EMA PLANS TO USE DANGEROUS STRONTIUM-90 BUT HASN’T PRODUCED A PLAN … BLUMIN PETITION SPOT-ON … MAZZEO BLASTS TYER AFTER LATEST SHOOTING … TYER: NO COMMENT … MEANWHILE, TYLER STREET AREA ON EDGE
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION, OCT. 4-7, 2019) — At last night’s Economic Development Committee meeting, it was revealed for the first time that EMA, the space cadets asking for $140,000 in taxpayer money to set up at the BIC, will use highly radioactive Strontium-90 in their testing. This fact has remained hidden prior to that, probably a deeply guarded secret that wasn’t intended to come out prior to the public commitment of funds by the Tyer Administration.
Talk about a literally radioactive issue.
THE PLANET doesn’t know if the Tyer Administration knew about it and said nothing, or if it held the splashy news conference in ignorance of this fact. Either way, it’s more than bad. It’s inexcusable.
What’s even worse is the fact that councilors Helen Moon, Nick Caccamo, John Krol, and Earl Persip voted to recommend to the full council their approval of the questionable request for PEDA money. They ironically got their hair mussed over a few mosquitos, but the introduction of Strontium-90 doesn’t concern them.
Strontium-90 is radioactive isotope with a long half-life. It is the most dangerous byproduct of nuclear explosions in the form of fallout. It causes nausea, skin infections, blood disease, and blood clots. EMA has not addressed this issue, and neither it nor the city has produced a plan detailing how it intends to use such a dangerous product safely.
Despite this reckless disregard for public safety, THE PLANET predicts the full council will approve the gift-outright of 140 smackers. After all, these are the same officials who have no qualms about Hill 78, the Everest of toxicity that exists next to one of the city’s grammar schools.
We also remind readers that councilor-at-large candidate Alexander Blumin was the first to raise the question about radioactive materials when he filed his petition with the council on Sept. 30. He was proven correct, and now his critics have to eat crow topped with humble pie. Blumin’s actions on this alone warrant a spot on the council.
———- ooo ———-
This week’s shooting at Parker Street and Springside Avenue, the latest in a series of gun incidents plaguing the city, has residents on edge. David Moody, 28, was found slumped in a vehicle there, shot multiple times. He was taken to BMC in serious condition.
THE PLANET has heard from Tyler Street businesses, residents of Parker Street, and the Pittsfield Police. There is an overall mood of tension and fear, given the shooter remains at large, the lack of information keeping people in the dark, and the perceived failure of local law enforcement officials to adequately address the cycle of violence that has gripped Pittsfield this year.
Officials have issued little information. Street sources say the shooting appears to be drug- and gang-related. Want to find out more yourself? Hang out in or near the Zenner’s Plaza on Tyler Street. Whatever you do, don’t go into Springside Park any time day or night.
———- ooo ———-
A Pittsfield police source told THE PLANET the cops “were discouraged” and the ranks feel “we’re not being supported from the top.” We asked to define “top.” He/she mentioned police chief Mike Wynn, mayor Linda Tyer, and district attorney Andrea Harrington. The source wouldn’t discuss the Moody shooting except there was a “reluctance” to pursue the case. The source didn’t elaborate.
Meanwhile, Parker Street residents expressed frustration and outrage
“I remember when we first bought here [early 2000s],” one homeowner said. “[It was a] great neighborhood, families and children. Good people. The church was right across the street. We had a sense of belonging. After the church closed, things got really bad. I don’t feel safe. I don’t want my children to play outside. I’m tired of living in fear.” She said she and her husband are looking to move outside the area.
One Tyler Street business owner says he is close to retirement and when that happens, “I will close. I tried to sell, but I cannot get a buyer. Who would want to [do business here]? Look at that.” He was pointing to Hess Forest. The street, he says, “has gone to seed.”
———- ooo ———-
THE PLANET has asked Mayor Linda Tyer for comments related to this latest shooting. As of press time, Tyer failed to respond. Her opponent in the November election, councilor-at-large Melissa Mazzeo, issued the following statement:
“A violent shooting occurred Monday night in one more of Pittsfield’s most concentrated neighborhoods. Four years ago, following a tragic shooting, then mayoral candidate Linda Tyer’s response was that the current mayor’s policies and actions ‘had failed the city.’ What is mayor Tyer’s response now? She has had four years to work with chief Wynn and other law enforcement to take whatever resources necessary and combat an issue that is crippling our city. Who will she blame now?
Mazzeo said, “I believe the following to be absolute: 1). The mayor can no longer lay blame on others. It may have worked for her first campaign. It will not work now. 2). We need immediate and true hot spot policing. Policing where our officers are able to play to their strengths. To do the job we know they can do if allocated in the right way. 3). We need a mayor who should have pressured chief Wynn to call in the Massachusetts State Police and the Berkshire County Sheriff’s Office to bring critically needed support to our already stretched officers working around the clock.
“We cannot take four more years of empty promises. When residents can’t walk in their neighborhoods without looking over their shoulders, change in the corner office is not only necessary, it is imperative.”
———- ooo ———-
The mayor’s failure to comment corresponds to the perceived reluctance of Wynn and Harrington to provide vital information to the public, both to fill the Kapanskis in and provide reassurance. They seem to be pretending that “if we don’t acknowledge it, the bad stuff isn’t happening.”
Four years ago, crime helped Linda Tyer gain an edge on Dan Bianchi. Four years later, crime may drive her out of office.
Have a good weekend, everybody.
———————————————————————————————-
“Westerners are mean an tough. Gotta get yourself some practice. Got to get so mean and tough, you can eat a bowl of cactus” — Frankie Laine, from the album Hell Bent for Leather.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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Tyer seems to be retreating to her bunker but the walls are closing in.
Inner-city Pittsfield is a place people avoid, especially after hours. It is all kind of sad and tragic. Shootings, gangs, drugs, crime, poverty, the underclass, and do nothing political hacks. Maybe Pittsfield could market itself on its social problems. If you want to live in fear, visit inner-city Pittsfield.
If someone gave me one million dollars to walk up and down North Street at night, I would poop my pants because I would be very scared of being assaulted by criminals!
JONATHAN
You almost wouldn’t recognize the experience of inner-city Pittsfield from when you lived here. In the day, the streets are either empty, except for business types, workers at the social agencies, and street people; at night, the streets are empty except for the occasional patrol and the alphabet soup of bad actors. The sad fact remains that the powers that be are in active denial. They refuse to address the problems because to do so would admit there AARE problems. Instead, they stick to the “collaborative, vibrant, and dynamic” fiction that people pretty much recognize as a lie.
Having been shot at and my vehicle hit driving around Park Square, the cops called it vandalism and filed it. Add pk.sq. to your list.
“All you need is Love”
Love is the answer, and you know that, for sure
Love is a flower you got to let it grow”
– Mind Games
“You better get yourself together
Pretty soon you’re gonna be dead
What in the world you thinking of?
Laughing in the face of Love”
“And in the end
The Love you take
Is equal to the Love
You make”
“Love is all you need”
“Bright are the Stars that Shine
Dark is the Sky
I know this Love of mine
Will never Die”
This would seem like a time Mrs. Mazzeo would be doing some serious research on Strontium-90 and then giver her public opinion as to its future in Pittsfield. If she gets elected she will inherit the company’s oversight, issues and any backlash. She needs to address the issue.
Tyer has brought these people in so we already know how she feels about Strontium-90. Based on her lack of foresight on many other issues in the last four years I assume she is fine with it.
JA
The mayor seems to have gone mum, so it is reasonable to assume she’s OK with the S-90 issue.
I think they specifically said that they haven’t decided what they are using if anything at all about several times too. They said they’d follow any and all paperwork and safety. Seems pretty reasonable.
JOE
We disagree. It is not reasonable whatsoever to hedge by saying they “haven’t decided” on whether to use it or not. I don’t buy it at all. They budgeted 36% of the $140K for S-90, what, to NOT use it? These guys have been found out. Is this isn’t snake oil, then the sun rises in the east.
The EPA only sets acceptable levels of radiation for humans and the environment. They have zero licensing responsibility. You might as well have DoD or HUD weigh in.
For the record, I don’t know Blumin, I just know posters and bloggers on this page don’t follow through on research. Once again, prime example why Pittsfield needs an accredited economic development professional and not a bunch of local chimps pretending to be ambassadors when they only look out for themselves.
The cycle of violence had been going on in the Pitts for years but it’s certainly getting worse even though crime is down nationally. You can lead a victim to water but you can’t make ‘em drink, and neither can Chief, DA, or mayor. Problem is Tyer campaigned on crime and it’s worse now and she owns it along with her stupid photo with the has been failures that led us to the edge of the drain. As for the state police Dan why do we need troopers when we have 30 new cops Tyer is bragging about on her cardboard phony accomplishments along with 300 more jobs this autumn that ain’t happen’.
Nobody should be mayor more than 4 years. One term and done as far as I’m concerned. If the Tyer from four years ago were campaigning against the Tyer of today, she’d beat her to a pulp.
After hours downtown Pittsfield is barely safe to drive through let alone walk, and that is utterly tragic.
Us old folks remember the days when downtown was an awesome place to go. These days you have to be wearing a flak vest, packing heat, and trained in hand-to-hand combat just to take an evening stroll if you catch a movie at Beacon.
Instead of addressing the problems, we have Tyer and Squeaky La-La Land Harrington trying to move the juvenile age to 21. It’s tough when your tiny brain is occupied by unicorns and rainbows instead of common sense.
Pittsfield needs dramatic changes.
TRUTH
The problems of Pittsfield — Crime, failing schools, idiocy such as the proposed PEDA giveaway to a shaky space-cadet company dealing with — have not been addressed in these past four years, to the point where they have “jumped the rails.”
So the green city people want another poison introduced to the PEDA site.Moon Kroll White Caccamo Marchetti Persip and ex Mayor Linda Tyer and this is the reason asking questions is important.Not giving information is why Pittsfield cant move forward.Trump would be a great Pittsfield Mayor where he could do anything he want in our name and he would be offended by questions….Mayor Mazzeo will ask questions….Caccamo could care less about Allendale school and hill 78 so no problem with this.The immature CC must start to ask real aware grownup questions.
How many of the aforementioned city officials are parents and accordingly are personally and emotionally concerned with Allendale school, Hill-78 or other usual parental concerns. Krol, and he is bailing the city. Persip ? None other.
No dramatic changes will be coming to Pittsfield until all the drug abuse and drug trade is brought under control and we have leaders with common sense who will enforce the law. Saying that certain crimes for people under 21 are not going to be punished due to lack of brain development is a recipe for disaster. Allowing so-called smaller crimes leads to larger and more serious crimes. Why is that so difficult for supposedly experienced criminal experts to understand?
Bingo!!!! The broken windows model of policing work, Mayor Giuliani proved that in NYC. To bad that lazy commie pig mayor de Blasio has let everything go to shit again.
Here is a good article on the subject……
https://www.city-journal.org/html/why-we-need-broken-windows-policing-13696.html
According to these far left District Attorneys young people under 21 can’t think themselves out of a paper bag or know the difference between right and wrong and, yet, we must take their theories on climate change so seriously that we turn the country upside down.
Bombshell reporting, Dan.
Great job Alex Blumin!!
McKennon stated in the Beagle article that they “ weren’t sure if they’d use the isotope.” Right! Well- hidden info, indeed!
Where’s the Green Guy, Rinaldo Del Gallo? He fought styrofoam & plastic bags…..surely radioactive materials used by a fledgling business with no investors & no written plan regarding its use – this should be a major concern!
This EMA proposal, approved by the 4 geniuses on the CC, should be more thoroughly vetted, in detail. A radioactive BIC – just what this town needs!
Concerning the ongoing crime issue – too much collusion between the DA, Chief of Police & Mayor. Vote Tyer out!
Thanks, FRITZ. There can be no overstating (a) how the principals involved in this $140,000 request either didn’t know about the Strontium-90 or they buried it, hoping no one would catch it … (b) how the mainstream local press didn’t find it and is poo-pooing it … (c) the importance of council oversight, illustrated by Mr. Blumin’s proactive stance.
A Stop and Frisk policy would help the PPD.
OK, so you fly to China with VP dad and come home with a $1 billion-plus deal with the CHINESE GOVERNMENT?!
Your VP dad is point man for Ukraine policy, and you get a sinecure with a corrupt company at a salary of $83,333.33 a month?!
All this with no expertise or experience in these things?
And now dad wants the Dem nomination? After almost 50(!) years in Washington? At the age of 76, soon to be 77?
I guess Dems are no strangers to corruption and cash either.
Spot on, Edward! A crook with no shame! And the media is complicit in covering this up! All this info came out years ago in Peter Schweitzer’s book.
Let me correct something I wrote earlier.
On August 7, 1974, Republicans Sen. Barry Goldwater, Senate Minority Leader Hugh Scott, and House Minority Leader John Rhodes went to the White House to tell Nixon he did not have the votes in the House to prevent impeachment and did not have the votes in the Senate to stop conviction.
I had stated that Sen. Howard Baker had gone with Goldwater to the White House.
I heard on the BBC last night that after Nixon released the “Smoking Gun” tape on August 5, 1974, his support in the Senate went from 40 votes to 14.
So until August 5/6, Nixon would have survived impeachment. Only when he knew he would be convicted did he resign.
Radioactive and Psychotropic Pittsfield?
Area 51 subdivision?
Askin’ for a friend!
Incidentally, Strontium-90 is also used in electron tubes to treat eye disease. If you or a loved one has (or is) suffering from eye disease, you might have felt its treatment use at our local medical facility (BMC).
If BMC can contain its use with proper oversight (if they, in fact, possess it), then no doubt, scientists associated with EMA are qualified to carry its use (as it’s highly regulated by state and federal regulators).
I could be spitballing here, but City inspectors are far from qualified to oversee radioactive use, breakdown and breakout contamination, or accidental environmental discharging. Pittsfield’s fire department might be the closet entity to preventing an all-out radioactive spill or cloud contaminate.
No one complains about the amount of Haz-Mat materials stored and used at and by BMC, or The Home Depot, or poisonous PCB contaminates buried underground on Tyler Street and in the backyard of Allendale Elementary School – Why the uproar now? It’s an election cycle!!!
When the debate is over, slander becomes the tool of the loser – Socrates.
You missed the point. The information was not given to the public .A typical Tyer tactic of non disclosure.Mayor Mazzeo will ask questions that ex mayor tyer wont think of.
I think you are glossing over and intentionally simplifying a few points.
PCBs are catastrophic if in the environment or ingested by mammals. I’m sure most care and are in agreement on that.
Hazardous materials at gas stations, paint stores, home stores, and the hazardous materials in your home and car are also very much of concern.
You local hospitals are highly regulated, licensed, and monitored for compliance, be it for biological, radioactive, or chemical.
A test facility is a special case and requires special concern and consideration as to security, protocols, safety, remediation, disposal, and intended and unintended outcomes of testing.
Test facilities test for both the known and unknown, the intended and anticipated and the unanticipated.
Strontium-90 emits beta particles that when they interact with aluminum can create “secondary” radiation, like the more dangerous Gamma radiation, known bremsstrahlung.
In hospitals you are dealing with know doses of radiation, in very controlled environments. In testing, it’s controlled and known quantities of input radiation but you are testing for unknown outputs and potentially unknown outcomes.
I’m less worried about the Strontium-90 than the outcomes of the experiments and the containment of failures or fires.
I’m also concerned by the design of the test chamber based on their parts list. It’s missing a lot of information and parts unless they are bringing equipment from another location.
If this is the sum total of their chamber equipment, they are not going to test anything.
Socrates would have complimented you being charming, and clever, too.
Yes, BMC uses Strontium, so we must agree that the differences include, BMC owns its building and has licenses for the product. Whereas, EMA will lease, does not have a license, and may purchase A larger inventory. If the city can establish that EMA’s credentials, building ownership, and quantities and storage means are equivalent to BMC, we can agree that the two are alike.
I don’t know which aisles you a shopping at Home Depot, so can’t comment on that. Unless its Roundup, if so, it’s not restricted by EPA. I agree that slander is the lowest level of argumentation. Second to that is sarcasm.
So where do l find the Strontium 90 at Home Depot? Is it next to the uranium and plutonium?
Hi Dan,
On page 34 of the September 24th City Council packet, the Bill of Material lists $50,000 for 1 “unknown quantity”of Strontium 90.
https://www.cityofpittsfield.org/government/city_council/docs/cc_packer_9_24_19.pdf
I thank Dr. Kronick for pointing it out at last night’s meeting. It was in the packet all along and I missed it. Apparently the Council subcommittee and the Community Development team missed it too.
Then the EMA representative come to the podium and said that he may or may not be using S-90. If that is the case, what other materials listed in EMA’s Bill of Material, for which we are contributing $140k, may or may not be used?
Hey, I am all for economic development, but I want facts and transparency. Director Ruffer stated last night that her team reviewed the financials and deemed the company viable, but would not provide the information to the public. If they missed purchasing radioactive material and needed a private citizen to point it out, what else is missed in the financials?
MARK
Dr. Kronick deserves accolades for his “catch” last night. It’s amazing, though, that neither Ruffer, the mayor’s team, nor anyone so rah-rah about rushing this forward noticed $50Gs for “strontium-90.” Not chump change, exactly, but exactly 35.71428% of the Space Cadets’ request of taxpayer money. AND NO ONE CAUGHT THAT??? This illustrates how closely the offices of Community Development, Michael “Cloaking Device” Coakley, the mayor, and the council’s economic development committee looked at this. There is only one reasonable answer, only one warranted by he facts: Turn down this request, councilors. Or else.
Reply to Mark Tully–Bravo! Nicely said!
Wow.
Is it amazing someone in politics read the minutes? Or that Pittsfield is buying radioactive isotopes. I don’t know anything about that sort thing – how to dispose of it. But it seems like a giant boondoggle.
Linda and BIC seem to like this idea of themselves as some sort of venture capital organization. I don’t seem to read of anyone involved in BIC who has any experience in innovation or entrepreneurial success. We don’t have the skills in our City Government for such investment and more money will be poured down the drain.
Here is a little tidbit about Strontium-90, it can be inhaled, but ingestion in food and water is the greatest health concern. Once in the body, Sr-90 acts like calcium and is readily incorporated into bones and teeth, where it can cause cancers of the bone, bone marrow, and soft tissues around the bone.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Strontium-90
You would figure after the toxic dump GE left Pittsfield in, and GE is an established company. These guys? A start up company dealing with nuclear waste in Pittsfield… What could possibly go wrong?
Now, as far as the latest shooting goes, Mayor Tyer has failed terribly. She blasted the former mayor when she ran last time, so MM is 100% correct. She only has to look in the mirror this time.
Mike Wynn is a good man, but a terrible police chief. If you ask officers in PPD who have been around, Wynn has very little “street experience,” dealing with crime. He’ll fill your ears with studies, scholarly articles, about policing, but the proof is in the pudding. Pittsfield is has become the Holyoke of the Berkshires.
He runs the department, when he’s not on a side-job: teaching college, teaching at police academies, writing management books on policing; as if Pittsfield is Dalton PD. Wynn has his people, (also those who couldn’t catch a cold, much less a criminal) hidden in jobs like “Training.” Does a less than 90 member police department need a dedicated “training officer?” But, peel back the onion layer, this training officer also further’s Wynn’s training side-gig. They both make a little side money, while the city has become the OK Corral.
Another thought, end Cops and Cones, or whatever the latest and greatest name it’s called now. Not here to slander Officer Derby. He means well and his intentions are top-shelf, but again, this isn’t Dalton. And for those who’ll say it “builds trust,” between the community and police. I’ll ask, how helpful has (a) those 4-5 year-olds been solving crime, (b) last two shootings the neighborhoods have been unhelpful, (c) Derby is needed on patrol.
MM is correct. Chief Wynn could call MSP and ask for help with their CAT Team (Community Action Team). This is a two-fold problem in Pittsfield. First, MSP CAT Team is a zero tolerance, very proactive group of officers. Here’s the problem: (1) Getting motivated officers on PPD to participate is hard. Most work road jobs and would rather disappear on shift and if the radio doesn’t bother them, they get paid to sleep in their cruisers. **OT should be an incentive for a job well done, not their primary source of income. (2) DA Squeaky won’t like the results. Many of those arrested by the CAT Team will be young black and brown skinned males, for gun and drug charges.
