Monthly Archives: March 2007

Newburyport, The Fate of the Kelly School

If they close the Kelly School, I hope the City of Newburyport in its mucho wisdom sells the Kelly School for mucho money. And then I hope the City of Newburyport consults people, like Mark Welch, the President and CEO of the Institution For Savings and Richie Eaton, the President and CEO of The Newburyport Five Cents Savings Bank (you see this is why we need local banks, etc. because they care about stuff like this) and ask them what to do with all that money.

I mean we are talking a super duper historic asset here. Prime real estate in a prime location.

Invest it? Put it towards a capital improvement fund for the schools or blow it in one wad on whatever.

I ask the frogs if Newburyport Public Schools can do this sort of thing (take the money from an asset and invest it wisely). The frogs have no clue. They say they are a political consultant, aspiring political consultants and a frog activist. This is completely out of their area of expertise. (Does this mean I now am going to have to find yet another frog, this one a financial wiz?)

And if the city in its wisdom, actually did sell the Kelly School, I hope they would put deed restrictions on it, inside and out, so some one couldn’t come along and mangle it.

Although mangling historic stuff appears to be our “wow factor” these days.

I would hate to see the Kelly mangled the way so many of our historic assets are mangled.

There has to be something to preserving the literally thousands of stories that are part of that building. The stories, the history, that give it a “patina” if you will.

One would hope that as a former Kelly School parent, one could, one day, enter that beloved building, and go “yes, and this is what I remember.”

One of the interesting things about the historic photographs from the Library of Congress, was that the insides of the houses were often photographed as well as the outsides, because, obviously, the insides were (still are) important too.

Ok, I’m making major jumps here. But if we’re talking about closing the Kelly School, one at least would hope that we would use that asset wisely and not squander it in a bureaucratic blurpy, botch up.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Elementary School Sweeping Recommendations

Wow!

I’m a (former) Kelly School parent, but (as I think I mentioned in an earlier post) I think it’s time say “adios” to neighborhood schools, (weep) close the Kelly and get on with Superintendent Kevin Lyons’ recommendations. And sweeping, they certainly are.

I think maybe I can say this because looking back, it is my very firm belief that what made a difference in my son’s Newburyport Public School education were all the guardian angels within the system all the way along (they still exist), and concerned and supportive parental involvement.

I listen to worried parents who say, “but it’s different now” and no one seems to want to hear about the guardian angel stuff, but it’s true.

To quote The Newburyport Current, March 9, 2007:

“Obviously we’re concerned,” (City Councilor Tom Jones ) Jones said, “but it’s what I’ve said before – Dr. Lyons is a pragmatic person; he’s thinking outside the box. I’m encouraged by that zero sum look at the budget.”

“I’m glad we’ve gone away from discussing shiny new buildings to discussing shiny new students,” Jones added…”

(Me too.)

“I’m ecstatic that we have Dr. Lyons here to take us through this,” (City Councilor Steve Hutcheson ) Hutcheson said. “He’s made the best of what was given him; I’m glad we hired him!” ”

(Yup, that’s what I think also.)

I don’t know, now that it’s warmer out, and the shock of Superintendent Lyons’ recommendations wears off, maybe there will be a citywide stoning of the gentleman in question. I hope not.

Leadership calls for making tough and innovative decisions. Superintendent Kevin Lyons has certainly made really tough and innovative decisions on this conundrum.

But this is Newburyport, MA. Who knows what could happen in the coming weeks and months.

Cool heads. Hope so.

Wild Newburyport Elementary School saga. Very possible indeed.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, The Garage, The Central Waterfront

My friend, Jim Roy, has been after me to write a post about “the garage.” (He says enough with the frogs.)

The garage, the garage, the garage. Deja vu all over again. Or like “Groundhog Day,” the movie where the same thing keeps happening over and over again.

Ok, Newburyport, MA has been promised 5 million towards a garage by the Commonwealth of MA. And if Mr. Karp would like to cough up the other whatever million, and if the garage would go on the “Lombardi” property, which is owned by someone other than Mr. Karp, so Mr. Karp would have to buy it, and if the garage would have a similar plan to what was designed, lo those many years ago (which I always thought was a great design), I’m all for it.

The voters, the last time around voted for Mr. Moak, in part, because they didn’t want to pay tax payer dollars for a garage. But there doesn’t appear to be any chit chat here for tax payers paying for any garage.

Now the Lagasses (Ann Lagasse, who I remember, was on that “garage committee,” and a darned good committee it was too) weren’t going to pony up money (no Mr. Karp at that time) to co-author a garage on that spot (which in my mind is the only good spot for a garage). So why in the world would Mr. Karp?

Hope he does, I’d like it. I’d like it a lot.

The other thing I hear floating around, is no more Open Waterfront, but historically sensitive building on that Newburyport Redevelopment Authority property. Oy veh. Yet another idea. Here we go yet one more time.

Yes, let’s postpone this whole Waterfront shebang another 50 maybe another 100 years. It can only add to the Waterfront Saga.

And I’m excited about the designs coming in for an open Central Waterfront. Although, I recall, this has already been done before.

It was after Mr. Foster was finally defeated that I remember a design for those dirt parking lots in the front hall of Newburyport City Hall. Deja vu all over again.

Why are we so passionate about this last piece of Newburyport Redevelopment land? It’s as if we can’t let go of that last little bit.

So, I’m not putting any bets anywhere on this one. And I still don’t think that the Waterfront Opus is going to be resolved in my lifetime. Although, of course, I’d like it a lot if it actually was.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

French Food Served With Bikinis

“French food served with bikinis?” Not in Newburyport, I can tell you.

Where has this wayward blogger been?

In Vegas? No.

