Swapping Out Print Dopes For Digital Dignity

Most of you know, I refer to The Sun as "The Blog of Record." I say this because it mixes what, I think, are First Amendment foundations with an evolving trend in the Digital Era (Link).

For clarity, Wiki defines a chunk of my re-branding:

A newspaper of record is a major newspaper that has a large circulation and whose editorial and news-gathering functions are considered professional and typically authoritative. A newspaper of record may also be a publicly available newspaper that has been authorized or maintained by a government to publish public or legal notices, and therefore serves as a "newspaper of public record."
(bold mine)

As for "The Blog .." part, readers of The Sun will get it, especially those that have read it for decades, watching it's rather abrupt decline since Jim Camapanini took the helm. For those of you who are new to The Sun, or just minimize touching "dead tree" print products, I'll redirect you to a diary I did in October 2013, A Blogger's Sin (Link). The short of it is, in my opinion, our local newspaper is in its death throes. Instead of going out with some dignity, they have opted to go kicking and screaming, foregoing principles of journalism, while embracing a modern brand of "Yellow Journalism" that employs a reckless type of "political pornography" to boost circulation.

Under Campi, The Sun has 'jumped the shark,' spiraling downward to the level of amateur hobbyists. I don't mean to disparage bloggers or the effort many put into blogging. The point is, a professional news organization is supposed to have so many more tools at their disposal. They are supposed to render a product that meets the standard of the "Fourth Estate." This is a function spelled out by our Founders, inscribed in our Constitution.

As the print news industry withers (Link), The Sun has seemingly opted to surrender to the easy road to black ink.

For example,

It's All About The 18th Middlesex?

Some shit just defies logic. 

Would You Offer Your Throat to the Wolf with the Red Roses?

In the run up to 6p.m. Monday, I'm going to scramble out various counters to the spin swirling in Lowell.

meme noun \ˈmēm\
: an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture

The notion that the Council dare not refuse Rep. Murphy's advances, for fear that his wrath will create a barrier between Lowell and the funding levels we desire from Beacon Hill. Further, to defy Murphy, is to defy the station of the Rep's office. Doing so, could infuriate the other members of the delegation, compounding Lowell's fiscal woes.

Let's not refuse to notice the subtext of 'political extortion,' but, moving along ...

This meme, and complicit parallel "logic," depicts Lowell as this:

Self reliance? Pfft.. Gimmie! Gimmie more!

It seems to me that Lowell has done rather well in harvesting bacon from Boston in the last 7 years, with many giving credit, solely, to the delegation.

This happened despite the buzz that the phone lines between Lowell City Hall and Bacon...uh....Beacon Hill were apparently severed. So, now we are supposed to believe that because there will be a State Rep in the corner office there will suddenly be more $$ coming into the city from the state?

Has the delegation been holding back?

Can anyone track the funding channels for the Ameresco Project and the Solar Panels? (I am opening myself to embarrasment here, as I don't know the funding sources.)

It seems to me, what bent the delegations nose out of joint was that Lynch didn't rely on them as the courier. Or worse, he got funding despite their follies on Beacon Hill.

Nangle gave it all away in 2007.

The Ring in Lowell's Nose(Link)

"That's the problem. There is no communication coming out of the city manager's office at all. Bernie is doing what he does best, circumvent everybody. He did it in Chelmsford, and he's doing it now," Nangle said.
-snip

Lynch added that regardless of who was invited where, "I'm sure (Nangle will) continue to do his job on the part of the city and I'll continue to do mine."

I got the sense that Bernie's ego may have made it hard to 'glory share.' A habit that our delegation does by reflex. Certainly, in the early part of his tenure, Lynch was observant to note the Council's partnership in the betterment unfolding. But, then Rodney Elliot opted to wage war and, Lynch pulled back in self defense.

It took two election cycles to stack the Council against Lynch's refusal to play by #lowellrules. But, now the deed is done.

###

I couldn't take it any longer

Lord I was crazed

And when the feeling came upon me

Like a tidal wave

I started swearing to my god and on my mother's grave

That I would love you to the end of time

I swore that I would love you to the end of time!

So now I'm praying for the end of time

To hurry up and arrive

'Cause if I gotta spend another minute with you

I don't think that I can really survive

I'll never break my promise or forget my vow

But God only knows what I can do right now

I'm praying for the end of time

It's all that I can do

Praying for the end of time,

So I can end my time with you!!

