than the Lowell job, which it does. Karabatsos is certainly within her rights to request a higher salary, but that doesn't mean she should receive it.

According to state guidelines, one-year contracts are extended to newly hired executive directors, not three-year deals. That makes sense. Karabatsos is untried in the more challenging position. In a year, after Dracut commissioners have been able to review her performance, she will qualify for a contract with a longer term.

Let's hope the two sides can find a compromise. Karabatsos' appointment is already tainted by controversy. A protracted contract battle isn't going to help.

Posted by Admin at 4:13 PM

September 28, 2007

College-cost struggles

Article Last Updated: 09/28/2007 11:56:52 AM EDT

College students and their parents yesterday scored a major victory against overwhelming debt and unfair student-loan practices, but -- make no mistake -- the battle must continue.

President Bush signed legislation designed to make college more affordable for poor and middle-class students. The president had some concerns with the legislation, but knew it had veto-proof majorities in Congress.

The legislation increases the maximum Pell grant from $4,310 a year to $5,400 a year by 2012. It also reduces the interest rates on federally backed student loans from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent over the next four years. These measures will result in significant, and much-needed, savings for students and their families.

It also includes increased flexibility on college-loan payments for military personnel on active duty. Public-service workers, such as nurses, firefighters and police officers, will receive loan forgiveness after 10 years of service and loan payments. This will allow students to consider lower-paying fields despite having to finance their post-secondary education.
This is all very positive news, but the battle against overwhelming student debt must continue, as the House is now considering legislation to protect students against shady marketing practices in the student-loan business.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, has successfully steered the measure through the Senate after releasing an alarming report on the student-loan industry. The report showed that some lending institutions provided donations, services and other benefits to colleges in exchange for preferential treatment in regard to student loans. In some cases, students and parents were getting financial aid advice that was biased and not to their benefit.

This far-too-common practice is unconscionable and must be stopped. Financial aid officers should be offering struggling parents and students the best deal possible for their families, not for universities and lending institutions.

We applaud the progress made thus far in the battle against staggering college costs, and urge the House to support the higher-education bill that will further assist low- and middle-income students and their families.

Posted by Admin at 4:13 PM

September 27, 2007

Consistency required

Have no doubt -- the controversy about allowing a political fundraiser to be held at Lowell Memorial Auditorium is not over. The 3-1 vote taken this week by trustees to allow one, and only one, such fundraiser is precedent-setting and, at some point, will be challenged.

And how can trustees fairly deny the next request for a political fundraiser after allowing Niki Tsongas' congressional campaign to hold just such an event featuring former President Bill Clinton?

If, for example, Republican congressional candidate Jim Ogonowski gets Rudy Giuliani to speak at a fundraiser, shouldn't the trustees allow it to be held at the Auditorium? It would be inconsistent -- and possibly viewed by some as partisan -- to reject an Ogonowski request after approving the one from Tsongas.

The Board of Trustees has had an unwritten policy banning political fundraising at the municipal auditorium. Historically, such requests have always been rejected. Until now.

Even former U.S. Rep. -- now UMass Lowell Chancellor -- Marty Meehan was denied when he sought to hold a 50th birthday party and fundraiser at the auditorium last year.
We recognize that the building is a memorial to veterans; however, we can't see the harm in holding a political event in the building when the World Wrestling Federation is allowed to perform there. Certainly, having the former commander in chief speak at the auditorium brings greater honor to the building and to veterans than orchestrated wrestling matches.

Trustee William Taupier made a point of saying his concern has nothing to do with the Tsongas campaign or with Clinton as a speaker. It is about fundraising.

We can understand trustees' concerns about money being raised to support political candidates. Some of those candidates may not support causes or stances that are near and dear to veterans' hearts.

However, with permission having been granted to the Tsongas campaign, the trustees' long-held unwritten policy is no more. It is simply not fair to say this will be the only political fundraiser ever held in the auditorium.

The Board of Trustees should decide such requests on a case-by-case basis, always keeping in mind the dignity of the city and the respect and honor owed to its veterans.

Posted by Admin at 3:13 PM

September 26, 2007

Setting an example

The Lowell Sun
Article Last Updated: 09/25/2007 11:56:11 AM EDT

Although she did not receive her $5,000 bonus this year, Lowell Superintendent of Schools Karla Brooks Baehr did achieve three of the five challenging goals set for her and, equally important, set a tone of accountability for those whom she supervises.

Baehr controls a $138 million budget and supervises 2,152 full-time employees. She has enormous responsibilities and makes decisions that impact thousands of students, teachers and staff.

In years past, perhaps in light of her significant duties, the $5,000 performance bonus was treated more as an entitlement than a true bonus. There were no clear-cut goals that had to be achieved, no specific accountability measures in place.

We were pleased to see that in her recent evaluation, the superintendent was required to meet five express objectives that were set jointly by Baehr and the School Committee. The goals included implementing a short- and long-term maintenance and capital plan; formulating a fiscally sound budget for fiscal 2008; and increasing the percentage of limited English-proficiency students in the "transitioning" stage that are deemed "probable" to move beyond being considered LEP or out of the category entirely. Baehr met those goals.
The objectives she did not substantially meet included: increasing promotion percentage, attendance rate and reading proficiency at the Freshman Academy, and increasing the reading scores for students in grades three to eight who are reading substantially below grade level. Baehr made progress in both of those categories, but not enough to get the bonus. She did receive a pay raise of 4 percent for her largely positive performance evaluation.

We applaud Baehr and the School Committee for placing real accountability measures into her contract and hope it is inspires the committee to push for similar standards in the department's union contracts.

