I get a lot of flack, I mean a LOT of flack for the fact that I take Newburyport’s journal, the Undertoad and its editor, Tom Ryan seriously. I’ve said before on the Newburyport Political Blog that although I’m not too fond of Mr. Ryan’s (now we have two Mr. Ryans, Tom Ryan and proposed Planning Director Christopher Ryan) toadisms, and I don’t always agree with everything he writes, we need him as a fearless progressive voice. (And I also gotta say that the Current is appearing pretty fearless itself these days with the expose on Julie LaBranche (Newburyport’s soon to be departed City Planner) and everything.)

Thank your Mr. (Tom) Ryan for the piece on the front page of the Undertoad on the disarray of Newburyport’s Planning Office. Tom Ryan can say things that I would never be comfortable saying and as far as I’m concerned the article on the state of Newburyport’s Planning Office nails it. I hope in a couple of weeks when the next Undertoad is out, that Mr. Ryan will put that article up on the Undertoad Blog.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport