Perry falsely announces appointment of DPW Director to Disability Commission

Just like any board or commission in the city, the charter is specific to the number of people who can serve on them. In the case of the Methuen Commission on Disabilities, only nine people can serve at one time. Eight of those members are picked from the citizenry of the community and one must be an “appointed official” of the city.

Members of the Disability Commission have made numerous requests to the Mayor about appointing a “city official” to the commission. At the February 4 2021 commission meeting, Chairwomen Eileen Lee again asked the Mayor that question, it was at this time the Mayor announced that he appointed DPW Director Pat Bower as the official to the commission. You can view the entire conversation in the video below.

However, at the May 17, City Council meeting I challenged the Mayor’s explanation that he believes a person who he attempted to have reappointed on May 3, which resulted in the removal of this person from the Commission by the city council can continue to sit on the board until he’s replaced. I had indicated to the council if the Mayor is correct, and I know he was not….  then the council violated the charter by adding a new member the same night to the commission making the commission a ten-member board which is in violation of the charter and the MGL. By appointing the new member, the City Council replaced the Mayor’s reappointment. The Mayor fails to recognize that one member has to be an appointment official to which he now declares he hasn’t appointed anyone in this position.

The Mayor then scrambled and tried to defend himself by saying that there are only nine members because he “did not” appoint Mr Bower and that my statement was untrue.  The video doesn’t lie, the Mayor did notify the Commission members that Mr. Bower was the appointed official.

In a letter to myself and cc’d to the city council the Mayor wrote:

“You incorrectly indicated last night that Mr. Began should be removed because the disability commission has nine members. Your inclusion of Methuen DPW Director Pat Bower, as a voting member of the Disabilities Commission, to buttress your claim was erroneous because Mr. Bower was never nominated by me to serve as a commission member; therefore, as City Council never consider Mr Bower correct commission membership”

Note: The video clearly shows, Ms. Lee asking the Mayor what the commission needs to do to fill the seat of the required appointed city official.  The mayor responded by saying, “just congratulate him on his appointment.”  This statement validates that the Mayor in fact told the commission that he appointed Mr. Bower as the City’s official on the commission as required by the MGL and failed to have Mr. Bower’s appointment approved by city council.

The whole idea about stacking the commission by the Mayor now is nothing more than an attempt to have me removed from the commission.  My appointment ended at the end of March and five days later he’s calling me in the office to discuss my future.  Unfortunately, this Mayor, as most do carries grudges… since I wasn’t a supporter of his bid for Mayor, he clearly alluded to that during our April 15th meeting.

It appears in order for anyone to participate in government at any level in this city “pay to play” is a requirement.  I don’t go along to get along and I’ll always revert to the laws that dictate the city’s lawful duty to make this community accessible whether I’m on the commission or not.  So the question that I’ll ask the Mayor soon will be, what have you accomplished?   Note: Mayor doesn’t like political satire.  More about Mr. Big Hands later.  You’re going to laugh.