PITTSFIELD SCHOOL COMMITTEE DUMB AS DIRT, AGAIN … THIS TIME, IT’s ABOUT THE SKATE PARK
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, JAN. 7, 2015) — The three baseball diamonds at The Common have gone the way of Crazy Annie and Red the Drunk. In their place, paved walkways, rolling grass, water sprays, and pavilions, a $5 million waste of taxpayer money. So if they’re not playing ball, what are today’s kids doing when not glued to a screen? If they’re young males, they mess about on skateboards and bikes.
You can see them on public ways, steps, rails, and anywhere there’s an obstacle that exceeds their abilities and a old person to buzz and terrorize. To get The Little Darlins’ out of harm’s and pedestrian’s way, city mothers created a skate park out of sight in a dark Common corner. Brilliant! Suddenly, The Common became uncommon, as people became afraid of going there.
The Common skate park quickly became a hot drug market attracting users, dealers, and riff-raff at what used to be the Flea League diamond. The city ignored the misdoings until the sheer volume of incidents and violence demanded that something be done.
Some additional taxpayer money later, the city destroyed the tennis courts on East and Appleton and installed a skate park. Brilliant II! The city does not staff the park, and the high school has no jurisdiction over what goes on there. Did you ever think the northeast corner of The Common would start looking good?
Emboldened by the city’s lack of resolve in cracking down on its young troublemakers, gradually, perps frequenting the East-Appleton park recaptured the old trade in drugs, weapons, violence, and other accoutrements of anarchy — you know, just kids having fun, Pittsfield style.
Trouble waiting to happen finally ran out of patience and hiding. Recently, five youngsters got into a confrontation at the skate park, leading to a near-fatal stabbing during school hours.The combatants were PHS students and kids from New York state. Drugs were involved. Your shocked. Shocked. The school over-reacted by ordering a “shelter in place.” That means that instead of not learning in their regular classes, the students practiced surfing their Smart phones for texts, games, and porn in a quarantine.
Later, instead of applying common sense, the Ship of Fools known as the Pittsfield School Committee engaged in cretinous hand-wringing, overlooking the most obvious solution: ending PHS’ “open campus” policy, rescinding off-site lunch privileges and going back to a closed campus. Too many kids are abusing the privilege. The daily lunch-bunch features hordes of kids, too many of whom assume that the “right” to leave the campus unescorted grants permission to litter, jaywalk, do drugs, and more.
The idiots on the PSC, led by Lady Boots, called the skate park a gathering place for scholars and adults. Translation: “We have lost control. The kids are in charge.”
Roll call, Madame Secretary.
Lady Boots Yon, 83 Vista Street, 499-1278, kyon@pittsfield.net — The Woman from Densa. Present.
Josh Cutler, 16 Taconic St., 464-2541, jcutler@pittsfield.net — Neutered and half-witted by fear. Past.
Tony Riello, 26 Shore Drive, 822-8931, ariello2@pittsfield.net — Badge-less and half-baked. Future.
Pam Farren, 101 Brighton Ave., 212-1337, pfarron@pittsfield.net — Venus Hums because she can’t remember the words. Pluperfect.
Cynthia Taylor, 200 Wendell Ave., 822-0901, ctaylor@pittsfield.net — Cosmetic but cracked. Imperfect.
Dan Elias, 000 Anywhere St., 555-5555, abcdefg@hij.net — Nothing but net. (Full disclosure: We know his brother Tom). Future perfect.
The inability of the city to manage something as simple and straightforward as a skate park recedes when one looks at the larger picture. The more important aspect of the stabbing incident is one of control. Who controls students when they are in the classroom and otherwise on school time? Clearly, it’s no longer teachers or the administration. The former have had their hands tied by the latter, who fear to 1-in-100 quack parent who’s ready to sue at the first drop of a piece of chalk.
The answer here is easy, and it doesn’t involve giving the PSD more millions.
- Keep the park open.
- Keep the campus closed during school hours.
- Police the park, and crack a few skulls when the troublemakers decide to act up.
- Adopt uniforms for all city high school students.
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“Tears of the flower man, fill the sea — give me a chance to fly away.” — Uriah Heep, from “Simon the Bullet Freak” from the album Salisbury, (1972).
