Alderman & City Politics

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Follow the Money

Free Cash Parade

The Free Cash Parade has begun. Document here how much and where it all goes. $210,000.00 to "Fire Overtime" $547,246.05 to "Contract Stabilization Fund" $197,500.00 to "Capital Stabilization Fund" $120,000.00 to "Police Overtime" $ 58,500.00 to "Wyoming Cemet...

Views: 488 Replies: 15

Last Post: Apr 27, 2016 6:40pm
by Safety First

The Village Voice

GENDER/IDENTITY POLITICS

When then the BOA votes Monday evening to establish a Melrose Commission on Women, any male alderman who opposes it would probably find himself locked out of the house when he got home and labeled a misogynist. Yet, there there should be cause for concern....

Views: 623 Replies: 6

Last Post: Apr 8, 2016 1:46pm
by MFD

Sincerity vs Hypocrisy

Community Must Confront its Issues of Racism and Bigotry

Melrose is now visibly a microcosm of some of the worst that is erupting around the country. It could be using these "teaching moments" to address its problems, and it must ultimately do so unless it wants to be known long-term for its bigotry and hypocrisy instead o...

Views: 1088 Replies: 25

Last Post: Apr 7, 2016 4:26pm
by Liberalism

The Truthsayer

ANOTHER FREE PRESS OPINION FOR MELROSE

The Melrose Free Press has published an editorial saying it would be a “good thing” for Melrose to establish a Commission on Women. Once again, as with their endorsement of an override, we have an out-of-town publication (that you have to dial 97...

Views: 1295 Replies: 32

Last Post: Mar 29, 2016 7:47am
by Melrose Commissi...

Equal Needs

Melrose Commission on Men

When are the mayor and aldermen going to create and appoint the Melrose Commission on Men? Regardless of any inequities women and girls are subject to or support they need, there are plenty of issues concerning men and boys. I just heard girls today are far more...

Views: 242 Replies: 1

Last Post: Mar 27, 2016 11:32am
by Melrose Commissi...

wondering

drug dealers

Not being sarcastic here: what does it take to get the cops to actually do something about consistent, blatant drug dealing in our neighborhoods? Many complaints with zero results. Id really like to know how the system works and what is preventing the cops from cat...

Views: 1958 Replies: 30

Last Post: Mar 12, 2016 5:17pm
by Meds

MFD embarrasses the City

Flash: Apparently, the FD Union "outed" the city for the condition of the main fire house. "no shame" Schenna toured the FD with reporters and hid certain sections of the station from them. No free access. No access to the "problem"areas. You think the Repor...

Views: 410 Replies: 1

Last Post: Mar 12, 2016 10:39am
by MFD or MFD?

Mayor 2020

Earnings

Is anyone going to ask how the Mayor made almost 135000 when his salary is 125,000?

Views: 1087 Replies: 23

Last Post: Mar 11, 2016 4:01pm
by Junior G

The Village Voice

Praise From the Govenor

" I am pleased to join Mayor Dolan (for the Inaugural) as he begins another chapter in over two decades of service to the people and the City of Melrose. Mayor Dolan is a proven leader in the community ...." Melrose Weekly News 1/8/16. That's "one man's opinion"....

Views: 931 Replies: 21

Last Post: Feb 11, 2016 2:54pm
by MFD

Diversity ?

Commission on Women

It will be interesting to see the appointments to the new Women's Commission. Diversity is assumed but it remains to be seen. Hopefully, the Commissioners will be representative of changing Melrose. If only white women with their mommy agendas are running the show,...

Views: 433 Replies: 5

Last Post: Feb 9, 2016 11:25am
by Hoping for Diffe...

renewed faith

Conn Nails It in Inaugural Speech

http://www.mmtv3.org/index.php?categoryid=1 Don Conn speech @ 37:36 January 11, 2016 Melrose Inaugural Finally! He vows to return to a "unitary water and sewer rate system"! Let's hold him to "having the fortitude" to accomplishing this. "We need to accept re...

Views: 445 Replies: 8

Last Post: Jan 25, 2016 5:38pm
by interested citiz...

Fire PDR and Scenna

City Water Paid by Residents

Free Press front page article today explains how the DPW Head and City Auditor, PDR "fixed the books" and rolled water municipal building costs into residential bills....send them to jail for theft.....VOTED NO on the Override.... Gut said not to trust the $ manipula...

