At tonite’s meeting, we should hear of the appointment of members to a subcommittee to review the hiring procedures used by Superintedent Mullin with regard to the last Principal, and any others that may occur.
This is in response to Dr McNamara’s request at the last meeting (summarized in this [...]
By Erin Smith, esmith@lowellsun.com
DRACUT — How did Superintendent W. Spencer Mullin make his decision to hire the new principal for Englesby Intermediate School?
School Committee member Mike McNamara wants to know, after he said complaints surfaced from screening committee members who felt their voices weren’t heard.
“People put [...]
We all read in the Sun last week (and earlier on Brian’s Dracut Politics blog) about another housing proposal.
This project would involve some property off of Bridge street on the Richardson property.
This project, like the one before it, would either be contingent on state funding [...]
DRACUT — In the wake of a failed affordable-housing plan for seniors, some town officials are quietly lining up support behind a new proposal.
About a month after the Dracut Housing Authority called off plans to buy the 38 units at 1476 Mammoth Road known as Louisburg Square [...]
That didn’t take long.
Like I said a few days ago, I had heard they were close to selecting a replacement.
Looks like Gary, who has been running the annual Dracut Scholarship Foundation Telethon, will be taking over at DATV as Executive Director.
This is probably a good [...]
DRACUT — Well, that was fast.
Weeks after DATV executive director Steve Russo announced he was leaving his post, the local cable-access station that broadcasts town meetings has hired his replacement.
Dracut native Gary Meuse has been hired to head the station, according to Jack Lyons, chairman of DATV’s [...]
By Erin Smith, Lowell Sun
DRACUT — If you didn’t know Rebecca Duda teaches eighth-grade history, you would have assumed she was a rock star.
“Duda! Duda! Duda!” chanted her students after Duda received the Milken Educator Award in a surprise ceremony at Lakeview Junior High School Wednesday.
The [...]
Can you believe it? We just started covering the efforts of this teacher over the last few months. We were extremely impressed with her ability to bring history alive to her students, as well as her efforts to save the Claypit Cemetery.
I guess word somehow got out.. because she has [...]
Erin Smith is going full bore.
Dracut has been all over the paper lately, not only with the “summary” story listing every issue from the last six months that appeared in yesterday’s paper, but today we get to learn the results of two issues (one from that list, and another [...]
DRACUT — The man in charge of DATV, the town’s cable-access station that broadcasts local meetings and residents’ homegrown studio shows, recently announced he’s leaving his job in Dracut at the end of the month.
Here’s the problem: When [...]
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DRACUT — Embattled Dracut High Vice Principal Hank Golec is officially retiring in January.
Golec recently submitted his papers to retire as of Jan. 21 and Superintendent W. Spencer Mullin has [...]
One excellent resource in the search for family history is the Registry of Deeds in the local courthouses.
Ours is an example of modern efficiency and technical excellence through the efforts of Dick Howe Jr.
He has moved a great deal of the registry deed and records online, in a simple [...]
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DRACUT — The chairman of the Board of Selectmen is questioning why police union officials waited more than a month to accuse Deputy Chief Dave Chartrand of being intoxicated when he responded to a [...]
Its hard to get away from this story, but what seems like a continuing rivalry between Dracut’s Deputy Chief Dave Chartrand and the Union Executive Jerry Flynn has a history that’s hard to forget. Headlining today’s Lowell Sun political gossip column was the Chartrand story.
The article [...]
Union’s potshot at deputy not its first
No Love is lost between Jerry Flynn, executive director of the New England Police Benevolent Association, and Dracut Deputy Police Chief David Chartrand, who Flynn accused last week of being under the influence of alcohol when he was off duty and showed up at [...]
DRACUT – In a new report, a patrolman says he came close to shooting off-duty Deputy Chief Dave Chartrand after both responded to a late-September domestic incident.
Officer Derek Scribner responded to a 911 call for a possible hostage situation involving a man [...]
