Not over with Columbia Gas
The City of Lawrence has announced that anyone still having troubles paying bills, property and landlord reimbursement from Columbia Gas should contact helpCGas@cityoflawrence.com, or 978-620-3545.
Some city councilors have told me that they don’t know what that means because there is no money in the budget assigned for “emergencies.” Perhaps it’s just a way to direct those complaints to the gas company. Whatever it is, we should be using all channels available until the work gets done and the reimbursements are received.
Inspectional Services
For a long time the mayor wanted to fire Inspectional Services Commissioner Peter Blanchette and he finally did so. I am quite confused with that because he is the Commissioner and I understand that while he reports to the mayor, he cannot fire Peter.
The mayor needs to go through the Board of Building Regulation and Standards (BBRS) and explain to Robert Anderson, Chief of Amusements and Buildings Department (construction supervisors’ license) at the Division of Professional Licensure, his reason for wanting him out.
There other issues such as Peter’s credentials because there isn’t anyone else in that department who has them.
There goes another lawsuit and high-paying outside attorneys.
Dan on Wikipedia
This week, Wikipedia revealed Mayor Dan Rivera’s page, the free online encyclopedia. It begins saying that he has been a “businessman” and kept reading through it as much as I could before turning to the keyboard. I wrote the 6th installment of my Corruption and Traffic of Influence series based on what he wrote.
He glossed over the manner in which he deals with 22 unions in the city but made no mention of the Lawrence Police Department which has been working without a contract for 46 months. You have to read it but I also recommend you read my article on page 8.
Rafael Gadea
Rafael Gadea, the city electrician returned to work this past week after more than a year fighting his dismissal. The City lost the hearing with the union representing him, the court case before a judge and even when Dan took it all the way to the Massachusetts Superior Court.
Losing three times must have cost us taxpayers over a million dollars only to return him to his job with back pay.
City Attorney’s contract
We tend to think that everything is fine with Raquel Ruano the new city attorney because she was finally approved by the City Council but it may not be over. The mayor has not signed her contract as yet and instead assigned Eileen Bernal to represent the City in court with the illegal title of “Special Assistant City Attorney.”
When the councilors meet on Tuesday, April 2, someone should ask why he refuses to sign it.
New voting machines
The mayor is also adamant to purchasing new voting machines at a cost of $150,000 while spending millions in attorney’s fees on lawsuits against the city.
We must admire Ana Levy’s force on the city council. At last meeting, she surprised everyone when she asked to bring out of tabled items the request for new voting machines. If not for her diligence on this issue, it would remain tabled indefinitely.
It was decided that first the old machines must be declared surplus in order to insist about purchasing their replacements. That’s coming up on Tuesday, as well.
