-
The Office of the Mayor is uniquely positioned to serve as a vital link between citizens and their municipal government, and to foster greater communication and collaboration among Lowellians and their representatives at all divisions and levels of government. As chair of the City Council, the Mayor must also lead in conducting its oversight of the City Auditor, Clerk and Manager. With the public platform afforded the position, the mayor can highlight important issues in the community and use the office as a clearinghouse for well-researched ideas that could, when translated into meaningful policy initiatives with the City Council and School Committee, improve the quality of life for residents of Lowell. Similarly, the Mayor’s Office also highlights the many community events, citizen activities and success stories that take place within Lowell each day.
As the official head of the City, the Mayor represents Lowell in more formal functions, to include presiding over School Committee and City Council meetings, hosting and attending events, and helping to grow partnerships--publicly and privately--that further the city’s cultural and economic development. Accordingly, the Mayor collaborates with municipalities in the Merrimack Valley, as well as counterparts in other cities across the state, nation, and world, in order to identify common challenges and opportunities, and better promote our own city as an exciting place to live, work, learn and play.
Mayor Murphy believes in making city government accessible to all residents. Therefore, he has designated two time periods each week in which any citizen is welcome to visit his office to discuss any question, concern, or suggestion that they may have. From 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, Mayor Murphy holds "Office Hours" at City Hall to meet with residents on a drop-in basis - no appointment needed. Citizens whose work, family, or school commitments restrict them from meetings during those times are encouraged to e-mail either the Mayor or his aide in order to set up direct meetings with Mayor Murphy during evening or weekend hours. Furthermore, Mayor Murphy is available to constituents from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on the first Monday of each month for "Virtual Office Hours," during which time he will be logged in to his personal Facebook page to respond to questions via chat and Facebook e-mail in near-real time.
To receive updates from the Mayor's Office and other City of Lowell Departments directly to your inbox, sign up for E-Gov subscriptions by following this link. If you do not already have an E-Gov account, first sign up here.
-
Happy Friday! The weather is going to be beautiful this weekend and there is certainly a lot of opportunities to get out and enjoy it throughout the city.
** But first, a special shout out to the impressive young people at the Pyne Arts School who worked hard to organize and execute a walk-a-thon this past week to benefit Boston Marathon bombing survivors Celeste and Sydney Corcoran of Lowell. In less than two weeks the students raised $4,700.93 to help the mother/daughter duo with their recovery. For more about the event and pictures from the day visit: http://room50.wordpress.com/2013/06/12/pyne-arts-strong/
*** On Saturday at 10 a.m. the Global War Veterans will hold a flag retirement ceremony at Veterans Square at Westlawn Cemetery (155 Boston Rd).
*** Following that ceremony, you will be hungry. The best food around will be at the Grecian Festival at the Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church on Father Sarantos Way (behind the North Common in the Acre). The food, music and fun will go on from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. If you can’t wait until tomorrow, stop by today from until 9 p.m. For more information, including the menu visit
http://www.transchurch.org/festival/
*** Over on Pawtucket Boulevard’s Sampas Pavilion from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. the 13th Annual African Festival brings traditional African arts, crafts, dancing and food to Lowell. It’s definitely not a festival to miss out on. For more information: http://www.africanfestivallowell.org/
*** On Thursday June 20 at 1 p.m., the Merrimack Valley Food Bank and the City of Lowell will hold a press conference in the Mayor’s Reception Room to kick-off Healthy Summer.
Several non- profit and municipal groups will offer activities to encourage physical activity and enhanced learning opportunities for Lowell children over the summer months, which is a time when inactivity and food insecurity can be most severe. The Merrimack Valley Food Bank is a sponsor of the Healthy Summer Program, and partners with the Lowell Parks and Recreation Department, Lowell Community Health Center and other organizations to provide food for children under 18 who are participating in offered activities.
The Food Bank is also urging individuals and groups to take the “No Hunger Summer Pledge” by collecting and donating non-perishable food to their warehouse at 735 Broadway Street, so that all family members in food insecure households may enjoy freedom from hunger. Donations from gardens and farms are also welcome. The Food Bank supplies food to local pantries, shelters, meal programs, day and residential programs who in turn distribute it to families needing food assistance in Lowell, Dracut, Tyngsboro, Chelmsford, Tewksbury and Westford.
Healthy summer activities and locations can be found at http://www.lowellma.gov/depts/parks-recreation/recreation-division
*** Also on Thursday June 20, the Lowell Cultural Council will hold a community input meeting at 6 p.m. in the Mayor’s Reception Room.
The public is encouraged to attend this important annual meeting and provide suggestions on the types of grant projects that should receive funding in the 2014 LCC Grant Cycle.
As part of the Lowell Cultural Council’s grant process, the LCC solicits important feedback from the public regarding the spending of LCC funds and the types of projects most desired by the community. This crucial community input is strongly considered by members of the LCC when grant projects are reviewed, selected, and awarded.
For the 2013 grant cycle (January – December), the Lowell Cultural Council distributed over $50,000 in grants to a variety of Lowell-based cultural programs. The areas of consideration in evaluating the applicants included the quality of the project, community benefit, budget and additional funding support, overall planning and execution, project partnerships, and the leadership experience of the project coordinators. Out of almost 40 applicants, 26 projects were awarded.
Current volunteer members of the Lowell Cultural Council are: Joanne Doherty (Secretary), Janet Leggat, Henry Peront, Betty Santagati, Marina Sampas Schell, James Ostis (Co-chair), Jason Hantzis (Co-chair), Van Pech, Dahvy Tran (Treasurer), and Aleksandra Tugbiyele.
For more details on this event or how to become involved in the Lowell Cultural Council, please contact Suzzanne Cromwell at 978-674-4260 or scromwell@lowellma.gov. To receive information via email on the Lowell Cultural Council, including the open call for new members, the public is encouraged to sign up for the Cultural Organization of Lowell’s weekly e-newsletter by visiting www.cultureiscool.org.
*** The Lowell Election and Census Commission announces that their office in Lowell City Hall (Room 5) will be open on Saturday, June 22 from 10am until 3pm for voters who need to cast absentee ballots for June 25 special US Senate Election. Access to city hall on Saturday, June 22 will only be available through the JFK Plaza entrance.
Under Massachusetts Law, voters may cast absentee ballots for the following reasons only:
1) absence from the City during polling hours (7am – 8pm): or
2) physical disability preventing you from going to your polling location; or
3) religious belief
Voters who are eligible to vote absentee and wish to vote over the counter may also do so during the normal weekday office hours of 8am to 5pm. The deadline to apply for absentee voting is Monday, 12:00 noon, June 24 – the day before the election. But voters who are requesting an absentee ballot through the mail are urged to request the ballot as soon as possible.
To request an absentee ballot through the mail, you may request an absentee ballot application from the Election & Census Commission or send a letter of request including the following: your name and Lowell address where you are registered to vote, the address where the ballot is to be sent, your signed name, your printed name, and reason for voting absentee.
Voters who are not current in the census will only be allowed to vote if they submit their ballots with a copy of identification and sign an affidavit that they still reside at the given Lowell address.
For further information about your voter registration status or absentee voting procedures, please call the Election Office at 978-674-1200.
|
|
DPW Street Sweeping Schedule
