This week’s School Committee agenda is the rough equivalent of an effort to place School Superintendent Priya Tahiliani on notice that everything about her job and those who she hired is about to change.
In Everett language, this translates into this: the SC agenda is intended to tie Tahiliani’s arms behind her back and to tie her feet together at the ankles. The agenda also provides for stipulations that act like a thick sock stuffed into her mouth.
The agenda is way overboard. Its creators are aware of this but they don’t care.
Attempting to rig the process of forcing Tahiliani to leave is part of the mayor’s plan to control the School Department and to reorganize it the way he wants, to hire whom he wants, and to fire whomever he wishes.
In the case of Tahiliani, the School Committee is attempting to rid itself of a woman of color.
This should be easy to accomplish.
There are 8 votes pledged against Tahiliani and her appointments.
This means that when the votes are taken, the mayor will not have to vote against Tahiliani. He is likely to vote for her to remain to show how fair the process is.
JANUARY 5: Encore Boston Harbor towers over roofs as seen from Day Playground. (Photo by Jim Mahoney)
The topic of a new public safety facility to provide for the needs of the growing city came up at Monday evening’s city council meeting.
The city needs such a facility.
With an expected crush of development coming in what will be the former Exxon site, and the same one day to take place on the Exelon Property, it is high time to pursue this integral part of the development scheme on Lower Broadway.
Out of necessity it should be a large facility housing fire, police and rescue elements in the area of the Encore Boston Harbor Casino and Hotel.
Councilor Wayne Matewsky has set the ball rolling with that suggestion, which took place before the council at his request. Such a facility built in today’s dollars would cost as much as $30 – $40 million to build and to outfit with automobiles, fire apparatus and rescue ambulances. It should also be equipped with a cell block as well as a triage and training area.
The package needs to include a great part of the funding to cover the cost of manning of the facility.
It is easy to see the need for as many as 40-60 new firefighters and police officers, ambulance drivers and administrative personnel.
There might very well be billions more in new development and tens of thousands of men and women working in the high tech and medical research industries working and living here on new streets in thousands of new units in dozens of new buildings.
