April has toined to May, and those April showers are bringing up May flowers effen Cobina’s allergies have anything to say about it. It’s been quite a spring so far, honey bunch. Like I sez to you a few weeks ago, for the foist time in a while we seem to be havin’ a real spring with gradually warm weather – and a few cold spurts along the way. Let’s hope with May coming upon us things get nice and warm. But yew remember what Granny Navalance used to say, “After May, the year just flies by.” Let’s hope not. Yew and I don’t need things to git any faster at our age.
Here in the Asylum by the Sea, we are getting set for the City Council to pass the annual budget by means of an ordinance vote. The boys and girls on the City Council have done their due diligence, and reviewed things, and as of this writing, the meeting has to happen this week, cuz the charter calls for the budget to be passed by 11:59 this peeyem.
As we’ve said they’ve done a bit of work around the edges of the budget, according to Sammy Bluejay, and given a few bucks hither or thither, but it is expected that the budget will pass perty much as is. As our esteemed editor notes in his editorial this week, there seemed to be a different attitude and atmosphere here abouts this time ‘round.
It’s probably cuz things seem to be pernting in a positive direction for the first time in a very, very long time. Things aren’t as dramatic as before. Every decision doesn’t have the earth-shattering importance it seems to have in past years. That’s not a bad thing. We shall see how things turn out, but for the first time in a while, the budget ordinance process doesn’t seem as onerous as it’s been. That’s jest Sammy’s take on it.
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Well, was it really a surprise? By the time yew git this missive Barry Lee Cohen, the foist-term councilman from the Tenth District has thrown his chapeau into the arena and will be seeking the GOP nomination for mayor. This has been a rumor for a few weeks, and Cohen made his announcement earlier this week. He did it after consulting with party leaders and friends and family, we are told. This will add a new spice to the mix, that’s for sure.
Cohen has made a splash since he was elected to the council. He is involved in everything, makes sure the GOP gits props if it does anything of importance, and has been a burr in the saddle of more than a few Demmies, cuz he calls them out on occasion.
He is a person who’s been in the corporate world, so he knows when bovine fertilizer is being sent his way, and makes sure that the person sending it gets it back. Bovine fertilizer is the coin of the realm when it comes to politics, especially here in our little corner of the universe.
So, Cohen is the foist Republican to announce. Iva Lootey was with me for tea t’other afternoon and sez that members of the GOP are still wondering who the “dark horse” candidate is that was mentioned in song and story a few weeks ago. No indication has been forthcoming, which is surprising in this berg, which has a big problem keeping secrets. As the old expression goes, “A secret is something you tell one person at a time.”
Tennyrate, Michele Gregorio has opted outta a run this time round, citing other interests and projects. Who can blame her? There was in-fighting last time around, and the unified support that was expected neve came about. It’ll be interesting to see what happens this time.
Steve Mullins has already let it be known he ain’t interested in a run in ’21 as he is not happy with the party leadership. Sooooo, right now it’s Cohen and a possible “other.”
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As far as the Demmies go, it seems the three-way primary is set. Don’t expeck that anyone will be opting outta this one. As yew remember, it’s two challengers that have announced: John Lewis and Ed O’Brien. Herronner is yet to announce, but that ain’t unusual. The incumbent always seems to wait a while – sometimes until June – before making it official.
Word is amongst Demmies that she will run again, and will tout her fiscal program as a success. And, why wouldn’t she? Things do seem to be looking up.
Methinks, though, effen this Enterprise Zone don’t start panning out some, that could be a big isshew come the primaries and/or the general election. Bit announcements usually fade into the mist of history in these parts. The Arts Center, the UNH Law School, 5 Water Street, the list is endless. It’s gonna be an interesting summer.
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Nelly Nuthatch was flutterin’ about the berg and mentioned that on top of sidewalk replacements being made all over town, paving is going on everywhere, it seems. Milling and paving have happened in various parts of town, including the Burma Road that was once Prindle Hill Road. One can actually traverse the street and not have one’s gassamobuggy needing a realignment. That’s progress.
Of course, Nelly mentioned that Chestnut Street was just paved, and what did we see there just days after – the gas company making a hole to do some repairs. Yikes!
Frontier – the phone company – is doing all kinds of work on telephone poles. It don’t seem one can travel more than a few blocks before one is coming up to a “lane closed” area. It’s been going on for a few weeks and I guess we can expeck it’s gonna go on for a few more.
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The Mystick Maidens of the Marsh are gonna do it again, honey. Effen yew recall, the city announced that the Memorial Day parade is back on the schedule, and the city is lookin’ for marching units. I think the MMM’s Dixieland Band and our color guard would make a fine addition to the procession.
Of course, yew remember that over the decades we were never allowed into the parade for reasons that none of us were ever privy to. Soooo, we’re gonna put in an application this time around and see effen it works. How knows, maybe for the foist time in history the Mystick Maidens will be getting the recognition we deserve. More later.
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Madame Olga came by and was relating to Cobina how the demolition over in the Haven Project seems to be proceeding apace. More buildings are down and the clean up of the debris is gong on. Even some of the former domiciles seem to be missing from former locations, so I guess we can say the project is really going forward.
There’s an old boat house out there in the sound, and Olga was wondering what was gonna happen there? She looked in her crystal, but things were a bit cloudy. Not sure effen that boathouse was a relic from the city’s ship-building days, but effen it is, maybe it should be preserved. Maybe the local history buffs – including our own Dan Shine and City Historian Jon Purmont can clarify the pedigree of that building.
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With that bit o’ chatter, I’ll close this time till next, mitt my usual luff und kizzez,