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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Pittsfield has seen violent crimes, deadly shootings, and murders over the past year. It is like Pittsfield has become a dystopian community where about 70% of local residents live in poverty and rely on welfare and social services to survive and subsist. Pittsfield is going to lose well over 600 jobs alone in 2016. Sabic Plastics, Best Buy, Macy’s, and other businesses are closing their doors in Pittsfield this year. Pittsfield politics will only make things worse by raising taxes and increasing municipal spending by around five percent this year.
The lovely Linda Tyer will unite Pittsfield politics with an open and inclusive municipal government that is based on mutual respect. A united Pittsfield will still….
* Continue its downward spiral with job loss, poverty, violent crime, G.O.B.’s political corruption, and tax hikes
* Have poorly performing public schools where all K – 6 students receive free school lunches and over 650+ high school students per year choice out to neighboring communities
* Have PCBs and thousands of cancer patients with a flawed Consent Decree still in effect
* Have a dead and dangerous downtown with empty store fronts and a place most people avoid, especially after hours
* Have a third-rate rag called The Berkshire Eagle who only serves the vested interests
* Have a China-like one political party system with uncontested and G.O.B. “elections”
It was January 2015, that Safariland, LLC closed it’s Pittsfield manufacturing operation ( Protech Armor) and moved 40 jobs to FL, stating the FL incentives were good, but that Pittsfield was also not a location conducive to manufacturing . This is often overlooked and not mentioned by the suits.
Incentives are good. Income tax and sales taxes are lower. Better logistics. Access to market. Better job matching for high tech manufacturing. Yeah, I’d move my company too.
Why do all school committee members except Elias have a pittsfield.net email address? His is road runner address.
Maybe he thinks he is like Hillary Clinton. He does not want his personal emails and business dealings on any official email that can be made public, so he must be using his own server.
It’s much easier to erase your own email server in case of an investigation. There is no excuse for this since the district provides school committee members with laptops.
I’ll bet that’s it – good thinking.
Dan Valenti is right, and can always be counted on for Common Sense. I agree with you Dan 100 percent on all counts. The stupidity is staggering.
Just what is the rationale for letting all these kids hit the streets for lunch? It seems ludicrous on its face. What could possibly go wrong? What is the benefit?
And what was the purpose of putting up the big iron fence in the middle of East street? What good is a fence that has huge gaps in it? Looks like the project was a bone thrown to some SIG.
Macy’s at The Mall in Lanesborough announces they will close the store this year along with many other Macy stores nationwide.
58 full and part time jobs lost there. The job situation in Berkshire County is going even more downhill everyday. We need leadership in this area with some vision and the ability to make positive things happen in the area of job creation. The only game plan in this area is to throw more money to the schools that just ends up going to teachers and administrators already bloated salaries and not to the education of the kids.
I know it is not in the city of Pittsfield but when this mall does go out of business the city of Pittsfield could buy it and turn it into a school and forget about building a new one. And it would be right next to the jail so the kids would have a place to go when they left for lunch. Other options include a bar and Arizona pizza. Also, they would only need to look out the window to see the job opportunities waiting for them at Petricca.
I am seeing an out of the box opportunity here people. Where is Linda? I need to talk to her before somebody snaps this place up and turns it into skate park.
Did they ever get the heat back at PHS ?
MACY’S CLOSING BERKSHIRE MALL STORE IN LANESBOROUGH.
Also: Eastfield Mall store, Springfield, Mass.
“Macy’s lists 40 store closures, plans for thousands of layoffs”,
Jan 6, 2016, 4:51pm EST, Cincinnati Business Courier
The best Store in the Berkshire Mall is Target. Whenever I go into Target, the employees are focused on the Customer. Fully Staffed and stocking shelves, and the Front End is fully engaged in Customer Service.
On the other hand, my experience in Macy’s has been less than optimal regarding Customer Service. Always a ghost staff….many times I have walked from one area to another to another..trying to checkout and/ or find assistance.
The management of Macys isn’t that friendly either.
Thankfully, you won’t be frustrated there much longer.
http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2016/01/06/macys-lists-40-store-closures-plans-for-thousands.html
Chucky G…you’re so right about that…what I meant was those great players trying today to play good old fashioned hard hitting smash mouth defense with todays defensive restrictions…they would all be thrown out of the game by halftime
I skateboarded as a kid in pittsfield 50 years ago and it was fun ,end of story. There are no demons in skating.
Agree with everything but the school uniforms. Waste of money, will not help situation.
