Not that it will make any difference (should the reviews be less than favorable), but the Brookline School Committee is asking parents for input as they evaluate the job performance of school’s Superintendent Bill Lupini.
I wouldn’t call it a shifting tide, but Brookline Town Meeting torpedoed attempts to make life comfortable for town hall flunkies on Articles 20 and 31. The former concerns the easement at 150 Princeton Road and the latter is a resolution urging a police review panel to look into the Arthur Conquest matter.
I don’t know what to make of Rep. Frank Smizik’s letter to the TAB today concerning Article 20 (on the docket for tonight’s town meeting). Smizik says he was “swiftboated” by columnist Regina Frawley for statements he made regarding this matter.
The most dangerous place to stand tonight is near the exits of the Brookline High School Auditorium when Article 31 is called. You’re likely to be trampled by the self righteous liberals (i.e., Brookline PAX) as they rush out of town meeting.
What’s really extraordinary about the Advisory Committee is the fear that its members try to produce among each other and project to those who may come before them. It is often the case that people who are contemplating a contentious appearance before the Committee will receive a call from its more offensive member (think Dicken’s Mr. Smallweed) and suffer threats of ridicule should they disagree with the party line.
I mean really, the threat of humiliation before the Brookline Advisory Committee (or the full town meeting assembly) is kind of like fretting over finishing last in the village idiot balloting. I’d worry if I started to make sense in front of that group.
Last night the Brookline Selectmen voted to fulfill their contractual obligations and approve the easement at 150 Princeton Road (the subject of tonight’s Article 20 at town meeting).
It was Selectman Jesse Mermell who switched her vote to approve the measure.
In follow up to a previous update, I’ve been in correspondence with Town Moderator Sandy Gadsby on his counsel to town meeting members that they cannot take up the $700 thousand furniture re-allocation for town hall.
I’ve heard from some readers that Ed Hsieh of Brookline’s Greenspace Alliance is not an abutter to the property at 150 Princeton Road (the subject of Article 20 at this week’s Brookline Town Meeting). [See the earlier update]
On Tuesday, the Brookline Selectmen will meet to reconsider their vote not to accept an easement at 150 Princeton Road (Article 20 at this month’s town meeting). I figure it must be that Selectman Betsy DeWitt wants to add her name behind the effort to screw an elderly couple out of their nest egg.
I hope that the Cardinal has healing in mind for his Wednesday visit. I hope he speaks to neighbors so that he can hear first hand of the toll this project has taken on them. I hope he asks his development team why the buildings are not being draped to prevent the release of asbestos and lead from window caulkings (pictured left, click to view) when they agreed to this as part of the lawsuit settlement.
