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FY2018 Operating Budget City Manager Murphy formally presents the FY2018 budget to the council and asks that it be scheduled for a public hearing on May 30, 2017. Challenges include increased contribution to the pension fund, a continuing deficit in snow and ice fund, and increased amounts for contractual raises,…
Read More »To understand the story of the city of Lowell over the past half century, you must also understand the impact of Urban Renewal. So several months ago when Daniel McDermott, a student at Assumption College, contacted me (and others) for information about Urban Renewal in Lowell for a paper he…
Read More »This is the seventh installment of my Lowell in World War One series which commemorates the centennial of the entry of the United States into World War One. Here are the headlines from one hundred years ago this week: May 14, 1917 – Monday – Threaten to hang food gamblers…
Read More »“Murder Manhunt in Lowell” For two days this week, that was the lead story on every news outlet in the region. I won’t get into the crime or the police response right now. Instant analysis might be OK for sporting events, but complex societal issues like violence against women, criminal…
Read More »The entry below is being cross posted from Marjorie Arons-Barron’s own blog. If you tuned in late, you might think you were watching The Apprentice, just another episode of Donald Trump’s “You’re fired.” Or you might think a time machine had catapulted us back to the infamous “Saturday night massacre,” when embattled…
Read More »(Mayor Kennedy and Councilor Leahy are absent tonight). 2018 Capital Plan presentation by City Manager Murphy. Based priorities on motions that were filed by councilors during the past year. Total is $15mil including $3.2mil for lighting which includes replacing thousands of lights with LED bulbs. This should yield a 65…
Read More »The entry below is being cross posted from Marjorie Arons-Barron’s own blog. Fans’ racial slurs at Fenway Park this week led to national news stories about Boston as a racist city. People are all too quick to believe that and damn the city, as did Saturday Night Live’s Michael Che several weeks ago.…
Read More »This is the sixth installment of my Lowell in World War One series which commemorates the centennial of the entry of the United States into World War One. Here are the headlines from one hundred years ago this week: May 7, 1917 – Monday – Victories for French and British.…
Read More »Jim Milinazzo opts out The announcement by Jim Milinazzo that he would not seek reelection to the Lowell City Council brings local politics to the forefront this week. With all eight of his council colleagues apparently running again, having a “vacancy” in the incumbent lineup changes the dynamics of the…
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