Joe,
You are deasd wrong. Uniforms eliminate fashion competition among girls, eliminate poor or revealing fashion choices, reduce clothing expenses for all parents, and also instill a respectful environment in the school. In addition, students may behave in public since they can positively be identified as a student at a certain school.
Respectively disagree.Not to mention the taxpayers will be the one’s footing the bill.
It’s time for Nancy Sinatra sighting tonight, ummm, how sweet it is!
Thank you Dan for listing the names of the School Committee members and their contact info. The public needs to be very aware of the people making these terrible decisions all in the name of the children. When they are not fighting for more and more money each year for the schools, they are making other bad decisions. If only the money actually went to the education of the children……
My grandchildren attend a public school in FL that has a stright forward dress code. They wear khaki pants or skirts and navy blue or white shirts. The kids actually like it because it solves issues of the halves and have nots. Parents like it because it is actually much cheaper. Parents can buy clothes anywhere they want as long as they stick to the color guidelines.
Kids are not allowed to use cell phones during school hours, another distraction eliminated.
And…. I couldn’t agree more. Pressure on parents and students is eliminated. Expectations are simple. Emotions are changed.
Here is a video of the skate park from summer 2012. It has very graphic language so you might want to make sure no little ones are around. It shows kids 10 to 15 years old and a Pittsfield drunk. They keep dropping f-bombs at the drunk telling him to go. When he does leave they run up on him and jump him and then gang beat him. Nice place.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiGcj1u_RRA
This video is indeed educational. I didn’t realize skateboards had seats, chains, and pedals (bikes). The language must be from a avant garde program espoused by the school commitee. Surprised the beat cop didn’t break up the day time gang beating. (yeah right).
Very distressing video. Those kids should have been arrested!
“The world needs more organ donors.”
Section 11B 1/2. Any person 16 years of age or younger operating in line skates, a skate board, a scooter or other manually-propelled wheeled vehicle or riding as a passenger on any such manually-propelled vehicle on a public way, bicycle path or on any other public right-of-way shall wear a helmet.
Actually I could use a piano
Putting a skateboard park next to a school was a stupid idea to begin with. Only a complete idiot could not envision the issues it would lead to. The proper resolution, even though it would be expensive, would be to move it.
Ridiculous. One has Nothing to do with the other. The School Department is misplacing blame, and not
Managing their responsibility. Mandatory on site Campus from opening to closing of the School Day!
Drugs/Drinking and skateboarding don’t go hand in hand. However, skate parks and drug dealers/drug violence do.
It was a completely ridiculous idea to put the skate park next to an open lunch policy school and not expect any kind of problems.
Was Dan Elias the only person who potentially saw this coming? Probably
Being that “the children” are mandated by the “state” to be in school, whose responsibility would it be if a child were to be hit by a car on east street? Is it not the school that is responsible for the welfare of each and every child during school hours?
If the parent were to home school the child and he was not on east street to be hit, the child would be safely in the custody of his loving parents.
When children are forced to attend, does not that make the schools responsible to see that no harm comes to “the children”?
Is not the whole point of school to educate “the children” to become responsible citizens and productive members of society? Unleashing studets on the city in an “open campus” policy seems like its just asking for trouble.
The whole process seems like an incredible waste of money. How much “education” in an 8 hour day, does the average student receive? Printing books, buses, meals, paying teachers, administrators, new buildings, building maintenance etc….. There’s got to be a better way.
Used to, an individual went to the library to do research. The dreaded “card catalog”. Snot nosed librarian. An unpleasant experience. Now-a-days we have the internet. Almost anything you want to know is at your finger tips and is delivered to your eyes within seconds.
Could not the educational system be revised to educate the youth of today far beyond the opportunities we were afforded? Computers today are cheap. Do you know anyone who does not have access to one? Lesson times can be logged. Verified by testing a student’s knowledge. Teacher and administration costs can be slashed. Can you think of any reason why the school committee would not want to slash its budget and staff?
No matter how much money you throw at the school system, its never enough. Children are graduating with subpar educations but they know where to score some heroin. The cost of educating the yoots is exceeding the people’s abilty to pay for it all.
With the technology we have in place right now – 2016 – there is no reason why ever single child cannot attain academic excellence to the best of their ability.
Young punks having fun at the expense of a drunk.
Was that Ted Kennedy?
I totally agree with you Dan. Open campus merely helps a few sandwich shops and the Dunkin across the street. The old saw about the cafeteria being too small holds no water – just add a fourth lunch if necessary.
