Dracut Forum

At this week’s Board of Selectmens’ meeting, we earlier heard that Dracut suspened the liquor licenses of two local establishments that flunked a police sting thie May.

The Sun editorial board congratulated the board on its decision:

We also applaud the Dracut Board of Selectmen for sending a message of zero tolerance by voting to suspend the licenses of two businesses that sold alcohol to minors.

Nason’s Quick Mart on Lakeview Avenue and Dracut Center Convenience on Bridge Street both sold beer to an underage female during a Dracut police sting operation. Nason’s license was suspended for 30 days and the Dracut Center Convenience’s license was suspended for 42 days. Hopefully, the time will allow the stores to clear up their problems.

I don’t think we’ll ever win the battle against teen drinking, but our board is doing what it can to reduce it in our town.

But I’m sorry, if a store makes it to a third offense in the future.. I think they better plan on license revocation.

With all the talk of “reform” at the state level.. why is nobody looking at the ABCC?

The Lowell Sun’s political gossip column had an item this week summarizing the happenings at last week’s Board of Selectmen’s meeting when the DATV Board of Directors

and staff arrived to defend thier operation from what they considered and unfair attack on the integrity of them and their operation:

IN AN INTENSE and heated discussion, selectmen and Dracut Access Television Board members attempted to clear the air about two incidents.

During a special meeting at the Town Hall lunch room on May 18, selectmen were surprised to see a DATV cameraman show up.

So surprised that DATV board members said Selectmen Chairman George Malliaros slammed the door in the cameraman’s face.

During Monday night’s selectmen meeting, Malliaros said he did it in a joking manner.

“I just didn’t expect a televised public meeting,” Malliaros said. “If I was inappropriate, I apologize.”

Some selectmen weren’t dressed as they would normally be for a regularly scheduled (and televised) meeting, and felt it would have been common courtesy for DATV to tell them they planned on taping the meeting.

“I don’t think we have to notify you to dress appropriately for a public meeting — that’s common sense,” said DATV board member May Paquette.

DATV board members were also upset about comments made by Selectmen Jim O’Loughlin, who was concerned about DATV being used as a political tool, after a political candidate wanted to pay a cameraman to use DATV equipment to tape a political advocacy show.

“If I insulted anyone, I apologize. If I defamed anyone, I apologize,” O’Loughlin said on Monday. “I do not apologize for raising the issue that I had a concern that cable was being used for political issues.”

O’Loughlin also questioned how DATV spent their money, after he was told DATV was a “corporation” and he had no right to question it.

DATV board member Mike McNamara said on Monday that O’Loughin’s comments attacked the board’s reputation.

“The only thing that Mr. O’Loughlin manages to accomplish is to tarnish the reputation and integrity of the entire DATV Board, a board that has given literally hundreds of hours of volunteer service to the community,” McNamara said, while reading from a statement.

This morning’s Lowell Sun describes the current situation with regard to the Louisburg Square project off of Mammoth Road.

As Dracut (and all the other communities around us) work to try to create more housing for our elderly community, this project will at least get some units for that purpose. And although they are already mostly occupied, they will remain affordable after the current tenants.

“We’re constantly trying to find other avenues to get more housing,” DiRocco said. “With the economy the way it is, it’s tough to survive.”

DiRocco said the DHA hopes to develop an acre of property the town repossessed on Lakeview Avenue just before Nashua Road.

For many seniors, the need for affordable housing is just as critical as developing a sense of community.

By Bridget Scrimenti, bscrimenti@lowellsun.com

DRACUT — Seniors living on fixed incomes sometimes have to choose between medication and food.

Senior housing units at Louisburg Square on Mammoth Road will hopefully ease that burden.

“Our seniors deserve it,” said Selectman Joe DiRocco, who serves on the town’s Affordable Housing Partnership Committee. “They work hard all their lives and, at the end, they don’t have anything.”

In December, the town will purchase an apartment building at 1476 Mammoth Road, with 38 existing senior units. The Dracut Housing Authority will manage the building.

Seniors who live in the apartments will pay 30 percent of their income, which includes deductions for prescriptions and medical bills.

“It’s much more feasible for people,” said Housing Authority Executive Director Mary Karabatsos. “It makes sense that someone on a fixed income will pay a fixed rent.”

