Report Your Issues!

There are a couple of valuable tools at the general public’s disposal for alerting the proper departments of issues around the City of Lowell.  There are two web-based programs, SeeClickFix and E-Gov which allow users to input general information regarding a problem or issue (for example: a pot hole or a street light outage), upload a picture if they want, and the program will automatically inform the proper department of the problem.  These tools have been in use in Lowell for around a  year, and they are empowering citizens to be proactive in helping to keep our City functioning at its highest level.

Both of these programs have been adopted in order to better service the Citizens of Lowell.  In the last year, nearly 10,000 issues have been reported via these web-based tools for attention by various City departments.  Thousands of users have helped the City to streamline speed of reporting and speed of services.  Please visit these websites to report any issues going on in your neighborhood today!

www.seeclickfix.com/lowell

http://www.egovlink.com/lowell/action.asp

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Updates 6/17/13

Lowell was recently featured in an ABC News piece, “6 Hidden Travel Gems Off the Beaten Path!” ABC recognized the Lowell National Historical Park and had this to say about Lowell’s rich history:

“Learn about the grittier side of New England history at the Lowell National Historical Park, about 45 minutes from Boston. Several exhibits and programs bring Lowell’s mill town past to life.

“There are canal boat rides that demonstrate the lock system, an actual mill re-established to show the textile machinery in action, and museums with exhibits about the ‘mill girls’ who worked in the industry, about the various immigrant populations that have flocked to Lowell over the centuries and into the present, etc. It’s history presented in an enjoyable and meaningful way.”"

http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/popular-vacation-attractions-off-beaten-path/story?id=19363519#2

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The University of Massachusetts Lowell is hosting a public forum on its plans to prepare for environmental emergencies and protect public and campus safety on Monday, June 17, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Trustees Room at Cumnock Hall, North Campus, 31 University Ave., Lowell. Students, faculty, staff and members of the public are invited to attend. The university is updating its hazard mitigation program, which outlines steps it will take to keep the campus and community safe before, during, and after natural and manmade disasters and hazards, including hurricanes and floods.

This project is supported by a three-year grant from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Other UMass campuses, including Boston, Dartmouth and Worcester, are also participating in the project.

Representatives from the engineering firm Woodward & Curran, the university’s partner on this project, will deliver a short presentation on the plan’s development and the work that has been completed to date.

Members of the public are invited to contribute their ideas for possible inclusion in the plan.

For more information, contact the University’s Department of Environmental and Emergency Management at 978-934-2618.

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The Middlesex 3 Coalition celebrates Small Business Week!

Since 2008, in conjunction with the National Small Business Week celebration held annually in Washington, D.C., the City of Lowell has recognized its small business community by holding a One-Stop Business Resource Fair. For the first time in six years the Lowell Resource Fair has evolved into a regional event with the Middlesex 3 Coalition. This event will include a one-stop business resource fair that includes manyorganizations from the five communities in the Middlesex 3 Coalition that provide technical, financial, procurement, networking and other business-support services. The event will also include a CEO luncheon.

When: June 19, 2013
Time: 10 AM – 1 PM
Where: Cross Point, 900 Chelmsford Street, Lowell, MA 01851

(Parking information: 
http://www.lowell.org/SiteCollectionDocuments/Parking%20Information.pdf
)

Schedule Of Events:
10:00 to 1:00- One-Stop Small Business Resource Fair (Free)
12:00-1:00- CEO Luncheon with Bobbie Carlton
Co-Founder of Mass Innovation Nights and Founder of Carlton PR & Marketing
and Recognition of Scott Fallavollita of United Tool & Die Co., SBA Massachusetts 2013 Small Business Person of the Year
(First 100 lunches will be generously sponsored by Enterprise Bank)

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2nd Annual Acre Festival!

Please join Acre A.C.T.I.O.N & Western Avenue Studios to celebrate the 2nd annual Acre Festival!

North Common Ampitheater

Saturday, June 8, 11 AM to 4 PM

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Pollard Memorial Library – Board of Trustees Opening

There is an Open position on the Pollard Memorial Library’s Board of Trustees. The position is volunteer based, helps oversee the general care, administration, and policy making for the library, and meets on the 1st Wednesday of each month.

Please contact Lynda Clark (lclark@lowellma.gov, 978-674-1001) for more information.

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Athenian Corner Serves Up Huge Energy Savings

The Athenian Corner, a local mainstay here in downtown Lowell, has a nice feature on www.energy.gov website, detailing the success the small business has enjoyed since utilizing the BetterBuildings Lowell Energy Upgrade (BLEU) program. 

Some facts:

• The Athenian Corner, a family-owned restaurant in Lowell, Massachusetts, made energy efficiency upgrades that are saving it more than 41 percent in energy costs.
• The upgrades also helped improve the comfort of the restaurant, leading to increased business for the Athenian Corner.

Please visit
http://energy.gov/articles/family-owned-restaurant-serves-huge-energy-savings
 for the full article!

 

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Coyotes Deployed at Edwards Soccer Field

 

A pack of coyotes is being deployed at the Edwards Soccer Field to discourage flocks of wild geese from taking over the turf and turning it into a hazardous waste field.

