Well sweets, here we are past the halfway pernt of the month, and as Iyam scribing this week’s missive to you, I see that our January Thaw was short-lived and that snow is in the forecast again – not much, but enuff. We had a couple o’ nice days, but the cold has come back and with it dampness that gits into the bones. Cobina’s bones have been creaking for weeks, and when my lumbago kicks up, it makes for a very trying day.
Tennyrate, yew didn’t wanna hear about my travails with the weather. Yew wanted to hear what was going on in the realm of politics and life here in the Asylum by the Sea. Effen yew thought the new year would mean things around here would git less addle-painted, yew lose that bet.
Sammy Bluejay informed me that the Democratic Town Committee had its caucus last week, and jest when they thought it would be smooth sailing with no primary, only one districk put a damper on the evening’s events. For the record, Sammy sez that nine of the ten districks went unopposed during the caucus.
The Fourth Districk, however, had a few glitches in that people moved, decided to get on with their lives or, generally, wanted a respite from politics, and that’s where the night got interesting. There is gonna be a primary in the Fourth, and I guess that takes place in March.
And the interesting thing about this is Sammy sez the balance of power on the Town Committee will be determined by the outcome of this vote.
As yew know, there is an intramural battle going on for control of the committee, and the circumstances around what was going on in the fourth make it ripe for a primary and a battle betwixt those poised against the new administration and those poised for it. In other words, the Demmies are doing what they seem to do best: fight amongst themselves.
That means primary petitions will be circulated by the candidates and those will hafta be certified and the usual rumors will go around as to whether what happened was kosher or not. Like I said, it’ll be a usual Demmie affair.
I’ll keep yew posted on it, honey bunch, but I hear the phone lines are burning (or whatever they do nowadays) with each side trying to structure up their fight.
By the way, one of the reasons that seems to prompt this fight is that the 116th District is up for grabs in November in the biennial General Assembly elections. The current incumbent, despite the fack he might be doing a good job – Michael DiMassa – is seen as too cozy with the former leadership, and there are rumbles that the new leadership has a person it wants to ensconce in that seat.
So, leadership on the Town Committee and a possible assembly seat: those are reasons to continue the battle within the party, I guess. Meanwhile, the city’s fortunes continue in decline.
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Meanwhile, the GOP Town Committee ain’t been telling much of a story. They, too, have a restructuring to do and one hopes that the restructuring will mean something. Dave Riccio didn’t poll the votes that people thought – or hoped – he would, but he did give a new impetus to the party faithful, who seemed a bit more engaged in the fight than in past years.
Things in this berg ain’t gonna git any better until a real opposition party gets structured up. Maybe they are on their way. One hopes that’s the case. Despite the disappointing numbers, the GOP did mount a perty good campaign, and did bring up some isshews.
It’s been more than a quarter-century since the GOP ruled this roost, and a city ain’t doing well when one party has all the power – and for so long. Effen it wasn’t for the fack that the ruling party is split into three different factions there’d be very little to excite a body. Still, the rearranging of the deck chairs doesn’t make for an exciting time.
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Nelly Nuthatch made mention of the fack that Leo Kelly was re-hired as Tree Warden in our fair berg. Kelly held the post up until a few years ago, when he and the former hizzoner had a dust-up over the removal of a tree on the Green. After a bit of a back-and-forth, hizzoner decided to rid himself of the meddlesome tree expert (think Henry II). With the new administration comes a new appointment and Leo is back in his familiar position. One doesn’t know if this is a finger in the eye of the former administration or seen as the righting of a wrong. With politics around here, it could be one or t’other, seldom both. Maybe in this case it is both.
It does bring up a problem that I brought up to yew a few weeks back. With the change of leadership comes a change of faces. But as with most that happens around here, it isn’t a change of faces to the pernt that many are new.
The same-old faces are coming back. That’s got a few people a bit down on the change of leadership. Listen they’re fishing outta the same pond, and they’re gonna go with the people they know. Though, it would be nice to see a new face or two around here.
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Iva Lootey came in t’other afternoon and said that a new assault has been made on a member of the teaching profession who asked too many questions regarding union finances and expenditures. Remember, the last person to do that – Vic Hogfeldt – had a case put up against him and is now suing the school system.
The pattern is the same: A teacher who has good reviews and then ventures into questions all of a sudden has its good review go south. A case is made for doing “remedial work” with the underlying storyline being questions should never have been asked.
Teachers are keeping an eye on this cuz this is the latest in a series of happenings that seem to be planned and dangerous to the professional lives of those in the classroom. And when is the superintendent’s contract up for extension?
Meanwhile, I hear-tell that things are percolating on the Hogfeldt front. Iva tells me that whilst there are more than a few members of the profession who didn’t like Vic’s methods they are hoping that he wins and wins big before the bar of justice. Sometimes the only way to bring a renegade administration down is through the pocketbook. It’s the only time people pay attention.
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Finally, I haven’t mentioned it in a while, but wonder what in blazes is going on over on Beach Street. Yeah, the former Captain’s Galley was torn down, and there is a plan for a new emporium over there more toward the back of the lot. When and if that gets going is anyone’s guess.
But with the new administration, one hopes that some movement will happen on the two other areas of the thoroughfare. The former Debonair Motel is still lying fallow and deteriorating under the harsh New England weather. It’s been nearly four years since it was bought and the new owners were “looking for ideas from the neighborhood.” The neighborhood has changed since that happened.
Then there is the former Chick’s. It is still unsold and it’s been two years since it shut its doors. I find it hard to believe that two prime pieces of property aren’t attractive to someone – especially since there is work that’s gonna happen on the flooding over there.
It’s a puzzle.
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With that bit o’ chatter, I’ll close this time till next, mitt luff und kizzes,