Although she is at the top of the organizational chart, Baehr shouldn't be the only employee held accountable for the department's successes and failures. Every administrator, teacher and staff member should have measurable objectives and should be reviewed with those goals in mind. Why should every member of the same union receive the same pay increase? Shouldn't those who meet or exceed expectations receive greater increases than those who failed to achieve predetermined objectives?

A pilot program started last year in Denver is already seeing rewards. The teachers' union there is working with officials to make sure incentive pay and bonuses, given in addition to standard salary increases, are parceled out fairly. New teachers are required to participate and, seeing a chance for additional pay, nearly half of the system's veteran educators have also signed on. That's a good sign.

We think Lowell should consider instituting a similar program. Baehr's performance objectives could be considered a stepping stone in the path toward increased accountability for all School Department employees.

Posted by Admin at 12:15 PM

September 24, 2007

Worth considering

Residents have waited, and waited, and waited for repairs to the Tyngsboro Bridge that will allow it to reopen and to safely connect the parts of the community divided by the Merrimack River.

The dilapidated bridge is slated to reopen in October 2011, at the earliest. Motorists and pedestrians currently use a temporary bridge scheduled to be taken down once work on the Tyngsboro Bridge is completed.

Knowing the traffic backup that occurs on and around the bridge during rush hours and weekends, the Board of Selectmen are wise to consider asking the state if the temporary bridge can remain standing for use by emergency vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians.

Project manager Michael O'Dowd has cautioned selectmen that the request to the commissioner of MassHighway must represent overwhelming support or it will not be considered. Also, it could spark a delay in repairing the permanent bridge because some redesign work would be required. However, he was uncertain as to how much of a delay.

Considering the traffic congestion that often clogs the span, we believe selectmen are being prudent by investigating the possibility of maintaining both bridges. It can be difficult for emergency vehicles to make their way across during peak traffic hours. If the temporary bridge remains available for that use, emergency personnel will never have to worry about being caught in traffic, losing precious minutes that should be spent aiding a patient.
We certainly hope that pushing to retain both bridges won't significantly delay the project. Naturally, some approaches would have to be redesigned for pedestrian and motor-vehicle access, but that shouldn't require substantial changes or a lengthy delay.

If retaining the second bridge would result in an extended delay, selectmen shouldn't pursue that course. Otherwise, we think keeping both bridges available for use is an idea worthy of strong consideration.

Posted by Admin at 11:13 AM

September 20, 2007

Consider reforms

Critics didn't waste much time before pounding away at many of the recommendations highlighted in the transportation finance report released Monday -- and rightfully so in some instances -- but there are several reforms listed that would serve this state well.

The report recommended an 11.5-cent hike in the state gas tax and a new 5-cent-per-mile highway "user fee." Those are two suggestions we simply cannot support at this time.

However, the report also proposes the state:

* Eliminate paid police details on road and bridge construction projects, replacing them with less-expensive civilian flagmen.

* Scale back the MBTA's pension plan which gives employees full pension benefits, including free health insurance, after 23 years of service.

* Study the privatization of some roads and bridges.

Frankly, we can't say enough about the recommendation to do away with paid police details. Massachusetts is the only state in the union that offers this very costly option for police officers. We know the state's strong police unions have fought off every attempt to eliminate paid details, but it is ridiculous that the Bay State continues to waste money on them.
Why is it that civilian flagmen are perfectly able to direct traffic around road and bridge construction in 49 other states, but not in Massachusetts? Aren't there any Bay State politicians courageous enough to take on an issue that would save voters millions of dollars? Police unions will argue that construction companies and other businesses fund most of their detail pay, but make no mistake, that money comes out of residents' pockets via higher prices.

MBTA unions have been equally vigilant in their fight against pension changes, even though the agency has raised fares just to keep afloat. By allowing employees full pension benefits after 23 years, many MBTA workers can retire in their 40s and 50s, potentially collecting costly benefits for another 40 or 50 years. We just can't afford this.

These types of public-sector giveaways have to stop before the state should even consider looking at increasing taxes. Once we know how much can be saved, only then should higher taxes be considered.

Posted by Admin at 12:34 PM | Comments (1)

September 18, 2007

Casinos 'fun' or 'one big mess'?

By Rita Savard, rsavard@lowellsun.com
Article Launched: 09/18/2007 11:37:36 AM EDT

Stemn

Thinking about it makes Dot LaPlante's fingers twitch.

The whir and ringing of slot machines. The occasional Elvis impersonator. And just a 40-minute drive from home?

"It's so much fun," quips the 62-year-old Billerica resident. "I could sit in front of a slot machine for hours."

If legislators are ready to roll with Gov. Deval Patrick's plan, LaPlante can count herself lucky with not one, but three resort-style casinos going up in different parts of the state -- in the western, southeastern and metropolitan Boston areas. Patrick is betting on the casinos to create thousands of jobs and pump millions in revenue back into the state's cash-strapped communities.

But the plan is already drawing a mixed bag of responses,
Badessa
with opponents fearing that gambling for state funds means selling out on morals.

"It's setting the state up for one big mess," said Lowell resident Gregory Stemn. "Casinos will open more doors for addiction and crime. Casinos will bring a whole lot of unwanted elements to the areas they're in, Fadel they will encourage young people to throw their money away, and the crime rate will go up."

"Who will benefit from this?" asks Stanislav Nekrash of Lowell. "Not the people who are already poor. No. It will make things much worse for them. Human beings will always try to reach prosperity in the easiest way. The poorest will gravitate toward them. ... The poorest lose more money, and the richer benefit from it."

Sipping an iced coffee outside a convenience store in Chelmsford Center,
Miller
Dick Johnson points to the storefront.

"See that?" he says. "Right there. That's a casino.