Byron Matthews II

It used to be said that a movie sequel would never be as good as the first, that, of course, has repeatedly been dashed by Hollywood.        I think just off the top of my head, Terminator II that was definitely better than the first movie.   Since then, there are many others.

So, where am I going in my thoughts?    

I think I’ve finally figured out the Mayor.       Now, believe it or not, our form of government actually outlines the executive as a weak position.    At least that’s what I’ve been told by some Charter Commissioners.      We do not have a Strong Mayor-weak City Council.     Of course, a good political leader can accomplish much even put into such a position.     For example, Mumbles Menino presides over a City government in which the Mayor is a symbolic public head and yet, if you queried the average pedestrian in Boston, they would swear he was the ‘Boss’.      In a similar light, Byron Matthews accomplished much in our system of government and many since have looked with envy at how he did it.

Mayor Holaday has adopted Byron’s style of government and has adopted the same attitude, ‘My way or the highway’.        This strong leader stance can bode well if you’re trying to get a big project done but as time progresses, you begin to acquire a growing assemblage of opponents.       Eventually some will make it personal.

One thing that does cheer me is her general goals.      They are much better than ‘Let’s-make-a-shopping-center-downtown’ Byron.      Granted, his goal was simple.      Make a poor city a rich city.     Quality of life issues was and is today a joke to him.     It took a lot of political rancor to stop him from making Newburyport into a Beverly or a Peabody.        At least with the present Mayor, quality of life issues are recognized though not prioritized.     There is a recognition of Historic Preservation but again it has not been a priority.     

My biggest fear is that in a headlong drive to fulfill ‘goals’, both quality of life and historic preservation will suffer.     Hence, the disgraceful way the Emma Andrews Library now will endure the loss of historic windows because of the headstrong push to open up the branch.       I am afraid that more things than people’s reputations are going to get ‘hurt’ as she drives toward ‘goals’.

We’ve got a strong Mayor now.     Just like a bull in a china shop, the question is, “Can we minimize the damage!?!”

-P. Preservationist
www.ppreservationist.com