tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49966943614067408752012-03-01T15:13:25.312-05:00Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.comBlogger2221100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-23654297050582565962012-03-01T11:08:00.002-05:002012-03-01T12:52:10.549-05:00

Ken O’BrienIn memoriam to a big part of the soundtrack of my youth.

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-12816705165417375472012-02-29T22:28:00.004-05:002012-03-01T13:09:47.801-05:00

Ken O'Brien Senator Scott Brown is now a co-sponsor of the Blunt Rubio bill. Tomorrow the Senate is scheduled to vote on the Blunt Rubio Bill. Senator Scott Brown supports this bill. What would the Blunt Rubio bill do? Some examples. A Christian Scientist could deny all health coverage to all of their employees. A Scientologist could deny any psychiatric care, addiction services or related

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-5927906106472343632012-02-29T18:24:00.004-05:002012-02-29T19:41:05.481-05:00

Ken O’Brien While running against Rick Santorum in Michigan, Mitt Romney made the following remarks: Then today, while campaigning in Ohio he was interviewed on the Ohio News Network and asked about the Blunt Rubio amendment now pending in Congress that would allow any employer to opt out of any form of health insurance coverage for reasons of religious conviction or personal moral belief.

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-58384894158820043142012-02-28T19:09:00.000-05:002012-02-28T19:09:26.988-05:00

Ken O'Brien I never cease to be amazed by the ability of grassroots political efforts in Southbridge to seize defeat from the jaws of victory. The conduct of the town administration and council majority over the last few months has handed the opposition everything that could be asked for. In my opinion: They have demonstrated clearly their toadyism to Casella. They have violated the U. S.

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-77609217586729998762012-02-28T03:45:00.012-05:002012-02-28T06:58:07.580-05:00

Half A Loaf Is Better Than None (Right)? [Make Sure You Visit The Link] Along with comments from Southbridge's Director of  the Economic Development and Planning Department it includes this chart: Click on image to enlarge

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-19962356973105033022012-02-27T14:32:00.003-05:002012-02-28T04:59:58.645-05:00

Ken O'Brien Questions have arisen regarding tonight's town council agenda. Specifically, questions have arisen about item 13: 13. Vote to approve expenditure of up to an additional $50,000 for snow and ice removal in excess of available appropriations pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 44, Section 31D. Here is the current standing of the town's snow and ice removal account: Click on image to

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-59012058135049673792012-02-27T11:29:00.003-05:002012-02-27T13:59:24.273-05:00

A Film by Paul Zotos & Mike Marketti Southbridge residents James Marino and James Sottile discuss a petition to return Southbridge to a town meeting/board of selectmen form of government. Following is the text of the petition: INITIATIVE PETITION                 The undersigned voters of the Town of Southbridge petition the Town Council to submit the following measure to a vote of the Town

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-81702884908306131332012-02-26T15:27:00.006-05:002012-02-26T22:24:52.628-05:00

There may be a way to lower gas prices almost immediately. The question is, can you live with it? Ken O’Brien Do you really want lower gas prices? Just how far are you willing to let the government go to deliver them? As I pointed out in an earlier article, the demagoguery of Republican Presidential candidates that are attempting to blame President Obama is simply irrational. While they attempt

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-69395864984256354292012-02-25T12:13:00.002-05:002012-02-25T13:04:49.528-05:00

Ken O’BrienShortly after I started the O’Zone last year, I wrote a piece addressing my opinions on how economic factors shaped the way in which local news was reported. Among my observations in that article were the following: … I am going to argue that what has happened to our local press is a function of the process of “co-optation” that has resulted from the economic necessities imposed on

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-54842580745633578532012-02-24T20:23:00.002-05:002012-02-24T20:29:52.936-05:00

 TOWN OF SOUTHBRIDGE SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 01550-2638 TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MACKINNON COUNCIL CHAMBERS FEBRUARY 27, 2012 – 7:00 PM ******************** 1. Pledge of Allegiance 2. Roll Call 3. Consider and accept the Council Minutes of Monday, February 6, 2012 Meeting 4. Subcommittee Reports: (a) General Government (b) D.P.W. (c) Education and Human Services (d) Planning and Development (

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-42662550332109297352012-02-24T09:42:00.007-05:002012-02-24T22:00:13.961-05:00

Ken O’Brien The following letter appeared in today’s Southbridge Evening News: To the Editor:OK, Mr. Steeves, I hear you ranting.  I hear you loud, but not clear.  You have written two editorials within the last week that make loud and inflammatory statements. I am a dedicated local guy. I am trying to help the community in whatever way I can. People know me and know what kind of a citizen I am

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-17344224468719403652012-02-24T06:40:00.002-05:002012-02-24T06:59:43.240-05:00

Another incarnation from the creator of Tebowie . Eddie Fedder singing Jeremy Lin. At home  Shooting free throws And three-point shots Waiting for a job Name not yet a pun Carmelo injury Came out of nowhere like an Asian Tebow The Knicks were 8 and 15 Oh, and before that no one really cared Now Jeremy is winning And the Knicks don't suck Jeremy Linsanity Jeremy Linsanity Clearly, I

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-4549728888087892132012-02-23T06:48:00.007-05:002012-02-23T10:18:09.674-05:00

Ken O’Brien According to an article in today’s Worcester Telegram & Gazette, “The state’s highest court yesterday signed off on its earlier decision denying Sturbridge lawyer Kirstie L. Pecci’s request for a judicial review of the Board of Health’s decision to allow more solid waste into the Barefoot Road landfill.” But, looking at the online docket report raises some questions. Entries 21 and 22

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-9613361882546586722012-02-22T17:42:00.002-05:002012-02-22T17:51:35.183-05:00

Ken O’Brien Last Friday I informed you of the tactics of the town and its attorney to delay and intimidate the citizen taxpayers of this town who filed suit relative to the illegal composition of the Board of Health. Well, despite the fact that the matters at issue are purely a matter of law, they haven’t stopped at attempting to use legal maneuvers to delay a decision and make it difficult, if

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-53404833691087085812012-02-22T07:46:00.001-05:002012-02-22T09:00:50.382-05:00

Last night at the White House:

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-82781190122688316512012-02-21T11:40:00.002-05:002012-02-21T12:05:27.462-05:00

Ken O’Brien The price of gasoline could hit $5 a gallon by Memorial Day. And it’s all President Obama’s fault. That’s the latest canard emanating from the Republican talking points broadcaster, Fox News.  After all, they lost the initiative on the economic issue when there became a clear trend that the economy was improving. It became even more obvious when the fact emerged that the U.S.

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-22492508597724856562012-02-20T15:08:00.004-05:002012-02-20T15:50:33.918-05:00

Ken O’BrienOn January 4th I reported on a case decided by the Montana Supreme Court that was viewed by many as challenging the infamous Citizens United case.Last Friday the U. S. Supreme Court blocked enforcement of the Montana decision.According to the New York Times article, “The court’s action Friday does not mean the justices eventually will hear the case. Their most likely course might be

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-20796774626658334602012-02-19T06:21:00.002-05:002012-02-19T20:56:24.603-05:00

Ken O'Brien Having focused heavily of late on serious matters, both local and national, I thought it might be nice to lighten the mood.Having been a fan of Star Trek since it first graced our TV screens in the 1960’s I really enjoyed the following trilogy. Whether an old “trekker” or a newbie, I hope you too will find them as amusing as I did.

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-25114980066472283232012-02-18T12:19:00.002-05:002012-02-18T16:19:37.348-05:00

Ken O’Brien Three articles that appeared in the local press this week got me to thinking about where education at the local level is heading.The most recent appeared today in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette and was titled “Local leaders get first tour of new Southbridge school”.The other two articles appeared in the Southbridge Evening News. On February 17th they published an article with the

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-71796849783559127452012-02-17T13:45:00.002-05:002012-02-17T14:49:31.022-05:00

Ken O’BrienSomewhat forgotten in the midst of the appalling antics of town government of late have been the developments in certain pending legal matters relating to the Southbridge landfill site assignment and the composition of the town’s Board of Health.As regards the landfill site assignment, despite the premature crowing of devotees of the current regime, the decision initially rendered by

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-88680878993394039542012-02-15T23:28:00.006-05:002012-02-16T12:22:08.518-05:00

Ken O’BrienOn January 25th I posted an article titled “Breaking News: Southbridge Town Manager Wants a New Employee”.In that piece I wrote, “I now have it confirmed by reliable sources within town hall that the town manager has come up with plans for a new position (paid for, presumably, with your tax dollars) that will also reward someone who (in my opinion) showed substantial kindness to the

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-196266063569555492012-02-14T19:02:00.004-05:002012-02-14T19:09:53.124-05:00

A Valentine To The O’Zone ReadersKen O’Brien One of the frequently overlooked realities about the world wide web is that it is, in fact, worldwide.Even as inconsequential a site as The O’Zone, once it is published, filters out to an audience that knows no boundaries.With that in mind, I thought it might be interesting to share with you one of the interesting set of statistics that Google

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-35585967893425900322012-02-14T14:03:00.000-05:002012-02-14T14:03:22.551-05:00

The Quinebaug Valley Council for the Arts and Humanities (QVCAH) is seeking artists to participate in the 2nd Annual QVCAH ART WALL. The ART WALL is a temporary public art installation that will be viewable 24/7, July 9th through September 4th, 2012 on the front lawn of QVCAH located at 111 Main Street, Southbridge, MA. The one hundred foot long wall of art is comprised of twenty five 4' wide x

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-52403554695107414092012-02-14T06:05:00.000-05:002012-02-14T06:05:35.686-05:00

Delegates to June Convention in Springfield will select candidates for U.S. Senate nominationOn February 11, 2012, Democrats in Southbridge held a caucus to elect delegates to the Massachusetts Democratic Party’s 2012 endorsing convention in Springfield this June.The caucus, organized by the Southbridge Democratic Town Committee, elected Monika Agnello, Edward Alicea, Gary Fontaine, Maria

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-31885630309262149322012-02-13T16:57:00.002-05:002012-02-13T17:47:16.990-05:00

