Link removed.

I was asked to remove a link to one of the local blogs by the owner. I believe it is still up and running so do not construe that its removal from this blog has anything to do with its status.
-PI

UPDATED: Westside Restaurant zoning controversy

** UPDATED IN NEW POST **

I don't really have an opinion either way about beer and wine at the Westside. I've never eaten there and I don't know anything about the restaurant's relationship with the neighborhood.

But I wonder where Councilor Athas got his law degree?? He fails to account for the entire section 1.5 Nonconformance of the Peabody Zoning Ordinance.

The Salem News: Westside seeks alcohol license
The Salem News Our View: Councilor didn;t want to hear it
The Salem News Letters to the Editor: Alcohol has no place in residential neighborhoods

Note: This post is written by Peabody Roundtable member Needham's Corner and may differ from the views of the Peabody Insider

A little background: when the Mass. Legislature adopted the Zoning Enabling Act (the "modern" act mostly dates from 1975, but there was a provision for nonconformance in the 1920 Act as well), they wanted a way to make sure that then-existing uses and structures would not be made illegal by subsequent local zoning ordinances and thus be considered a "taking" under the state and federal constitutions.

Our Peabody ordinance has a similar provision. It reads in part as follows:

"Any existing nonconforming use of a structure…may be changed or extended…provided that the special permit granting authority [that's the City Council, folks] determines, after a public hearing, by the grant of a special permit that such change, extension or alteration:
has adequate provision for offstreet parking; [and]
is similar in character, intensity of use, effect on adjacent property [and] effect on public hearing, morals, or safety as to be not substantially more detrimental to the neighborhood, than the existing nonconforming use…

Conditions may be placed on the special permit.

Westside is an existing nonconforming use, because it is in a residential district, and restaurants aren't allowed in that residential district.

But hold the phone: what this section of the ordinance means to this non-attorney observer is that the City Council COULD allow the restaurant use to be "changed or extended" to allow beer and wine IF (and only if) the Council found, after a public hearing, that there was enough parking, and that the restaurant with beer/wine was similar enough to a restaurant WITHOUT beer and wine so as not to be "substantially more detrimental to the neighborhood" (get out your dictionaries, folks).

Court opinions rely on dictionary definitions all the time. I'm no legal scholar but I've read a number that do. I guess Councilor Sinewitz hasn't read those. But maybe before he blasts City Solicitor Christopher (who IS an attorney) perhaps he and Councilor Athas would like to read the WHOLE zoning ordinance, not just randomly opine that because the restaurant is in a residential district they can't have beer and wine. Whine, indeed.

My bottom line: Westside is entitled to have a hearing. The Council should consider how detrimental beer and wine are to the neighborhood, and decide accordingly.

Peabody blogs are like the weather... ~UPDATED~

Peabody blogs are like the weather... Wait a minute and they will all change! Except for the Peabody Roundtable of course.

It seems like the world of Peabody blogs has yet again had a sea change.

And a new version of The Peabody Patriot has emerged with nary a word about who is running it or what has transpired.

Keith has reopened Peabody Elections
Old Post: (Keith has changed the status of Peabody Elections to invited participants only (I am NOT one btw)...)

As always... interesting times here in Peabody.

Changes in Peabody Square?

I must say I was a bit surprised this weekend when I saw that Peabody Square had finally gotten some new road stripes painted on the roadway. The old ones had been pretty badly worn away, but I just figured that this was yet another price we pay in Peabody for our unnaturally low tax rate.

THE OLD PEABODY SQUARE LAYOUT

So... hurray! They have finally restriped the road! But wait a second... The traffic entering the Square from Lowell Street can NO LONGER use both the left lane and the center lane to proceed straight onto Main Street...? And the striping that used to show two lanes traveling toward Salem on Main Street..., between Foster and Walgreen's are NO LONGER THERE!

THE NEW LAYOUT (FROM LOWELL ST)

What has happened? It seems that instead of discussing and debating the prospects of turning Main Street into a single-lane road... the new Director of Public Services has decided to start the process without the need for public or Council approval... is this the right way to do things in this City?

THE NEW LAYOUT (FROM MAIN ST)

Now, I am actually in favor of rethinking the traffic flow through downtown... and I very well may decide that the one-lane approach is the best one... but it needs to be discussed and debated and ONLY THEN should a change be made. This smacks of top-down arrogance to me.

