A very impressive list released today by the Mayor's office. Very smart, well educated people.
Does anyone really think they are going to come up with anything different than the last group of impressive people?
This group is really being used by the mayor to try and get people to vote YES on the override. It is sad to see them fall for it, to sign up for this.
But hey, 15 minutes of fame, even at the local level is always hard to turn down.
You always hesitate to criticize someone for trying to do something good for the community; but time and time again Cohen goes to this play book. Calling together a distinguished group, to help, to offer the same ideas. Why would anyone think this group is going to come up with any different ideas than the last group. Some of them are even the same people from the Blue Ribbon Commission!(Salter, Koch, Fuller,Foord)
You would think they would know better by now.
What a waste of talent.

If i had just been born a few years earlier, I too could have experienced the fun and excitement of Norumbega Park. Since I was born in 64, i have to settle for the great stories and photos of one the finest trolley park in New England. I was suprised a few years ago to find the domain name norumbegapark.com available, so I scooped it up and have been adding bits and pieces ever since. It now features a photos section where visitors can view and even add pictures of their own, a stories section where once again visitors can participate by adding their own memories of the park. New for 2008 is the addition of the DVD "Return To Norumbega", a wonderful DVD documentary by Joe Hunter and Bob Pollock. I consider the late Bob Pollock the king of Norumbega Park history. Stop by www.norumbegapark.com and help keep the memories of this Newton treasure alive.

Updated: See the edit below to reflect that state and local races don't coincide.

The Here's one I didn't see coming: Ruth Balser is considering a run for Mayor in '09.

Before last week, the only local open seat we knew about was the At-Large (Ward 6) seat to be vacated by Ken Parker's run for Mayor.

With the mayor bowing out of another run, I suspected we'd see some hats thrown into the ring by aldermen who would like to be mayor but — unlike Parker or Setti Warren — wouldn't likely have challenged the mayor if had he ran for re-election (Lisle Baker? Paul Coletti?). And, with Parker out campaigning fairly vigorously (given that the vote is a year-and-a-half out), I doubt other alderman hopefuls can afford to sit on the sidelines.

Not only would more alderman candidates bring some more drama to the mayoral race, it would have the entirely salutary effect of opening some aldermanic seats.

If Rep. Balser does run for mayor and wins, there would be two seats open for current aldermen aspiring to higher office, raising the possibility of more and different alderman giving up their seats. And, open seats on the Board of Aldermen (plus the mayor and state rep. slots) might encourage School Committee members to give up their seats..If Rep. Balser runs and wins, there would be another open seat to fill. Mayoral race losers and other aldermen could run for state rep. to fill her seat (but without having to give up their seats), which might just amount to a little shifting of seats.

As someone who thinks life would be better if all local seats were contested every election cycle, Rep. Balser running for mayor would be wonderful news.

Please don't confuse this with an early endorsement. I think Ruth Balser is a terrific person and a terrific state rep. But, while it's not to early for mayoral candidates to declare their intentions, I'm going to wait a little before I throw in my lot.

But, I love the potential turnover!

I received a couple mailings today about the override. I think each piece speaks beyond their words on the override issue:

VOTE NO is done simply and economically as a trifold on cheap 8-1/2" x 11" paper. It has a descriptive "Six reasons to vote NO” position and includes quotes to back up its reasons.

VOTE YES is visually appealing and on nice big card stock but presumably more expensively produced. It is fairly brief--one side is a partial copy of the other. There are seven bulleted items describing the bad things that will happen if you don't vote YES.

In short, I'd like Newton to operate more like the VOTE NO campaign (frugal simplicity with straightforward reasoning) and not like the VOTE YES campaign (expensive glitz but no substance).

Let's assume for a minute that Now we know the Mayor won't run for re-election in 2009. We've heard over the last few months several people who are potential candidates for the office, but who would be best in the role?

More importantly, what do we need in a Mayor today? Newton's recent history is to stick with one Mayor for an extended period, so if history repeats the next person elected could stay in that role for a long time. What do we want not just today, but for the next decade?

For those planning to take the Green Line this weekend, this notice from Joe Nolan of the MBTA will be of interest.

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Just a quick note to remind everyone that The first of 5 anticipated weekend Green Line Service shutdowns will begin early this Saturday Morning May 10th extending through Sunday evening. Crews will begin to set up after the last train at about 1:30 A.M. with work commencing early Saturday morning about 5:00 A.M.

The work to be done this weekend includes the construction of a temporary shield to protect the tracks during the actual bridge demolition which will occur on the weekend of May 24th. Verizon, Comcast, and Newton Fire will be relocating their cables this weekend as well. As advertised, we will need to go overnight with some work on this project, although we hope to avoid doing so this weekend. We will be working late as needed to complete this work while service is out. We expect to bring the trains back online late Sunday night and will have regular service restored for the Monday morning commute.

I should note that the road closure went off well last Saturday and the detours seem to be working as well. We have had numerous (over 6 at one time) details to aid in moving traffic and pedestrians, Thank you to the Newton Police who really helped out. The contractor will be installing some additional signage for pedestrians, a new crosswalk over Langley Road, and sandwich boards with additional information are being added in response to requests received.
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I believe there will be bus service while the train is shut down. I'll try to confirm and find out more details.

Alderman Ken Parker

http://www.kenparker.org
(617) 965-3723

Greg Reibman made an interesting comment in regards to the Brookline vote saying that it had a lot more transparency than the process here in Newton. Most of the criticism I've been hearing about the high school as well as the tax override is that people can't fully understand what is going on.

The vote on the site plan was about that very issue, in which the opponents pointed out that the process itself didn't make any sense with a site plan being developed before a series of other steps, including setting a budget.

A lot of this comes down to Mayor Cohen, who has proven time and again that he likes to make decisions without having to answer to anyone. He's shown that in press conference as well as with his decision making process. Now there is talk that he's not going to run again in 2009 (which makes his aborted request for a pay raise rather confusing).

So I'm wondering a couple of things:

1) What would make this current override process more transparent; and
2) How would those elected officials currently in office (and those who are thinking of running for mayor) change the processes to make them more transparent to the community?

Just so you don't think I'm the only one with a crush on the new and improved Taste in Newtonville, Jessica Lipnack goes well beyond my own writing with her own:

If you're reading this on Thursday, stop by there tonight for an espresso and coffee tasting. I was there a couple of weeks ago (can't make it tonight) and it was worth the time.

Taste, along with Bread and Chocolate and Newtonville Books, has turned the little stretch of Walnut Street into a very interesting place. It seems that most of the stores there are privately owned and while there are still a fair number of banks, they don't overpower the street.

Almost missed this Globe article about the slipping fortunes at the Natick Collection.

The highly anticipated Natick Collection, a suburban bastion of luxury shopping where some rents are higher than coveted Newbury Street, is off to a slow start, according to retail analysts, store owners, managers, and employees at more than a dozen stores.

The article doesn't comment on the residential component of the Natick Collection.

As always, I'm curious what the impact will be on the proposed Chestnut Hill Square development on Boylston Street.

Can the area support yet more luxury retail? Can CHS fly without luxury retail? Will CHS fly without luxury retail?

If the economics can work, it would be great if the commercial aspect of CHS catered more to the neighborhood rather than being a destination for out-of-towners.

Bowen's participation in Massachusetts Walk to School Day was a huge success. Nearly all students walked. Even the bus riders got in the action, walking the last 1/4-mile or so to school.

What happened at your school?