I Still Tear UpKen O’BrienThere have been many tributes to Whitney Houston in the last few days.However, the one moment in time that I will never forget that was, to me, the distillation of her talent and a profound love of country seems to have received short shrift from the media.Therefore, I offer my moment from Whitney Houston’s life that I will never forget. It has never been approached, let

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-84641976706496393422012-02-13T00:03:00.001-05:002012-02-13T10:42:27.965-05:00

Ken O’BrienOkay, the results are in.O’Zone readers had the chance to nominate those people that they would like to see run for Southbridge town council.Then you had 56 hours to cast your vote for those you would most like to see run.The results were decisively in favor of three candidates, Dennis Martinek, Gary Fontaine and Shaun Moriarty.But democracy is not a spectator sport.  As the great

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-86831348944084641082012-02-12T01:30:00.006-05:002012-02-12T17:45:46.380-05:00

Ken O’BrienThe absolute first priority of any community is the welfare of its citizens.The ruling majority on the Southbridge town council is answerable to a higher authority – and you can rest assured that it is not the same authority featured in the famous advertisement for Kosher hot dogs.That higher authority is the economic interest of those who would plunder our town by making it the

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-78999119905054183452012-02-11T11:35:00.002-05:002012-02-12T17:47:50.257-05:00

Martinek, Fontaine and Moriarty FavoredKen O’Brien131 of you participated in our preference poll for candidates for Southbridge Town Council. That’s about 10% of the turnout in the last town election. While not a representative sample of the overall Southbridge electorate, it nevertheless is indicative of a strong base of support for the candidates who finished among the top three by a wide

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-48426015674800183122012-02-10T13:25:00.000-05:002012-02-10T13:25:57.959-05:00

Bob Cirba, Guest Contributor I am curious.When did we become so jaded that we no longer care about how the system we live within does business?  On Monday the 13th we have the annual Wringing of the Hands where the State reps (Gobi and Durant accompanied by Senator Stephen Brewer) give the State of the State address and tell us (for the fourth year in a row) just how badly we are doing.Now for my

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-64328727503995284202012-02-09T14:36:00.002-05:002012-02-12T07:47:39.818-05:00

SOUTHBRIDGE — Building on his record of community service and desire to move his hometown forward, Shaun Moriarty announced today his candidacy for Town Council.“I put myself forward not to oppose any candidate, group, or particular issue, but to bring a fresh, new perspective, without biases, agendas, or allegiances,” stated Moriarty. “I put myself forward because this town has struggled for too

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-64642996486439578122012-02-08T11:13:00.001-05:002012-02-08T11:37:52.002-05:00

Ken O’Brien activerain.com I am both pleased and surprised by the number of you who took the time to suggest names of those you would like to run for Southbridge town council.I know, however, that the number of you who submitted suggestions is only a small fraction of those who read the article and the comments.From those comments I have compiled a list of 12 names that were suggested. They are

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-88339853331563558482012-02-07T18:43:00.002-05:002012-02-07T19:02:04.466-05:00

Ken O'Brien One of my regular readers, dismayed at the current paucity of "quality candidates", suggested that I run a survey among the rest of you loyal visitors. Whom would you like to see as a candidate for Southbridge town council in this year's election? I can tell you from personal experience that, often, all it takes to get someone to throw their hat into the ring is the knowledge that

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-20941156968056140102012-02-07T09:54:00.000-05:002012-02-07T09:54:51.709-05:00

Ken O’BrienRemember last year’s debate over the Smart Cart program?First it was dead, then it was alive again, and finally there was reason to believe that it would be revivified at a later date.It appears that a similar pattern may be shaping up in relation to the Industrial Development Finance Authority.At February 6th’s town council meeting the only item of business on the agenda was the third

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-24843965374025182742012-02-06T20:15:00.001-05:002012-02-06T21:07:11.318-05:00

Council chair Nikolla took great pride in announcing that tonight's meeting lasted only 34 minutes. Here is a video of tonight's meeting, focusing on the verbal lovefest among the chair, the vice chair and the town manager.

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-47310014550409371722012-02-04T07:35:00.006-05:002012-02-04T21:57:49.346-05:00

Ken O’BrienWillard Mitt Romney said yesterday, “If people think the economy is going in the right direction they should vote for President Obama.”Well, for the vast number of Americans the direction of the economy has more to do with employment (i.e. jobs) than with any other single factor.Despite all the rhetoric and sniping from Republicans, there is no doubt that our current state of affairs

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-29377857684342682902012-02-03T12:32:00.005-05:002012-02-03T14:38:35.545-05:00

Ken O’BrienThe Agenda for February 6th’s Town Council Meeting is now available on the town website.In keeping with a recent pattern, there is very little real business. In fact, there is only one item that constitutes town business.“9. Vote to amend the By-law to adopt an Economic Development Commission under Chapter 3, Appointed Officers, Section 3.223 deleting the previously proposed Section

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-55968983398181959312012-02-03T01:36:00.004-05:002012-02-03T03:07:57.999-05:00

Ken O’BrienYesterday in Las Vegas billionaire narcissist Donald Trump announced the kickoff of the new season of his pseudo-reality program The Apprentice. This year’s edition will follow up on the theme concept introduced last year. You may recall 2011’s “Celebrity Apprentice” that featured such luminaries as Meatloaf and Gary Busey. Trump announced the lead off personality for the new

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-76332642935028664582012-02-02T14:14:00.000-05:002012-02-02T14:14:51.279-05:00

Ken O’Brien Former state representative Mark Carron was arraigned this morning in Worcester Court on charges of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. If found guilty this would be his fourth such conviction.

