Article

MARY McGINNES OUSTER CARRIES SORDID BACKSTORY, ACTUALLY, THE FAMILIAR PITTSFIELD TALE TITLED, ‘THE FIX IS IN’

0 0 votes
Article Rating

By DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary

BULLETIN! THE PLANET received word last night that “a second grader from Williams in Pittsfield died this morning.” Our source “had it on good authority” but “didn’t have any details.” We hope this spurs other media to investigate further. 

——- 000 ——-

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2014) — Don’t buy for one second the story of Mary McGuines’ resignation as Pittsfield’s director of administrative services as told by The Boring Broadsheet. McGuinnes resigned her city post, effective in May. That’s a fact.

The fiction appears in the sanitized, “everything’s comin’ up roses” tone typical of the paper, which continues to treat official city hall press releases as stone tablets from Mt. Sinai.

Here’s the scoop: The mayor forced McGuines’ resignation, city hall sources say, so he could bring in more of a toady and less a diligent director of administrative services. Some people are too honest for politics. Sources say McGuinnes made the mistake of giving the mayor straightforward input once too often, apparently including criticism of what she viewed as his racist treatment of blacks and his failure to treat their concerns proper respect or seriousness.

THE PLANET requested comment from McGuinnes and the mayor on this serious claim. As of press time, we had not heard from either.

To compound the venal nature of this political execution, sources say the mayor has already hand-picked McGuinnes’ successor.

————————————————————————————————————–SPOILER ALERT! We shall soon reveal the name of the person the mayor has already decided upon to succeed MM. Don’t tell anyone you know about it, because this was supposed to be an Almighty Secret. The mayor doesn’t want you to know, because (a) it may violate some  laws pertaining to the hiring of people for public positions, and (b) he wants people to believe his Eddie Haskell impersonation, that he cares about fairness and good government. That’s why you’re not supposed to know anything about the fact that the mayor has chosen a person with the initials of Julie Sabourin to be his new aide. ——————————————————————————————————————————

As one put it, “The Fix is in.” Sources say the city will go through the usual charade of posting the position, pretend to conduct the “nationwide search,” and interview prospective candidates. None of it, they say, will be legitimate, because the mayor has already decided on McGuines’ successor.

A highly placed source spills it: “They decided who is getting the job a few weeks ago. It’s a teacher from Reid Middle School named Julie Sabourin.  She has been going around telling everyone she has the job. … I wonder how the NAACP would feel about this? Another political hire decided well before the job posting and not to a person of color.”

 ——- 000 ——-

As you can see, kissing March goodbye marches THE PLANET once more into the gooey tar pits of the corner office in Pittsfield, Mass. That’s where the mayor is supposed to run the city. An Empty Suit, however, currently occupies that office at Allen and Fenn, a forsaken intersection where where expediency murdered hope shortly after Election Day, November 2011.

Not counting ribbons cut and certificates awarded, The Empty Suit doesn’t do much at the corner office. Is it because of the time eaten up at its real job as “Manager, Natural Gas, Electricity, Fuel Oil” for Global Montello Group, Suite 301, Pittsfield?

Incidentally, on its official webpage at cityofpittsfield.org, The Empty Suit s lists the following as “2012 Accomplishments”:

— 191 board appointments

— 195 appointments to see the mayor from the business community

— 237 appointments with city employees

— 391 invitations received (ED. NOTE: THE PLANET is not making any of this up.)

— 259 invitations accepted (scouts, ribbon cuttings, dedications, graduations)

— 23 school events (classroom visits, DARE graduations, reading in classrooms)

— 47 certificates presented

— 41 meetings with individual city councilors

— 24 PEDA board meetings

— 56 staff meetings with department heads

— 39 visits with state and regional officials.

The site also lists 12 editions of the TV show The Empty Suit Reports. Our hero took on such controversial and urgent topics as The Pittsfield Babe Ruth All Stars (two shows), Kids 4 Harmony, the Pittsfield Promise, and Downtown Pittsfield Inc.

What vision!

Notice there’s not one meeting listed with Mary Jane and  Joe Kapanski … not one indication of trying to reduce city expenses or increase revenues in any way other than relentless tax increases … not one believable sign of doing the work of We The People.

——- 000 ——-

Whatever money The Empty Suit rakes in at Global probably makes the $86,000-plus-bennies it takes in as mayor mere “walking around” money. No one except Mrs. Empty Suit can be sure, since the Mister has never answered exactly how much he toils for Global in any given week. Is it zero hours? 10? 20? 30? 40? “Manager, Natural Gas, Electricity, Fuel Oil.” That what The Empty Suit’s Global business card says. It must be an important position. Empty Suits typically don’t warrant business cards.