Perhaps I am wrong about this... but this doesn't seem like the right way to proceed in these types of matters.

Peabody in the News Spotlight Again

Well it seems that the executive director of the Peabody Housing Authority has been spending some quality time NOT at his desk... but in a local bar while on the clock. At least that is the story according to WHDH...

WHDH Video: Jonathan Hall Uncovers: Peabody Housing Authority
WHDH Article: Peabody Housing Authority
Salem News: Housing Authority to consider allegations against director

I know only two things that might matter here. The first is that people are innocent until proven guilty... even though this guy seem like he admits to the situation. And remember... it is this reporter's job to FIND and REPORT this stuff to GET RATINGS... so everything is always SPECTACULAR!


The second thing is that the Peabody Housing Authority is NOT a City function alone. In fact, the PHA does not report to the Mayor or City Hall at all. This doesn't mean that the City shouldn't be concerned about this behavior... but when folks go to hand out the blame... this really isn't a City Government issue.

Of course... WONDERFUL! If this is true we have yet another Public Employee behaving badly and we have more fodder for the media to beat up on all the good honest hard working public employees.

Now... I am not declaring this man guilty... in fact I was impressed with both his candor and his (partial) explanation for his being away from his duties. So I am interested in seeing what transpires over the next few days.

It is just sad to have PEABODY dragged through the mud in the press yet again.

Thanks to the Anon who posted the link!

Peabody Schools: All News is Bad News?

Peabody Schools in Free Fall? What is it about Peabody and its attitude towards education?

= = = = = U P D A T E D = = = = =

In a series of news stories this week the school system and particularly the ADULT PROFESSIONALS who claim to be running it, have shown themselves to be concerned much more about personal agendas and THE BOTTOM LINE rather than how to provide each and every child in the City of Peabody a first class education. I am not speaking of the teachers here... but rather the School Administration, the School Committee and City Hall.

Peabody and Lynnfield Weekly News:....Note: PLWN links expire in 7 days
Greek language course dominates board’s decision on high school cuts
and
Salem News: Principal, superintendent spar over Greek

How stupid is this? We are cutting basic services left and right because "the budget demands it" and yet we have special cases where 27 (yes that is correct, 27 out of 1900 students at the High School) students have enrolled in Greek Language (and culture) classes at PVMHS - and Superintendent Burnett... and a majority of the school committee, including the tie-breaker, Mayor Bonfanti, were willing to keep that program in place and cut teachers in other core curriculum areas.

This is laughable and reeks of special consideration. Yet another black day in Peabody Education.

===

Of course... no one was willing to have a three hour verbal fight over the fate of the people most responsible for your children's educational success after their teachers...

Salem News: School Committee mulls plan to cut aides' hours
Lynn Item: Peabody school board continues to search for ways to trim budget

These are just more expendable fodder for the LOWEST TAXES IN THE REGION war that seems to be Peabody's only concern.

===

And then this gem of an idea!

Salem News: Peabody schools give parents free passes to games

So we are going to make the parents pay extra money so that their children can participate in all extra curricular activities. We are doing this because the schools do not have enough money. One way they currently raise some money for these activities is by charging admission to these events.

Ready for the brilliance of our elected School Committee!??!

Since the parents are going to be paying a fee for their children to play... they no longer need to pay admission fees! The problem is... they were going to pay this already! Hello!? And then the geniuses figured that since the parents will be getting in for free now... they will bring (drag?) along OTHER PAYING PEOPLE to come and fund the events.

Clue: Most people who attend the majority of these events ARE PARENTS.

===

Here is bad news masquerading as good:

Salem News: Grant will help students, teachers

It seems some industrious Higgins teachers found, wrote and won a $10,000 grant from Verizon to purchase a laptop computer and projector and to get 10 teachers trained to better prepare students for MCAS success. But this grant was undertaken because the very successful after-school MCAS Camp program was eliminated.

===

= = = = = U P D A T E D = = = = =

Maybe you are tired of seeing your Peabody schools being run in ways you would rather not see? Well why not become involved and be a part of the official screening committee for a new Higgins Principal.

TOO LATE! It seems that while Superintendent Burnett invited people to join this group on May xx, 2009... it was really already selected... Just one more public mistake in the land of Peabody Public School Administration? I would like to think so but I wonder if this means the entire screening committee will return a predetermined outcome as well?

