Author Archives: Mary Baker Eaton

Newburyport, High Street Reconstruction

Enough with the “peccadillo” stuff. I’m sick of the “political peccadillo” stuff. Good grief.

A few days ago I got just good old fashion nosy, and I went up and snooped around 87 High Street. The house/mansion across from Fruit Street and the Newbury Historical Society, where they seem to have been doing all kinds of stuff, like it seems for a gazillion years. It’s real hard to miss.

The folks that bought it paid a good chunk of change (I’ve learned my lesson on the Newburyport Blog, no names, and if anyone wants to know the actual selling price they could go look it up themselves on salemdeeds.com). According to the Planning Board minutes, May 2, 2007 these folks are from California, and this “dwelling” is going to be their second residence.

Wow. Are we talking major moola here or what?

From what I can make out they want to make the carriage house into a “guest house,” which presents a bunch of zoning issue stuff. I can’t tell if the zoning issue stuff has been resolved, but the carriage house appears to be literally hanging around the place, unanchored, so the zoning stuff hasn’t been sufficiently addressed yet, or they just haven’t gotten around to gussying the guesthouse up.

There is new pool way back behind, so you could barely see it, if at all, from the house, I was told. And no darn it, they wouldn’t let me back there for a peek. Nuts.

It looks like they kept the front of the historic High Street house intact, but who knows, they wouldn’t let me in there either. I had no hard hat, and who the heck knew who I was, except some snoopy person.

And from the outside, the long addition in the back, looked new, but awesome to me.

And what can I say, the place was slightly, dare I say it, “flashy.” Not New England Yankee we really don’t have money, but actually we do have money, but, no, we don’t have money. This is, we’ve got bucks and we are proud.

So California, so not New England.

Let me tell you, I had High Street envy, which almost never happens. I’m telling you the truth here.

But, if these folks live in California and are using it as a place to visit, I’m raising my hand here to volunteer to house-sit during those long, cold New England winters, when any California person would want to be in California.

And, no, if the guesthouse gets done, I don’t want to house-sit in the guest house, I want to house-sit in the BIG place.

And these folks have to pay real estate tax, right, which has got to be huge. Has to help our coffers a whole lot.

I’m probably pissing off all sorts of preservationists, and acquiring yet more peccadilloes. And maybe when I learn the “back story,” I’ll be New England horrified.

But this looks like a whole new level of real estate purchasing for Newburyport, MA to moi. And if they let me house-sit, I wonder if I’d get to stay in the master suite.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Enacting Smart Growth

An article in the Boston Globe, July 5, 2007 by Kay Lazar and Matt Carroll, talks about the possible “crowed future” and possible “shrinking space” in the suburban communities north of Boston, MA.

Suburban sprawl, due to lousy zoning laws, is predicted to spread like permanent poison ivy across Massachusetts’ North Shore, unless the principals of “smart growth” are adopted.

The possible loss of some 400 acres in, count ’em, 14 communities.

But you know which community is NOT listed among that august list? Yes, you guessed it, Newburyport, MA.

And why? It is because we had a planning director who was highly focused on “smart growth” for Newburyport, MA. And yes indeedy, we have cluster zoning, the zoning that is “smart” because it does its darnest to preserve “open space” and not have any more sprawl like Cherry Hill, that looks like suburban sprawl in places like Wellesley (no offense Cherry Hill or Wellesley).

And this brings me back again, I guess, to the politics and peccadillo thing.

Our former Planning Director, Nick Cracknell.

Many in Newburyport, MA believe Mr. Cracknell has peccadilloes that sprout up like porcupine quills. I believe our current mayor, Mayor John Moak, said to Mr. Cracknell in a location where all sorts for folks overheard, that Mr. Moak had “contempt” for Mr. Cracknell. (Many of us suspected there for a long time that John Moak seemed to feel Mr. Cracknell was chock full of peccadilloes.)

And anyone who has hung out with Mr. Cracknell for a bit, might see a Cracknellean possible peccadillo springing up here or there.

Ah, but when you have an exceptional planning problem solver, does one overlook those pesky possible peccadilloes?

We would be on that list in the Boston Globe and it would be a list of 15 communities not 14 if it had not been for Mr. Cracknell’s whirling energy and determination that Newburyport, MA change is unfortunate zoning ways.

So in looking back, we could owe Mr. Cracknell quite a bit, as a result of his virtuoso, zoning talent.

This brings me to my blogging quandary. When, political-wise, could political peccadilloes be overruled, excused, condoned?