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-36430693655934718552012-02-01T18:12:00.003-05:002012-02-02T04:59:53.784-05:00

Ken O’BrienAccording to some of those present, last night’s meeting of the General Government subcommittee reviewed a proposal to add another employee to the town manager’s office.The responsibility of this person would be to review resumes of applicants for town positions. In essence, they would act as a “personnel officer”, thus sparing our town manager of one more task that has been

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-73725136871018671102012-02-01T09:24:00.006-05:002012-02-01T12:52:41.273-05:00

Ken O'Brien Some people have asked to see what property tax rates in Southbridge have looked like over time.The following chart shows property tax rates since Fiscal Year 2000 in dollars per $1,000 of assessed valuation. The data is once again derived from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue - Division of Local Services. Southbridge Tax RatesFrom: Massachusetts Department of Revenue

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-14316567145342048822012-01-31T16:09:00.000-05:002012-01-31T16:09:38.344-05:00

Ken O’Brien There may be hope for a return of manufacturing jobs that have moved overseas.The following report appeared on Rock Center with Brian Williams on Monday, January 30th. Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-68183928958568558212012-01-31T06:02:00.000-05:002012-01-31T06:02:43.966-05:00

Ken O'Brien Last Sunday in Catholic churches around the country priests told their congregations that they opposed new government rules that would require church sponsored institutions to offer contraceptive services in their health insurance programs. Other Christian denominations also vented their opposition to this requirement. America's newest demagogue-in-chief, Newt Gingrich, seized on the

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-85032531475291247612012-01-30T16:59:00.003-05:002012-01-30T18:35:24.380-05:00

Ken O'Brien I started this blog on February 7, 2011. During that time you, the readers, have been very kind to me. I cannot underestimate the contribution of Dennis Martinek who, when he took a hiatus from his own blog, as well as his recent decision to retire from the scene, chose to direct his loyal readers to The O'Zone. Nevertheless, I am flattered by the choice of those readers to continue

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-64103745008054927702012-01-30T09:00:00.003-05:002012-01-30T09:40:31.777-05:00

Thanks to Mike Marketti for this blast from the past.

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-58071661162391432312012-01-29T08:15:00.002-05:002012-01-29T17:02:45.775-05:00

Ken O’BrienOver the last three days I’ve reviewed several factors underlying the economic situation of the town of Southbridge.The starting point was the casual remark by our town manager regarding the reality of the dramatic increase in the sewer enterprise fund over the last year.At the heart of this remark was a callous disregard for the burden imposed upon Southbridge residents as Mike

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-81233773583546290252012-01-29T03:46:00.000-05:002012-01-29T03:46:01.097-05:00

Ken O’BrienYesterday I published data comparing the relative property tax rates for Southbridge and surrounding communities.Today we will take a graphic look at the pattern of home sales in the same communities. Over a five-year period, with charts derived from City-Data, it is reasonable to take the trend in home sales and prices as representative of the general health of the housing market in

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-17328492360300206432012-01-28T14:36:00.007-05:002012-01-29T02:20:47.886-05:00

Ken O'Brien Last year I prepared a comparison of Southbridge‘s property tax rate relative to other local communities.Below is the updated list for Fiscal Year 2012, as well as the prior data from FY 2011.Those who wish to denigrate these comparisons will throw up the same old tired argument that it’s not the rate that matters.Stop to consider that a rate of $17.83 per thousand is a percentage. In

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-47197735221359517942012-01-27T15:37:00.001-05:002012-01-27T17:58:55.752-05:00

Ken O’BrienOne of the most overlooked aspects of January 23rd’s town council meeting was related to agenda item number 9. That agenda item read:“Vote to appropriate the sum of $69,403.03 from Sewer Retained Earnings to Wastewater Treatment facility Upgrades project Fund 380.”While the motion itself was not controversial, the exchange between councilor Conrad Vandal and the town manager relative

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-39379684837022902922012-01-26T13:55:00.002-05:002012-01-26T22:35:50.635-05:00

Ken O'Brien Do you need a job? Don't despair - Southbridge has plenty of money. All it takes is some creativity on your part and an aggressive desire to define your dream vocation. As I reported yesterday, the Town Manager is busy creating new positions that are not even provided for in the town bylaws. Why should you miss out? Even if you don’t live in Southbridge, that isn’t a problem! Look at

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-62752018022515864552012-01-25T20:47:00.009-05:002012-02-15T23:59:24.139-05:00

