Donna Holaday, At-large


Friday, September 26, 2003


6 Parsons 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.

My husband, Joe, and I have lived in Newburyport since 1982, where we are raising our two sons, Jared and PJ. With their support, I recently completed my law degree at the Massachusetts School of Law and passed the bar. I also hold two master's degrees. I have over 20 years of employment experience in state and non-profit agencies in clinical, management and consulting positions. I am currently employed as a resource development specialist and adjunct faculty member at Middlesex Community College. I have been active in public school, church, civic and campaign activities for many years, including organizing, chairing and participating in fund raisers, serving on ad hoc committees, teaching and coordinating Sunday school and coaching.


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

City councilors must be able to work collectively to achieve consensus and compromise as they work through difficult issues. It is crucial for city councilors to be well prepared for these meetings and work within their designated roles and responsibilities. Our city is faced with many competing priorities during these difficult fiscal times and requires strong leadership and public input as we move forward to address the immediate and future needs of Newburyport. As a 20-year resident of the city, I bring a commitment to preserve our culture, history, environment and quality of life for all citizens. I believe my background in law, education, management, program development, mediation and grant writing provides a blend of expertise well-matched to those required of a City Council representative. I believe I can bring new leadership to the council and a dedication to understanding the full effect of decisions that broadly impact our city.


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

As I mentioned, the city is faced with competing priorities but I believe resolution of the Plum Island water and sewer issue is the most important priority. The ability to resolve the public health issues for the residents and address the Title V legal mandate while being sensitive to the environmental impact and the individual property costs has divided the community. We cannot continue this costly legal battle especially with the potential for state fines due to our continued noncompliance - common ground must be found between the residents, the city and local groups.


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

The elementary schools in Newburyport are far from ideal in terms of space, classroom size and the ability to provide state-of-the-art educational facilities - goals we should embrace for our children. The Long-Term Elementary Building Needs Committee (LTEBNC) worked diligently for over 20 months to prepare a series of options with pros and cons and estimated costs. The preferred option identified in the LTEBNC study is the development of a new elementary school on city-owned property at Cherry Hill with renovations to the Brown and Bresnahan schools with a variety of potential uses for the Kelley. I believe that a new West End elementary school is needed, however, the problem is the cost. Federal grant programs are targeted toward rural, poverty, empowerment and enterprise zones and the state School Building Assistance Program is currently addressing only the most serious needs. So Newburyport is faced with shouldering the cost. We have seen our taxes raised by over 35 percent since 1995 and have yet to absorb the increases resulting from the high school and public library. We have addressed the most serious concerns with the replacement of the modular classrooms at the Bresnahan School and I would recommend we move forward in stages beginning with full disclosure on the status of the high school, utilize the allocated funds to complete the school project design, educate the community on LTEBNC and Jenson code compliance reports and prioritize the code compliance issues identified in the Jenson report of 2001.


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

I fully support the Community Preservation Act as it is an innovative and important statewide legislative enactment providing local communities with a new funding source to address the purchase and preservation of open space, creation and support of affordable housing and the acquisition and preservation of historic buildings and landscapes; and once 10 percent of annual revenues are allocated to each of these three priorities, funding may also be allocated for recreational purposes. City revenues are generated by a real estate tax levy to property owners with matching funds from the state. Our master plan shares many of the goals, policies and strategies that fall into the CPA's core concerns: land use, housing, economic development, natural and cultural resources, open space and recreation. We cannot continue to use Proposition 2 1/2 overrides to address these concerns when we have a viable source of funding to provide a substantial match to our revenues. Maintaining the 2 percent surcharge results in the average taxpayer paying an additional $75 to this fund - I believe it is worth it. The problem I see is the exemption process for seniors and low-moderate income residents. The Department of Revenue exemption process is cumbersome and I believe we should provide direct assistance with community forums to assist those potentially eligible in completing the CP-4 forms. The CPA provides for 5 percent to be used for such administrative purposes.


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?

