In Memoriam – Molly Sheehy passed away this week. Aside from being the wife of former State Senator Paul Sheehy, she was truly a champion of education.
A teacher, an administrator, the first employee of Middlesex Community College Lowell Campus, retiring as Dean in 2014, she served on the University of Lowell Board of Trustees, the University of Lowell Building Authority, and on the advisory board of the University of Massachusetts Lowell Graduate School of Education.
She was active in city politics and was willing to offer support and advise to new candidates, especially those interested in education and the Lowell School Committee. I had the privilege of getting to briefly know her and learn from her when I ran and served on the Lowell School Committee.
Condolences to Anne, Maria, Elizabeth and her son Tim, their extended family and her many friends.
Senate Race, who’s out? City Councilor Eric Gitschier on Friday on his Facebook page had a very nice post that included; “but In the end, I’m not ready to give up what I love. I wish all the candidates for the open Senate Seat the best of luck, but know one thing, you will need to fill in for someone, Senator Kennedy who not only delivered to his district, but was a kind ear who would always listen.”
Thank You with a little good-natured shot: Also in that post, he wrote a nice Thank You to Me for something I wrote, which hardly ever happens, and I appreciate the Thanks from Councilor Gitschier, who also made sure to remind everyone AGAIN that I’m a lot older than he is!
Starting with “GERRY NUTTER YOU DID IT AGAIN (just like when i was 14 and met you in inhouse)!” Concluding with:” GERRY NUTTER, thank you for thinking of me, I’m sure back 40 years ago, you would never have thought we would cross paths this way in the future. Thank you so much, it really is an honor to be considered for this position, but my focus is on the Council Race “
Sometimes you just can’t win! – In the past, Councilor Gitschier has been criticized by some for Facebook posts that are critical of City employees. Friday’s post he praised some city employees, yet people texted and emailed me criticism for that post!
In the post he states: “Currently, I have three jobs I love, one job most people don’t know I even have is working with the amazing staff at the MassHire Lowell Young Adult Career Center” Over the summer I had 16 full time students who not only worked with us but were a major part of our team.”
When he says I, he is talking about the Greater Lowell Tech School and it isn’t really a job working with the Career Center, it’s an opportunity to collaborate with them.
One emailer wanted to know how many other City Councilors got Career Center employees at their companies or business? Another wanted to know if the Lowell School Department had these employees working at city schools during the summer? One asked if the Young Career Center employees ever worked at the Tech before Councilor Gitschier was hired? A few people wanted to know how he could vote on the Career Center Budget if he gets employees from them? Another asked “Is praising them and their work “reviewing” an employee that isn’t a direct report to the Council and violating the Plan E form of Gov?”
Erik, if you ever feel like Thanking me again or to announce your running or not running for something, just call or text me directly, it will save us both some time and grief!
Legal Update: I’m hearing the School Committee member Eileen Del Rossi has had the Criminal Mischief charge against her dropped to a misdemeanor charge.
State of the Schools address: This coming Thursday, Superintendent of Schools Skinner will be delivering a State of the Schools address at the LHS Little Theater. This free event from 6:00 -8:00pm will feature a welcome from Mayor Daniel Rourke, student performances, and an address by the Superintendent on the state of our schools. I’m looking forward to hearing this address.
NUT for Nothing Podcast – I will be hosting my new podcast twice a month on InsideLowell beginning this Wednesday as I talk with Chelmsford Town Manager Paul Cohn and Superintendent of Schools Jay Lang. It will be available sometime after noon InsideLowell.
2 responses to “Nutter’s Sunday Notes (October 19, 2025)”
Good morning Gerry, Yes Greater Lowell has had career center employees long before me working here. The program gives students the opportunity to gain valuable skills and earn money to advance their careers. Imagine a positive program, helping students, giving them valuable skills and the comment is about me?
The statement to you from the people who called you should have been, what a wonderful program to help students, but arrogant people will never change their colors, it’s about them and not making a better community and helping students succeed.
And yes I had reached out to the ethics commission years ago when someone else asked this question, just like I did for the trip to Sweden. They didn’t see a conflict, if they did we would have had to cancel the program.
If what a person took out of that post was that, think about who the people are that have your contact, I’ll help you out, delete them quick, they are not for helping others, but care only about themselves and power.
Imagine a City where the majority of people have control and not the hacks trying to control everything with secret phone calls. Why not put their names to the calls? Oh because they are the problem with our community, it’s about them and control, not students earning valuable skills to become productive in our community.
Have a great Sunday!
Switzerland not Sweden, sorry spell check