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No matter how hard we try to avoid it, the publicity following
Lawrence continues to be of a negative kind. We ended 2005 in the
midst of the Laboy/McGovern scandal (still pending in 2006) and
began this year with the discrepancy between Mayor Michael J.
Sullivan and the Fire Chief Joseph Marquis.
This situation was elevated to an unnecessary height,
ridiculing the city, further dividing the community and the worst
part is that the safety of our children does not seem to be in
anyone’s mind. Mayor Sullivan felt insulted when the Chief did not
respond to his call and he will be imposing a five-day suspension
on him. Meanwhile, it was a case of following the rules in order
to justify actions and that has been lost in the controversy.
At the risk of tainting his personnel record, Chief Marquis had to
play it safe in case of a tragedy. Let us just imagine what would
have happened in case of a fire at Lawrence High School with
almost 3,000 students and hundreds of staff in the building. Who
do you think fingers would be pointing at if anyone got hurt? It
has been over 21 days and there is no fire alarm, the intercom
doesn’t work at the gym or in the cafeteria, neither the visual
alarm for handicap students.
City Hall is plagued by miscommunication in all departments and
problems abound creating very deplorable conditions for city
employees. The situation with the fire alarm at the high school
never should have come to this.
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