The Burning Bird Blister

Ken O’Brien

One possible side effect of the addition of chloramines to the Southbridge water supply warrants investigating. While I know of no research supporting the conclusion, casual observation of events in town inclines me to believe that they may lead to the long term loss of short term memory.

Case in point; it’s my understanding that when someone is given an interim appointment, it is pending the hiring of a permanent employee for the position in question. 

We Don’t Need No Stinking Rules

Ken O’Brien

As we are all well aware, the town manager has appointed former Southbridge Evening News Editor Walter Bird as Director of the town’s Recreation Committee.

It was formally announced in the Southbridge Evening News of February 16, 2012.

The O’Zone had reported that this appointment was in the offing on two occasions prior to the official announcement.

In both of those articles I raised the question why this appointment could be made when the current town bylaws read as follows: 

Update: Southbridge Town Manager Wants a New Employee

Ken O’Brien

On January 25^th 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 administration in the past.
“The proposal will be to create a part-time director (or whatever title) for the town recreation committee….
“Finally, the same sources confirm that the candidate that the town manager has in mind to recommend is Walter Bird, former Editor of the Southbridge Evening News.”

Breaking News: Southbridge Town Manager Wants a New Employee

Ken O’Brien

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 administration in the past.

The proposal will be to create a part-time director (or whatever title) for the town recreation committee.

Now, in the first place, the town recreation committee is in somewhat of a legal limbo. The current town bylaws, last revised on October 3^rd, 2011 says about this committee:

“Section 3-215 Recreation Committee
                         Reserved”

What does that mean?