Menu
Helpful Report on Dam Meeting Today
Cliff at Right Side has a detailed and helpful report on the meeting between Sen. Brown’s staff and a host of public officials and community folks in Pawtucketville. Read the notes here and Cliff’s take on what’s “right” and fair for the citizens concerned about proposed changes to the dam.
As one who attended the meeting, Cliff’s comments and reporting was indeed to the point. I noticed in reading the Lowell Sun’s report this morning that they cleaned up the most “damning” points made by neighbors. This included the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s order to Enel to lower flashboards due to flooding in the past and the communications void in trying to get any response from the company. Enel and the Lowell Sun’s view of reality are of a “green” company struggling to make renewable energy in a hostile environment. It was also interesting that the compelling story of the Williamsburg condo owners – who according to the condo president could be subject to flood insurance charges of over $500,000 a year – which the Sun chose to represent as $45 per month per unit more. The other use of selective facts is that Lawrence loves Enel. In fact Enel, other than for its targeted political and recent charitable contributions to organizations supporting their bladder dam, has been widely condemned in that city for lack of concern for maintenance of canals and other properties. An MIT report last year cited them for being the major impediment in making progress in revitalization plans centered around the canals.
Credit goes to homeowners defending their property and neighborhood and local leaders in Lowell, Chelmsford and Tyngsborough who have weighed in despite the resources and pals of Enel. Rep. Tom Golden and staff deserve special credit for bring Senator Brown’s staff to Lowell and making the other side of the story known.
The Lowell SUN seems to be trying to make, or influence, the news recently (maybe always, but even more blatant now).
In the Dam issue, Kendall Wallace has already gone on record in support of the Enel position, by co-signing a letter supporting the bladder dam. Now when they report the meeting on the subject they leave out key concerns of the residents that are affected.
They also seem to be privy to the issue on the Superintendent, and follow that up with an editorial condemning the school committee.
And now they rant that the city council did not allow a person to speak on how he could save the city $70M. Well, why don’t they provide the space in the newspaper to let the person make his case if they think it has merit?
I would have thought that most of you would know by now ro read the Sun and then find out the real truth. Back in the day it used to have excellent writers and editors that did not manufacture “facts” . Guess those days are gone for good.