Can someone tell why the tennis courts are named after Richard Lyons? I looked him up - he was mayor from 1992-1997. Was he a famous tennis player? Did he donate money to build them originally? Or is it just because he was a mayor who died?
Maybe they ran out of residents killed in inaction defending this country or veterans who died. Irving Smollens comes to mind that might have been a better name for these tennis courts - after all - he was part of the Greatest Generation who helped defeat the greatest evil of the 20th century- but no - today's environment is so different that they name these things after politicians! Nothing against, Dick Lyons but come on - let's more thoughtful in naming these things.
Can someone please explain why anyone gives a flying you-know-what about tennis courts or who they're named after when the community is in an actual crisis, legally and for its very soul? Somehow the Boston Globe and Federal Government seem to understand this, but too many Melrosians have chosen not to see the giant Elephant in the Room.
I agree with a previous poster as to why the city would dedicate tennis courts to a living former Mayor and attach the word "Memorial" to it. This just shows thew absurdity of our current city administration. And yes..it is connected to all the other absurd things going on in the city including with the schools. Transparency, honesty, and truthfulness are the casualties in the current cultural and political environments.
The saying, "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely" is as true today as it was in previous times. There needs to be term limits for every political office in the state!
"Hassan Ben Sober" ..................... nyuk, nyuk, nyuk [:)]
Poor Dick! At least he's in good company with Samuel Clemens!
Got my flyer from the MEF "Vote Yes" crowd today. Was surprised to see Richard Lyons is supporting the override.
Lyons support is another reason to Vote No....The MEF are really reaching.
Not surprising about D. Lyon's vote - he is part of the political elite in Melrose and the state...remember he was once Registrar of Motor Vehicles and you are not given that position for being a political outsider.
Yeah, well, he resigned from the Registry to avoid being canned for his lack of judgement concerning the closing of RMV offices, so he wasn't THAT connected. He's also the RINO's RINO. Before he became a Florida snowbird, he could often be found on the weekends breaking bread with Infurna and her cronies at Bruegger's.
That said, he and his wife have done a lot for the city. If memory serves, the old basketball court on Tremont that's now a skate park was named after Lyons.
Why not Snow Farm Courts
Yes; in their own minds...
Lyons was Mayor when a $3 million override barely passed in 1992. Evidently, the money didn't last too long as a
$5.3 million override was attempted THE NEXT YEAR and was defeated three to one.
Here's another oxymoron: Kristen Thorpe winning the MASC All-state School Committee award. Apparently, MASC hadn't the time to watch MMTV to see her antics this year as SC Chair. She has done tremendous damage, discouraging community participation by reducing public comment period, changing it to the end of the meeting so it would have no impact, harassing and interrupting Melrose citizens with valid issues while letting lackies of the Mayor and MEF get away with slanderous statements about our neighbors and best school committee member. And lets not forget the OML violations, hiding the civil rights investigations from the community, refusing to release public documents to other school committee members so they can carry out their fiduciary responsibilities on behalf of the tax payers. She may likely be the worst School committee chair in recent memory.
You know what's really gross? That a convicted felon disbarred attorney could even be considered as the lesser of two evils. Sad isn't it?
Now there is a real humane comment by a Melrosian resident - not what I would expect from a person of faith who believes in personal redemption.
Not so much a matter of humane versus cruel or being a person of faith or not but rather the gross realities of the Melrose local governance. It's doubtful that the convicted felon has sought sincere redemption, but rather is just moving his way back up the political ladder aided by his buddy RD--all about political maneuvering and that's the sum total. That being said, this character is still a preferable option (vastly so) than the incumbent who must be voted out if there is any hope at all for turning things around with the schools. Sure as anything there is little to no humility or "faith" among those who are marching over the rights of children and citizens here, despite their outward pretenses of piety and patriotism.
Looks the Mayor has already bought Mr.. McConnell's allegiance in advance of the election by providing new sidewalks and curbing in front of his address on Cleveland Street. Curbing and Sidewalks or free health insurance, whatever gets the job done and all on the taxpayer dime..
In the Bag.....get some sleep - then you will come to your senses in the morning - I hope.
"In the bag" is spot on. Read the article, Myron. Clever Sycophance. Eddie is Robbie's boy, and no one should be deluded about that. Eddie the con wants a foothold to legitimacy so badly he can taste it, and Robbie is only too happy to have him as his foot soldier. He's smart enough to know that the override is a scam, but he obviously doesn't have a problem with such things. Sadly if his winning means that Malicious Marg gets thrown out (finally), that would actually be the lesser of two evils.
What a disgusting thing Melrose politics has become under the coattails of RD.
We have no one to blame but ourselves - for the state of our schools and controlled by this group of current school committee members. Ed's not the problem - he is only taking advantage of a leadership vacuum.
Why don't some of these people who are so concerned about the state of our schools step up and run for office? Of course when some of those brave people do step up - like Gerry Mroz - they don't get voted in. There just doesn't appear to be enough people interested in making real changes in the committee or learning what the issues are. This is sad to see, even sadder to comprehend - and even worse - self- destructive to the school system as we are now seeing. Like drug addicts, only when you hit rock bottom, can you really expect change - shame on all of us!
"Tricky Dick" in this weeks free press encouraging his buds, "Ole Pasta Club" now hang'n at Liberty Bell, to support the override. Claims he is a fiscal conservative (with his money), but actually fast and loose with with the tax payers dime. Remember that 4 million dollar Tot Lot at the end of Porter Street? Most under utilized tot lot in the city.[Monkey]
Was Lyons the one who took that land at the end of Porter St? What a scandal. Taxpayers shouldn't have had to foot the $4 million bill for illegal actions of politicians to benefit their rich friends.
Everyone knew there was no legitimate way a tot lot could be put there. If I recall correctly, the court said that Melrose had no right to take that land. Even though Melrose paid the money, it was too late for the developer. Melrose caused him to go bankrupt.
Let me get this straight. Lyons COST the city 4 MILLION DOLLARS and they named public property after him. Shows they feel they can get away with anything.
They should name the land at the end of Porter St. as "The Mayor Richard Lyons $4 MILLION DOLLAR Boondogle.
Not sure about that timeline. Lyons may have been Mayor when the judgement came in, but if I remember right it was Milano's doing - along with literally giving the Coolidge building away.
Again if I remember correctly the chief "complainer" about that proposed entranceway to the development was the dentist who lived in that abomination of a contemporary at the corner at the end of Porter St.
If my memory is faulty, someone please correct me.
He had quick little feet on the tennis courts!!![:)]
See Pastan v. City of Melrose, which dates back to the mid-80s.
Can't give you any more "nyuks" for the nick, because I recalled that that is from a 'Shemp'!