Category Archives: Election 2007

Information about election 2007 in Newburyport, MA

Municipal Information and Coupon Ads

Ok, I’ve been away.

In fact, at the moment, I feel totally out of it.

And seeing my paintings hang in a major New York gallery turned out to be way more than “nice.”

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(painting hanging in New York gallery… see previous post)

And so far, I haven’t been able to get any “read” yet on the mayoral debate that I missed (how shocking) last Thursday night, September 6, 2007.

I hate to say it, but my guess is that a good 87% of Newburyport, MA didn’t know that the debate was even on, or if they did, they didn’t much care.

(Is this “cynical” of moi? How awful.)

I sat next to a woman on an early bus ride into Boston.

I’m taking it that the she was from Newburyport, because she had a copy of the Newburyport Daily News. The woman opened up the Daily News and proceeded to read the coupon ads with great intent and interest.

I was fascinated by this. I never read the coupon ads. I always chuck them.

She did eventually turn from the intent reading of the coupon ads and skimmed the front page of the Newburyport Daily News.

I, her seat-mate, then asked her who she was going to vote for mayor of Newburyport, MA.

The answer was something to the effect of, “I have no idea.”

This is my guess.

The woman who I sat next to, and most of Newburyport, MA, if asked to, could not name the 5 candidates running for the corner office.

If they have noticed the signs out around Newburyport, MA, they might know a name, but have no clue about anything that mayoral “name” might be about.

If presented with the name “Moak,” they might say something like, “Yeh, that sounds familiar.” If asked to name the Newburyport City Councilors who already exist, my guess would be a response like, “We have city councilors?”

My point being that most of the electorate, unless it an issue that directly effects their lives or their pocket books, has “no clue.”

So my question is, how do those of us who are hooked on politics get people’s attention, aside from suggesting that their taxes get raised and plunking “inappropriate” building projects in their backyards?

The coupon ad thing had me thinking. Maybe that’s where to put pertinent municipal information, next to the great super-duper price of hamburger or maybe discounted socks.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Campaign Signs for Mayor

This weekend (Labor Day weekend) I began to see campaign signs for mayor sprout up like late summer perennials across the lawns and front yards of Newburyport, MA.

Jim Stiles signs sprouted up (this is just the beginning I’m sure of the “sprouting”) in front of the homes of some of “the likely suspects.” It appears that Jim Roy’s group, or at least some of Jim Roy’s group, endorsed Mr. Stiles. No surprise there. Mr. Stiles an avid “Open Waterfront” advocate and parking problem solving enthusiast– two issues dear to Mr. Roy’s heart (and other people’s hearts too.) (I’m sorry, I can’t help myself, “faux progressives.”)

Mayor John Moak’s signs started sprouting near his house and neighborhood and gradually inched outward. Again, no surprise there. During the last campaign, Mr. Moak’s neighbors and friends, were huge supporters, hard workers and a very welcoming “face” of his campaign.

Dan McCarthy’s signs also sprouted up across town. And on Friday afternoon (I believe) of Labor Day weekend, I spotted a fairly large gathering of Dan McCarthy supporters holding signs and waving at 3 Roads (where Storey Avenue meets High Street, at the North End of town). It made me smile, honk and wave.

And Steven Cole’s campaign signs are also sprouting up across town–in Newburyport High School colors and beautifully made. I ran into Mr. Cole on one of my “walks” as he was putting up signs in front of people’s homes. He told me that he had worked hard building the signs, in remembrance of his father, a boat builder, who recently passed away. (Our deepest sympathy for Steven Cole’s loss.)

And, alas, no Gardiner Bacon signs. But I’ve been told that they are coming.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Running for Political Office

Ok, I’m curious.

I wanted to know why someone who has been here 3 months would want to run for Newburyport City Council at Large?

Life is pretty hectic, and in an effort to put some “boundaries” around the blog and election stuff, I try and talk to folks who want to talk to me, either on my daily (I try) walk around town, or running into them at places like the supermarket.

Kathleen Ives (Katy) emailed me and asked to chat, and I said I would stop by on my walk one day and see if she was in.

I did and she was.

Katy is a bright, delightful and energetic young woman. Any place or city would be lucky to have her on board.

And, obviously the subject of being here, in Newburyport, MA, a short time came up.

Now, A) It’s pretty gutsy to come into town and decide to get that involved in your new place of residence, i.e. to run for Newburyport City Councilor at Large.

That says a whole lot about Katy Ives.

And B) that she most probably doesn’t stand a chance, says a whole lot about the city of Newburyport, MA and politics in general.

Name recognition… yes, sad but true, makes a huge difference.

And the old Yankee suspicion about anyone “new,” combined with the old Yankee attitude of “you pay your dues.”

Incase Katy Ives might not win a spot as Newburyport Councilor at Large, we talked about the different boards and committees in the Newburyport City Government where she could make a huge difference.

And just as a btw, It is my opinion that serving on a board or commission on the municipal level for 2 preferably 4 years is a good idea for anyone running for Newburyport City Council, because it gives a first hand understanding of how things are run on a city level in Newburyport, MA.