I swear, the content reported on this site just gets more and more unbelievable and entertaining.
This EMA proposal is Da Bomb!!!!
Seriously though, is the creation of two jobs, with one additional employee added per year until 2023 really a driving economic force? What a load of crap.
Anyone know what the status of their SBIR grant proposal is/was? Was that awarded?
I feel that this business with its Strontium-90 should be moved to Hill 78 next to the school where dangerous chemicals are already allowed.
Dan,
the “cycle of violence” has beein going on in The Pitts for years, but Tyer owns the problem now since she’s been at the helm, at least on paper, for almost 4 years, and campained on crime, and evicerated her opponent over it, and suggested his hiring of a crime analyst was wasteful, yet she wasted money on shitspotter, and crime is worse now that it was 4 years ago. You can lead a victim to water, but you can’t make ’em drink, and neither can mayor, chief, or DA. Neither can they, nor shotspooter, stop the shootings, and neither can the troopers or the sherriffs. The city is too far gone, let go too long, irioncially, by the failed leaders Tyer paraded out for the stupid photo op. Only an idiot would vote for 4 more years of that non-sense. Most of these “victims” are in the game, and won’t cooperate with the investigations. And why do we need the troopers and the sherriff’s department when according to Tyer’s campaign cardboard, she added 30 new police officers, along with 300 other jobs coming this season?
Mazzeo doesn’t have the answer either, but she ain’t Tyer. 4 years is enough for any one person to be mayor, and when city went to 4 years, it should’ve been a one term limit. If the Tyer of 4 years ago were campaiging today, against the current Tyer, she would pound her into next week. Tyer failed as a mayor, unfortunately. NEXT!!!!
Extremely well articulated. I am sure her puppet masters are mostly to blame but she allowed them to manipulate her. The buck stops with her.
Hopefully Mazzeo will not allow herself to be dictated to by the special interests running her campaign because, for sure, their interests do not necessarily align with those of the taxpayers. We need budget choppers and cost savers and waste preventers.
Johnny,
Thanks. Glad you appreciate my articulation.
As soon as I tuned into the Economic Development meeting last night and saw the Councilors involved, I knew they would approve. Moonbeam stated several times that she was “NOT TECHNICAL” and did not understand. She also stated she couldn’t “READ HER OWN NOTES”. How can you vote on something you don’t understand? Wouldn’t it be more mature to state she needed to research more? Krol is leaving the area so he could care less. Persip stares at the table and can never look anyone in the eye when speaking, what is he afraid off? Caccamo was just excited to be sitting in the big chair, he never speaks, never has and never will. I suggest that these Councilors along with the Mayor, Deanna and Mr. McKennon with his shark hair and his partner Greg dive into Silver Lake and see how they feel when they get out from the poison that has already been left in Pittsfield. For a few minutes while watching I thought I was watching a rerun of The Big Bang Theory. Has anyone checked to see if you can put a company that deals with radiation (is McKennon going to wait to get the money and then use this material) on this property? I find it hard to believe his comment that he is not sure what he is going to use! I do appreciate the citizens that came forward to help protect the residents of Pittsfield. Isn’t this what our elected officials are suppose to be doing?
M&B
It is almost unbelievable, what took place at the economic development committee meeting last night. The councilors, as Moon admitted, do not understand this, yet, they vote on a recommendation to the full group. Let me change that first phrase. It isn’t “almost” unbelievable. It I-S unbelievable.
https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/at-simons-rock-mixed-messages-confound,586482?
So now there’s a “massive racism crisis” at Bard College because “a student of color” reported being attacked and knocked unconscious last Friday, and dragged into the woods. This “followed multiple instances of the appearance of the “N-word”, written on a chalkboard in the student union, including one instance reported by the alleged assault victim, and even though the DA spokesperson reported that the office has no leads on nor a description of an assailant, the “possibility of a hate crime also triggered a notification to the U.S. Attorney’s Office”, even though there is no evidence the motive for the assault was racially based. What????
So now there is a “massive investigation underway” and because of the “potential racial component,” detectives are conducting an investigation that includes requested surveillance footage and forensic testing. Nice to know the cops will go the extra mile for a person of color. So the scared administration gives the snowflakes a week off, and caves to the demands of the Black Student Union, which include “cultural competency training and hiring to bring more faculty of color to this campus.”
The DA spokesperson said the investigation “includes the nature of the original complaint as well as potential motivations behind the reported assault.”
Let’s hope the DA and the town has the gonads to sue for all the money being spent on this investigation, if it turns out to be another SMOLLETT.
JOE
My instincts suggest an over-reaction here at one end, a full-blown Tawana-Brawley-Smollett at the other. If it’s a white student, it doesn’t rate a peep. Simon’s Rock has been overrun by snowflakes. “Cultural competency” is the equivalent of North Korea’s “cultural education” for political prisoners.
Supposedly this woman of color was “targeted” because of her vocal opposition and pushback over n-word scrawlings on a community chalkboard and a poorly executed swastika carved in bathroom stall and on a bench. If this woman was targeted, knocked unconscious, dragged into the woods and stabbed because she opposed some chalk drawings, that seems like a HUGE escalation of force over something that just recently started happening. She’s super lucky she wasn’t killed. It’s also curious that she was in and out of the hospital so quickly, having been knocked unconscious and stabbed. She’s lucky she wasn’t killed, as there was, motive and opportunity. Knocking someone out and dragging them dozens of yards and stabbing them is some serious stuff.
OR
It’s somewhat reminiscent of Smollett and Brawley and Amari Allen.
Smollett: some writings that didn’t get traction escalating into an all out assault.
Brawley: a woman of color knocked unconscious, violated, but showing only superficial signs of actually being assaulted.
Allen: cut her own dreadlocks and blamed it on three white boys in her class. In the rush to support her and blame the other children, adults ignored all the signs it was fake from the beginning. Somehow she is still a victim and should be afforded privacy when the three boys were called out to be exposed and public ally shamed.
In all they were crafted to draw media attention, with the right trigger words and descriptions.
Why isn’t there a description of the attacker?
Why would one of the demands of the students, in the race of this extremely violent attack be to pay for and hire a cultural competency coach and “to bring more faculty of color to this campus.”
Those are EXTREMELY long range goals to counter an imminent threat. I’m pretty sure a person willing to knock out a person over her race and assault someone due to racial motivations wont be swayed by a cultural competency coach.
I’d think they’d ask for lots mor security, escorts, and smartly they did ask for cameras and emergency dispatch systems, but to tag in hiring more faculty of color, it all seems so calculated. What next, is Shirley Edgerton going to lead the training?
Thanks, PR, for this insight.
Wayne Lo
A simple solution to this, is make the “victim,” sign a sworn statement of facts, and make sure that he/she is aware of perjury and seriousness of a conviction.
Next, explain to the “victim,” that because a white man/male disagrees with them, contrary to the Kamala Harris and Pocahontas, this is not racism. It’s called a disagreement.
