Category Archives: City Council

CITY COUNCIL ELECTION TIME IS NEAR…

Posted on July 2, 2009 by | Leave a comment

FAIR VOTE LOWELL
Fair Vote Lowell is an initiative to increase voter participation, open up opportunities for new candidates, and create local elective bodies that are representative of all residents in Lowell, Massachusetts.Our mission is simple: We’re here to transform Lowell’s voting system for local elections of city councilors and school committee from the current “Winner take All” system to “Choice Voting”, a system that is fair and promotes greater representation for all.We invite you to explore our site and join us in transforming our voting system in Lowell. http://www.fairvotelowell.org/

What is Choice Voting? Choice voting is a type of proportional representation that works on the principle that all voters have a right to someone they support. With Choice voting, the majority still receives a majority of the representation, but some seats are available to other voters, so that all voters can be fairly represented. To vote, voters rank the candidates in order of preference. If your top choice loses, your vote goes to your next preferred candidate. After a choice voting election, each elected candidate represents a distinct and equal-sized group of like-minded voters.

I have the petition…please let me know if you have not had an opportunity to sign one.
KMM

Dick Howe takes a historical look at Lowell’s previous use of “Choice Voting” http://richardhowe.com/2009/06/17/is-choice-voting-right-for-lowell/

Candidate web sites to date:
Ryan Berard http://www.ryanberard.com/
Franky Descoteaux http://www.frankyforlowell.com/
Joe Mendonca http://www.mendonca.org/
James Milinazzo http://jimmilinazzo.homestead.com/
Patrick Murphy http://thinkmurphy.com/

Update: I received an email from Ryan Berard;
The First Campaign Fundraiser is scheduled for July 16th at the East End Club from 6-10PM.

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Posted in City Council, Election, Elections, Lowell, Massachusetts

LET’S HAVE A PARADE…

Posted on June 23, 2009 by | 5 comments

UPDATE: LEFT IN LOWELL POSTED DAYNE’S COMMENTS TODAY…YOU CAN WATCH THE VIDEO AT:
http://www.leftinlowell.com/2009/06/25/citizen-dayne/


Here’s a suggestion…let’s have a parade in honor of Jim Millanazo, the only city council with any %$@& at all… and Dayne should ride on the float….
I dashed into my house and made it just in time to hear what Dayne had to say to the city council…and I was cheering!!! Yeah Dayne! Is this the only person in the entire city who understands that 8 city councilors voted to get rid of “the-guy-they-don’t-like’s” friend? And for all we know know, maybe they aren’t friends! Oh sorry, I got carried away in my “junior high school” personality there for a moment…

Teachers should not allow students to put duct-tape on other students mouth’s and city councilors should not be allowed to air their junior high school dramas on WCAP.

GROW UP!!!!!!!!! Do not fire someone because of “association” with someone else and then at the next meeting, say I think I know someone who can do that…and they just lost their job…so now give “my” your friends job. Oh help us please.,..

comments from sp:
I agree that Dayne said everything I thought needed to be said and in a very professional manner. I wonder if six of the counselors understood her.
I would like to point out that there were 3 counselors who supported the position of assistant to the City Manager in both votes: Jim, Bill Martin and Kevin Broderick. I think this should spur us all on to support these 3 and those who could replace the unprofessional, petty six.
The only thing I would have added to Dayne’s comments is that if I were a business considering moving my company to Lowell I would seriously reconsider it and start looking for another city where there are not such persons in positions to hinder the growth and ambience of the city.

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Posted in City Council, Downtown Lowell

City Council Election

Posted on June 14, 2009 by | 2 comments

UPDATE:
Franky’s Campaign Kick-Off Party
Tuesday, June 23rd, 5:30 – 7 PM
at Mambo Grill

In this week’s SUN column Franky Descoteaux says she is running for city council.
I say; “YEAH!”

Finally a city council candidate that we can actually get excited about. Franky is:
Smart – let’s face it, brains matter…especially when it comes to making decisions that effect an entire city.
Reasonable – Franky’s statements have always taken into consideration other peoples thoughts and ideas and she has a great perspective as a resident and business owner.
Hard-working- in another SUN article Franky was quoted as saying, “downtown business owners need to work harder at drawing business from other areas of the city”.
We all notice that her businesses are not open 9-5, instead they are open hours that are more likely to attract more customers. I can not think of anyone who would better represent residents of the city.

“THERE’S A new potential candidate in this fall’s election for Lowell City Council. She’s a woman. She’s a wife. She’s a mother. And she owns, or partially owns, a downtown business mini-empire.
Guessed who it is?
It’s Franky Descoteaux.
“I haven’t made an official announcement, but I’m running,” she said. “I want to be part of the continued growth of Lowell as a member of the City Council.”
Descoteaux, a popular downtown figure, owns the Mambo Grill and Humanity, a women’s boutique. She is half-owner of Monkey’s, with Brew’d Awakening owner Andy Jacobson, another active Lowell resident/business owner.
Descoteaux said she won’t be bashful in voicing her opinion, and she added that she isn’t running against any of the current councilors.
“I’ll always have an opinion,” she said. “I feel that the best progress is always made when people cooperate and understand all sides of the issues.”

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Posted in City Council, Downtown Lowell, Elections