The Newburyport Blog

Photoshop Flight

I never, ever would have considered using other people’s images that are in the public domain in my art work, it would be plagiarism for me.  Plagiarism - I would have felt it to be “immoral,” “originality” the only acceptable device. But blogging, doing content for people’s websites, the World Wide Web has radically and slowly changed my whole idea of how to use images. Before starting the Newburyport Blog I never knew about stuff/images that are in the “public domain.”  I now bless the public domain, it makes what I do here and what other people do all across the web a whole lot more interesting. So why not use images that are in the public domain in my own art work? These are images I could never take, either because they are in a geographical location that I would never get to, or with equipment I would never buy.

Photoshop Bird 3 (thanks Bobby)

And photoshop (see earlier entry on fine art, painting in particular, going the way of the buggy whip and typewriter), what one can do in photoshop in a few minutes would take me years to do as a painter. It’s irresistible. So I’ve started experimenting. And how fun!! Like being in a candy store for this artist.  A photoshop take off, a lovely New Year’s present for moi.

George

George is grinning, huge wide smile, and those of you who have been readers of the Newburyport Blog for any length of time know that George is usually a glum sort of fellow, even with his passionate romance to Georgiana Tadpole (if you really would like to know about any of this frog stuff please press here).

Instead of telling the readers of the Newburyport Blog what is making George smile so hugely right off the bat (although he’s not smiling in the picture, I couldn’t get one of him smiling), I’m going to start at the beginning.

Way, way back (”in the day,” I’m not sure if it’s that far back) in 1990 I painted a whole bunch of paintings for a major New York show, oil on panel, and the panels warped (I used the wrong kind of panel - never did it again).  Panic city, you betcha.  I went to what was then Wendover Woodworks on Liberty Street in Newburyport, and one of the owners, Andy Willemsem saved my sorry soul by making some absolutely gorgeous frames that solved the warping problem and saved yours truly.  It was then I met Andy’s partner in this wonder furniture creating place, Henry Fox.

About 15 years ago, wandering around my Newburyport neighborhood, I ran into Henry Fox, who told me the harrowing tale of his son, born 3 months early with a host of medical problems who had been saved by the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at MassGeneral in Boston, and had just been moved to one of the more local hospitals.  I later shared this story with other families who had critically ill new borns, including my most wonderful neighbors, who found themselves and their newborn son also at MassGeneral. (The young man is now happily running around our neighborhood.)

Andy Willemsen moved on and Henry Fox named his wonderful furniture business after his two sons, “Fox Brothers.” (Still there on Liberty Street in Newburyport, still amazing.)

Fast forward to 2012, yesterday, a “new” or “new” to me, George and I being 5 years late to the story (not quite as bad as my late arrival to the David Sedaris planet, see earlier post, but not so good)  local Newburyport blog called “Happy Chickens Lay Healthy Eggs,” by a fifteen year old young man called Orren Fox.

I’m thinking Fox?? Fox?? Henry Fox?? The timing’s right.

And sure enough this blog is written by Henry’s son Orren, the one in intensive care 15 years ago.  How cool is that, but it gets so much better.

Scrolling down the blog’s sidebar the young man has been interviewed/written up by the Huffington Post, NPR, Yankee Magazine, the Boston Globe to name a few, and has been to the White House, March 7, 2012,  for “Know Your Farmer Event.”

I’m beginning to join George in grinning from ear to ear about this young chicken farmer and organic food activist.

“Margaret Mead would have loved Orren.  A soulful and gifted young man who has done more to help make a positive impact by 15 than most folks do in a lifetime.” From Do Lectures.

And Orren has added bees, in “Bee Happy” - check it out here.

AND Orren has serendipitly gone into business with his brother Will (with a little help from Dad) making “FoxBoys” longboards, skateboards in the most glorious shape, a little like a boat, read and see all about them here.