Maybe when a gifted individual comes along that transcends mediocrity, peccadilloes could be overlooked, just as long as they are just idiosyncratic peccadilloes, for the long term greater good of the community of Newburyport, MA.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Conservative Council Campaigns

And folks, why I am concerned about a “conservative backlash” in the race for Newburyport City Council.

In the Newburyport Current, June 29, 2007, there is a Q & A (question and answer) with Ward 5 candidate Brian Derrivan.

Now, Mr. Derrivan may be a delightful fellow (I have never met him), however, his take on some issues, at least on the Central Waterfront and Open Space, well, sigh. Not a good sign for this blogger on the issues thing.

And from reading the article, it sounds as if Mr. Derrivan has almost no Newburyport civic experience. Sigh, again.

And yes, this is where I’m having this weird blogger trouble. Let’s say Mr. Derrivan is almost peccadillo free (very few of us are, so he probably has some lurking peccadilloes, I just don’t happen to know about them-yet), but when it comes down to a vote on the Newburyport city council floor, I’m not sure that he would vote the way that I might hope that he would.

And as for doing more to resolve the Newburyport Landfill matter, as Mr. Derrivan says that he would like to do, well… as I understand it, the host agreement negotiated under the administration of mayor Al Lavender (who is also running as a conservative for the Newburyport City Council, again, good grief), pretty much gave away the farm, so to speak, and contained little if any enforcement language for the City of Newburyport, MA and the residents who live therein. (I don’t know if Mr. Lavender gets to reap the benefit of the noxious odors where he lives or not.)

One can hardly blame subsequent mayors and Newburyport City Councils for desperately doing everything in their power (which isn’t much, again vast understatement, due to what many citizens are of the opinion is the flaw of the soft language in the host agreement made under the Lavender administration) to remedy the situation ever since (which was quite a long time ago).

And, why would I be concerned that Mr. Derrivan could win? Well, Ward 5 is one of the 3 most conservative wards in Newburyport, MA (conservative wards– Wards 4, 5 & 6), and in a last minute, two week write-in campaign in 2005, Brian Derrivan got a heck of a lot of votes.

And this time around, as Brian Derrivan points out in the Newburyport Current Q & A, Newburyport Current, June 29, 2007, he has lots of time to make a good solid run for Newburyport City Councilor for Ward 5 in Newburyport, MA.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Peccadilloes and Politics

This is one of the things that I now struggle with as editor of the Newburyport Blog.

When I first started out, as I said in the earlier post, it was to give progressives a “voice” in what looked like would be a conservative mayoral term.

I was naïve. Ok, I admit it. Well, maybe even really, really naïve.

I thought that progressives would be basically good folks and it could be one big happy progressive, yippee family. (Well, you see what I mean about naïve.)

And what I’ve found is, of course, we all have our peccadilloes (such a revelation). And of course, progressives have theirs (and of course, this blogger has plenty of her own.)

And what I have found is that I may be very fond of people whose take on the issues concerning Newburyport, MA I might disagree on. Which is all fine and dandy, until it comes to voting time. Or for that matter, blogging time.

And then I find myself in this dilemma. How to I vote or blog on the progressives whose peccadilloes end up bothering me? Is it strictly, issues, issues, issues? Or is it issues with some kind of combination of human character?

Local politics is far more nuanced than I ever expected.

What started out as a black and white perspective, has now become a whole lot more grey. And since one of my favorite phrases is “go for the grey,” I imagine that I could be at ease with that, right?

But the shades for grey, when it comes to blogging, put me on yet another steep blogging learning curve.

However, uncertainty is Ok. And where I was quite certain I knew the direction the Newburyport Blog would take back in January 2006, I’m not certain at all where it would go in July 2007.

I anticipate wandering down this odd path, which I never expected could possibly exist, with curiosity and just a little apprehension. And I hope that the readers of the Newburyport blog would continue to join me in my blogging travelmania, and we might see where in the world this path might go.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Conflicting Political Interrelationships

As the editor of the Newburyport Blog, I really didn’t want to go here. But since Jim Stiles has pulled out papers to run for mayor of Newburyport, MA (he has now become a public figure), well, I guess I am now going to go here.

You see, this is where things have changed for moi, the editor of the Newburyport Blog. I’ve become as interested in the process of politics as well as the actual issues themselves (believe you me, I’m still real, real interested in the issues, believe you moi.)