In New York, New Yawk, NYC, the very blogger’s home town? But of course.

My father, who goes to work everyday, an 89th birthday (or 59th, depending on who you are talking to). Am I proud? You bet.

And a son with a small role opening off-Broadway. Am I proud? Oh, my, my, my… yes, yes, yes.

And a little art. Always, a little art.

And I swear, walking down a swanky part of town I see this banner on a restaurant window, “French food served with bikinis.” Middle of the day, restaurant is closed, lots of windows.

If I ever go back, I’m going to go in and ask, “French food served with bikinis??” Who wouldn’t go in and ask such a question with a sign like that? Which I suppose would be the point. Good marketing.

I tell the frogs this on my return. (They are glad to see me.) They proceed to hormonally hop up and down, roll on their little backs, with their ridiculous little legs wiggling in the air, blurping with hysterical laughter.

No, no, it’s “Blinis” not “Bikinis,” they say. “Blinis” are some sort of pancake. Or a fancy, smancy drink made with Vodka. “French food served with “Blinis,” the blurpy little green things insist. (Pretty smart for frogs.)

So, here I am in Newburyport, I can’t go back and find the stupid banner and see if it’s “Blinis,” “Bikinis,” whatever. And ask all those questions I had in mind.

And the frogs are bringing me up to date on all the goings on in Newburyport, MA. Waterfront, schools, landfill, garage, proposed demolition of yet another historic building.

A lot to digest as I try to figure out, just because I’m really curious, what the heck is a “blini?” And the age old question, “would you really eat a it with French food?”

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Frogs and The New England Really Religious Watch

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any weirder with frogs, The New England Really Religious Watch is concerned that I am corrupting the youth of Newburyport, MA and wherever, by having the frogs “live in sin” at the Newburyport Blog.

The New England Really Religious Watch is concerned that, you guessed it, George Cushing (of Frog Pond at the Bartlet Mall in Newburyport, MA, the political consultant for the Newburyport Blog ) and his “love interest,” Georgiana Tadpole, are setting a very, very bad example for youth in general on the World Wide Web.

George+G.jpg
George and Georgiana, both angry and perplexed
by the accusations

I assume that they are talking about the “Valentine” post where they mercifully and eventually “hopped off to froggy hormonal wonder-land wherever,” and my reference to “love-struck, hormonal frogs” around the Newburyport Blog.

First of all they are making the assumption, whether it is true or untrue, that George and Georgiana are “getting it on.” Personally, I do not think that there is any indication that that might be true, thank you very much.

Second of all George and Georgiana are adults (I think). Well at least George is. I’ve never had a “chat” with Georgiana about her age. However the last name of “Tadpole” does give one pause for thought. But she’s a FROG, for goodness sakes, so who cares how old Georgiana Tadpole might be. Good grief.

And G & G are FROGS. Even if they were humping their little brains out, they are FROGS not human beings. What right does The New England Really Religious Watch have in being upset that FROGS could be humping “in sin” or not “in sin” at the Newburyport Blog.

Am I supposed to insist that we now have froggy nuptials at the Newburport Blog? They just met, for crying out loud. Who knows if they want to get married or even if it would be a good idea. A little early to be insisting on a wedding for goodness sakes.

And do frogs even get married? I don’t know. I simply don’t know that much about this sort of FROG stuff. George is supposed to be a political consultant, not a political lightening rod. Good grief.

Who knew. Intimating that moi, the editor of the Newburyport Blog has fornicating frogs hopping around. Being threatened with lawsuits was bad enough. But this, Oy Veh.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

(Editor’s note: Having just read the editorial in the Newburyport Daily News, March 2, 2007, “Bloggers need beware of legal challenges,” reminding me once again that yes, there is such a thing as “blogging peril,” as far as I can tell by extensive Googling, etc, “The New England Really Religious Watch” is purely fictional, and such an organization does not really (I hope) exist.)

Newburyport, Moving Things Along

Good editorial by Taylor Armerding in the Newburyport Daily News, February 28, 2007 about amending a law that would speed the process up for the Newburyport Planning Board and the Newburyport Zoning Board of Appeals.

“And a proposed minor change in local ordinances looks like a good way to preserve the need for informed decisions while cutting down on frustrating delays…”

“City Councilor James Shanley has proposed allowing board members to miss one meeting and still vote on a matter as long as they read notes, listen to an audiotape or view a videotape of the meeting so they have the same information as those who were present. The member would also have to state in writing that he or she had caught up on all the relevant information…” (Newburyport Daily News, February 28, 2007, by Taylor Armerding)

The original story in the Newburyport Daily News, February 22, 2007 did not mention was that this is not something that Councilor James Shanley (as intelligent as he might be) thought up all by himself.

The Newburyport City Council voted to adopt a change that has already been approved by the State Legislature. The change in the law was approved by the State Legislature May 12, 2006.

Apparently the information on this change to the state law was covered at a workshop, sponsored by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, on Variances and Special Permits.

As I understand it, the change in the law was driven by the fact that many towns and cities are having trouble with having enough members present at meetings, mostly due to the fact that so many people have to travel for work now. (Makes a lot of sense to me.)

And this is for “an adjudicatory hearing.”

And what in the world is “an adjudicatory hearing?” A large word for The Newburyport Blog. Had me scrambling for dictionaries, etc.

Here’s what I came up with:

*To study and settle (a dispute or conflict).
*the act of pronouncing judgment based on the evidence presented.

So the Newburyport City Council did not vote on some “fly by night” whim thought up by a member of the Newburyport City Council.

The Newburyport City Council voted on a change that has already been approved by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and recommended by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission.

Works for me. And obviously worked for the Newburyport City Council. Hope it helps a whole lot.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport, MA