The future of Downtown: Medical Hub?

I have been trying to find out more information about the plan for a "Medical Hub" for Downtown Peabody that Councilor Bettencourt brought to the City Council several weeks back. I was not at that meeting and I do not have cable so I, like so very many Peabody residents, did not get the opportunity to see this plan as presented.

I do not like to critique plans I have never seem, nor would I wish to point out flaws that might have been addressed in some fashion during the presentation by Councilor Bettencourt. And so I asked (via facebook email) if he would share a copy of this powerpoint presentation either with me, or in some online venue, so that everyone might have the opportunity to see this much talked about plan for Peabody's future.

Sadly, but not unexpectedly, I received no response, nor did any such public presentation become available (to my knowledge - and I have been looking for it).

So I am going to give my response to this plan based entirely on the reports of the presentation made to the City Council which appeared in local media.

In general... bringing new businesses into the downtown area is a good idea for Peabody. We should be looking for a wide array of activities to populate our downtown.

We have some very old and decrepit industrial areas that are mostly underused and in some cases abandoned as this type of activity is not going to be done in places like Peabody for the foreseeable future (despite what many of the previous Ward 3 councilors have hoped and wished for... it ain't coming back.)

We have some areas that have been newly renovated - for better or worse - mostly in the southern area of downtown. We have a rather eclectic (bizarre?) mix of uses along the real Main St. area - some that seem to be serving limited populations (specialty toy train stores, fofo's, Brazillian fashions) while others are serving the community at large (drug stores, grocery stores, restaurants, services, etc.).

In general the more consumer oriented enterprises occur on Main Street and in the Square, while the more business oriented activities are on the Walnut Street side. This might have worked well in the days of bustling industry here in Peabody... but those days are gone, and good riddance to them in my opinion. It is time to stop looking to the PAST to try and find some hope for Peabody's future. But that is a rant for a different time and place.

So this brings us to the idea put forth by Councilor Bettencourt. My take on this is that he would like to see downtown become a 'medical hub' of businesses that are ancillary to the more comprehensive and brand new or newly renovated facilities that surround our area.

New facilities at Centennial Park and MGH North and mostly renovated facilities at Lahey Clinic, North Shore Medical Center and more. Councilor Bettencourt is correct that we have already become a medical hub of sorts for the North Shore region.

But lets examine why these places are where they are... and specifically NOT in downtown Peabody. All these new or renovated facilities are located where there is excellent access via the highway for patient, and business, convenience as well as tons of free parking . They are not locating in downtown Salem or Peabody precisely because access into and out of these areas is very difficult, if not impossible, at certain times of the day and space (thus parking) is at a premium.

So if I am a Doctor or an HMO and I am looking to locate my offices/out patient service centers... I am NOT looking to move into a decrepit, industry waste strewn, impossible to access, flood prone area in Peabody with little to no parking and no real connection to the facilities I am currently visiting (NSMC, MGH, Lahey, etc.) Why in the world would these types of higher end medical facilities look to move into downtown Peabody when much better locations adjacent to these main facilities already exists? They wouldn't.

So if the primary (hospitals) and the secondary (Doctor offices and HMO Centers - think MRI, CAT Scan, etc.) are not really going to be interested in Peabody as it is today... what medical uses might be of interest? Frankly, the only businesses that I can think of that would be interested in a location which is equidistant from these major hospitals is medical warehousing and medical reclamation (waste disposal). This seems like the most logical usage for the area if we are going to focus on 'medical hub' services.

And of course that would be a HORRIBLE IDEA for Peabody and the future of Downtown.

You know what... I actually LIKE people who are willing to think outside the box on issues. They often throw out outlandish ideas that may contain a little nugget of a great ideas at times! They also might be completely full of it! Councilor Bettencourt has made two of these VERY PUBLIC, very outlandish and very self promoting pronouncements in the recent past. I recall the idea that the Dearborn affordable housing funds be used to pay for low income folks energy bills as one of these ideas, and this is yet another.

