Just because it’s the Lowell Way, doesn’t mean it’s the right way!

The best line said at any of the School Committee budget meeting ever was said Wednesday night by Mayor Erik Gitschier!

Committeeman Dave Conway was arguing that the way the school committee wanted to do the budget was the way many Superintendents, Mayors, City Solicitors and countless School Committees have always done it.

I have stated on numerous occasions Lowell needs to change its motto from “Art is the handmade of Human Good” to “Because we’ve always done it that way.”

I believe many of the longtime elected and city of employees think because we’ve always done something, it’s the correct way to do it.

When elected to the School Committee in 2017, I tried pointing out that finance and budgeting 101 NEVER list a “suspense account.” The suspense is when someone was going to file a grievance /lawsuit about this.

In a normal budget process, when the in-balance budget is presented to the school committee, the following should happen;

Once a position or line item is “cut” in theory that money is “gone” in actuality. The Superintendent or his designee keeps a running tab of that amount. Once the budget review is completed, the Supt. brings back the revised budget with those cuts made, along with a list of positions that he would like to see reinstated, using the total amount of available dollars. The Superintendent in theory would bring back positions or items that members of the school committee valued.

That procedure is straightforward and so easy to follow that even Eileen DelRossi and Dominik Lay might be able to understand what is going on.

Residents Electing a Mayor: There is a 35 page memo from the City Solicitor about what the options and recommendations are, and a history of what has transpired regarding this issue.

He also mentions speaking with the lawyer for the plaintiffs who filed the lawsuit in November of 2024 and that the lawyer indicated the plaintiffs would be willing to consider and review once they were presented with a detailed proposal.

Smaller Homes by, Right? C. Robinson – Req. City Mgr. have the proper department provide the City Council with a report on pros and cons of establishing a Chapter 40Y Starter Home Zoning District as well as any recommendations on possible locations.

Doctor Google informs me that “The 40Y Starter Home Zoning District” is a program in Massachusetts designed to support the development of smaller, more affordable homes suitable for first-time homebuyers and smaller households.

Enacted in 2022, it allows municipalities to create zoning districts that permit starter homes as-of-right, meaning they can be built without special permits.

Key requirements include a minimum density of four units per acre, at least 50% of homes must have three or more bedrooms, and 10% must be affordable to households earning less than 110% of the area median income.

Incentives for municipalities that adopt these districts include state payments for building permits and other incentives.

The program aims to increase homeownership opportunities and address the shortage of starter homes in the state.

WANG makes a Cameo in NCIS: This past Tuesday on NCIS, while searching for an old computer drive in their basement storage, they uncovered some “early equipment that passed for computers” before they went bankrupt. It was a clearly labeled WANG computer.

LL Cool J, aka Sam Hannah, states “with a name like WANG, no wonder they went bankrupt!”

Who says you can’t go home? Everything Old is New Again!  In July of 2022, Teddy Panos left WCAP and urged Sam Poulton to hire me to replace him as host of the Morning Show.

Since 2011, I’d been doing Saturday Morning Live with Warren Shaw and Teddy was a regular reader of my blog.

I hosted mornings until the end of October 2024. Teddy invited me to be on InsideLowell doing podcast and election results, fill-in host on the Daily Pulse and welcomed me writing a weekly Nutter’s Notes political column, complete with a caricature that looks better than the real me according to some.

Growing up, Lowell had WCAP, WLLH and a strong newspaper. If something happened at a City Council meeting, it was in tomorrows paper and the radio stations were talking about it.

That is important to me, whether it’s the Lowell City Council or School Committees, Tewksbury, Chelmsford, Billerica and Tyngsboro Selectboards or School Committees. People who can’t tune in, need to know.

I always liked “The Column” in the Sunday Sun. It had many different short stories about politics, took some shots at elected and appointed officials, and was, or attempted to be, snarky.

When I decided to do this column, I based it on that type of format and many of you have read it since October. According to Teddy, readership continues to grow.

Since I left WCAP weekdays, the format wasn’t exactly the same and the political talk was minimal. Gary Francis and Sammy V. did their version of a morning show, different from mine.

Gary has battled some health issues and Sammy has gotten a new job, leaving a hole in the morning. Someone could be found and another attempt at a morning show could be done. No one is irreplaceable.

I like letting people know what’s going on in Lowell, Dracut, Tewksbury, Chelmsford, Tyngsboro and on the state level. I think it’s important to have dialogue and to hear straight from City, Town and State officials and candidates and to talk/text with listeners on the issues.

While doing radio with Warren, I learned the basics and learned how to host. When someone is nice enough to come on the show, they are called a guest and you can ask tough questions, but you can do that respectfully. The same way you would treat a guest in your house.

I was again asked to host WCAP Radio in the Morning, and beginning tomorrow (Monday April 27^th)I will be hosting a “new” morning show, weekdays from 6:00 am – 8:30 am.

I will try to bring in guests from politics, education and non-profits.

Thankfully I have some friends who feel the same as me, and even better, have said yes to coming in for a couple hours to co-host.

JoMarie Bukley on Mondays – Bill Samaras on Tuesdays – Paulette Renault Caragianis on Wednesdays – Erin Gendron on Thursdays – Leslie Bodor on Fridays.

I will reach out to Jose Cervantes, who was on with Gary and Sammy and try to work him into the rotation if he is interested. He brings another voice to the discussions.

I will also continue to do Saturday Morning Live as long has Warren Shaw wants to! That has been my base since 2011.

So working full-time and doing radio six days a week, along with wanting to spend time with my wife, kids and grandkids, something has to give.

Unfortunately, that will be this regular Sunday Column.

Subjecting the Greater Lowell area to 15.5 hours of me a week is more than enough for me (and way too much for some, I’m sure).

I’ll still pop up from time to time on InsideLowell, especially my Christmas Gifts column, and will continue to host Election Results.

I’m a big fan and supporter of what Teddy is doing here, and Teddy is a big supporter of me taking over the morning show. You’ll hear me mention InsideLowell when he breaks news or has another great podcast to promote.

I tick people off when I write! I’ve done it here and when I did my blog. I push buttons and get people so pissed, because I take a stand, chose a side and state my opinion that they send unsigned emails and letters to my employers bitching and making false claims.

I at least have the backbone and courage of my convictions to put my name on what I write!

I’m a kinder, gentler Gerry on the radio and hope you join me tomorrow at 6:00 am!