By DAN VALENTI

ADD 1 JUNE 9, 2011

For Ruberto, Does ‘Opportunity’ Knock?

With respect to the rumors that Mayor Jimmy Ruberto will be leaving office before his term is up (see first posting from today, immediately below), The Planet has received information from a credible source that may shed light on the mayor’s tenuous response to the question.

Apparently, Ruberto has interviewed with Berkshire Opportunity Fund in Lenox. You likely don’t know who or what they are, and it’s probably because it was started in 2008 and it keeps a low profile. From the the company’s web site, we learn:

Roger O Goldman and Steven Picheny founded the Berkshire Opportunity Fund in 2008 to finance businesses that are poised for growth and require additional capital. As long-time Berkshire residents, Roger and Steven know how important small and medium-sized businesses are to the local economy. In addition to providing a return to their investors, they and their partners are committed to growing companies that create and sustain jobs and support the local economy.

Sources say Ruberto has not only interviewed there, but he has visited the office on multiple occasions. It sounds like it’s more than just a casual affair with serious mutual interest.  You can go to the company’s website to find out more about BOF and its founders. The site lists three companies as featured investments: Donovan Motorcar Service in Lenox, ceramic designer Michael Wainwright, and a small Pittsfield textile company named Rennie and Rose.

The Planet has a call into the mayor’s office for his comments.

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(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, JUNE 9, 2011) — In a recent interview with Mayor Jimmy Ruberto, The Planet asked him if there was any truth to a rumor that has come back from the dead more times that Jason in Friday the 13th or the Frankenstein monster in the old Universal horror films.

Will he be leaving office before his term expires. Before we even got the question out, Ruberto began to answer, too emphatically, “No. There’s no truth to it.” That right there caused the fleeting thought: “He doth protest too loudly.” The conversation resumed:

PLANET: No truth to it? None whatsoever? You’re not resigning on July 1?

RUBERTO: Let me tell you, on July 2, I will be on the job. Period. PEER-ee-od.

PLANET: Fine. Now what about on the morning of Inauguration Day in January?

RUBERTO: Well, Dan, you know I would fully expect that to be the case as of right now but you never know.

PLANET: Ah, sounds like your equivocating. So something’s going on, right?

RUBERTO: No, but if a situation came along that was perfect or was the right one, well, I’d have to look at it.

The equivocation and the manner in which it was delivered makes The Planet conclude that something IS in the works. It won’t be in July but it might be before November. Beware of an October Surprise.

The mayor denied that there was anything going on in terms of a position with Gov. Deval Patrick.

This story needs to be monitored as Campaign 2011 heads into Labor Day. It would be a fair question for opponents to put to Peter Marchetti: Are you aware of any scenario that has the mayor resigning before his term is out to set up the circumstances that would have you as acting mayor prior to Election Day in November or after November should you lose the election?

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What’s in a Name? Pull-Lenty

As dumb as it was for Mayor Ruberto to try to rename a major artery of the downtown (Columbus Avenue) for Martin Luther King without consulting residents of the city, the mayor was as smart withdrawing the tone-deaf move.

In a brief letter to the council’s subcommittee on public works, Ruberto referred to “an unfortunate amount of controversy, something which is not befitting this great man of social change.” The cagey phrasing, as The Planet reads it, allows Ruberto to withdraw saving face. He implies that the only reason he’s withdrawing is the controversy. In other words, people, “unfortunately,” made a fuss and embarrassed this great man — a clever way of shifting blame.

Ruberto forgets that King WAS a man of controversy. He entire social agenda hinged upon upsetting the status quo in America and necessary fomenting a revolution with respect to the treatment of blacks (It was either King’s way of Malcolm X’s waay). Actually, Ruberto’s citation of “controversy” as the reason for shying away from renaming Columbus Avenue not only betrays a misunderstanding of King’s historical and political impact but also avoids addressing the genuine reason: Simply put, the proposal to change the name of Columbus Avenue was done unilaterally, ignoring the people most affected by the change.

Politically, as a lame duck, Ruberto faces no consequences for this implied shift in the blame. Personally, he can convince himself that, “Well, Dr. King, at least I tried.”

The Power of Political Activism

We The People hated the proposal from the start, on two fronts: (1) It’s a bad idea and (2) They were ignored. Citizens quickly circulated two petitions opposing to proposed name change. Ward 4 councilor Mike Ward, listening to the intent of residents, pronounced the mayor’s proposal “dead” on arrival.

Now, if only We the People could get as aroused about the budget process and put pressure on ALL public officials to stop the gravy train, cut spending, and maintain services. IT CAN BE DONE, AND RATHER EASILY. The old budget game of “Scare the People” has begun, and if THEY get away with it again, then the city deserves all the trouble that fiscal irresponsibility can produce. The Planet has spelled this out in a previous post [GO TO “BLOG” link on The Planet’s home page, click on “Archives,” and call up the May 31st posting on the budget]

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MORE TO COME ON THE PLANET. STAY TUNED.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.