I went on a hunt for the definition of “politics,” the definition that at least I was hunting for. And at thefreedictionary.com I found this definition, “The often internally conflicting interrelationships among people in a society.” Yes, and maybe that is one of the things that has become so intriguing to me, lo’ these many months as the Newburyport Blog as evolved.

A little history here. I started the Newburyport Blog back in January 2006 with the sinking feeling about Mayor John Moak being mayor of Newburyport, MA. The hope was to continue to give “progressives” a “voice”, in what looked like what was shaping up to be a very “conservative” regime. My thought was that people could contribute to the Newburyport Blog, and literally I would be the “editor” and do very little writing myself. Obviously, things have turned out a bit differently.

Yes, and in January 2006 I got on the old fashion telephone and called folks asking if they would be interested in having a “voice,” and who else might they recommend. One of the names that came up and that I did call was a gentleman I had never heard of, Jim Stiles.

And if you go back a take a gander at the early postings on the Newburyport Blog, yes indeed, there are postings by Mr. Stiles.

Now this is where it gets into the “conflicting interrelationships among people in society” thing.

I had made the “mistake,” good grief help me, of taking the local political journal, the “Untertoad” and its editor, Tom Ryan (who is also now running for mayor of Newburyport, MA) seriously.

(And in those early days, the bulk of the less than pleasant phone calls and emails I would receive, was because I did mention the Undertoad on occasion. Readers of the Newburyport Blog may have noticed that the Undertoad is now rarely referenced, and as a result disagreeable phone calls have gone way down. A reprieve.)

But back in February 19, 2006, Mr. Stiles sent in a post, that I posted after the first sip of my morning coffee (big mistake, I now never post anything until I have consumed 2 full cups of my morning coffee) that didn’t exactly do Mr. Ryan any favors, and could have possibly caused the Newburyport Blog some trouble in the process.

The post was very artfully worded, and I felt Mr. Stiles would be too classy to be guilty of such, what in my mind was a glum and uncouth act. However, I received an email later that confirmed that, yes indeed, Jim Stiles was purposeful in his intent and with no apology, and I was surprised.

So here we are. Mayoral election 2007. I may agree with Mr. Stiles on the issues that he supports, but his action on the Newburyport Blog was for me unanticipated and less than delightful, seemingly stooping to the level that he felt Mr. Ryan could be guilty of. And to boot, Tom Ryan is also running for mayor of Newburyport, MA.

Yes, and the whole thing is weirder than fiction.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, My Faithful Visitor

When I started the Newburyport Blog, a local blog, I also started a blog on national issues (as well as an artist’s website and an art blog– a lot of stuff).

The Newburyport Blog ended up flourishing, way beyond my windswept expectations. But that’s not the only reason why the Newburyport Blog gets the most attention from moi.

Way back in the early days when I first had my art website, when maybe 7 people would come visit, and 3 of them happened to be me, I had a faithful visitor who every month would check every page. Who wouldn’t be happy? I was.

Now my stats (statistics) show IP numbers. An IP number is the number of a particular computer. It took me a while to figure out all of this IP stuff out. And then I realized that you could look up IP numbers. Most of the time it doesn’t tell you much, but every now and again, you will get the name of an actual company (as opposed to Comcast or Verizon). And way back when, when there were only 3 or 4 IP numbers a day, it didn’t take much time to give them a gander.

So who is my faithful visitor? Well, after a little IP-ing and a little Googling, I found out that my faithful visitor turned out to be a company used by Home Land Security.

Yikes, and I was pissed. I mean, this was an art website, for crying out loud.

So, when I started the national blog, I put this information, with the IP number and the name of the company on my national blog.

Then my “faithful visitor,” visited me a whole lot more frequently, and I was very freaked. So, I decided to take down the IP number and the name of the company. And yes, you bet, I’m chicken. I decided to concentrate on my own home town community, where hopefully my “faithful visitor” would only see fit to visit me once a month, just like in the old days.

And as a btw… I have no idea how many times these folks now come around, because I’ve long stopped, long since, checking IP numbers. So how often my “faithful visitor” comes a calling will just have to remain a mystery. Which remains fine and dandy by me.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

(Editor’s Note: O’ you out there in Web Land, if my “faithful visitor” was checking out an art website, one would imagine that they are probably checking your blog or website out too.)

Newburyport Blog Takes the Challenge

What a blogger puts up with, geesh.

Actually for all intents and purpose I’m looking for sympathy here, but it’s purely perfunctory on my part. You see Answers.com graciously put the Newburyport Blog on their site (thank you Answers.com), and I got this “challenge” from Answers.com to write a blog post using words like “mellissophobia” (abnormal fear of bees). Good grief, like I’m really going to use “messissophobia” a whole lot on the Newburyport Blog, for crying out loud.

