Category Archives: Election 2007

Information about election 2007 in Newburyport, MA

Newburyport, Possible Conservative Council Backlash

Well I’m in a funk.

George Cushing of Frog Pond at the Bartlett Mall, the political consultant to the Newburyport Blog says that I am in grave danger of becoming one of those “humorless” liberals.

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George warning me I am on the verge
of becoming “humorless”

Ouch, George. Good grief, what a terrible accusation.

My.

This is why George is worried.

With all the recent whoop-la over the mayoral race, I am concerned about two thing.

Mayor John Moak could zip into a second term, at least at this point (yes, I know we have a long, long way to go).

Mayor Moak has moved more to the “center,” but whether it is center enough for me, I don’t know.

Take protecting our historic assets (an ongoing Newburyport Blog theme). Yes, I am incredibly grateful that Mayor Moak has appointed a Study Committee for a Local Historic District, but that is no guarantee that he would give a “thumbs up” to an actual Newburyport Local Historic District, should it come to pass.

And second of all I am concerned that there might be a conservative backlash when it comes to the race for the Newburyport City Council.

I think that this has been a terrific Newburyport City Council. Would all Newburyport City Councils be this good. A big congratulations to the gentlemen and lady in question.

George thinks that I am becoming humorless over these possibilities. He reminds me, that I don’t exactly have a lot of control over these things.

Thank you George.

And it might be good to lighten up a little, and give the old frog a smile, oh editor of the Newburyport Blog.

Ok George, I’ll try.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, A Challenge for a Candidate

I need George.

George Cushing, of Frog Pond at the Bartlett Mall is the political consultant for the Newburyport Blog.

And I need George to do some consulting.

I woke up this morning more excited by the Newburyport political scene than I have in a long, long time.

However, I also woke up confused.

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George Cushing trying to help me out

I expected chatter, a lot of chatter about the fact that Tom Ryan is running for mayor of Newburyport, MA, but so far the silence has been deafening.

Victor Tine did write a good piece on the announcement of Mr. Ryan’s candidacy in the Newburyport Daily News, June 12, 2007. And Ulrika Gerth is doing a lengthy interview with Mr. Ryan for Friday’s Newburyport Current.

Mr. Ryan the candidate sounds a whole lot different than Mr. Ryan the editor of the Undertoad.

Example: As editor of the Undertoad, Mr. Ryan trashed the “Yes for Newburyport” committee.

As a candidate, Mr. Ryan tells me that people have got to understand that the schools are in trouble. Superintendent Kevin Lyons has got to be the “face” of the Newburyport city school crisis, and as mayor he would walk door to door with Mr. Lyons explaining to people the plight that the schools are in.

Example: As editor of the Undertoad, Mr. Ryan has trashed Newburyport Building Inspector Gary Calderwood.

When asked by moi, if as mayor Mr. Ryan would fire Mr. Calderwood. The answer was “no.” Of course I’m thinking here former Newburyport Planning Director, Nick Cracknell and Mr. Calderwood did not exactly make a harmonious team (vast understatement). Mr. Ryan’s response, “I would be running the city, Nick Cracknell would not be running me.”

Example: As editor of the Undertoad, Mr. Ryan has trashed any number of Newburyport City Councilors.

Mr. Ryan says that he would meet individually with the Newburyport City Councilors throughout his term as mayor. And that as mayor he would discuss anything controversial and try to problem solve any issue with the Newburyport City Council before that issue would be made public.

Ok, can you see why I was excited when I woke up this morning.

This is the agenda and voice of someone who could actually lead the city.

George agrees that what we are hearing is real different than the often cruel, smart assed editor of the Undertoad, who often appears to have a very large chip on his shoulder.

And George and I agree that Mr. Ryan’s biggest challenge is to convince people of Newburport, MA that the persona we that we have seen as the editor of the Undertoad, is not the same person who could lead the city of Newburyport if elected mayor. George and I agree that is going to be one heck of a challenge for Tom Ryan.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Politics and Power Plays

I’ve been thinking a lot about the “Yes For Newburyport” committee and their campaign for the override for the Newburyport Schools, which did not pass.

It seems to me that the “Yes” folks were predominantly young parents. Usually, if one has a 6 year old and you explain something that you think is important, the 6 year old would usually agree with you and most likely comply.