Here is the RIGHT WAY to serve the People of Peabody when you get a GREAT IDEA but have no real clue if it is actually worth anything...

Step 1: Go to the City's Experts on these subjects
We are paying planners, engineers, assessors, lawyers, construction professionals, etc. to be part of the City's management team! Why would you a) work without consultation with these expert people and 2) in some cases work against their recommendations?

Step 2: Seek other inputs from outside City Hall
Arthur Gordon is (was?) the largest landowner in the Downtown area, but he is not the only owner who would need to "buy into" this idea in order to a) get it passed and ultimately to b) make it actually happen.

Step 3: Talk about your ideas to the people most affected by them to gauge their opinions, input and ideas
This is so important. People really do not like to see a brand new idea brought out in a venue like the City Council meeting as a Final and Complete Deal! It makes people nervous that deals were made and that few were considered in the thought process. I am not saying this is actually happening, but it is the perception. And in reality, it is the people who live and work and own businesses and drive through and visit and shop and eat, etc. in Downtown who will be the ones who will make this ultimately become a thriving community again... or just have this be yet another failed 'gee whiz' idea with no real foresight or long term plan.

Step 4: Present your ideas to the government body most appropriate to look into the matter and seek to begin the process of thoughtful public discussion

And this is why I was hoping that Councilor Bettencourt would release his plan... so we could all see it and think about the consequences of his ideas and then allow each of us to make our judgement of the idea on the merits, and not the rhetoric we will be sure to hear in the local media.

So, I for one, think this is NOT a good idea for the future of Downtown Peabody.

Local Options: To Tax or Not To Tax?

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

Mayor Bonfanti says while he sees "both sides of the issue" the City could really use the added tax money.

The Lynn Item: Peabody in pickle on local tax hike

What I don't find very convincing is Mayor Bonfanti's justification for raising the taxes: that the Legislature will be mad at the cities and towns for NOT enacting the taxes while still looking for State relief. To me this sounds like grasping at straws for a reason BESIDES the fact that the City needs more funds... and it seems rather week to me.

The other assertion, that it would be easier if everyone were to enact the increase (Danvers has voted no while Saugus has voted yes) and has the Mayor wishing Salem would pass it to make it easier for Peabody to do the same... is NOT LEADERSHIP! It is being a follower. Stop it and just do the right thing because it is THE RIGHT THING... even if it hurts you in the polls.

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The Massachusetts State Legislature has give Cities and Towns the local option to add a local tax onto hotel rooms and/or meals. This would add up to 2% to the cost of a hotel or motel room and up to 0.75% to the cost of a meal in a restaurant.

The Peabody Weekly News: Decision on local luxury tax hikes stalled until fall

Note: The PWN only has stories up for one week

The Salem News Editorial: Nelson Benton: Nothing tasty about meals tax
The Salem News: Megavoke OK'd, Meals tax denied in Danvers
The Salem News: Local Taxes may rise in tough times
The Salem News: Senate OKs hike in sales, alcohol tax
The Boston Globe: Tax options raise interest, with caution
The Boston Globe: Towns consider tax hike

The problem: State aid to Cities and Towns has plummeted in recent years.
The (one small?) solution: Give local communities the ability to gather their own local taxes with an increase in hotel and meals taxes.

This is not a perfect solution, but it is one way to allow Cities and Towns to gather additional income in very difficult financial times.

The reality of the hotel/motel situation is that adding 2% to the hotel room charges would equal around an additional $2.00 a day to the average hotel/motel room in Peabody. And since the vast majority of the people staying these hotels are from out of town... this seems a perfect way to recoup some of the losses in State funding.

The meals tax is a little more personal as it will mostly affect the locals who frequent Peabody restaurants. However, this additional tax is EXTREMELY SMALL... 0.75% in fact, so small that it simply can not be held up as a DETERRENT to folks seeking to have a meal in a local eatery.

