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POINTING OUT THE HARD TRUTH IS NOT ‘BEING NEGATIVE’ … plus … MORE TURMOIL AT R.S.V.P.

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By DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 17, 2014) — Let’s scan some of the routine, daily happenings in Podunk Paradise:

  • A police stand-off on Stoddard Avenue involving a 20-year-old young man with a gun, threatening his mama because she wouldn’t let him have the car.
  • A Bronx man accused of beating his 14-year-old son, leaving the boy with a bloodied brain and, police say, unable to breathe on his own. Location: First Street and Maplewood Avenue. “Downtown, no finer place for sure, downtown” (Pet Clark)
  • Two drug busts, one involving two 21-year-olds. One is from Dalton. The other is from West Grove, Pa.
  • Multiple arrests for numerous “incidents.”
  • Police calls involving “harassment,” “disturbances,” “suspicious activity,” “trespass.”

This is just a partial bulleting of the long list of activity on Pittsfield mean streets for a another routine day in mid-December. Actually, the way the center has not been holding, it was a day on the slow side. The point is not to belabor the obvious. It is not to be “negative.”

Being “negative” stands as a favorite curse hurled at truth tellers such as THE PLANET by The Suits’ apologetic ostriches when a prophet points out any unpleasant aspect of life in Paradise. When we point out such un-niceties, it is not to be “negative” — or to “be” anything at all. Rather, it is to illustrate that as long as the city participates in hand-wringing debates over whether or not the quality of life is deteriorating, the unquestionable deterioration will not only continue but accelerate.

Problems must be admitted, thought through, and strategized for there to be any chance of a solution. It would also help to have a mayor and a police chief to acknowledge the seriousness of the issue instead of issuing pleasant sounding but not reassuring bromides and sound bites. The mayor is on record saying the problem with the downtown is that so many visitors and tourists are visiting, there’s not enough “good will” ambassadors to show them around. The police chief says Pittsfield doesn’t have a problem with “violent crime.”

Of course, as we looked at recently, “violent crime” is all in how you define it.

——————————————————————————

Another Good Program (Once Upon a Time) Run into the Ground

You will recall THE PLANET’s telling of the sad fall from grace of the RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) program in Pittsfield, beginning with the politically motivated firing of executive director Deborah Sadowy.

For a quick refresher, we wrote on Oct. 2:

——– 000 ——–

In the lightning round of Don’t Tell Anybody, Because It’s Supposed to be a Secret, informed sources say the mayor yesterday fired the well-respected Deborah Sadowy from her directorship at RSVP. Hmmm … another woman, fired. Wonder why? It couldn’t be because she was a bit too strong, capable, and independent to suit the mayor’s tastes, could it? We don’t know. That’s why we ask.

THE PLANET has a request into the mayor for comment. You know about “when the phone doesn’t ring.”

Sadowy was just hired in June based on “her strong leadership skills, successful grant writing history, past experience in human resources, experience working with diverse cliental, extensive knowledge of the community and her strategic and program management skills,” according to the mayor’s office. Funny how those skills can evaporate, overnight.

“I was delighted when the search committee came to inform me that Deborah was their choice for the position,” Bianchi gushed on June 6. Guess he’s not so delighted today. He’s probably not gushing as much either. One source told us that when she went to the RSVP offices yesterday, the staff was visibly upset, including some who were in tears.

So are the citizens of Pittsfield. Seeing this type of guillotining from afar, why would anyone want to come to work for or in the city?

 ——– 000 ——–

We followed that up with details in subsequent posts. Getting rid of a savvy administrative hand such as Sadowy marked doom for the agency.

And now (yes, another exclusive) we share the pathetic doings and goings at RSVP in light of the disastrous decision to force Sadowy out.

Earlier this month, the RSVP executive board, which is to say the triumverate of She, Herself, and Her — Carolyn Valli — hired Ray Ross as the new director. Ross had previously served as executive director at Big Brothers and Sisters. Why he left there, we don’t know. Before that, Ross worked at BCARC, the agency for people with disabilities. Sources told THE PLANET that Ross “was asked to resign … from BCARC.”

Yesterday, THE PLANET received word from knowledgeable sources:

“Ray Ross, who was hired for RSVP, has suddenly resigned after spending two weeks with Sheila Pia This now leaves RSVP to hire a now-second-person from North County who potentially doesnt have anyone to train them because Sheila was only staying till December and adamantly says she will not return. 

