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MORANDI: MUSCLED & HUSTLED? HE INSISTS ‘NO’ … PLANET’s SOURCES SAY OTHERWISE

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By DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015) — Yesterday, we published Ward 2 councilor Kevin Morandi‘s denial that (a) he had promised seniors he would be voting against the $120.8 million THS bonding and (b) he had been muscled into reversing his “nay” vote.

The story doesn’t end there. Rather, it brought up more questions. THE PLANET heard from several sources who dispute Morandi’s accounts. As usual, we obtained the information on a “don’t use my name” basis.

Before we go further, let’s be clear. THE PLANET harbors no desire to make Morandi the scapegoat for the school vote. This was an engineered outcome made possible by 11 councilors, the SBNC, school committee, mayor, superintendent, Pittsfield’s state rep, the PSD, and others. If we had a nickel for every illegal meeting that took place to guarantee both unanimity of the vote and the certainly that citizens would not be allowed a referendum, we’d have enough to fix every pothole in Pittsfield with our own Big Red Magic Pothole Machine. In Podunk, they use the state Open Meeting Law for target practice.

A Tip Gets It Going

It began with a tip from a city hall source, unconfirmed, that Morandi had indeed been “muscled.” Drop the images of Paulie Cocoanuts and Christopher Moltisanti with baseball bats. Think “political pressure.” THE PLANET got to work checking. Some e-mails and phone calls later, and it does appear that:

(1) Morandi was going to vote “no” and

(2) The mayor “talked” him out of it.

THE PLANET has requested clarification from the Ward 2 councilor.

The Circumstantial Evidence

The most persistent (and serious) part of the story is the allegation of pressure from the corner office. Anyone who has read All The King’s Men and The Last Hurrah knows how that sort of top-down arm-twisting works, except in the case of Podunk, Mass., we’re not talking political greatness.

When we look inside the corner office, we don’t see Frank Skeffington or Willie Stark. We see the political equivalent of a pipsqueak, Pee Wee Herman in character and out. We see a high-risk combination of amateurism, incompetence, and petulance, wrapped in a layer of self-righteousness that would put a saint off his pancakes.

Yes, we’re talking Dan Bianchi, the inconsequential flea who fancies himself Big Man On Campus. If he only knew. You should pity a man like that. He has blown his one chance at significance and now, as it begins to sink in he won’t get another chance, he’s starting to panic.

THE PLANET has a double agent working in The Secret Squadron. We must be careful in identifying this person. It is someone still close to the mayor, still inside his “camp.” It is also someone who claims yet-shared information of the mayor’s double dealing and isn’t happy about it. But wait! The intrigue gets better.

The mayor doesn’t know that this person knows what (s)he knows.

Dum-de-dum-dum (sung to the Dragnet theme).

A Threat? If So, What Sort?

Our source claims that “shortly before the school vote, the mayor threatened Morandi.” What sort of threat? Our source thought it had to do with “shutting the ward out of everything.” The source also speculated that it might have to do with some “dirt the mayor has on Kevin.”

Or perhaps, as a separate version of the incident claims, the mayor “convinced” Morandi that if he voted against the THS bonding, Morandi would not get re-elected.

Wouldn’t surprise us. In these days of political apathy and retributive fear, a mayor can make that boast. This is particularly true in a ward like 2, one of the city’s less populated and least involved. Turnouts in 2 are on the nanoscale, and the mayor would presumably control just enough votes (school department employees, favored loyalists, etc.) to make a credible threat.

Morandi says he wasn’t pressured. He also told us that he didn’t know how he would vote until he actually began speaking at the council meeting. On the face of it, both scenarios seem unlikely. They don’t pass the smell test, but then again, when you have a mayor who has turned the corner office into an outhouse, sewer, and cesspool, what does?

——————————————————————————————–

“Like to a falling star, / Or as the flights of eagles are … even such is man, whose borrowed light / Is straight called in and paid to night. … / The dew dries up, the star is shot; / The flight is past, and man forgot.”Henry King, “Sic Vita,” (1657).

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

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Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
8 years ago

The new Taconic High School project was a done deal from the get go. The Commie’s used to have show trials to mock justice. Pittsfield politics has show votes to mock democracy. The bottom line in Pittsfield politics is that the vested interests are going to raise taxes and increase spending until the day comes when Pittsfield reaches financial insolvency and has to declare bankruptcy. Pittsfield’s tax base is shrinking. Thousands of people have moved away from Pittsfield. Most of the remaining people in Pittsfield are receiving welfare benefits. The boat is sinking! Rome is burning!

spagirl
spagirl
8 years ago

Shameful. Corrupt S.O.B’s.

McConkey Gee
McConkey Gee
8 years ago

The really sad part of this is Morandi, not being connected gets no monetary reward. He’s just a pawn, an easily manipulated stooge.

I would venture to guess that Bianchi is the lowest on the totem pole to get zeros added to his bank account.

All the rest of the staged supporters have been played. The ones who really matter, the ones who will be paying for this have been totally cut out of the loop. A chess game played to benefit a select few while placing the taxpayers in checkmate.

Every single dirty trick in the book was employed to get this done. We havn’t even gotten to the pcb clean up of the high school toxic waste dump.

So now onto the new police station and new water treatment plants.