With its proximity to the Merrimack River and wide open spaces, the field has recently become a favorite landing spot for the fast-growing numbers of wild geese in the area. These hardy waterfowl have become the bane of parks and open spaces in recent years, digging up grasses and leaving behind their droppings. With the soccer season starting, these birds, with their bad habits, have become unwelcome visitors.

In an effort to chase away Mother Goose and her many followers, the Parks Department has purchased several faux coyotes which will be positioned to keep watch over the field and do their 3D “menacing predator” best to scare away the geese.

This effort is the latest in a number of improvements done to Edwards Soccer Field since its development by the City in the early 1990s.

Over the years improvements included construction of the concession stand/restroom facilities, parking area, fencing, gates and storage containers. A $75,000 irrigation system was installed resulting in improved field condition and expansion of the league’s hours of operations. Recently the City invested approximately $40,000 to connect the concession stand to the City’s sewer system, replacing the $7,800 holding tanks installed in 2006.

This season, the Department of Public Works will repave the entry and install new curbing.

Our new coyote patrol will be keeping a sharp eye on Edwards Field and making sure the goose gang doesn’t do damage to our many investments to this great asset.

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Lowell Youth Job Fair – TODAY!`

To all of our younger friends out there who are seeking a summer job – Today is the day!!

Please make sure to drop by Lowell High School today, running from 3:00-5:00 PM, for the youth job fair. There are over 50 representatives who are all looking to hire right away!

Don’t forget to dress nicely and bring some resumes!!

When: Today from 3-5 PM
Where: Lowell High School Cafeteria
50 Father Morissette Blvd.
Lowell, MA 01852

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Lowell to Receive More than $2.8 Million in Chapter 90 Funding for Vital Road Improvement Projects

Lowell is slated to receive more than $2.8 million in Chapter 90 aid to fund vital road improvement and repair projects throughout the city this year.

The Massachusetts Highway Association today urged the timely allocation of these Chapter 90 funds, which are currently included as part of Governor Deval Patrick’s proposed $1 billion transportation budget. This larger budget could be debated throughout the summer – calling into question the timing of many necessary road repairs and maintenance projects throughout the state.

“It is imperative that cities and towns across the state get these highway funds in time to sign contracts, put men and women to work and pave these roads,” said Mike Valenti, Massachusetts Highway Association President. “We missed most of the warm weather last year because the funding did not come in time to sign contracts, and that means many of our roads are badly in need of work. We’ve had a rough winter, and putting off this work will lead to more dangerous roads, and more expensive repairs in the future.”

The Governor is calling for $300 million in Chapter 90 funding for the Commonwealth, which could mean as much as $2,806,586 for Lowell. The timely allocation of Chapter 90 funds not only ensures existing road improvement plans continue on schedule, but can also save communities money in the long-term by preventing worsening damage to roadways.

“While the entire transportation initiative is important for the Commonwealth, Chapter 90 funds are unique because of weather constraints and the time and work that goes into organizing road crews,” said David H. Knowlton, PE, first vice president of the Mass Highway Association. “Last year, Chapter 90 funding was delayed until the end of the summer and we lost 60 percent of the season. We have a long list of road projects we are waiting to get started on in Lowell and around the Commonwealth.”

Highway departments across the state are advocating that projects relying on Chapter 90 funding should begin as soon as possible – particularly due to the extensive amount of roadwork that has been put on hold following years of underfunding and delays in funding allocation.

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Spam Mail Alert

ATTENTION:

Residents of Lowell, please be advised that if you receive a mailing from American Water Resources, it is best to just ignore it, as you would with spam mail.

The mailing may say lead you to believe that you will have to pay for insurance on, or replace the water lines that run through your property.

However, this is false and we have spoken to American Water Resources and have asked them not to distribute these flyers in the future.

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New CATs Added to City’s Cleanup Arsenal

Once we get by yet another curve (snow)ball from Old Man Winter, it will soon be spring cleanup season.

And just in time for the cleanup season, the City’s Public Works Department has created two new Community Action Trailers (CATs) filled with rakes, brooms, trash bags and other equipment.

These self-contained trailers are made available to community groups who organize annual cleanups of public spaces around the city.  One CAT just couldn’t keep up with the increasing number of events organized by dedicated neighborhood organizations and service groups.  With the addition of the new trailers, we will be able to accommodate up to 4 cleanup events per Saturday.

Annual cleanups, most of which occur in the spring, have been increasing in recent years with more and more civic minded residents volunteering hundreds of hours to help jump-start cleanup efforts.  While volunteers fan out across the neighborhoods and do the grunt work, the City’s Public Works Department provides logistical support including delivery and pickup of CATs and pickup of debris and yard waste materials collected by resident cleanup crews.

Thank you to all who for years have made community cleanups a Lowell tradition and a great example of our City’s pride and cooperative spirit.

To reserve a CAT for your cleanup, contact Neighborhood Coordinator Mike Demaras at (978) 674-1560 or mdemaras@lowellma.gov.

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