I am encouraged to learn that the city has entered into a new municipal agreement with New Ventures where the city would identify the independent licensed site monitor and New Ventures would be required to cover costs. New Ventures has received the go-ahead from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to begin the first phase of the capping process to create the perimeter berm. Each stage of this process must be closely monitored. The fill that will be placed underneath the cap is referred to as Beneficial Use Determination (BUD) materials and includes concrete, glass, wood and brick. Dump trucks will bring aggregate fill for this first phase followed by the BUD materials to the Crow Lane site. The process will be very intrusive for residents in the Crow Lane area and the impact should be minimized to the greatest extent possible. Public forums have identified grave concerns regarding New Ventures and compliance with the DEP order without a licensed site monitor. The residents' needs and the land surrounding the Crow Lane property are vital to protect and a high level of monitoring must be realized and followed through in implementation of this agreement.


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

I do not see the immediate need to make fundamental changes in the city departments or boards. Many of our boards consist of dedicated volunteers as well as city employees who work in areas of expertise, interest and concern. However, I was concerned to learn that the annual budget development process for each city department is not uniform which caused confusion in the fiscal 2004 budget approval process. This process should be consistent across all departments. Additionally, our School Department comprises approximately 38 percent of our city's budget and I was also surprised to learn that an independent audit is not routinely conducted. This is a standard accounting protocol that I believe should be conducted every other year. This is not to say that there are discrepancies or major problems with the School Department's budget process but an independent audit is a prudent safeguard. And finally, I also believe that any fee increases that potentially impact all citizens must have a review process so we don't have a repeat of the boater fee issue.


8. What is your position on the abandoned Interstate 95 road bed/Little River Nature Trail area regarding industrial development versus preservation?

I am a proponent of preserving this area as a nature trail. Newburyport has undergone major development and very little open space remains to preserve. Studies have shown a direct link to open space, property values, tax structure, length of stay and quality of life. We should protect this fragile area with its unique flora and fauna and watershed. Much of the property is privately owned but creative strategies including zoning classifications and transfer of land rights are viable options. The access road was voted down and efforts should be directed to routing large trucks to the industrial area via Scotland Road. Our industrial park is also important to the city's future in terms of employment opportunities and financial stability. There appears to be ample vacant facilities and new development or redevelopment to accommodate additional businesses and industries. The Newburyport Area Industrial Development (NAID) group appears very sensitive to these issues and has been present at the Strategic Land Use meetings addressing the future of this area. It is important to continue this planning process with the city, residents and NAID representatives.


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

The parking and traffic flow problem is very serious during peak fair/event times. These are planned events in the city and the city should also plan parking options. Unfortunately, the city did not act at a time when a state grant of $5 million was available with $1.6 million in matching city funds. Our community is growing as a tourist destination and local businesses in the downtown area are supportive of additional parking with the reduction in spaces resulting from expansion of the waterfront. However, I cannot support the city using funds at this time unless there is a mechanism to fund it without another tax increase. If the Chamber of Commerce and local businesses are truly supportive of a garage, then a public-private partnership is needed. The option to purchase the Lombardi property is time limited and should go forward to hold while investigating funding options; the property could ultimately be sold.


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?

The Plum Island water and sewer project is a complex issue that has divided residents and community officials. The overriding factor is mandated compliance with the Federal Clean Air and Water Act, specifically Title V. This state mandate coupled with serious public health and safety issues concerning the water is not in contention; it is the resolution to achieve compliance in this fragile environment that has resulted in major opposition. It appears that the study by the Cambridge-based engineering company Camp, Dresser and McKee (CDM) commissioned to investigate island alternatives and develop the project design is the root of the opposition. A lot-by-lot analysis of the 1,200 properties and a closer look at alternatives is being requested. This may appear a step back, but if Newburyport and groups in neighboring communities are not satisfied with the depth of the CMD study, the legal challenges appear costly and unending. If this option is supported by the community (on the November ballot) and will bring the opposing parties to the table to resolve and compromise - this should happen. We cannot continue this contentious and costly legal battle, nor can we continue to delay moving forward with the potential of significant fines.


 

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