The cost of eating out will change very little... in fact, here are some prime examples...

Breakfast at Dunkin Donuts:
Large coffee and a bagel with cream cheese:
$4.38 --------- + 3 cents tax! = $4.41

Lunch at Sonic (just opened on Rt. 1):
A Number 2 (SuperSONIC Cheeseburger Combo w/ medium fries + drink)
$5.99 --------- + 5 cents tax! = $6.04

Dinner at Sugarcane (for two):
Hot & Sour soup (2), Crab Rangoon, Orange Duck, General Gau's Chicken, and 2 (!) Scorpion Bowls
$64.00 --------- + 48 cents tax! = $64.48

Special Romantic Evening Out for 2 at Legal Seafoods
2 signature cocktails, oysters and coconut shrimp appetizers, shared large Caesar salad, surf & turf (shrimp & scallops), grilled wild salmon, bottle of wine ($45), 2 signature desserts and cappuccinos
$190.00 --------- + $1.43 tax! = $191.43

This should pretty much prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that this additional amount of tax would do NO ONE any harm and indeed would NOT change anyone's plans to stop in for a quick bite... or an evening of fine dining.

Now on to the man who cost Peabody $300,000...
Thanks to Councilor Rico Mello - who seems perpetually stuck in some other reality - the City Council will not take up the discussion on these local taxes - NOT EVEN DISCUSS IT!?! - until the Fall... thus losing out on approximately $300,000 in additional City revenues that Mayor Bonfanti proposed applying towards desperately needed road and sidewalk repairs.

Now I am NOT saying I think we should allocate these moneys to ANY ONE project... and if we DO pick only one... roads and sidewalks are NOT the number one need in this City.

But for Councilor Mello to yet again show himself as the OPPONENT OF ANY CHANGE in this City is yet another reason to elect a better representative in the coming elections.

School admins get raises - What is wrong with these people?

So the Peabody school department in its illustrious wisdom has decided that the appropriate way to deal with the economic troubles that have caused the elimination of 50+ positions and the lower quality of education that comes with it...

The very best way to move forward and to improve the sad state of the Peabody school system is to.... HAND OUT EXTRA LARGE RAISES TO THE PRINCIPALS AND ADMINISTRATORS.

All the while raising the fees parents and students must pay and going back to the union employees with the expectation that they should give up some of their recent contract changes.

The Salem News: School chief gave administrator raises as others' jobs were cut

Frankly... this is an imbecilic move that unbelievably might even top some of Mayor Bonfanti's recent public relations gaffes! I mean WHAT WAS SUPERINTENDENT MILTON BURNETT THINKING???

I mean was he thinking.... This sure seems like the right time to give some of my top people raises that are more than 50% higher than what the rest of the people are getting? That the time sure is right with all the public support for teachers and the free flowing tax money?

Frankly... this is an amateur move. It is such a bad move I would consider this actionable... meaning it might be time for him to go.

At one time (and a different economic reality) I would be arguing that these people are probably under paid compared to some other folks and that retaining people should be a priority since we seem to play musical chairs with our school administrator in this City... but that is NOT the reality of today. To NOT recognize these real issues is to be ill fit for the position of power and authority required as Superintendent of Schools.

And then the absolute WORST part of the article was when High School Principal Edward Sapienza opened his mouth and made sure we all knew just how DAMN LUCKY we are that he is willing to LOWER HIMSELF to work in a place like Peabody... That is my interpretation of his words which are here:

Sapienza said even with his $106,424 salary he still earns less than high school principals in Danvers, Lynn, Marblehead and Swampscott and oversees more students than his counterparts.

"If somebody wants to begrudge that, go ahead," he said.

The high school principal said he has 37 years of experience and two master's degrees he paid for himself.

"I've got a wealth of experience," he said. "I think I'm a very good bargain."

