It’s been an interesting week in government and politics around the Merrimack Valley for those of us who enjoy observing…

  • Town folks have been noting of late that Doug Sears seems to have been sleeping through most of his current term on the Tewksbury Board of Selectmen. So what was he thinking at the last BOS meeting when he took-on the iconic longtime State Rep - Jim Miceli calling him out on a land deed transfer and a school kid’s attempt to protect elephants? Say what you will about Miceli but he’s been “Mr. Reliable’ for the town for years. Go back to your slumber Doug - you were the elephant in the room that night. 
  • It appears that there will be a “clean sweep” at Lawrence City Hall when State Rep - Mayor-Elect Willie Lantigua takes over in January. Rumor has his “Chief-of-Staff-to-be” Lenny Degnan dropping the word to current employees to resign or retire. Whether true or not will soon be evident. Whether politics or residency or loyalty or performance is the employment yardstick - well that may not be so evident.
  • Let me say upfront that I’m a longtime opponent of straw-polls. The Methuen Democratic Town Committee - somewhat off their regular schedule - hosted a pre-holiday breakfast yesterday and included a US Senate candidate straw poll as part of the event. For what it’s worth, Capuano out-polled Coakley by two votes - 47 to 45. Some pundits are trying to make the results a contest between Mayor Bill Manzi - a Mike Capuano supporter and State Senator Steve Baddour - a Martha Coakley supporter. The Methuen Dem straw poll results compared to the recent results of the more traditional form of polling leaves one scratching her political junkie head. Stay tuned.
  • It’s all over but the shouting in the race for Mayor. Recently re-elected Lowell City Councillor Jim Milinazzo apparently has more than enough votes to take the gavel for both the City Council and the School Committee in January.  Jim certainly knows the inner workings of “the Hall” first hand.
  • The Governor’s visit to Lowell last week was well-orchestrated and he was warmly received. In addition to the Appleton Mill groundbreaking (to which he came with money pledged), he got an updated on stimulus money spending at CTI, greeted wide-eyed youngsters at Children’s Village at the Mill, breakfasted at the  Owl Diner and had soup at the Good Thymes - all the while stopping to shake hands, answer questions and pose for pictures.
  • Town committees continue to seek and search for high level administrators. The Tewksbury BOS interviewed two candidates for Town Manager but rumors abound that they will dump the choices and ask for more candidates from the Search Committee. Would Acting-Town Manager Jay Kelley be included this time? Tyngsboro has advertised for a new Town Administrator with a salary range from $100,00 to $130,00. Not sure what other job openings they have but there are a few. Dracut must make plans to replace retiring School Superintendent Mullin. Will it be sooner rather than later? Or will they opt for an interim to allow for a leisurely search? Back to Tewksbury - with longtime School Superintendent Chris McGrath planning to retire in June and no internal candidate on the horizon, the School Committee has hired a consultant to assist their process.
  • With just fifteen days until the US Senate Primary, expect the campaign in the Valley to heat-up with more barbs and more attempts to pierce the candidacy of front-runner Martha Coakley. The question is - are voters paying attention? What percentage of the voters will actual get to the polls on December 8th? As my blog-colleague Dick Howe asked a few days ago - what if they held and election and no one came? Stay tuned.