The Tree, Body cams, FFD and Christmas lights on churchs, wires down

 For those not on social media platforms, a perfectly healthy pine tree was cut down at Cushing park to use as the holiday tree in front of the Memorial. As in the past, someone donated a tree. DPW would go their and cut down the tree and install it in front of the Memorial building. I never paid much attention to this before but for one former TMM who eats lunch in the parking lot at Cushing asked in the Framgov site why a pine tree located close to the parking lot was cut down for use as a decoration at the Memorial building. I wish I could post pictures here but if anyone wants to see them just provide an email address and I'll send them along.

In the meantime I had asked in an email to DPW why the tree was cut down. Of coarse they didn't respond. So I went to Cushing, made a few pictures and posted them on social media. Much to my surprise, I seem to be the bad guy for asking a simple question. Some how Mike Cannon posted an explanation of what his understanding was in DPW taking the tree down. Clearly he was just repeating mumo-jumbo from DPW and the Mayor. He wrote something about how the tree was interfering with another trees roots nearby and that's why the tree was scheduled to be taken down. I've never heard of such non-sense before but I was willing to just let them destroy a perfectly healthy tree from a public park, until I heard the Mayor speak on the subject during what most people know as public participation when no one has to answer any questions from the public.

Fast forward to last CC meeting this past Tuesday. Take a look for yourself at the Mayor's rambling explanation of why the tree was cut down to use as a holiday tree for the Memorial building. He waved a memo from P&R claiming that was the reason the tree had to be cut down. 

The Mayor's response 18:55 to 32:55

http://207.172.210.8:5002/CablecastPublicSite/show/2723?channel=1

I have filed a FOIA request for documents relating to this matter as I've not received one email from DPW or P&R or the Mayor's office. 

As any native will tell you, Cushing Park is the jewel of public parks in Framingham and perhaps in all of metro west. The place is hallowed ground and is remembered for being a hospital for veterans. I used to call on that place 45 years ago when I was a field service rep with DuPont. 

At the same meeting Cannon asked the Mayor about Body Cams and COO Mike Tusino said he's have to get back to them. I got an email from Cannon saying the Chief is meeting with the Mayor, COO and CFO, to work on logistics. And a public meeting will be scheduled. More foot dragging and more maintain the status quo.

Coming back from dropping the grand kids off, driving down Brook we see the huge million dollar aerial truck parked and set-up in the middle of Brook with a firemen on the extended ladder putting up lights on that church on Brook. Along with another ladder truck with personal. No detail cop directing traffic and my dad van barley squeaked through. A UPS truck would not have fit. I didn't make any pictures but asked on a social media post who knows why the FFD was decorating a church. And of coarse, someone wrote that the FF needed to stretch their legs and get training on the aerial truck. So I wrote the FFD chief who I know from the TM days and he didn't know anything about it happening. He wrote later that that was not approved by FFD and is NOT the policy to decorate churches in Town. He also wrote that it will not happen again.

I respect admire an public employee who answers questions from the public no matter what the answer is. The Mayor office could learn a lesson from the Chief. 

If you drive Edgell road, next to the new rebuilt pump station, you may have noticed wires and large conduit hanging in and over the sidewalk. I first sent pictures with address to DPW last year this month. No answer then, no answer now... until I posted the same pictures of social media platforms and all of a sudden, people were calling me with more excuses, but it will be taken care off. The last straw for me was when I saw a jogger running in the road to avoid what is clearly a public safety hazard.

Why I have to embarrass City employees to do their jobs is just so frustrating.