Administrators don't have unions to negotiate their contracts and must individually make the case for salaries, Sapienza said. They, like the unions, seek equity in pay and benefits.

Sapienza said he sympathized with people who were losing their jobs. He chose to be an educator while others opted to go into the private sector.

"It's still America," he said. "You can still choose to be whatever you want to be."

Well said Principal Sapienza, well said indeed. I however think that if you are really so darn smart... you should have known better than to have mouthed off like this making the Peabody school administration, and yourself, look foolish.

I can only guess that the real fool here would be the Principal who accepted a job that pays too little in the first place. I do not begrudge people raises, but I DO begrudge them to BITE the hand that feeds them.

AT THE VERY MOST... these administrators should have received the same raises as the unions did... which is exactly the way it works in City Hall (and elsewhere in the City I believe.) But to be FIRING TEACHERS while GENEROUSLY REWARDING the administrators (people who will rarely have a direct impact on a student's life) is simply terrible.

Bonfanti budget a slap in the face to the future

Much can be said about this deep financial crisis that the world is facing... we are facing it here in Peabody as well. It is up to the wise people who we citizens have elected to make the difficult decisions that will impact each and every one of us.

What is terribly troubling to me is the very people we have entrusted to make these important choices: Will we fund THIS or THAT? Can this road go another season without repair or will we need to replace it completely later? Should we cancel 20 English classes or serve 27 students who wish to learn Greek? Do we buy a new fire truck or repair/rehab the 25 year old one? Should we dip into our savings safety net to pay for ongoing expenses or maintain our high bond rating which saves us money in the long term?

These are all difficult choices and we rely on these people we elect, and a bevy of professional experts to guide them, to come to the best possible answers for all the citizens of this City of Peabody.

So why does it feel like we just screwed all the children of Peabody in an effort to maintain the bragging rights of having the lowest taxes around?

We have decided to step-by-step dismantle the school system because it is the easiest target in the budget crunch game. And from where I have been sitting and watching it most certainly is a game.

The Mayor blames the economy. Patricia Schafer blames the State. The School Committee blames the Mayor. The City Council blames the School Committee. The Mayor threatens everyone. They all (with great regret and heavy hearts) vote to allow the Peabody Public Schools to become the Peabody Public Dump.

Now, like any good game there will be winners and losers.

The Winners:

The Mayor gets praised by everyone who doesn't have children in the school systems and who see lowest taxes as better than educated children. The Mayor wins re-election all the while claiming in his reelection speech that "...another of [his] priorities is education. He said that while new schools were built and MCAS scores are improving, the overall level of education can be lifted higher and the district needs to retool and deal with declining student enrollment." From: Peabody Lynnfield Weekly News

The City Council wins both ways...
~ If you voted FOR the budget you are seen as a proactive, fiscally prudent protector of the elderly and the middle class, blue collar folks here in Peabody... just like the Mayor (see above)
~ If you voted AGAINST the budget (either time) you are seen as a defender of the parents and children of the City of Peabody! Except... you really didn't do ANYTHING except grandstand about something you can't change in the first place. This was pandering and sticking it to the Mayor (or in some cases the School Committee) in order to look Pro Parent and Pro Student when you have done little if anything to help the situation.

Bottom line: Almost all City Councilors will be reelected no matter which way they voted on this matter because there aren't enough parents to change the voting numbers... and the children simply can't vote.

The School Committee wins as well.
Frankly, it doesn't matter if they all voted for the budget or not... the budget was given to them and they had no choice but to make cuts somewhere to meet the numbers. However they all approved the union wages which it turns out is the main reason that the school department was singled out as the only department that needed to make ANY LAYOFFS... everyone else who works for the City is INDISPENSABLE while 73 people in the school department (don't worry, they say it will be less) ARE COMPLETELY UNNEEDED AND UNNECESSARY.