Now creating a tall-tale, such as: two white guys purposely seeking out a black man to beat in Arctic-like conditions, or the three white school boys who cut off the dreadlocks of the young black female (in fairness to her parents, they did own, so kudos to them), etc, is a criminal offense.
Not to mention, I remember my parents reading me the “Boy who cried wolf,” when I was a kid and explaining what it meant.
Police Report,
Great idea – let’s hope Egarton is one of the new people of color hires one less useless position in our school department.
I’m pretty sure Shirley Edgerton can milk any number of institutions for her “expertise”.
PR
It’s the one gift Shirl has in abundance, milking for all she can get by expert handling of the race card.
Yes, the High Commisar of Cultural Competence and Ideological Purity for Our Public Schools. How did we ever get along without this busybody?
you are more likely to see a Nazi spacecraft from planet KKK landing in those woods than than Harrington enforce the law
I’ve read the proposal by EMA and have a few concerns.
Is the BIC a building that is purpose built for this type of testing chamber?
Is it shielded? Does it have independent dry chemical fire suppression? Does it have a containment building? Or is it at least in the basement of this facility with shielding?
If the BIC facility isn’t purpose built, they shouldn’t be in that BIC.
Reading the overview of testing, yes they will have to use Strontium-90 for testing, they need to simulate both cosmic and ionizing radiation and the effects of space on analogs in a chamber. There’s really no other way. They do have a number of electron guns as well which would further support their desire to simulate full space effects.
When buying Strontium-90 it’s sold based on uCi, it will tun about $60-$80 per 0.1uCi, they are buying a decent amount if their constellation cost is $50k. A constellation is a term for a source or unit source. Sometimes they are built in an alignment chamber or transportation chamber, or just in disks. I would assume they are getting calibrated samples of a specific design.
What they are planning on doing isn’t particularly unique, they are building a test chamber to simulate the effects of space on products and materials and to see how they interact.
They are doing this to create computer models and simulations and validate those computer models via real life simulation.
As to the quote, some of the numbers are off and don’t make sense. They have a WavePro 4040HD listed, I’m familiar with the WavePro 404HD and the 404HD-MS. It is about $30 to $10k cheaper. It doesn’t seem correct unless there’s a typo.
They also don’t list what level clean room or if it’s modular or permanent. Air scavenge systems alone for clean rooms are generally more than their entire clean room cost.
Are they planning on building this is phases?
My professional opinion is that there’s a very large portion of this information missing or that the people proposing this to EMA and Pittsfield don’t know how to build a test chamber and what is required. EMA should go back to its vendor for a requote because there are lots of errors.
MHD
I can’t thank you enough for your highly qualified take on this. Your comment may be the most important yet or to come in this debate, which has now taken a more ominous turn due to the S-90 revelation, the fact that the city did not mention it, and the even more disturbing probability that the company deliberately hid it. I would encourage you to keep us in posted as we go along.
You guys are just looking to make this political and seem like a scandal.Just wow. You are all wholly unqualified to even discuss any of the technical aspects of the chamber. The $140k is towards the chamber itself, not the sources. If you read half as well as you claim to, you’ll see the STAINLESS STEEL (not Al) chamber and pumps costs a lot more than any of the sources of measurement equipment. Keep spinning it however you like, though. The echo chamber here loves it. Dan only applauds things that support his hate blog here.
Also, budget estimates, when they still have additional chamber design to do are so that there is a conservative but reasonable allotment so that the cost is somewhat accounted for. I don’t trust a word from anyone in here that looks at a parts list and thinks it isn’t going to work. You need to evacuate the chamber and control temperature with pumps. You need sources to fire particles, and you need chamber modifications to attach them. Given that this is a capital request, those chamber modifications wouldn’t show up here.
Also, it’s wildly illegal to possess or use radioactive material without permits. They stated that their strontium sources have an activity of 100mCi and that these designs are already in use at other locations. It would seem that since Greg has built these before, they have working ones to base it off, and they are qualified to do this, that even some benefit of the doubt should be given to them. They’re undertaking a massive expense on their part.
You guys should be ashamed for making this political. They have no affiliation to mayor Tyer other than poor timing. Let’s go name calling and continue to drive business away from the city so that everyone moves away and it sucks even more than it already does. If you aren’t going to be supportive of legitimate businesses doing new and legitimate work, than you’re only here to complain.
Dan doesn’t even live in Pittsfield.
JOE
We appreciate the feedback. Alternate views are always welcome on THE PLANET. If EMA is legitimate, “doing new and legitimate work,” the vetting will prove that. As such, the questions will have done the opposite of what you say.
So, I guess we should trust our vibrant and dynamic leaders who only care about Pittsfield and those who are the recipients of their largess. Yes, bloggers how dare we ask questions and express concerns that we expect those who represent us to address but do not. If past performance indicates future results, then how can we not be skeptical?
Why isn’t EMA financing their own operation? They will get a tax break – to me that’s a big enough break for the size of the “empire” being discussed.
Why should the city fork over $140,000 for 4 new jobs?
Legitimate questions & concerns expressed on this blog, “Joe.”
Looks like the discussion hit a nerve!
Go finance your own pie in the sky,
I have an undergrad in Physics (BS), a Masters in Nuclear & Particle Physics, and an MD (radiologist) with a PhD in Radiobiologic Modeling. I’ve spent 12 years working for NASA examining the impacts of cosmic radiation on astronauts, equivalent analogs, and equipment.
I’ve worked at facilities that have dozens of these types of test chambers, at NASA, at universities, and at my present employer, a defense contractor.
Not once have I seen one of these just placed in an office building. They are placed in either specially built mobile containment buildings or in specifically designed permanent facilities. These facilities are designed to contain errant particles and, in the case of a fire, contain all radioactive fallout and effluence. If that is what the BIC is, then I don’t have a problem. I will say that the equipment listed and the prices make no sense. I understand ”budget numbers” but these are so far off, they are either lying or don’t know what they are buying. Since the city is expecting to secure payment against these items in the event of a failure of the business, they can’t because the numbers are so wrong.
I teach E&M at a university and have also been to the facilities mentioned here, but haven’t used them and I disagree on your points. If they are building a constellation with multiple sources, and the sources include installation and mods for mounting the prices are not far off.
I disagree.
Constellation: they say they are not sure if they are even going to use it. It’s a $50k cost. At the capacity it seems about right, but they can’t say they might not use it, the alternatives would be 3-4x more expensive or their testing would not be valid at all.
Also the pricing can vary greatly based on the calibration, if actually expect the sample to be much more based on output and the need for mfg and calibration for the type of testing they propose.
They list the 4040HD as a single unit. There is no such thing as a 4040HD, there is a 404HD and it’s $39k retail and more likely $30k. There is the 404HD-MS, $45k, the 604 $54k and the 804 in the mid $60s.
