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Today’s Globe has an interesting article about the Lowell Foreclosure Prevention Task Force, a group co-chaired by Frank Carvalho of Enterprise Bank and City Councilor Jim Milinazzo. According to the article, “Lowell saw the largest number of foreclosures in 2007” (270 homes lost compared to 89 in 2006), and the task force has been working for more than a year to help homeowners refinance with reputable lenders or find other alternatives. Two groups actively involved in the effort are the Coalition for a Better Acre and Community Teamwork Inc. If you are a Lowell homeowner facing mortgage payment difficulties, call 888-995-HOPE to learn more about the program.

The newspaper got it wrong. The compromise motion by School Committeeman Dave Conway to open the superintendent interviews to the public was not about to fail, as today’s article asserts, but would have passed 4-3 with support from committee members Connie Martin, Dave Conway, Mayor Caulfield and myself. I was in the process of asking to amend the motion to ensure applicant confidentiality until they are interviewed and to have the interviews televised—when information regarding the Open Meeting Law came to light.

Speaking of television, today’s paper also makes no mention of last night’s lengthy discussion regarding broadcasting LHS subcommittee meetings, an issue that speaks to members’ true commitment to transparent government. The motion to broadcast LHS subcommittee meetings ultimately passed on a 4-3 vote with members Dave Conway, Regina Faticanti and Mayor Caulfield voting against. (Based on their comments last night, they apparently felt the cost of about $2,000 a year to televise the meetings was too high a price for transparency.) It was a long meeting and perhaps it’s unfair to expect the newspaper to cover every motion (which is why the superintendent interviews should be televised). Fortunately, with today’s technology and bloggers (LiL also wrote about the meeting), we don’t have to rely on one source for the news. Check LTC’s website for a streaming video of the meeting (not up yet) and see for yourself.