Barry N. Connell, At-large


Friday, September 26, 2003

36 Woodland St.


1. What is your background? Please include community and civic involvement, experience in local government, family and professional background and how long you have been a Newburyport resident.

We first moved to Newburyport in 1978, married in the First Church of Newbury, purchased our first home on Milk Street and started a family. Our present home is at 36 Woodland St., where we've lived since 1987. We have two children, aged 15 and 18, and an oversized yellow Labrador Retriever. My work experience includes six years as a classroom teacher and coach (head coach, men's track & field, Fitchburg State College), nine years as a legislative aide in the state House of Representatives and 12 years in the non-profit world. In 1998, I founded a private non-profit environmental research and education organization called the Center for Environmental Communications.

Both my wife and I have been involved in civic affairs and with professional associations for our entire working lives. The following is a partial list of my service/affiliations: Newburyport High School restoration - campaign director/member of building committee; Newburyport Public Library restoration - campaign director; Newburyport Zoning Board of Appeals - former member; Rupert A. Nock Middle School Council -- former member; Maudslay Park Association - past president; Custom House Maritime Museum - former member of board of directors; Newburyport Youth Soccer - former coach; Pioneer League Baseball - former assistant coach; MassRecycle - board of directors; Mass. Integrated Pest Management Council - chairman, 2003-04; North American Hazardous Materials Management Association - board of directors, 2000-2004. Education: Undergraduate - bachelor's of science degree in biology, Allegheny College, Alden Scholar. Graduate - secondary science teacher/principal certification, University of New Hampshire.


2. Why are you choosing to run for City Council?

I'm running because our city needs new leadership and because I believe I can help our council become a more effective decision-making body. The present council appears to have lost its sense of direction. Poor communication and inconsistent leadership has allowed minor disputes to dominate debate, while many important issues don't get the attention they deserve. I want to restore the sense of shared purpose in city government. Well-informed people of good intentions should make sensible decisions and I want our City Council to address our needs in a more constructive manner.


3. What do you see as the new City Council's most important priority next year and why?

The highest priority for next year's City Council is to develop a consistent approach to solving our city's problems. First, we have to develop sound working relationships within the council and use the committee system to research issues and craft reasonable solutions to problems. It's important for the City Council to recognize the boundaries of its authority and leave executive decisions to the mayor. Second, we must work in partnership with the mayor and the department heads who implement policies that we develop. Regular consultation between the mayor and council will limit confusion about roles and responsibilities. The council can act as a check on the mayor's authority, particularly on budget issues, but it has to exercise that power in a more consistent manner. Third, the City Council has to solicit public input on issues, and clearly communicate its decisions back to the public. There is a huge reservoir of knowledge and skill among Newburyport residents. The council must listen more closely to what residents have to say and show how its decisions represent the best interests of the city.


4. How serious are the city's elementary school building needs and what should be done about it?

Our secondary schools are among the best public schools in the region. The $34 million renovation of Newburyport High School preserved the architectural character of this important landmark, while providing our children state-of-the-art facilities. The success of this project shows what we can do when we all pull together.

Our elementary schools, however, are in dire need of assistance. Classes are overcrowded; we depend on "temporary" modular classrooms. All three schools (Bresnahan, Brown and Kelley) lack at least one important support facility (gym, libraries, cafeteria). My daughter spent first grade in a 20-year-old modular classroom and often had to wear her coat during class to fight the cold winter drafts. Her classroom floor sagged - a marble would roll from one corner of the room to the other - and parents were told that this was a temporary condition. That was in 1994 and we've still taken no significant steps to improve these elementary schools.

We already have information that shows the need for a new or expanded elementary school in the West End. The city wisely set aside land at Cherry Hill for a new school to serve the area of the city where the school-age population is growing fastest. I believe that it's time to complete the design and engineering work and get in line for state funding for a new school at the Cherry Hill site. It's important to note that indecision has already hurt us - the reimbursement rate will not be at the 2-to-1 level we enjoyed for the high school project. Further delay will increase the total cost and may reduce the percentage reimbursement we receive from the state. It's time to move forward.