But the School Committee did get to LOOK GOOD as they were destroying the schools... they saved THIS program and THAT position... usually to the cheers of some very vocal group of parents, teachers, admins, etc. So they too will look like the valiant fighters who went into a losing battle and were able to snatch a few key nuggets of education for our youths. They all get reelected.

Hmmm. Yeah if all these folks win... somebody has to lose, right? Sadly you all know who…

Our children are the losers.
And when they lose, we all lose.

Peabody, your taxes are too low and your priorities are misplaced. And sadly, your leaders are failing you while they leave the next generation of Peabody citizens to fend for themselves.

Some New Life For Downtown?

Two projects were in the news concerning the Downtown area and they both are making me hopeful that we are on a path towards a better, more vibrant, Downtown Peabody. Now these things alone will not save or change anything, and let's face it, a CVS is just another separate parking, 'disconnected' store... but its a start.

The Peabody Lynnfield Weekly News:
Gateway site to city finally sees shovels in the ground
The Peabody Lynnfield Weekly News:
City moves ahead on second grant for Walnut St park
Note: the PLWN only maintains its web new for approximately one week

The Salem News: Legal spat aside, 'gateway CVS is a go


While I really can't imaging the need for an additional big-box drug store in Downtown (I mean we have the Walgreens on Main and the Walgreens just down the road in Salem) I will admit that I am not an expert on retail establishment real estate. So this new store will be just about half way between the two Walgreens.

The architectural rendering is very nice... but they always are. The proof will be in the pudding... will it look this nice when it is done? I certainly hope so. And let's face it, it is replacing a gigantic eye sore that has been looking worse everyday for the last 5 years.

I do hope that the city will be receiving some funding for the Riverwalk project (in land or $$$ - or both) as it will only make the area more attractive and thus better for all the stores in the area. Add this to the new gas station that Stop & Shop is planning and Howley Street will be rather spiffed up.

The Walnut Street Park is also back in the news - perhaps this time more for the fact that it DIDN'T result in yet another fracas at the City Council meeting.

It seem that Councilors Mello and Sinewitz have decided to not try and block the forward momentum towards building the park but, as Councilor Mello said, he is still against it.

“There’s no mistake that I was against this,” Mello said last month, adding that he now supported the plans with “great reservation.”

My guess is that " ...support[ing] the plan with great reservation" is code for I hate this project, but I better get on board because it is going to happen anyway. And I can only surmise that in the future one of two outcomes will happen:

1) The Park will be a failure: Mello will be handing out the blame saying "I TOLD YOU SO!"

2) The Park will be a success: Mello will be in the front of the line accepting the praise for his good work.

But enough about that. I am just happy that the majority of the Council and the administration recognise the wonderful potential this park holds.

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!

Some "Green" greenbacks for Peabody

The City of Peabody just received almost $500,000 in blockgrant money for use in creating jobs that reduce energy use or promote green technologies. This is money from the Federal stimulus plan and distributed by the state.

The Salem News: 3 communities get greenbacks for 'green' jobs

I have not heard anything about such a program here in Peabody but think that this is a great move forward! The future is going to be more reliant on renewable energy resources and getting a foot-in-the-door by promoting these new ideas, experiments and business ventures here in the City of Peabody is a big step in the right direction!

Now if only the City Council will get off their collective duffs and begin to tackle the hard job of re-thinking the way we all want Peabody to be like in the next 25 years... think rezoning, planning, infrastructure, etc., then maybe we can become a center for innovation and creativity that will allow us to lead the region into the next decades and beyond.

July 4th: Fun should remain

I have been taking some time to consider the suggestion of Councilor Gamache to cancel the annual July 4th Ward Celebrations.

You can read about the controversy here:
Salem News: Peabody considers suspending July fourth celebrations
Salem News Editorial: Cost no reason to nix 4th of July events in Peabody
Peabody Patriot: July 4th parties... a thing of the past?