I have a very healthy dislike of wasps, but I certainly do NOT have an abnormal fear of bees (“mellissophobia”). I don’t even have an unhealthy phobia about people called “Mellisso.”

They also want me to use the word “Belize.” Isn’t that fun. At first I thought, well, ah ha, I’ve used belie, no proproblemo. But no, this is “Belize,” which is some country I never heard of somewhere south of Mexico. Good grief. The only thing “Belize” has in common with Newburyport, MA is that it is coastal. And, well, we’re coastal. So Ok.

And yes, they want me to include stuff about a “brown recluse spider,” like we really have those in Newburyport, MA.

Would this quixotic blog post of mine mean that the readers of the Newburyport Blog would abrogate themselves from their possible perfunctory daily, weekly, monthly peek or whatever? I hope not.

And does Answers.com really think just because of some email “challenge” that they sent me that there might be the vaguest chance that I could yo-yo back and forth between Newburyport, MA and Belize for goodness sakes?

Or even worse, that I would abandon and abrogate (well aren’t we all learning fancy new words here) myself from this coastal, New England city and become some ubiquitous blogger for some coastal place, who knows where? I don’t think so.

And the quid pro quo for my either perfunctory or quixotic blogging “challenge” (depending on how one looks at it), basically is practically zippo for moi. You’d think I’d get some big blogger prize for subjecting the readers of the Newburyport Blog to words like “mellissophobia” and “Belize” and “brown recluse spider.”

But no. All I get is some cheap gift certificate to Amazon.com, if I would win this stupid thing (and the readers of the Newburyport Blog can’t even vote or anything, good grief).

And what does Answers.com get from this silly post on the Newburyport Blog, with words like “brown reclusive spiders?” For all intense and purposes they get a whole lot of links to their website. That’s what they get. Which is real smart on the part of Answers.com. Good SEO (Search Engine Optimization). My.

And yes, this blogger from Newburyport, MA fell for the whole silly thing. Although… it’s a great idea. Maybe I’ll send out Newburyport words to websites and blogs, with the promise of some grand prize. I could come up with $50 bucks (2nd place, Answers.com. $100 1st place.) for a gift certificate to Amazon.com, I’m cheap and Yankee enough to do that. I’ll have to ponder that one. Hmmm, let’s think… and La-de-da.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Son, Shakespeare and Theatre Stuff

One of the “perks” of being the editor of the Newburyport Blog is that I get to brag brazenly about my son.

The justification of course is “education,” that a young man who went through the Newburyport Public School system could this day be doing Ok.

MY son, in NYC 10 months and in his fourth play. Yes, very proud Mom.

And the theatre company, Hipgnosis, has picked, for such a young, “hip” theater company, in today’s world, a very politically incorrect play, “The Taming of the Shrew” (by William Shakespeare).

Could Mr. Shakespeare consider moi, a female blogger with an occasional strong, uncooperative opinion, a “shrew?” Goodness, who knows? Maybe.

Hipgnosis Theatre
William Shakespeare
Taming of the Shrew

How did the Hipgnosis Theatre Company go about reconciling what could easily have been done in 1950, no problem, in the year of political correctness, 2007– the solution, a combination of Shakespeare and vaudeville. What can I say, I loved it.

A wonderful romp and what I considered a tongue in cheek approach to the “taming” part (which would be considered “spousal abuse” today) by the hubby and the “compliance” part by Kate, the “tamed shrew.” Plus, by the end of the play, there was no doubt about it, it was real obvious, that they were real, real “hot” for each other. Sizzle.

For goodness sakes, Shakespeare, if he were around today, would be right. It’s not until real, real recently, that women have gotten the privilege of speaking up about stuff (for which this female blogger and painter is most grateful, good grief) without being labeled a “shrew” or whatever nifty label equivalent. (Not that that doesn’t still happen on occasion today.)

We’ve had millenniums, not just centuries of women not being able to have a “say.” And it is this blogger’s humble opinion, that it’s not just in previous millenniums, centuries, decades that men like to have their women good looking, and to shut up and be quiet, and for goodness sakes do and say what you are told to say and do.

But in today’s world, my goodness, there are equivalents. Take the “trophy wife” with a lousy pre-nup:

Darling the sky is purple.

Yes, dearest, the sky is purple. And now can I have my Mercedes-Benz?

