In my concession speech to Billy Manzi for the Mayor’s race, I said I would give Billy a chance and that I intend to do. But, I also clearly said that the issues in the past are still the issues. Well, bridgeboy, it is coming around again.

Before I begin my laundry list of why this project is bad for the citizens of Methuen , there are a few key things you should know.

“When the bridge is done, residents will be able to run errands on Hampshire Street , then cross to Osgood Street . Now they must walk over to Broadway or Lowell Street .” (Eagle Tribune 11/28/05 .)

The residents they are talking about are the inhabitants of Mills Falls Apartments, which according to Draft 2004 Department of Housing and Community Development CH40B Subsidized Housing Inventory all 97 units are subsidized.

“Mayor Sharon M. Pollard said the bridge will not only enhance access to the downtown but also open beautiful vistas of the Spicket River waterfalls near Lowell and Osgood streets.” (Eagle Tribune 11/28/05 .)

According to the final plans, which I viewed at the Community Development Department, there are no public parking spaces on either side of the walkway, so it appears that the only portion of the population who are going to benefit from this easy access and those beautiful vistas are those that dwell in the Mills Falls Apartments.

“Anything that promotes easier foot traffic is a good thing for any downtown,” said Manzi, who owns a liquor store on Hampshire Street .

Well, hell yea! Especially when the bridge access skirts the entire back and side portion of your liquor store! Billy Manzi in the past has tried to brow beat me into admitting that this bridge does not land on his property, it appears that the bridge DEFINES the boundaries of his property, which renders his argument into the realm of semantics. Billy will benefit greatly with the taxpayers funding this incredible boondoggle ($1.5 million), connecting his liquor store with the 97 units Mills Falls Housing Project.

Jack Galvin, who owns the Guitar Garage on Hampshire Street , said he’ll probably use the new bridge. (Eagle Tribune 11/28/05 .)

Jack Galvin is the son-in-law of Joe Salvo, Business Manager of the Methuen School Department. Representative Arthur Broadhurst owns the building where the Guitar Garage resides. Arthur Broadhurst also owns another building just below on Osgood Street .

We already subsidize Broadhurst’s office building by allowing the occupants to monopolize the municipal parking lot directly adjacent to the office building along with some parking spaces in the other municipal parking lot located across the street. By subsidize I think we all know the expense of upkeep, and plowing. Just think if Arthur had to foot the bill himself.

Come to think of it, I do not know any other project in the City where you can have a building where you have a minute amount of parking spaces for the inhabitants, yet you can rent to your hearts content, thus subsidizing with public resources, your needs.

Here are the questions that I now pose to the taxpayers of Methuen and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts . Keep in mind that this walkway, upper and lower; only connects privately owned properties.

Is this walkway going to be open all hours of the day and night?
If it closes who is responsible for this duty?
Who is responsible for maintenance?
Who is responsible for snow removal?
Who is liable if someone were to get hurt?
How can this walkway be state funded and not handicap accessible?

(Note: The bridge itself is not handicap accessible, only the additional walkway down in front of Arthur Broadhurst’s office building is handicap accessible.)

There are no public parking spaces directly on either side of the walkway.
Who is responsible to maintain the many plantings that are specified in the initial project?
Who is going to police it?
Who is going to pick up the nips, dud scratch tickets, lottery ticket discards and assorted trash?
Who is going to keep the skate boarders off?
Who is going to keep it from being a late night party spot?

LOYAL READERS ARE YOU OUTRAGED YET!
Don’t worry; I plan to keep you posted on this dirty project!
 

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