Ken O’BrienI now have it confirmed by reliable sources within town hall that the town manager has come up with plans for a new position (paid for, presumably, with your tax dollars) that will also reward someone who (in my opinion) showed substantial kindness to the administration in the past.The proposal will be to create a part-time director (or whatever title) for the town recreation

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-18159470930248025952012-01-25T11:02:00.001-05:002012-01-25T18:13:47.264-05:00

Ken O’BrienAs regular readers of the O’Zone know, we first reported on the issue surrounding a second candidate for a full-time position at the Southbridge police department on January 20.On January 21 we reported additional information detailing how the town administration planned to extend the period for this candidate to meet the eligibility requirements for that position.At January 23rd’s

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-58199239865520521922012-01-24T16:01:00.002-05:002012-01-24T16:56:12.921-05:00

Ken O’BrienJohn Adams famously observed that a republic is “a government of laws, and not of men.”This view was subsequently enshrined in the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780. Article XXX of the Bill of Rights states:“Art. XXX. In the government of this commonwealth, the legislative department shall never exercise the executive and judicial powers, or either of them; the executive shall never

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-15499671085759504372012-01-23T14:04:00.003-05:002012-01-23T14:58:04.786-05:00

Ken O’BrienItem 11 on tonight’s town council agenda is, “Vote to approve the utilization of $3,000 from the “Grow Southbridge Fund” for the Southbridge-Downtown Partnership Event on May 31, 2012.”I initially commented on this proposal on January 16 when it was first announced in the local paper.Now we have a copy of the proposal for this funding from the Director of  Economic Development and 

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-24015555134259699612012-01-23T12:42:00.001-05:002012-01-23T12:58:44.075-05:00

Ken O'Brien Since it is still not available on the town website, here is the agenda for tonight's town council meeting. 

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-44823888463897074852012-01-22T14:40:00.000-05:002012-01-22T14:40:31.853-05:00

With Thanks to Dennis Martinek

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-46350980179159299912012-01-22T13:32:00.004-05:002012-01-22T14:07:26.305-05:00

Submitted by Monika Agnello Recycled Helmet - Woodstock The Quinebaug Valley Council for the Arts and Humanities (QVCAH) is sponsoring Terra 25, the 2nd Annual High School Student Recycled Art Exhibit.In April of 2011 QVCAH sponsored Terra Verde, Terra Munde; Celebrate Our Earth in Spring, a recycled art exhibition that opened with great success thanks to the many entries of students from a

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-48594843523086286902012-01-21T17:52:00.001-05:002012-01-22T12:34:16.596-05:00

Ken O’Brien Reliable sources are now telling me that candidate for full-time Southbridge police officer, Ms. Ortiz-Diaz, will be made a dispatcher until she can qualify for the police academy in June. I have no bias against this person; I am only addressing the process and the apparent hypocrisy that is going on. Immediately before the section that I previously quoted from the town manager's

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-68829066642703950652012-01-20T15:00:00.004-05:002012-01-20T18:10:30.648-05:00

Ken O’BrienOn December 19, 2011, the Southbridge Town Council voted to approve the appointment of three full-time police officers recommended by Police Chief Daniel Charette and the subcommittee on the Protection of Persons and Property.The three candidates approved were Daniel P. Rogers of Southbridge, Miosotis Diaz-Ortiz of Southbridge and Brian A Ruggieri of Brookfield.Rogers was subsequently

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-62520848948505391802012-01-19T22:59:00.002-05:002012-01-19T23:17:18.629-05:00

Ken O’Brien“Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.” ― John LennonIn January 19th’s Southbridge Evening News the headline read, “Seeking vision, town needs people for master plan process”.The article went on to say, “To Economic Development Director Sandy Acly, ‘The master plan is definitely a visionary process.’ As such, it will need as many people to be involved as

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-10430877575492197492012-01-18T18:09:00.004-05:002012-01-19T02:18:56.730-05:00

Ken O’BrienAfter almost five years as the leading blogger in Southbridge, Dennis Martinek has decided to retire from the arena.His site, Speak Out Southbridge, became a mainstay of local life in the virtual world.Often controversial, frequently vilified, it was nevertheless always entertaining. I can say without fear of contradiction that his presence on the web has served as an inspiration to me

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-62614697932343399122012-01-17T13:37:00.004-05:002012-02-02T05:18:01.153-05:00

Ken O’Brien (suggested by Stephanie De Martino)Direct TV and Sunbeam Television are engaged in an economic conflict over the fees that Direct TV should pay to Sunbeam for the rights to carry WHDH TV Channel 7 and WLVI Channel 56.Whatever the outcome, the losers are local viewers who receive Direct TV.On February 5 NBC will broadcast the Superbowl. WHDH is the local NBC broadcast outlet.If this

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-52635100376338900572012-01-17T08:07:00.001-05:002012-01-17T08:17:02.036-05:00

Ken O’BrienFor forty years I have waited for the term “creative destruction” to enter the American political lexicon.More than any other concept, this idea, first popularized in its contemporary form by the Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter, clarifies the proper contemporary framework for government fiscal policies and intervention in the economy.It is ironic that it has been raised as an

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-61591834508251770422012-01-16T19:11:00.003-05:002012-01-16T20:56:38.667-05:00