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Joppa, Simmons Beach

Joppa Landing, Newburyport, MA
From a c. 1906 postcard
Simmons Beach is South of Joppa Landing

I’m really glad to eat my hat on this one.

I was a little skeptical when Larry McCavitt was elected in the special election in the Fall of 2006, for Ward 1 Newburyport City Councilor. But Mr. McCavitt has proven to be a really, really good Newburyport City Councilor.

Yeh.

I like the way Mr. McCavitt votes on issues on the Newburyport City Council floor and I like the way Mr. McCavitt cares about and represents his constituency.

And I really like the fact he is not giving up in his quest to make Simmons Beach an asset for Ward 1 and the city of Newburyport, MA, even though the project was not awarded any money from the Community Preservation Fund. (Newburyport Daily News, June 25, 2007)

Simmons Beach has always been one of my favorite hidden treasures in Newburyport, MA. I smile every time I walk past it.

I can always imagine the kids that have played on that small, delightful sliver of beach, tucked away on the mouth of the Merrimac River, cooling off on a hot, New England summer’s day.

Simmons Beach is located on Water Street in Newburyport’s South End on the way to Plum Island, next to the old clam shack, along the way to where Water Street meets Union Street.

And Councilor McCavitt is hoping to restore it for the “Joppa” neighborhood by putting an historic marker, plantings and benches. I think it’s a very cool idea.

Congrats to Newburyport City Councilor Larry McCavitt.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Fate of the Kelly School Building

Sorry folks, as far as I’m concerned Mayor John Moak appears to be learning on the job.

(But could this be taken as an endorsement of Mayor Moak by moi for the mayoral candidate for election 2007? No.)

The Kelly School building. A great emotional trigger for lots and lots of folks in Newburyport, MA. What do you do with it?

Mayor John Moak is forming a committee to help the Newburyport City Council make that incredibly difficult decision.

The make-up of the committee is not unlike the make-up of something like the Newburyport Local Historic District Study Committee.

So far the appointments have been Newburyport City Councilor James Shanley. Mr. Shanley is the chair of the Newburyport City Council Planning and Development Committee, and the Kelly School building is also in Mr. Shanley’s ward, Ward 3. James Shanley has always struck me as being a very thoughtful Newburyport City Councilor, so in my book, that’s a real good choice.

Newburyport Planning Director, Nancy Colbert is also on the committee. And Mayor John Moak also plans to include a local real estate agent, a parent of a former Kelly School student, as well as a member of the Newburyport Historical Commission. (Newburyport Daily News, June 26, 2007)

As far as I’m concerned, the fate of the Newburyport Kelly School Building is kind of a yikes, wisdom of Solomon thing. And this seems to be a very wise approach to an incredibly difficult community decision.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Practical Mayoral Dilemma

I looked back at the previous post on the absurdity that there are no (at least that I know of) requirements to be mayor of Newburyport, MA other than to be the ripe old age of 18 and to live in the city of Newburyport, MA.

The sad thing is, at least it would be my guess, that if someone were to be actually qualified, with lots of appropriate experience and education, and were to emphasize that point, they would be seen as “arrogant” and might well be seen as “unlikable” and “unelectable.”

Sigh.

How crazy is that?

I know zip about the early history of the mayors of Newburyport, MA, but it would be my guess, that up until Bossy Gillis, it was just assumed that the educated, wealthy folks of Newburyport, MA would run for mayor. And things were a lot simpler then (I think) and they probably were as qualified as anyone might be.

It’s hard to imagine that there were advanced degrees in the intricacies of municipalities (maybe there were, I don’t know).

This is where I’m on the strong learning curve thing. I know zip about what happened government wise early in Newburyport’s history. And I have just as strong a learning curve on what government was like in other small and large cities in the USA.

But this I do know. Things have changed. And Newburyport, MA has not changed its way of governing the city. And good grief we need to.

And on a practical matter, the salary of the mayor is just ridiculously low. It might be appealing to someone who is in transition or who is looking for a job or who is retired. But your average very smart qualified human being with a good salary, are they going to give that all up just to probably be booted out in 2 years? Good grief, I don’t think so.

Or if a person sees the job as an honor, and they have a family and children to support, 50 grand or so before taxes and living in Newburyport, MA these days, is going to be tough, unless there is another source of income.

So, although it would take a great deal to change our city charter to either a 4 year mayoral term, or a city manager form of government, we at least could raise the salary of the mayor of Newburyport, MA.