“I think Ray figured out that there is no money for staffing and he would be running the organization by his lonesome like Big Brothers Big Sisters, and he wouldn’t have anyone to assist him.” 

 ——– 000 ——–

It appears, folks, that because of the sad state of Administrative politics, another erstwhile community organization has tasted the dust.

This sort of chaos and doom happens regularly in Podunk. When you team that with the ineffectiveness of so many of the city’s boards and commissions then add the state of politics, you have the formula for collapse.

——————————————————————————————

“We all saw the Invisible Man at the Halloween Parade.”Mick Valenti, “Halloween Parade,” from his album Modern Man (2014).

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

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spagirl
spagirl
9 years ago

Citizens of Pittsfield…..form…come forward …stand up…Open your eyes…Open your mouths….Pay Attention….Don’t allow this idiot anymore room to destroy one more thing. Unite!!!!

Still wondering
Still wondering
9 years ago

Dan, the R.S.V.P. situation was simple. A non-qualified person was hired for a position that she couldn’t handle. No training? Well, Boo-hoo. She missed THE funding deadline for her agency and seriously damaged her organization. She had to go.
If anything Dan, the mayor is showing a willingness to eliminate deadwood and will put a better person in the job. We can’t be right all the time.
Now, there are a number of “marginal” performers in city government that have been there for a very long time. These people are the most difficult to get rid of. If you have any ideas on how to fire them, let us all know.

Penny Pincher
Penny Pincher
Reply to  Still wondering
9 years ago

Who are the marginal people your talking about? Please give us the names of these people!

spagirl
spagirl
Reply to  Penny Pincher
9 years ago

Exactly……Names!!

Sparkie
Sparkie
Reply to  spagirl
9 years ago

Just to name a few slugs Try these Bianchi butt heads…. Bruce ”Deadwood” Collingswood, Kathy Degnan, Gerry Gardner, Pete Sondrini,

dusty
dusty
Reply to  Still wondering
9 years ago

May I suggest then that the “marginal” mayor take it upon himself to step down and save himself the embarrassment of a recall. This might set an example for other marginal hangers on who i am sure are feeling quite guilty about their contributions or lack thereof.

I will be selling “Hands Up, Don’t tax Us To Death” T shirts just outside the mayors office on Christmas Eve. All proceeds will go towards a one way ticket out of town for some lucky recipient.

billy
billy
9 years ago

The article in the Eagle about state money for the morningside. Area is great but listening to the Mayor say how hard Tully and Morandi are working is utter hot air.Tully sits at a council meeting and talks as much a Cotton, and has been absent 3 times for votes, there are so many meetings a year work around those . Morandi is embarrassing ,He either repeats what Mazzeo says or calls up the Mayor and. pats him on the back .These two knowing what to do with state aid is a joke ,Bring in someone who has experience and had transformed the city of North Adams ,Mayor Barrett was making vast improvements in our city productivity and rewarding good leadership.then along came Danny DoLittle and his love of hearing himself create hot air. Barrett was elected for 26 years and set the groundwork for what is transforming the town . The new mayor came in after him and needed to be rescued from default from the State.

We need to revisit the Charter and get a Manager who would know exactly what to do to with that aid to revitalize a area in great need, The mayor has not been involved is anything but spending money on raises for himself and others or spending it on moving offices we didn’t need to occupy. The mayor and his little group of yes men and ladies should look around at the city they created and get real.The families are leaving with their kids for districts that are consolidating and are freeing up money to run a more efficient municipality. The leaders in this city are spending money with reckless abandon and no accountability.

The citizens who do vote are voting with their feet. They are leaving for towns that are responsive to their needs and not their own.They are looking for schools that cut when needed to size themselves to the new realities we are in and see the situation as it really is not some fantasy world.

Zen
Zen
Reply to  billy
9 years ago

Billy, the last time I checked North Adams wasn’t doing so well. And never will. Not a Barrett fan.

spagirl
spagirl
Reply to  Zen
9 years ago

John Barrett raised the bar in the Pittsfield DPW….no question. Of course Mayor idiot got rid of him. His fairhaired….Collingwood was publicly humiliated He would be the second one out the door…behind Mayor Idiot if I had a magic wand.

billy
billy
Reply to  Zen
9 years ago

The new mayor came in and raised taxes and spent every dime given to him,he was a constant critic of Barrett ,who got elected for 26 years without putting North Adams in default. I would say Bianchi is putting us down that exact road along with his trained seals,Those councilors should be ashamed of themselves for destroying the public trust that was given them.. Bianchi has never built anything in his whole career in public office.he is a fear monger who looks for opportunity along with followers by discrediting others ideas instead of working with people to build things up. Look at his whole career and its littered with slash and burn and no accountability.He lives in a plastic bubble and does not understand the city he serves its so tragic.

spagirl
spagirl
Reply to  billy
9 years ago

You are right Billy, and having to hire Consultants for everything but the kitchen sink at Taxpayer expense is getting old too. Just shows what we have for Mayor, and Department Heads…… NO TALENT…or Competency.