(I passed this thought onto one other candidate who was brand new to the political process as well.)

And while I’m on the topic… I believe the late Ed Molin (former mayor and Newburyport city councilor) once told a young man who wanted to run for mayor, that it might be a very good idea to serve at least 2 terms (4 years) on the Newburyport City Council before even considering running for mayor of Newburyport, MA.

Mr. Molin was a very wise man, and his very wise advice, I think, is still applicable today. Not one of our mayoral candidates has served on the Newburyport City Council. And in my mind, this is not a good trend. The Newburyport School Committee, although a good start, is simply not the same.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Task Force for Newburyport Schools, Revenue Sources

Bruce Menin has a pretty interesting blog. I’m a pretty tough blog critic, and Mr. Menin seems to have the blogging thing down so far. Factual, easy to read, half info, half campaign… a very interesting approach… so far… and with a couple of pretty funny pictures (which I like a lot).

On the blog Bruce Menin reports that Mayor John Moak has appointed a “task force” to analyze the city of Newburyport’s revenue sources (i.e. money for schools).

“The Mayor has invited William Heenahan, Dr. Ralph Orlando, Brenda Reffett, Jay Iannini and Ellen Supple from the Community; Deidre Farrell will represent the School Administration, Ari Herzog will represent the mayor, Mark Wright and I (Menin) will represent the School Committee, and a member of the City Council will have the opportunity to volunteer next Monday.” newburyportschools.blogspot.com, August 21, 2007.

I’d say I’m pretty impressed by that list of folks. Ellen Supple has been a very helpful reader of the Newburyport Blog, and I am relieved to see Brenda Reffett on there and my very bright young neighbor, Jay Iannini on there as well.

These are all passionate folks and passionate from different points of view, and not afraid to speak up or speak their minds.

This is working for me.

Mr. Menin has all kinds of information about the task force on his blog. So if this is a passion of yours, go check it out.

(And as a btw, the list at the side of the Newburyport Blog listing candidates for the Newburyport 2007 election, Newburyport City Council, Newburyport Mayor and Newburyport School Committee is growing, so be sure to check the side of the Newburyport Blog as the list gets added onto.)

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Choices in Precarious Newburyport Financial Times

One of the reasons that I hope Donna Holaday gets elected as one of the Newburyport Councilors at Large is that she is so good at finances. Not only is she good at finances, but she understands the “players” and the “politics” and the way the very complicated civic structure works.

In my mind, having Donna Holaday on the Newburyport City Council would be much better than having someone who has only been in Newburyport a short time, or who has not served on at least one of Newburyport’s many civic boards and committees, because it would take that person at least one, if not two years to understand all the “players” and how things work around here. Donna Holaday has got that one in the bag.

And I remember Ms Holaday’s last evening on the Newburyport City Council. Newburyport City Council President Tom O’Brien graciously thanked Ms Holaday profusely, especially concerning all her contributions to the city’s very complicated financial picture.

Could you imagine Gary Roberts (who I also hope wins a seat as Newburyport City Councilor at Large, and I would be mighty upset if he didn’t) and Donna Holaday on the Budget and Finance Committee? Two real smart and knowledgeable “political” (as in the understanding how people work “political,” and how to work with them in a productive way, to the benefit of the people of Newburyport, MA, “political”) folks help handling our very precarious financial civic ship. Would I be relieved or what.

My experience with both Gary Roberts and Donna Holaday is that I have always been able to talk to both of them about just about anything, and they listen. A huge asset in a Newburyport City Councilor, not an character trait Newburyport City Councilors (over the years) might necessarily possess.

The conclusions that the two Newburyport City Councilors might come to could be very different than what I might have in mind. But, I would know that they had taken what I had said into consideration when they made their decision. And would I know that whatever decision they would make, would be a very thoughtful and well thought out one.

So in precarious financial times, the residents of Newburyport, MA have a choice here. There are two really good people running for Newburyport City Councilor at large that I would trust with my tax dollar. I’m hoping like crazy that they both get elected.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

A Thick Skin In Newburyport Politics and the Mute Button

Bruce Vogel probably gets the dubious and not so fun prize of being the “Most Toaded Newburyport City Councilor” in the Undertoad’s 10 plus years of existence.

(You see, this is where I now probably would be royally “Toaded.”)

To be in Newburyport politics requires a thick, thick, thick skin. My goodness, I try to be “gentle,” but apparently even the existence of the Newburyport Blog’s calls for a thick skin as well.

(And it turns out even being the editor of the Newburyport Blog necessitates a “thickening” of the skin. I suppose that one should have been obvious to me right from the beginning.)

Being a “progressive,” although a fiscally conservative one now, or as one reader of the Newburyport Blog put it, I’m “getting practical,” I appreciate Mr. Vogel’s voting record. And if we end up having a conservative regime once again in the corner office (which at this point is a definite possibility), I personally, would be dismayed by a conservative Newburyport City Council as well.

Love those checks and balances.

Being in local politics, or in any politics, requires many skills. And how one projects oneself in public, turns out to be a very important skill indeed.