And Orren Fox is so media savvy as to make grown “social media” folks weep - along with the Happy Chickens blog there are the Facebook pages that one actually enjoys looking at and reading, and twitter accounts.  But it may be in the blood because his Mom, who gave birth to him all those many 15 years ago, is Libby Delana, the founding partner of Newburyport’s Mechanica, the next generation branding firm.

So if you are discouraged by the news or local or federal politics, life in general, go investigate Orren Fox, a young man who transcends the sustainable movement.  It doesn’t matter if you are dark “green,” light “green,” in-between or orange; right wing, left wing, moderate or independent.  When you read about this fantastic story, you like George, will be grinning from ear to ear and doing a dance in the end zone of your choice.

Our very own Katy Ives (Newburyport City Councilor) is running for Massachusetts State Senate (the First Essex District, Senator Steve Baddour’s old Senate seat), and she would be terrific!!

Kathleen O'Connor Ives for State Senate

Check out Katy’s campaign website!

Check out Katy’s Facebook page!

Check out Katy’s first campaign video on YouTube.  You will see lots of Newburyport friends, conservative, progressive and in between, all explaining why she would be such a great State Senator!!

The Newburyport school vote and the Senior Center Passes!!

Good go’n Newburyport!!

Below are the election results thanks to the Port Pride Facebook page!!

School vote and Senior Center passes (photo thanks to the Port Pride Facebook page)

Here is a breakdown of the voting totals, thanks to Newburyport City Councilor Ed Cameron.

Question 1, Building a new Bresnahan Model School building (Press to enlarge)

Question 1, (Press to enlarge)

Question 2, Renovating and upgrading the Nock/Molin Upper Elementary school (Press to enlarge)

Question 2 (Press to enlarge)

Question 3, Building a new Senior & Community Center (Press to enlarge)

Question 3 (Press to enlarge)

All three questions together (Press to enlarge)

Newburyport Election, June 5, 2012 (Press to enlarge)

Green Theatre Collective at Sylvester Manor, Shelter Island, NY, As You LIke It (press image to enlarge).

They did it. Green Theatre Collective (GTC) raised $10,000 in 4 weeks.  Oh me of little faith.  And that means that this eco-theater company with its roots (pun intended) in Newburyport, can gather the just plain old lovely young men and women who made up the company last year, and go for it again this year, this time with Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, The Tempest.

And GTC had its maiden voyage right here in Newburyport, Massachusetts, sponsored by Theater in the Open, in a gorgeous setting for Shakespeare’s As You Like It at Maudslay State Park last summer.  With a big thank you for a plug by Tom Salemi  at Newburyport Posts and JC Lockwood at Newbuyrport Arts, along with the Newburyport Daily News and the Newburyport Current.

Ok, its personal. The GTC founder and Executive Producer is my son, Hal Fickett, who got his education right here in Newburyport, Massachusetts (yes, we do have great schools that are most worthy of our support).  And the first performance was dedicated to most beloved Newburyport High School theater teacher, Suzanne Bryan and all Newburyport educators (those graduates do appreciate you folks!).

Am I proud and excited for this young eco-theater company.  You betcha!

Green Theatre Collective at Maudslay State Park, Newburyport, MA, As You Like It (press image to enlarge).

Newburyport City Councilor At-Large

Ed Cameron

Barry Connell

Ari Herzog

Larry Giunta

Steve Hutcheson

Katy O’Connor Ives

Dick Sullivan Jr.

Winners:

Barry Connell

Katy O’Connor Ives

Ari Herzog

Ed Cameron

Dick Sullivan Jr.

The Newburyport Charter:

Yes

No

Charter passes by more than a 2 to 1 margin.

Newburyport School Committee:

Nick de Kanter

Audrey McCarthy

Peter McClure

Bruce Menin

Winners:

Nick de Kanter

Audrey McCarthy

Bruce Menin

Mayor Donna Holaday re-elected (running unopposed)

Congratulations to all who won and all who ran, and everyone who worked so hard.

Breakdown of the Newburyport City Council At-Large election results, thanks to Ed Cameron (press image to enlarge).

