SDLqI'm not the brightest bulb on the tree, but over a year ago, I knew the economy was going in the toilet.SDRq
— Methuen City Councilor Philip Lahey Jr., questioning why School Superintendent Jeanne Whitten last year approved three-year contracts with big raises for her employees.
Laboy's booze
Along with the files and computers, police who raided Lawrence School Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy's office a week ago found something they didn't expect: 16 bottles of alcohol kept in an "unlocked armoire."
Police seized the wine, rum and cognac, even though liquor wasn't on the list of items on their search warrrant. "You cannot have alcohol on school property. It had to be removed," said police Chief John Romero.
Included in Laboy's minibar was a $148 bottle of Dom Perginon, a bottle of a rare Dominican rum called Macorix 8 Anos, several bottles of cheapish wine (like two 1.5-liter bottles of Sutter Home white zinfandel) and three bottles of cognac. One bottle of Remy Martin VSOP cognac was half-empty, according to the police report, but the rest were apparently unopened, despite the suspended superintendent's rough week.
Layoffs while lounging
As his employees were learning of impending layoffs via a letter from the boss, Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett was down in Washington, D.C., for Lowell Congresswoman Niki Tsongas' 5th District Day and the Wednesday night Red Sox-Washington Nationals game.
Manzi time
In a driving rain, local, state and national dignitaries waited for a very late Methuen Mayor William Manzi to show up for last Monday's groundbreaking for the $22 million armory being built on Lowell Street. After 30 minutes of waiting for Manzi, the Massachusetts National Guard's adjutant general, Maj. Gen. Joseph C. Carter, said the show must go on and started the ceremony.
State Sen. Steven Baddour, D-Methuen, reminded the crowd of the National Guard's motto: "Always Ready. Always There." He quipped Manzi's motto is "Always Ready. Always There. But never on time."
Throwing stones
When Lawrence City Council President Patrick Blanchette accused Mayor Michael Sullivan of having a conflict of interest voting on a suspension of Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy, Sullivan's brother Mark Sullivan was ready to fire back.
Blanchette questioned whether the mayor could vote because Mark Sullivan had represented Laboy in a business deal. The mayor's brother replied Blanchette should be more concerned about the $9,000 in back taxes he owes the federal government.
"He should probably concentrate on paying the taxes that he owes the government more than trivial matters like this," Mark Sullivan said.
Similar writing styles
Speaking of Lawrence, who would have guessed political foes Patrick Blanchette and Michael Sullivan had similar writing styles? We noticed a striking resemblance in some letters of complaint each fired off recently to state agencies. Check it out:
"There was talk within the law circles that Torrisi had a great track record before Preston," wrote Sullivan in a June 15 complaint to Inspector General Gregory Sullivan. The mayor asked the IG to investigate the connection between North Andover attorney Michael Torrisi and Judge John Preston, of the state's Department of Industrial Accidents. Torrisi represented and Preston ruled on a case involving Andrea Traficanti McCann, a former city public works employee and longtime friend of Blanchette.
Then, on June 24, Blanchette wrote, in a complaint to the state's Ethics Commission about Sullivan's relationship with Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy:
"In local political circles, Mayor Sullivan is known to have a great track record voting in favor of the Superintendent and his initatives throughout the years."
Don't roll your eyes
At the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission's 50-year anniversary luncheon in Haverhill last week, Mayor James Fiorentini tried to put guest speaker Gov. Deval Patrick on the spot.
Fiorentini asked Patrick if he expects to make more cuts in aid to cities and towns already suffering because of decreases in money from the state.
Sensing frustration in the room, Patrick said state revenue reports change too frequently to predict what will happen.
"You roll your eyes, but you can't react minute by minute," Patrick told the crowd.
Unusual suspects
While Methuen's City Council budget hearing last Tuesday night mainly drew a predictable crowd of city workers, it also attracted a few not-so-usual suspects:
* Robert LeBlanc, the lawyer and former Methuen town manager facing an assault and battery charge for allegedly bear-hugging fellow attorney Pamela Saia-Rogers. He sat in back of the Great Hall.
* Bob Miller, who hopes to win a seat on the City Council this fall. Miller hasn't been to any recent council meetings, but he sat near members of the police patrolmen's union for this one.
* John Cavaretta, owner of Methuen Auto School. He stood outside City Hall collecting signatures to help put Al DiNuccio's name on the ballot to run against Mayor William Manzi.