Yes, I know the budget, the budget, the budget. But good grief, can we hardly afford not to?

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, City Qualification Conversation

My Dad and I were talking about Newburyport, MA. My father loves politics. It kind of went like this:

Q. My Dad: How big is Newburyport’s budget?

A. Me: $50 Million or so.

Q. My Dad: What’s the mayor’s salary?

A. Me: $50,000- $60,000 roughly.

Q. My Dad: What qualifications do you need to be mayor?

A. Me: Pause. Tilting my head. Another pause. You just need to be 18.

Response. My father and I: Pause. Another pause… peals of laughter.

You got to admit, that’s a pretty apt response.

Whatever job anyone would apply for in Newburyport City Hall, an appropriate resume would be required.

And there appears to be no resume type requirements at all (that I know of) to be mayor of Newburyport, MA.

Now, if we had a city manager form of government, you bettcha that whoever applied to be city manager would have to have all kinds of city manager degrees.

Do we require anything like that to be mayor of Newburyport, MA? Nope. As far as I know the only requirement is to be 18. (If I am wrong about this, o’ readers of the Newburyport Blog, please let me know.)

The other thing my Dad thought was pretty wild was that we paid the person who runs our $50 Million or so municipality as little as we do. A good city manager or a CEO of a $50 Million enterprise would demand a whole lot more than $50,000 to $60,000. You can take that one to the bank.

And the fact that that the mayoral term is only 2 years.

My Dad: 2 years??

Me: Yup, 2 years.

My Dad: No one could possibly get anything done in 2 years.

Me: Yup, you got it.

My Dad just shook his head in utter amazement.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, “No” is a Complete Sentence, When it Comes to Too Many Frogs

Georgiana Tadpole, frog activist, wants to know if the tadpoles that she and George Cushing of Frog Pond at the Bartlet Mall, the political consultant for the Newburyport Blog, sired (do frogs “sire”?? are tadpoles “sired”?? You’d think with all these amphibians around, I’d be better on my frog lingo stuff) could all move to the Newburyport Blog when they “mature” and turn into little frogs.

Georgiana Tadpole pleading with moi,
to have a whole lot of little mature frogs move
to the Newburyport Blog

Say WHAT?

No offense, Georgiana, but here at the Newburyport Blog, there are already, count ’em, four frogs. FOUR frogs already.

Good grief. How many blogs actually have one frog, much less four frogs, I mean, give me a break.

It’s one thing for you and George to do whatever, at Frog Pond and the vernal pool (at the back of the Wheelwright House property), but come on, you want the Newburyport Blog overrun with little frogs? It would probably be a health hazard, among other things. I mean four is way more than enough.

Georgiana, you miss them?

You thought it would be fine if they hung out with the “Peepers” at the vernal pool or with all of George Cushing relatives at Frog Pond, but you’d rather have them here??

Look, first of all, I have no idea how you and George Cushing actually got all the way over to the vernal pool and to Frog Pond to have all that frenetic activity, and I really do not want to know, it’s got to be the mating season thing, right? But, that’s the way it goes, kiddo. The little twerps, I mean little tadpoles, stay right where they are, when they “mature.”

Sorry, sorry. Maybe you and George Cushing could coach them, and eventually, they too could become frog activists and frog political consultants.

Think of it this way, maybe they could spread out and be froggy inspirations to the populace of Newburyport, MA. And I’m sure this won’t be the first batch, or bunch, or frog family, or whatever that you and George might “sire.” Right?

That’s a big job?

Well kiddo, frog’o, whatever, I’m not worried, I am quite sure you and George Cushing will figure it out. But they are definitely, definitely NOT going to come to the Newburyport Blog.

Mary Eaton
The Newburyport Blog
(Home already to way too many frogs)

Becoming Involved in Newburyport, MA

When I first started getting involved in politics in 1999, when it finally dawned on me after 9 months of the Newburyport City Council, the Newburyport Historical Commission, Mayor Mary Carrier and various concerned citizens trying to get the public to pay attention to the fact that Newburyport’s High Street was about to be destroyed, I knew absolutely nothing about how the City of Newburyport, MA was/is run.

I knew that we had a mayor and a city council. I could not have told you how many city councilors there were or who my city councilor was.

I had no idea that there was such a thing as the Newburyport Historical Commission. I thought like a lot of people that the Historical Society of Old Newbury was the Newburyport Historical Commission. I found out that that is not the case. That they are two completely different entities.