And thank goodness for the “mute button.” I think that there is only one politician that I have ever enjoyed listening to. Only one that I didn’t wince and cringe when they opened their mouth. Only one where I didn’t long for the “mute button.”

When I watch the Newburyport City Council meetings, if any councilor on the Newburyport City Council floor goes on for more than 3-4 sentences, ooops, I hit the “mute” button. Thank goodness for TV.

Do I miss a lot? Probably. But, if whatever it is can’t be summed up in 3-4 (short) sentences, and move the evening along, whoever it is, has lost me.

I later look at how folks voted, and go “hum, Ok.” And if a vote seems out of character, sometimes I ask, and sometimes I don’t.

So one of my concerns as a citizen, forget the blogging part, is the makeup of the 2008-2009 Newburyport City Council. I’m hoping for thoughtful centrists. But if I had to choose, I would most definitely lean towards a more progressive, rather than a conservative tendency.

But then, as one Newburyport City Councilor pointed out to me, I live in the most liberal ward in the city (Ward 2), so would anyone expect anything different?

Hey, I’ve moved towards the “center” or gotten “practical,” (and I’m taking some “flack” for it, no kidding), so with blogging, you never know, maybe all bets are off.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

5 Bald Newburyport Guys and a Barber and An Outrageous Health Insurance Hike

Mike Costello, Ed Cameron and Tom Jones have my unwavering political support.

Why you should ask? “Five Bald Guys and a Barber,” that’s why.

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“5 Bald Guys and a Barber”
For large photo please press here.
Courtesy of Susanne Cameron

Thursday, in my completely ditzy way, I forgot all about the Newburyport Bed Race (Yankee Homcoming).

After writing Mike Costello (no kidding, really) an email wailing about how the new state Health Reform Act could not possibly be working, because the new rate hike for my health insurance was a whopping 43.7%. (Now “low” double digit inflation is bad enough, but mid-range double digit inflation. Good grief. I figured maybe the health insurers were hoping for the self-employed and small business owners of a certain age, just to pass into the word-work from shock, when they found out what the plans for their new health insurance premiums were going to be.) Possibly more whining about the dubiousness of this new Health Insurance Act for all?? from moi, on the Newburyport Blog.

So here I am wandering the neighborhood, wondering where everyone is (it’s sweltering hot, I figure everyone’s getting cool in front of the AC or a fan), and low and behold, a whole lot of the neighborhood and a whole lot of people (Federal Street looked like a hopping block party, lots of fun) were watching the “Bed Race.”

And seeing Mike Costello, Ed Cameron and Tom Jones running and sweating down Federal Street as “5 Bald Guys and a Barber,” (I’m not sure what the male version of “ditzy” would be, maybe “wild and crazy guy?”) made me stop thinking about the 43.7% health insurance rate hike, and actually cheered me up and calmed me down a whole lot.

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“5 Bald Guys and a Barber”
Left right—Ed Cameron, Peter Bart, Rich Herman, Mike Costello, Tom Jones, Foreground—Esther Sayer
Courtesy of Susanne Cameron

With that kind of sense of humor and, let’s face it, a certain amount of chutzpa, how could anyone not get all kinds of things done in the political arena. Right?

I even decided that I wanted Tom Jones to be the new Newburyport City Council president (I’m assuming he is going to win as one of the Newburyport City Councilors at Large) (Sorry Tom O’Brien, you didn’t run in the bed race, I don’t think), provided that he always wears a tee-shirt as Newburyport City Council president that says “5 Bald Guys and a Barber, and I’m proud.” (The design of course is up to him.)

Ed Cameron has got to beat Erford Fowler in a tight Ward 4 race and Federal Street is in the wrong ward (Ward 2). Oh well. But hey, this counts as major political points/stuff in my book. (And then he’s got to wear the same tee-shirt too.)

And Esther Sayer looked pretty cute pretending to be a bald person in the middle of the bed. I don’t know who cooked this one up, but I LOVED it.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Candidate’s Websites and Blogs

For those who are running for election this year in Newburyport, MA, I would be happy list all applicable blogs and websites at the side of the Newburyport Blog under “Newburyport Election 2007–Blogs and Websites.”

If you are a candidate running for Mayor, the Newburyport City Council or the Newburyport School Committee, and have developed either a blog or a website, please free to let me know. Or if you would like, please have someone from your campaign contact me.

Thanks so much,

Mary Baker Eaton
Editor of the Newburyport Blog
info(at)marybakerart.com

Elections in Newburyport, MA, Civic Engagement or For the Birds

Many people say to me, “you’ve got to get a pet” (usually they want me to get a dog).

At the moment my notion of having a “pet” is having astoundingly low maintenance pets. (And no the frogs do not count as pets. A) They are “hard working” political consultants for the Newburyport Blog; and B) they are either stuffed or made out of plastic.)

No, the “pets” that I have are birds.

In my “garden/ backyard/ green-stuff,” I have 2 Finch feeders and 2 birdbaths. I mean are we talking really low maintenance here or what??

And I’m even lazy when it comes to my “self-maintaining” bird “pets.”

