City Council on Dominican time
It was a running joke during the last elections that with so many Latinos in the Lawrence City Council, they would have to learn to be on time.
Well, there was a time when council meetings in Lawrence started on time and if anyone was a few minutes late, it was carefully noted on the minutes. I used to think that one of them did it to avoid the Pledge of Allegiance because he would walk in right after that.
Now, I noticed that 15 or 20 minutes may go by, sometimes with the cameras turned on and there’s no action waiting for the rest to show.
President Maldonado, put your foot down; start the meetings at the assigned time and embarrass whoever is late.
The City Budget
Although people in the know (certainly not me) have said that Mayor Dan Rivera presented a good budget for next year, is always a good idea to be on the alert because there is a lot to learn and we should be concerned. For example, people have credited the increases in salaries for certain positions to this administration but we have to understand that it is the 5% increased that was granted to non-union jobs to take effect this coming year.
I am particularly interested in the changes that will be taking place in the Planning and Community Development Departments; just curious to see who will be hired.
District C Councilor Kendrys Vasquez, Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee, has been making the rounds on radio shows (except CrossOver) promoting the dates of the upcoming budget hearings. Please find that list (he didn’t send it to Rumbo, either) and try attending to the meetings that interest you. We should all watch them on television. When we are informed, we make better voters.
Conditions of ball park fields
I received three calls complaining about the conditions of the Mt. Vernon Park and I decided to look into it. I applaud the neighbors who complain about things like this and it seemed that it was only happening in this neighborhood. I don’t have any trust in the work of the Recreation Department and found out that the same occurs in all 30 ball fields in the city.
After each weekend, DPW workers, shorthanded as they are, remove trash, Styrofoam containers and plenty of cases of beer bottles. The Frost School principal faces that mess every Monday morning after weekend softball games in their park.
Interestingly, some of those players come to play here from other cities. Specifically, when they play in Haverhill, they pick up after themselves. Would it be that they have tough rules for anyone wishing to use the city’s facilities?
Why don’t we establish a fine of $100 for any league failing to clean up after a game? Or just deny them the right to play if they don’t.
I even question if that is allowed because recently a soccer league went before the Licensing Commission requesting a one-day permit to serve beer during a game at the stadium. The Licensing Commission didn’t know how to handle it and sent them to the City Council for guidance.
How come then, people do it freely on weekends at the parks? Perhaps because there are no inspectors after hours and the police looks the other way.
Morris abusing his position? Impossible!
Gregory Morris was brought back to work for the city by John Isensee after having been fired for violating rules when he told the workers to dump snow in the canal. He then sued the city for reversed discrimination and lost the case.
Still, Isensee thought enough of him that he told him to report to work on a Monday morning. He did not apply for a job or followed procedures (there I go again with following procedures!) The City Council found out after he had been there for three weeks but apparently have not been able to do anything about it.
Well, Greg must be quite secured in his position because he is acting like a supervisor, yelling and demanding from other DPW workers with lots more seniority. His real job is truck driver/laborer.
But the best part is that he takes a brand new pickup truck home every weekend for which he is not authorized. He’s not spending in gas or insurance while performing personal chores – and gets away with it!
Mayor Rivera, if you allow this abuse to continue, let me remind you that city employees are not to take advantage of city equipment for personal use.
Dalia for City Councilor
I made an announcement during my radio show last Tuesday that I will be moving to District A to run for Councilor. What inspired me to do that was the annoyance of seeing Councilor Sandy Almonte missing so many meetings. Maybe she needs a little competition to make her feel insecure and pay more attention to her job.
Negative criticism
One of the blessings I’ve had in my life is having people around me who cared enough to let me know where I went wrong or the mistakes I made. Some people call that ‘part of growing up’ but this is a lesson that never stops giving through life.
There is a difference between constructive criticism and plain mockery. The wisdom of knowing how to use that criticism is the key. Instead, people tend to overreact getting insulted, not assimilating what has been said. If they would only stop to listen and adjust to the reality that they don’t see within themselves and friends won’t tell them, they also will grow internally.
What a shame that Rev. Joel Almonó cave to the pressure for being misunderstood.