It is my observation that the “Yes” folks assumed that the electorate of Newburyport, MA would respond like a 6 year old. The group explained their position. And if folks didn’t agree, they explained again, just like one would with a younger child.

However, it is my take that the electorate might be much more like a 14 year old. A 14 year old hears you the first time. However, if the point is made repeatedly, or they feel belittled and/or scolded, the 14 year old may well dig in their heals, do the opposite and see suggestions, instructions as a “power play.” And then they will let you know exactly who has the “power.” And then lo and behold, whoops, things are not going as one would have expected.

And I think that’s part of what happened with the special election for an override for the Newburyport schools. The whole thing ended up in a series of “power plays,” ending up with the ultimate “power play” of election day.

And what I think maybe happening to our mayoral race here in Newburyport, MA, is that in reaction to the platform initiated by Jim Roy, we may end up seeing that this election may not, in part, end up being about issues, but about a series of “power plays.”

Would Tom Ryan have taken out papers to run for mayor of Newburyport, MA if Mr. Roy and company had not put forth their platform? We will never know, but it does appear that whatever multi-determined reasoning Mr. Ryan may have, Mr. Roy’s platform was one of the “tipping points” for Mr. Ryan’s entry into the race.

And in another turn of events, it looks like Jim Stiles, although he has not yet pulled papers, is having a get-together this Sunday for an informal enlisting of support as a candidate for mayor of Newburyport, MA. An informal “enlistment” usually means a person is running for mayor of Newburyport, MA.

I had heard a rumor that Mr. Stiles might run for mayor, and it looks like that rumor could be true. It is no secret, however, that Mr. Ryan and Mr. Stiles are not the best of friends. Mr. Stiles would be making a “pre-announcement” just after Mr. Ryan has pulled papers. One wonders about the conscious or unconscious “coincidence.”

It appears that the race for mayor may indeed, for the electorate of Newburyport, MA, end up being more about personalities than principals or issues. But this is not necessarily a bad thing. It could get the electorate’s small attention span (after all it is Paris Hilton that appears to be making headlines, not the war in Iraq), and some of the issues might actually subconsciously become part of the election process.

Weirder than fiction.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Tom Ryan Takes Out Papers to Run for Mayor of Newburyport, MA

Tom Ryan, the editor of the local journal, The Undertoad, has taken out papers to run for Mayor of Newburyport, MA.

Good grief I must be getting a journalistic streak, because, boy, did I ever want to break this story.

And a big story it is too.

Mr. Ryan and I actually had a “chat,” because, holy crackers, yes, I had a few questions (and by the way, so did George).

Apparently there were two “tipping points” towards Mr. Ryan’s decision.

The first was a communication, or I gather a whole lot of communications, with former Planning Director, Nick Cracknell, who on Wednesday night, June 6, 2007 urged Mr. Ryan one more time to run for mayor of Newburyport, MA. How about them apples.

The second was (and I knew, knew, knew this was going to be weirder than fiction) in reaction to the “Committee Towards a Better Newburyport” the political platform initiated by Jim Roy, and endorsed by many a far-thinking progressive (see previous post).

The few people that I’ve talked to have asked me if this is a joke.

This is what I know. Mr. Ryan and I chatted about exactly how he would run his campaign. The answer is low key and going door to door. Little in the way of a campaign committee (and definitely not the “Committee Towards a Better Newburyport” from either side’s point of view).

There was conversation about what would happen if he actually got elected mayor of Newburyport, MA. He would be a progressive’s, liberal’s dream.

He would put Nick Cracknell back as Planning Director of Newburyport, MA. Put Doug Locy back on the Newburyport, Planning Board. “What do I know about finances? Nothing,” says Mr. Ryan. The answer to that, a group of top rate financial advisors. (Works for me, and would be a good suggestion for any mayor of Newbuyport, MA.)

Also, a group represented by every constituency in the city of Newburyport, MA, from a stay at home mom to a senior, to give Mr. Ryan a true picture of what people are thinking in our small seaside city. The group would, as I understand it, rotate every 3 months, to keep it fresh.

And working with the Newburyport City Council? No problem. Mr. Ryan says he would look forward to working with the Newburyport City Council.