I’ll continue the same theme that Brian did.
At the last call for a bone marrow drive in Dracut to help find a donor for Alexis Gorman, over 500 people came forward to be tested and added to the bone marrow database.
Soon after, a matching donor was found in [...]
Still feeling a little uneasy about Monday’s school committee meeting, and not sure of what the undertone was, I gave a call to Dr Mike McNamara to get some first hand input.
You see, from an observer’s point of view, it looked to me like he was putting forward a motion to [...]
Its a tough one to listen to. I heard about this coming last week.
This morning’s paper discusses an investigation over a September incident where Deputy Chief Chartrand removed a shotgun from a home following a domestic disturbance.
The question, however, was whether he should have been involved because of his [...]
By Erin Smith, esmith@lowellsun.com
DRACUT — Police Chief Kevin Richardson said yesterday he has opened a preliminary inquiry into whether his off-duty deputy chief had been drinking when he showed up to a 911 domestic call for a man with a shotgun and wound up almost getting shot by his own [...]
School-board member accused of handpicking Golec replacement
By Erin Smith, esmith@lowellsun.com
DRACUT — School Committee members are accusing one of their own of quietly and illegally handpicking a replacement for embattled Dracut High School Vice Principal Hank Golec, who is facing allegations of breaching the school’s security system and misusing surveillance equipment.
Last [...]
State group: Dracut’s school chief one of many retiring
By Erin Smith, esmith@lowellsun.com DRACUT — School officials only have about six months to come up with a plan for next year’s school budget, and on Wednesday, Superintendent of Schools W. Spencer Mullin announced he plans to retire [...]This morning’s Lowell Sun headline: “Charges fly in Dracut.” Seems a little over the top.
Bonnie Elie put forth a motion on a proposal to add a new permanent position to the high school administration.
She didn’t do it in secret, after having had behind the scenes meetings [...]
I had four meetings scheduled for tonite… so I had to choose. Funny thing was, two of them were in the same building.
At the Dracut Historic Society this evening, the society invited Dracut Teacher Rebecca Duda to make a presentation to their monthly meeting.
Her selection was Dracut African Americans in [...]
The Lowell Sun Editorial today gives a “thumbs down” to Dracut for not being more forthcoming with information on the Hank Golec affair.
Dracut residents have a lot of questions regarding the lengthy absence of Dracut High School vice principal Hank Golec. They deserve some answers.
Golec has been [...]
A note at the Town website reminds us of the Veteran’s Day ceremony to be held on Wednesday morning at Veteran’s Park:
Veterans’ Day ceremonies will be held on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 8:00 a.m. at the Dracut Veterans’ Monument site located on Broadway Road (Rte.113 East.)
Coffee and doughnuts will [...]
With the sudden retirement of Spencer Mullin, of whom none of us really got any chance to get to know (his fault, not ours), there is going to be a need for another Superintendent search.
The Sun today had an editorial recommending that the School Committee [...]
The Dracut School Committee was handed an unexpected challenge this week when Superintendent W. Spencer Mullin sent the chairman a single-sentence notification of his decision to retire, effective March 3.
Filling the top school post within the next four months would require [...]
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DRACUT — Shocked school officials said they were blindsided by Superintendent of Schools W. Spencer Mullin’s abrupt decision to resign yesterday.
Mullin, who has only been in his job for [...]
On Monday, November 9th at the monthly meeting of the Dracut Historical Society, Rebecca Duda be presenting a lecture on African Americans in Dracut.
With Veterans’ Day just two days later, it seems appropriate that the presentation focus on the African Americans from Dracut who served in the American Revolution.
Dracut sent [...]
I’ve heard that the school committee has received a letter from Spencer Mullin that he is retiring.
It was short, and to the point.
More info as we get it.
Update: Statement from the Chairman of the School Committee, Matt Sheehan:
As [...]
The town meeting got off pretty much on time. The quorum was close, but we made it (I still would prefer a zero quorum).
