And until such time that a comprehensive community calendar is implemented, the following scopes out a general compass and calendar of opportunities for further civic discourse (and course of action) during FY08, which begins July 1 of the new style Gregorian/Lunar calendar ~ following the old style calendar year "The Year of the Golden Opportunities" (March 25, 2007 - March 24, 2008). The log will serve as a general chronicle once a calendar is in place.

And akin (& ken) to The Ship of yore (& aye) that may only make way to this shallow home port (or port of call) here in the Waterside with the highest of tides (link within) ~ most updates to the log will manifest with the new and full Moons ~ with interested parties notified of the arrival of newly archived material. This transition will take place in phases during this year's Harvest, Hunter and Beaver and Long Nights Moons ~ as we seek ways to better communicate as a community using components of (and complements to) the city website.

Chronicle ~ Log

Most appropriately, the chronicled log ~ in anticipation of the old-style calendar year of the Year of Golden Opportunities (March 25, 2007 - March 24, 2008) ~ begins with the Full Sap Moon:

• Monday, March 5 - Superintendent Kevin Lyons previews his FY08 budget with a PowerPoint presentation, which was to shed light on a progressive reconfiguration plan for the school district, a benchmark proposition which would coincide with the Full Sap Moon.
  
  [The Superintendent's' recommended FY08 school budget based upon reconfiguration plan (3/5/07) cited at the Newburyport School District website (link without).]
  
  
• Monday, April 2 - On the Full Lenten Moon, Dr. Albert F. Argenziano of the Massachusetts Office of Educational Quality and Accountability makese a presentation, reinvigorating the proponents for a tax override. On April 9 the City Council approves the ballot referendum for May 22 for a $1.58M tax override for the schools.
  
  
• Wednesday, May 2 - With the Full Flower Moon, the discourse about the the tax override ensues, culminating with a debate held May 17. Both sides of the issue maintain websites. (KnowNewburyport.com is still available for reference.) The May 22 ballot fails 60% - 40%.
  
  
• Friday, May 31 - Once in a Blue moon Opportunity to reflect on where we are and where we are going ~ and shed some light on the upcoming public budget forum (postponed until after the results of the referendum). A community gam was eventide at Somerby's Landing to mark the occasion (see link within with links from there).
  
  
• Thursday, June 14 - Held on the New Strawberry Moon, the Public "town meeting" Forum focuses on FY08 budget/fiscal issues - the fruits of this labor (along with food for thought shared by the forum participants) presented online at Comity.org (link within). As opportunities to come to a meeting of the minds, both physical (and virtual) forums and formats well received.
  
  
• Monday, June 18 - Mayor/School Committee Finance Subcommittee discusses the Strategic School Financial Planning Committee (which the Mayor indicates must bring both supporters and skeptics to the table) --- as the first follow-up to the June 14 public forum. Coinciding with the special City Council meeting called to review/approve the FY08 budget.
  
  
• Monday, June 24 - regular City Council meeting is held after the aforementioned City Council meeting to review/approve Mayor's budget. [Update: City Council approved budget on 6/18; see link within for media coverage.]
  
  
• Tuesday, June 24 - 6PM - Consultant (The Cecil Group) review meeting with NRA, confirming the following schedule for meetings concerning phased development of a park/parking on the NRA waterfront lots:
  - 7/10 at 7PM (rescheduled to 7/26) --- program meeting with stakeholders
  - 8/7 at 6PM - review meeting with NRA (rescheduled to 8/13 at 3PM)
  - 9/11 at 7PM - first (p)review public forum (notified 9/7 that forum has been postponed, note 9/11 below)
  - 9/18 at 6PM - NRA workshop meeting
  - 10/16 at 7PM - public forum
  
  
• Thursday, June 28 - the Full Strawberry Moon. Consider a more informal follow-up conversation to the public forum as a strategy/status session to shed more light on salient issues. This less formal format offering direct exchance with the Mayor and DHs, including the SD. City Council and School Committee, boards/commissions to be invited.
  
  [This being the Full Strawberry Moon this metaphor apt: indulging in the fruits of our labor (of love) that were ripening from the June 14 forum --- the follow-up conversatoin would be postponed until the New Buck Moon (July 12) due to conflict in vacation calendars.]
  
  
• Thursday July 12 - by the New Buck Moon - compass/calendar set, strategic planning sessions set in motion, further "follow-up conversation" between DHs about the relationship between (tax) revenues, planning and development (including infrastructure) --- also broaching better communications.
  
  
• Reiterated at the follow-up conversation: The School Committee will be meeting through the summer to work on budgetary issues, including financial forecasting model and issues/planning around a possible override. All meetings begin at 6:30 in NHS 118 and are on the following Mondays: July 23, August 6, and August 20 and are open to the public.
  
  
• Thursday, July 26 - Rescheduled meeting between NRA consultant (The Cecil Group) and stakeholders, the first in a series (see schedule above).
  
  
• Friday, July 27 - With the Full Buck Moon, engage today's generations of the Waterside people in an all-ages community gathering in Market Square (link within) ~ "bringing down the Meeting(house)" ~ generating momentum for progress, particularly about ways to better communicate as a community.
  
  
• Thursday, August 9 - Mayor John Moak unveils his capital projects plan at a joint meeting of the City Council Budget & Finance/Planning & Development standing committees. The public meeting begins at 7PM in Council Chambers. The mayor advanced that this particular plan does not define long-term projects but rather "those priorities we need to work on soon." The mayor indicates that these include a fire engine and repairs to the infrastructure amongst other immediate capital needs (as evaluated by the mayor and Director of Office and Planning Development Nancy Colbert).
  
  This first session will offer an opportunity for Mayor Moak and the City Council to come to a meeting of the minds about developing a short-term (then long-term) capital needs plan and the means to fund that plan.
  
  
• Sunday - Monday, August, 12-13 - Ventured with the New Sturgeon Moon, there will be a celestial display which will be a backdrop for posting a new phase of revisions to the Comity.org website as a complement to the city website ~ with consideration of a calendar and eventually a bulletin board.
  
  Further, seek permission from City Council (communications submitted by 8/7 for 8/13 City Council meeting) to hold a "drum up peace" revival in Market Square on Tuesday, September 11, an event will be deferred until the International Day of Peace on Friday, September 21 (link within).
  
  
• Physical/virtual connections made "in a Motion of Comity" timed with the waxing Full Sturgeon Moon (8/28) --- "reorientation" before and after Labor Day (after which school commences) --- (in the breach of the upcoming elections --- and all that delivers).
  
  
• August 20, 2007 - The Mayor's Revenue Task Force is formed, with the committee's mission, goals, tasks and timelines set forth (link within). The Mayor invited William Heenahan, Jay Iannini, Dr. Ralph Orlando, Brenda Reffett and Ellen Supple from the broader community; Deidre Farrell to represent the School Administration; Bruce Menin and Mark Wright will represent the School Committee; Mayoral Assistant Ari Herzog will represent the mayor and a member of the City Council have the opportunity to volunteer at the next special city council meeting called to consider the supplemental budget.
  
  
• On Tuesday, August 28, Full Sturgeon Moon - Superintendent Lyons has tentatively scheduled Dave Tobin to make a presentation and hold a workshop. Dave is an expert on Chapter 70 funding and will be describing several aspects of this funding mechanism with specific assessment of the impact on Newburyport. Newburyport fortunate for this opportunity. The public is welcome to attend, and the presentation will be taped and rebroadcast on the cable network.
  
  On the Full Sturgeon Moon of August 28 ~ the Fragile X Research Foundation fulfilled the Doris Buffet's challenge to raise $500K in matching funds (by the end of of October). With that milestone met, Doris (Warren's sister) promised her foundation would match the total amount of funds raised by November 1. (This is in addition to her unfettered donation of $500K.)
  
  These monies underwrite research to effectively treat and cure Fragile X ~ a genetic condition implicated in autism. Learn more about the foundation, this fundraising challenge and recent breakthroughs in pharmaceutical treatment at this link without.
  
  
• Labor Day Weekend, September 2-3 - Chamber of Commerce Buskers Festival (link without) preceded by the Chamber's Annual Labor Day Auction held September 1 (link without).
  
  
• Tuesday, September 4 - Deadline at 4PM to be included as a communications item for the September 10 City Council meeting's agenda ~ Comity (as the committee of correspondece for the Waterside people's movement) will submit a memorandum "fowarded in a 'Motion of Comity with the Newburyport Sunday Vigil-keepers' " ~ as a formality/courtesty to request use of the public ways and situs (Market Square). Will forward this to the Newburyport Waterfront Trust, as well (just noting that the NWT will be meeting on 9/4 and not 9/10).
  
  
• Thursday, September 6 - Mayoral candidate debate (preliminary election held at the Firehouse Center for the Arts from 7PM - 9PM. (Sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and the Daily News.)
  
  
• Monday, September 10 - City Council meeting, the request for permission for use of city property on September 23 (Market Square and the myriad ways to Somerby's Landing).
  
  
• Tuesday, September 11, New Harvest Moon - Hear Ye! Hear Ye! The following electronic communication from the NRA member Rick Taintor was received on Friday, September 7, 2007 at 5:04 ~ and the calendar has been updated accordingly. More insight forthcoming:
  
  The Newburyport Redevelopment Authority's public forum on planning for the waterfront (which was to be held Tuesday, 9/11 in City Hall Auditorium at 7PM) * had been postponed. Update: Rescheduled for Wednesday, October 24, as noted below. **
  
  * This assembly would have begun just as the sun and new moon set (7:01PM and 6:59PM respectively) ~ offering the community a "golden opportunity to come to a meeting of the minds" about the waterfront. In its stead, Comity hopes for good conversation and familiar commerce to take place at the 9/11 gathering in Market Square and thereafter (link within).
  
  ** Ever since the waterfront planning project was outlined with Cecil Group ~ and the projected schedule cited 9/11 to be the first public meeting for presentation of the conceptual plan for the central waterfront ~ Comity had appealed to the NRA to consider a different date ~ indicating the "history" retraced in footnote **** should be a consideration.
  
  When it became apparent that the Authority would retain the original schedule, had engaged those planning to remark 9/11 "in a Motion of Comity" *** ~ coordinating that event so vigil-keepers could later join the NRA public forum which would begin at 7PM in City Hall Auditorium.
  
  *** As planned, the gathering in Market Square will be a simple, solemn vigil to remark the 9/11 tragedy, six years hereafter.**** Held before sunset (beginning 5:30PM until 6:30PM) gatherers are encouraged to bring their "light" (candle or good will) to Market Square and join we "gather our thoughts" ~ launching 30 Days of Peace (from 9/11 through 10/10) here at the Mouth of the Merrimack River --- and gathering momentum to the community gathering be held on September 23.
  
  **** Further note that the (new style Gregorian) calendar year 2007 is identical to the year 2001 ~ with the exception of "blue moon benchmarks" (link within). In chronicling the Waterside's compass and calendar, the record shows that last conceptual plan for the NRA waterfront lots had been presented on Thursday, September 13, 2001.
  
  
• Monday, September 17 - (at the School Committee meeting) ~ First presentation by the Mayor's Revenue Task Force. Introducing the Task Force, the group will describe the outcome of initial planning meetings to determine the methodology used to accomplish the mission.
  
  
• Tuesday, September 18 - preliminary elections for mayoral candidates, gearing up for general elections on November 6. Note: decision reached not to pursue referendum on tax override or debt exclusion this fall. NRA to hold a workshop meeting at 6PM.
  
  
• Friday, September 21 - International Day of Peace ~ This date will be remarked here in the Waterside on Thursday, September 20 (e.g., this year's "Kids as Peacemakers" murals dedicated) and on Sunday September 23 (with a community gathering akin to that planned on July 27).
  
  
• Sunday, September 23 - Autumnal Equinox - Come gather AMONG CRIMINALS for a "Drum Up Peace" revival in the heart of the community (Market Square). "All things being equal" ~ plans are gathering momentum for the afternoon and eventide of the waxing Full Harvest Moon (which occurs Wednesday, September 26). Please check the link within for more details about what this entails.
  
  
• Wednesday, September 26 - Full Harvest Moon - in the virtual estate, the first phase of "looming wisdom" on Comity.org complements new components of the city website.
  
  
• Sunday, Monday, October 7-8 - Chamber of Commerce Harvest Festival. The Knowing Ones to again venture one or more "scarecrows in courage, brave good exploits" ~ to presage the New Hunters Moon on October 11, which begins the next phase for the "noue systom of knollege & Lite."
  
  
• Tuesday, October 16 - Cecil Group holds second public meeting (7PM) to review the conceptual plans for the NRA central waterfront lots. (May now be delayed due to the postponement of the first public meeting originally slated for September 11.)
  
  
• Wednesday, October 17 - A public forum offered all candidates for school committee will be held in the Program Room of the Newburyport Public Library from 7:00 PM to 8:45PM, noting the library closes at 9:00 PM, a second venue will be sought for the conversation to continue.
  
  
• Thursday, October 18 - According to the Better World website's calendar this date is observed as Democracy Day (link without). As part of the Global Youth Democracy Campaign this offers "an annual opportunity for youth to observe (this date) as the World Youth Day for Democracy. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the positive contributions youth are making to promote democracy around the world and to mobilize youth to participate in democracy-building discussions, debates, rallies and educational campaigns about the importance of democratic principles like human rights and civic participation."
  
  [Thinking globally but acting locally, reconnect with the Newburyport High School's civics teacher Mark LaChappelle about NHS students assuming key role in the Annual "town meeting" Forum held each spring and active involvement of students in any study of the City Charter (a consideration since "The Year of Inauguration" which will likely move forward this fall). Engaging Deb Szabo's Poetry Soup (and "Natural High") creative thinkers/writers, Johanna Spero's World History students in this "history in the making."]
  
  
• The weekend October 19 - 21 - Gathering momentum in (pro)Motion of Comity ~ with prospects of AMONG CRIMINALS in these ports/parts on Friday, October 19 (upriver at the Chit Chat Lounge in Haverhill) and "knock Wood" returns to this "port of call" for an all ages gathering on Sunday, October 21. (Check this link within for the venue and venture and this link within for details about the "jam and gam" AMONG CRIMINALS to be held in Market Landing Park on Sunday afternoon, October 21.)
  
  That Sunday, there will be a dedication and open house held for the new Courtyard at the Rupert A. Nock Middle/Molin Upper Elementary School (70 Low Street). Beginning at 1PM, a dedication ceremony honoring the late Nickoletta Staszowki, a former math teacher at the middle school will take place in the auditorium, followed by the Courtyard's ribbon cutting and open house until 5PM.
  
  
Tuesday, October 23 - At-large City Councilor debate held at Newburyport High School auditorium from 7PM to 9PM. Jointly sponsored by the Daily News and the Chamber of Commerce. Running for the five at-large seats are: former Mayor Mary Carrier, William Deans, Robert Kelleher and former Mayor Al Lavender, who join incumbents Barry Connell, Steve Hutcheson, Tom Jones and Gary Roberts, Jr. Questions are solicited from residents and can be sent to the Daily News at ndn@ecnnews.com.


• Wednesday, October 24 - the NRA unveils plans for the central waterfront and invites the public to share ideas for the park. Check back for specifics of time and location (tentatively planned at the Firehouse).
  
  
• Full Hunters Moon, Friday, October 26 - Last weekend in October - Turn of the Wheel --- in a Motion of Comity with Joe Spaulding's "Annual Harold Harnch Halloween Parade" (10/28). Plans in Motion.
  
  
• Tuesday, October 30 - Mayoral candidates, incumbent Mayor John Moak and challenger Jim Stiles, will debate at the Nock Middle School auditorium from 7PM to 9PM. Jointly sponsored by the Daily News and the Chamber of Commerce. Questions are solicited from residents and can be sent to the Daily News at ndn@ecnnews.com.
  
  
• Friday, November 1 - Lt. Governor Tim Murray is escorted (and courted) by Mayor John Moak and State Representative Mike Costello who make their "pitch" to secure some $450K in funds from the Seaport Advisory Council (which the Lieutenant Governor chairs) to underwrite the development of the Harborwalk which would connect the trail from Cashman Park underneath Route 1 to "Waterfront West" (the area between Michael's Harborside eastward to the Black Cow restaurant). After the entourage toured the waterfront, announcements and presentations were made at a reception held at Michael's Harborside ~ where the Mayor made the project's logical "connection" between the "environment and the economy." (See link without to Daily News article.)
  
  
• Monday, November 5 - Second presentation by the Mayor's Revenue Task Force, presenting the preliminary results.
  
  
• Tuesday, November 6 - Election day.
  
  
• Thursday or Friday, November 8 or 9 - Coinciding with the New Beaver Moon (and coordinated with the 11/7 Chamber's non-profit organization's event to recruit volunteers) --- provide "certain knowledge and mere motion"¹ about the Waterside's Plan in Motion.
  
  [Adapting the Waterside movement's plans in anticipation of the last quarter of The Year of Golden Opportunities (March 25, 2007 - March 24, 2008) to the the current administration's second term and the incoming sitting city council.
  
  Comity proceeding with some precepts/concepts concerning the Waterside Plan in Motion for the last quarter of the old style calendar year: Paramount to mount:
  • consideration of terms of office, in tandem with potential review of the City Charter
    • in particular extending the mayoral term from 2 to 4 years
    • engaging all generations in this "community in the work
  • revisit the issue of equitable taxation (something brought into focus when setting the new tax rate)
    
    
• Thursday, November 22 - Giving thanks as we recite our "Further grace …"¹ ~ the Full Beaver Moon falls on Saturday, November 24. On Sunday Santa Claus makes landfall here in the Waterside and the Christmas (shopping) season begins. To quote one of the Waterside's most famous visitors, Ben Franklin: "People who are wrapped up in themselves make small packages" --- so mindful of that ...
  
  [Consider a ply with the Sunday event. As health allows, the Plan in Motion for this effort will be forwarded in a Motion of Comity with the City, the Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club and Newburyport Sunday Vigil-keepers. Updated at a later date, check back frequently.]
  
  
• Wednesday, December 5 - International Volunteer Day --- In light of this, Comity.org webpage posted with a directory of community organizations; post-election, working with the Mayor's Office to engage the community about volunteer opportunities with the City. Under consideration is a "public "town meeting" of the minds" addressing "ways of better communicating as a community." With discourse setting a course of action to implement with the new term.
  
  
• Sunday - Monday, December 9-10 - New Cold (or Long Nights) Moon --- with a Full Moon falling on December 23 --- bring "further grace, certain knowledge and mere motion"¹ throughout the holiday season.
  
  
• Monday, December 17 - Revenue Task Force's third presentation should offer more detailed results of the committee's research.
  
  
• Sunday, December 23-24 - The Full Cold (or Long Nights) Moon ~ sometimes called the Full Yule Moon, which is most appropriate this year when the full Moon shines bright on Christmas Eve.
  
  [Note: Christmas Eve's moonrise (moon at its fullest at 99% visibility) here at the Mouth of the Merrimack River will be 4:48PM, with high tides at 11:08AM and 11:53PM (the latter seven minutes before midnight). On Christmas Day, the moon rises at 6:05PM, with an exceptional high tide just one minute past midnight.]
  
  
• Monday, December 31 - New Year (based upon the new style Gregorian Calendar) --- set a light in the window of opportunity that the last quarter of the (old style calendar) Year of Golden Opportunities (March 25, 2007 - March 24, 2008) by shedding light during the Full ywaxing prolific during the . Check back with a Comity.org webpage as a "benchmark" ~ building a cairn to mark where we have been, where we are and where we are going.
  
  [Anticipate some form of the Annual "town meeting" Forum coordinated with the budget process. Consider what would be the appropriate turn of a phrase to associate with the (new) old-style calendar year (March 25, 2008 - March 24, 2009) ² --- hopeful that all generations participate in this "word association" and the "community in the work" ahead of the community (local, regional, national and global).]
  
  
• Monday, January 7, 2008 - Inaugural Day for newly elected and re-elected Mayor, City Councilors and School Committee members. Thereafter the City Council and School Committee will each hold organizational meetings to name the Council President and Vice-Chairs respectively ~ as well as committee chairpersons/members. That evening, the School Committee will hold its first meeting. (The meeting begins at 7:00PM, preceded by a conversation with the public that begins at 6:30PM.)
  
  
• Tuesday, January 22, 2008 - coincidentally, the Full Wolf (or Old) Moon - The Mayor's Revenue Task Force will make its final presentation at this School Committee meeting. According to the assigned mission and goals, that evening the committee will offer a comprehensive presentation of all completed tasks along with its conclusions and recommendations. Submit a communications to City Council to remark history and "history in the making" at their next scheduled meeting on January 28, 2008 ~ and convey the plans in motion (in particular any Annual "town meeting" Forum).
  
  [NOTE: Presentation of the final report generated by the Mayor's Revenue Task Force was ultimately delayed until February 25, 2008. As indicated in the report's Executive Summary: "This document represents the work of an ad hoc group ... [that] worked during the fall/winter of FY08 to develop a strategy for dealing with the fiscal structural deficit facing the city. In its findings the task force members unanimously agreed that: 1) Newburyport currently does not have the funds to sustain the level of municipal services currently being provided; 2) Costs continue to rise at approximately 5% annually with revenues limited to a 2-1/2% local property tax increase plus the dollars generated from new growth and local aid from the state and federal government; and 3) The city does not anticipate a signficant increase in state or federal assistance this year. Review the 55-page report in its entirety at this Newburyport Public weblink.]
  
  
• Friday, February 1, 2008 (Groundhog Day) through Sunday February 3, 2008 (Super Bowl Sunday). Whether Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow in his hometown in Pennsylvania or not, the days are getting longer ~ and there will be several opportunities to be entertained and enlightened this weekend. Here is the game plan:
  
  Plotting AMONG CRIMINALS ~ in addition to two engagements upriver on Friday and Saturday ~ there are contigent plans for a a pre-game "jam & gam" AMONG CRIMINALS here in port ~ to scope out the Belleville Congregational Church ~ the site planned for the launch of the band's national tour from this "port of call." Check details at this link within. This impromptu gathering among friends, family, community & AMONG CRIMINALS will also help gather momentum as the Waterside community passes a 244-year anniversary.
  
  [On January 28, 1764 the General Court approved the Waterside people's petition that the Waterside Third Parish Newburyport be established as the separate town of Newburyport. The town's organization was made offical under the provincial governor's seal on February 4, 1764 followed by the first town meeting on February 8 setting a plan in motion for generations to follow (link within). Coincidentally, City Council and School Committee meetings are scheduled for 1/28 and 2/4, respectively: Presenting a golden opportunity to remark this milestone in history and "history in the making" at both ~ to bring momentum for moons to come.
  
  With progress to be measured, what history will be logged with the benchmark at the end of the old style Julian calendar year "The Year of Golden Opportunities" (March 25, 2007 - March 24, 2008)? Will the next year (March 25, 2008 - March, 2009) come to terms as "The Year of Historic Proportions"? It was Emerson who said: "Music takes us out of the actual and whispers to us dim secrets that startle our wonder as to who we are, and for what, whence, and whereto." So on that note, take note that on . . .
  
  
• Friday, March 7, 2008 - the New Sap Moon - circle this date as a reminder to join Among Criminals in concert (and conversation) at the Belleville Congregational Church Meetinghouse as the Philly reggae-Latin rock band ("sometimes of Newburyport") launches their national tour (roundtrip from New England) from their adopted home port. Keep current about this "launch" at this Comity.org link within. Follow the Among Criminals' itinerary at their MySpace webpage (link without) ~ with more detail about their 2008 adventure (in context) to be chronically chronicled at this Comity.org link within.
  
  Noting that Among Criminals anticipate that they will return to the Waterside ~ their "home port" in New England ~ by May 21 or so. [Which coincidentally is the traditional (old style) blue moon (the fourth moon in a season) ~ offering another "touchstone" to measure progress here in the Waterside ~ and an opportunity to build a cairn to indicate that we have come this far ~ individually and as a community (local, national and global).]
  
  
• Friday, March 21, 2008 - the Full Sap Moon - anticipating the transition of the old style civic calendar year on March 25 (link within). On this date, a personal benchmark (of sorts), leaving options and opportunities to potentially engage in the political process and encourage civic and civil discourse more open than last year.
  
  On Saturday, March 22, the second of two meetings to set goals for the City Council's term in office was held, prioritizing three short-term and two long-term goals: The short-term goals include the creation of a grant-writing group, modification of the historic home demolition delay and approval (and/or refinement of) the existing High Street Master Plan. Long-term goals include a comprehensive review and revision of city zoning and the creation of city charter review commission. Until further official documentation is available (to be drafted by Councilor Donna Holaday), note further information published at the Newburyport Daily News' Newburyport City Notebook at this link without.
  
  

The old-style calendar year of the The Year of Historic Proportions (March 25, 2008 - March 24, 2009):

• Saturday, March 29, 2008 - On this date in history, March 29, 1630, John Winthrop and his company set sail for the Massachusetts Bay Colony.  Waylaid by the inclement weather, an expeditious launch of their expedition to the New World would be delayed for ten days until April 8, as noted below (*). 
    
  Noting that these dates would correlate with two of the five scheduled open door sessions that Mayor Moak would hold for the public to individually discuss issues and/or ideas (link without) --- the coincidence made it all the more propitious an occasion to engage the mayor about “history in the making” during the transition of the old style civic calendar years (link within). Relating this potential “meeting of the minds” to a highly respected member of The Fourth Estate (and former reporter to the local weekly) ~ asked if she cared to join in the “familiar commerce.” We met with the mayor on the first of these two dates.  Given the steady flow of citizens to meet the mayor that morning, the encounter was bright but brief --- however we each expect to meet with the mayor (together and individually) before or on April 8. More light about these “meetings of the minds” will be shed by the full Moon on April 20.
     
  
  * On March 29, 1630 (**) John Winthrop and his company of nearly one thousand Puritan men, women and children, along with their chattel, boarded the Arbellla and ten other vessels to make way to their “New Jerusalem” in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.  On that date, John Winthrop began his journal (link without), with the first entries describing whither the weather that was to delay the launch of their venture for ten days, until Winthrop's fleet would finally leave England’s Southampton Harbor on April 8, bound for New England (link without).  

  Three years ago (during a prior administration) Comity had planned to remark the 375 year milestone of this chapter in the history of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts --- (ap)plying both history and “history in the making” with information presented online at the Comity.org website and during the mayoral meeting for wards 3 and 4 (which had been scheduled to take place evening at the Newburyport High School), with participants invited to join in the conversation at the Virtual Wolfe Tavern (then hosted on another community website).  The occasion was to define the old style calendar year from March 25, 2005 – March 24, 2006 as “The Year of Reckoning” (link within) and propose an Annual "town meeting" Forum, based upon the issues and ideas collected at the various ward meetings that warranted further discourse and course(s) of action.
  
  That text (and context) --- updated for this “The Year of Historic Proportions” (March 25, 2008 – March 24, 2009) --- will be posted with the new Pink Moon (the weekend of April 5-6), the April Moon so called by the Algonquin tribes because this was month when native phlox began to bloom.  Noting the link without to the Farmers' Almanac, the April moon was also known as the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, or along coastal regions, the Fish Moon.

  ** Some 388 years ago (by date not duration) disregarding the 11-day adjustment from the old style (Julian) calendar to the new style (Gregorian) calendar when the latter was finally adopted by Britain and her colonies in September of 1752, requiring the elimination of 11 days to reconcile the two. See this link without (Wikiepdia.com) for more insight about the transition from the old style to new style calendar.
  

But these are future chapters in the Waterside's chronicle, with much to resolve and reconcile with today's generations of the Waterside people a whole.