By DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary

ED. NOTE: THE PLANET today has been in communication with several sources who know some of what’s going on at the Pittsfield Boys and Girls Club. These sources responded to our invitation for information of the strange doings on Melville Street. Below, we have the news that Club executive director Terry Hughes unceremoniously dumped long-time program director Chris Keegan, a beloved staffer who was in many ways the face of the Club in the community. Tomorrow, THE PLANET shall have more of this shocking story. For now, the important thing to note is an emergency meeting of the Board of Directors set for tomorrow (March 19) at 3:30 p.m. at the Club’s Lighthouse room. The public needs to be let in on what’s going on at the beloved but troubled facility. THE PLANET urges anyone with an interest in getting off of the road to ruination show up there tomorrow at 3:30 and demand that the board open it up. The Boys and Girls Club is too important a community institution for citizens to stand by idly and watch is slowly die. It is too important to allow to fail.

——– 000 ——–

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015) — The Done Deal for building the new Taconic High School just got “done-er” as the School Building Needs Commission (SBNC) voted unanimously to approved the plan, sending it to its unceremonious rubber stamping at the Pittsfield City Council.

Unanimously.

There are 22 members. There were 23, but one resigned. He was Ozias “Chuck” Vincelette, a.k.a., The Man from Mensa. Chuck had been a member from the start, but well into the deal, he saw what he was involved in a rigged game. The Man had too much integrity. He resigned.

——– 000 ——–

Allow THE PLANET to makes several points:

* Have you noticed how the “official” amount has now risen to more than $120 million? That’s a $5 million increase in the last week. Ah, but what’s a mere $5 mill to The Suits? They’ll simply squeeze that much out of the taxpayers, most of whom do not have kids in the public schools.

* And have you seen how the state’s “expected” contribution for reimbursement has dropped from the first quoted 80% to the new number (just over 60%)? That reimbursement rate is by no means guaranteed. In case you don’t know it, the $750 million state debt uncovered by The Baker Administration has doubled to $1.5 billion. While you’re thanking Deval, wish him well on his new gig promoting the Olympic Games for Boston. For that, he gets $7,500 a day plus expenses. The $1.5B debt may further reduce or eliminate altogether the state’s reimbursement for a school Pittsfield does not need. Don’t expect anyone on the commission or any of the mainstream media to tell you that. Their job is to keep you  knocked up and in the kitchen.

* THE PLANET has more than once laid out the steps needed to force a people’s vote on this project, including a citizen’s initiative petition. There was some big talk about organizing such an effort, but it proved to be nothing more than that. Folks were appealing to us to spearhead the effort. Ain’t gonna happen. Despite cliched rumors about THE PLANET meddling behind the scenes of city government, we adopt a plan similar to that which binds the crew of the Starship Enterprise, whose prime directive is not to meddle with other life forms. We are not nor do we wish to be “king makers,” a ridiculous claim that every now and then gets thrown our way.

* The Suits have counted on We The People‘s apathy all along to advance this nefarious building project, in which a small number of key suppliers and Insiders shall make a bundle — and they were correct. The Little Guy has been licked. Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski have been beaten down too much to mount a formal campaign against this iniquitous spending. Pittsfield still owes $23 million in debt from the last round of school renovation. The new building shall add 28 years and anywhere between $120 and $200 million to citizens’ indebtedness.

* Do you think there will be bribes and kickbacks to certain officials for ram-rodding this down the public’s throat? THE PLANET does not answer this question in the negative or the affirmative. We simply ask, knowing the weakness of human nature from its experience through history when power intersects with large sums of money and where there is little to no accountability.

* Was Woolthworth‘s a 5-and-10? Did the New England Patriots win the Super Bowl? Is the Pope named Francis? Does a triangle have three sides? Did Trade Smith and Mark Smith invent the cough drop? Are there potholes in Pittsfield? Does Lady McBeth nag her sorry husband? Is Groucho one of the Marx Brothers? Does John DeAngelo live in Sheffield?

Think on these things.

Outside of a miraculous, last-second interception at the goal line by Malcolm Butler, the best hope of stopping this project lies in contacting your city councilors. They will need at least 8 out of 11 votes to pass it. If four councilors show a conscience and a backbone by doing the right thing by The People, victory is possible.

Is that worth the price of one phone call or e-mail?

————————————————————————————

Club Cans Chris Keegan

On The Weekend Edition of Sept 19-21, 2014 (available online in THE PLANET “Archives”), THE PLANET  led an investigative piece on the Pittsfield Boys and Girls Club this way:

——– 000 ——–

What in the name of Fred Fahey and Jim Mooney is going on at the Pittsfield Boys and Girls Club?

THE PLANET‘s spies, including several sources closely involved at the old brick building on Melville Street  and “a heartbeat removed” you might say, have been reporting unrest at the top and concern percolating from the bottom over the reign of “new” executive director Terence Hughes.

——– 000 ——–

That prompted a lot of questions, but it apparently brought no end to the turmoil that’s gripping the once-proud Club.

THE PLANET heard from two sources that Chris Keegan has been dismissed after 33 years of service to the Club. He is the latest casualty in a civil war involving long-time staff, director Hughes, and a caught-in-the-headlights Board of Directors. It is a tragic tale, one that indirectly led to the death of former director Peter Bell.

We also received this note from “A Concerned Parent” —

Yesterday [March 16] Chris Keegan’s job was eliminated from the Boys and Girls Club of Pittsfield. Mr Keegan has been with the club for 33 years and is just the latest in a string of incredible people let go in the last year and a half. He had the respect of the kids, staff, and parents alike and was well liked by everyone. I know you have expressed concern for the direction the club is heading in the past so I wanted to pass this information along to you. I’m encouraging everyone to write to the club’s board of directors in hopes or reversing this horrible decision (of course their contact information is not posted).

——– 000 ——–

We thank Concerned Parent for the note, and we will encourage anyone with information about the inside dirty dealings at the Club to contact THE PLANET. Confidentiality is assured. Don’t expect The Boring Broadsheet to look into this, because the paper has been told to “lay off, if you know what’s good for you.”

It’s soooooo Pittsfield.

—————————————————————————————-

“Westerners are mean and tough. Got to get a gun and practice. Got to get yourself so tough, you can eat a bowl of cactus.” — Frankie Laine, “City Boy,” from the album Hell Bent for Leather, (1962).

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.