From today’s (January 16, 2012) Southbridge Evening News, Partnership, town teamup to recruit business: The Planning & Development subcommittee voted unanimously Thursday night to support a proposal to contribute $3,000 toward a late May event aimed at attracting commercial and industrial companies to town. “Retail, I don’t think, is going to work as well in Southbridge as commercial or

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-67536486280522911302012-01-15T15:52:00.002-05:002012-01-15T16:32:05.172-05:00

Ken O'Brien Jobs! When you get right down to it, this is the most important issue on the minds of people as we approach another Presidential election. The reality is that there is very little any presidential candidate can do about it. Even more important is the fact that neither political party, its candidates or the American public are willing to face the fundamental realities that underlie the

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-9396859566241464242012-01-15T00:33:00.005-05:002012-01-15T11:01:29.682-05:00

Ken O’BrienBack at the end of December when I wrote “Making Facts Malleable” I really didn’t anticipate the extent to which people would go to distort reality for political reasons. Well, my cynicism has taken another major leap forward. Consider the case of MIT Professor Kerry Emanuel.   “Kerry Emanuel (born April 21, 1955) is an American professor of meteorology currently working at the

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-46040875916601524832012-01-13T20:21:00.003-05:002012-01-14T10:52:07.146-05:00

Ken O'Brien I have just received the following email from Kirstie Pecci: "I found out after the court was closed for the day that on 1/12/12 the SJC withdrew the decision they issued on 1/10/12.  I assume that this was to correct an administrative error -- remember these are the same folks who lost half of the volumes we submitted -- but I don't know why they withdrew it.  I will let you know as

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-82153157005462430422012-01-13T10:39:00.003-05:002012-01-16T04:29:13.346-05:00

Ken O’Brien I have watched with dark amusement as the debate has evolved over Mitt Romney’s tenure at Bain Capital. In the midst of this, the residents of Southbridge should take into account their own history. It illuminates quite clearly how this issue is being clouded by those who want you to believe that they are merely defending the free market system. As I wrote in an earlier piece, the

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-27709521442832017272012-01-13T06:28:00.002-05:002012-02-24T07:35:58.479-05:00

Ken O'Brien For a long time now I have been telling my friends that Jimmy Fallon is the best thing to happen to late night television since Johnny Carson. Last night, however, he hit what I regard as a high point in demonstrating this. Not only was it a uniquely clever concept, but the execution was flawless. In this piece Fallon demonstrated not merely that he is funny, but that he is genuinely

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-2213350626830488902012-01-12T16:04:00.004-05:002012-01-13T08:20:34.485-05:00

Ken O'Brien According to the National Journal, “On evolution, just 23 percent of Republicans said in a 2009 Pew poll that human life had evolved solely through a natural process, while another 26 percent said evolution had occurred under divine guidance and 39 percent said life has always existed in its present form. When Gallup phrased the choices slightly differently last December [2010], just

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-19445029940074569202012-01-11T23:38:00.001-05:002012-01-11T23:57:11.096-05:00

Ken O'Brien About a week ago the signs disappeared. The "Make Southbridge Home" campaign skulked quietly into oblivion like so many other schemes of the current town administration. Announced with all the fanfare of a new street sweeper on the front page of the Southbridge Evening News of  March 15, 2011, this was the bone thrown to Southbridge homeowners who wanted to follow the advice of our

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-8918437941754535952012-01-10T14:56:00.012-05:002012-01-28T12:18:55.974-05:00

by Ken O'Brien The Massachusetts Supreme Court today issued its ruling in the case of BOARD OF HEALTH OF STURBRIDGE & others vs. BOARD OF HEALTH OF SOUTHBRIDGE & another. In its decision the court decided that the plaintiffs lacked standing to bring suit. Writing for the majority, Justice Bostsford stated, " In July of 2008, the plaintiffs filed an appeal in the Superior Court from a decision

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-91891146948363838162012-01-10T14:02:00.000-05:002012-01-10T14:02:54.442-05:00

Ken O'Brien Well, the New Year has come and gone, and in Southbridge that can mean only one thing - the start of election season. While town elections don't happen until June, various local groups are already preparing for the event. There is of course the town council as a whole (or at least seven of nine) who are hoping to place their planned charter distortions on the ballot. Their nefarious

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-71004967357703769292012-01-09T20:42:00.001-05:002012-01-09T21:45:37.075-05:00

Ken O’Brien Andy Warhol observed, “In the future everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes.” With relentless inevitability this prediction has now come true for our top civil servant. Southbridge Chief of Police Daniel Charette is now starring in a series of public service announcements on behalf of the Central Mass Chiefs of Police Association. The spots have been produced and aired by

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-56699653287929984912012-01-09T10:55:00.000-05:002012-01-09T10:55:04.322-05:00

Ken O'Brien Copyright by Clay Bennett, Chattanooga Times Free Press Back between Christmas and New Year's I engaged in a little bit of reflection. Having just rebooted The O'Zone at the start of December, I thought about how I might make it more useful to my readers. I decided that one thing that I could do was to provide links to other blogs in the area that might provide viewpoints and