Perhaps the most accurate summary of the substance of The Empty Suit come from writer Gertrude Stein,who famously wrote, “There is no ‘there’ there.”

From Peddling Horses–t to Mixing Dough

Now back to the dearly departed.

Mary McGuinnes served The Empty Suit and the city as director of administrative services. She followed Donna Mattoon, who got so fed up with her work that she actually went back to The Dreaded Private Sector. Smart move by a sharp woman.

McGuinnes, too, had the smarts to leave. She shall resume her position as a nurse and continue  running Mary’s Carrot Cake shop. Mixing dough beats slopping horse manure.

Back to Julie Sabourin. Does the name ring a chime? Here’s a clue: Scopes Monkey Trial, the trumped up bureaucratic lynching against school committee member Terry Kinnas orchestrated by The Empty Suit. The trial took place after Kinnas had filed an open meeting complaint against a subcommittee at Reid Middle School. The committee took objection. Kinnas had the last laugh, though, when the state attorney general validated his complaint, ruling that the  Reid group broke the law. Sabourin was chairwoman of the Reid Middle School Council Community Outreach Committee (RMSCCOC). In effect, the AG’s ruling was also a judgment on the inappropriateness of the Scopes Monkey Trial, which used Sabourin’s testimony as a pretext to nail Kinnas.

It appears that “The Fix” is Sabourin’s reward for being a good little soldier.

The Empty Suit has become moth-eaten on the coat. McGuinness’ ouster and Sabourin’s ascendancy if it comes to pass or has already will leave a wet, sulfuric-yellow stain on the trouser front, either side of the zipper.

——————————————————————————————

“He went like one that had been stunned, / And is of sense forlorn: / A sadder and wiser man, / He rose the morrow morn.”Samuel Taylor Coleridge, final verse, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” (1798).

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

 

 

 

0 0 votes
Article Rating
36 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
dusty
dusty
10 years ago

This might be a good day to stay out of Mr Bianchi s path.

Jamie
Jamie
Reply to  dusty
10 years ago

and a good day to stay out of Mr. Valenti’s.

I Care About Pittsfield
I Care About Pittsfield
Reply to  Jamie
10 years ago

More right than you realize Jamie. Mr. V “hangs out” with “neighborhood guys” who aren’t afraid “to play trucks and army men in the dirt.”

Pat
Pat
10 years ago

I saw the ad for this job on the internet . Sounds like Pittsfield continues to behave like Boston. Remember the hiring scandal in which political favors got you a job? John O’Brien, former head of the Massachusetts state Department, made it appear that he was following departmental guidelines for hiring, but all along it had been predetermined who would get the job.

Now the DCF has a freeze on hiring in the state because since 2011 Massachusetts has been unable to establish a written qualification test for new hires. Are they unable or unwilling? What is going on in Massachusetts exactly?

jlo
jlo
Reply to  Pat
10 years ago

It’s not DCF, with a hiring freeze. We are hiring. The issue you note is with the Trial Court which includes Probation Officers and Security Officers, White and Blue shirt.

Pat
Pat
Reply to  jlo
10 years ago

Thanks for clearing that up.

Bill Sturgeon
Bill Sturgeon
10 years ago

Dan: I hope that your information about Mary’s replacement in not correct. There are many qualified minorties, returning combat veterans, and recent college grads that would do a wonderful job serving the City, just as Mary has done!
The Mayor did give a “short”, but insightful speech at the Vietnam ceremony Saturday. “Short” because I believed that the Mayor appreciated the fact that they day was about those who gave their lives in Vietnam and those who served in Vietnam not politics. So “short” was the right thing to do for this occasion.

Russell Moody
Russell Moody
10 years ago

What constitutes a “fix?” Does a minority quota constitute a fix? If we decide there is not enough minority representation and a particular job becomes available, one segment of the applicants is going to be dismissed because of their color–

Are we okay with this? Does the end justify the means? Does history all of a sudden make discrimination okay? The color of skin should not make anyone a ‘shoe-in’, black or white or brown or yellow…