But the PSC keeps telling us the place is not policable. Where I work, we have these things called surveillance cameras. They make some pretty good HD Wi-Fi enabled cameras. I bet the owners of one of the abutting buildings would allow the City to mount some cameras on their roofs, I think they could mount one or two on street lights and traffic signals and the power could come from there as well (we already pay the bill).
Maybe that would help – and if it did not, we could try something else.
But alas, sometimes the simple solutions elude the smartest people….
Coincidentally this open campus policy came about the same time a SIG opened a Wendys across the street. So they say.
Kids today just want to have fun. Fun is Computer games. X box, skate boarding, sports and drugs. Wayward kids are because of parental neglect, or no parent at all. The P S D has the authority to tell a student to stay in school during school hours, no off Campus lunch, but that would be no fun. Schools are for learning, not playing, you learn. It is the City’s obligation to provide the education and a lunch, not a tour of the City during lunch, it is not required by law. The P S D has to start being serious. A first step would be a dress code, followed by no off Campus lunch, period.
Ending Off Site privileges would increase School Employees responsibility within the building. It’s a hell of a lot easier to misplace blame… than to restructure the system you are responsible to manage. I have no respect for this administrative leadership.
I also have no respect for the school leadership. When I see how it is run it makes me wonder if the core mission has more to do with leftover millions than the children being educated.
Under performing to the point where many of the teachers are so disenchanted that they send their own children outside the system. This tells you all you need to know about the Pittsfield school system..
mi is right on. The uniforms could identify where students are supposed to be. How is the return to school from off campus being checked, how do they filter who’s who now? Wasn’t it not to long ago a bunch of schools in the U S had non students dealing drugs in the schools?
Cannot non-students deal drugs in the schools wearing school colors? or Would they be prosecuted for impersonating a student? Would impersonating a student to sell drugs carry a stiffer sentence than dealing drugs?
What happens when school colors conflict the gang banger colors like the bloods or the crips? Tucked or untucked?
That video was really something. All the cars driving by and nobody call the police? The drunk was indeed a fool but nevertheless was assaulted. At one point with a shod foot. More than likely every kid there had a cell phone so if this guy was a problem why did no one call 911. Their language and actions says it all as to the type of kids they are.
the video seemed to be a repeat a few times. the actual time of the assault was quite short, so someone probably dialed 911 on their way by – and even a fast response would take 2 min, and the video ended before that. Remember: when seconds count – help is minutes away!!
Looks like the gentleman just wanted to conversate.
He didn’t look like Lothrop
While watching the Inauguration, Krol and Cutler ( Grandpa Munster jr.) seemed to have an abundance of energy, the rest of the audience, especially the former Mayor’s and dignitaries, not so much.
Could that be because he knows he is in line for the next mayorship?
Not for at least 10 years
The Eagle shall investigate
Josh C = Grandpa Muster Jr. THE PLANET cannot improve on that, and so it shall be.
Grandpa Jr. it shall be
You really think so?
Fine lad that Josh
A Sunday front page article is forthcoming on this issue.
Krol was running around like Hop Sing of Bonanza.
Classic! “Mo Mistah Hoss. No more food!”
There’s much baby shaking and hand kissing to be done. Or something of that sort
Southeast I think you’re right about the repeating. I wonder if anyone was ever charge with the assault.
Paramont Pictures is not calling the operator of the Camera.
I was at Macy’s today and learned that their gift cards cannot be accepted at the store after this Sat. 1/11. They can only be used at other Macy stores or on line.
How can a store that is still open and will be for several months refuse their gift cards. Any legal minds out there who can answer this?
Tyer is hiring a new’ city solicitor’ the new’ solicitor will come from Donovan and O’ Connor. Does anyone know how many employees of the CIty are from out of town? Just curious.
The city hides that information. It think We The People have no right to know.
Here comes the 1st of the Ruberto retreads. Rick Dohoney. As expected; more to come.
If you know someone is an employee just check the registered voter list
Dews is not a Pittsfield resident
I thought that was public info? Name, town or city of residence and salary.
good luck getting it
I do not think home addresses should be handed out. residency requirements are unconstitutional, not that anyone on this site is worried about constitutional rights. Plus, it would probably save a certain well-known reader of this site from himself if he couldn’t just show up at a public employee’s home and threaten violence in person.
SHH, please provide the excerpt from the Constitution where it states residency requirements are unconstitutional, as I find that statement hard to believe. Thank you.
