Heal Lawrence Fundraiser
Last Saturday night, we attended the fundraiser for the Rotary Club and Heal Lawrence. As you probably know, this organization helps victims of fires in Lawrence, which most often happens to be Spanish-speaking families. They struggle to pay additional days at a hotel beyond what the Red Cross provides if they don’t have a place to go. They find apartments, furniture, clothing and even gift cards to stores.
At times, I can be naïve because it is difficult to understand why we insist on being the recipients and not the helpers or contributors. The Relief’s In was full, the comedian and the hypnotist were fantastic. The Italian dinner simply great! Yet, I don’t think there were ten Latinos in that audience. We had an opportunity to say “present” and failed. How can we expect respect when we segregate ourselves?
Upcoming council meeting
Jose Ayala wrote an article describing the upcoming debate at the Lawrence City Council regarding the residency requirement and also the proposed apartment inspections which will be heard on Tuesday, June 17.
The residency requirement is controversial enough that the public might not notice the importance of the one dealing with inspections. Ayala explained how that is supposed to work in the coming years and the cost involved but I have other concerns.
At face value, it is a good measure because it will serve to protect the safety and security of residents; nobody can be opposed to that. The problem is that, besides being an unfair tax because it is not going to be implemented to every home owner, there are too many loopholes and exceptions including those owners of 2- and 3-family homes if the landlord lives in the building. Why?
There is a chance that the owner of a big single house, lives there but has converted to a rooming house. If an inspector goes there will find the bedroom doors locked and probably 10 cars parked in the yard. I know some of them. I am willing to bet that the electrical wiring is a mess and there are all kinds of violations throughout.
Even the owner of a two-family home could be neglectful with his tenants but this is one of the exceptions. How about the hoarders? I can tell you of several single family homes that present a danger to the neighborhood, never mind to the health and well-being of its residents. Inspectors will not be required to inspect those homes.
As a result of this selective process, only absentee landlords and a few others will have to pay for the inspections and the fines. Then again, if they paid their obligations to the city on time, they will also be excluded from the rule.
This rule is a good one but only if it is applied to 100% of the structures in the city. By the way: It is an additional tax!
If the intent is increasing the city coffers, how about sending inspectors at night and weekends to give fines to the weekly yard sales without permit all over the city?
Lots of money could also be made by catching people on Essex St. making illegal left turns.
And, what about the trash? Anyone placing the barrels a day or two early for pick up should get a ticket. You’ll see how quickly they learn!
Mayor’s car
Last week I published in this column a picture of what I thought to be Mayor Rivera’s car parked inside the Campagnone Common, across from the main door at City Hall.
Oh, what a boo-boo! It wasn’t.
I take pride in being accurate and hate it when I make a mistake like that.
My apologies to Mayor Dan Rivera.
Merrimac Paper
Would we ever find out how much the asbestos cleaning of the Merrimac Paper site will end up costing? If it was approved by the EPA and they came to make the announcement, they know the price tag!