Views: 573 Replies: 6

Last Post: Jan 10, 2016 8:04am
by MFD

Absurdity of Override Request

Free Cash

The front page of today's Free Press has an article about the abundance of "Free Cash". How can any elected official in this city look themselves in the mirror, if they supported the Override. NO to any new fees or taxes, Our family is proud we voted NO on the OVERR...

Views: 436 Replies: 6

Last Post: Jan 1, 2016 1:03pm
by Very Sad

Story Behind The Story

Patrick

PDR worked in Melrose...then Plymouth...then back to Melrose...what is the story behind the job switching cycle? What/how did RD/Melrose cooperate...? Plymouth officials allowed PDR to leave quickly and quietly....his fiscal competence was widely questioned and his t...

Views: 1094 Replies: 24

Last Post: Dec 23, 2015 7:21pm
by fed up

patricia wright

Patrick Dello Russo Leaves Plymouth with 1.6 Million Dollar Sewer Deficit

In 2003 Patrick resigned from Plymouth to be the CFO in Melrose. But it seems he neglected to tell Plymouth Town officials that the Enterprise Account was short 1.6 million before he left. And this thug as the audacity to question Ms. Mederios! His behavior at...

Views: 795 Replies: 6

Last Post: Dec 19, 2015 7:58pm
by Observer

Overreaching City

Snow Slaves

Now the city wants to make us slaves to clear the city snow and charge us if we don't do it quick enough for them. Next they'll want us to shovel the roads. If they want all the sidewalks shoveled according to their time frame, they should do it themselves instea...

Views: 514 Replies: 5

Last Post: Dec 17, 2015 1:55pm
by Waaah

Take Back Melrose

Coalition Forming for a Better Melrose

There are some community members joining with a couple of our civic leaders to call for action in returning Melrose to a more civil and decent community, where our elected and paid officials will be held accountable. The recent direct abuses of two of our elected off...

Views: 215 Replies: 0

Last Post: Dec 17, 2015 12:02pm
by Take Back Melros...

Spending Spree

Million $ Free Cash

The BOA meeting tonight will decide how to spend one million in "free cash" suddenly found...proof once again that we never needed an override. Our budget process is far from open or transparent. Political leadership in Melrose cannot be trusted. The margin of defea...

Views: 1027 Replies: 30

Last Post: Dec 16, 2015 12:21pm
by Pitiful

Money

City and School Budget

The total city budget is $72 million. School Committee put out a report a while back showing they spend $53 million. The $19 million is what the city runs on - not very much money to do all the police, fire, roads, trash, water and sewer, seniors and city hall. The m...

Views: 203 Replies: 1

Last Post: Dec 16, 2015 9:24am
by block walker

John Doe

Merry Christmas

So have you heard the news? The mayor has declared he will pay all city employees portion of their health insurance for the month of December amounting to over 100k. Not him personally but courtesy of the taxpayers. While this is a very nice gesture on his part doe...

Views: 835 Replies: 28

Last Post: Dec 3, 2015 12:08am
by Speechless

resident

water bill

Who wants to lead the charge against these higher water bills? I would love to join the brigade, and I'm sure a lot of people would be behind it! Peaceful assembly!f

Views: 725 Replies: 13

Last Post: Nov 20, 2015 12:16am
by No water answers

resident

water

I agree, the water bills are out of sight. How is a senior to keep up with all the increases! And to the person who says "go green"how do you know they don't have a water bucket. Don't make assumptions, this is a tough world and finances make it tougher.

Views: 268 Replies: 0

Last Post: Nov 15, 2015 2:48pm
by resident

New Charter Now so that we can Take Back Melrose

Time to Organize a New City Charter Committee

It's time to gather a community group to fix our colossally screwed up charter to remove (1) the mayor from the School Committee, (2) put back a Recall option for citizens (there isn't one), (3) correct the language that would require a mayor to give up holdings in a...

Views: 398 Replies: 5

Last Post: Nov 15, 2015 8:55am
by Huh?

STICKER SHOCKED

WATER BILLS

I had to sit down after I opened my latest water bill yesterday. The rates, bills, tiers and meter charges are confusing, unfair and out of control. Every candidate for public office during the next election cycle needs to make this issue front and center. No one in...

Views: 1613 Replies: 35

Last Post: Nov 13, 2015 8:02am
by New Charter Now ...

relieved

Override FAIL!!!!!

