Retracing Rivera’s steps
I was looking through some old files and found this article Mayor Dan Rivera wrote for CommonWealth Magazine on September 2, 2015, entitled Pushing for Change Creates Enemies. I would say to that to be true particularly if the change is based on political vendettas, unfair firing of employees, hiring using favoritism instead of qualifications, micromanaging every department at city hall while being verbally abusive and vulgar besides not being sincere when he promised that he would hire only the best qualified candidates for city jobs.
This is part of what he wrote:
“We have worked to fight crime, we have disciplined bad employees including bad police officers, we have forced tax cheats to pay their taxes, we have taken hard stances on land use matters, we defended the city against bad contracts and bad leases, and we demand real change in the way our city does business. When you focus on this type of change those interests negatively affected by these actions (bad employees, bad cops, tax cheats, landowners looking to take advantage of the city) will fight back against us and this is how they will do it.”
I can think of so many things… For instance, the city still has bad police officers especially now that they are of the higher rank.
Veterans have been discriminated for friendly political hires.
Crime is still and issue especially drugs problems and drugs problems inside the Lawrence Police Department.
Homelessness is on the rise. Rents are sky rocketing.
Benefits are being taken from employees and unions versus given contracts and land to friends and political favors.
Just like egotistical and selfish people, they only want to be the hero and not let others take victory laps.
In this case, none of them have done anything except to create more power struggles and issues
Councilor Estela Reyes and her properties is delinquent paying her taxes and getting abatements to boot. Having her Oak St. lot cleaned by the city and not razing her Haverhill St. building waiting to sell it to the city when the Oliver School begins repairs. In Lawrence, she can do no wrong.
The bad employees still remain, walking around running errands for the mayor or working on political campaigns that he supports, even promoting one to supervisor while being accused of sexual harassment by two employees. He is now the boss!
I have written enough articles on my Corruption and Traffic of Influence in Lawrence series; find them and be entertained for hours.
MassHire has moved
The offices previously called Workforce Investment Board located at 255 Essex St. in Lawrence, has moved to Northern Essex Community College which houses the Louise Haffner Fournier Education Center at 78 Amesbury St.
The building at 255 Essex St. is where the Lawrence Public Schools were located for many years and in his good judgment, Mayor Dan Rivera moved their offices to the old high school building, thus breaking the contract with owners Carmine and William DiAdamo.
After the expected legal battle, the City decided to purchase the building for $3 million plus repairs.
Now, a couple of years after settling in, on Friday, July 12, everybody was evicted immediately from the building due to mold contamination. By Monday, they had been set up temporarily at their new location although no one seems to know for how long.
Part of the purchase involved the corner building at 237 Essex St. where the Lawrence Public School offices are now located. Since the renovations took place at the same time and the buildings are connected, employees are now wandering if they are subjected to the same mold contamination. The City said they are not.
My visit to Don Matías Restaurant
I said to Milagros and Matías that they will appear in my column this week and there are probably candles lit somewhere.
Kidding aside, the space is lovely, elegant, the music is very soft and very pleasant. While the menu is not extensive, it was carefully selected to offer healthy quality meals by Chef Amilkar Gonell.
Good dining experience!