I had a huge learning curve. And when I started the Newburyport Blog in January 2006, it became obvious right away to me, that there was a whole lot, lot more to learn. And as far as I’m concerned, the city is so complex, that my learning curve is going to be a life long learning curve.

I’m always amazed at how many people are involved in all the volunteer boards and committees. It’s really astounding to me the amount of dedicated volunteer citizen participation that there has been over the years.

And it also comes as no surprise that a lot of the populace of Newburyport, MA is like me in back in 1999, even though they may glance at the various media outlets now and then, most people’s knowledge of how Newburyport, MA works boils down to the fact that we have a mayor and a city council.

So when a “crisis” happens in the city of Newburyport, MA, whether it has to do with the possibility of an unwanted house being built next door, or a crisis in our the Newburyport schools or any number of other things, to me it seems like an opportunity. It appears to me that it is one of the main ways people who have never thought of getting involved, get involved.

People may scream about NIMBYs, but it is usually those folks that sit up and start paying attention.

A classic example is Sarah White and Steve Rudolph who became involved in Save Our Town and the Newburyport Preservation Trust because of a possible infill project in their neighborhood. And how lucky are we to have this young couple take such an interest in Newburyport, MA.

And they are just one of many.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Spring in Newburyport, MA

With all this whoopla about election stuff, I forgot it was “mating season.” Good grief.

Georgiana Tadpole (frog activist), has let me know there are little tadpoles swimming, in yup, you guessed it, in Frog Pond at the Bartlet Mall, and her home haunt, the vernal pool at the back of the Wheelwright property.

georgiana.2.sm.jpg
Georgiana Tadpole

When I looked at Georgiana with a “say what” expression, she patted me with that cute little froggy web appendage of hers, and said, “Mary, what did you think would happen?”

Well, quite frankly, I hadn’t thought about it at all.

I pointed out that the tadpoles at the vernal pool in back of the Wheelwright property might be in some kind of danger. The developer has gotten the go ahead with that property and has decided to moved the houses closer to the vernal pool. One would think that there would be a little construction going on.

Georgiana was not fazed in the least. She was quite sure that the tadpoles would be ok, and when they “matured” would either stay there, depending on what transpired with the property and hang out with the “peepers,” or find their way to some other spot.

Hadn’t she, George Cushing of Frog Pond, the political consultant for the Newburyport Blog (Georgiana’s love interest, and I guess father of the tadpoles??), and the “twins” all made it quite safely here, to the Newburyport Blog.

Well, yes, good point Georgiana, good point.

Georgiana also thought, quite thoughtfully, that it might be a good idea for me to concentrate on the fact that there were these little tadpoles all swimming around that are connected to the Newburyport Blog, instead of getting myself in a “dither” about politics and mayoral elections in Newburyport, MA.

Well, that’s one wise frog. Or is it frogette?

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Former Planning Director

Nick Cracknell, Newburyport’s former planning director has not been retiring about being upfront and even center about his ideas concerning Newburyport and the upcoming mayoral election 2007.

Back in January of this year, Nick Cracknell and I sat in the Pizza Factory in downtown Newburyport.

What was on Mr. Cracknell’s mind was defeating Mayor John Moak, November 2007. And Mr. Cracknell was neither shy or quiet about expressing his thoughts.

Apparently what was said made it back to Mayor John Moak lickety split, as well it might have. Mr. Moak could have heard what was being said all the way down Pleasant Street to Newburyport City Hall, because Mr. Cracknell was talking that loudly.

The gist of the conversation was that progressives had to come up with a platform and then “we” would wait for our Deval Patrick to show up.

Mr. Cracknell was perfectly forth coming in sharing the fact that recently he had a similar conversation with Newburyport activist and columnist, Jim Roy.

And having listened to various folks since January 2007, it has been obvious to me from bits and pieces of their conversations, that Mr. Cracknell had similar conversations with them as well.

In the one rare Newburyport Planning Board Meeting that I did attend, concerning the plight of the Wheelwright property, our former planning director was in attendance, and chatted with applicable parties afterwards.

This was no secret, this was in Newburyport City Hall.

Was I at all surprised that Nick Cracknell urged Tom Ryan to run for mayor? Not in the least. And it wouldn’t surprise me if Nick Cracknell has encouraged other people to run for mayor as well.

And if I was sitting in the Pizza Factory with Mr. Cracknell today, I would say, “Nick, stop. Working behind the scenes, sort of, has backfired big time, if what you want is John Moak not to be mayor, and maybe get your job back.