The first couple articles quickly were deferred until June. One was about changing the “envelope” around the APR property Mrs Ogonowski lives within.. the [...]
I got word this weekend that the Internal Affairs investigation over at the Lowell Police department regarding Coach Jeff Moore’s work with the Dracut High School Football team was completed.
No problems were found, and any time he was at DHS was found to be done under proper circumstances.
What was that? [...]
Chairman Malliaros was still out on sick leave.. so we had Joe DiRocco chairing.
The meeting did review the articles for the upcoming Town Meeting.
TOWN MEETING MONDAY, 7:30 at the HIGH SCHOOL
There are only a few, and some are being tabled until June.
There is one fairly important one though. Back in [...]
What is a “Conflict of Interest”?
The definitions I find always refer to a situation where a person’s self-interest or interest in another party or organization could undermine their responsibility in making an impartial decision on another matter.
To be a conflict, there has to be a decision being made, and two [...]
I took the opportunity to take a walk today out behind the Bowling Alley on Pawtucket Blvd in Lowell to see the results of the efforts last weekend to clean up the Claypit Cemetary site.
Claypit Cemetary
Dracut’s Oldest Burial Ground has become an ongoing [...]
If there’s one way to kill off future projects in town, its to keep destroying the relationship’s between the town and local developers.
Now, I’m not a great fan of the ongoing saga with Alan Kazanjian. Some out there stand up for him, others deride his every move.. but his selling [...]
There’s been a lot of political mudslinging in the wake of Dracut Housing Authority Commission’s decision to scrap plans for Dracut to buy a building at 1476 Mammoth road known as Louisburg Square. The now-defunct plan was to turn the 38 unit apartment complex into affordable housing for the elderly.
The [...]
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DRACUT — The state never planned to pay for bathroom renovations at a proposed affordable-housing complex for seniors, according to 2008 paperwork used to hire an architect for the controversial project known as [...]
DRACUT — At least 200 senior citizens want to live in affordable housing in town and the waiting lists are growing.
“It’s a mess,” said Maggie Thomas, 84, about the lack of affordable housing for seniors in town. “It’s sad to see some of them asking, ‘How am [...]
I had been contacted by Rebecca Duda a while back, and want to once again commend the work that they are doing to protect the old Claypit cemetary.
Remembering our heritage is important. The old gravestones and cemetaries are a source of great interest and historical knowledge. The Claypit Cemetary [...]
A majority of the Dracut Housing Authority this week successfully shot down the controversial 38-unit affordable-housing project for seniors called Louisburg Square.
In winning the battle, however, did the majority lose the war?
Dracut hasn’t built any new units of affordable senior housing in about 25 years, [...]
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DRACUT — Did the elderly lose out on affordable housing because of political payback?
Selectmen Joe DiRocco and Robert Cox believe Housing Authority officials sabotaged the Louisburg Square project to [...]
That’s been the question since May..
Big headline article in this morning’s Sun.. “Housing denial called Revenge.”
DiRocco and Cox explain the issues from thier point of view. Martin did not get appointed to school board, others did not support Cuhna’s election. Was it all payback? They’ve thought so for months.
Jim O’loughlin [...]
I agree with Brian, hope your doing well and look forward to seeing you back at the board.
Good that you knew to get help immediately, hope others learn from your example.
This morning’s Sun has a small article about Selectman Malliaros’ recent health troubles.
[...]By Erin Smith, Lowell Sun
DRACUT — After four years of planning, the Dracut Housing Authority Commission called off plans to buy an affordable-housing complex for the elderly.
The commission voted 3-2 to kill the plan to purchase the 38-unit complex at 1476 Mammoth Road. The contentious project, [...]
The Dracut Housing Authority voted last night to abandon the Louisburg Square project, and instead start a process to work towards another project.
In an expcected vote of 3 to 2, with Tommy Salem and George Nangle voting against, the authority commission voted not to sign any agreement with the [...]