While I understand that we are in a fiscally difficult economic situation... and that practically everyone is also facing a similar economic crisis at home and at work... I simply must say that this is the wrong move at the wrong time.

I do not agree with the posters who have been saying that it is from Mayor Bonfanti's lips to Councilor Gamache's ear... Gamache can think and act for himself. However, I think that this was simply one of those times when we all wish he hadn't.

While I would certainly love to see a check for $12,000 show up in my mailbox, the fact is that this is a tiny amount of City funds that goes to making neighborhoods and families feel more connected to each other and the City. I know that the City spends more on paper clips than $12,000 each year.

We really need to get our priorities straight when dealing with this financial crisis.

Many others have suggested that the Council members could simply cut the $150/month stipend that they receive and save more than $19,800 each year. Now I am sure that they have already made plans for these funds (or not, but they get the money in either case) so they don't wish to lose it. The money for the Ward celebrations, however, will not affect them personally in any way.

So I simply think that Councilor Gamache was looking for a way to look good while losing nothing. And frankly, it might have been fine if he were not screwing the little kids of Peabody (which are the ones that these celebrations are for in the first place.)

Now others have postulated that the Councilor(s) are actually hoping to get rid of this event - as it ruins their personal vacation plans and causes them to do lots of work planning, fund raisng and running these events... but I'm not so sure of that. If someone has any evidence of this... let us all know.

So, yet again, The City Peabody looks like a fool in the newspapers and in the hearts of its citizens. All because people do not THINK about the consequences of their actions (or simply proposals in this case).

:::Caveat:::
Now all that being said... IF (and only IF) the City is actually in such DIRE FINANCIAL STRAITS that it really can not fund these 6 celebrations (for $2,000 each) then I am ready to talk about a great many OTHER CUTS that would need to be made before this one.

This amount ($12,000) is 0.0000909% of the budget ($132,000,000)

IF we can't afford this amount for something that is a long-term event that brings kids and families and neighborhoods together... we should really think about what is truly important in this City.

~ps: I fixed the erroneous number of celebrations from 11 to 6!

Another Bad Moon Rising?

The recent article in the Salem news highlights a little known situation which, while not unique to Peabody at all, still will have a severe impact on our near-term, and long-term fiscal viability.

Salem News: Retirement Assets dip as market fails

Now, I will begin this post with a big admission... I don't know much about this... not much more than I read in the SNews.

The story in a nutshell - and feel free to let me know if I am getting this wrong somewhere...

Cities are required to fund the accounts that they plan to use to pay for employee retirement. However, they don't actually put in the $50 each week that employee X and Y are going to get in 10 or 15 years.

No. That would be logical. And safe.

So the Cities PROMISE that they will have the money for the retirees WHEN THEY RETIRE... but not before. In other words, the City will use these funds to do as they please (now I am sure that some is set aside for the retirees) but they don't need to come up with it until they actually retire.

This was a good scheme... until somebody noticed (or maybe someone retired somewhere and the City didn't have the dough?).

So the powers that be enacted a deadline (2028) where by the City must be fully funded for all retirees.

But the Cities didn't really want to put all their (our) money in the retirees bank accounts... they wanted to Play the Market and make a profit so we would have more funds to spend on City needs.

Unfortunately things are not so pretty in the market... in fact the S&P 500 has averaged -1.59% since 2000.... and is down -37% for 2008.

So... in order to still be able to meet the 2028 deadlines, all the Cities and Towns are going to need to be putting in even more tax money into these retirement accounts to make up for the bad investments made over the past few years. This is going to result in EVEN LESS WORKING CAPITAL FOR THE CITY.

Again, this is not problem unique to Peabody, nor was the fancy financial solution... in fact, it probably kept our level of taxes lower and services higher over the past several years... but it just adds one more straw to the camels back... and the sag is already starting to show LOTS of strain.

Walnut Street Park Still Smart Choice

The Salem News has one again decided to show it's love for all things Peabody...