Ok, this was a “chat,” this was not an interview. Apparently the editor of the Newburyport Current, Ulrika Gerth, will be sitting down to interview Mr. Ryan this week. That will be quite an edition of the Newburyport Current to get your hands on next Friday morning, June 15, 2007.

So get ready to rock n’ roll. Mr. Ryan has made a whole lot of enemies in Newburyport, MA, during his 10 year plus tenure as the editor of the Undertoad. Including, ironically enough, a number of people endorsing the “Committee Towards a Better Newburyport.”

However, Tom Ryan apparently also has a whole lot of friends, if former Newburyport Planning Director Nick Cracknell is any gauge.

Weirder than fiction folks. Possibly this election could be a blogger’s feast. Or a blogger’s nightmare. I have no clue, but we all surely will find out.

Good grief.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Election Time Agendas and Platforms

I’ve known and been very fond of Jim Roy for many, many years. It’s been so long, I don’t even know how we got to know each other. (And I am also very fond of his wife Jan, who is a wonderful painter.)

A feisty Irishman, with a big heart and a love for local politics and a passion for an open waterfront.

Mr. Roy’s latest venture is his deep hope that the citizens of Newburyport, MA would actually pay attention to the issues that effect their lives.

For me, Don Quixote poking at those pesky windmills. Just one blogger’s opinion. But an enlightened electorate is a worthy objective.

The platform of the “Committee Towards a Better Newburyport” initiated by Mr. Roy, is signed by many a far-thinking progressive. (I’ve seen various “tweaked” drafts along the way.)

The schools are in trouble, the Central Waterfront, Mr. Karp, historic preservation, a 4 term mayor or city manager, and yes, Mr. Moak’s refusal to cooperate into taking a gander, for the moment, at the possibility of a parking garage for downtown.

The tone has been toned way down from “John Moak one of the most inept mayors”… “Moak is a dangerous person”… “Moak must go,” to a more gentle and friendly, “A mayor with initiative and verve is required.”

A planned photo-op and the hope for the ever hopeful candidate.

And this is what this blogger thinks. Having a platform without an endorsed candidate has the possibility of opening one heck of a can of worms.

A little like saying, “Here are my chattels, anyone who wants to get hitched, step up to the plate.” Instead of maybe asking the person in your English class for a date and seeing how it goes from there. (I’ve been trying to think of an analogy, and that’s what I’ve come up with so far.)

What if after all of this input, there would be no candidate that this group would find credible?

Mr. Roy says he would take out papers. That would be mighty interesting.

Or what if there is major disagreement among the signeees if there are several candidates that members of this committee are partial to, who embrace this platform?

Or what happens if any or all of the candidates that embrace this platform are not likable or electable? Well, Ouch.

It is possible that this could end up being way weirder than fiction.

Ah, but will it help the progressive cause? My guess, is that even with all the good intentions and bright minds, instead of putting the spotlight on Mayor John Moak’s shortcomings, it could make the electorate actually feel sorry for the gentleman in question. It’s possible that the endeavor could backfire big time.

This local campaign has the possibility of many a twist and turn. If the whole thing became about personalities instead of principals, well that might well spark the electorate’s fancy, and small political attention span. We will all listen, learn and we all will see.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, A Young Municipal Candidate

A concern I have about Gardiner Bacon as a possible mayor, is yes, Mr. Bacon has no experience being part of the city government of Newburyport, MA. I think, as I mentioned in the previous post, having well thought out opinions on issues is very different than dealing with the day to day decision making that goes on as an elected official.

And my second concern would be the lack of life experience. The optimism and energy of youth is infectious. However, dealing with life’s inevitable setbacks and responsibilities could, one always hopes, provide a maturing process, combined with a perspective that could help with life’s altering choices and decisions, that would aide leadership on the municipal level.

That being said, I am very excited about following Mr. Bacon’s journey as a candidate. Self assured and articulate, my great hope is that with Gardiner Bacon’s leadership, possibly for the first time, we could see the “youth” of Newburyport, MA mobilized and energized in the municipal political process.

One of their own is running for mayor of Newburyport, MA.

And running as a serious candidate.

Although, I still maintain that most of the populace of Newburyport, MA is oblivious to mayoral debates, I think Mr. Bacon would enliven those debates, no matter who would be running for mayor of Newburyport, MA (including the possible candidacy of Jim Roy, the ever articulate and feisty Newburyport activist.)