(You may have noticed I’m chatting about, of all things, birds. This is because I have a severe case of “candidate mind mush.” In Saturday’s Newburyport Daily News, July 28, 2007, there is a list of all the people who are running as candidates in Newburyport, MA.

Count’em… At this point, (having pulled papers) there are 6 for mayor, 11 for Newburyport City Councilor at Large (good grief), 3 contested seats, Wards 2, 4 and 5, so add 6 more; and 7 who have pulled papers for Newburyport School Committee.

Being lousy at math, I actually got out my calculator. That’s count’em, 30 people running for office in Newburyport, MA. Yes, believe you me, I’m all for civic enthusiasm and involvement, but 30 people pulling out papers, creates a severe case of Newburyport mind mush for this blogger.)

I look at the birdbaths and say, “ok, ok, so, they need a little ‘freshening’. I promise, I’ll take care of it.”

And then I dump some water in the 2 bird baths. Major effort on my part.

The first one in… the Blue Jay. Gets right in there, in the middle of the bird bath, flaps around, and soaks himself so that he looks like Alfalfa after the rain. (Sort of the “my way or the highway” approach or the “assertive” or “intense” or “enthusiastic” approach, depending on your point of view of bird bathing.) (And wow, does this date me or what. Alfalfa was in “Our Gang,” black and white TV. We are talking millenniums ago.)

And then the sparrows come. They congregate together in the one of the trees above the bird bath. Chirp and chat. And then all land of on the perimeter of the bird bath and proceed to jump in together and take a communal bath. (The sort of cooperation, committee approach to bird bathing.)

And my favorites are the yellow finches (they are gorgeous). They chow down on the Finch food, seem to either be oblivious or arrogant or just plain old enjoying themselves, depending on your point of view, that the finch food is only for them. Flitter down to a bird bath, take a couple of delicate sips, and then proceed to fly away, or continue to peck away, looking over their backs, for some unknown reason to moi, as they go at it.

I’m not sure which political type that this would correlate to. The readers of the Newburyport Blog would just have to decide for themselves. (Spoiled and entitled? Confident? I don’t know.)

So, yes, at this point, we have 30 people running for contested seats for the Newburyport 2007 election. I’m not exactly sure what this means. Whether some of this is “for the birds,” or whether this is an indication that low and behold, some of the folks in Newburyport, MA have woken up from an apathetic stupor and are taking an engaged interest in our small, New England seacoast city. I’ll just have to think a little bit more on this one.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Blogger Relief, No School Override on November Ballot

Relief.

Immense relief.

The Newburyport School Committee has decided NOT to put an override on the November 2007 ballot.

Whew.

Who says people can’t learn from their mistakes.

And Mayor John Moak is creating a task force “that will research and analyze revenue sources for the schools. The task force will include two School Committee members, one city councilor and four community members, among others. It will be charged with identifying and examining every source of revenue for the school system, from Chapter 70 state aid and local taxes to athletic fees, private grants and school-choice fees…” (Newburyport Daily News, “Schools abandon bid for fall override vote,” by Nick Pinto, July 25, 2007)

Yeh!

Yes, it’s time to politically navigate school funding waters, and it looks like someone is paying attention to smart political minds, because if an override were on the November ballot, it would most probably fail and there would be even more rancor over the issue of the Newburyport Schools than there is already.

And now we (or at least some of us) can concentrate on all the other myriad of issues and concerns that face our small New England seaport city (at least for the time being).

So good go’n Mayor John Moak and the Newburyport School Committee (and Vice-Chair Steven Cole).

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Mayoral Mind Mush

I’m getting mayoral mind mush.

We have so many people running for mayor of Newburyport, MA, that I’m having a hard time keeping everybody straight. I we have until July 27th to see if yet someone else pulls papers for mayor too. With this mayoral election, who knows, who might pull papers at the last minute. Anything is possible.

I talk to people about the mayoral election, and enviably they start listing all the candidates, and they go, “I’m missing some one. There’s someone else, right? Ok, who is it?” And we go through the whole list again, trying to figure out who was left out of the long list.

And Steve Cole, the present Vice-Chair of the Newburyport School Committee, the most recent candidate to pull papers for mayor of Newburyport, MA, is an incredibly nice, kind, decent human being.

But, actions speak louder than words. And as Vice-Chair of the Newburyport School Committee, everyone who has paid a tiny bit of attention to “that” issue has seen Mr. Cole in action.

It was just in December of 2006 that the Newburyport School Committee was seriously contemplating asking the residents of Newburyport, MA to commit to what in my mind was one wild and unbelievably expensive elementary school building project. I believe I kept referring to it as a “diamond necklace” approach or the “Taj Mahal” of elementary schools.

This is around December 2006 and even as late as February 8, 2007 on the Newburyport Blog.

And then the residence of Newburyport, MA are told, ooops, the Newburyport school finances are in such bad shape, that guess what, we’re going to close a school, restructure the entire elementary school system and ask for the tax payers to pony up for a $1.58 Million override, so we don’t have to slash more stuff for the schools.

Hello. Didn’t the Newburyport School Committee just think about asking us for how much for new buildings just a few weeks ago??

