Lawrence Redevelopment Authority
I am very concerned about the Oliver School project and the 45 million dollars that may be coming next year for that reconstruction. We all know the scam created to enrich the pockets of some of the mayor’s friends, namely Councilor Estela Reyes and her group of investors.
For that reason, looking into this dubious group appointed exclusively by Mayor Dan Rivera, it is not surprising learning that the LRA is an autonomous entity from the City of Lawrence even though the mayor has taken control of the LRA by appointing all members within his first term.
“The statute was written to prevent mayors from having that kind of total control over a redevelopment authority but no one cares that Rivera has no respect for how that statute was written,” said James Patrick O’Donoghue, former LRA member fired and replaced by a friend of the mayor’s without finishing his 5-year term.
The three lots of land on Oak St., one of which was sold to Junior Rozón (Councilor Reyes’ business partner for $3,300) are property of the Lawrence Redevelopment Authority and the mayor had no right to sign the sales agreement. Moreover, I checked the city’s website and found that all of that is unnecessary if and when those millions arrive to fix or replace the school.
The Lawrence Redevelopment Authority shall have the following responsibility:
Assemble and dispose of land, including the taking of real estate through eminent domain; relocate businesses and residents occupying property in urban renewal areas; demolish and/or rehabilitate substandard structures; participate in real estate development and commercial revitalization; Issue bonds, borrow money, invest funds, and receive grants.
Everybody knows that we’ll need those lots and probably some structures to expand the school and the LRA has the power to take it all by EMINENT DOMAIN. We are so worried that Councilor Reyes and her team will make a million when the truth is that if the LRA wants to act as it should, they can just take it over. The problem is that we have to keep an eye of them and Mayor Rivera to make sure things are done according to the law because we cannot trust them to do it.
Lawrence is closer to being #1
Yes, we are inching our way according to www.neighborhoodscout.com getting higher on the 100 most dangerous cities in the country and we are now #17. Check it out for yourself by going to that website and it will tell you how bad things are compared to crimes in other cities all over the country. They cover the murder rates, robbery, assaults, etc. Not long ago we were over the 50th mark but we have continued to go up (or down) whichever way you want to look at it.
To see a sign of the times in Lawrence, turn to page 12 to check out how safe and secure the city really is.
New Board Members needed
Bellevue Cemetery is in dire need of new members for its Board of Directors. The Cemetery is an Enterprise Zone operated by its Board of Directors but is running into complications by missing one of the five members. This causes all decisions to be split and little or no progress is made. One of the members is almost at the end of his appointment but he is having difficulties attending the meetings, again, impacting on the progress of that entity.
The problem is that the Board is appointed by the mayor and he had been negligent in finding volunteers. On this page you will find the requirements and instructions to apply at the mayor’s office.
Frank Moran next year
One politician that is not looking to be on the limelight is our State Representative for District 17, Frank Moran, and that is because he is always working.
Recently, there have been rumors that he won’t be running for reelection next year so I went directly to him and the response was: “Of course I will be running for reelection! We have accomplished a lot at the State House and I cannot give it all up now.”
We know he is responsible for so many organizations that have received funding from the state thanks to his efforts and he enjoys the respect of his colleagues in Beacon Hill.
People who get offended
We hear often how certain people are insulted by expressions or opinions and claim to be “offended” by those words.
The latest ridiculous comments I heard were made of a new movie “Dunkirk” which is about the evacuation of Allied troops from the French city of Dunkirk before Nazi forces can take hold.
The film was accused last week of whitewashing and now a new review of the movie in Marie Claire called out the film for being too male-centric. “Dunkirk felt like an excuse for men to celebrate maleness — which apparently they don’t get to do enough.”
Marie Claire’s Mehera Bonner wrote that while she does not need all movies to feature “strong female leads.” “Dunkirk,” “screams men-only and they should have made a movie about either women or any other marginalized group.”
What? Must we remake history to satisfy feminist groups? Idiots!
Then, I heard someone on television saying something that stuck with me and it’s worth repeating:
“In this country we are guaranteed the right of free speech, not the right not to be offended.”
That goes for all the noise-makers in society and the politically correct people we encounter daily. Get over it!