I want to say my faith in the people of Melrose is restored. I was worried seeing all the Vote yes lawn signs which by the way are against city ordinance, and the vote yes bumper stickers. But the silent majority shined through. All of you who voted yes and are n...

Views: 1350 Replies: 33

Last Post: Nov 10, 2015 7:16pm
by DEM

patricia wright

Thank you Bob Burgess Editor of the Melrose Weekly News!

Kudos to Bob Burgess of the Melrose Weekly News for devoting an entire page of the paper to the City-wide election results. It's interesting and very telling that Dolan does not have the support he thinks he does. 1861 people left the ballot "blank". That's 22.6 perc...

Views: 252 Replies: 0

Last Post: Nov 10, 2015 8:06am
by patricia wright

resident

road work

When are you going to order repaving of Main St from W wyoming to Pine Banks? Our houses shake and have cracks in the walls from the trucks and the cracks in the street!

Views: 263 Replies: 0

Last Post: Nov 4, 2015 10:46pm
by resident

Good fun.

Thanks!

Thanks everybody! The conspiracy theories, the anti-government diatribes, and the complaining about PTO moms has been loads of fun to read. It's 7am Tuesday, and I'm headed down to vote yes. Cheers!

Views: 603 Replies: 10

Last Post: Nov 4, 2015 6:26pm
by Better Fun

FBOOK

"Yes" way ahead on Facebook likes

As of 10:57am the "Say Yes to Melrose" Facebook page has 595 Likes as compared to 117 for the Melrose Taxpayers Alliance page. That is a margin of over 5 to 1. If this trend holds up in the voting booths it will be a landslide victory for the "YES" votes. In my opini...

Views: 294 Replies: 5

Last Post: Nov 4, 2015 1:04pm
by Truth

Ollie Overide

The People Have Spoken

The mayor really thought this nonsense would pass? Can anyone say "out of touch" with what our city needs. I wish I had a picture of those sheep holding a "vote yes" sign yesterday. I pity the fools!

Views: 250 Replies: 1

Last Post: Nov 4, 2015 7:48am
by MFD

Sky is Falling!

City Falling Apart

The override failed last night and the city is falling apart already. George Pazos must have screwed up the city web site so bad that Google isn't allowing access to it because of all the malware on it.

Views: 271 Replies: 1

Last Post: Nov 4, 2015 7:26am
by Tech

newspapers matter less now than they ever have

How are Election Results Tabulated?

What I am asking about is who actually counts the votes. I realize it is somewhat automated process because we put our cards in the machine after voting but who oversees the final process? Are they truly objective? So many things in this city are not done objecti...

Views: 997 Replies: 25

Last Post: Nov 4, 2015 5:42am
by Willie

Changed Mind

$750,000 SLUSH FUND

Early on I was behind the override because it's obvious the schools need fixing. Now I find out that 1/3 of the override is to give the mayor a slush fund of at least $750,000. I'm voting no on it now. I changed my mind when I found out that the mayor keeps slush...

Views: 449 Replies: 6

Last Post: Nov 3, 2015 3:47pm
by MFD

The Truthsayer

GOOD ADVICE FROM JOHN DOE

“ I know a lot of you are saying, ‘What can i do, I’m just a little punk. I don’t count.’ Well, you’re dead wrong. The little punks have always counted because, in the long run, the character of a country or town is the sum total...

Views: 388 Replies: 8

Last Post: Nov 3, 2015 2:46pm
by You Do Know

Martin Peters

My no vote

I will vote "no" on the override question because a yes vote continues the status quo while a no vote forces the district to consider alternative means to meet educational obligations, and THAT I believe is necessary for our students to thrive. I consider it a co...

Views: 468 Replies: 18

Last Post: Nov 3, 2015 11:17am
by What?

The Village Voice

FREE PRESS WEBSITE STATEMENT ON YES MAILER

Clarification regarding override mailing Posted Nov. 2, 2015 at 12:09 PM MELROSE A note to our readers: It has come to our attention that a mailing was sent out to homes in Melrose with an image resembling the front page of the Melrose Free Press. The mail...

Views: 244 Replies: 4

Last Post: Nov 3, 2015 12:26am
by Not Trying to be...

Bullet voting

Bullet Voting

Remember folks the ballot will say "VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN THREE" for the School Committee and "VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN FOUR" for Alerman-at-Large. However, you don't have to vote for 3 on the SC and 4 At-Large. If you really like a candidate as compared to the others...