Had enough yet? More pain to come.

Guess what
Guess what
Reply to  McConkey Gee
8 years ago

Oh no! wait and see. Building and equipment by the tax payer for the Berkshire Innovation Center at the PEDA site and in top of that they’re asking for a tax break. Tax break on what we’re providing the building and equipment.

Shelly Liver
Shelly Liver
8 years ago

Bumsteads logic is simple, when the ship sinks it will have the best furniture on it.

dusty
dusty
8 years ago

I am always surprised when I meet people who are totally unaware of our city government and how it works. Some are totally clueless as to what a council person is. I met two people in the last week who did not even know a new school was being proposed. These were long time adult Pittsfield residents who do vote. I also talked to a few more whose roads had severe potholes. I suggested they call their council persons and they did not know they could do that or who their council persons were.

Yes, many people are just apathetic but I believe many just never give their government or how it affects them a second thought. Do they teach any of this in the Pittsfield schools? And if so is it just to honor students?

I am sure the people who run Pittsfield would surely like its populace to be as ignorant as possible as it plays right into their hands. I would think if someone did a legitimate survey of local voting age residents regarding local government they would be shocked at the level of ignorance.

Everyone should have their council persons phone and email handy in large letters and make them earn their keep. They wanted the job so bad so make them do it.

Jethro Bodine
Jethro Bodine
Reply to  dusty
8 years ago

Your on to something there Dusty. DV has written about it too. The corrupt leaders f Pittsfield want to keep the populace and the kids ignorant.
For the reason you say…so they won’t bother with the govt that is there’s (but they don’t know it!)

Jimmy Gee
Jimmy Gee
8 years ago

I love how much Mr Valenti rants about Bianchi. Dan it just kills you that Bianchi won’t respond to you.

spagirl
spagirl
Reply to  Jimmy Gee
8 years ago

Not really, Jimmy …. Dan Valenti knows exactly how Peewee Herman runs…..so do we. There are no expectations and he has Zero credibility. His days are numbered.

Winchester 73
Winchester 73
Reply to  spagirl
8 years ago

Get real Jimmy, the only one getting killed is Bianchi. Has no chance at reelection largely because of the hits he’s taken on the Planet. the BB and other wimp media are afraid to expose the corrutption.

Rotten Robert
Rotten Robert
8 years ago

Dusty, your letter rings true. I have contacted a few friends in Pittsfield, very intelligent but equally unaware of a new school. One who lives close to Taconic said to me, “What are you talking about. The city is not building a new Taconic. I happen to know because I live near Taconic High School.”

joetaxpayer
joetaxpayer
8 years ago

City is loaded with low information and Eagle informed voters.

Still wondering
Still wondering
8 years ago

Dan, what I’m about to say is 100% true. You know who I am.
After living in Pittsfield for 30 years, I have just sold my house and my wife and I are leaving Berkshire County. We’ve had enough. The triple murder started us thinking about moving and the new high school has made up our minds. We are DONE!!

dusty
dusty
Reply to  Still wondering
8 years ago

My heartfelt and jealous congratulations. You obviously care about your loved ones and can see that staying in Pittsfield has a low percentage return on investment.

DL
DL
Reply to  Still wondering
8 years ago

Enlighten us Still Wondering,

Did you make money or lose money on the sale and by what percentage?
Was the sell price in line with the City’s assessment?

Ed Shepardson
Ed Shepardson
Reply to  DL
8 years ago

My house was just appraised by a reputable firm at 28% less than the city’s evaluation. I’m guessing I’m not alone and maybe even better off than some. My request for a tax abatement was denied. Reason given? “The Board’s review of the assessment found the assessed value to be correct.”

DL
DL
Reply to  Ed Shepardson
8 years ago

My assessment dropped 10% for the FY2105. I refinanced and the appraisal came in within 1% of my assessment. That surprised me.

You should appeal your abatement to the State.

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
8 years ago

How will Pittsfield survive over the long term? Will Pittsfield go bankrupt? Will Pittsfield’s population continue to lose thousands of residents?

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
8 years ago

Growth in Pittsfield
* Welfare caseloads
* Teen pregnancies
* Crime and Social Problems
* Municipal Taxes
* Municipal debt
* Municipal spending
* Population loss
* Job loss
* Corrupt Pittsfield politicians
* Poorly performing public schools
* PCBs cancer patients

PopKornSutton
PopKornSutton
8 years ago

One of the a teachers at Taconic told me she didn’t know there was going to be a new school.

Dave
Dave
Reply to  PopKornSutton
8 years ago

Yeah, Ok Pop, we all believe that. If true, give us the name because she should be the first teacher laid off.
I think everyone posting against the new school should go to city hall and take out papers for school committee. You don’t have to go out and get the signatures and actually run, but that would be good, but imagine the buzz when all of a sudden 100 people take out papers to run for school committee! Time for action you say, step up or lay down.

PopKornSutton
PopKornSutton
8 years ago

You could say JIVE and the Council could also be known as ….. Jason and the Arguenots.

PopKornSutton
PopKornSutton
8 years ago

While doing your show with the Plants in the background play the song Welcome to the Jungle

Ripper
Ripper
8 years ago

I tuned into the TV program tonight. They were talking on the web site and trying to find Vincilette for about five minutes. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.