There are a number of other errors but the largest would be the facilities cost. Unless they are planning on spending easily a million or more dollars on facilities upfits or they are going to attach a modular clean room and test housing to the outside of the building, this chamber is not viable. It’s completely irresponsible to put a test chamber that uses Strontium-90 in that quantity in a non-specialized facility. If I understand the BIC, it’s an office building, with shared office and maker space.
Either EMA and it’s team have never built a chamber like this or they’ve built them in facilities that were already designed to accommodate chambers.
More of a concern is with the lack of detail, and the fact they are missing about $200-500k worth of equipment to actually make this operational. I understand it’s “budget numbers” but these are very wrong.
MHD
We talked to a couple of people involved with the design and construction of the BIC. They say it’s pretty much a “standard, office-building type shell” that can be “built to suit” on the inside. There is NO SPECIFICATION for the type of unit close to a test chamber that you describe. Help us with the science here and correct me if I’m wrong, but it looks like they have proposed using Sr-90 in testing in a facility without the proper safeguards. Is that a reasonable interpretation?
The quick answer to your question, as described in the minimal literature the proposal is very unsafe. There isn’t a a reason or way this type of chamber can be put into a shared office space as described. The design of the facility that houses the chamber is as important as the design of the chamber itself.
I can’t really speak to what the BIC is designed to. From what I have been able to discern it was intended to have a lot of “additive manufacturing” (whatever that is). So it seems like there was at least some discussion of non-office capabilities, but who knows what the BIC is actually doing. Don’t disagree with you at all there.
A clean room probably isn’t necessary. At the Marshall facility they don’t have a clean room. Maybe it’s just a plastic sheeting type deal with a vent? Not sure if ISO level 7 or anything would do much.
You can certainly use Cobalt-60, a betatron, and a handful of other techniques (free electron lasers, etc.) to produce higher energy particles. Depends what they need for energy. I am pretty sure, looking at the council documents that most of the focus right now is on the chamber itself. The pumps are insanely expensive for such a chamber to control temperature and everything plus vacuum. From everything we have seen so far I’m just tempted to side more towards these guys knowing what they are doing, especially if they’re getting support from places already doing this sort of thing. Maybe some of the “stuff” they are going to make and are chalking it up to labor? Who knows.
MHD you should send them your resume so you can make sure it works. I just think that getting something better than a call center, if it works, is such a great thing for the city. It seems like EMA has a fair amount of money to invest in addition to the capital, and if they are so good in this industry, I would hope that they have a handle on things. But who knows, I guess we will see. I just don’t like folks putting in effort getting bashed by people who don’t know things or show up to meetings.
Thank you, JOE, for your input.
I certainly wouldn’t want a job at their pay scale, since I’ve moved over to the private sector I earn more now than their entire office combined. That’s not to brag but it may be a bit of “you get what you pay for”.
Which leads me to another issue, they are going to average $60k for 6 employees. That’s woefully underpaid in this industry. A lead scientist in space effects entry salary with a PhD ranges $130k-$170k.
The salaries that they are quoting would be team recognition salary. Even if they have two scientists at $100k each, that leaves $100k for four employees.
Even their pay structure makes no sense for what they are asserting.
Dan,
Does anyone know the type and conditioning building has for power and HVAC? In the equation I don’t see a battery plant and generator or HVAC so I’m assuming the building is set up for that?
These tests run from days to months, a loss of power can invalidate thousands of hours of testing and be dangerous.
I just have to say it seems like the vendor for EMA and Pittsfield is making a lot of assumptions on the support equipment and facilities the BIC is providing. If EMA has another facility in Pittsfield maybe they are staging the initial build at the BIC to get the tax money and then plan to move it?
Joe,
As to a clean room, I’ve never seen a space test chamber of this type not have a clean room for at least staging and often another one for de-staging. It would make testing extremely difficult not to prep materials in a clean room.
MDH
I am sure there’s an answer to your question about power. The hard part will be finding it. The city has been stonewalling attempts to find out more information. I can ask my sources, a couple of whom were involved in the design and buildout. I’m reasonably sure there’s no battery plant. Let’s hope we can an answer. Meanwhile, MDH, THE PLANET on behalf of its readers and the citizens of Pittsfield thank you for your vital and QUALIFIED contributions to this discussion. You obviously know the science and technology involved here, unlike the mayor, the director of community development, the city’s director of business development, or the city councilors who foolishly voted to OK the request, not having a clue as to what they were doing or understanding the real and apparent dangers of this proposal. There can be no understating the importance of defeating this request from the mayor on behalf of EMA. If EMA wants to pursue this, and if its such a great idea, private equity nd venture capital should be easy to secure.
Bravo, Dan, on your comments.
Financing should be found elsewhere.
The four CC boobs who approved & passed this proposal should be tarred & feathered. Hopefully the smarter councilors on the CC will vote this down.
So much knowledge in your post. Yes, we could imagine from experience that the City would immediately be expected to pay more money. And that the real cost would be obscured.
I don’t think anything in this post is overtly political and MHD sounds like the most informed about what is involved in a space chamber. This reinforces my belief that the City shouldn’t be involved in these investments. No one in our city government knows enough to evaluate these kinds of proposals and they or the public will have the short straw in the end.
Dear Hellen and Earl.
He may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot but don’t let that fool you. He really is an idiot.
Groucho Marx
Dan, I seem to remember two or three fake hate crimes at Williams over the last thirty or so years. Is my memory accurate?
MILES
I don’t recall, to be honest.
If Helen Moon came right out and said she did not understand what she was reading and then went ahead and voted the way the mayor wanted her to she should be ashamed and apologize to the people of Pittsfield.
How can anyone in Ward one vote for someone so careless and unprepared? She could have, like others, voted to table it till they had a better idea of what they were dealing with but instead rubber stamped it as instructed. How sad is that Helen? How sad is that?
Johnny,
You’ll have to excuse Helen. She had more important matters brush up on.
Matters such as: Should yoga be held at 10AM or 11AM? Should she add meat to the cheese plate, or will this offend Vegans? And more importantly, how can the DA out do Rachael Rollins, in undoing what good work the police have done?
Although, DA Squeaky just had a judge dismiss a murder case, without the defense putting up and defense? I guess that’s the same as throwing a no-hitter, but still losing 1-0 on a couple of walks or errors.
So, in the prestigious battle for the honor of the “Judge Free’um Freddie Rutburg Award,” DA Harrington has pulled ahead by Rollins by a long stretch. Rollins stated she’d give shoplifters and junkies a pass. Harrington not one to back away from trying to furthering her political career, said let shoplifters go? We let murderers go.
So, Harrington out Rachael’ed Rachael. And who says we’re not smart out here.
Markus
The murder Case fabricated was -built on perjured testimony of the previous administration,Yarlono is a holdover, and known liar. Judges don’t believe a word he says or his Witnesses, the only mistake Harringtons is responsible for is his continued employment
That’s ridiculous. Harrington fired the senior superior court prosecutors. Her foot dragging for 9 months due to incompetence lost the witness testimony and the case and everyone knows it.