Salem News: 32 apply for Higgins School principal position
Salem News: Superintendent invites staff and public to focus groups

....Those interested in serving on the screening committee must send a letter to the attention of:
Human Resources Director Louise Genualdo
Kiley Administration Building
21 Johnson St.
Peabody, MA 01960

Rehab Five - Something you might not know about Peabody

Rehab Five - - - - http://www.rehabfive.org/

I came across a quick reference to Rehab Five in someone else's blog (sorry, I really can't remember where it was) and I was curious about what it was. And if you don't already know, this might be of interest to you as well.

Rehab Five (more officially known as Community Service Emergency Rehab LTD) is a non-profit group of 25+ volunteers (all current or former fire fighters, dispatchers or EMTs) who show up at major fire locations with the sole intent of helping to REHAB the working men and women on the scene.

While I will not do them justice here (and I strongly suggest you visit their website) they are not just handing out bottles of water - although they certainly do that as well. Part of their formal mission involves setting up tents where fire personnel are given medical assessments and given a calm environment where they can intake fluids and cool body temperatures.

There is also a glove exchange program where fire fighters can get a dry pair of gloves to continue working in a safer and more comfortable environment. Rehab Five collects, cleans, washes and dries the gloves and makes them available at the next fire event.

Rehab Five covers the entire Southern Essex County Area (District Five) and serves the needs of 21 cities and towns from Nahant to Essex, North Reading to Rockport.

From what I understand, this seems like one of those local groups of people we should be proud to call our neighbors. I believe they even started right here in Peabody and that is where their mailing address is still.

And speaking of that... If you find this to be a worthwhile cause you might just consider a donation. Their Donations page is here:___ http://www.rehabfive.org/donate.php

Disclaimer: I have absolutely nothing to do with this organization nor do I even know the people running it... they just seem like good folks.

Stop & Shop wants to build a new gas station

The Stop & Shop on Howley Street is looking to build a new 4-pump gas station with convenience items in the front of its parking lot.

The Lynn Item: Peabody Stop & Shop eyes gas station addition

The store is selling this as a great way to help solidify its base of shoppers by providing services they need... and offering a discount to them as well. It will be a strictly self-service location with no repair facilities.

Of course, new gas stations require new gas tanks - a total of 40,000 gallons of fuel will be stored on the site.

The store says that 52 parking spaces will be lost... but this is really NOT a worry for this location. I have NEVER been in this store when it was even close to crowded, and that includes the Holiday Rush(es). The only exception was during one late afternoon blizzard which iced over Howley Street leaving NO WAY to leave! Both directions were practically impassable until the City plows arrived (difficult due to the traffic conundrum on Lowell St).So my feeling is this has little to do with serving the current customers of the store and all about profits for a less-than-successful location. In fact, I wonder if this was not part of the plan all along when you consider the enormous size of their parking lot.

Should the City allow this? Well I wonder about the safety of underground storage tanks in flood prone areas (and no matter what this will always be a flood prone area) BUT the new modern tanks are much safer than the old ones (those are what we really need to worry about.) There are actually very few neighbors to impact here, so that shouldn't be a big problem.

However, I do see an issue or two that I would insist be addressed in the approval granting process here.

1) Stop & Shop needs to contribute both money and land to further fund and create the River Walk project which will eventually need to integrate with its property.

2) Stop & Shop needs to improve the traffic flows through the intersections with Howley Street at both Main and Walnut Streets.

I originally proposed new traffic lights to be coordinated all along Howley (see below) but WGAF made a good case against it... so I softened my proposal.

======OLD=VERSION=BELOW=====
However, I do see two issues that I would insist be addressed in the approval granting process here.

1) Stop & Shop needs to pay to install new traffic signals installed at both entrances to the Stop & Shop facility as well as at the intersection of Howley and Walnut... AND all 4 lights (Main & Howley also) need to be synchronized to work well together.

2) Stop & Shop needs to contribute both money and land to further fund and create the River Walk project which will eventually need to integrate with its property.

Walnut Street Park -- One Step Closer

The City Council gave its approval for the City to move forward in applying for loans to clean-up the proposed park site on Walnut Street.

The Lynn Item: Peabody council OKs application for funds

The Councils vote allows Community Development to apply for $550,000 in State funding from the Massachusetts Parkland Acquisition and Renovation for Communities Grant Program.

