No ability to judge
District D City Councilor Oneida Aquino is not running for reelection and that’s a good thing. I never paid too much attention to her because she is very quiet and doesn’t seem to do much, particularly in public because we hardly see her at local events.
With the passing of the 2.5% increase in the property tax the same people who never expressed concern about taxes going up by calling their councilors or showing up at council meetings, started complaining. Councilor Aquino thought it necessary to excuse her actions having voted in favor of the measure by going on the radio. She said on El Tapon on WLLH-AM 1400 that her reason for voting that way was because Council President Modesto Maldonado never got in touch with her to discuss how she should vote. What??? Doesn’t she have a mind of her own to figure out what’s best for the residents?
I have lots of respect for our public officials and the decisions they make. We put them there to look after us and the city and I don’t question them because they see a bigger picture than the rest of us. My reaction towards Councilor Aquino is the way she responded to criticisms on the radio.
Yes, she’s not running and that’s a good thing. We need councilors who can think for themselves and stand behind their well thought-out decisions. I wonder now how much damage she has caused the city with other decisions by just voting with the majority.
Is she now trying to blame Maldonado for her actions? I have more respect for the councilors who never back up from their word
59 teachers dismissed
At the end of the school year, 59 Lawrence teachers were dismissed for not being a good fit for the district, according to Superintendent/receiver Jeffrey Riley. These teachers were in their first and second year of employment which means that they have no guarantee of employment and can be let go a lot easier.
While covering the scholarship awards from the Lawrence Teachers’ Union at the Public Library, I had the chance to talk to Frank McLaughlin, its president. He said to have been taken by surprise with that decision – not just for the reasons given but the high number of layoffs. Besides, some of them were partially evaluated and others not at all and that was unfair.
Superintendent Riley defends his decision by saying that this is just one way to make sure that we have the best professionals teaching our children.
I don’t know if it is completely fair firing teachers who may not have been duly evaluated. Without proper documentation we can assume that it was based on someone’s word and we know that it is usually favoritism shrouded in a negative recommendation.
Playing favorites
State Rep. Frank Moran is being excluded by the mayor of Lawrence from public events in the city in order to have Marcos Devers be the only state representative to show up for pictures.
Last week, we attended the announcement of two grants by the EPA coming to the city with Congresswoman Niki Tsongas. The ceremony took place at Manchester Park (Frank Moran’s district) but he was not there. He later told me that he was at the State House when he received an email from the mayor’s office at 9:30 for an event taking place at 11 a.m. He was doing his job but Marcos skipped it in favor of a picture.
Professional women’s dress code
I was watching Judge Jeanine Pirro on her television show last Saturday and could not believe the low cut dress she was wearing. It went beyond just cleavage because a bathing suit could have covered more of what she showed.
Then, I remembered watching the Licensing Board meeting last Wednesday and having the same reaction when an attorney representing a case showed up making her attributes easier to remember than the case itself.
She was wearing a dark business suit buttoned down in front with the opening half-way down her protruding chest. What’s wrong with women today? Don’t they know the difference between social and professional settings? And they probably argue about equal opportunities for professional women.
Noise ordinance
Las week my guests on CrossOver were Acting Police Chief James Fitzpatrick and Council President Modesto Maldonado. The topic was the enforcement of the noise ordinance in the city.
Lawrence police is getting serious with this ordinance and in the first couple of weeks this summer they issued over 260 fines of up to $200 each. They have resulted in being deterrent because the individuals receiving these fines have not reoffended.
This ordinance does not only refer to music late at night but at any time of the day when it is disturbing the peace in a neighborhood; taxi cabs and school busses should not beep the horn picking up or dropping up passengers; and my favorite, church services. According to Chief Fitzpatrick, his officers are advising local pastors that they should control the speakers’ volume during their services because at times, they can be heard blocks away.