Election Results Nov 2011- Press image to enlarge

I had never really thought that there was any correlation between painting, my painting (see previous post) and my love of local politics. But after this last political race, 2009, I’m beginning to think differently.

When I start a painting there is an idea, the canvas is “blocked in” with shapes, the shapes become more and more detailed until, voila, there is a realistic painting.

And in this mayoral race it took a long time for me to see a picture taking shape, but the last weekend before the Newburyport election 2009 and especially the day of the election 2009, it seemed to me that there was no question that Donna Holaday would win.

About two weeks before the election it became clear, for a variety of reasons, the interviews in The Newburyport Liberator being one of them, that there was a huge difference in the way the two candidates approached the Central Waterfront (see earlier entries). And the there was no question that Donna Holaday had the “Waterfront” vote, a vote in Newburyport, never to be underestimated.

By that weekend, it was obvious to me that Donna Holaday had the “City Hall vote,” and the folks at Newburyport City Hall vote, and their ties in Newburyport’s community go deep.

It was also apparent that candidate Holaday had the “townie” vote (except for those who were a little concerned that she might not be as firm about the “override” issue as James Shanley). James Shanley was perceived as the candidate who was the “new comer,” who could take away their town. (I do not happen to think that this is true, but that appeared to be the perception.)

Donna Holaday had the enthusiastic education vote, a large block of voters. Ms Holaday had the “Back Bay vote,” basically anyone in town that really disliked the wind turbine (see earlier entries), which is a huge portion (politically correct or not) of Newburyport’s population.

The historic preservation vote was split.

And when the list of contributors came out, it was perceived that James Shanley was in the pocket of the developers. I know James Shanely, and I know that this is absolutely not the case, although it was the perception. (Mr. Shanley had worked very closely as a Newburyport City Councilor with the Newburyport Chamber of Commerce, a member of which was a major player on his very organized campaign, and my guess is that a lot of the business community gave donations as a result.)

And then there was the fact that Donna Holaday has a huge name recognition, for a whole variety of reasons. And also, a lot of folks in town know that we have a mayor, but they don’t know that we have a Newburyport City Council, much less that we have a president of the Newburyport City Council. So the fact that James Shanley was the president of the Newburyport City Council meant absolutely nothing to a large majority of folks that don’t pay a whole lot of attention to Newburyport politics.

If anyone thinks that Newburyport, MA has gradually turned into a bland and happy version of Pleasantville, they are most decidedly wrong.

One of the things that I detect in the upcoming Newburyport 2009 election is still a strong and virulent backlash against the “Yes for Newburyport” campaign in the spring of 2007.

Dan Sweeney, aka “Pedro” of the Around the North Shore who has taken out papers for mayor of Newburyport, MA is probably the most “to the point,” vocal candidate so far, that would give voice to this point of view. “Pedro” has had a great deal to say on the matter, all of which is public record on Around the North Shore, and all of which I imagine he still stands by, otherwise Mr. Sweeney would not be running for mayor of Newburyport, Massachusetts.

But in taking a gander at some of the various folks who have taken out papers to run for Newburyport City Council, there is a strong undercurrent of sentiment aligned with Dan Sweeney’s, although I imagine when it comes down to it, the tone could be more nuanced. In checking out the story on Clete Kijek (see earlier entry), who is running against Ed Cameron in the Ward 4 race, the date on the story about his giant truck urging people to vote on the override is May 16, 2007. It is stated that Mr. Kijek is a member of the anti-override group Know Newburyport.

So one of the spoken or unspoken issues of the local Newburyport 2009 race would be whether or not our local taxes would be raised, especially for the young children in our Newburyport school system. And my guess would also be that another undercurrent would be that old feisty Newburyport spirit–”Newcomers,” however that may be defined, aren’t going to take over our town, no way, no how.

The candidates that embody this point of view might not win, but it would be my guess that they would like to make sure that folks in Newburyport, MA know that they are still very much part of the picture.