Moon and the the others are very immature so much so this vote would have been tabled by a more qualified CC…Marchetti needs to show some intelligence. Thanks Mayor Mazzeo for asking questions and this is a great example why questions in this town are limited.What a gift that you persist in getting all information on the table so our immature council can get informed .
If the people that are on the economic council do not understand what they are reading, why don’t they consult with experts in the field? How can they approve something they don’t understand?
It is fiscally irresponsible and potentially dangerous.
MHD
Spot on. “It is fiscally irresponsible and potentially dangerous.” To which I would add: “It is Pittsfield.”
MDH, I totally agree. If I was on the council I couldn’t vote on such an issue. I would have to consult with someone who could explain what this outfit is even planning on doing. Let’s face it, like Clint Eastwood said ” a man has to know his limitations”.
Our economy is on fire. Thank you President Trump!!!! Anybody should be able to find a job in this economy. Berkshire County is the exception, however, since we haven’t had an economy here for years. I was able to find a good job though thanks to President Trump!!! You still have to work really hard to find a job in Berkshire County, but the rest of the country is on fire. Lowest unemployment numbers in 50 years….since the moon landing.
Thanks Obama for our economy.
https://youtu.be/AqzoO-Hu1mk
The only thing we can thank Obama for is starting the war on cops in America. Obama was a rotten president, and you’re an ignorant man for crediting Obama for Trumps economy.
Agree Pat,God Bless our President. And please vote Patrick Kavey in Ward Six
Exhibit A, above –
A typical clueless Pittsfield voter.
PATRICK IS RUNNING FOR WARD 5! Wake up!
scary
Bernie Sanders is done. He had a heart attack.
Bernie shouldn’t have been running at his age, same for Biden, who I said months ago is toast, same for Granny Effin Warren. The only one running in their 70’s who is still sharp as a tack is Trump
Sharp as a tack for sure. He demonstrated that by openly asking China to interfere in our presidential election. He has pretty much set fire to our constitution and burned it on the Lincoln mall
Oh yea? Then why don’t dems vote to impeach tomorrow?
So let’s go with the standard government contractor scam — the same one that’s SOP in Berkshire County for these past 75 years: Under-capitalized Hotshot comes to town with compelling song-and-dance. Persuades gullible GOBs and state/fed honchos to grant boku bucks so Hotshot can set-up shop. Hotshot hires locals to satisfy the minimum requirements of the grant. Soon enough, Chapter 11.
Who pays for the $Billion clean-up of mishandled Strontium-90 that somehow leaked into the Housatonic? Not to mention the new set of radiation-induced Cancer Clusters downstream from Hotshot’s now-defunct HQ (which of course add to clusters already present around Silver Lake).
Aw shucks Heller, we can always send Doyle and Hickey to get us a great selttlement, should that happen. Don’t be so negative! Don’t you know vibrant, dynamic, and collaborative when you see it? Didn’t you hear, NASA is coming to town. You better not pout, you better not cry, you better not shout I’m telling you why, cuz NASA man is coming, to town…. How dare you people question this.
The girls are on channel 12 g b y debating the issues? Great timing.12 @ m
Parker,Bootz? I saw some Pat Kavey signs in Ward Six,maybe your confused but agree send this bozo Lo Lo the clown back to his family
Who saw the debate on wgby? Wow, Tyer has become a very bitter woman. That’s what happens when you screw up for four years and you know you’re going to loose. Don’t worry linda Doyle and Lee have a barstool picked out for you.
I watched it. I was really taken aback when Tyer suddenly had an “off-her-meds” moment and went off on a random tangent about the water treatment plant.
(Figurative language, I’m not suggesting she uses medication to stabilize her mind or behavior)
The off topic “pivot” as she called it was surprising enough, but combined with the vehemence in her voice it just made for a very confusing, awkward moment.
As I recall Mazzeo wanted to explore a cheaper and more effective option but Tyer for some unknown reason was committed to spending big bucks. Is anyone out in planet land dumb enough to think Tyer or Turocy have the technical knowledge to make an informed decision about the water or sewer plants? The Saturday Live guy who lived in a van down by the river knew more than Tyer.
Yes I think that’s Mazzeo’s position. She wants to go back to the feds and find out what the current regulations really are.
Since the saga has dragged out for 10 years, the guidance/requirements of 2009 may very well be inaccurate.
It makes no sense to approve an expense (especially that much money) on an outdated requirement.
Good points here. Yes, Melissa Mazzeo is correct wanting to know, in actuality, what the current EPA requirements are with respect to this water/sewer saga. As you say, PHIL, a lot has changed in 10 years, particularly at the EPA under President Trump. I would also add that Pittsfield never presented a proper case with respect to the (then) new regs. The case was rejected out of hand (that is, never heard) because the documentation was so sloppy.
From the debate it sounds like she did it to take part in the Trump “resistance”…I guess after the plan to make Pittsfield a Muslim center fell through she needed to cling to something. This is what not being fit for office really looks like
Phil, what were the highlights re: crime?
You can watch it here.
https://connectingpoint.wgby.org/livestream/
It’s no more than 30 minutes. Each question was given a one minute response by each candidate and 30 second rebuttals by each. So it wasn’t really too in depth.
Re: crime
MM: We need to reassess at how our resources are allocated and make changes to better utilize our resources right now. Ask for help from State Police and Sheriff’s Office.
LT: We have a wonderful Police Force, and already strong collaborations with MSP, the sheriff, the drug task force, etc that work hard every day to keep our city safe.
Thanks Phil
It really does seem like MM is running away with this in a landslide. It’s clear what we have now is a disaster and Tyer just thinks we need more of the same. It’s not a sign of weakness to admit you’re wrong or need a new approach and she just won’t do that. Hoping if MM gets in she stays with her current plans as I like them personally.
JOE
At this point, there is no runaway. If the election were held tomorrow, it would be close. That said, the past week has been a near train-wreck for Tyer. Meanwhile, Mazzeo has jumped in with strategic shots, here and there. Our guess is that there will be a barrage in the final two weeks of the campaign.
The good news is….Larry Kratka wasn’t the moderator!
No children are allowed to play in Mayor Tyers neighborhood where street lights are set to low and tree limbs block the lights.We need to light up the hood.Mayor Tyer has not cut one tree limb in the hood for safety and she refuses to light it up. Tyer wont ask questions of her department heads. Scandle…how did highway department head not report to the Mayor that 3 million over budget in snow removal…..there has to be Much more to this story.Please ask her about it.
It’s appropriate that Tyer wore all black.
What bothers me most in all this is the secrecy. You mean no one from the city (Ruffer, Mayor Tyer) knew about Strontium90? Also the mayor’s silence on the Parker Street shooting.
