DEANGELO WAS AT HELM WHEN KOLBOURNE SCHOOL CLOSED AFTER 65 YEARS FOR WHAT STATE CALLED ‘FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES’ … IS THAT WHY TES GAVE HIM A LIFE RAFT? … BW CASE STRONGLY SUGGEST THE SHEFFIELD SHUFFLER IS A LIAR
By DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, NOV. 13, 2014) — The Kolbourne School operated in good health for almost all of its 65 years, the final 44 of them in New Marlborough in glorious south county. On June 30, 2012, though, the school closed its doors for good. The true reasons for closing were never made public. At the time, J.C. Considine, director of media relations for the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, said the school told the state it was making the move because of “financial difficulties.”
Right. That nebulous phrase can cover a lot of sins. You can put it in the same category of a politician leaving office “to be closer to my family” and a GM giving a head coach the dreaded “vote of confidence.”
Can you guess who was Kolbourne’s executive director and HR boss at the time of the school’s demise?
C’mon down, John DeAngelo, a.k.a. The Sheffield Shuffler (TSS), the man who, judging by his recent actions and non-actions, is now running the city of Pittsfield’s personnel office into ground.
Discrepancies Exposed
THE PLANET wonders if the failure of Kolbourne School was why TES launched a life raft to TSS following the scuttling of the once-thriving school. Earlier this week, THE PLANET exposed the discrepancy between what DeAngelo and the state were saying about who was on the hook for the Golden Parachute awarded to The Empty Suit‘s good ol’ boy from the South for shitting the bed at Berkshire Works. The “settlement,” negotiated in secret (the mayor’s favorite mode) and the details of which have been kept from the public, could be as much as $150,000.
The Shuffler claimed no city money was involved. The state, on the other hand, insisted that no state or federal funds were used in the payout and that it had to be city money.
The evidence strongly suggests that The Shuffler is not only terrible at math but also great at lying.
Adding to the evidence is how suspiciously TSS has performed on routine requests for public records. He has repeatedly denied media requests. The most interesting case to date was reported by The Berkshire Eagle‘s Phil Demers in his two-part series on Berkshire Works and the deplorable enabling performed on the mayor’s behalf by his toady, The Shuffler.
Two Identical Requests: The State Complied, the City of Pittsfield Stonewalled
Demers asked DeAngelo for “an opportunity to inspect or obtain copies of public records resulting from any and all investigations into the employment of William Monterosso, for Director of Berkshire Works Career Center, including any communications, letters, or electronic messages, sent among city employees or to any state of Massachusetts employee regarding this matter.”
DeAngelo refused the request, although he had no legitimate basis in law for doing so.
When Demers made the exact same request of the state, the state complied, releasing a batch of documents pertaining to the city’s shady actitivies during l’affaire Monterosso.
Same request, two different responses. Once again, The Bianchi Administration proves disingenuous and untrustworthy, to put it kindly.
Play It Again, Maestro
In honor of TSS’ grand achievements on behalf of his political master TES in screwing We The People, THE PLANET presents this re-doing of the Frankie Laine classic, “Moonlight Gambler.”
——– 000 ——–
You can Shuffle for matchsticks. You can Shuffle for gold. / The stakes may be heavy or small. / But if you haven’t Shuffled to the city and lost, / Then you haven’t Shuffled at all.
They call me The Sheffield Shuffler. / Well I’ve Shuffled to Pittsfield and lost. / When I Shuffle for salary and benefits, but it isn’t in the cards, / Oh what heartaches it can cost me.
Win or lose, I’m The Sheffield Shuffler. / And Bianchi is who I love to please. / So I’ll Shuffle for him just as long as I live / Till the day Lady Luck dumps on me.
——– 000 ——–
U.S., China Accord Pragmatic Politics at Its Best
The recent foray of President Barack Obama to the Pacific Rim is pragmatic politics at its best. Having just received a thhrashing from the GOP in the mid-term elections, Obama has taken his show on the road, including paying his respects to America’s new sovereign. THE PLANET speaks of China, of course.