This will make me hugely popular. We finally have a president who speaks thoughtfully and in complete sentences–even paragraphs. I find this refreshing.

And I look at Twitter and for the most part, it verbally looks like a Google Earth close up of a mangled beaver swamp. (Yes, I know our new president Twitters, but he Twitters with a purpose and in complete sentences.)

And yes, I ripped off the Google Earth thing from a blog post on the Huffington Post called “What Sentence Diagrams Reveal About President Obama”, by Jason Linkins. The quote was, “By contrast, the diagrams of typical George W. Bush sentences are indistinguishable from Google Earth close ups of small rodents, drowned in mud puddles.” I like that quote. Obviously, I like it a lot.

Yesterday, much to my surprise, people emailed me, and not only don’t seem to be fond of “comments” on blogs, etc, but appear to find a lot of the social media stuff, the virtual-contact, meaningless, dehumanizing, especially if it takes the place of face to face, person to person, real human contact.

Works for me.

I actually phone folks who leave comments on blogs, etc., who have problems with the Newburyport Blog, because I have this quaint belief in human contact, or at least voice generated contact, as a way of communicating. I’ve yet to have one of those phone calls returned. Voicemail is such a wonder when it comes to avoiding “stuff.”

I am being very cynical today, but it appears to me that social media, Twitter, Facebook, is often used as a great Search Engine tool (SEO) to get blogs and websites to rank high on search engines. A bastardization if you would of its probable original intent.

And for an educated society, to have one of their major communicating tools take the form of 140 characters or less, is to me is a huge, waving, red flag. Are we going from a nation of sound-bites, to a nation of “tweets?” A nation where thoughtful sentences and paragraphs are a thing of the past–a passé, elite Liberal agenda. I hope not. I’m a big fan of the well written, and spoken, at times lengthy, written word.

As many of the readers of the Newburyport Blog know, I am a big fan of Bill Moyers.

On September 5, 2008 Bill Moyers had this to say at the beginning of the segment on the Bill Moyers Journal:

“Fifty million American children went back to school this week. But as reporter Sam Dillon writes in the “New York Times”, more of them than ever are homeless and poor enough to need free meals. Mortgage foreclosures are throwing hundreds of families out of their homes each month. With fuel and food costs rising, with tax revenues falling, school budgets are in retreat. Detroit, for example, has laid off 700 teachers. We’re not talking about just a few isolated places. This is nationwide…

The Bush Administration was announcing an increase in American aid to Georgia by more than 1500 percent… From 64 million dollars this year to one billion dollars next year. A billion dollars. You can only wonder how many American kids a billion dollars could put back on the buses, back in class, and back in the cafeteria line.”

You can read the whole transcript here.

And this is one of the things that concerns me. We as a country have the Bush administration (I trust Bill Moyers) allocating one billion dollars next year to Georgia (the country not the state). One billion dollars that could have gone to the education of the children in the United States of America. Money that we in Newburyport, MA would not see go towards funding for our much under-funded public schools.

Come January, I want a president who would be wise and prudent in spending our tax dollars, who would make sure that, yes, the war on terror is vital, but so is the education of our children. I want a president who understands that. I do not want another four years of a Bush-Cheney administration.

I’ve been consumed by the national election for president. Nothing on the local level (at least as of today) seems to be as intriguing as what is happening on the presidential campaign front.

And, for me, there is so much that would effect us locally in Newburyport, MA, depending on the outcome of the presidential election.

At the moment, mayor John Moak is asking the citizens of Newburyport, MA to consider voting on a tax increase to help with, among other things, education in Newburyport, MA.

This is at a time when people are loosing their jobs, not getting pay increases, dealing with the high cost of gasoline, increased cost of groceries and other staples, getting ready for more expensive heating and electric bills for the winter. This would be a tough sell for our mayor at any time, and it is a particularly tough sell at this point in tough economic times.

And we need a lot more money to help educate our children.

