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massdee
Moderator
4242 Posts |
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bbeverettma
Forum Admin
253 Posts |
 Posted - 07/06/2007 : 10:51:24 AM
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I made this a sticky to keep it up top
I am an average resident of Everett who would like to see more communication about anything and everything to do with Everett |
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arthur
Senior Member
209 Posts |
Posted - 07/13/2008 : 05:27:51 AM
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EVERETT
NEW COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR - Mayor Carlo DeMaria recently appointed Matt Laidlaw to fill the newly created position of communications director. A lifelong Everett resident, Laidlaw formerly served as director of Everett Community TV from 1999 to 2002. Following that stint, until he started his new job last Monday, Laidlaw worked for Rule Broadcast Systems of Watertown, primarily as an account manager, and did television production work for companies and nonprofits. According to Erin Deveney, DeMaria's chief of staff, the mayor brought Laidlaw back to city government to strengthen internal communications among city employees and elected officials and to help the city do a better job communicating about what is going on in Everett. He will also oversee production at ECTV, whose budget is funding the position. "I live in the city and I want to see the city grow and prosper," said Laidlaw, 35. "So I'm very happy to be back." - John Laidler |
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justme
Advanced Member
1131 Posts |
 Posted - 07/13/2008 : 08:23:07 AM
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Communication is a good thing but Carlo is a day late and a dollar short on this one! He needs to learn to communicate with employees and elected officials. Sending Erin, and now Matt, to speak for him doesn't get it done.
In the six months he's been in office, he's rarely seen and almost impossible to reach. He hides behind his staff hoping we won't see that deer in the headlight look he has most of the time.
The damage is done. He overpays his new hires yet took away approved pay increases to department heads and non union employees. He's pushing for Thibeault to expand his operations while he continues to thumb his nose at Everett and Newburyport. Spending is out of control, the budget is a joke, and taxes are going up...............again!
Hiring Matt is a last ditch effort to improve public opinion in his ongoing effort to secure re-election. He's also sucking up to the Norwood Street merchants............unfortunately, he doesn't realize that most of them aren't eligible to vote! |
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tetris
Advanced Member
1480 Posts |
Posted - 07/13/2008 : 09:30:51 AM
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I'm all for improvements in the communications provided by the city; it's been a central theme of a lot of my posts over the last couple of months. But I'm with justme; it needs to start at the top. I think that it's ironic that an article that deals with a solution for correcting the administration's communication problems doesn't even contain a quote from the mayor.
Does this change mean that Mr. Counsel is out? Looking at the ECTV budget in the FY09 budget book, I don't see where the money is going to come from to pay for an additional position. The department budget is about level funded from the prior year (+$10,000). There was no position breakdown provided for the department but its salaries' line items were level funded and the majority of FY08 appropriations appeared as if they were going to be spent. If this is an additional position, perhaps there are additional funds in the revolving account used to fund the ECTV operation for it. Again, it's ironic that an article that covers improvements in communications doesn't make this very clear.
I don't know Mr. Laidlaw, other than recognizing the name from the past, so I can't comment on the quality of the hire. But does the city really need a communications director? Part of the job description in the article sounds like something that would be done by a personnel director. Or is this just another way to give someone an inflated salary? Ironically (I've used that word too much in this post), we need a better explanation of this move. |
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Tails
Administrator
1757 Posts |
Posted - 07/13/2008 : 12:09:08 PM
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| I just looked on ECTV's staff site. Two directors in ECTV? ECTV's funding couldn’t even pay for their communications room at the high school, how can they possibly fund another "executive position" Scott Councel has always and still does a phenomenal job……. always very helpful to people, courteous, and I really hope this does not affect him at all. Once again..... with the timing on these things, when the city council is out for the summer. What happened to Tina Garniss? |
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ECTV
