TERRY KINNAS COMES UP BIG, AGAIN … plus … THE COMMENT LINE IS OPEN
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, MARCH 4-6, 2016) — “These are a few of my favorite things” — a great song memorably sung by Julie Andrews in My Fair Poppins Mary Lady. Snowflakes on eyelashes, kittens and mittens: You know the deal. Here area few of THE PLANET‘s unfavorite things:
* Getting our fingertip clipped in a cigar cutter.
* Being waterboarded
* Scrubbing an open wound with a salt block and a rusty Brillo pad
* Finding evidence, especially locally, that the political game is rigged against We The People. THE PLANET says locally, because it is at this level rather than state or federal where one can least expect enough accountability and oversight to keep the game reasonably honest. Also, though, as we don’t like to say, this is Pittsfield.
Kudos to Supercitizen Terry Kinnas for uncovering a bombshell hidden deep within the 147 pages of supporting material to the city council’s agenda for the upcoming meeting on Tuesday, March 8. Kinnas’ find pertains to Agenda Item 6, a request by Mayor Linda Tyer to authorize treasurer Matt Kerwood to borrow $2,027,157 for traffic signals at the intersections of East Street and Woodlawn Avenue, as well as Tyler Street and Woodlawn. Leave aside the amount of the request new borrowing for a moment.
The supporting documents for this request includes a letter to the U.S. Department of Commerce from the city’s project consultants, New England Expansion Strategies. The NEES study looked at projections for manufacturing employments in Berkshire County. The information is startling. Essentially, it documents what THE PLANET has long been saying: The outlook for the city’s economy is grim and at a tipping point toward collapse.
We shall have a more in-depth look at this story early next week. Meanwhile, Kinnas made a brilliant connection:
(1) The NEES report went to the Feds on Dec. 15, 2015.
(2) Thus, the report was done earlier than that.
(3) Therefore, the School Building Needs Commission had access to this report while they were pressing to “GO” button for the wasteful, unnecessary construction of a $200 million high school buiilding project.
(4) In other words, Kinnas caught the SBNC red-handed. In other words, Chair Kathy “Lady Boots” Yon had but suppressed this information.
In anything but a rigged game, the SBNC would have shared this devastating NEES report with the public. In anything but a rigged game, your elected officials would have put an immediate stop to the project.
Good work, Terry Kinnas. More shame heaped upon Yon, Pittsfield’s ultimate loser.
With that, The Comment Line is Open. Give us your A Game.
Have a great weekend, everybody!
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“Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision.” — Abraham Lincoln.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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More GD traffic lights in Pittsfield? Are you kidding me? It takes forever to cross this city as it is because you have to stop every 9 feet. This is not a user friendly or business friendly city.
What is the kickback rate for traffic signals these days?
Which lending institutions hold most of the cities loans?
How much does the city pay in loan interest each year and how much does that alone add to the tax rate?
Shouldn’t the traffic signal improvements come from PEDA?
My favorite concerning crosswalk lights is when the walking dead hit the button and just cross leaving, the motorist to wait for virtually…nothing.
Pittsfield’s economy is in a downward spiral….(sarcasm): no kidding!
or how about the walk cycle programmed in to the light cycle, meaning we get a walk light when no one pushes any buttons – or when you push a button, like crossing Elm at Edward and it cycles two or maybe three times before you get the walk light you want.
As for the economic report, the SBNC has but one mission – to push through this school. we could learn that in 2020 there will be 3,000 kids in the system and could fit all middle and high school programs at one building (say Crosby) and they would still build this school.
They are invested in this outcome and no amount of information which says “no, don’t push the go button” would have precluded that vote. Almost like telling an addict to not stick the needle in his arm…. They know it isn’t a good idea, but they do it anyway.
Just hope when the High School enrollment drops a few hundred more they make adjustments. Could have 8-12 in high schools, 5-7 in Middle schools. This would allow the closing of 2 of the smaller elementary schools. Have the bean counters at Mercer and the storage facility at Hibbard move into one of the closed schools. Sell the other buildings with hopes of getting them back on the tax rolls. I know this will never happen, makes to much sense.
Just wondering when am 1420 is going to pull the plug on Glen Beck. Is it me or is he getting nutter everyday. There are all of great syndicated shows out there. Why must Berkshire County be stuck with him.
I love the Glen Beck show. It’s the best thing on the radio. Much better than local Berkshire County radio and the fawning talk show hosts we get in this area who drool over every local politician and never discuss anything the least bit controversial. The Bill Sturgeon is a great example of a show that panders to the locals. We need more shows like the Glen Beck show in this area.
I agree, Pat. There isn’t enough hate on local radio. It’s boring.