And one of the things that we as a community in Newburyport, MA, have discovered during the ordeal of the Override for funding for our schools last year, is that there is little help from the State of Massachusetts, one of the reasons being, the Federal government is not helping the states, or at least our state, with money to adequately fund education.

So I want someone in the White House next January who is going to pay attention and help local education, as well as help the financial plight of small cities and towns all across America. And during the last eight years we certainly have not seen the local support that we in Newburyport, MA need so badly, from the current administration. And I doubt we would see an improvement in support for our small cities and towns from 4 more years of a Republican administration.

It is one of the many reasons that I would like to see a Democrat in the White House.

And to compare the candidates’ voting records and educational priorities, I found a helpful site here and here.

My father (see previous post) was a realist. He knew change could be inspirational, and although daily, informal encounters could change people’s lives (and his did), he also believed that inspirational change could cost money. Often lots and lots of money.

My dad was a Roosevelt Democrat, and felt quite strongly that for people who had money, paying taxes was a patriotic act. And if people didn’t want to pay taxes, that provisions should be made to either compliment what the government could do, or create an entity that undertook a project that the government should, but refused to do.

And as a tax lawyer (way before being a “lawyer” became not such a good attribute, when lawyers, in general, believed in service, not how much money can I make) he persuaded his clients to do things like fund research for mental illness, at a time when no one talked about mental illness, or look for a cure for cancer, and fund stem cell research, when, for example, the present administration had “reservations” about such things.

And face it, one of the reasons Newburyport’s downtown is so inspirational, is that it was funded by lots and lots of federal dollars.

My father also understood the stresses of poverty. He fought for a compassionate solution to homelessness in New York City, and believed that the criminal justice system in New York City had the potential to be humane. And he raised the money (a talent my father had, and a gene his daughter did not receive) to attempt to make these goals attainable.

To make the educational system for our children “inspirational,” it would not only take the guardian angles that inhabit it, but also lots and lots of money to restore all the cuts that have been made over so many years. My father would have understood this. But he also would have believed that it would not be right to raise money on the backs of the struggling poor and middle class.

The same would go for such things as creating a senior center, and for funding the Council on Aging to an “inspirational” level.

And what to do at budget time with dealing and coping with the myriad of valuable projects and issues, all of which need to be funded, but where funds are lacking, I have no idea.

I do know, that to make many of them “inspirational,” lots and lots of money, would go a long, long way. I also believe that to raise taxes in Newburyport, MA that would put the less fortunate and middle class in crisis, would be a huge mistake.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

I miss my Dad.

One of the things that my Dad and I would always do, is talk about politics, national and local. And I want to ask him so many things.

One of my Dad’s great gifts, and I’ve heard this over and over from so many people who knew him, was his ability to listen to an issue or problem, business or personal, and in one or two sentences get to the kernel of the what would be at stake, but always with an optimistic twist.

I remember when I talked to my Dad about the override for our schools, and his wonderful remark, that folks were afraid that if an override passed, that they would “lose their town.” Bingo. It was always a “bingo.” It might not be a “bingo” I might want to hear, but it was a “bingo,” nevertheless.

I want to ask him about Mr. Karp’s visit. He would have some wise insight that eludes me. I want to ask him about Newburyport’s critical need for funding, which is at odds with people’s often desperate personal financial struggles. He would have ideas. Lots and lots of ideas. And very wise ideas at that.

He always taught me that change was an organic part of life. And one of his many gifts, was not only to make change acceptable, but almost always to make change inspiring.

Change is and has and will happen to Newburyport, MA. And how do we as citizens and residents of this small New England city, make that change, not just acceptable, but how do we make change an inspiration?

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

To chain store or not to chain store (a conversation that has been taking place on Tom Salemi’s Blog, Newburyport Posts) would really not be the question for me. The question for me, in actuality, would be about the underlying concern in the community about Mr. Karp and New England Development.