And in my mind, true leadership would have been never to have contemplated a wild Taj Mahal elementary building scheme in the first place.

And it would have shown much stronger leadership not to request a special spring election that cost the tax payer $17,000, to ask residents of Newburyport, MA for an override of $1.58 Million — that many felt was an almost guaranteed disaster. But instead to “act” instead of to “react” (in my opinion) and to give a great deal of thought about how to politically navigate school funding waters.

And the leadership of the Newburyport School Committee during all of this was under Vice-Chair Steve Cole (and yes, the Chair, Mayor John Moak).

I guess you can tell I’m still pissed about the whole thing.

Yes, and those are 2 of the folks on that long mayoral candidate list. Oh, good grief.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, One Issue Elections Make About as Much Sense as “Easy on the Eyes”

This is from Forbes.com.

I can take no credit. No, the editor of the Newburyport Blog, moi, does not peruse Forbes Magazine. I was given the heads-up by the ever faithful Yahoo.com.

The article, By Christina Settimi, Forbes.com, July 5, 2007, “Best And Worst School Districts For The Buck,” can be found, on you guessed it, Forbes.com.

“More spending doesn’t necessarily buy you better schools. With property taxes rising across the country, we took a look at per-pupil spending in public schools and weighed it against student performance–college entrance exam scores (SAT or ACT, depending on which is more common in the state), exam participation rates and graduation rates.

Winners in this rating system are counties whose schools deliver high performance at low cost. The losers spend a lot of money and have little to show for it.

Marin County, Calif., provides the best bang for the buck. In 2004 Marin spent an average of $9,356 ($6,579 adjusted for the cost of living relative to other metro areas in the U.S.)” ( Forbes.com, July 5, 2007)

You get the idea, we weren’t in the top 10. We also weren’t in the bottom 10, which is a good thing.

But it made me think, that yes, it might actually be possible to get more bang for our school buck in Newburyport, MA. If Forbes Magazine says it’s possible, it’s got to be possible. I mean, for goodness sakes, it’s Forbes.

And it’s the old override thing for the Newburyport schools that the Newburyport School Committee is contemplating putting on the November ballot (I don’t know if they’ve made up their minds yet).

On the one hand, I talk to and look into the eyes of mucho worried young parents. We do have a reality here, there have now been 5 years of cuts for the Newburyport, Schools.

On the other hand, the concerns of some members of the Newburyport City Council that this could be a “one issue” election are quite right. I mean people are already deciding on who they would vote for only in relationship to how a candidate would have or has stood on the spring override for our schools.

I mean, good grief, people are actually considering voting for Al Lavender, because he would vote against an override.

A friend of mine had this to say about Al Lavender (who is running for Newburyport City Councilor At Large), “Al made Mary Carrier look absolutely brilliant.” (Just as a btw, I’ve always thought, Mary Carrier was a much better mayor than many folks give her credit for.)

But, no offense, and I really try my darnedest on the Newburyport Blog not to give offense, my own opinion is that Al Lavender was one of Newburyport’s least effective mayors.

I think that judging a candidate on only one issue is a BIG mistake. Why not have the voting criteria be “easy on the eyes?” Makes about as much sense to moi.

And buried deep in the Sunday’s, Globe North, July 22, 2007, Kay Lazar has uncovered the fact that we actually have 3, count ’em, 3, (thank goodness) people running for Newburyport School Committee. (I was beginning to despair that no one was going to run for School Committee, since everyone in the world seems to be running for mayor of Newburyport, MA.)

Along with Bruce Menin, there is now a father daughter duo, William Deans and Barbara McDonough. I know nada about these last 2 names. However, I’m sure in due course, we will all learn more.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Easy on the Eyes

I was chit chatting with one of the array of municipal candidates and I found myself saying, “yes, that would be a good idea to visit so and so because you’re ‘easy on the eyes’.”

Now the readers of the Newburyport Blog may be scratching their heads and saying, who?? Who of this municipal array that has pulled papers or is likely to pull papers is “easy on the eyes?”

Maybe we will have a municipal “easy on the eyes” contest. Wouldn’t that be fun?

The municipal candidate in question wondered out loud to me about my assessment of themselves (the “easy on the eyes” thing).

Being the editor of the Newburyport Blog has been great, but I’ve noticed that every now and then that I get weighed down, like with this peccadillo stuff, watch every word I say, much less every word I write. Silly goes out the window. The weight of whatever sinks in. And I remind myself that the Newburyport Blog is a sideline and is supposed to be fun

And just as a btw, the “easy on the eyes” bit got lodged into my brain due to a correspondence regarding my 23 year old son, who is acting his heart out in NYC.

I got a wonderful email from a woman involved in the theater, who has a small production space that my son had briefly appeared in. This lovely lady went on to praise my son, which of course I loved, what mother would not. And she ended the email by remarking that my son was “easy on the eyes.”

Ever since then “easy on the eyes” has been wedged into my wits, and I guess it just popped out chit chatting with a Newburyport municipal candidate.