Residency requirements arte quite legal. Almost every police and fire agency has them, sometimes only for people of certain ranks, sometimes for a set number of years. But to say that an employer cannot limit where their employees live is unconstitutional – I’d like to see the decision.
Now does it always make sense? No. sometimes there is not a qualified person within a community and you search a bit farther afield – and it is unfair to ask a person to upend their lives for a job that is not secure past a current administration. But in fact, Pittsfield has 1/3 of the County’s residents, so there is a good chance we have a qualified person within the City. And if a person moves here from say, Florida – it is NOT unreasonable to tell them they need to buy in this community.
Having City employees have a stake in the community is a good thing.
It’s been decided in federal courts. An employee can be required to live within a reasonable distance/travel time, but not in a jurisdiction boundary.
Good for Mayor Tyer, the old city solicitor cost the city of Pittsfield, hundreds of thousands of wasted dollars that could have been used else where.
Thankyou Mayor Tyer.
I hear she is hiring a new personal director also. The Sheffield shuffler is kaput.
I hear a new Treasurer as well. Sue Carmel is a finalist for a position at Gt Barrington Town Hall. Hope GB does their homework!
Shouldn’t we all write to the Selectboard in GB giving Sue a glowing review? Let them know how much she will be missed?
Let’s hope that it’s a qualified person who actually lives here
How many members of the Board of Health are from out of town, watching it right now and don’t recognize these people from here? You can’t see thier name tags? Jim Wilusz is still here? on’t see any minorities on the B O H either.
I Steve Smith, Jay Green, and Ms. Orsi are all definitely from Pittsfield. I am nearly positive Dominica D’Avela is also a resident – Dr. Geyer is the only one I am not certain of.
Jim Wilusz is a city resident. the Tri-Town Health Dept. and Pittsfield partner on the non-smoking stuff.
Sorry to tell you, D’Avela is not!
I don’t speak for Mr. Gaetani, but believe the petition to rescind the Taconic High School construction, is based, not on improvement of academics, nor renovations, or anything else. It is to give the Citizens and Taxpayers, not Voters, the right to have a Choice, good or bad, on whether to have it on the ballot. the cost is enormous, we deserve the right. This particular item, is basically stating, anyone in elected office, present or future, can lobby and be used as an instrument for The Suits, to put project forward without any accountability.
representative democracy. You voted this issue when you chose your city councilors.
i get your drift Cat. The voters turned out and the taxpayers were home sleeping, I guess. The Votes on a new school for two other cities recently that I recall, voted against a new construction, one of them was in the Albany N Y area. If a petition drive for signatures was the obstacle, I’m sure it would get the required signatures to put in on the ballot, if we had the chance.
The suggestion that the construction was a no brainer, or easiest vote is tiring. why indeed do other communities let the Citizens partake in an exorbitant nearly 200 m item.
Follow the money follow the contracts this has nothing to do with education
Citizens of Pittsfield were offered to partake. They had informational meetings and public input sessions, which amount to absolutely nothing without a way to vote your opinion. The sessions were not for the counselors because they already had their mind made up as “the easiest vote”. You have to love the logic, a 25 million for base repairs rejected because “It does not address educational goals or correct educational deficiencies”.
Additions and renovations for 60million were shot down because “They would mostly meet space requirements, but would fall short of ideal building configuration”
Partial demolition and renovation for 80 million would have “met space and most educational goals” but was shot down because “the mostly new school would have a “somewhat inefficient building layout” (efficiency in Pittsfield is a joke).
Which leaves us to the obvious conclusion we need to spend near 200 million for a new school.
All facts are from the school feasibility study here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4nJI0k-O2guQUtEZndRY0FvSk0/edit?pref=2&pli=1
Came someone google Al Lewis of the Munsters, a younger picture would be fine, and put the picture on here. Thank you!
As predicted: Dohoney in. Next up Yon. The winds of change are a blowing. People you have been fooled, and it’s going to be expensive.
Really?
Would rather have Degnan or Dohoney?
Barry
NEITHER
Degnan was an embarrassment to this City. It was maddening to watch her at City Council Meetings, and her snide remarks, and smirks with Mayor Bianchi. She took on his personality. Good Riddance to both. They dug their own hole.
Aren’t there any qualified hacks who live in Pittsfield?