After reading Stephen Tait’s series of articles about Mr. Karp, New England Development, Nantucket and Newburyport (a must read) in the Newburyport Daily News, December 2007, I ended up thinking, “What’s the use?” “What does it matter?”

Newburyport, MA might be lucky if we got a “tweak” in the plans. But my guess, based on that excellent piece of reporting on Mr. Tait’s part, that New England Development and Mr. Karp would do what ever they want, and there is very little, as long as the zoning requirements are within reason, that the residents or political folks could do.

Sigh.

How depressing.

So the “Chain Store Ordinance” could in someway, be a statement of rebellion. It could be a statement of a desire to be able to control some of the destiny, on some small level of Newburyport, MA. Not to leave it completely up to a large corporation, where Newburyport, it appears, could be just another jewel in New England Development’s crown.

It is could not only be about what would be best economically for Newburyport, MA, but it could also be a statement that Newburyport, MA belongs to us.

And I ask myself, what do we as residence of Newburyport have control over, if not the fate of our own downtown.

And 2 of the things that come to mind are the fate of Newburyport’s senior population (if we are lucky, we too might eventually become part of a senior population) and a vibrant and welcoming Senior Center, and the fate of our children’s education.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Back on November 7, 2007 there was an article by Gillian Swart in the Newburyport Current about the Newburyport Rupert A. Nock Middle School which said,

“One grade 7 phys. ed. class has 104 students… “There is no way to fit 104 students comfortably or safely in the gym,” Hopping (Rupert A. Nock Middle School, Principal Barry Hopping) noted, adding that so far, the weather has cooperated and the classes have been held outdoors.”

Well, honey, the weather is no longer cooperating, and it’s cold outside. Real cold out side.

I don’t know what the situation would be now, December 2007, I have not called the Nock Middle School, but I sure am curious.

I mean, that’s crazy, 104 kids in the Middle School gym.

I’d like to see a photograph of what in the world that would look like.

In fact, I’d like to see some footage of that unimaginable gym class with 104 students on YouTube.

If anybody put footage of that gym class on YouTube, I would, at the very least, like to link to it. And with proper permission, I would put the video on the Newburyport Blog.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

In my quest to learn more about the Newburyport School Committee election which I now know a little bit more about than “zip,” I contacted folks about who they would consider voting for Newburyport School Committee.

Bruce Menin’s name was also one of the names at the top of the list. Again, from some of the not the usual suspects.

“Menin–Tip O’Neil said always lash to the old oaks when the storm wind blows. Bruce is a proven commodity.” Was one reply I received.

If re-elected this would be Mr. Menin’s 3rd term (one 4 year term and half of a 4 year term, 2 years). (Please see “Editor’s Note” below for clarification.)

That anyone could have a sustained and tenacious passion for trying to solve the ongoing conundrum of our school system is remarkable. (I would give up after the first week. It seems as if the position chews folks up and spits them out. This is not an easy volunteer undertaking.)

I met Bruce Menin one day on the street about 3 months after he had begun his first School Committee term and he looked gaunt. I must have had a questioning look on my face like, “How’s it going?” because Mr. Menin looked up and said, “It’s real different when you’re in the inside.”

Yes, and “Amen” to that. How true.

It strikes me that change in any political process is like moving a barge or trying to wade in a swimming pool full of taffy.

If the barge gets moved even the slightest bit, that’s quite an accomplishment. In my experience the barge rarely turns a quick 180 degrees.

And politics, most politics, appears to me, to often be slow and sticky.

One of the things I have observed about Mr. Menin is that he is never afraid to ask the question which no one wants to hear and no one wants to talk about. It appears to me that in the last 6 years Mr. Menin has more than once challenged the “status quo.”

As uncomfortable as that might be, challenging the “status quo” is something I happen to think would be a good idea. And Mr. Menin does so often with a New York sense of humor and approach, that I very much appreciate.

Mr. Menin has a certain “ironic irreverence” that may not be understood by one and all, but there is more than just this blogger who thinks that that character trait is “not all bad.”

