By Stephen Tait
Staff Writer
May 12, 2008 05:55 am It has been more than a month — since March 31 — since Erford Fowler's term on the Newburyport Redevelopment Authority officially ended. But the former city councilor is still serving in the position since Gov. Deval Patrick, who is charged with making the next appointment to the NRA, has yet to do so. According to a spokeswoman for the governor, there is no appointee, no short list and no time line for a new appointment to the board. That leaves Fowler still on the board indefinitely as the NRA is entering one of its most promising stretches of progress in many years. The NRA has contracted the Cecil Group to come up with ideas on how to design the two dirt parking lots on either side of Market Landing Park. It is a process that has already gone through several public meetings with some approval from city residents, although there is still much debate on how much parking to save and how much parking to turn into park space. Fowler, who was also a long-time city councilor, could not be reached for comment. And neither could Nat Norton, the chairman of the NRA, so it remains unclear if there is any worry about Patrick's delay in making a decision. Mayor John Moak, who along with Rep. Michael Costello, D-Newburyport, both are endorsing James Shanley, president of the City Council to the position. But in the meantime, Moak said he is fine with Fowler still serving. "He is still there and he has done a great job," Moak said of the former Ward 4 councilor. "I think he's brought a lot of the open meeting law aspects (to the NRA). I have no concerns" about his continued service. But Moak added: "I'm sure James Shanley would like to get started on his appointment, but that is up to the governor." nnn The Water Commission will meet at 5:50 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall's second floor auditorium for the latest rounds of discussion for solution to the massive water bills — one as high as $18,000 — some residents received earlier this year. Officials say the water bills stem from the replacement of old manual read meters with new radio read meters. During that process it was discovered that outdoor remote readers were not recording accurately the actual water use and also for years some residents received estimated bills that were lower than the actual use. When the meters were switched, such residents were given bills that reflected the water that was used but never charged — sometimes the result of being undercharged for a decade or more. Some officials say the bills should be forgiven since the city is at fault for the remote readers and possibly because of other personnel problems within the department. But the city has a long-standing tradition of charging residents what they used no matter the circumstances. Brendan O'Regan, the director of Public Services, has decided to hold all the massive bills still scheduled to get sent out until the commissions — both Water and Sewer — decide what to do. nnn Superintendent Kevin Lyons is scheduled to present to the City Council Monday his so-called "mission budget" tonight, a presentation that will help provide the City Council with a better idea of what the schools are looking for going forward. James Shanley, the president of the council, said there are always "rumblings" in the city about debt exclusions and overrides to raise taxes and get the schools back to where they were before sustaining cuts last year. The Ward 3 councilor said it is important, though, to hear from the school leaders to see where the truth really is. "I think it is important to have some idea where their heads are at, instead of just getting a number (for how much it will cost to fund the schools)," Shanley said. Mayor John Moak will also summarize the city's overall $46 million spending plan, of which 44 percent is for schools. nnn Two proclamations to be read at the City Council meeting tonight will declare this week for two different activities. Moak plans to proclaim the week of May 12 both Preservation and Bike weeks. nnn Today: General Government Committee, mayor's office, 8 a.m. Communication Subcommittee, superintendent's conference room, noon Public Safety Committee, council chambers, 7 p.m. City Council, council chambers, 7:30 p.m. Tomorrow: Community Preservation Committee, police station conference room, 7 p.m. Zoning Board of Appeals, council chambers, 7 p.m. Wednesday: Brown Square Renovation Project, library program room, 7 p.m. Board of Water Commissioners, auditorium, 5:30 p.m. Planning and Development, council chambers, 7 p.m. Thursday: Historical Commission, council chambers, 7:30 p.m. Youth Commission, library, 6:30 p.m. Bartlett Mall Commission, second floor conference room, 7 p.m. Council on Aging, 40 Water St., 9:30 a.m. Parks Commission, second floor conference room, 7 p.m. Board of Health, city hall basement, 7 p.m. Friday: Policy Subcommittee, superintendent's conference room, 1 p.m. Stephen Tait covers Newburyport city hall for The Daily News. He can be reached at 978-462-6666, ext. 3234, or by e-mail at stait@newburyportnews.com.
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