Sparkie
Sparkie
Reply to  billy
9 years ago

Billy you hit in on the nail head. Bianchi got rid of Barrett because he has forgotten more about how to run a city then Dan do-Little will ever learn. Barrett combined resources within the city that resulted in efficient effectve delivered of service for less money spent. One of the first issues Barrett un-covered was the wasted and false overtime by 2 water department employees that was signed off by Collingswood. Barrett also recommended that Collingswood be fired because of his marginal and lack of performance. So what does Bianchi do. He promotes one of the employees that stole overtime money from the water department to Superintendent of Public Services and appoints Collingswood as dual Commissioner thus giving him a double raise in his pay.

As far as the money for Morningside goes the right people know Tully and Morandi had nothing to do with, and for that matter neither did Doug Clark or Dope Danny Bianchi

billy
billy
Reply to  Sparkie
9 years ago

I laughed when Collingwood said it was stressful under Barrett. It was stressful because he had someone who was watching what Collingwood was not doing and got him off his lazy ass and made him work.The city is going backwards because they have management that is not up to the task.The city Ned’s a city manager who would treat it like a business and not like a patronage factory.

billy
billy
Reply to  billy
9 years ago

Needs

Quentin
Quentin
Reply to  billy
9 years ago

Typoical “BB” rah-rah story. Look at the millions spent on Common and Persip park, & you wonder: where did all the money really go? Same will be with this grant. Millions spent, little to show for it, and very possibly over generous contracts and kickbacks.

Eugene Smart
Eugene Smart
9 years ago

We made a mistake electing our Mayor.Please forgive us Pete Marchetti and run again.I would change my vote.

Shakes His Head
Shakes His Head
9 years ago

Half of North Adam’s budget is state aid. It is one of the poorest communities in Massachusetts. Not sure there are transformations going on that are meaningful and sustained.

BeaBreef
BeaBreef
9 years ago

Greater productivity with less is a formula for fiscal survival, however, not a great idea when trying to be re-elected.

Knows the Truth
Knows the Truth
9 years ago

I would though, hire a consultant in Pittsfield as a Solicitor. Ruberto was smart in that regard. What attorney worth their salt would work for 60k as a lawyer for the City?

BeaBreef
BeaBreef
9 years ago

Does Ms. Degnan have a practice on the side?

Ron Kitterman
Ron Kitterman
9 years ago

@ still Wondering whatever marginal people is suppose to mean? That is one of the most egotistical, conceited, pompous, narcissistic descriptions I’ve heard. I’m curious as to the person you are referring to as well ? While , you don’t speak for the administration (hopefully ) this isn’t or shouldn’t be a position that is that complicated in RSVP or any other level of city government. Let us recall , the first three words to the constitution . We the People, one of the greatest gifts our founders provided is to self-govern ourselves. If you are referring to Deborah Sadowy Dargie, I would add that from my dealings with her she has always been a person of the highest integrity, honesty and attention to detail. If it isn’t, hopefully you will enlighten the readers with just who doesn’t meet your high standards. In any event, though Merry Christmas to you and may God Bless you.

charles kronick Berkshires
charles kronick Berkshires
Reply to  Ron Kitterman
9 years ago

Thumbs up to you, sir.