The Salem News: Council ponders park on cut-rate, polluted parcel

I am not quite sure why the Salem News feels the need to portray the situation in the worst possible manner... Perhaps they are jealous that Peabody is getting some small percentage of the massive amount of money the State and Feds pump into Salem each and every year... But you rarely see the SNews call for a rejection of any home town funds.But in this case we already have an existing problem...
> a derelict, run-down, polluted and dangerous parcel of land

Without any possible hope for a solution...
> the owner has been unable to interest any buyers, has no plans to deal with the safety and pollution issues and the City seems to have no legal recourse against the owner either

Except for an intervention by the City...
> which will be paid for with (at least) 60% State funding for the purchase

Purchasing the property...
> at a huge savings due to both the conditions (polluted) and the economy

And redeveloping it into a New Park (in an area of the City that can really use some help) and a (small) flood retention basin in a flood prone area
> with (potentially) much of the clean-up costs being borne by State and Federal clean-up grants only available to municipal properties

So.... let's consider this again...

The Owner gets to sell his troubled land
.. he wins
....He will then have the money to pay the back taxes (if any)
.... city wins
......The dangerous conditions at the site will be removed
....... neighborhood wins
.........The City will get reimbursed 60%+ for the purchase price
......... city wins
............The City will decontaminate the site
............. neighborhood wins
................The City will (potentially) be reimbursed for the clean-up costs
................. city wins
....................The City will build a new park
..................... neighborhood wins
.......................The Riverwalk will have a major connection point created
........................ city wins
...........................One parcel of crappy dangerous unused land will become a place for everyone to enjoy
_____WE ALL WIN_____

Budget Woes... but not 'til next year ???

I will admit it. I am as perplexed as everyone else about what to do with our City budget problems.

At first, I thought IF the cut in State aid was going to be a one time thing, then we could enact a small one-time payment from each household (<$50) and keep all the City services going as they are now. But now we find out that this is NOT very likely... and that an even larger cut in State aid is expected next year.

And I am upset because Mayor Bonfanti has decided to hunker down (my words) and not be proactive about the problems that are looming on the horizon. IF cuts are coming and there will need to be changes in the near future I say the time to prepare, plan and then even enact these changes is sooner rather than later.

The Salem News: City could see layoffs in next fiscal year

The solution is not to just leave unfilled positions vacant and to expect departments to continue doing their jobs without adequate supplies and other items or services needed to operate the City.

The solution is to take stock right now and see where cuts need to be made... see where positions need to be filled... and where they need to be lost. To give the departments back the money they need to actually serve the public well and not nickel and dime the City into inaction. The time for these action plans was YESTERDAY... but we still have time to make them right now.

Then the politically difficult (and personally distressing) task of actually making these changes needs to happen... and the sooner the better. If we are going to be losing people next year (for the sake of discussion let's say we will need to cut 40 jobs) then I say DO IT NOW and SAVE THE MONEY in salary and benefits TODAY because the news from the State next year might be even worse than we are all hoping or expecting.

I would rather not see anyone lose their jobs, but unfortunately that will not be the reality here in Peabody or many other places in this country. I have learned the hard way that delaying the inevitable only makes things worse for everyone involved... including the people who will end up being laid off.

Slow News Month?

I have been looking for more topics of interest... in the newspaper(s), on-line and even in Dunkin Donuts.

The basic opinion is that National events are holding dominance over local issues... and even though the economy is in terrible straits and the effects are playing out all around us, there is nothing concrete for me to bring up here.

So perhaps you have some ideas or concerns that you would like to air? Here's your chance. This blog is still getting a few visitors each day so maybe we can discuss how YOU are handling the current downturn in this thing we call an economy.

And, yes, I am still upset about the contract with the police union. But frankly, while others are predicting that elected officials 'heads will roll' in the next elections... I feel it will all be forgotten and we will forever have a 9/11 holiday for the cops here in Peabody.