Violation to Open Meeting Law
There’s an article on our October 15, 2019 edition on page 4 about a formal complaint I filed with the Attorney General’s office pertaining to a vote taken at the Lawrence City Council meeting of September 17, 2019. The problem was that the Council voted to bring up the issue of the easement to the building next to the parking lot on Common St.
This was scheduled for discussion at a future meeting, but the Council brought it back as an emergency item. I still don’t know why the Council considered it “an emergency” but they discussed the item and took a vote giving away a chunk of the parking lot.
This document should not have been voted on or even discussed by the councilors without a public hearing and it was planned for the following week. This is how the council plays tricks on its residents, and many residents don’t pay attention to these votes.
My complaint had success because at the very next meeting, they decided to annul the vote taken on September 17. District F Councilor Marc Laplante told me that, after receiving my letter, he realized I was correct. Now, they will have to start discussing it all over again at the ordinance committee as a brand new item.
Nothing has happened as yet and my take on that is that they will wait until January to make sure it passes. That is just one of the many things that we will have to be on the lookout with the next council.
Just a reminder…
This is just so you won’t forget that the City Council is avoiding taking action on two questions I posed: The reason why bus #83 is no longer operating. The taxpayers paid $225,000 for three busses to give free service to residents and there has been no explanation as to why #83 stopped and they are not asking.
The other one is, if we reported that the Lawrence Rehabilitation Authority has two people, Evan Silverio and Alvaro Pérez are serving illegally because they don’t live in Lawrence, how come they have not been asked for some identification?
Contributions to politicians
I always criticize how our community doesn’t contribute to political campaigns of any candidate but now, I take issue with the way they use them.
When we donate money to someone, the intention is to help them with their expenses and achieve success. They, while looking into their expenses in their OCPF account (Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance) they are giving to other candidates or groups we don’t approve of. If we want to contribute to any other politician, we would write the check directly but it makes me furious seeing some of the names of their lists and come to the conclusion that I’m glad it’s not my money.
Arms taken during arrests
The big news last week was the 79 firearms seized during the arrests of 32 people. Supposedly, it included residents of Lawrence, Methuen, Lynn, Haverhill and Salem, MA but the only police chief on stage with the State Police and the Federal District Attorney Andrew Lelling was Roy Vasque.
All the television cameras were here and the reports were from Lawrence as if the drugs, guns and gangs are only here. Quite misleading!
I was told that many of the guns shown on the pictures were taken on other days and busts and put together for more impact. I believe that police departments often do this as a matter of practice.
Looking at the news, we had the impression that Chief Vasque standing next to District Attorney Lelling, looks more like a victim than a hero.
By the way, I asked Tom Cuddy these questions but at closing of this edition he had not responded.
My fortune cookie
Always look at your fortune cookie, not as a way to predict your future but for the philosophical knowledge it imparts.
A few days ago, I found one that probably describes me quite well. It read, “Killing time murders opportunities” and that’s the reason I’m always on the go. I never know what I’m going to find next.
Illegal voters
For a few months, I have been pestering City Clerk Bill Maloney regarding a few people who are still registered to vote even though they have moved out of Lawrence years ago. Having seen the purged voting list, it’s confirmed that the names I’ve been following did not vote this year.
City Clerk Maloney has been under fire for not removing them from the voting list and he insists that Massachusetts General Laws c. 51, sec. 37 forbids him from doing it.
“The only thing I can tell you is that the information provided is complete and accurate,” Mr. Maloney told me. “Also that the City Election Division is in compliance with State Law on the issue you raise.”
Next, I looked up the law and thought it is clear.
GENERAL LAWS OF MASSACHUSETTS
Part I. ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT
Title VIII. ELECTIONS
Chapter 51. VOTERS
Current through Chapter 107 of the 2019 Legislative Session
- 51:37. Annual register; omitted names; notice
The registrars, as soon as they have prepared the lists required by section four, shall prepare an annual register containing the names of all qualified voters in their city or town for the current year… send notice in writing to each voter of the preceding year whose name has not been entered in the annual register of the current year that the name of such voter may be removed from the voting list if the voter fails to respond to the notice and does not vote in the next two biennial state elections following the mailing of such notice.
Such notice shall
(1) be postage prepaid;
(2) contain a preaddressed and postage prepaid return card;
(3) be sent by forwardable mail;
(4) instruct the voter to return the card before the last day to register if the voter did not change residence from the city or town; and
(5) contain additional information about remaining eligible to vote, as prescribed by the state secretary.
The registrars shall prepare a list of the names of voters not so entered, which shall be open to public inspection in their principal office, and shall be posted by copy in accordance with the same schedule of times and in the places where copies of voting lists are required to be posted under section fifty-seven.
The registrars, in addition, may publish such lists in a newspaper devoted wholly or chiefly to the publication of local or general news. Copies of said lists shall be made available to members of the public upon payment of the cost of the copying thereof.