Read the rest »

3 Major topics tonite.. Lites at Veterans Park.. again, Convenience stores failing a sting, and DATV defends their honor.

Lights at Veterans Park

I think the people of this town are just about giving up on believing that this town can be trusted to keep its word.

We had a number of youth sports people speak to allowing additional lighting at Veterans park.

Its funny, in that May Paquette, Glen Edwards and others spoke to the time back when the park was built (after the land was already purchased).. that during the public hearings the football program had no need for lighting.. they mostly wanted the field for Sunday morning games.

Now they tell us they want it for just a few hours, 2 or 3 nights a week.

Well, what will the people five years from now say?

Nobody spoke on the side of the neighbors. The public hearing was continued to allow notice to be sent to some abutters who were forgotten. I assume we will then hear from some of the neighbors.. and the Selectmen will have to say something to the issue of keeping their word.

Nasson’s and Dracut Center Convenience

Both convenience stores were in for “show cause” hearings because of sales to minors (this time an undercover sting performed by the Dracut PD in May).

Each got a 30 day suspension which will probably go to the ABCC and be reduced to 10 minutes and time served.

Dracut Center also has to serve the remaining 12 days that were held in abeyance from their prior offense.

I agree with Zimini on this one that maybe its time for us to revoke some licenses. If the ABCC looks at the history of what the board has done, maybe we need a first. Billerica just did.

DATV comes in to defend their integrity.. and do it well.

From Bob Corey speaking out of turn, but very passionatly about the concept of open meeting (”Are you kidding?!”), to May Paquette’s reviewing the checks and balances that their finances are protected by, to Jack Lyons showing that no political motives were behind anything at the station.. to Dr McNamara’s devastating attack on O’loughlin.. it was probably the best show on TV tonite.

It all grew out of proportion, but it had to be done. O’Loughlin said that “if I offended anyone’s integrity, I apologize.” but then went right on challenging their ability to keep the organization non-political. I personally believe the DATV board have gone overboard keeping it non-political and commend them on that.

But when McNamara started asking the same questions to O’loughlin regarding the Dracut Food Pantry, you could hear a pin drop in that room.

“You think that I care what you have to say? You think this is over? Its not. You just wait.” May Paquette quoted a selectman as saying to her at Town Meeting.

She also made one statement that I think everyone heard. “We tape every Board of Selectmen’s meeting that we can be at. .. you can expect that we’ll be there at every meeting. If we can we will, if we dont have the resources we won’t,” she said, “so expect us.”

The point was made.

By Keith O’Neil, Sun Correspondent

DRACUT — In a 3-2 vote, the School Committee approved a budget of $26.59 million for fiscal 2010, but some feel the budget is not enough to properly run the school district.

Voting in favor of the budget were Chairman Matthew Sheehan and members Michael Miles and Ronald Mercier. Bonnie Elie and Michael McNamara voted against the budget.

“According to the state, that isn’t enough,” Sheehan said. “We have to do the best we can with what we have.”

“We should be at $34 million,” Miles added. “That’s what net school spending says.”

McNamara said the budget of $26.6 million “is what the town can afford at this time.”

McNamara added that Dracut is fortunate to have stimulus money in the budget, which is $708,000.

The board discussed the amount of potential layoffs in the school district, which is estimated to be between 16 and 18 employees.

“Now that the money is in place, the school administration will decide that tomorrow,” McNamara said.

“(Dracut) will lose a lot of young and very talented teachers,” Miles said.

Matthews said the school board tried to get the teachers and nurses unions to take a wage freeze, but were denied.

“The board as a whole talked to the teachers union and nurse union to take a wage freeze,” Matthews said. “Just to put off raises for one year, and they said no.”

Matthews added that the custodians agreed to a wage freeze.

Also discussed at last night’s meeting, held at Dracut High School, was the possibility that DHS has three vice principals — two full time and one part time.

“That is extreme excess,” Miles said. “There is no way we can continue with three vice principals if we lay off teachers. Hopefully, we will be down to two by the beginning of the school year.”

“Dracut is big enough to have two, three is questionable,” McNamara said.

Sheehan said the possibility of eliminating the third assistant principal will be discussed at another School Committee meeting.