Comments for Blog from the Office of the City Manager, Lowell MA

Comment on Last Call for Leaves by Kim

Kim — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:47:17 +0000

Not sure what type of vines they are but I get rid of unwanted vines and plants by cutting them all the way down, pouring on a little vinegar, and covering them with a thick layer of newspaper.

Comment on Report From City of Lowell “Flu Summit” Group by bernielynch

bernielynch — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:55:21 +0000

Kim, Thank you so much for taking the time to comment on your experience. I have passed your comment along to the Lowell Public Health Dept and also the others involved with the organization and implementation of the clinic.

Donna McIntosh
City Manager’s Office

Comment on Report From City of Lowell “Flu Summit” Group by Kim

Kim — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:40:20 +0000

I wanted to take the time to write about how professionally run the flu clinic was today at LGH. The one in Burlington a few weeks ago was utter chaos and today in Lowell it was well organized, well staffed, and the volunteers were fantastic. They gave the children coloring pages about coughing into your elbow and washing their hands while they waited. We were also checked in and given a number unlike Burlington. I can not say enough good things about the staff that organized this and it made me feel the Lowell Health Dept. is a class act. Thank you for the hard work.

Comment on Last Call for Leaves by Lynne

Lynne — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:23:30 +0000

I saved the city some money! I have a small yard with no overhanging trees and a big compost cylinder in my yard (courtesy of the city’s sale of such). With the last couple of bad winds in October, I actually had some leaves in my yard, so I gathered them up…and filled my own compost pile. It’s to the brim, so nothing else will fit til I empty it in spring, but I didn’t put them out for the city to have to deal with.

Of course, the vineage which has consistently plagued me on my fences had to go into yard waste bags to go out to the curb, as they don’t look like they’d compost well (woody stems). If someone could tell me how to get rid of the ruddy things for good I’d be happy to stop foisting them onto the city’s collective dime!

Comment on Report From City of Lowell “Flu Summit” Group by Kim

Kim — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:23:10 +0000

Mr. Singleton,
That is great news that you use a numbering system. The Burlington clinic had an estimated (By a police officer casually keeping track) 5000 people there 20 minutes before opening. The line seemed to have no end as it just went on both sides of the school hallways around the building. The police officer said people started camping out at 4 in the morning and when we went inside there was a line of people sitting in foliding camping chairs. I am not sure I can fully describe the insanity!

Comment on Report From City of Lowell “Flu Summit” Group by frank singleton

frank singleton — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:10:29 +0000

The Lowell Health Department does not require residency and we do use a numbering system. WE have another shipment of H1N1 vaccine coming as well as what we have on hand so we do not anticipate running out of vaccine for our scheduled Pediatric clinics coming up shortly.

Comment on Report From City of Lowell “Flu Summit” Group by Kim

Kim — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:59:19 +0000

Donna,
Thank you so much for the information. I guess I will be making another attempt. It would be great if they have say 500 doses, that they give out numbers, and when 500 are gone they let people know that they are welcome to come back at the later dates. There was zero information given out in Burlington and just 1000’s of people waiting in a small, tight, area. Is this only open to Lowell residents like other towns have done?

Comment on Report From City of Lowell “Flu Summit” Group by bernielynch

bernielynch — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:30:13 +0000

Kim, The City of Lowell Health department has scheduled Pediatric H1N1 Flu Clinics in collaboration with Saints Medical Center and Lowell General. The clinics will be held at LGH on Dec. 3 from 1 pm to 4 pm and Dec. 6 from 12 – 4 pm and at Saints Medical Center on Dec. 16 from 3:30 – 6:30 pm and Dec. 19 from 9 am – 12 pm . I have passed along your comment to the health department to take into consideration as they plan the administration of the clinics. Look for another post regarding Flu preparation on the CM Blog this afternoon. Thank you.

Donna McIntosh
City Manager’s Office

Comment on Report From City of Lowell “Flu Summit” Group by Kim

Kim — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:19:17 +0000

I spent last Saturday dragging a 3 and a 5 year old for a 1/2 mile walk in the pouring rain to an H1N1 clinic in Burlington. When we finally made it to the school (the road was closed) a half an hour early we found out that we were about number 5000 and there were 600 shots allocated. I am so bitter about the way this has been distributed! My moms General practitioner had extra but not able to give it to anyone that is not her patient (has received over 300 doses) and yet my pediatrician has received 100 total. The Burlington clinic was run so poorly and they never let people know that they would never get a shot after waiting for hours. I hope if Lowell does run a clinic it will be through the schools. It is so maddening to me to not be able to “do” for my children what is recommended.

Comment on Hamilton Canal District Breaks Ground by Paul Marion

Paul Marion — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:15:40 +0000

Perfect lead quote. Vivid report from the field. This “history as it happens” kind of writing ensures that the narrative carrying the story of Lowell of our time will have a better chance of matching the reality when people decades from now seek to understand what happened in the city. Across the community we need to make an effort to be more self-conscious (in a good way) about reporting and preserving the record of the days and weeks. Even if we didn’t have the National Park we should want to do this, but especially because Lowell is a National Park everything that transpires happens is that much more historically significant. As has been said, The Park is the City and the City is the Park.