In any case, regardless of your views on global warming, THE PLANET warms to this new agreement. We pick up coverage from the website Newsmax:
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President Barack Obama pledged deeper U.S. cuts in greenhouse-gas emissions and China will for the first time set a target for capping carbon emissions under an agreement between the world’s two biggest economies.
Culminating months of quiet negotiations between U.S. and Chinese officials, Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping outlined the accord, which they said would help push other nations to seriously negotiate a global pact next year in Paris.
“This is a major milestone in the U.S.-China relationship,” Obama said at a news conference with Xi in Beijing. The two nations, which account for more than a third of greenhouse-gas emissions, have a “special responsibility” to lead efforts to address climate change, he said.
The climate deal capped two days of meetings and announcements of deals that Obama and Xi said marked a high point for U.S.-China cooperation. Officials from both countries also negotiated a breakthrough in talks to eliminate tariffs on communications and technology products from printer cartridges to magnetic-resonance imaging machines, vowed greater military- to-military coordination and extended the validity of visas for tourists and business travelers.
——– 000 ——–
Be sure to join us tomorrow for THE PLANET’s “Poetry Weekend” edition. Before sharing a great piece of literature with you, we give the real story behind the mortifying performance Wednesday night by a handful of the mayor’s stooges at the city council meeting, planted in the audience disguised as “ordinary citizens” to feign support for Their Hero.
————————————————————————————————
“Here I come again on Saturday night.
After the first love it never felt right.
Ask me if it’s right to love another guy.
First I’ll say yes, and then I’ll say why”
Nils Lofgren – Moon Tears Lyrics | MetroLyrics (1972).
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
I am interested in what role William Monterosso’s Attorney played in his generous severance package from the taxpayers of Pittsfield. Did Nuciforo receive a cut of Monterosso’s severance pay? Why didn’t Rosanne Frieri and other city government employees receive severance packages? Is Pittsfield’s policies discriminatory in favor of Monterosso and against Frieri?
There simply aren’t enough qualified crooks in Pittsfield to fill these high paying ass-kissing jobs, so they have imported from out of town.
I think the taxpayers have a right to know if the Monteresso settlement came out of their pocket. The more things stink the more flies they attract. And Bianchi seems to be attracting more flies and scrutiny. When the TV cameras start showing up and reporters are sniffing around you know you are about to go big time.
Yes, the taxpayers do have a right to know. This Mayor and his stooges are a complete fail.
I get a kick out of the sort of blending of money. The mayor hires and fires but the settlement money is all paid for by the state and the $200,000 for turf at BCC, a state entity with the city ponying up a contribution to sort of help out because it’s in Pittsfield
Maybe somebody has a kid or grand kid that might be going to play soccer up at BCC
Awkward poem and the rhymes are forced. I have a rhyming dictionary if you’d like to borrow it.
Your account of the China deal is characteristically myopic. How come, Dan? We agree to cut emissions, but China agrees to complete its industrial revolution over the next thirty years, and then get back to us with their thoughts on slowing (not reducing) their carbon emissions.
You call that a Global Warming treaty? There is no way the Congress can ratify that document.
Charles your jealousy of DV is painfully obvious!! These are lyrics not a “poem”!! Man how dense can you get?
You probably don’t know the satire here, the song is a Frankie Laine tune with similar lyrics! If you can’t even get that, don’t even attempt to take on China or global warming.
Your outof your league Chuck.
I stand corrected. The lyric is forced and the rhyming is awkward. I suggest, respectfully, using a rhyming dictionary.
Now, let’s talk about China and global warming. Are you for or against?
Additionally, I give DV credit for his generous production of copy, but I am tempted to hold his subscribers to a higher standard Again, to push the conversation along, should Congress ratify Obama’s agreement with China? Is this agreement a diplomatic success?
Charles Congress should ratify the agreement with China. I am not entirely sold on global warming but am open to it being real and a human caused aspect
But i think the Presidents trip to China is all about politics. I happen to agree with Dans take that its good to cooperate with China as allies rather than protray them as enemies mainly because of the economic aspects
Have to admit I admire your honesty about not qualified to crituque the song lyrics. Sorry for typos submitted from mobile device
So you would agree to contract our economic growth while letting China expand its economy for the next generation, and you would agree to that even though you are not sold on the premise of global warming?
I’ll let Dan V. bow to his sovereign, China. I’ll be insisting my representatives tear that agreement to shreds.
Ok, hours later, I get it.
You want a literary critique of Laine’s poetry. I’m not up for one of those, and it seems you don’t have any thoughts at all about the China deal or global warming.
I still say Chas that your envious for whatever reason of DV and his incredible mind. We are not contracting US economic growth.
Youre being illogical to assume that Chinas growth is because we (U.S.)”agree” to shrink our economy. Economics doesn’t work that way. Global warming is political more than it is science or economics.
Stephan,
I am envious of DV’s response which is up to now lacking.
The agreement to reduce carbon emissions is an agreement to slow energy production, expend resources on factory upgrades and would result in a higher cost of living for US citizens. China naturally refuses to incur the costs of such an agreement.
So, again, why do you believe the Congress should ratify an agreement that burdens the American citizen and promotes economic growth for a foreign adversary?
Plus, your Chartock-inspired enthusiasm for the man’s mind is kind of embarrassing.
Pittsfield seems to be a mecca for political hacks, failed administrators and patronage. Even giving most of these people the benefit of doubt we deserve better as a community.
The Good Old Boys rule Pittsfield politics with an iron fist. They don’t care how bad it is for the average working stiff, so long as they get their way. I grew up in Pittsfield, and I could write the book on how bad Pittsfield politics truly is.
Scott is on to something tired of the people wanting to give back to the community like they stole something and feel a need to give it back. The vets agent is probably a fine guy but you couldn’t come up with someone in their 20’s or 30’s? Can we find anyone that didn’t work for Morningside School to fill these jobs?
Does anyone remember Mr. Clark was on the mayors campaign committee?
Charles..Scott… Ronnie good post’s. Still chuckling (Morningside School) nice!
The number of speakers at last night’s council meeting supporting the mayor seemed endless. It was almost embarrassing. One speaker, a woman, was obnoxious. She would pause and glare at each individual after blasting them.
I can’t imagine the mayor feeling comfortable watching her.
The “play nice” mentality coming from these people is meant to silence the City Council.
I believe the role of the council is to question and sometimes (when necessary) challenge the actions from the mayor’s office and not just “rubber stamp” everything.
I should really start attending these meetings.
Spider,
I personally fear my friends more than I do my enemies. Can’t speak for the mayor though.
All of those speaking supporting the mayor and his sneaky agenda regarding city business are all political puppets of him and his wife. They were reading from prepared scripts most likely written by his wife. His disregard for the hard working honest citizens of Pittsfield is reprehensible. His narcissistic personality is not helping our city. It’s unfortunate that we have another year of his poor lack of leadership.
Another year: Lettuce spray it ain’t 5.
I was finally able to watch the meeting online today.
That woman (Phyllis Smith I believe) should take an acting course or two before her next performance. “A few of you (pause) (glare) (nod twice) (turn head, repeat)…”
It would have been boring if it weren’t so obnoxious.
Mr. Valenti,
Has Mr. Demers notified the Secretary of State’s office re DeAngelo’s failure to grant access to these public records?
Not sure what state policy is now but it used to be that the SoS would fight the legal battle to force the errant public official to comply with FOIA.
GMH,
Is a reporter supposed to become part of the story?
If the reporter was the one to file the FOIA request then he has legal standing to request the Mass. Sec’y of State to intervene.
Dan
What transpired at yesterday’s council meeting is probably the saddest day for good governance I have witnessed in all my years in Pittsfield. The mayor assembled his usual cast of characters in the city hall council chambers for a “Why you picking on me ? Love Fest. I guess Don ” The Sandbox” Davis was told to stay home this week
because of the negative effect he had the last time “Bianchi’s Players” theater troupe preformed at the city hall chambers. I watched as Kathy Degnan the supposed ” city attorney” sat clapping for the mayor’s scripted love fest instead of remaining a neutral authority who is supposed to be a employee of the city not a personal mouthpiece for the mayor . I listened to two lawyers get up and say the mayor should not be barred from other employment while being the mayor. I respectfully disagree with that ridiculous statement from those attorneys.The Mayor was elected to devote his full effort into the office of mayor. Mr Bianchi is getting paid 95000 dollars along with pension and health care and has the obligation to leave his other full time job with energy trading or leave his part time job as the city chief executive.