It couldn’t be held forever. Everyone knew that Selectmen John Zimini had found a job a while back, after being out of work for a while.
What was interesting, and created the interest, was his not willing to tell anyone where he was working.
Eventually, it would have had to come out. [...]
Wednesday’s vote by the planning board was against the locating of a large Walgreen’s store at the intersection of Mammoth Road and Lakeview Avenue.
Much of the neighborhood was against it, having heard from other towns how the neighborhood would change.
The owners of the properties that were to be sold [...]
if(requestedWidth > 0){ document.getElementById('articleViewerGroup').style.width = requestedWidth + "px"; document.getElementById('articleViewerGroup').style.margin = "0px 0px 10px 10px";DRACUT — A proposal to bring a Walgreens pharmacy to a busy part of town was shot down last [...]
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DRACUT — Town planners may have rejected a plan to bring Walgreens to Dracut, but residents who own the land are now planning to sell their lots so a strip mall can [...]
A reminder that the next Dracut Housing Authority meeting is next Monday at 6:00 p.m.
I checked around, and found that the Authority did get the communication from Town Manager Dennis Piendak two weeks ago, and copies of his letter were hand delivered to each of [...]
The Appraisal report for the Elderly Apartment Building at 1576 Mammoth Road (which we generally call Louisburg Square) came in today.
Town Manager Dennis Piendak, during his Manager’s report to the Board of Selectmen announced the reception of the report today, and summarized it as having [...]
I heard that John Zimini was having a fundraiser last week, sponsored by Colleen Garry and Tim Murray. I think Joe Dirocco showed me his invitation. (I feel so left out… lol)
A fundraiser in an off year? I have nothing against that. I encourage more of [...]
The Lowell Sun’s Political Column described the ongoing saga of Hank Golec’s crusade against the Dracut High School sports programs:
The joy that the Dracut High School Middies enjoyed last season when the team won the Division 1A Super Bowl has hardly been in the air this year [...]
This Sunday’s Lowell Sun political column took a swipe at School Committee Chair Matt Sheehan:
Dracut School Committee Chairman Matthew Sheehan seems to have his own answering service.
A reporter left a message on Sheehan’s phone last week. Superintendent W. [...]
I understand that Leo Vezina of Lucky Oil, and former Dracut Police Officer Tony Archinski have been appointed to the Committee on Government Rules and Regulations.
I guess this brings balance to the force.
[...]Mixed grades, thats the result of Superintendent Spencer Mullin’s annual review, as reported by the Sun
There were no major crises this year, beyond the budget battle.
What we mostly saw was an administration that seemed so focussed on the budget that all other communications fell [...]
By Erin Smith, esmith@lowellsun.com
DRACUT — Superintendent of Schools W. Spencer Mullin’s first report card from the School Committee is a mixed bag, with good marks on understanding of school programs and commitment to students, but lower grades on his communication skills.
Each School Committee member rates [...]
In today’s Lowell Sun, Dracut’s Finance Chair Gary Marsella writes a long letter explaining the finance committees Town Meeting warrant article.
More on this as I get to it..
[...]The Lowell Sun, Letter to the Editor
There has been much discussion in the town of Dracut during the past few months on the issue of the Louisburg Square project. Comments made by some elected officials seem to have confused and even belittled the [...]
I got a note from Brian Bond as well (you’ve probably seen it already on Brian’s Dracut Politics site). I was away most of the weekend, so was just catching up on my mail.
He is inviting people to the “Ground Breaking Ceremony” on Tuesday evening, the [...]
I stopped by to see the opening of the new Shaw Farm store.
Today is the “soft” opening.. while later there will be a formal grand opening.
Fresh local produce, baked goods, gifts, a coffee shop, and lots of fresh milk and ice cream.
Go Check it out.
[...]I spoke with the School Committee chair the other day about the Golec situation, who said as much as he did in this morning’s paper.
Its all with the lawyers now. Not much more can be said until their done.