For goodness sakes, fill me in on your job now, and what’s happening with your family and life in Amesbury, MA.

It’s probably time to let go and move on. Ok? And I think people would do some pondering now before supporting you as Planning Director for Newburyport, MA, if that possibility ever transpired.”

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, MA, Planning Director

Since the subject of who might or might not be the planning director of Newburyport, MA has now become a possible campaign issue, the planning director of Newburyport, MA might be worth “chatting” about.

Yes, I do not think that Nancy Colbert, the Planning Director of Newburyport, MA is flamboyantly pro-active. This is not necessarily a bad thing.

Nick Cracknell always struck me as a whirling dervish, and my guess is that he would chafe under direction or supervision of any mayor.

I think Nancy Colbert understands why Newburyport is of value and what would be in the best interest for the entirety of the city of Newburyport, MA. And my sense is that Ms Colbert sees her job as implementing the perspective of officials elected by the residences of the city of Newburyport, MA.

I also think that she would try very hard not to let anything happen to the city of Newburyport, MA that would have a long term, damaging effect.

I could not see Ms Colbert starting an initiative and then communicating to the mayor and city council what was going on. I could, however, see that she might guide elected officials towards a certain direction.

There are two things that have happened during her second tenure here with the city of Newburyport, MA that I am very grateful for.

The Local Historic District Study Committee. Nancy Colbert is an historic preservationist. This works for me. And we have a mayor who I have always had the impression, would lean more towards a “property rights” point of view, and yet Mayor John Moak has taken the first step of appointing a Local Historic District Study Committee.

Now Nancy Colbert has not said “boo” to me on any interactions she might or might not have had with Mayor John Moak, however, I cannot imagine that she did not have something to do with directing this first part of an exploration of a Local Historic District.

And there is the issue of the discussion concerning the possibility of having an ordinance guiding the scope of chain stores in downtown Newburyport, MA.

This is an excerpt from an email that came from “Buy Local,” “supportNewburyport.org.”

“After that meeting (a public meeting held by the Planning and Development subcommittee of the City Council), the chair, James Shanley spoke with the Chamber and some key business owners and has determined that the issue needs broader participation and more indepth investigation than his committee can handle. He, along with Planning Director Nancy Colbert, is pursuing the concept of setting up Study Circles (studycircles.org) as a means of engaging the whole community on this very important issue.”

It seems to me that having “Study Circles” for a possible chain store ordinance would be a similar approach to a “Study Committee” for a possible Local Historic District.

Both are about public process, and both are thorough and almost “appeal proof” if you will, and would gather a great deal of information from the populace of Newburyport, MA about what may be two very controversial subject matters–an ordinance guiding the scope of chain stores downtown and the possibility of a Local Historic District for Newburyport, MA.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

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.

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, Local Historic District Study Committee

One of my favorite scenes in the movie “Chicago” is towards the end of the film where Richard Gere is in court, his client “Roxie” is in trouble, and he does this incredible, frenetic tap dance, literally, and to get his client free.

That’s a little bit of how I feel about where we as a city are with the issue of the Local Historic District.

Monday night, June 11, 2007 the Newburyport City Council passed on the first reading the members (including soon to be ex-Newburyport Planning Board member, Doug Locy) appointed by Mayor John Moak, to the Local Historic District study group.

Tapetty, tap, tap.

Whew. Now, the final reading to get through.

Tap, tap.

And there are blasts by “property rights owner” advocates against having their property rights violated.

Tapety, tap, tap, tap.

The Local Historic District study group is just the beginning of a long process towards exploring whether or not to have some, part or parts of Newburyport, MA be designated a Local Historic District.

Tap.

The process of all of this, including who goes on the study group (an architect and a realtor at least) is set in stone by the Massachusetts Historical Commission and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This is no fly by night process.

Tapety, tap, tap, tap.

To property rights advocates. Get over it.

Tap.

You live in one of the most historically significant small cities in the US of A.

Tap.

The National Architectural Trust has said that Newburyport, MA has lost one third of its historic assets since 1984.

Tap, tap.

If you do not want to be a steward of something a whole lot bigger than you are, an historic city, then go somewhere where historic assets are not endangered.

Tap.

So those of us who care about preserving what is left of our town could have the opportunity of being stewards of this amazing place, whether we’ve lived here all our lives or just arrived here, or something in between.

Tappety, tap.

And no, a Local Historic District does not have to be onerous. It could be Local Historic District light. And the people on the Local Historic District study group are all A+ people, who are supper sensitive to how people feel about this issue.

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.

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