The park will be a welcome addition to the woefully under served area - giving the neighborhood a place to gather as well as becoming a launching point for the long overdue Downtown Riverwalk.

Of course Councilor Mello again expressed his anger that such a project was going forward in his ward despite his protestations.

"I was against the city purchasing this property because we will be spending a half million to clean it up when the landlord should have cleaned it," he said. "But the council chose differently. We've made a sinkhole here, make no mistake. It's an area that is hard to secure, there will be children playing by the train tracks... I wish it never had passed."

A sinkhole. This man has absolutely no vision. And kids will be playing on the train tracks?? HEAVENS NO! Councilor... take a look at the situation RIGHT NOW! They are already playing on the train tracks... maybe a NEW PARK will give them a different place to play? It's called leadership. It is what your constituents need right now. Be that person or move on.

NECN and Billy Costa visit Peabody hungry... and leave satisfied!

New England Cable News is one of the first places I turn to for breaking local news... now granted breaking news means in the first 6-8 hours... but where else are you going to turn?

And one good thing about NECN is Billy Costa and his quest for gastronomical greatness. His program Destinations was in Peabody this week looking for a few good places to enjoy dinner. I thought it was worth sharing.

Destination Peabody: Pellana

Destination Peabody: O'Fado

Destination Peabody: Westside Family Restaurant

Destination Peabody: Sugar Cane


And one more feature of the NECN site is Pipin Hot Spots. In this segment they discuss some Peabody favorites: Petrillo's, Su-Chang's, Fire Bull and Toscana's.

Election Discussions: Comment space is now ready for each of the major races

There are 10 separate comment posts that will have a direct link on the home page (see left).

I was asked to provide a place for commentary and discussion on the many races that are underway for the 2009 city elections.


I have provided a separate post for each race. If you have something to say or discuss about any of these races... that is one place for you to go.

This does NOT mean that we will not be discussing the important topics and concerns in the normal course of the blog... it simply offers readers an alternative place to make comments and engage their fellow citizens.

Teachers to give up raises? I doubt it.

School Committee member Dave McGeney has proposed the elimination of the $1.2 Million dollars in raises that the City and Union agreed to for FY 2010.

The Lynn Item: Peabody school board proposes waiving $1.2M in teachers' raises
The Salem News: Peabody unions asked to help cut expenses

Now one could be an optimist and say that in these hard economic times we all need to pull together and share the burdens for the common good...
or just as likely one might say that the City has dragged their heels and treated the teachers with utter contempt for three plus long years by not agreeing to a contract... to ask these people to give it up after this long hard fight is ridiculous...

So what will the outcome be? Well I see this as a lose-lose situation for the teachers AND the citizens. The teachers are constantly hammered because the public expects teachers to simply be happy to have the honor of teaching today's youths (and tomorrow's leaders) and believes that substandard pay for high credentials is completely warranted. And at the same time, the teachers are more than happy to screw over their own people (think younger, newer teachers) for the benefit of the older teachers.

It saddens me greatly to see the way the general public looks down at teachers who each and every day do a very difficult job - perhaps the most important job for the future of our City and Country... and yet at the same time the actions of the teachers union(s) does nothing but reinforce these attitudes by behaving greedily and NOT in the best interest of the long-term viability of the public school teaching profession.

This will probably not be happening in Peabody anytime soon. My bet is the unions would rather have many fewer teachers making more money instead of more teachers making less money. But time will tell.

Peabody Patriot... Gone Again?

It seems that the Peabody Patriot has, once again, left the building.

There was a cryptic message of a sort up on the site a few days back... which vanished a few hours later.

~~Click to see the Cryptic Posting~~~

And then today ~poof~

Some people with claims of knowledge have posted here (see comments) but I have no personal knowledge of what happened at the Patriot this time.

I will say that running a blog is a tremendous amount of work and running a good one is 10x tougher. Add to that the R_E_A_L_L_Y slow news about Peabody for the last few weeks (and many fewer posts and/or comments) and perhaps the Patriot needed a break.

I will continue to be here and the Peabody Elections blog seems intact. I welcome the Patriot if he/she decides to come back as I don;t see anything wrong with more people discussing the issues important to the City of Peabody and her fine citizens.

Spring Pond - Clean Again!

The City is reporting that the sludge dumped by the City into Spring Pond over the course of many years, has been cleaned up and they have met the DEP deadlines.

