Lawrence residents, be on the alert!
There’s a rumor going around that the Lawrence City Council is considering a Home Rule Petition to change the City Charter eliminating term limits for the mayor of the city.
Usually, you won’t hear me spreading rumors but this one scares me. Remember when the State Delegation rushed a Home Rule Petition to the State House to avoid having a special election after Dan Rivera left? Part of the cheating was that the members of the city council signed off on it the day after it was approved by the Legislature.
I sued the city in court because the process was not fair and the public was cheated of the opportunity to elect a new mayor while they hand-picked Kendrys Vasquez to run the city until the next election when Brian DePeña was chosen. I lost the case but I intended to teach a lesson to all residents that they should not accept politicians’ decisions when they are not being done fairly and honestly.
I admit that I share the opinion of doing away with term limits; take a look at the cities of Haverhill, Andover, North Andover, or any city that doesn’t have the foolishness of changing the head of government every two or four years.
We already have term limits; it’s called “elections.” Haverhill has been able to grow and become the showplace it is because of Mayor James Fiorentini’s tenure. We cannot imagine what will happen after he leaves; the new mayor must begin by learning the job and making relationships with city workers and community leaders before he or she gets the “hang of it.”
Ideally, I would like to see that question on the November ballot although it may not be the best idea. I say that because the democratic way to make such a change should be giving the people the option but this community is not the best-informed to decide that magnitude. They may be swayed by others with their own interests and the result is that their vote won’t be in their best judgment.
I just hope for the council members and the State Delegation to be honest and open with us, if they decide to go ahead with it.
Fireworks at the council meeting
Well, not quite; but I thought it was going to happen.
Watching the council meetings is very important because they discuss things affecting all of us in some way and it allows its members to be completely open in their actions and votes.
But, after a while among the formalities and pleasantries, we can tell that there’s no love between some of them.
The Housing Committee meeting took place on May 22nd and the only issue on the agenda was the disposition of a property at 262 East Haverhill St., #12.
Councilor Jeovanny Rodriguez is the chair of this committee and having found that the application filled out by the highest bidder was lacking a signature, the second highest bidder was chosen to acquire the condominium. It was only a difference of $2,000 but Councilor Rodriguez was concerned for his reputation and wanted to clarify why that happened.
“People are under the impression that the city gives away properties,” he argued. “I have been in the housing committee for nine years and we have never given anything away; not during this administration nor the previous one.”
He wanted to have time to examine all the applications and it was tabled until the next Housing Committee meeting in two weeks.
Then, at the full council meeting on June 6, State Representative and City Councilor Estela Reyes requested a vote to take that issue as an emergency. She wanted to have the council approve the sale to the person that had been selected instead of the highest bidder because he or she was pre-approved for financing from a bank and time was running out.
Jeovanny was very clear telling the council that the mistake Frank Surillo admitted to have made in the original documents could render that transaction fraudulent and this did not represent “an emergency” for the city.
Needless to say that Councilor Reyes was insulted and did not see how anyone could judge it that way while Council President Marc Laplante banged his gavel asking for decorum.
To that, Jeovanny explained that many residents could believe that the process was not fair by not granting the property to the highest bidder.
School Superintendent contract
The Lawrence Alliance for Education has granted a one-year contract to Interim Superintendent Juan Rodriguez instead of looking for a permanent replacement. This means that we cannot expect any improvements in the Lawrence Public Schools for another year – or more.
Abuse and disrespect toward employees
There is no respect when dealing with employees, they are yelled at in front of whoever is there and suspended without going through any disciplinary process.
These charges have been well-documented through their union and are being ignored by the administration.
Pay discrimination
Cafeteria workers were required to get ServeSafe certified yet, one group received the stipend, and another one was refused. The Union was representing them but their plea was ignored for a long time until recently it was settled.
Benefits to retirees
For the past, year I have been reading James Miele’s emails to the school administrators, the mayor, and all city councilors about safety officers who retired and have not received the retirement benefits they are entitled to. Also his concerns about the lack of safety officers in the schools to which they don’t respond. Even worse, no one is pressuring them for an answer.
Congratulations Rosanna!
Rosanna Delrosario, director of recycling for the City of Lawrence, has been elected to the MassRecycle board of directors.
Upon hearing the news, Mayor Brian DePeña presented her with an award in his office to thank her for raising Lawrence’s name.
¡Residentes de Lawrence, estén alerta!
Corre el rumor de que el Concejo Municipal de Lawrence está considerando una Petición de Autonomía para cambiar la Carta Constitucional de la Ciudad eliminando los límites de mandato para el alcalde de la ciudad.
Por lo general, no me escucharán esparcir rumores, pero este me asusta. ¿Recuerdan cuando la Delegación del Estado apresuró una Petición de Autonomía a la Casa del Estado para evitar tener una elección especial después de que Dan Rivera se fue? Parte del engaño fue que los miembros del concejo municipal lo firmaron el día después de que fuera aprobado por la Legislatura.
Demandé a la ciudad en la corte porque el proceso no fue justo y se estafó al público de la oportunidad de elegir un nuevo alcalde mientras elegían a Kendrys Vásquez para dirigir la ciudad hasta la próxima elección cuando Brian DePeña resultó elegido. Perdí el caso, pero tenía la intención de dar una lección a todos los residentes de que no deben aceptar las decisiones de los políticos cuando no se hacen de manera justa y honesta.
Admito que comparto la opinión de eliminar los límites de mandato; eche un vistazo a las ciudades de Haverhill, Andover, North Andover, o cualquier ciudad que no tenga la tontería de cambiar el jefe de gobierno cada dos o cuatro años.
Ya tenemos límites de mandato; se llama “elecciones”. Haverhill ha podido crecer y convertirse en la ciudad próspera que es gracias al mandato del Alcalde James Fiorentini. No podemos imaginar lo que sucederá después de que se vaya; el nuevo alcalde debe comenzar aprendiendo el trabajo y entablando relaciones con los trabajadores de la ciudad y los líderes comunitarios antes de que él o ella “le coja el juego al trabajo”.
Idealmente, me gustaría ver esa pregunta en la boleta electoral de noviembre, aunque puede que no sea la mejor idea. Digo eso porque la forma democrática de hacer tal cambio debería ser dándole la opción al pueblo pero esta comunidad no es la mejor informada para decidir esa magnitud. Pueden ser influenciados por otros con sus propios intereses y el resultado es que su voto no será en su mejor juicio.
Solo espero que los miembros del concejo municipal y la Delegación Estatal sean honestos y abiertos con nosotros, si deciden seguir adelante.
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