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
9 years ago

The #1 asset in a community is the people who live there. If you are a local politician, you would want to treat the local people like gold. The people in Pittsfield are moving away and dying off by the thousands every decade since the 1970’s. There are no full time, living wage jobs for Pittsfield’s youth. If a young adult or family stays in Pittsfield, they end up being either working poor or living in poverty receiving welfare benefits. In fact, outside people, such as big business, sees Pittsfield as a place with high per capita welfare caseloads where teen pregnancies double the statewide average. When a middle class family looks at Pittsfield, they see poorly performing public schools with hundreds of local students choicing out of Pittsfield public schools to neighboring towns such as Lenox. Pittsfield’s downtown, which received tens of millions of public dollars for a so-called revitalization, is still known as Social Services Alley by day, and a place most people avoid for their own personal safety by night due to crime, violence, drugs, and gangs. Pittsfield and the Berkshire County region was cited as the #1 place in Massachusetts for job loss. Pittsfield politics is totally corrupt, and run by the Good Old Boy network, which is made up of insider groups of multi-generational, interrelated families. An example of a Good Old Boy Pittsfield politician is my enemy in my adult life, Andrea F. Nuciforo, Jr. Nuciforo’s late-father was a Pittsfield State Senator and then a Pittsfield Probate Court Judge. Nuciforo’s late-Aunt was a former Pittsfield Mayor and Berkshire Community College Professor. Nuciforo’s Uncle was a Pittsfield State Representative. Like his late-father, Nuciforo served as a Pittsfield State Senator. Then, Nuciforo strong-armed 2 women candidates named Sharon Henault and Sara Hathaway out of a 2006 state government election for Pittsfield Registrar of Deeds to anoint himself to the 6-year, one-term sinecure while he plotted a failed 2012 run for U.S. Congress against Springfield Congressman Richie Neal. Nuciforo only received about 25 percent of the vote in the September 2012 federal election. Nuciforo proved the point that he was a big fish in Pittsfield politics, but a big flop outside of Pittsfield. Pittsfield State Senator Ben Downing’s dad was the late-Gerry Downing, who was both a corrupt Pittsfield prosecutor who withheld tape recordings that would have exonerated the persecuted homosexual Bernard Baran and then a Berkshire District Attorney. Former Pittsfield Mayor Jimmy Ruberto’s late-brother Anthony was a Berkshire District Attorney and then a Judge. Lenox State Representative Smitty Pignatelli’s father, like my dad, was a Berkshire County Commissioner. Pittsfield Clerk of Courts and former Pittsfield State Representative Chris Speranzo’s grandfather Nick was active in Democratic Party Union Pittsfield politics. The list goes on and on with Pittsfield politics’ Good Old Boys club! The problem with Pittsfield politics is that the Good Old Boys club takes care of each other like the old time mafia. Outside voices are not only not listened to in Pittsfield politics, they are suppressed through blacklisting and intimidation. I grew up and Pittsfield and I spoke out against the corruption there as a young man. In return, Nuciforo had people associated with him bully me without leaving behind his own fingerprints/DNA since the Spring of 1996 when I was only 20 years old, and Nuciforo tried to jail me when I was only 22 years old in the Spring and Summer of 1998, and the Nuciforo network spread untrue, slanderous rumors against me in Pittsfield, specifically that “Jonathan Melle stalked a Jewish woman from Otis [Massachusetts]”. This woman’s father, who was a BCC Professor at the time of the mid-to-late-1990s, was one of the people Nuciforo conspiratorially had bully me and threaten to assault me. This woman sent me love notes and a Valentine’s Day card. This woman was married in the Summer of 2002. I never harmed this woman. I will have hurt this woman. I resolved the conflict with this woman and her father/one of Nuciforo’s bullying henchman against me with the police. We are at peace. In the Spring of 2004, I moved away from Pittsfield to Southern New Hampshire, where I have lived for over one decade now. Nuciforo’s manipulative bullying of me without apology and accountability has not stopped. This is what it is was like to have grown up and lived in Pittsfield. That is why thousands of people have and are continuing to move away from Pittsfield. Pittsfield is full of vindictive, small town people like Nuciforo with huge ego’s that rationalize hurting people like me.

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
9 years ago

* I will NEVER hurt this woman!

charles kronick Berkshires
charles kronick Berkshires
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
9 years ago

“The #1 asset in a community is the people who live there”

So why do you keep insulting them?

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
Reply to  charles kronick Berkshires
9 years ago

I am sorry for insulting anyone. I want to be a positive person who works to make progress towards recovery and goals. I hope I am a good person who supports the people.

BeaBreef
BeaBreef
9 years ago

You are right Mr. Mele. The citizens are the number one asset- priority, so why should a taxpayer like myself give a toot of what Nuciforo does to you? for krist sakes, you live in New Hamphire!

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
Reply to  BeaBreef
9 years ago

I lived most of my life in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. I have lived in Southern New Hampshire for the past decade. The Nuciforo network hasn’t stopped bullying me. Nuciforo has not been held to account for what he has done to me and my family. Nuciforo has not apologized for what he has done. I am proud to blog about Pittsfield politics from Amherst, New Hampshire. To read more about what Nuciforo did to me, please visit my blog page:
http://jonathanmelleonpolitics.blogspot.com/2008/05/andrea-nuciforo-jonathan-melle-month-of.html
Thank you for your response.