Dave
Dave
Reply to  Russell Moody
10 years ago

Amen Russell

C.J.
C.J.
10 years ago

The wind destroyed cell towers on Florida Mt., which disrupted internet and cellular service in the North Adams area revealed a situation similar to Mayor Dan’s alledged moonlighting at Global Montello Energy Co.
It seems the damaged towers belong to North Adams Tower Co. and the situation was addressed to the media by its primary principal and CEO, none other than Corydon Thurston, the current “full time’ Executive Director of the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority (PEDA). Additionally, a web search revealed that Corydon is also an acquisition specialist for Redstone Properties, Inc. of Williamstown. A real estate development firm.
Tomorrow is Corydon Thurston’s 3rd anniversary as PEDA Exec. Dir. The Planet in its April 2, 2011 edition asked; “Will Corey be what PEDA needs ?”. Dan Valenti stated at that time that he would reserve judgement for the remainder of of 2011.
Dan; What’s your answer ?
An interesting side bar to Corydon Thurston’s business interest in cellular tower ownership and leasing is that this is the same business that PEDA board member and finance chairman, Michael Matthews is in. Mr.Matthews is CEO of Tower Acquistions of Lee, MA. Mr Matthews also shares a common business interest with Coydon in that he too is a real estate developer and is a principal of MKB properties.
Both were appointed to the PEDA board by former mayor Ruberto. Corydon replaced Bill Hines when he retired, and Matthews replaced Ruberto himself.
Is it surprising that Corydon’s family was a long time supporter of former North Adams mayor, John Barrett and that Mr. Matthews’ father was a long time high level Pittsfield school dept. employee ?

Bull Durham
Bull Durham
Reply to  C.J.
10 years ago

I think you’re reading far too much into Mr. Thurston’s ownership of radio towers. He and his father had owned and operated Berkshire Broadcasting for many decades, and the towers were used for the radio stations, and owned by the Thurstons long before anything like a cell phone was invented. He continued to hold ownership of the towers after he and his father sold the radio business to Vox, because he knew cell business would be a good venture (and the leasing of the towers to Vox and its successor) and that was also long before he took on the PEDA role.

Johnny2Shoes
Johnny2Shoes
Reply to  C.J.
10 years ago

Mike Matthews was also founder of Berkshire Wireless in Lee Ma. They constructed towers and serviced wireless towers. Mike also founded Optasite . A member of my family’s capital investment firm was involved .

http://pointjudithcapital.com/portfolio/optasite/

teecha teecha
teecha teecha
10 years ago

the death of a second grader was true, it was a former acquaintance/friend from high school’s child. Horrible, horrible issue. I’ve heard it was ‘complications due to a stomach bug’ which strikes me the wrong way because this is the SECOND time in about five years when a child died in pittsfield due to something that seemed so simple. While we don’t know the specifics, it scares me to have children in that area. The first child was misdiagnosed and left off with nothing more than a cold. scary. My heart goes out to the family.

Evian
Evian
10 years ago

Sorry to hear about second grader. My condolences to the family. Sorry too about McGuiness. Mayor put her in a no-win situation.

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
10 years ago

What does Dan Valenti want Mayor Dan Bianchi to do about all of Pittsfield’s problems?
* If Bianchi cut taxes, he would be the first Mayor to do so in a long, long time. Let us say Bianchi passes a budget that cut taxes in Pittsfield. How many people would lose their city or school jobs in Pittsfield? How many non-profits would be hit in Pittsfield?
* If Bianchi re-opened the Consent Decree, how much money would Pittsfield’s taxpayers have to spend fighting GE’s bureaucracy of lawyers and lobbyist like Peter Larkin?
* If Bianchi reformed the Pittsfield public school system, how would it help Pittsfield bring its students into higher performance brackets?
What can Mayor Dan Bianchi do to make Dan Valenti happy?

geosims
geosims
10 years ago

have perfect attendance?

Thomas More
Thomas More
10 years ago

You mean the BB’s story about Mary McGuinnes isn’t the real story. They seem to indicate that she’s going back to protect her benefits at BMC. To make matters worse did you see the way they spelled her name?”McGinnis” What dopes.

shakes his head
shakes his head
Reply to  Thomas More
10 years ago

I was under the impression that the Carrot Suit was only on loan for a year. Leaving isn’t a surprise. This position should be exempt. However, the Empty Suit could score a huge win by hiring a professional, experienced person. Oh well.

NJP
NJP
Reply to  Thomas More
10 years ago

The correct spelling is McGinnis!

dusty
dusty
10 years ago

Given the apparent instability of the corner office the line for that job may not have been too long anyway. Then again, Tricia Farley parlayed the position all the way to Boston.

amandaWell
amandaWell
10 years ago

Here is an exclusive Traffic Reprort from amanda can’t stand ya. Icy conditions today, roads all over beware. SKUNK alert, Skunk run over at 50 Block of Pecks Rd across from the Fire Station.

Scott
Scott
Reply to  amandaWell
10 years ago

Careful mentioning the skunk “Tito” used to and as you see the skunk is still there and “Tito” vanished…

Nota
Nota
10 years ago

If the movie moguls ever do a Johnny’s Beach Club story, Mickey Rourke should play the role of Johnny.

joetaxpayer
joetaxpayer
10 years ago

A Tim Robbins quote that pretty much sums up Pittsfield “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten”.

Giacometti
Giacometti
10 years ago

You’re talkin’ Red Sox…I’m talkin’ Braves…!