Dohoney is a pretty good lawyer, as lawyers go. Degnen, she seemed to go to WalMart Law School? or did she draw spunky?
Barry, it’s only 1%.
Legal services isn’t really a place where I would want to go with the lowest cost provider UA
Hollywood Yon! Good Choice!
Looking forward to seeing the two best shows on PCTV today….the Gaetani Political Hour and Planet Valenti TV…..The only straight talk available in Pittsfield.
I watched both shows this morning.–the G man looks neat with his eye patch. He has another good medical lesson for everyone. It is evident he was a great teacher. Makes complicated issues very down to earth so everyone can understand. This show is for everyone on the planet and everyone else. HE details his plans for the next CC meeting and as usual, everything he say’s and does is for the benefit of the Taxpayer. Too bad he didn’t win the mayor’s race. If he did we would see property taxes going down. All we are wondering about now is how high are the taxes going to go . Only in politics could a person like Gaetan not get the job. Mr. G. didn’t sell out’ he is definitely non GOBSIG. He is becoming a powerful person in the city and he is not a politician and doesn’t think like one. I think he lives to help the taxpayer and it is very evident. Long live the wizard.
No doubt about that what -so- ever.
Dahoney’s first order of business might be a vetting one of the new employees.
Dews doesn’t live in Pittsfield, Dahoney doesn’t live in Pittsfield. Maybe when she gets to the Es she can find a crony hack who actually lives in Pittsfield.
I know there is a crony hack in the G’s that would drop his Trumpian crusade if he here asked to run the water plant. Not that he is licensed or qualified.
Right, what would the guy who designed and built our water filtration plants know about running them?
I’m skeptical of someone without a verified CV ‘designing’ anything for public safety. He’s probably one of those anti-fluoride activists.
Yeah, maybe a genius like Collingwood could design something like a colon cleanser
At least Collingwood is a PE.
Dear Mayor Tyer:
Congratulations on your inauguration as Mayor of the City of Pittsfield.
duties as Mayor of the City of Pittsfield, please be advised that Donovan & O’Connor, LLP is available to provide interim legal services to the City of Pittsfield.
Donovan & O’Connor is the oldest and largest law firm in Berkshire County and we maintain a full service office in Pittsfield. More importantly, our firm has a depth of experience representing municipalities and govemmental entities. As you are aware, the lawyers of Donovan & O’Connor provided legal services to the City of Pittsfield under both the administrations of fonner Mayor Hathaway and former Mayor Ruberto. We are currently representing the City of North Adams, the Town of Egremont and the Town of Great Barrington in various matters. Over the years, we have represented other municipalities and school districts throughout Berkshire County. In order to leam more about our firm, please refer to our website, http://www.docatty.com.
For your consideration, we have included a proposed flat fee agreement to provide legal services for the balance of the fiscal year. The proposal is designed to provide efficient, comprehensive and cost effective legal services to the City and is consistent with models that have been used both in Pittsfield and other municipalities. We are available to further discuss the proposal at your convemence.
Please contact us with any questions or concems. Very lruly yours,
& O’CONNOR, LLP
Richard M. Dohoney
I guess Dewey, Cheatem and Howe weren’t available.
The City of Pittsfield (hereafter “City”), hereby retains Donovan & O’Connor, LLP (hereinafter “D&O”) to perform the legal services described below pursuant to the terms of this Flat Fee Agreement (hereinafter “Agreement”).
1. Services. Donovan & O’Connor LLP (hereinafter “D&O”) will be available at all times to render the services outlined below and will be available to attend meetings of the City Council, City Council subcommittees and municipals board and commissions. Further, an attorney from the firm will be present and available to the Mayor, City Councilors, members of municipal boards and commissions or other officers ofthe City from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays of each week in Room 201, City Hall. D&O will be available at all other times on an as-needed basis.
The services to be provided by D&O will include:
(a) Acting as legal advisor to the City and each of its subdivisions, including both the Mayor and the City Council;
(b) Examining titles and drafting of all deeds, obligations, contracts, bonds, leases, conveyances, agreements and other legal instruments affecting the interests of the City;
(c) Prosecuting and defending actions in which the City or one of its officers is a party or in which the City has an interest and appear as counsel for the City before the Legislature of the Commonwealth or any administrative agencies of the Commonwealth;
(d) Furnish legal opinions to the Mayor, City Council, municipal boards or committees and officers of the City; and,
(e) ProvidesupportandsupervisoryservicestothestaffoftheCitySolicitor’soffice.
