In the Newburyport Daily News, Monday 13, 2006, there is a Letter to the Editor by Harvey Beit urging Mayor Moak to keep Nick Cracknell on as Planning Director. Now Harvey Beit is one of the most respected lawyers in town, and as Mr. Beit points out at the beginning of the Letter to the Editor, he has been practicing law in Newburyport for the last 40 years.

Harvey Beit nails it, when he says, “Unfortunately, there is a power group in Newburyport who would like to see his (Nick Cracknell’s) removal because he does not yield to their goals or accommodate their wishes. Simply stated, he is tough and does not play ball as a result of influence.”

A whole variety of names and projects came to my mind when I read that part of the Letter to the Editor, and I couldn’t agree with Mr. Beit more.

Nick Cracknell is looking at what is the overall good for Newburyport, Massachusetts. One of the things I really like about Nick Cracknell is that it is irrelevant to him what kind of “influence” someone in Newburyport might have. And what is important to him is what is best for the present and future for all of Newburyport, Massachusetts not any one individual or “power” group. From my point of view, that is enormously refreshing.

But as a result, Nick Cracknell has stepped on a few toes.

I can imagine how frustrating it could be that Nick Cracknell is just not cooperating. Folks in town that have been used to getting preferential treatment, most likely aren’t getting preferential treatment, instead, from what I understand, they have been asked to discuss what they have in mind. This is new, this is very new. And it is my impression that people have been getting some “bang for the buck” but not as much “bang for the buck” (those New York phrases again) as they would like to get.

And let’s face it, with Nick Cracknell as Planning Director it sounds like a lot of people no longer have the complete power and control that they once might have had–pretty frustrating. And from what I hear Mr. Cracknell has been saying, “sorry folks, good planning is more important than anyone’s particular agenda.” And I can imagine that this could be very frustrating indeed.

So thank you Harvey Beit. And I hope your letter gives Mayor John Moak extra incentive to say “no” to the “power group,” and to stand up and say that good present and long term planning is what’s best for the City of Newburyport, Massachusetts, not individual interests.

Mary Eaton, Newburyport