And later that night I found myself downright giggling, if not outright laughing at myself, that I would say something to anybody like “easy on the eyes,” because it was a quintessential, quirky Mary Baker Eaton thing to say. It was moi. (Remember, I have a stuffed frog for a political consultant for goodness sakes.)

And I was very relieved. Because if I don’t keep my sense of silly in all of this, I am in danger of having not just a “few peccadilloes,” but of turning into a dreary peccadillo possible porcupine. Which would be no fun at all, because peccadilloes popping up like porcupine quills tend to pop exuberant balloons.

Ouch.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Enacting Smart Growth

An article in the Boston Globe, July 5, 2007 by Kay Lazar and Matt Carroll, talks about the possible “crowed future” and possible “shrinking space” in the suburban communities north of Boston, MA.

Suburban sprawl, due to lousy zoning laws, is predicted to spread like permanent poison ivy across Massachusetts’ North Shore, unless the principals of “smart growth” are adopted.

The possible loss of some 400 acres in, count ’em, 14 communities.

But you know which community is NOT listed among that august list? Yes, you guessed it, Newburyport, MA.

And why? It is because we had a planning director who was highly focused on “smart growth” for Newburyport, MA. And yes indeedy, we have cluster zoning, the zoning that is “smart” because it does its darnest to preserve “open space” and not have any more sprawl like Cherry Hill, that looks like suburban sprawl in places like Wellesley (no offense Cherry Hill or Wellesley).

And this brings me back again, I guess, to the politics and peccadillo thing.

Our former Planning Director, Nick Cracknell.

Many in Newburyport, MA believe Mr. Cracknell has peccadilloes that sprout up like porcupine quills. I believe our current mayor, Mayor John Moak, said to Mr. Cracknell in a location where all sorts for folks overheard, that Mr. Moak had “contempt” for Mr. Cracknell. (Many of us suspected there for a long time that John Moak seemed to feel Mr. Cracknell was chock full of peccadilloes.)

And anyone who has hung out with Mr. Cracknell for a bit, might see a Cracknellean possible peccadillo springing up here or there.

Ah, but when you have an exceptional planning problem solver, does one overlook those pesky possible peccadilloes?

We would be on that list in the Boston Globe and it would be a list of 15 communities not 14 if it had not been for Mr. Cracknell’s whirling energy and determination that Newburyport, MA change is unfortunate zoning ways.

So in looking back, we could owe Mr. Cracknell quite a bit, as a result of his virtuoso, zoning talent.

This brings me to my blogging quandary. When, political-wise, could political peccadilloes be overruled, excused, condoned?

Maybe when a gifted individual comes along that transcends mediocrity, peccadilloes could be overlooked, just as long as they are just idiosyncratic peccadilloes, for the long term greater good of the community of Newburyport, MA.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Conservative Council Campaigns

And folks, why I am concerned about a “conservative backlash” in the race for Newburyport City Council.

In the Newburyport Current, June 29, 2007, there is a Q & A (question and answer) with Ward 5 candidate Brian Derrivan.

Now, Mr. Derrivan may be a delightful fellow (I have never met him), however, his take on some issues, at least on the Central Waterfront and Open Space, well, sigh. Not a good sign for this blogger on the issues thing.

And from reading the article, it sounds as if Mr. Derrivan has almost no Newburyport civic experience. Sigh, again.

And yes, this is where I’m having this weird blogger trouble. Let’s say Mr. Derrivan is almost peccadillo free (very few of us are, so he probably has some lurking peccadilloes, I just don’t happen to know about them-yet), but when it comes down to a vote on the Newburyport city council floor, I’m not sure that he would vote the way that I might hope that he would.

And as for doing more to resolve the Newburyport Landfill matter, as Mr. Derrivan says that he would like to do, well… as I understand it, the host agreement negotiated under the administration of mayor Al Lavender (who is also running as a conservative for the Newburyport City Council, again, good grief), pretty much gave away the farm, so to speak, and contained little if any enforcement language for the City of Newburyport, MA and the residents who live therein. (I don’t know if Mr. Lavender gets to reap the benefit of the noxious odors where he lives or not.)

One can hardly blame subsequent mayors and Newburyport City Councils for desperately doing everything in their power (which isn’t much, again vast understatement, due to what many citizens are of the opinion is the flaw of the soft language in the host agreement made under the Lavender administration) to remedy the situation ever since (which was quite a long time ago).

And, why would I be concerned that Mr. Derrivan could win? Well, Ward 5 is one of the 3 most conservative wards in Newburyport, MA (conservative wards– Wards 4, 5 & 6), and in a last minute, two week write-in campaign in 2005, Brian Derrivan got a heck of a lot of votes.

And this time around, as Brian Derrivan points out in the Newburyport Current Q & A, Newburyport Current, June 29, 2007, he has lots of time to make a good solid run for Newburyport City Councilor for Ward 5 in Newburyport, MA.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Peccadilloes and Politics

This is one of the things that I now struggle with as editor of the Newburyport Blog.

When I first started out, as I said in the earlier post, it was to give progressives a “voice” in what looked like would be a conservative mayoral term.