As to the School Committee meeting, they did go over “partially” [...]
The reports started coming in Saturday Evening.
My google alerts and other news alerts I have set up started informing me that Dracut residents were reporting seeing a UFO in the southern sky late on Saturday evening.
From MyUfo Blog:
Okay, this is tough to say but [...]
Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.
William Shakespeare
I’ve always made it a point to teach the children to be on time. Five minutes early for a meeting. Get to work before the checkin time. Arrive 15 minutes early for the appointment. Punctuality is a virtue.
[...]
By Dennis Shaughnessey, Lowell Sun
DRACUT — The Dracut Housing Authority Commission voted unanimously last night to “move forward” with a 38-unit, affordable, elderly housing project at 1476 Mammoth Road, but not before hearing a clear definition of the term.
Responding to [...]
Two nights, two more meetings from two boards, and it still looks like the Louisburg Square project is going nowhere.
Sure, coming out of last week’s joint meeting of the Selectmen and Housing Authority, it all looked optimistic.
All the concerns came out, plans were made to resolve those concerns, as the [...]
Senator Panagiotakos held with his conscience and voted not to give Gov Patrick the ability to appoint an immediate successor for Sen Ted Kennedy.
I understand Methuen Sen Steve Baddour did the same. I understand that our own Sue Tucker did the [...]
In the local section this morning, the top headline is the completion of the investigation into the “surveillance” done by Hank Golec at the high school.
The article reports that the probe is done, and that the school committee members will be informed on Monday as to its results.
Over in [...]
It seemed that was the question on everybody’s lips last week as news that longtime Dracut High School baseball coach and Vice Principal Hank Golec was the target of an investigation by school officials.
Golec is suspected of secretly taping head football coach Jeff Moore holding practices over the summer in [...]
I understand from our sources that Hank Golec has left the job at the High School as Vice Principal in response to this investigation over the video equipment.
Brian has reported on this over at Dracut Politics.
We spoke to this on the Saturday Morning Live program [...]
DRACUT — Town officials will make one last-ditch effort tonight to salvage the controversial Louisburg Square project.
The special joint meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. in Harmony Hall on Lakeview Avenue, comes a month after [...]
Maybe the federal Democrats and Republicans should come to Dracut some time
The meeting on Wed Night between the Board of Selectmen, Housing Commission, Fincom, Attourney, Contractor, Town Manager, etc went very well.
Most seemed to work very well to get their questions out and answered. Some questions were rehashes of [...]
This i a group that has been proven to be partisan (while accepting non-profit status), whose founders were guilty of embezzlement, who were caught faking voter registrations in the last presidential elections, and now shown to be more than willing to teach people how to break the tax laws.
And Niki [...]
I think South Carolina Republican Joe Wilson should wear that Congressional rebuke as a badge of honor.
Now all the lefties are somehow labeling his pointing out that President Obama was lying as racist.
I guess the argument is won. Once one side has to revert to [...]
The Sun has the story this morning. Its been floating around town all weekend.
Seems somebody used the security equipment at the high school to tape Coach Moore working with students this summer, sending the tape to the MIAA claiming to be a concerned parent. They then damaged the camera [...]
I attended the Finance Committee meeting tonite at the Library Community room.
Five members of the committee were in attendance, Chairman Gary Marsella, Charlie Braley, Allison Hughes, Stephanie Morin, and Louise Tromblay.
Selectmen Bob Cox and Joe DiRocco did not attend. As I wrote earlier, they chose to plan an alternate meeting [...]
Be sure to check out the school committee meeting tonite.
Mullin is away, still on bereavement leave.
The Coaches have been contacted not to appear tonite. That recognition will happen another time.
Another issue is cropping up.. a statement will be given tonite.. Dracut has not been found to be [...]
There is a School Committee meeting on Monday at Harmony Hall. Plan to see a number of athletic coaches on had to be recognized for their achievements. (Note that the football team won again on Saturday!)
