Nick Cracknell has been axed. Wow is this not good. Just when I was going to write a post on how Mayor John Moak seemed to learn from previous mistakes. Timothy Brennan being the new NRA nominee. No baggage, no screaming red flags, saying all the right things in the press, certainly looks like the Newburyport City Council would approve him on the first a second reading, much to the relief of everybody. Mr. Moak’s “F” as mayor was going to be lifted to a “C-” possibly a “C+.” Not now.

This is bad. This is really, really bad. I hope it wasn’t as Tom Ryan the editor of the Undertoad speculated in retaliation for certain Newburyport City Councilors who did not vote for his first NRA nominee, Byron Matthews (April 7, 2006 issue.)

If Mr. Ryan could be right, this actually would reflect the bad part about what I learned about good old Bossy Gillis (see earlier post), the enemy thing. Not good for a political leader. Grudges and resentment, poison for any administration. Human, yes. Good idea, no. Remember Nixon?

My guess is that people would feel incensed that the person who has kept developers in check has been dismissed. My guess also is that anti-developer activists are going to come out of the walls, and they are going to be enraged. Heads-up to developers and architects and power players (to quote Harvey Beit, see earlier post) who were not terribly fond of Mr. Cracknell. The good news is you are rid of your “thorn in the thigh,” so to speak. The bad news is you most likely will have a lot of very angry folks watching your every move and phoning and emailing the mayor and the Newburyport City Council every time there is a hint of what anyone would think of as a development or design or anti-historic impropriety.

And no, it is my belief that no one will be able to put a muzzle on the angry mob. For developers and architects, Mr. Cracknell’s tenure these last 4 years are going to seem like a trip to the spa. Remember the spirit of Bossy Gillis thing. By golly you’ve seen it in activists in Newburyport, Massachusetts in all sorts of ways. And when it’s turned towards you, well, it won’t be pretty. Ouch.

Mary Eaton, Newburyport