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-22842624928320368782012-01-07T17:52:00.001-05:002012-01-07T23:40:05.275-05:00

Ken O'Brien Clearly there are no problems in Southbridge. The current leadership, returning from their Christmas and New Year's hiatus. has clearly determined that we are living in a virtual Utopia. How else can you explain a town council agenda at the start of 2012 that contains absolutely no business? I mean no business! Lest you think that I exaggerate, here is the agenda for Monday, January

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-11493969031057410542012-01-07T14:51:00.003-05:002012-01-07T22:09:02.404-05:00

Ken O'Brien Always on the forefront of the culture wars, Fox News was the first to decry the threat posed by these foreign musical marauders. In retrospect it is clear how right they were and how our society has been damaged by our failure to heed their warning. As  this election year unfolds, let us not lose sight of how O'Reilly, Hannity. Palin, Dick Morris, Bernie Goldberg, Frank Luntz and

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-6959234022730479032012-01-07T11:11:00.001-05:002012-01-07T12:54:54.089-05:00

Ken O’Brien Years ago I spent a couple of years living in New Hampshire. This was while I was attending graduate school. Now, I’ll quickly concede that Hanover is not typical of most of New Hampshire. However, while I went to school in Hanover, I lived in West Lebanon which was a little closer to the grass roots of life in rural New Hampshire. While there has always been a fundamentally

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-14799515100088582842012-01-06T18:15:00.002-05:002012-01-06T20:26:15.649-05:00

  Ken O’Brien                                                                  Well finally. It's about damned time. On October 3, 2011 I appeared before the Southbridge town council and made a statement that began: “It is my opinion that virtually all penalties and fees assessed against Southbridge residents and/or property owners regarding garbage and trash collection or recycling have

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-68781433892783195222012-01-05T16:31:00.003-05:002012-01-05T16:46:11.631-05:00

Neither Can the Town, But Either WayIt's Your Problem! Ken O'Brien Tomorrow will mark two years since our town manager announced his plan to sell surplus town buildings to infuse cash into the town coffers. I want to thank Jim Sottile for reminding me of this fact. With all the fanfare that can be afforded by the front page of the Southbridge Evening News it was announced on January 6, 2010, "

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-51669208872518405152012-01-04T16:49:00.002-05:002012-01-04T22:05:05.480-05:00

Ken O'Brien A surprisingly little noticed tremor rocked the legal world on the Friday before New Year's. It came from of all places the big sky country of Montana. Montana, one of only a few states with more U. S. Senators than representatives in the U.S. House. On a five to two vote, the Montana State Supreme Court challenged the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the Citizens United case. For those

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-71901837205740380982012-01-03T18:53:00.000-05:002012-01-03T18:53:53.210-05:00

Ken O’Brien The day after Christmas I published an article titled GRIDBLOCK. In it I put forward the argument that the lack of progress in Washington in addressing America’s economic and jobs crisis was founded in Republican intransigence in the Congress based on entirely political motives.  Last Sunday’s 60 Minutes presented a profile of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor. The following clip

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-90049137959274109842012-01-02T15:41:00.000-05:002012-01-02T15:41:05.379-05:00

And Let’s Start at the Top Ken O'Brien Let’s start today’s essay with a term with which many may not be familiar. That term is goal congruence. Put simply, what goal congruence means is that performance should be rewarded to the degree that it produces desired results. It is the concept of goal congruence that underlies programs in business and government labeled as pay for performance. Under pay

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-69382655511284334342012-01-01T00:00:00.008-05:002012-01-01T12:54:21.558-05:00

Ken O'Brien Thirty years of the dominance of the  Reagan reactionary movement has reduced Americans to sniveling serfs hoping that crumbs will drop to their feet from the bountiful tables of their "betters". That is the legacy of trickle down economics, endless foreign military adventurism that matches anything envisioned by George Orwell, and the ascendancy of the rights of corporations over

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-44210868074582388102011-12-30T19:06:00.000-05:002011-12-30T19:06:28.806-05:00

From Ken O'Brien

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-4880551364461514352011-12-30T00:44:00.003-05:002011-12-30T12:17:58.220-05:00

Ken O'Brien New Year's Eve is traditionally a night given to thoughts of new beginnings. We put behind us the mistakes and misgivings of the old year. One last night of revelry casts out the demons of the past to make way for the angels of rebirth. To sanctify this commitment to a better future we engage in the crafting of New Year's resolutions. The exercise makes a concrete statement of how we

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-23314776413918928462011-12-28T12:48:00.001-05:002011-12-29T00:34:27.299-05:00

Ken O'Brien I've often resorted to the observation that, "You're entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts." However that is becoming increasingly more difficult to argue. The reason is the growth of a conservative media offensive that willfully distorts verifiable facts to perpetuate an alternative view that supports their ideology. In a sense they have injected a religious component

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-50854376452536046192011-12-26T12:32:00.001-05:002011-12-27T05:43:20.222-05:00

Ken O'Brien Gridlock is a term that appears to have originated in New York City in the 1970’s. To quote from Wikipedia: The term gridlock is defined as "A state of severe road congestion arising when continuous queues of vehicles block an entire network of intersecting streets, bringing traffic in all directions to a complete standstill; a traffic jam of this kind.” The term originates from a

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-17283311507844182222011-12-24T16:29:00.000-05:002011-12-24T16:29:54.461-05:00

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-27219265282801037122011-12-24T05:37:00.004-05:002011-12-24T15:20:02.142-05:00

Ken O'Brien During her remarks at the start of December 19th's town council meeting, the council chair said: "...we [the town council] represent the entire community, you are not, the people sitting here in the audience, are not the entire community. You are part of the community, and as we are trying to be respectful of you, we require, expect and demand that you be respectful of us as well."