And Mr. Menin is not afraid to let people know who he is or what he thinks. His blog is a testimony to that. If you would like to know who Bruce Menin is, I would check out his blog at: newburyportschools.blogspot.com.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

(Editor’s Note: Please see the very moving post by Bruce Menin about Vickie Pearson that clarifies the length of the School Committee terms (4 years) and how Bruce Menin has come to serve 6 years on the Newburyport School Committee. Please press here to read that post).

Well, I learned something.

For me, anyone with a name associated with the “Yes for Newburyport” folks would be “polarizing.”

But, I think that the election for Newburyport School Committee is really, really important, and I got to tell you I know almost zip about the candidates. (Now I know a little bit more than completely zip.)

So since Stephanie Weaver (who is running for Newburyport School Committee) lives near by, I decided to stop by on one of my walks and introduce myself.

Well, I gotta tell you folks, I had an incredibly pleasant surprise.

Stephanie Weaver, in my book, turned out to be not a “this is how we are going to do it” sort of person, but instead someone who is a “listener” and appears to have a talent that is very much needed– a communicator and a “bridge-builder.”

It takes a whole lot to impress me, and I was way impressed.

I’m sure many of you have noticed signs around town. Most of the time they are clumped together in ideological groups.

But take a look at this twosome:

Stephanie Weaver, School Committee
Gary Roberts, Councilor at Large

In most people’s books, this would be a political and ideological “odd couple.”

But there they are. Two folks very much trying to be Newburyport “bridge-builders.” And I got to say that this works for me.

And the feedback that I’ve gotten from other folks, and I gotta say unlikely candidates, is that Stephanie Weaver is one of the folks at the top of their list.

Ms Weaver has been working real hard at going door to door. So if she happens to knock on your door, take a moment, have a chat and take the time to introduce yourself to this young lady. Be a bridge-builder too.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

I’ve read (I think) a number of times in the Newburyport Daily News and at least once on Bruce Menin’s Blog that the electorate is impatient with the Newburyport School Committee and would like them to hurry up and make decisions.

As I recall, I have read these words or similar words, from “Yes for Newburyport” members (pro-override group for the Newburyport Schools).

And a number of “Yes for Newburyport” folks are running for Newburyport School Committee.

Unfortunately, running a municipality is a slow and messy business.

John Moak hoped to come in as Mayor of Newburyport, MA and clear up the Central Waterfront and parking issues ASAP, and what he found was, nope, not so easy to do.

In fact Mr. Moak’s opponent in the November 6th election, Jim Stiles, is a pro-waterfront, less-parking on the waterfront candidate. So much for easy, no hassle solutions.

And if one, some or all of the “Yes” folks get elected to the Newburyport School Committee, I imagine they would find that, yes indeed, this is not a CEO, let’s make a decision now sort of thing.

Having the honor of serving as an elected official is about public process and public input, which is almost always muddled and chaotic.

And if that public input could be short-changed, look out. Whatever decision was made, almost always backfires.

In fact, I hate to say it, but it’s almost always best to have too much public input than not enough, especially on hot-button issues.

And the since the special spring election for the override for the Newburyport schools, unfortunately, (in part, in my opinion, due to a hurried decision–an example of a quick decision backfiring big time) the Newburyport Schools have become a very polarizing issue in this small New England city.

So whoever wins the election for Newburyport School Committee would, I imagine, need to ask for the “Wisdom of Solomon,” because that, and public process, is what it is going to take to start to resolve the conundrum that is facing our Newburyport city schools.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

(Editor’s note: The folks running for Newburyport School Committee for the election on November 6, 2007 are: Nicholas Dekanter, Scott Frisch, Tracey Hurst, Barbara McDonough, Bruce Menin, Stephanie Weaver.)

So far there are 2 candidates running for political office for the November 2007 election who have blogs (that I know of).

What can I say, I am becoming more partial to political candidate blogs, than I am to political candidate websites, because the blog format seems to give a more down to earth and realistic idea of who the candidate might be, without political spin.