The FinCom will be meeting on Monday at the High School I believe. They invited [...]
The Sun summarizes the situation pretty well this week. Sheehan is quoted (and he has said the same to me) that the evaluation will come forward soon and that there will probably be a hit on communication skills/behaviors.
From the Lowell Sun political gossip column this week:
Dracut School [...]
And yes Virginia, I do believe its “rain or shine.”
Dracut’s annual Old Home Day and Firefighters Activity Day is scheduled for tomorrow, September 12th from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
From their website:
Dracut Old Home Day is our community’s largest event and continues to grow in participants and attendees. In [...]
We all noted the obituary in this morning’s paper, and wish to offer our condolences to Mr Mullin, Mrs Swinarski and the rest of the family on the loss of their father.
I understand that some of the business from the last school committee meeting will be deferred until later out [...]
The Board of Selectmen voted to call for one more meeting, a joint meeting of the Finance Committee and Housing Authority and themselves, to have one last discussion on the Louisberg Square project.
This meeting, to be held next Wednesday (the 16th) will finally get all the people together, and let [...]
The Dracut segment of this weeks Saturday Morning live continued the discussion of the demise of the Louisberg Square Affordable Housing project.
Joining Warren and myself was Brian Flaherty from the Dracut Politics blog.
We did review the current issues in Dracut. At the schools, [...]
Our good buddy Gary Marsella, the chairman of the finance committee, called in to 980 WCAP last Saturday Morning to discuss the Louisburg Square project.
Why did they get invoved at this late date? “We’re damned if we do, we’re damned if we don’t”
Does he think the numbers [...]
ABC and NBC are refusing to play this ad, so I think the net has to do the job that the press is supposed to:
Click here to view the embedded video.
[...]With all the fun going on in the othe room, I decided to stick with the basics and attend the school committee meeting.
All in all, a quiet one. As the startup meeting for the school year, we heard presentations from the School Doctor and Steve Stone on preparing for medical [...]
It seems that Superintendent Spencer Mullin had an appointment yesterday, and thus could not be there for Officer Cregg’s ceremony.
It also seems that there were quite a few people who were none to happy about that.
I admit, I’ve given up trying to contact him over the [...]
Over at the high school this afternoon was held a short ceremony to dedicate a new bench to retiring School Officer Barry Cregg.
There was a big group in attendance. I’ll list some here, but don’t feel bad if I miss you.
The school committee was there, including [...]
I hear there will be some key people in the Dunk Tank this weekend at the Fair Fest being held at Ste Margureite d’Youville Parish on Lakeview this weekend.
Ron Mercier, George Malliaros, Dave Chartrand.. and hopefully a few more!
St [...]
It continues.. and its good:
“The protection of the right to communicate anonymously must be balanced against the need to assure that those persons who choose to abuse the opportunities presented by this medium can be made to answer for such transgressions,” the judge said, quoting the Virginia decision.
In other [...]
I’ve always believed that “authorities” are one of the biggest mistakes this state ever made.
Every one of them becomes a problem just waiting to happen. Be it jobs for friends of pols, mismanagement, outright illegal activity.. seemingly they’re accountable only to themselves and hope that nobody will notice.
Its only in [...]
By Bridget Scrimenti, Lowell Sun
DRACUT — While an affordable senior-housing project has been hotly debated, there continues to be lingering questions about the project’s appraisal, retaining wall and other issues.
At last night’s meeting, Housing Authority members voted 3-1 to not put more money into the [...]
All over the news shows on Sunday, and throughout the press today, we hear that the Obama administration is backing down on the “public option.”
This was the key part of the protests, in that it was a stepping stone to move from public option to single payer.
Fixing some of the [...]
As we’ve been saying for the last few weeks, there seems to be a disconnect happening on the Dracut Board of Selectmen.. and across the town… between Selectman Zimini (and his closely coordinated group of supporters) and what seems to be everyone and everything else.
PERHAPS DRACUT Selectman John Zimini should [...]
