David Streb

When we had a public hearing about the intersection improvements, people roundly criticized the idea of a roundabout, and were adamantly opposed to anything but a traffic light. Some people angrily accused the government of “shoving a rotary down our throats when we want a traffic light”! I guess in a sense they were right – we did shove it down their throats, in a manner of speaking. And now, as far as I know, they are quite happy that we did.

Sometimes democracy doesn’t work. Knowledgeable government officials sometimes make the right decisions over the objections of the public. I’d love to hear from anyone who feels otherwise. {who isn’t selling Gucci handbags}

Also, the traffic lights at the upper common still aren’t fixed, and the city has apparently lost that grant that would have paid for it. It was stimulus money and so had to be spent on time. I can’t help but feel that I should have done more badgering about it.

But why should the rest of us suffer who like moderate drinking?  And more importantly, why take away a potential recruiting tool to get more people to come to the church?  The ability to drink fine ales at the pasta supper enhanced the experience significantly for me.

Maybe I’m being selfish, and the amount of harm done to others by serving alcohol exceeds the amount of pleasure I receive from its serving – that’s the sort of thing that’s difficult to quantify.  But I said my piece to the Board and the people elected to serve the church can make the best decision for the membership as they see fit.

And I heard that the Zoning Board of Appeals made the guy that bought Gamarche’s (Allen who used to own Center Pizza when it was next to what used to be Stooges) reset the granite curbing and install new sidewalks in front of the building where he wants to make a restaurant.

And if you’re first in line on northbound/westbound Main Street you haul ass when the light turns green so you can make the left turn at the other set of lights at the end of the common and continue on Main Street before the light turns red.  Which it does for everyone else in line behind you, or you if you weren’t first.

And it was ALL READY TO GO last February 1st.  I had a consultant under contract, had a scope of work from them with an acceptable price, I had a grant to pay for it that the EPA is dying to see spent, and I had finally gotten the paperwork straight on the grant part of it.

I have to presume they think they’ll need all that money for the LED lights they’re installing on city-owned streetlights.  I like LED lights, although it’s a little alarming how often the traffic signal lenses go out.  I just hope to God that money doesn’t go to another community, instead of fixing those lights!  Those lights drive me insane sometimes.

Putnam Place Access – that was completed also, thanks to the above two people.

Central Steam Plant – I heard that a portion of the rear has been demolished, but less than we had discussed (and had hoped).  I haven’t seen it, but this is another accomplishment in my absence, in all likelihood, thanks to Larry Casassa.

South Fitchburg School RFP selection and sale.  This was number 1 on my list, because it represents a direct cash infusion to the city when it’s completed and sold.  I think they’re getting there, but it still isn’t a done deal.

EECBG – Upper Common Lights – This would have been underway by March 1 and would have been completed by now if I had stayed.  This drives me nuts, especially when I drive through the upper common.  I wonder if the EPA will have the cojones to take away the money from the city for not meeting the expenditure deadline if it comes to that.  I thought this was really innovative stimulus funding, but it simply hasn’t worked out.

Demolition – Long delayed, but it’s finally happening now, thanks to Larry Casassa.

$3K additional from the state that we owed to Concord Square for the smart growth district preparation (for which the city received $600,000).  This may have fallen through the cracks.

Conduit Hydro – My brainchild and pet project.  I sure hope it’s progressing. I heard the city got the grant in March that I had applied for.  I also heard there were issues with the consultant contract that I thought I had all ready to go.

Wind Power grant – nothing I’ve heard.  Hope wind power in northern Fitchburg happens some day.

Redevelopment of Pete’s Battery site – no progress here that I’m aware of.

Green Community designation – Fitchburg was informed we got a “grant” to help with adoption, but I suspect nothing’s happened with it, or this designation either.

Mayor Lisa Wong recently announced her intention to eliminate the Community Development Department.  Although the Community Development Department was a creation by a newly-elected Mayor that was only in existence for two years, it was a continuation of a more storied city department that should not be forgotten.  The Office of the Planning Coordinator, known by many as the OPC, was created in the 1960s, eliminated on June 30, 2008, and was principally responsible for a great number of successful projects for the City of Fitchburg and its residents.  An important part of its operation was a culture of excellence that continues today among its remnant employees who face an uncertain future at this writing.

Federal grants that automatically renewed if you managed them properly allowed the creation of an office with a staff that made many positive contributions to Fitchburg at no cost to the city’s budget.  This staff acquired and managed millions of dollars honestly and effectively in a way that allowed the entities that gave those grants to rely on Fitchburg’s capabilities year after year.

That capacity to obtain and, more importantly, to manage those grants, was continually eroded over the short life of the Community Development Department by inexplicable and continual staff reductions that made it difficult to continue the tradition of excellence and threatened to destroy the reputation among granting authorities that had been carefully nurtured over the years.  Now the mayor’s plan to disperse the staff responsible for that administration not only puts the administration of those recurring programs in jeopardy, but eliminates the possibility of having available staff to work on other grants and other projects that were so important to Fitchburg over the years.

There were a total of five Planning Coordinators by my count, and I was the last one.  I was hired by one of those early Planning Coordinators, Timothy Stewart, from whom I learned the importance of honesty and integrity in an environment where those attributes are not always rewarded.

Any time a person tries to put together a list of accomplishments they run the risk of leaving important items out.  But from my memory the staff of the OPC oversaw the construction of the Police Station on Elm Street, the Central Fire Station on North Street, the DPW complex, two parking garages in downtown, New England’s best free skateboard park, two water pumping stations, and miles of fencing, sidewalks, and water mains.  An array of grants funded the Plymouth Street Initiative that transformed lower Cleghorn and the North Street Initiative that transformed the entrance from downtown to Fitchburg State College.  All of Fitchburg’s major parks and playgrounds were revamped with funds generated by grants overseen by the OPC. Before the water enterprise fund was adopted, most of the deteriorated water mains located in grant-eligible areas were replaced using federal funds managed by OPC staff.  Literally hundreds of aging, decrepit buildings were demolished using federal and state funds.

The OPC developed the city’s Geographical Information System (GIS) from scratch. It gave the city its first web page.  It developed a cable-based network, then a fiber-optic network, to connect the computers of the Police, Fire, the School administration, and City Hall back when that was special. I worked and studied hard to develop the technical capacity to accomplish these things, and in retrospect I should have fought to keep IT when it was moved to the Finance Department as part of the “reorganization”.

There are projects under construction now that may be the last vestige of this tradition.  A new driveway entrance from Boulder Drive and loading docks at Putnam Place are under construction, funded by a Community Development Action Grant.  Trails at the recently acquired Gateway Park are being built by city crews, funded with CDBG-R funds.  Improvements at the Riverfront Park are underway, paid for with a combination of state and federal funds.  It takes years to lay plans for these projects, to acquire funding to make them happen.  None of that is happening now.  There simply isn’t the staff available.

It remains to be seen how the next proposed “reorganization” will work for Fitchburg government.  I’m gone from the city now, and I don’t know how the remaining staff keeps the CDBG and HOME programs operating.  There certainly isn’t staff available to apply for and manage additional grants, and if Fitchburg doesn’t get them, another city will. In any event, I feel that it’s important to remember the accomplishments of the Office of the Planning Coordinator, to perhaps replicate its success at some future time.

I was curiously relieved at the time, because I knew enough to know the scope of the job, and the things we should have been doing but couldn’t due to the staff and resources that were available.  But we were managing the city’s IT infrastructure on a shoe string budget, and doing a great job  In retrospect, I should have complained and fought to keep it in my department.  I knew Information Technology and GIS, I studied magazines and books on it, and I was interested in it.