I was naïve. Ok, I admit it. Well, maybe even really, really naïve.

I thought that progressives would be basically good folks and it could be one big happy progressive, yippee family. (Well, you see what I mean about naïve.)

And what I’ve found is, of course, we all have our peccadilloes (such a revelation). And of course, progressives have theirs (and of course, this blogger has plenty of her own.)

And what I have found is that I may be very fond of people whose take on the issues concerning Newburyport, MA I might disagree on. Which is all fine and dandy, until it comes to voting time. Or for that matter, blogging time.

And then I find myself in this dilemma. How to I vote or blog on the progressives whose peccadilloes end up bothering me? Is it strictly, issues, issues, issues? Or is it issues with some kind of combination of human character?

Local politics is far more nuanced than I ever expected.

What started out as a black and white perspective, has now become a whole lot more grey. And since one of my favorite phrases is “go for the grey,” I imagine that I could be at ease with that, right?

But the shades for grey, when it comes to blogging, put me on yet another steep blogging learning curve.

However, uncertainty is Ok. And where I was quite certain I knew the direction the Newburyport Blog would take back in January 2006, I’m not certain at all where it would go in July 2007.

I anticipate wandering down this odd path, which I never expected could possibly exist, with curiosity and just a little apprehension. And I hope that the readers of the Newburyport blog would continue to join me in my blogging travelmania, and we might see where in the world this path might go.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Conflicting Political Interrelationships

As the editor of the Newburyport Blog, I really didn’t want to go here. But since Jim Stiles has pulled out papers to run for mayor of Newburyport, MA (he has now become a public figure), well, I guess I am now going to go here.

You see, this is where things have changed for moi, the editor of the Newburyport Blog. I’ve become as interested in the process of politics as well as the actual issues themselves (believe you me, I’m still real, real interested in the issues, believe you moi.)

I went on a hunt for the definition of “politics,” the definition that at least I was hunting for. And at thefreedictionary.com I found this definition, “The often internally conflicting interrelationships among people in a society.” Yes, and maybe that is one of the things that has become so intriguing to me, lo’ these many months as the Newburyport Blog as evolved.

A little history here. I started the Newburyport Blog back in January 2006 with the sinking feeling about Mayor John Moak being mayor of Newburyport, MA. The hope was to continue to give “progressives” a “voice”, in what looked like what was shaping up to be a very “conservative” regime. My thought was that people could contribute to the Newburyport Blog, and literally I would be the “editor” and do very little writing myself. Obviously, things have turned out a bit differently.

Yes, and in January 2006 I got on the old fashion telephone and called folks asking if they would be interested in having a “voice,” and who else might they recommend. One of the names that came up and that I did call was a gentleman I had never heard of, Jim Stiles.

And if you go back a take a gander at the early postings on the Newburyport Blog, yes indeed, there are postings by Mr. Stiles.

Now this is where it gets into the “conflicting interrelationships among people in society” thing.

I had made the “mistake,” good grief help me, of taking the local political journal, the “Untertoad” and its editor, Tom Ryan (who is also now running for mayor of Newburyport, MA) seriously.

(And in those early days, the bulk of the less than pleasant phone calls and emails I would receive, was because I did mention the Undertoad on occasion. Readers of the Newburyport Blog may have noticed that the Undertoad is now rarely referenced, and as a result disagreeable phone calls have gone way down. A reprieve.)

But back in February 19, 2006, Mr. Stiles sent in a post, that I posted after the first sip of my morning coffee (big mistake, I now never post anything until I have consumed 2 full cups of my morning coffee) that didn’t exactly do Mr. Ryan any favors, and could have possibly caused the Newburyport Blog some trouble in the process.

The post was very artfully worded, and I felt Mr. Stiles would be too classy to be guilty of such, what in my mind was a glum and uncouth act. However, I received an email later that confirmed that, yes indeed, Jim Stiles was purposeful in his intent and with no apology, and I was surprised.

So here we are. Mayoral election 2007. I may agree with Mr. Stiles on the issues that he supports, but his action on the Newburyport Blog was for me unanticipated and less than delightful, seemingly stooping to the level that he felt Mr. Ryan could be guilty of. And to boot, Tom Ryan is also running for mayor of Newburyport, MA.

Yes, and the whole thing is weirder than fiction.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, City Qualification Conversation

My Dad and I were talking about Newburyport, MA. My father loves politics. It kind of went like this:

Q. My Dad: How big is Newburyport’s budget?

A. Me: $50 Million or so.

Q. My Dad: What’s the mayor’s salary?

A. Me: $50,000- $60,000 roughly.

Q. My Dad: What qualifications do you need to be mayor?

A. Me: Pause. Tilting my head. Another pause. You just need to be 18.

Response. My father and I: Pause. Another pause… peals of laughter.

You got to admit, that’s a pretty apt response.

Whatever job anyone would apply for in Newburyport City Hall, an appropriate resume would be required.

And there appears to be no resume type requirements at all (that I know of) to be mayor of Newburyport, MA.

Now, if we had a city manager form of government, you bettcha that whoever applied to be city manager would have to have all kinds of city manager degrees.