Not hate. Holding the feet of politicians to the fire so they do what they are supposed to do. We wouldn’t even need this board if that was done.
I do not think Beck spreads hate. Just the opposite in fact.
Not fan of Becks, but agree about local shows. I would like to get a better syndicated talk show to replace him.
Tell ya what we need. We need “The Dan Valenti Show” back again. Man, what a show. Every morning on WBEC he kicked butt took names and intimidated every hack politician in the city.
And it was all local local local.
Bravo,Felix!
No rump swab shows please.
Well the Valenti show was kick-butt radio. Why do you think many pols were afraid to go on with him?
The city will never stop trying to hide things. They count on people of Pittsfield being too busy to notice the things that they try to slip through. open government.
I saw the latest School Building Needs Commission meeting on PCTV. What a joke. As someone stated on a PCTV show and at City Council meetings these people are dumb enough to buy pet rocks at $100,000,000 each. Do your self a favor and catch a replay of this convocation of clucks.
Dick. Things not going that great? Seen you on the NoclueLewLothroShow, what a drag.
Gosh how embarrassing and how low can local TV get? Answer, watch the No Klew & L show. It’s painful in a unintended funny kind of way.
The show is better when No Clew Lew is on. He makes me feel at ease when he says there are no GOBSIGS:))))
Of course we need a traffic light for a barren wasteland to let the ghosts of GE get in and out safely.
Didn’t Caccamo request one a few years ago, because the people working at the building couldn’t take a left at peak hours? I believe it was shot down the council….
How many traffic lights are there in this city? Every one stops traffic and each car idling spews forth its toxic emissions into the city air. Wasted gas. Wasted time.
What did they say is the reason we need these?
It isn’t like we need it for a…..BIG BOX STORE??
Uh oh. You may be on to something. I have heard such rumors my own self. Is that the reason for the new bridge as well? Is it an inside secret? Bianchi shot it down but Tyer may be going for it.
can you say….congestion?
If it is for the Big Box store, wait and let the developer pay for the lights and reconfiguration of intersections. Oh well it’s only money, will tax more.
the Woodlawn bridge is vital and it should be completed within a year. 100% non local money.
I just watched the political hour and Gaetani said he was working on getting up a ballot question on whether or not the new THS should be built. Maybe it’s not too late to stop this but we will have to act and not just talk.
have GG fix flag pole in front of 1098 West St., if he knows how
Traffic lights how about taking the ones by McDonald’s on West Housatonic St they haven’t been used since they were put in. You talk about a waste of taxpayers money.
Yes and can the mayor not do anything about the big eyesore across the street from that? Or the one way out on rte 20 on the way to Shaker Village? Are either one of the owners paying taxes or are they still slacking?
It’s my understanding the developer paid a portion of the west housatonic street signals.
A guy at Wal Mart told me that they might build a super wal mart out on Rt 20 at the old Big N. That would leave Target the option of moving to Berkshire Crossing if the mall were to close.
The buildings across from the McDonalds almost had the Big Y go in there until the mayor intervened. I believe they are still paying taxes. The one on outer Rt 20 is a connected GOB who does not pay his taxes. I believe he owes over $200,000.00.
Big Y would have never moved. West Housey doesn’t have enough rooftops to support a grocery store.
We need to raise taxes in this town.
how dumb is this?…..to he tune of 10 f&%$#* Grand…..come on Berkshire Money Mgt……is this the best use of your generosity?
Pittsfield Paintbox Program Announced
Pittsfield Artscape has announced a partnership with Berkshire Money Management to bring more public art to the downtown with the Pittsfield Paintbox Program.
The Pittsfield Paintbox Program will bring intriguing and vibrant paintings to the streets’ utility boxes (load centers). Artists will transform the typically drab electrical boxes, increasing the vibrancy of the artful streetscape. It will celebrate local artists, enliven the streetscape, and discourage vandalism of utility boxes throughout the downtown.
For the inaugural year, eight Paintbox designs will be installed in the downtown corridor from the Berkshire Museum to Persip Park; see map below.
Further support is provided by the Pittsfield Cultural Council, the City of Pittsfield Office of Cultural Development, Downtown Pittsfield, Inc., and the Berkshire Museum.
Click here for the Pittsfield Paintbox Application
Sounds smarter than the “book houses” they are going to put in the parks
Full Definition of vibrant
1
a (1) : oscillating or pulsating rapidly (2) : pulsating with life, vigor, or activity
b (1) : readily set in vibration (2) : responsive, sensitive
2
: sounding as a result of vibration : resonant
3
: bright 4
When those boxes are painted we will be on the map again.
A total crock of shit.
We used to have painted sheep on North street. And this was symbolic of the taxpayers being fleeced. We are still being fleeced but they try to do it more subtlety these day.
