Does City Manager Mike O’Brien walk on water?

By Rosalie Tirella

It seems so! District 4 City Councilor Barbara Haller has always given City manager Mike O’Brien his highest grade during yearly evaluation time. This is a good way for me to guage how the manager is treating Worcester’s most vulnerable neighborhoods, our inner city.

If we have foreclosure problems in Worcester, blight, lead paint, abandoned cars, murders, theft - you name - most likely it’s gonna happen in the parts of town I grew up in and hold near and dear to my heart.

The fact is: I agree with Haller. O’Brien has been good to District 4. While definitely keeping his eye on the big down town development projects, he’s never forgotten Main South, Green Island, Piedmont, etc. This is because (and I truly believe this) he is a good man. He does not want to see our poorest kids go hungry, have no place to swim during the summer, live in dumps. This is also because Haller keeps O’Brien abreast of of EVERY CHALLENGE that crops up/explodes in District 4. Haller is amazing. Her daily patrols of the district - and her weekly calls/meetings with the manager has allowed O’Brien to keep abreast of all the problems.

Haller said when O’Brien frist came on board she was a bit worried. She had a great relationship with former City Manager Tom Hoover. She did not know what O’Brien would do for District 4. Well, as she told me last summer, O’Brien has been as receptive as Hoover, and he has been as willing to work on the issues with her and any one else who cared.

We like the fact that we see all these great things happening in District 4. We love the fact that the Crompton park pool - slated to been open for the entire summer next year - is state of the art and will attract folks from all over South Worcester. And we like the fact that O’Brien and Haller worked out Wheels to Water. Not what everyo9ne loves - but a grand gesture of love. A big hug for poor kids and families.

We once drove through Hartfod and got to talking to folks down there. I remember drvign buy a big condemned abandoned building one month, and the next month I saw the FRONT repainted with with the boarded up windows repainted. This was true of a lot of condemend buildings. Yup. Taht’s how bad it was in Hartford. They had to pretend that they had good housing commercial stock. They had to creat a freaking’ MOVIE SET!

So let’s not grumble about O’Brien and his all mighty powers. Let’s be grateful for him!