Do we require anything like that to be mayor of Newburyport, MA? Nope. As far as I know the only requirement is to be 18. (If I am wrong about this, o’ readers of the Newburyport Blog, please let me know.)

The other thing my Dad thought was pretty wild was that we paid the person who runs our $50 Million or so municipality as little as we do. A good city manager or a CEO of a $50 Million enterprise would demand a whole lot more than $50,000 to $60,000. You can take that one to the bank.

And the fact that that the mayoral term is only 2 years.

My Dad: 2 years??

Me: Yup, 2 years.

My Dad: No one could possibly get anything done in 2 years.

Me: Yup, you got it.

My Dad just shook his head in utter amazement.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Former Planning Director

Nick Cracknell, Newburyport’s former planning director has not been retiring about being upfront and even center about his ideas concerning Newburyport and the upcoming mayoral election 2007.

Back in January of this year, Nick Cracknell and I sat in the Pizza Factory in downtown Newburyport.

What was on Mr. Cracknell’s mind was defeating Mayor John Moak, November 2007. And Mr. Cracknell was neither shy or quiet about expressing his thoughts.

Apparently what was said made it back to Mayor John Moak lickety split, as well it might have. Mr. Moak could have heard what was being said all the way down Pleasant Street to Newburyport City Hall, because Mr. Cracknell was talking that loudly.

The gist of the conversation was that progressives had to come up with a platform and then “we” would wait for our Deval Patrick to show up.

Mr. Cracknell was perfectly forth coming in sharing the fact that recently he had a similar conversation with Newburyport activist and columnist, Jim Roy.

And having listened to various folks since January 2007, it has been obvious to me from bits and pieces of their conversations, that Mr. Cracknell had similar conversations with them as well.

In the one rare Newburyport Planning Board Meeting that I did attend, concerning the plight of the Wheelwright property, our former planning director was in attendance, and chatted with applicable parties afterwards.

This was no secret, this was in Newburyport City Hall.

Was I at all surprised that Nick Cracknell urged Tom Ryan to run for mayor? Not in the least. And it wouldn’t surprise me if Nick Cracknell has encouraged other people to run for mayor as well.

And if I was sitting in the Pizza Factory with Mr. Cracknell today, I would say, “Nick, stop. Working behind the scenes, sort of, has backfired big time, if what you want is John Moak not to be mayor, and maybe get your job back.

For goodness sakes, fill me in on your job now, and what’s happening with your family and life in Amesbury, MA.

It’s probably time to let go and move on. Ok? And I think people would do some pondering now before supporting you as Planning Director for Newburyport, MA, if that possibility ever transpired.”

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, MA, Planning Director

Since the subject of who might or might not be the planning director of Newburyport, MA has now become a possible campaign issue, the planning director of Newburyport, MA might be worth “chatting” about.

Yes, I do not think that Nancy Colbert, the Planning Director of Newburyport, MA is flamboyantly pro-active. This is not necessarily a bad thing.

Nick Cracknell always struck me as a whirling dervish, and my guess is that he would chafe under direction or supervision of any mayor.

I think Nancy Colbert understands why Newburyport is of value and what would be in the best interest for the entirety of the city of Newburyport, MA. And my sense is that Ms Colbert sees her job as implementing the perspective of officials elected by the residences of the city of Newburyport, MA.

I also think that she would try very hard not to let anything happen to the city of Newburyport, MA that would have a long term, damaging effect.

I could not see Ms Colbert starting an initiative and then communicating to the mayor and city council what was going on. I could, however, see that she might guide elected officials towards a certain direction.

There are two things that have happened during her second tenure here with the city of Newburyport, MA that I am very grateful for.

The Local Historic District Study Committee. Nancy Colbert is an historic preservationist. This works for me. And we have a mayor who I have always had the impression, would lean more towards a “property rights” point of view, and yet Mayor John Moak has taken the first step of appointing a Local Historic District Study Committee.

Now Nancy Colbert has not said “boo” to me on any interactions she might or might not have had with Mayor John Moak, however, I cannot imagine that she did not have something to do with directing this first part of an exploration of a Local Historic District.

And there is the issue of the discussion concerning the possibility of having an ordinance guiding the scope of chain stores in downtown Newburyport, MA.

This is an excerpt from an email that came from “Buy Local,” “supportNewburyport.org.”

“After that meeting (a public meeting held by the Planning and Development subcommittee of the City Council), the chair, James Shanley spoke with the Chamber and some key business owners and has determined that the issue needs broader participation and more indepth investigation than his committee can handle. He, along with Planning Director Nancy Colbert, is pursuing the concept of setting up Study Circles (studycircles.org) as a means of engaging the whole community on this very important issue.”

It seems to me that having “Study Circles” for a possible chain store ordinance would be a similar approach to a “Study Committee” for a possible Local Historic District.

Both are about public process, and both are thorough and almost “appeal proof” if you will, and would gather a great deal of information from the populace of Newburyport, MA about what may be two very controversial subject matters–an ordinance guiding the scope of chain stores downtown and the possibility of a Local Historic District for Newburyport, MA.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport