By DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2014) — THE PLANET has written many a “Fix Is In” columns, with the hard evidence to support it. For example, did we not predict, before anyone knew who she was, that Julia “No Relation to David” Berkowitz Sabourin would become The Empty Suit‘s choice for “director of administrative services,” a $50K position? This despite her lack of experience and relevant knowledge. Her sole qualification for the job was that she served TES as the chief back-stabber in the Scopes Monkey Trial, a kangaroo proceeding that put Terry Kinnas on trial for the crime of fighting for We The People.

It mattered not that the Attorney General’s office sided with Kinnas and found Sabourin had broken the law. Such perverse loyalty was enough for The Empty Suit, who, after the usual nationwide search, gave the do-nothing plum to Lady Goo Goo Ga Ga.

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NICK CACCAMO: Quit his $50K school post to work on his gold game. Must be nice. (Photo: iBerkshires)

It appears that we have two more “Fixes” working their way through the system.

THE PLANET predicts that both will proceed through channels “proper” in only the most technical of senses. Then, after two more “nationwide searches,” Ward 3 councilor Nick “Golf Game” Caccamo and the next TES appointment to head Berkshire Works shall be anointed and appointed.

These are predictions, and even THE PLANET’s resident soothsayer, Sir Tiberius Fruitjuice, has been know to err. Fact is, we don’t know how the two situations will turn out, but we know how similar situation have been fixed in the past. This would give any thinking person reasonable pause and suspicion.

Let’s take these two up before gravity pulls the bowling ball and the feather to earth at the same exact time.

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Caccamo: A Suck Up?

Caccamo has been sucking up to the adults among The Suits since he “ran for mayor” in 2009, an exercise done merely to “get his name out there.” After inhaling enough of Their fumes and eating enough of the table scraps the Adults gave him for his loyalty, Caccmo won election in Ward 3, despite serious concerns about the legality of his campaign, given that he was a city employee.

The Suits had already given young Nick his first political plum, a $50,000-a-year job (plus bennies) as a “technical coach” for the Pittsfield School Department. It depends on who you ask, of course, but those who contacted THE PLANET about Caccamo’s tenure with PSD say he was a “coach” less like Bill Belichick and more along the lines of Richie Kotite. For the uninitiated, Belichick is considered among the greatest coaches in NFL history (Vince Lombardi and Coach B jockey it out in the writers’ polls for first and second). Kotite is in the discussion as worst coach of all time (career record 41-57, versus Belichick’s mark of 199-105). Caccamo appears to be a tool of The Suits, willing to prostitute himself for future advancement. Is that true? Time will tell.

Is Cacacmo’s next job “all teed up?” We don’t know, but we do know citizens are “all teed off” at the odd coincidences that abound in Bianchiville.

When THE PLANET asked Caccamo about his resignation, he replied: “Yes, I did resign from PPS. My last day of compensated contractual work was June 6. I have a few things in the hopper. For the immediate future I will be able to put addition hours into being a ward councilor and maybe a few more afternoons on the golf course.”

His comment about golf struck a lot of people as out-of-touch, entitled, and arrogant.

Remember, Pittsfield is a blue collar town with hardly any blue collar positions. These words will likely come to define Caccamo’s flirtation with politics — and doom him, politically.

Not satisfied with this answer, we asked him the following:

PLANET:

You must realize there’s lots of talk going on right now, including speculations about the true reason behind your “resignation.” Do you wish to comment further on the circumstances of your leaving? It does strike some as odd that you would give up a $50K school post without something else lined up. 

Let me ask you straight out: Has anyone promised you a position if you resigned? That’s one school of thought that’s circulating.

Another one is that you were given the choice by the schools: resign or get fired. 

Any comment on the veracity (or lack thereof) of these theories?

CACCAMO: Since none of those comments have any merit of truth I don’t see a need to comment further.

Cute, isn’t it? How he does not directly respond to the specific rumors.The avoidance of an opportunity to refute such allegations only give credence to the charges. Of course, they don’t prove the charges, and no one here is suggesting that.

Nick, son, you have much to learn. Here’s the crying towel, to dab behind your ears.

Sure, THE PLANET admits that these are speculations, but, unlike other news outlets, we aren’t afraid to acknowledge the tenor of discussion surrounding Caccamo’s sudden resignation from the schools — which is to say, we aren’t hesitant to cover the truth of topics on the minds of Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski. They don’t trust Caccamo. The resignation seems too pat to them. Not too many people are buying it on its face. Can’t blame them, given what’s been going on in the city under Mayor Bianchi.

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Berkshire Works Charade Seems About to Repeat Itself 

After former Berkshire Works executive William Monterosso, Bianchi’s fair-haired boy from Kentucky, “resigned” from BW after soiling the bed, the mayor had an opportunity to admit a mistake and begin a search for a successor, this time doing the job right and conducting a legitimate job search.

Ah, but this is Pittsfield.

Yesterday, THE PLANET received this comment from Matt:

Hey.. anybody want a job?? Ex-councilman, used mayors.. ??
Check the city web site employment page!!!!

The Berkshire Works Executive Director national search is underway.. Of course .. it will take time for the word to get out and for people to send in their resumes from around the country.. No problem.. they have 168 hours (including the weekend).. before the deadline… next tuesday June 17.

After months without an ED, and months of paid administrative leave, a carefully considered national search will now be conducted.. taking a total of 168 hours.. before the deadline.

$86,000 – $94,000 should draw at least 3 candidates if nobody tells anyone except the insiders.. so let’s keep it among ourselves…

Anybody think the fix is in? Here we go again!!!

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Let THE PLANET be the first media outlet to tell you that Berkshire Works is looking for Monterosso’s replacement. We should say Bianchi is doing the looking, since, as Pittsfield mayor, he is the appointing authority. He came up smelling crap-ola with Monterosso, and now, TES is proving what a political goon he is.

Our sources tell us that Bianchi has ordered the BW executive director position to be posted only internally, on the BW website and the spill-over state site, which hardly anyone visits. He wants no listing on Craig’s List, Monster.com, or in the other legitimate avenues that one would employ for a post like this if the talent search was in earnest (trade journals, chamber associations, municipal sites, and the like). This looks like another “bum’s rush national search” wherein the anointed one has already been named. Watch: Two others will be brought in for “interviews” to make it look legit.

Folks: THE PLANET provides the link to this job offering, below. We ask you to post this on Craig’s List, Monster.com, and any other nationwide jobs listing service. This will be a way to defeat Bianchi’s cynical ploy.

As Matt says, the closing date for applications is Tuesday, one week before the near-invivible job posting!

According to a city hall source, the mayor, in issuing direction (we think to city personnel director John DeAngelo) gave orders that the job be posted as quietly and surreptitiously as possible. Guess he didn’t want “that Valenti” getting wind of it.

Well, tis was a foul and chilling wind that blew, and we found out. That’s why you’re reading about it today. Unlike official Pittsfield, THE PLANET believes in honesty, openness, and transparency.

Here is the listing from The State Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development:

http://web.detma.org/JobQuest/JobDetails.aspx?jo=4227023

The job is in fact posted on “06/10/2014” with a close date of “06/17/2014.”

If anyone ever needed proof that Dan Bianchi, the politician, is a fake, a phony, and a fraud, the “invisible” job posting with one week’s duration would serve as supporting evidence, if not proof.

But, hey, while we’re at it, let THE PLANET outline the perfect ending for this job search (pays $86,000-$94,000 per, plus bennies):

“Ladies and Gentlemen, meet the new Executive Director of Berkshire Works, Mr. Nick Caccamo.”

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“Speaking indifferently to him, / who had driven out the cold / and polished my good shoes as well. / What did I know what did I know / of love’s austere and lonely offices?” — Robert Hayden, final verse of his poem, “Those Winter Sundays,” (1975).

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.