BeaBreef
BeaBreef
9 years ago

Oh, then in that case, I got no use for him.

Joe Blow
Joe Blow
9 years ago
dusty
dusty
Reply to  Joe Blow
9 years ago

but Capeless does not want that guy from Barrington who dealt pot as a teenager to have his record expunged.

a cartoon I am telling ya….we are living in a cartoon here in Pittsfield

spagirl
spagirl
Reply to  dusty
9 years ago

Another Crooked, Corrupt Sweet Deal in the making. WHO GAVE Paul Capitanio the information within thePolice Dept. of the upcoming raid? Insiders…

spagirl
spagirl
Reply to  spagirl
9 years ago

Nobody talking about that though.

Scott
Scott
Reply to  spagirl
9 years ago

Spagirl, I have been wondering that all along. Perhaps a letter to the editor is in order. Capitonio isn’t a cop so someone told him of the bust.

Joe Blow
Joe Blow
Reply to  dusty
9 years ago

The whole world seems like a bad cartoon,we are living in some very bizarre times.

charles kronick Berkshires
charles kronick Berkshires
Reply to  dusty
9 years ago

Capeless’ reach has touched those beyond the view of those who dominate Pittsfield. The man has blood on his hands, and even the author of this site blesses his name.

Scott
Scott
9 years ago

I never liked that Ruberto hired JB as a consultant. I thought it was a waste of money. If you can’t do the job don’t petition the people to elect you.

charles kronick Berkshires
charles kronick Berkshires
Reply to  Scott
9 years ago

Agree with you Scott. I understand that Barrett was up to the task; but who’s task is it to uncover fraud and waste?

Tito
Tito
9 years ago

Looks like Cuba is on the horizon to become our next U S STATE.

charles kronick Berkshires
charles kronick Berkshires
Reply to  Tito
9 years ago

Consenting to become a US protectorate would be a reasonable consideration for us to release Cuba from our sanctions.

The founder was a murderer and they were willing to permit the USSR station nuclear weapons pointed at us on their territory. No use for them. Besides, Maduro Dominican cigars are better.

Sal
Sal
9 years ago

@ Joe Blow

Yeah, what a farce I can still remember the news stories of Councilors Capitanio and Yon protesting the methadone clinic, only to find out he needs it more than anyone.

billy
billy
9 years ago

Sal, Yon wanted it out of a residential neighborhood,If you ever saw the absolute stampede at the clinic she did her job well to keep it out of a neighborhood.

It is my understanding Captitanio lost a son to drug overdose.I would say his efforts were noble at that time,to spare others a pain no parent can fathom. I can only imagine the grief that must consume those parents,who have spent most of their lives helping others in the community.We all at one time face personal demons ,I never expected to see Jeff Reardon do a criminal act but the judge put it in context when he found out he was in profound grief over the loss of a child and was not in his right mind.So I would say their is more known by people closer than us about the matter

Bill
Bill
9 years ago

billy, I think most people know why the Jeff Reardons , and Paul Capitanios get a pass, or at most, a little slap. You can try to justify it any way you want, but as they say, two wrongs don’t a right.

spagirl
spagirl
Reply to  Bill
9 years ago

Capitanio has 2 son-in-laws on the Pittsfield Police Dept. One was on the drug task force. Pretty easy to figure out how Paul was able to tip off the drug dealer of the impending raid. Why hasn’t the DA Office pursued this?… Oh yes, it’s Pittsfield double standards at their best.

billy
billy
9 years ago

I’m not trying to give anyone one a pass.What I’m saying is armchair lawers shouldn’t be judges.also hour jails are filled with gang members and real thugs that need incarceration.plea barging get happens all the time in the judicial system and will continue to happen long after this fades into obscurity..The Capitano family is not going anywhere and has been here for generations. The legal system looks at everything in a person life and their criminal record before they decide on plea agreements.If we didn’t we might as well have kept wooden stocks in the center of town.Mr Capitanio will never know peace in his life no matter if he goes to jail or not.

spagirl
spagirl
Reply to  billy
9 years ago

That’s the problem with the Judicial System today. Who you know or Who you are. Doesn’t matter a damn bit if you lived in Pittsfield all your life. He shouldn’t get a free pass anymore than someone who has no influence or relatives on the Police Force.