By DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary

Part 2 of 2

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, OCT. 21, 2014) — THE PLANET resumes its account of the exchange between councilor-at-large Barry Clairmont and the mayor with a general observation. In this age of political correctness, sweeping generalizations are seen as indictments to be avoided, lest we paint with too wide a brush and step on feelings. On certain occasions, however, the generalization must override the specific instance.

Thus, when THE PLANET brands the Pittsfield city council as lacking intestinal fortitude (translation: “no balls”), we can except certain members. On Tuesday, Oct. 14, Clairmont, Jonathan Lothrop, John Krol, and Nick Caccamo were the specific instance. They actually represented We the People. Kevin Morandi, Chris Connell, Mazzeo, Kathy Amuso, and Churchill Cotton were the generalization, folding before the pressure of the mayor and the situation. Lisa Tully and Tony Simonelli were — conveniently or not — missing in (in)action.

As one of THE PLANET’s commentators noted, when members are not present, the council president typically makes an announcement at the beginning of the meeting. President Mazzeo, however, made no mention of these two councilors. Why?

‘They’re Gonna Put Me in the Movies’

You could have bet the house that the mayor’s stupid example of movie makers seeking permits would come up for questioning. It’s already had a Jed Clampett “heapin’ helpin'” of much-deserved ridicule and mockery. In his (or Julia Sabourin‘s) written response to Clairmont, The Empty Suit implied that Pittsfield had overtaken Hollywood as the movie capital of the world. Steven Spielberg on Monday, Francis Coppola Tuesday, George Lucas on Wednesday, Martin Scorcese Thursday, and James Cameron Friday.

Clairmont asked TES why he used a movie permit as his example. The mayor was ill-prepared. A city hall source commented on the movie moment: “What I found interesting is that I don’t think Bianchi even read the answers to the questions. I’m sure his staff wrote the answers, which is fine. But he didn’t seem to know that the ONLY example provided on the permitting process was about pulling a permit to make a movie. He even asked Clairmont if that was the only example provided. When Barry said ‘It’s the only one I see; please point to another,’ Bianchi just shrugged his shoulders. If he read the answers, he would have known that.”

Clairmont then asked the mayor how the move was going to shorten the [permitting] process from 4-5 weeks to 1-2 weeks.  The mayor said he didn’t know, only that the building inspector said it would.  Clairmont said he couldn’t understand how a physical move would shorten the application acceptance phase. The mayor had no answer for this.

Did the Mayor Lie on ‘Other Buildings’?

When Clairmont asked the mayor if the city looked at properties other than 100 North St., the mayor said yes. Clairmont asked which ones. The mayor again dodged, telling Clairmont he [the councilor] would have to ask the building inspector. Why was 100 North St. looked at five months before the RFP went out to bid, Clairmont asked. The mayor ducked, saying the purchasing agent (Colleen Hunter) told him that was the usual procedure.

Why, Clairmont asked, did the RFP look like it was written specifically for 100 North St? The mayor said Clairmont was wrong about that. TES said there were other buildings that had 9,000 feet of space for rent within two blocks of city hall, naming the Verizon Building on Wendell Avenue Ext. and the Cooper Center at Fenn and North streets. THE PLANET finds that most interesting, since the owner of the Cooper says there is no such space for rent. As for the Verizon building, an employee there says the company doesn’t rent space “due to the need to protect the network.”

On the question of the mayor’s personal offices at 100 North Street for Global Montello energy, the mayor said he no longer had office space there, per the disclosure he made to city clerk Linda Tyer. Clairmont asked the mayor when did he move out. April or May, the mayor answered. He wasn’t sure, because he had accumulated so much stuff. Clairmont then asked if Bianchi’s new Global offices were in another building owned by Scarafoni Associates. The mayor responded to the effect of “What new offices?” Clairmont asked the mayor if he had given up his job with Global Montello. TES didn’t answer. He just said he didn’t have new offices. Hmmmm …

100gate Doesn’t Add Up; What Aren’t We Being Told? What Don’t We Know?

THE PLANET can tell you this much. The mayor says he moved out of 100 North St. in April or May. Nonetheless and notwithstanding, a member of The Secret Squadron visited 100 North St. on Thursday, Oct. 16. On the building’s two directories, the mayor’s name is still listed for Global Montello, Suite 301. Six months is a long time for a building manager to keep a vacant space listed as occupied by a pervious client, especially if he or she were looking to rent the space.

Instead of providing satisfactory answers for a nearly-$500,000 move of city offices to 100 North St., the mayor’s gives dodges, feints, indirectness, and non sequiturs. This only increases the suspicion regarding 100gate. The worst part of this move is how city and taxpayers were left completely out of the loop. The mayor claims executive privilege, since the lease is not more than three years. Even if he has a technical right to act this way, why would he want to handle it in such a tight-lipped way — especially if the move is, as he claims, such a great deal?

Folks, the bottom line is this: Following the mayor’s presentation to the council, 100gate looks more fudged than ever. We sense, as unreliable as senses sometimes are, that there’s more to this story than the mayor has told and a more still to be uncovered.

It just doesn’t add up.

—————————————————————————————–

“The kitchen table exists because I scrub it.” — W.H. Auden.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.