This is true of Bruce Menin’s blog:
(newburyportschools.blogspot.com)

One discovers Mr. Menin is both informed and at times, long-winded.

Bruce tells me that very complicated issues cannot be addressed in short posts.

I am sure that those who care passionately about the issues of our schools are grateful for the more detailed entries. However, if I’m zoning out on long posts, and I really pay attention, what is your average reader going to do?

And the blog could demonstrate the difficulty that the Newburyport School Committee has in communicating with the public. The electorate in general can absorb short, one sentence sound bites. Very little else. Sad but true.

Meticulous explanations might not be as effective as one might hope in connecting with the public.

The blog may give you a “truthiness” insight into what you would get if you re-elect Mr. Menin (who at times can be funny and audacious) to the Newburyport School Committee.

And Ed Cameron now has a blog.

So far this delights me.

Here is a quote from Mr. Cameron’s blog:
(edcameron.blogspot.com)

“Over Labor Day weekend, I met two households on Howard Street whose situations illustrate the pressures. For a retired couple with a fixed income, property taxes are the main issue in this campaign. For a younger couple at the other end of the street, schools are the most important issue and at the same time they too are feeling the pinch (or perhaps vise-grip is a better analogy) of local property taxes.


To me, lowering reliance on the property tax and providing for an excellent public education experience are not mutually exclusive…” (edcameron.blogspot.com, September 4, 2007)

I am still unclear how any of our elected officials or concerned citizens are going to find the massive amount of funds that we as a city need (and have needed like forever). However, for the purpose of this post, that for the moment, is beside the point.

What that entry suggests is that Ed Cameron has the makings of a first rate Newburyport City Councilor. He appears not only to have the ability to listen to his possible future constituents, but to also to “hear” what they have to say.

Oh, my, what a gift.

Seriously, what I often run into with political folks (not to repeat myself endlessly, but to repeat myself endlessly) is that they nod at you as you are speaking to them and then proceed to tell you why you are wrong or worse yet, don’t even address the question or concern at all.

Listening and hearing and even changing one’s perception of what might be needed for the folks in Newburyport, MA is a rare gift. Mr. Cameron appears to be moving more to the political “center” just by going “door to door” and hearing what folks in Ward 4 are saying, feeling and what they are afraid of.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

(Editor’s Note: The Primary to vote for Mayor of Newburyport, MA is Tuesday, September 18, 2007.)

Bruce Menin has a pretty interesting blog. I’m a pretty tough blog critic, and Mr. Menin seems to have the blogging thing down so far. Factual, easy to read, half info, half campaign… a very interesting approach… so far… and with a couple of pretty funny pictures (which I like a lot).

On the blog Bruce Menin reports that Mayor John Moak has appointed a “task force” to analyze the city of Newburyport’s revenue sources (i.e. money for schools).

“The Mayor has invited William Heenahan, Dr. Ralph Orlando, Brenda Reffett, Jay Iannini and Ellen Supple from the Community; Deidre Farrell will represent the School Administration, Ari Herzog will represent the mayor, Mark Wright and I (Menin) will represent the School Committee, and a member of the City Council will have the opportunity to volunteer next Monday.” newburyportschools.blogspot.com, August 21, 2007.

I’d say I’m pretty impressed by that list of folks. Ellen Supple has been a very helpful reader of the Newburyport Blog, and I am relieved to see Brenda Reffett on there and my very bright young neighbor, Jay Iannini on there as well.

These are all passionate folks and passionate from different points of view, and not afraid to speak up or speak their minds.

This is working for me.

Mr. Menin has all kinds of information about the task force on his blog. So if this is a passion of yours, go check it out.

(And as a btw, the list at the side of the Newburyport Blog listing candidates for the Newburyport 2007 election, Newburyport City Council, Newburyport Mayor and Newburyport School Committee is growing, so be sure to check the side of the Newburyport Blog as the list gets added onto.)

Mary Eaton
Newburyport