5. Should the Community Preservation Act surcharge be lowered from 2 percent and why?

No. Voters passed the Community Preservation Act because they wanted to preserve the unique character of our community. The CPA is virtually the only tool we have to preserve moderate income housing, open space and historic properties. The CPA gives us a fighting chance against developers who look at Newburyport as a simple market opportunity. We should allow the CPA a chance to work before tinkering with it.


6. Is enough being done to monitor the capping of the Crow Lane landfill? Should the city hire a licensed site professional to monitor it and why?

The city should monitor the capping of the Crow Lane landfill more closely. I am concerned that the developer will truck in a mountain of debris before he applies the cap. The city should restrict landfill height for two reasons. One, visual impairment - we don't need a monument to garbage. Two, a lower height will leave a larger level "footprint," making it possible to use that land for something else. As long as the city has clear specifications for this project and assigns the personnel to monitor the developer's work, we don't need a licensed site professional. We shouldn't spend money for outside expertise when we have city employees who are capable of overseeing what goes on.


7. Are there any city departments where you would you like to see fundamental changes? Which ones and why? How should such changes be carried out?

I don't believe we need any drastic changes at this time. We simply need all city departments to work as efficiently as possible. My approach is to give them tools they need, assign a clear mission and supervise their work fairly; then reward those who perform well and retrain those who need to improve. As for the volunteer boards and commissions, I believe we should search out the most qualified people and not always reach out to the same folks every time. There's a continuous influx of new talent and energy in the city. The 11 councilors are in a position to help the mayor uncover the best new appointees.


8. What's your position on the abandoned Interstate 95-roadbed/Little River Nature Trail area regarding industrial development versus preservation?

Preservation is my preference. The Strategic Land Use study of that area is now under way and should provide some valuable information about what is possible in the area of the city bordered by Route 1, Low Street and Route 95. We shouldn't open the Little River area to development unless it is consistent with a comprehensive master plan that meets with the approval of residents throughout the city. Developing open space adds to the cost of providing schools, police and fire protection, water and sewer service and other support services, increasing our tax burden. I believe the Sewer Commission made the correct decision when they voted unanimously to upgrade the Low Street line and leave the abandoned Interstate 95 roadbed alone.


9. How serious is the parking problem in the downtown/waterfront area and what actions, if any, need to be taken to address the problem?

Parking has been a problem for as long as I've lived in the city. Not only is it difficult to find parking during weekend festivals and Yankee Homecoming, but Newburyport has become increasingly busy because more of us remain here during the work week. In addition, while we enjoy the new park space on the central waterfront, the loss of parking adds to the glut of cars parked on side streets and the Inn Street parking lot. I support acquisition of the Lombardi property for use as a parking area and hope that the $5 million state parking grant the council turned away last winter can be recovered. Although the Lombardi property is somewhat distant from the commercial district, it is one of the last available parcels of sufficient size to ease the parking problem.


10. Where do you stand on the Plum Island water and sewer project? Should a closer look be taken regarding the specific needs of individual homeowners on the island?

I support this project. People of Plum Island deserve the same clean water and sewer service enjoyed by the rest of the city. When the island had only a few hundred residents, they got by with cisterns, bottled water and septic systems. There are too many year-round residents today to ignore their need. Many homes don't comply with Title V. All are at risk of non-compliance. I believe the technology is sound and the city's water and sewer systems have the capacity to meet the requirements of Plum Island. Bringing water and sewer service to Plum Island will not be cheap, but access to the state revolving fund will make it as economic as it will ever be. To make this project fair to Plum Island residents, we must make the abatement process accessible to everyone who needs it. Finally, to protect our public investment, zoning restrictions of the Plum Island Overlay District must sharply control development that would otherwise increase demand for water and sewer service.


 

 
 
(This article replicated online with permission of the Merrimack River Current.)
 
 
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