Charming, articulate and quick on his feet, I would imagine on some level many would be routing for Gardiner Bacon.

And I also think that we as a community would be very proud that such an intelligent and thoughtful young man from the Newburyport public school system, would be willing to step up to the plate, so to speak, and take civic involvement so seriously. What an incredible example not only for the “youth” of Newburyport, MA, but for the “youth” everywhere in our country. Not to mention being an example for the general populace of Newburyport, Massachusetts.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Candidate for Mayor

I like Dan McCarthy. I like Dan McCarthy a lot. And his wife, City Councilor Audrey McCarthy, is a “peach.”

I have two concerns about Mr. McCarthy as a possible mayor for Newburyport, MA.

One of the things I think I’ve learned from watching Mayor John Moak is that observing how city government is run from the side lines is a whole lot different than actually doing it.

It would be like any job. Let’s say you were training as a nurse. Practicing putting a needle in an orange, would be a whole lot different than the first time you actually tried it on a human being.

I would imagine that answering the phone for a City Councilor spouse and the municipal knowledge gained from having a spouse on the City Council for lo so many years, would be very different than actually being on the floor of the City Council, going to all the different meetings that City Councilors do go to, and making, what I think must be almost sleep depriving decisions because they effect people’s lives, where the buck stops with you.

Just one woman’s opinion.

The other, is the elephant in the room. The fact that Mr. McCarthy lost the civil rights lawsuit against the city of Newburyport, MA, and the state’s Civil Service Commission rejected Mr. McCarthy’s appeal of a 22-day suspension. (Newburyport Daily News, March 15, 2007)

It’s my observation that the McCarthy family has been through hell. I remember running into Audrey McCarthy at the bank (this is what I love about our small New England city), and it was obvious that the pressure she was under was enormous. I ached for her.

I also remember running into Dan at the supermarket when it looked like the lawsuit was resolved during the Clancy administration. Dan did not have to say a word (and he did not say a word). It looked like that giant weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and it was obvious what that weight would be. And if it was that obvious to me, then it had to be very obvious to people who know the McCarthy family a whole lot better than I do.

I remember when the Newburyport Daily News (March 15, 2007) reported on Mr. McCarthy’s “legal blow.” I usually try and keep a record of any major stuff so I can go back and take a look at it if I need to. But, I remember the article being so painful, I couldn’t bring myself to keep a copy.

But if Dan McCarthy is running for mayor, that means that this blogger went and found the articles that were written, as well as reading the 26 page document written by the Civil Service Board commissioner, John Guerin.

And it is an elephant. I wish so much that it would not be so. But it is an elephant that would cast a shadow over any platform candidate McCarthy has. And it is an elephant that would cast a shadow if he were to become mayor of Newburyport, MA.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Gardiner Bacon, Mayoral Season has Begun

I’ve know Gardiner Bacon and his family for 10-12 years or so. So when I heard that Mr. Bacon, a Newburyport High School senior, was running for mayor of Newburyport, MA, I thought, “Well, that actually makes sense.”

I remember reading a Letter to the Editor in the Newburyport Daily News (which for the life of me, I cannot find) by Gardiner Bacon, and thinking, “Darn, that’s good. Too bad everyone, young, old and in between couldn’t write Letters to the Editor like that!”

And from what I know of Mr. Bacon, he is amazingly bright and amazingly articulate. And, it would be my guess that Mr. Bacon could run rings around most people “older” than he is.

This is no practical joke, no “fly by night” whim on Gardiner Bacon’s part. This is serious folks.

And as we wring our hands (me very much included) over the predicament of our schools, let’s not forget that this is a Newburyport High School senior who has decided to run for mayor of Newburyport, MA.

A Newburyport High School senior that got into Antioch College. Not exactly a slouchy place, or for that matter, a bastion of conservative thinking.

The very little I know about Antioch College, they might even give Mr. Bacon Political Science college credit for running for mayor. And well they should. Talk about “life experience.”

And from my brief “chat” with Mr. Bacon, it appears that it is possible that Antioch College might well defer his enrollment. Whew.

And in Newburyport, MA, anything, anything is possible. So, folks, hang on to your hats. This political season has just put a wide-eyed grin on this blogger’s face.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport