Here is a complete blip.tv video of the 10/29/09 debate between Ward 1 City Council candidates Maureen Carney (incumbent) and Andrew Vidal-McNair. This debate was sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the Northampton Area, and took place in City Council Chambers. Topics discussed include property tax overrides, landfill expansion, public housing, diversity, and the Amazing.net porn shop on King Street, among others. The recording is 1 hour 3 minutes long and was made by Ken Mitchell.
See also:
Northampton Redoubt: “Vidal-McNair responds to another Dwight slight” (10/26/09)
[Vidal-McNair:] Bill asked me about an e-mail circulating around condeming my views of affordable housing and Section 8 housing. I knew of no such e-mail and explained to Bill that I had no idea what he was talking about. I then asked him to forward me a copy of said e-mail and he replied, “I don’t have the e-mail I have just heard people talking about it.” He then asked me, “What do you think of Section 8 housing?” I replied many constituents I have spoken to have concerns about the conditions of the Section 8-affordable housing units related to outside appearance, abandoned automobiles and litter. I then said I would like to review the processes for inspection.
Northampton Media: “McNair’s Response to Dwight” (10/26/09)
Kelsey Flynn: “Ward One Councilor Maureen Carney Has No Regrets” (10/31/07)
Other issues in Northampton’s future according to Carney are the landfill extension as well as the unfolding of the sustainability plan. She spoke quite candidly about how these issues will affect the city in the next two years.
Downstreet.net: “Agency’s Tenants and Apartments: Out of Sight, Out of Mind, Out of Kilter” (6/19/04)
The 1999 report indicates that the inspector looked at 48 NHA units. Out of these, 77 percent of the units failed to pass inspection; 112 out of 122 defects cited were “maintenance related.” In other words, 91 percent of the defects were not due to tenant sloppiness or carelessness. Breaking them down by complex, Hampshire Heights apartments were in the worst shape by far. Six out of the seven apartments inspected had items classified as emergency items requiring a fix within 24 hours. Apartment 1A was deemed not fit for human habitation. Since then the Authority has replaced the roofs and is completing a bathroom and kitchen renovation. Apartments in the newer complexes, Salvo House and Tobin Manor were in relatively good shape; there were more defects and problems with Forsander and Cahill. All the Cahill apartments inspected had problems with the venting system for the bathrooms, and to date, to my knowledge, the venting system has not been overhauled, just cleaned.
The Authority has a problem with preventative and regular maintenance.
NoPornNorthampton: “Election Season Approaches for Northampton City Council” (4/10/07)
All of the councilors voted for improved adult-use zoning for Northampton and regulations on the adult content of signage in the fall of 2006, except as noted.
Michael Bardsley, At-Large
City Council President
James Dostal
At-Large
Maureen Carney
Opposed all new adult-use zoning and signage ordinances
Ward 1
Paul Spector
Opposed both new adult-use zoning ordinances, but voted for adult-content signage ordinance
Ward 2
Marilyn Richards
Ward 3
David Narkewicz
Ward 4
David A. Murphy
Ward 5
Marianne LaBarge
Ward 6
Raymond LaBarge
Opposed all new adult-use zoning and signage ordinances
Ward 7