Hands Down, Best Interview - Murphy

Every fiber of my sense of reform, illustrated by the scoffing and taunting jotted out in multiple diaries, down blog; is convulsing while coming to grips with the reality that Kevin Murphy crushed that interview. Several things alarmed me. I'll bullet those out, below. Overall, he hit every note on most every level.

In my heart, I want so badly to break the crooked ring of our House delegation. I watched them pummel Bernie Lynch, using The Sun and other shit heel surrogates. But, let me tell you, "Mary," Lowell don't play beanbag. As such, I can't imagine how Kevin Murphy is not our next City Manager.

I am this close to endorsing Kevin Murphy, based on tonight. This makes me sick. I don't know if my queasy gut is coming from a jaded fatalism or from a bruised, yet lingering, hope that we can hold Kevin Murphy, true to his word

Have You Heard? mayor Elliott is a hero!

zing·er noun \ˈziŋ-ər\

1: something causing or meant to cause interest, surprise, or shock
2: a pointed witty remark or retort

Finally. I think I'm picking up what Tipa was laying down about our mayor.

Except, some heroes do more damage, than they are worth.

Let's take a look at this story, that ran today in the Blog of Record.

"The Column has discovered ..."

I have to give props to the Blog of Record for their knack of getting secrets out of City Hall.

In today's Column (Link), we find out more details around John Leahy's selections.

He previously said he selected people with municipal management experience. But The Column has discovered that Leahy voted for at least two candidates who have no such background.

Let's stop right there. The Sun prefers that you get all frothy with the revelation that Leahy is a giant clusterf&ck. First, we know that The Sun is trying to undermine the Ramirez candidacy, so as to promote Murphy. Second, we all know John Leahy. It's what the voters chose.

So, let's turn to a more interesting question. Why can't City Hall keep its pie hole shut?

A "gray" technicality is one thing. Clear public perception is quite another.

I snatched the title from a Sun editorial (Link).

Dear Blog of Record,

The Drubbing of John Leahy

I'll admit it. I have, metaphorically, beaten John Leahy about the head and neck (Link). So, believe you me, I know what political 'nudging' looks like. Since the City Council is fairly divided in philosophy about Lowell's 'vision,' Leahy is caught smack dab in the middle. And for that, he is being pummeled (Link).

My point is this, I am floored whenever I see the notion of 'ethics' and the 'perception of impropriety' thrown around in the scrum of Lowell politics. The proverbial 'pot calling the kettle black' is the ultimate frame of reference here. Who remembers the firing of Andy Sheehan?

RITA MERCIER told The Column she didn't vote to eliminate the position, she voted to get rid of the person (Link).

Houston, we have a problem!

The Forthcoming 0.75% Convention & Visitor Bureau Tax

Did you see this motion discussed, tonight?

C. Belanger - Req. City Mgr. provide a report on income produced on .75 additional meals tax enacted July 1, 2010.

When the video archive comes up, do take a look at the meeting and listen to what C. Belanger doesn't say. He never once says Greater Merrimack Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau (Link). Which seemed odd because, I'd bet it was on the tip of his tongue.

Note: Dick Howe reports Belanger did say "CVB." (Link) #jumpball
Note 2 (3/19, 16:20): I was wrong. Belanger said "MRT and Convention & Visitors Bureau,' which actually didn't make sense. The context was using the 0.75% increase to promote business. The CVB is not the same as the MRT or LMA. The CVB is a business that promotes, it is not promoted. Which, I'd argue, only reinforces the notion that Belanger means to reinsert the City's teat into the CVB's mouth.

C.Belanger is looking for the sum of revenue that is raised from a Lowell specific bump in the meals tax. He wants to put it towards a dedicated purpose. Rather than simply applying it to 'balance the budget.' He suggested certain applications, like marketing.

By a show of hands. Who remember's this brouhaha?

mayor Elliott's Holiday Derisions - Sad Sack Santa Redux

This Monday, March 17th, we'll be gettin' our Irish up at the ICC

Unfortunately, Rodney Elliott is not very adept at delivering humor. Case in point:

When The Sun Knew The Score

Back in the day, 2006, when The Sun (Link) still mostly looked like a group of journalists, they could get caught speaking truth to power. Even if from the most unlikely of sources.

So much for a nationwide search for city manager
The Sun (6/21/06)

Christopher Clark, Edward R. Clifford, Thaddeus J. Jankowski Jr., Odis Jones, Daniel Keyes, Monica Lamboy, Ronald Massey, Thomas Moses, David Owen, Scott Randall, Vincent Servello, Frederick Welch.
Ever heard of those people before? Didn't think so. They're all people who applied for the job of Lowell city manager and were passed over.