While the City will be provided the services and expertise of all members ofD&O, all legal services provided to the City will be supervised and coordinated by Attorney Richard M. Dohoney. Attorney Dohoney will meet monthly, or more frequently ifneeded, with the Mayor and/or members of the City Council to review legal issues facing the City and ensure the efficient and effective delivery of legal services to the City.
? Term. This Agreement shall become effective upon approval by the City Council and shall remain in effect until June 30, 2016. The City reserves the right to terminate D&O at any time. 1fD&O is discharged by the City prior to June 30, 2016, D&O is entitled to then be compensated for the fair value of the services rendered to the City up to the time of discharge, and for its reasonable expenses and disbursements.
3. Fee. D&O will be paid a flat fee of eight thousand, five hundred ($8,500) dollars per month to be paid in arrears on the first of each month. The monthly payment shall be deducted
per diem for the portion of any month for which this Agreement is not in effect.
4. Costs and Expenses. The City agrees to pay for costs incurred and out-of-pocket
The Wizard is The Real Deal. I don’t think we seen anything yet. Hope you heal quick Mr. C.
Cat, are you posting from the Madison again? Try the 80 proof instead of the 100 for a few hours.
sorry Cat, I meant Shakes his whatever.
Heard Degnan resigned and then took a slip right before her last day and now is out of work on the city’s dime. Yeah, she’s worth it all!!! Valenti should investigate to see if its valid. You know, her slip and fall and now on the city’s dime.
Kathy Quin is playing the same game. Slipping on Bianchi’s 150k city hall floors.
Think Sondrini is already gone.. seen him working on Tony Maz building on Fenn St. for the last couple months.
The eye patch positioning reflects the greatness of the Man. Any other ordinary person would probably not even show up to do the P C T V Show, but the Man, somehow was able to conjure and rig up an eyepatch with tape to keep his shut eye open. Thus the Show went on for the People. I would advise the new Mayor to give the Man the respect, to at least, give his reason for the water filtration plan,it would at least show some healing between the party’s, and his idea seems to have merit, let alone savings to the City.
I agree D C……..What is all thedrama with the C C and how everyone will get along and move the City forward. Tyer’s new or old saying, is Hope for the Future, great, that’s original. With all the preamble that has come forward, especially the C C, remember, you are mostly retreads and rhetoric should be a thing of the past. The City Budget is set for the next four years. Ruberto couldn’t go any farther and Bianchi never could get started because of the scraps Ruberto left, or should I say crap.
Suzy Carmel should take Collingwood back to Gt Barr with her
Cannot wait to see how President Marchetti handles Mr. G.
This is starting to get good.
In accordance with City Council Rule 26, submitted herewith are the assignments to the City Council Standing Committees:
Ordinances and Rules
Melissa Mazzeo, Chair Peter White, Vice Chair Nicholas Caccamo
John Krol
Donna Todd Rivers
Community and Economic Development
Kathleen Amuso, Chair John Krol, Vice Chair Nicholas Caccamo Melissa Mazzeo
Peter White
Buildings and Maintenance
Nicholas Caccamo, Chair Christopher Connell, Vice Chair Kathleen Amuso
Donna Todd Rivers
Anthony Simonelli
Respectfully submitted,
Peter M. Marchetti City Council President
Finance
Peter Marchetti, Chair Christopher Connell, Vice Chair Kathleen Amuso
Kevin Morandi
Lisa Tully
Public Health and Safety
Lisa Tully, Chair
Kevin Morandi, Vice Chair Melissa Mazzeo
Anthony Simonelli
Peter White
Public Works
Christopher Connell, Chair Kevin Morandi, Vice Chair Donna Todd Rivers Anthony Simonelli
Lisa Tully
Caccaamo, Tully and Krol will be a drag on any committee they serve on
Everything should be fine, stop complaining, the Mayor Expresses Hope for the Future, it’s right on the front page of the Eagle.
The G. man’s last show is at 8:30pm on c-16. See for yourself if he is fearless. He is the real thing and he is the true champion of the taxpayer.The show is must see for all planet people and all city taxpayers.The show is full of info for the taxpayer and I think that means all of you. Even you -shakes. Get your self educated . The wizard is an excellent teacher and can also educate a cad like you
I’ll stick with my engineering degree from an ABET accredited research university. Our commencement didn’t include aluminum covered mortar boards and tassels.