HAVERHILL — Three one-term city councilors, including the first elected official to be censured by his colleagues in two decades, will say their goodbyes tonight.
James Donahue announced almost a year ago that he would not seek re-election. Michael McGonagle and Ken Quimby lost bids to rejoin the council.
Few political neophytes stirred the pot like Donahue, who waged political battles with colleagues, the mayor and even the local newspaper throughout his two-year term.
Donahue was censured — a public reprimand that carries no real penalty — by the council in August 2008 for using dozens of fictitious pen names to post insulting comments about City Councilor William Macek, Mayor James Fiorentini and other city officials on The Eagle-Tribune's Web site. Donahue also posted comments under as many as 38 pen names supporting various public policy positions, most notably his opposition to tapping the Merrimack River as a drinking water source.
The councilor's identity as author of the posts was revealed by The Eagle-Tribune, which Donahue criticized for publishing stories about his Internet blogging. He claimed his right to free speech was violated and that the newspaper should not have revealed his identity.
Several months after the reprimand, Donahue pushed unsuccessfully to have Macek censured for missing council meetings. Macek had proposed Donahue's censure.
Earlier this year, Donahue unsuccessfully tried to get councilors to give up their $8,000 pay until the city's finances improve. His motion to do so didn't receive the backing of a second councilor, so it never was discussed at a public meeting. Many of Donahue's proposals died quickly for lack of a second after he was censured.
Donahue has also sharply criticized Fiorentini for allowing the Merrimack Street parking garage to fall into disrepair, once stating the mayor should clean it himself or have it demolished.
More recently, Donahue pushed for stronger review by the council of the mayor's plan to spend money looking for additional sources of drinking water, including the possibility of tapping the Merrimack River or wells along its banks.
Last week, Donahue sent the newspaper an e-mail stating that he was working on a press release about his final meeting. The press release never followed, however, and Donahue did not respond to phone calls and messages. His e-mail and cell phone numbers were deactivated this week.
A teacher at Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School in Haverhill, Donahue said last February that he intended to concentrate on obtaining a master's degree in theology with the intention of graduating in 2010.
"I am attending classes on Thursday evening now, but next year the classes that I need to graduate fall on Tuesdays," he said in February about his decision not to seek re-election. "Attendance is very important in government and I would never want to take advantage of the taxpayer."
The council meets on Tuesday night.
McGonagle, who owns and manages a staffing agency in downtown Haverhill, just missed being re-elected. He finished 10th among 18 candidates, with the top nine winning seats.
In an interview yesterday, McGonagle said he enjoyed his time on the council and that he intends to run again in the future.
"I was pleasantly surprised to see we have a pretty well run city given the limited resources we have," McGonagle said. "I'm looking forward to thanking my supporters (tonight). I had a great time and hope to be back."
As for his Election Day defeat, McGonagle said he may have been lulled into a false sense of security by finishing fourth in the preliminary election that was used to trim the field of candidates to 18.
"I guess I could have worked harder and probably took it for granted by finishing fourth," he said. "But I haven't run into a person yet who doesn't come up and tell me they voted for me."
Quimby, who could not be reached for this story, has also said he will run for the council again.
Joining the council next month will be Michael Young, Sven Amirian and Colin LePage.
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