The mayor has a clear majority of rubber stamp councilors who sit there and do little to question his ever increasing budget request ,and have done nothing to cut spending. I did not hear one accomplishment he has achieved in his time in office,except to give himself and his upper level managers grotesque raises with no accountability.
Finally, the mayor and his cohorts try to vilify his critics ,whether they be from the state government or councilors. Those individuals still remember the first loyalty is to the tax payer.
Mr Bianchi ,people are leaving our city and our schools not because you have critics on the council or anywhere else.Citizens expect that in good government to keep you honest.
They are leaving because:
1) Lack of leadership from the corner office,the buck stops with the mayor,he should stop finger pointing and learn the art of compromise ,his arrogance is why Mr Chartock
made those comments about Pittsfield being a mean city politically.He has lost his cool more times on Tv than can be counted ,which shows business he is not in control.
2) A over paid underperforming school system ,that is eating up more of our shrinking tax revenue.
3) A docile city council that acts more like trained seals instead of fiscal stewards.
4)Lack off affordable housing for our working poor.
5) Lack of leadership by the council president,Mrs Mazzeo forgets she is there to run the meeting not to carry the mayor’s water.
6) Drug and gang violence,that rivals bigger cities per capita
7) Disenfranchised elderly population
8) Crumbling infrastructure,The city can’t afford to deal with it because the lion share goes to the School Budget.
The mayor needs leave one job and actually do the other one ,and who knows a miracle might happen and people will want to be in Pittsfield once again.
Mr. Chartock is the last person in the Berkshires who should be calling someone mean. He can’t get through one weekly column without lobbing a veiled threat or insult at any number of neighbors, residents, or business people.
For real what a little creep he is. I emailed him about him and a couple goobers gleefully discussing concealed weapons permit holders and a publicly available list. I asked so I’m a robber and I pull the list who’s house do I rob me smith the concealed carry permit holder or unarmed Alan Chartock two houses down? He asked if that was a threat to which I replied criminals don’t send emails before they come.
More likely, the robber would pull the list and rob the homes posted of their firearms. Public lists provide a shopping list for felons.
Yes there’s that too. Just not when thier home.
One point. The argument of whether or not he legally or morally should or could work another job is irrelevant because when asked during his campaign HE stated “I’m going to be a full time mayor”.
3 hours a week at G.M. is consistent with a full time job. Plus, the farfetched potential of financial or professional gain to be had by mentioning ‘pipeline’ while working for G.M will not be considered by a judge or ethics committee. (Should closing a deal be so easy!)
Having read the Eagle’s reporting, I have concluded that on this issue the Mayor’s position is valid and that the exploration of that dual relationship is valid and one could argue that a full disclosure was both lacking and needed. Seems to me the Eagle settled the issue.
BEAT’s harping on Nat. gas’s hypothetical risks but embracing the ‘green’ energy in spite of its known damage is horsepuckies. Expanding natural gas access to the Berkshires is not a poor environmental policy. Currently, those living beyond municipal borders generally heat with oil and electricity (coal). Gas produces CO2 (plus derivatives) and water and burns efficiently.
Finally, I disclose that I have no financial interest in the pipeline. I am therefore free to say these words publicly. “Natural Gas Pipeline.”
Charles, quitting his other job was a campaign promise made by the mayor. Which he tried to cover up. That’s being dishonest. No one demanded he quit his job they were his words. Am I confident he can perform his duties as mayor while being a private consultant for GM sure but that’s not the point. People are growing sensitive to politicians not backing up thier campaign promises. Like MM reopen wing the Consent decree. She sent a couple emails and made a few phone calls. Watch out!