At first blush, they all appear to have the credentials and qualifications to at least merit an interview. A phone call? A Google, for God's sake?

It appears Lowell city councilors don't think so.

So much for nationwide searches, huh? Bet you didn't know Lowell is its own nation.

Councilors, searching for a new city manager to replace the departing John Cox, said they would search wide and high, and they received applications from places as wide and high as Washington, D.C. (the aforementioned Monica Lamboy), Auburn Hills, Mich. (Scott Randall), Corpus Christi, Texas (Ronald Massey).

What's missing from the resumes of the three applicants ? Apparently, a connection to Lowell.

Of the 37 resumes received, councilors picked five finalists, and here's what we learned: Boston is about as wide and high as councilors are willing to search. And then only if that person used to work in Lowell.

Heck, even Worcester, where applicant Thaddeus Jankowski is the assistant city manager , is too far away.

Here are the finalists and their connections to the city: Paul Cohen (grew up in Lowell), Frank Keefe (lives in Boston but is a former consultant on the Tsongas Arena project), Edward Kennedy (former Lowell city councilor), Bernie Lynch (current Chelmsford town manager, went to ULowell, gets his hair cut in Lowell) and Diana Prideaux-Brune (current vice chancellor at UMass Lowell, former chief planner in Lowell, former project manager for the Lowell Arena and Civic Stadium Commission).

There is something to be said for hiring a candidate who has a working knowledge of the city. That's always a good thing. 

But so is having a working knowledge of our nation's capital, or of such cities as Auburn Hills and Corpus Christi. Former upper-level administrators from those three cities applied and were passed over. For Edward Kennedy.

One would think that those councilors with whom Cox fell out of favor -- Kevin Broderick, Eileen Donoghue, Rodney Elliott, Mayor Bill Martin, James Milinazzo and George Ramirez -- would want to stay away from the perception of their "nationwide search" ending in a quick gander through the good-ol'-boy (and good-ol'-girl) files.

But how else do you explain Kennedy and Keefe being finalists?

Next time you bump into a city councilor, ask them if they really think Kennedy or Keefe is more highly qualified for this job than Lamboy or some of the applicants who were passed over with nary a phone call.

Heck, if they're looking for a career administrator in small-town Massachusetts, they could just as easily have chosen David Owen (with experience in Needham, Burlington, Maynard and Salem, N.H.), Richard Agnew (Scituate, Needham, Marshfield), Thomas Moses (Gloucester), Andrew Vanni (Middleton, Bolton) and Frederick Welch (Seabrook, Pittsfield and Belmont, N.H.) as Lynch (Chelmsford) and Cohen (Harvard, Natick).

But none of those guys has buddies on the Lowell City Council.

Next time, they should just put that on the list of qualifications.

Dan Phelps' e-mail address is dphelps@lowellsun.com.

27 Chumps

The Blog of Record "reports:"

The city received 29 applications from people seeking to become Lowell's next city manager, and the City Council's process to select one of them for the job will begin on Monday.

The council has scheduled a special meeting for 5 p.m. Monday to discuss the next steps it will take in its efforts to replace City Manager Bernie Lynch, who departs March 10. Lynch, who has served as manager since the summer of 2006, announced his resignation at the first council meeting of the year in January.
-snip

State Rep. Kevin Murphy, a Lowell Democrat, confirmed on Friday he is one of the applicants. Murphy did not respond to a request for additional comment. 

Another expected applicant was George Ramirez, a former city councilor and currently the executive vice president of Devens operations for MassDevelopment.
(Link)

By my count, that makes 27 chumps. Insiders have their money on Kevin Murphy, but are hedging their bets on the wild card, Ramirez. Elections have consequences. With Rodney Elliott coming in 2nd, which accounts for about about 10% of Lowell's registered voters, we are forced to grapple with shallow political practices like cronyism (Link).

Our current mayor is very palsy with Kevin Murphy.

The presumption that Kevin Murphy WILL be Lowell's next City Manager is so strong and so pervasive, I can't find anyone in the bubble that will risk speaking out at the fakery around the 'process' mayor Elliott is rigging together. The only chance that certain crooked cards will be exposed is, if and when, the Council allows the public to enter the process.

This Is Your Kid's Brain On Rodney Elliott

This is what happens when hollow, political rhetoric is matched up against data.

A modified "screen grab" of the slides the City Manager used at the Feb 25th City Council meeting.

mayor Elliott's 'False Flag.'