Salem News: Spring Pond cleanup costs city $393,000

While there are certainly unanswered questions, and many more unsubstantiated rumors and claims/cross claims, surrounding the many years of intentional "overflow" dumping of water treatment sludge into Spring Pond... it is good to know that the work is complete and that the pond is back to its original state.

Here are some images from GoogleMaps and Maps.Live to refresh your memory of the situation. Click on each for a larger view.



The original intent of the (almost) $1 million dollar bond was not to just clean up the sludge, but to purchase new equipment and upgrade the facilities. I could not find the original estimates for each portion of the project, but I believe these numbers ($393,000) for clean up costs was in the estimated range.

For all the talk at the time, there has been little public discussion concerning the who, when and why this all happened from City Government. I would certainly be more in favor of a real investigation into this matter and a public airing of the findings. I feel this is important especially since so many wild allegations have been thrown around in the blogs and the street corners, ball fields and coffee shops.

So while I am glad this clean up in done, I would like to have seen the 'report' on the reasons we needed to do it in the first place.

Mood: disappointed

Did anyone catch the Boston Globe article in Thursday's paper (buried on p B9) about the recently-released list of "bio-ready" communities?

The Boston Globe: 'Bio-ready' communities in state named

These are places that have "positioned themselves as destinations for [biotech] labs or manufacturing plants." The top-rated places have appropriate zoning and a permitting process and available sites or buildings. In addition to places like Cambridge, Waltham and Boston, the top-rated places include (on the North Shore) Beverly, Haverhill, and North Andover. Second-tier places in the region (again, on the North Shore only) include Lynn, Newburyport, Reading, Everett, Lawrence, and Salem. Forty-four of the 351 communities in MA are on the list.

What are we, chopped liver? We have an industrial park with lots of space, a highway strip (Route One) crying out for something better than chain restaurants and cut-rate hotels, good infrastructure, a host of medical-related facilities, and a highway-oriented location that is one of the best in the state. Did Peabody even apply to the Mass. Biotech Council for consideration?? Readers, enlighten us here at the Roundtable!

Electric Light Commission

This is the area for people to post comments on the on-going race for the Municipal Light Commission, four candidates are vying for two seats for a six-year term:

Incumbents:
Robert O. Wheatley
Thomas J. Paras

Challengers:
Charles W. Bonfanti
Fred R. Chancey

School Committee

This is the area for people to post comments on the race for School Committee which has three seats open:

Incumbents:
Beverley A. Griffin Dunne
Edward M. Nizwantowski

Challengers:
Jarrod M. Hochman
John C. Olimpio
Thomas J. Rossignoll

Incumbent Mike Moutsoulas is not seeking re-election

Mayor

This is the area for people to post comments on the race for Mayor

Incumbent:
Michael J. Bonfanti

Challenger:
Russell P. Donovan

City Council At-Large

This is the area for people to post comments on the race for the five At-Large City Councilors positions:

Incumbents:
Edward A. Bettencourt Jr.
Michael V. Garabedian
James K. Liacos
Anne M. Manning
David C. Gravel

Challengers:
William C. Aylward
James Moutsoulas

Ward 6: City Council

This is the area for people to post comments on the race for Ward 6 City Councilor.

Incumbent:
Barry C. Sinewitz

Challenger:
Ronald A. Sheehan

Ward 5: City Council

This is the area for people to post comments on the race for Ward 5 City Councilor

Incumbent:
David R. Gamache (unopposed)

Library Trustee

This is the area for people to post comments on the race for Library Trustee (4 seats):

Incumbents:
Margaret E. Tierney

Challengers:
Richard C. Shruhan
Anne V. Quinn
Wesley R. Merrill

Ward 4: City Council

This is the area for people to post comments on the race for Ward 4 City Councilor

Incumbent:
Robert E. Driscoll

Challenger:
Jeffrey B. Grayson

Ward 3: City Council

This is the area for people to post comments on the on-going race for Ward 3 City Councilor

Incumbent:
Rico E. Mello (unopposed).

Ward 2: City Council

This is the area for people to post comments on the on-going race for Ward 2 City Councilor

Incumbent:
Arthur Athas (unopposed).

Ward 1: City Council

This is the area for people to post comments on the race for Ward 1 City Councilor

Incumbent:
Barry P. Osborne

Challenger:
Robert Forti

The Primary also included:
Anthony Carli