Kenneth M. O'Brien
As Georges Santayanna famously remarked, “Those who cannot learn history are destined to repeat it”.
Thus, as my starting point, I will recount the events that have taken place in Southbridge politics leading up to and following the town election of June 2010. For the most part I will focus on the town council, but there are ancillary matters that do have a bearing on our current state of affairs.
2010
DATE EVENT REFERENCE
June 7 Cook and Tremblay resign SEN* June 7
from Board of Health
June 20 Lazo requests investigation into SEN June 25
leak of Executive Session
minutes
June 21 No quorum for council meeting SEN June 23
June 23 debate among council candidates SEN June 25
June 25 No quorum for council meeting SENJune 28
June 28 council recommends 5 member BOH SEN June 30
Council OK’s RMV contract
June 29 election returns Regis and Vandal SEN July 1
McDonald replaces Vecchia
July 8 Lazo re-elected council chair SEN July 12
------ BOH approves smart cart SEN July 19
July 19 point of order raised by counccilor SEN July 21
Logan returns 3 member BOH
------ Kalinowski to leave SEN July 20
------- RMV contract SEN July 30
------- Access Road Bond modification SEN August 3
will not require vote – Clark
------- Access Road Bond modification SEN August 9
explained
------- Access Road Bond will require SEN August 12
council vote
--------- Sturbridge BOH appeals landfill SEN August 18
August 17 charter review finished SEN August 19
RMV move set SEN August 24
August 23 Hamer Clarke made interim DPW SEN August 25
-------- Clark seeks new ways to sell SEN August 31
town property
--------- Council needs to plug leaks SEN September 1
September 13 council delays vote on Duhani SEN September 13,
September 15
September 13 Failure of gas collection system SEN September 16
at landfill
------ New recycling coordinator SEN September 14
September 21 council votes to recommend Duhani SEN September 23
------ BOH hires Tighe & Bond to SEN September 23
report on landfill incident
September 27 Duhani hiring put on hold SEN September 27
------- Duhani hiring termed unlikely SEN September 29
------- Clark withdraws Duhani SEN October 4
------- Duhani requests video SEN October 7
------- Clark candidate for TM in Palmer SEN October 25
------- DPW chief search renewed SEN October 27
------- Action on charter review SEN October 29
postponed to Nov. 1
------- Clark withdraws Palmer app SEN November 3
November 10 Interviews begin for DPW chief SEN November 10
November 14 Laurent E. McDonald SEN November 17
passes away
November 29 council deadlocks on vice chair SEN December 1
December 6 council elects McDonald vice chair SEN December 8
council approves tax rate
------- SJC takes landfill case SEN December 9
December 13 council sets special election for SEN December 15
February 15
------ Fontaine and Spinelli announce candidacy SEN December 16
December 16 AG’s office holds session on SEN December 20
new open meeting law
------ BOH calls for new site assignment SEN December 27
for processing facility
------
Fontaine, Spinelli on ballot SEN December 30
------ Town sued over sewer plant SEN December 30
January 10 Daley appointed DPW head SEN January 12
council votes down “smart cart”
------- Chloramine proposed for water treatment SEN January 24
January 24 council deadlocks on Clark contract SEN January 26
January 30 candidates debate SEN February 1
February 7 Report of state police investigation
made available online
February 7 Court dismisses Sturbridge SEN February 10
landfill appeal
February 15 Spinelli elected to council SEN February 17
June 23 debate among council candidates SEN June 25
June 25 No quorum for council meeting SENJune 28
June 28 council recommends 5 member BOH SEN June 30
Council OK’s RMV contract
June 29 election returns Regis and Vandal SEN July 1
McDonald replaces Vecchia
July 8 Lazo re-elected council chair SEN July 12
------ BOH approves smart cart SEN July 19
July 19 point of order raised by counccilor SEN July 21
Logan returns 3 member BOH
------ Kalinowski to leave SEN July 20
------- RMV contract SEN July 30
------- Access Road Bond modification SEN August 3
will not require vote – Clark
------- Access Road Bond modification SEN August 9
explained
------- Access Road Bond will require SEN August 12
council vote
--------- Sturbridge BOH appeals landfill SEN August 18
August 17 charter review finished SEN August 19
RMV move set SEN August 24
August 23 Hamer Clarke made interim DPW SEN August 25
-------- Clark seeks new ways to sell SEN August 31
town property
--------- Council needs to plug leaks SEN September 1
September 13 council delays vote on Duhani SEN September 13,
September 15
September 13 Failure of gas collection system SEN September 16
at landfill
------ New recycling coordinator SEN September 14
September 21 council votes to recommend Duhani SEN September 23
------ BOH hires Tighe & Bond to SEN September 23
report on landfill incident
September 27 Duhani hiring put on hold SEN September 27
------- Duhani hiring termed unlikely SEN September 29
------- Clark withdraws Duhani SEN October 4
------- Duhani requests video SEN October 7
------- Clark candidate for TM in Palmer SEN October 25
------- DPW chief search renewed SEN October 27
------- Action on charter review SEN October 29
postponed to Nov. 1
------- Clark withdraws Palmer app SEN November 3
November 10 Interviews begin for DPW chief SEN November 10
November 14 Laurent E. McDonald SEN November 17
passes away
November 29 council deadlocks on vice chair SEN December 1
December 6 council elects McDonald vice chair SEN December 8
council approves tax rate
------- SJC takes landfill case SEN December 9
December 13 council sets special election for SEN December 15
February 15
Lazo issues statement on decorum
Council adopts link policy for town website------ Fontaine and Spinelli announce candidacy SEN December 16
December 16 AG’s office holds session on SEN December 20
new open meeting law
------ BOH calls for new site assignment SEN December 27
for processing facility
------
Fontaine, Spinelli on ballot SEN December 30
– DeMartino signatures fall short
2011
council votes down “smart cart”
------- Chloramine proposed for water treatment SEN January 24
January 24 council deadlocks on Clark contract SEN January 26
January 30 candidates debate SEN February 1
February 7 Report of state police investigation
made available online
February 7 Court dismisses Sturbridge SEN February 10
landfill appeal
February 15 Spinelli elected to council SEN February 17
--------------------------------------
* Southbridge Evening News
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