False flag (or black flag) describes covert military or paramilitary operations designed to deceive in such a way that the operations appear as though they are being carried out by other entities, groups or nations than those who actually planned and executed them. (Link)

Last Wednesday, mayor Elliott brought his unique brand of political cancer to the School Committee. Lucky them! I've taken the liberty to work up a video that, in my opinion, illustrates Elliott's malfeasance. But, please, take advantage of LTC's archiving system and watch the whole thing there (Link). The motion starts at the 38:09 mark.





mayor Elliott is a charlatan. Don't be confused by whatever other motivation you may have for supporting this faker. Besides, Bernie Lynch is gone, so you can flush, now. Let him swirl the bowl until 2015.

As for the 'False Flag,' you should note, Rodney Elliott never saw a budget he wouldn't slash. Why do you all of a sudden think he gives a rat's ass about Lowell's public schools? The damage to the 'school side' lies in Rodney Elliott's lap.

Lowell needs to be more like Dracut! Huh?!

Word on the street, Dracut is playing their Town Manager search process straight down the middle. They are looking for a Pro, not a Good Ol' Boy. No chorus of 'From Dracut. For Dracut' that I can decipher.

How is it Lowell can't do that?

Please ask Rodney Elliott, Ed Kennedy, Corey Belanger & Rita Mercier why they are pretending to look for a City Manager. #bagjob

Our Next City Manager & A Level Playing Field

Earlier today, I got fairly juiced up talking local politics & Lowell's future prospects. Surprised? Well, my friend Cliff Krieger called in to add some points on a lingering question about what it means when the call for a "Professional City Manager" erupts. (Edit: That show will repeat today at 4pm and this Sunday at 6am & 4pm, LTC - Ch. 8.)

After the call, Cliff wrote a diary on his blog, RIGHT-SIDE-OF-LOWELL (Link) Please go to Cliff's site, should you wish to chime in.

On City Life this morning, (Dave Leferriere and Jack Mitchell as co-host and guest) Host George Anthes tried to pin down what "Professional City Management" is and tried to force the dividing line as being whether the person is a politician or a lawyer, on the one hand, or someone with a degree in "city management" and experience in that area.
I believe George's characterization misses the point, at least as I understand it. I believe the concept turns on the question of "a fair shake". It is the difference in how you get City Services. Do you get them because of who you know, because of your political connections, because of your party affiliation, or do you get them because a clerk treats you just like every other member of the community, with courtesy and fairness.

...

What a Bernie Lynch brings to the job is an assumption that he will be a-political in his administration of the City. It may not be a fact, but it is an assumption. The flip side of this would be a belief that Rep Kevin Murphy would bring to the job a preference for the Highlands section of Lowell over the rest of the sections. I don't think that would be the case, but the "always lived in the Highlands" assertion came up on City Life this morning.

Civic Vandalism

I told you, he is a punk. (Link)

This paperboy always delivers

This week, our misguided mayor has opted to use 'net school spending' as his political chew toy. Let's take a closer look by peeling the 'faux outrage' back and thinking about what is underneath.

Kevin Murphy Has Chutzpah!

I was schooled, at a young age, "Never shit in your own back yard." Of course, I wasn't part of an elite class of folks that could get away with shit, by having others 'fix it' for me.

Kevin Murphy strikes me as a guy that flicks on the spotlight, on his way to squat.

The Blog of Record, today (Link), gratuitously lays bare some of Murphy's 'sins.' I doubt Murphy cringed while reading. Each of us will have a different cringe factor, according to our own sense of civics. Shady Lowell, likely, cheers! You, dear reader, should mull them over and talk to as many city councilors, as you can manage.

Kevin Murphy's Coronation, with Dogs & Ponies

The Blog of Record says Eileen Donoghue will not apply to be Lowell's City Manager (Link).

Does that mean Kevin Murphy is a lock?

Our current mayor is very palsy with Kevin Murphy.

What is maddening, the Lowell City Council will go through an utterly fake City Manager search, complete with dogs and ponies. It will be quite the show. It may even prove out, that Kevin Murphy was the best applicant, after all. Never mind that it has looked like a bag job from Day 1, so no reasonably astute candidates will even bother applying.

Lowell radiates hackery, e.g. The Gall of Dave Conway (Link)

The Martyrdom of Mayor Murphy?

Mayor Murphy's Official Portrait

(Link) C. Mercier – Req. City Council Rules SC establish guidelines as to what the Mayoral portrait should consist of.