Don’t forget the former sinking ship in Allendale. The local pols were communicating to us through symbols. We just didn’t know it at the time.
…..a road map leaving town….
dfr
I believe the time has come for the city to go to the city manager type of government.
For the past 40 years, the city has been run by the Good Old Boy Network, which has placed our city in the perilous position of going bankrupt in the nottoo- distant future.
The mayor-City Council type of government was supposed to be a check-and-balance system but has morphed into a rubber- stamping style of government with no real checks and balances. In city elections the Good Old Boy Network not only chooses a mayor but it elects a City Council and School Committee to ensure total dominance with the taxpayer being the ultimate loser who has to pay the bills for these big spenders. They support the special interest groups with exorbitant salaries and perks which make them some of the highest earners in the city. The average taxpayer is a week’s paycheck from disaster.
We must put a stop to this type of city government as quickly as we possibly can.
What must be done to turn this city back to fiscal responsibility is to vote out of office every present city official at the nearest possible time and for the average city resident who doesn’t vote to be educated and brought up to speed as to what we as a group can do to take back our city.
Bravo,Donna M!!! You read my mind!
Please, contact me by email blum037@yahoo.com
or call me, please 413-212-0214 –name is Alex
It’s time to act, no more talking.
I agree to absolutely everything you said here.
Every single day I think about what you just wrote.
Please, contact me and we can start the Process.
We may need to file a Referendum and consolidate as many people as possible.
Donna M couldn’t agree more. What do we have to lose. Would like to know the process to make that a reality.
To Joetaxpayer! Let’s get together in the Library.
People–choose the date and time.
We can meet in there and start doing things.
After all, It was a Free Country.
na, manager will be the same, instead of Councilors it will be slectman, which could be worse.
It is possible to have a mayor, city councilors and a city manager. It works quite well in Claremont, New Hampshire.
NH operates differently since it is a different state. You guys s really should get out more.
Thanks for the concern Mr, Head.
https://www.cambridgema.gov/CityManager
Is Lowell in NH too? I know it’s close.
By charter, the City of Lowell follows a Plan E Form of government, in which the popular vote of the City of Lowell’s residents elects nine members to the City Council to serve a two year term of office. City Councilors then elect one of their members to serve as City Mayor, who serves as the official head of the City, presiding over City Council and School Committee meetings.
The City Council appoints:
A City Manager, to be responsible for the administration of the City day-to-day affairs.
I think the author of the letter was looking to take politics out of the equation not to add to the governmental bloat.
To StudentClown. You may be right, unless we employ a new
information technology to build Open City Web site with everything being logged openly and mandatory.
Each and every job should be contested and won by results of City Job Exams–No exception! No more Mayor’s appointments for any kind of job! Any decision to borrow large amounts shall be logged and seen on City Website. Any project like $200Million new school should be a subject to a Referendum.
Anti-Corruption committee should be created. Many new things can be done. let’s meet in Library! People–name the Date and time of the Meeting!
Since the comment line is open, I posted this on Thursday’s write up, but want to make sure everyone sees it. RE: Pittsfield BOH
The head health inspector thankfully left, she was incredibly rude, insulting and verbally abusive to restaurateurs, often citing folks for random items that weren’t even code (read: she made stuff up). She was overheard saying that even if an inspection turned up no comments she would make sure and “find” something to write about.
The new inspector is already getting behavioral complaints (word on the street.) We haven’t gone through the process yet because we’re not open til May.
If you see/ hear something say something. My food truck business is inspected weekly in 3 different states. I have the experience to know that insulting inspections are not the norm nor are they acceptable. If you don’t feel comfortable saying something (inspections are stressful even if you’re doing nothing wrong,) call me. I’ll do it for you. I was so thrilled when she left and knowing that more of the same is possibly on the way makes my blood boil. Please don’t hesitate to call me.
Kathy
413-329-8735
katherine.m.lloyd@gmail.com
Thank you, Kathy, for bringing this to our attention.
If you give some people just a little bit of authority, it goes to their heads. That seems to be the case here and it’s disgusting.
I think this is something our mayor should not only look into, but immediately correct. And then they wonder why businesses are going under.
L.T.: get some inspectors with good common sense!
You bet.
The problem is that she can’t just go firing employees over rumors (city hall would be empty.) People have to speak up and complain.
It takes a village (and a ton of documentation) to fire bad eggs.
If you don’t feel comfortable speaking up, I will. If you experience repercussions for speaking up, call me. I’m serious about this, the new inspector was a jerk to me last fall when I was cleaning up the back of Wahconah Park and his apparently serial bad attitude has been rewarded with a promotion. I didn’t speak up then- shame on me- I was in the middle of a campaign.
