In campaigning for his seat on the Lowell City Council, Councilor Murphy developed an agenda for 2010 that accompanied his campaign material, and which presented a thoughtful vision and direction for the city.   The goals that follow remain here as a reminder of his promises, and show that he is honoring his commitment to this vision.

Greater Transparency in the Budget Process

The administration must be clearer about how numbers are generated and what assumptions it is using. However, it is the responsibility of the City Council to question the manager more when these are not sufficiently clear.

Snowy Day Fund

By working with higher estimates of expenditures on snow and ice removal, as well as lower estimates of revenues in other areas, we will be able to more accurately meet the financial needs of the city and put ourselves in a better position to build up our reserve and stabilization funds.

Statistical Analysis Program

A statistical analysis program would generate and evaluate all kinds of data and quality of life indices of the various neighborhoods and groups in Lowell to in turn stimulate questions about the direction of the city and the policies in place to take us there.  Areas for improvement both in the city administration and broader public policy could be more readily identified, success more easily measured and built upon, opportunities for cost-savings more quickly realized. The SomerStat program in Somerville has already found over $10 million in savings in its first three years.

Public Safety Review

Police and fire staffing levels should undoubtedly be maintained. However, with additional data generated from a CitiStat model program, departments might be able to not only better allocate their resources and assign personnel, but also to identify preventative measures and more effective design planning for the city administration to undertake over the long term. Specifically, the system of rotating fire station closings should be reviewed to determine how this has affected response times in various neighborhoods.

Eliminating Waste

Those who commit to recycling more and throwing out less should be able to apply for smaller barrels and reduce their annual trash fee.  This should benefit many senior citizens who do not produce a lot of garbage, but could use a break in the city’s trash fees. This should also further the initial gains made so far in reducing Lowell’s share of waste.  Similarly, Lowell’s water fees could be structured in a way to further increased water conservation, saving money for both the city and its taxpayers.

Energy Efficiency

The City Council should support efforts to retrofit its own buildings for greater energy conservation and significant cost savings in the budget.  Higher efficiency standards for any new building and, where possible, fuel economy standards for new vehicles should also be set by the Council. In the long-term, there ought to be support for small-scale, neighborhood-centered renewable energy projects as opposed to larger polluting plants like the one proposed in North Billerica.

Flood Prevention and Control

Even as more CSO projects are completed throughout the city, there needs to be a concerted effort to reduce those factors which contribute to flooding or worsened flooding. There ought to be greater restrictions on development in critical areas, updated building codes to reduce the negative impact of development on the environment, support for green roofs through a program which rewards conversion of impermeable surfaces to permeable ones with a credit to a taxpayer’s water/sewer bills. Retaining the city’s environmental officer and pressuring companies like Enel to act more responsibly are also important.

Using City Property Fully

Where appropriate, city property ought to be used to the fullest extent or should at least be maintained to a degree where it can be used later when a purpose for the property can be determined. The city should not be paying private rents while public buildings go unused and fall into disrepair. Abandoned lots covered with asphalt can be converted to neighborhood parks and CSA gardens to help absorb any flooding, feed the needy, and create a greater sense of community.

Building Stronger Neighborhoods

The Council must see to it that neighborhoods are treated equitably in the provision of services. The Manager’s initiative that will begin with Centralville is a start, but not broad or timely enough for other underrepresented neighborhoods in the city. A statistical program would go a long way towards making sure neighborhood requests are met equitably. Grant programs for things like restoring property storefronts and improving retail practices should not simply be concentrated in the downtown area but expanded to many small and family owned businesses in the neighborhoods. Efforts should also improve pedestrian and bicycle access from the neighborhoods to downtown and between each other to tie the city more closely together.

Realizing Human Resources

We must recognize that what vision we have for the city need not always require the expenditure of funds, but may rely on the enormous reserves of human talent and energy from our community. Whether it is students with the vocational school helping to refurbish a storefront in the Acre or paint a senior citizen’s house in the Lower Highlands, or UMass management students working with entrepreneurs to develop business plans and marketing strategies, there is no shortage of things that could be accomplished on short money.  High school students could have a community service graduation requirement that gave direction to the energy of thousands of young people.  Whatever the program, the University, community college and public schools have a great role to play not just in our future but in our communities now.