Who told you three hours a week?
billy is exactly right…it was the mayor himself who promised he would work “full time” for the city of pittsfield. He lied. He got caught in the lie. Then he tried to cover up getting caught in the lie. that’s the point that charles is missing.
also, where did the “three hours a week” come from? bottom line is the mayor lied to us and broke a public trust
You are talking reality billy. These same trained seals, who were there out of fear of him, or because they owed him a favor, would probably vote to recall him in the privacy of a voting booth.
billy,
the applauding was obnoxious and inappropriate at a government meeting and even though the Sandbox Kid stayed home his mommy Phyllis did his bidding.
I could not agree more. Applause, boos, hisses, and loud grumbling are all inappropriate at public meetings, as are personal attacks on individuals who cannot respond (I’m thinking of Gaetani’s attack on MM and others recently, as well as an audience member yelling “LIAR” at Barry C during a debate) It frequently runs me nuts.
There are rules of public discourse, debate, and common courtesy that have been forgotten by many.
Dwindling population.
I follow city politics closely and try to stay level headed and neutral until I learn more about plans, proposals policy etc. That said I agree with the criticism of the staged nature of Wed. council meeting. I was a the opposite of a show trial. It was a pep rally.
I have never been more eager to put an end to a public servants tenure than I am with Mr. Bianchi. Again let me emphasise that I try to keep loyalties out of it.
Loved the show tonight DV. PV-TV is the best. At least you give ordinary people a forum here on the web and on tv
I truly hope that the obviously orchestrated and circus like parade of Bianchi soldiers that coincidentally all showed up at once at the city council meeting do not deter the courage of the councilors and people who really want good for the city of Pittsfield.
Regarding the city council meeting.
In light of all that has gone on, in particular the mayor working on his own over riding council input, they cannot possibly believe what they were spouting. If people were to line up at that podium to speak their feeling about negative things this mayor has done Mazzeo would have shut down the meeting.
And I truly hope the Berkshire Eagle will continue to tear itself away from city hall control and be a paper of and for the people, their customers. This mayor would like to control all the people, the city council and the media. This is not Russia..do not let it happen.
The women who got up said Tully and Morandi worked hard on crime watches, What? We have the worst crime ever in the city.Tully speaks as much as a house plant at council meetings,but more than Cotton. She been absent for important votes, I believe it’s her third absence so far.I understand life is busy but he’ll your elected to serve and not voting can disservice your ward?
LOw did the same thing on Consider it a few months ago with high schoolers calling in, so what?….. Watching the students show? a k a the Krol Show, with Christine ANd Kate. Kate has No CLue, but is right about nothing getting done,is nothing getting done, to which Krol agreed. Being on the silly Council he should know about getting nothing done lately. By the way, last night’s Planet Valenti was the best show yet!
The whole thing reeked of intimidation when you read between the lines.
and that is what the mayor does best
Suggest that Berkshire residents riled over the proposed pipeline project or the cost of energy in Berkshire County should consider buying National Grid stock (symbol: NGG). At the current market price of $74 per share, NGG provides shareowners with an annual dividend of $4.58 per share. That’s a yield of 6.20%!
Alternatively, an investment in Kinder Morgan, Inc. (symbol: KMI) or Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. (symbol: KMP) nets dividend yields of 4.50% and 5.90%, respectively.
Try getting that kind of payout from a Berkshire Bank or Greylock Federal Credit Union savings or money market account.
nobody has any money Glenn, 74 a share?
Amanda,
Think of it as though the company is actually paying you to own its stock.
In the case of NGG, at 6.20%, the stock pays for itself after 16 years and then after that continues to pay you — and the likelihood is that the stock will continue to rise in value throughout that 16 year period (and after) and that the dividend will also rise commensurately.
Putting it another way: You cannot afford not to own stocks that pay you dividends.
Thanks for the tip. Best opinion I’ve read all day. .
Amanda,
Another way to think of it is like buying a piece of rental property for $74 and then having a reliable tenant paying you annually $4.58 in rent.
How can you lose?
Montello Global pays better than that