Views: 152 Replies: 0

Last Post: Nov 2, 2015 11:09am
by Bullet voting

The Truthsayer

MELROSE WEEKLY NEWS OPPOSES OVERIDE

The Melrose Weekly News, with the largest circulation in Melrose, today announced its opposition to the override stating, "We have never felt comfortable with overrides used to run government."

Views: 243 Replies: 1

Last Post: Oct 30, 2015 9:54pm
by 2 questions

WITHOUT A PLAN

City Pension Abuses

Saw the report about the bond rating. Looks as if the city has unfunded pension liability of $129.4 million and other debt of $61.4 million. The total of both is $190.8 million. How did the elected officials let it get this bad? $190 million is three full years of ta...

Views: 329 Replies: 5

Last Post: Oct 30, 2015 12:37am
by Not Trying to be...

Incredible!

Melrose UNCENSORED

Boy! People used to lambaste Melrose Messages as vile. These people posting are absolutely over the line! Melrose Messages is downright dignified compared to that cesspool. Sometimes it takes an alternative to appear in order to really appreciate what you hav...

Views: 367 Replies: 2

Last Post: Oct 29, 2015 2:01pm
by Millennial

Melrosian

Police Station

Does the police station have a handicapped entrance? If not we should direct some override money to update.

Views: 947 Replies: 14

Last Post: Oct 27, 2015 9:05pm
by Hmmm

Blogger

Mayor's Blog

What do the people of Melrose think of the Mayor's Blog last week which included two blogs on religious activities in Melrose? One describing the religious education classes being held at the Highlands Church and the other detailing how Temple Beth Shalom is prepari...

Views: 2072 Replies: 49

Last Post: Oct 27, 2015 6:20pm
by Keno player

Fairly Misread

City Hand Me Downs

So I noticed something The fire department has a red colored fire alarm truck from Malden, which is a hand me down The police department had a ford police pick up truck from Somerville, which they then handed over to Dpw, which makes it a double hand me down...

Views: 339 Replies: 2

Last Post: Oct 27, 2015 1:14pm
by M10

Vote

Election

It's no secret that the pro-override people will be out in force on election day. It's crucial that those of us opposed to the override not abdicate our responsibility. We cannot assume that opposition to the override is strong enough that we, each and every one of u...

Views: 458 Replies: 9

Last Post: Oct 26, 2015 10:00pm
by No vote = vote f...

patricia wright

Joan Bell the Unsung Hero of Mt. Hood

I just watched the budget hearings, and for the first time I actually heard a chairman of the Parks Commission, (William Gardiner) give credit where credit is due. To his credit as well. Joan Bell is truly a work horse, a visionary and she plays with the cards...

Views: 1101 Replies: 21

Last Post: Oct 24, 2015 4:36pm
by Fairly balanced

The Village Voice

Free PRESS ENDORSES OVERRIDE

Surprise, surprise...the Melrose Free Press has endorsed the override. None of them even live in Melrose. Must make their biggest advertiser, a real estate agency, happy.

Views: 336 Replies: 5

Last Post: Oct 23, 2015 9:26pm
by The Melrose Faux...

Curious George

G.I.C. Insurance & other issues

1. Alderman at Large Margolis is reported NOT currently enrolled in the Melrose G.I.C. health insurance, but was she at one time? If she was enrolled, did she recieve the $6,000.00 opt out payment (offered to city employees) for enrolling in a private plan? 2. The...

Views: 410 Replies: 6

Last Post: Oct 22, 2015 11:51am
by Answer

Real Facts

My eyes..

The sight of MBMM walking around downtown in yoga pants has permanently scarred me!

Views: 276 Replies: 2

Last Post: Oct 21, 2015 7:28pm
by Curious George

I Want to Be an Informed Voter

Where Does Each Candidate for Alderman Stand on the Override?

Does anyone have a list of where each candidate for alderman running in this November's election stands on the override? Information on the school committee contestants would be appreciated too. I posted on the school committee board already but if anyone knows,...

Views: 219 Replies: 0

Last Post: Oct 21, 2015 9:38am
by I Want to Be an ...

Resident

LWV Botches Candidate "Debate"

Last night's so-called Candidate Debate of aldermen and school committee candidates was an unprofessional display of the local League, starting with the fact that they couldn't find (by their own admission) an appropriately unbiased and competent team to run it. They...

Views: 458 Replies: 5

Last Post: Oct 17, 2015 7:53pm
by Resident

Melrose Cares: Open Community Dialogue