Grab a stick and give a whack!

Interesting piece by James Shanley in the Daily News today. No doubt, he's only going to increase the NRA's chances of winning this year's Political Pinata Award, but he's correct in what he's said.

While I still disapprove of the private meetings the individual NRA members had with Newburyport Development I've still maintained that I'm far less concerned than if the Planning Board had held similar meetings. This isn't because I trust the members of one board over the other, but rather the Planning Board is the entity overseeing Newburyport Development's construction of anything on the waterfront.

The NRA is merely an interested abutter, albeit quasi-public abutter that must adhere to open meeting laws. Hence my issue with the private meetings.

Anyway, according to Shanley,  the NRA apparently is set to release a "a financial analysis of multiple levels of redevelopment/public space, with the costs and benefits associated with each. The public is invited to attend to gain a better understanding of our process and to hear our initial findings about this important piece of property on the waterfront."

As I type this I already can hear the Masked Preservationist typing up another "Here we go again" screed, suggesting the NRA has lost its marbles.

I think the report deserves a fair hearing, and I'll try to make it over there after I've put the little bloggers to bed.

Show starts at 7 pm at the library.

BTW, in the spirit of disclosure, I would like to declare the I supported Shanley as a councilor, mayoral candidate and member of the NRA.

I like the guy, and we'll occasionally tip a beer or two as we plot the destruction of the Smurfs, the overthrow of Lollipop Land and new evil ways to snuff out all things good and pure. (Although I do forget of MP counts Shanley as an actual Dark Sider or just a Dark Sider minion like myself.)

Anyway, now you know my name AND my potential bias. Doesn't mean I'm not right though.