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-55892358772519102102011-12-23T10:54:00.000-05:002011-12-23T10:54:47.053-05:00

Ken O'Brien Southbridge Town Council Rule 19a. says: "Councilors Forum will be an agenda item on each regularly scheduled Town Council meeting. The purpose of Councilors' Forum is to conduct Council business." At December 19th's council meeting the council chair began by lecturing the assembled citizenry of her intention to see that proper decorum would be maintained during meetings. Any

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-47857975820314547762011-12-22T21:15:00.001-05:002011-12-23T07:55:03.571-05:00

And How It Can Trip Them Up Now Ken O’Brien The current Washington soap opera relates to the extension of payroll tax cuts that would benefit the vast majority of Americans in the middle class. The core issue is the manner in which we would pay for this tax holiday. Democrats have proposed a surtax on those earning in excess of $1 million per year Republicans initially proposed further spending

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-69205580263205579162011-12-22T05:50:00.002-05:002011-12-22T16:13:42.532-05:00

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-14807962592561664882011-12-21T13:59:00.002-05:002011-12-22T12:49:37.110-05:00

Ken O'Brien As we all know the town manager has forced through his "reorganization" of the public access channels. At the core of this was the dismissal of Paul Zotos as the Director of that operation and the decision to hire three part-timers to replace him. Never mind the fact that, after years of service, and numerous awards, Paul was dismissed months before he would have been eligible for

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-32336892509303277482011-12-21T04:41:00.005-05:002011-12-21T07:52:39.423-05:00

Ken O'Brien So you think that we learned something from the 2008 financial meltdown? Think again. A major factor in the financial crisis was the use of synthetic derivatives that essentially turned into a casino game. These abstruse financial instruments brought about, among other things, the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the bailout of AIG and numerous banks and the bankruptcy of the country of

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-89604192353349549022011-12-20T09:04:00.000-05:002011-12-20T09:04:51.053-05:00

Ken O'Brien At last night's meeting the town council chairman once again demonstrated her ignorance of procedure. In a none-too-veiled reference to the previous chairman she remarked that unlike the case of the charter review committee she was not naming the chairman of the bylaw review committee. Rather, she would allow the committee to elect its own chairman. Apparently she has forgotten that

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-30310894664512192522011-12-19T15:16:00.003-05:002011-12-19T17:43:36.446-05:00

Ken O'Brien I recently wrote a piece remarking on the apparent absence of the firm specializing in municipal law from town activities. Well, so much for that seeming hiatus. As many of you are probably aware, a case is pending in Worcester Superior Court challenging the validity of the bylaw expanding the Board of Health from 3 to 5 members. (This should not be confused with a separate action now

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-17741847102701711232011-12-18T14:46:00.005-05:002011-12-19T02:22:07.497-05:00

Dennis Martinek and Ken O'Brien At December 19th's meeting, the town council will take up the following item: 17. Vote to authorize the Town Manager to proceed with the procurement process to purchase a Street Sweeper and to fund this purchase, that $172,000 is appropriated for the purpose for financing the purchase of a Street Sweeper and to meet this appropriation the Treasurer with the

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-7221182041062648872011-12-15T14:54:00.001-05:002011-12-15T14:58:38.416-05:00

Ken O'Brien Unlike the "nanny state" that many conservative critics claim that American liberals are making of our country, Southbridge has become a mommy state. However, in contrast to the altruistic motives that underlie any conception of the "nanny state", Southbridge's mommy state is more aptly characterized as a "mommie dearest state" as exemplified by the iconic book and movie Mommie

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-50330511733173299722011-12-13T20:02:00.002-05:002012-02-28T03:03:39.281-05:00

Ken O'Brien Back in July I wrote a post entitled The Charter Chupacabra. In that article I made a series of predictions on how the current council would amend the recommendations of the Charter Review Committee. With one exception all of those predictions came true. The sole exception was that the council would recommend changing the position of Town Clerk from elected to appointed. Perhaps

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4996694361406740875.post-31478385993622299452011-12-13T06:53:00.002-05:002011-12-13T07:01:13.795-05:00

                                              Ken O'Brien Back in February I published a piece titled "Where's Joe Friiday When We Need Him?"   In it I detailed a study by the University of Maryland that found that viewers of Fox News were the most misinformed of all consumers of broadcast news. Now a recent study by Fairleigh Dickinson University confirms that result: "According to the

Ken O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01457279985581560065noreply@blogger.com0