If I am wrong, I will apologize. If he’s up for the job and civil, I am thrilled. If it’s more of the same, I’m tenacious.
Gastronomic Gestapo
Kathy L, please name names. Let us shame these idiots. And let Mayor Tyer if she is truly one of us call this food nazi on the carpet.
Kathy who was the old and new ?
The names are easily found with a 5 minute search. I’m not going to commit libel for something that you can find out yourself…
Reporting the truth is never libelous.
We had some clown warn us about a shoveling issue, when we went down to look at it the sidewalk was bare. Across the street there were at least three houses that had glare ice still on them. This code enforcer clearly wasn’t playing fairly. The plow sometimes puts the snow back onto the sidewalks and all this clown did was open up a lawsuit for us if someone takes a flop. If this clown is the one you’re talking about, we’rewith you Kathy.
Gina?
Those kids the mayor was reading to looked awful young to be fifth graders? They did look quite Disinterested.
when my wife graduated from high school there was over 600 in her class. How many will be in this years class. And then tell me why we need a new high school.
probably 225 per school and a dozen from St Joes.
What ever happened to the one room schoolhouse?
Now they have a counting room where teachers check out their bank accounts
Mayor reading to “fifth” graders. Mayor at photo op exalting over the painting of electrical boxes. Mayor saying nothing about how me and my family, just ordinary people, trying to get by, going to work and obeying the law. I’m already getting Tired of Tyer.
Me too nb
How is it Albany is petitioning another vote for their new school proposal and Pittsfield doesn’t get a referendumB…. sarcasm
Because NY is not Mass? Are you geopolitically challenged???
Because nobody in Pittsfield challenges those in authority. They don’t want anybody to think they are angry. Remaining pleasant at all times is essential in Pittsfield even when politicians do everything in their power to ignore local residents and actually go out of their way to ignore residents of this city. This is why we have this board so people can vent without having to actually do anything about the problems. If anyone even raises their voices a little here in Pittsfield against the local politicians, well it just isn’t proper or acceptable. Berkshire residents faithfully go to the polls each election cycle and vote for the same Democrats who have let the city and the county go down the tubes. Why? Because they are faithful to their political party and this is just the way people behave here in the Berkshires. Every city in the county could be in bankruptcy and still Berkshire residents would line up at the polls to vote in the same people.
Pat, there are those who aren’t afraid to challenge authority.
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/letters/ci_29595769/letter-city-manager-government-will-help-fix-broken
…gives you reason to shake your head…..
All I know is Mt Greylock high school renovation project has gone to vote. Lanesborough vote is March 15. Also Willamstown, one of the wealthiest communities in Berkshire County is making cuts to there elementary school budget. Pittsfields like the guy at the trailer park with the 60 inch 4K tv, and a Lexus in the drive way parked next to the Harley.
Gaetani suggested cutting tax and reduction in all departments, sounded good to me.
The theory is the state will reimburse the costs for the new school and to renovate would essentially be the same cost on our end, on theory makes sense, however, what would be the cost for renovation only, not clear, what are the cost increases in maintaining the new school, and was a consolidation of just one’ high school ever explored? The vote was eschewed as the SBNC didn’t not have valid costs for renovation, maitenance, and overall future increases to the taxpayer, state and or local. the Gaetani proposal to put this project to a vote has great merit as the process has been flawed from the start.
DC, who gave the estimate for the cost of repairs and upgrades? I think the fix is in. Like Gaetani said the SBNC could be sold pet rocks a $100,000,000 each and they wouldn’t even know they were being bambozzled.
Gaetani has always stated that there isn’t a drop of technical
expertise amongst the Mayor, City Council and School Committee that
would fill a small thimble. He rightfully stated that these cost
analysis are figures planted into the idiot’s heads by consultants who
could sell pet rocks to any of these politician clowns for a million
dollrs per stone. This is the stone cold facts as to the idiots who
are runing this city. Gaetani is rigt on and has been right along.
Bouvier and the rest of the convocation of clowns know as the SBNC think a Phillips screwdriver is vodka mixed with Phillips’ Milk of Magnesia
Very good AT
Good post D C, there has always been a question on the real cost of a renovation????
Sorry to see Nancy Reagan passed.
In theory I believe the numbers were manipulated. They wanted a new school and that the narrative they chose.
Boots answer was always ‘it’s a couple million more’ but we don’t get the new school…just a couple?
Gaetani has always been ahead of the curve, these Clowns want to challenge his knowledge? That would be like firing Popcorn against a Battleship. I’m just waiting for the G man to expose the Clowns that think the blank check proposal to build a school, which isn’t needed, on the backs of tax paying citizens.