Looks like Mazzeo has her on the run and gone into hiding. Will she duck debates too?
https://connectingpoint.wgby.org/livestream/
Strontium-90 is a nasty radioactive element. Beta emitter and half life of ~29 years. Mimics calcium if ingested and gets incorporated into bone and teeth, where it induces cancer/tumors.
Mayor and city council should educate themselves and shelf any proposed PEDA money giveaways, to a less than forthcoming corporation that will have minimal, if any, economic benefits.
For, FOUR jobs Ms Tyer/Councilors?
Tyer is a Pittsfield tumor.
The CIA whistler blower is a Berkshire resident.
He’s worked for the CIA, DIA, DSS, and was any Army Intelligence officer.
Did he invent baseball in 1791?
During last nights debate Tyer said if you vote for her you’ll get four more years of the same. GOD help us.
Thank you to those above for posting the connection to last nights debate. Just finished watching it. Why was Lovely Linda bouncing in her seat through the whole show? She seemed like she was a nervous wreck, where Melissa seemed very relaxed. I also could not believe how she just changed the subject to talk about the waste water treatment plant, very strange behavior. Also, she keeps stating that she hired 30 new police officers. She doesn’t seem to want to let the taxpayers know how many of these new officers have quit to go to another police force, how many officer retired, how many are on long term disability, how many are on the short term injury list. Also, where are these 400 jobs she created, does she have a list? How many of the so called jobs are full-time with benefits? In watching the debate one thing I did realize is why she and Justin McKennon get along so well, they both suffer from a disease, it is called ” I Disease”. In order for things to change we need teamwork!
Damn straight Merry,
Her cardboard accomplishments claim over 400 jobs, including 30 new cops, and 300 wayfair this season. Both lies. Wayfair will be lucky to hire. 2 dozen this autumn, and police haven’t added even close to 30:to their total – by far this number is from attrition? So how many actual,additional positions are there and how many chiefs and how many Indians?
Mazzeo need to start talking about lower tax burden and school consolidation or I will vote Tyer.Lower taxes Melissa
I assume this blog is required reading for every city official but if not it should be. And based on what MHD and others have said I think it would be prudent to table any further forward movement of this funding for EMA outfit. Obviously much more information from knowledgeable people needs to come before the city council.
To approve using public or taxpayer money for this would be irresponsible and border on just plain stupid. If your counselor votes to go forward with this they do not deserve your vote.
What this blog seems to overlook is the powers that be have to get someone in that building as soon as possible. $14,000,000 have been spent on this boondoggle and they know they better get somebody in there. EMA pops up with a promise of 6 jobs paying an average of 60 grand and says we’ll play if you give us $140,000 and no taxes for 5 years. If in 2024 they’re somehow still here its a sure bet they’ll be back for more.
THOMAS
Good point. The longer it goes without tenants, the more desperate the city will become. Desperation + plus the track record with PEDA giveaways will tend to attract carpetbaggers as opposed to economic development.
This may be semantics but the wording for the “job salaries” is a minimum of $60k, not an average.
“EMA plans to include an initial capital investment of $600,000 and the creation of six new jobs with the average salary of $60,000 a year,” said Tyer. “We are also actively working with EMA and the Berkshire Innovation Center to locate them right here at the Berkshire Innovation Center on the William Stanley Business Park.”
https://www.wamc.org/post/space-industry-company-eyes-pittsfield-location
Tyer said the city and its Red Carpet Team have been in contact with EMA for some time now and that they are prepared to bring an initial capital investment of $600,000 and six new jobs with average salaries of $60,000.
https://www.iberkshires.com/story/60856/Space-Related-Company-Eyes-BIC-for-Testing-Center.html
In addition to the two initial staff members, the company anticipates adding one new employee per year to this location for the next four years. Thisstaffwillconsistofamix of scientists and technicians with an average starting salary of $60,000 plus benefits.
Average starting salary can still men there are people making more and some making less, by a lot!
https://www.cityofpittsfield.org/government/city_council/docs/cc_packer_9_24_19.pdf
For a guy that doesn’t work in this spacely sprockets industry, hasn’t built a spacely test chamber and doesn’t use them you are one heck of a cheerleader of misinformation and half truths.
Makes ya go hmmmmm
6 employees
1 @ $100k
1 @ $ 80k
4 @ $ 45k
Average starting salary $60k
6 employees
1 @ $120k
1 @ $100k
4 @ $ 35k
Average starting salary $60k
Nothing in the documentation anywhere says minimum starting salary. It says average starting salary, and the fully admin that two positions are entry level administrative. Are they going to pay everyone $60k no matter their position, nope.
Another discussion with members of law enforcement. More expressions of disgust and distrust for Squeaky Harrington.
Forget the ass-kissing head honchos in law enforcement. Go talk to the guys who actually track down the perps and ask them what they think and feel about the state of the DA’s office.
NOT GOOD!
That same general sentiment can be seen in the rank-and-file of the PPD. Little or no faith in the bosses.
While I understand some people may want change, Mazzeo is not the answer and I’d rather see the incumbent Mayor be re-elected. Candidate Mazzeo does nothing but point the finger, which is easy for anyone to do. So far the “platform” is very empty. She certainly can ask questions, and lots of them, but even those questions are lackluster. I say re-elect Tyer. We don’t need change simply for the sake of change.
Additionally, if anyone, especially a Mayoral campaign, is taking Alexander Blumin’s candidacy seriously, then I’m the one who has a lot of questions. Yikes..
Yes Melissa does ask questions, she researches issues before voting for them and if she doesn’t understand she keeps questioning. Tyer does not do this, just like her little ducklings Moon, Krol, Persip & Caccamo did the other night at the Economic Development meeting about the space chamber. They all should be ashamed of themselves and seem to have forgotten that they were elected to work for all the taxpayers. You can’t tell me that they didn’t push that through to make Tyer look good before the election even though many unanswered questions were still hanging out waiting for very important answers. Pittsfield can NOT afford another 4 years of stupid un-researched expensive decisions. Also, Melissa can speak and stand up for herself, she doesn’t have her husband telling her everything she needs to do and say. Lovely Linda had four years and she did not succeed. Melissa does ask a lot of questions, but she also does listen to the taxpayers and she doesn’t ignore issues or lie about them. Tyer had her chance, she has failed and she knows it as it showed in the debates by her defensive snarky attitude.
Persip, White, Marchetti, Yuki Cohen. What a bunch of Gobsig clowns. They are what’s wrong with the council. White and Persip are a waste of blood. Two bearded buffoons.
Getting rid of someone who can’t do the job isn’t “change for the sake of change”. It would be fine if the office could just stay vacant and save taxpayers at least a quarter million bucks per year, but they have to keep up these fake elections to pretend that taxes aren’t just a scheme to steal money
Every finger being pointed at Linda Tyer is the same finger she campaigned on and pointed at Bianchi.
The only difference, everything got much worse under Tyer.
This isn’t change for changes sake, this is change because Pittsfield can’t afford Linda Tyer as mayor for another 4 years.
She’s failed in every aspect of her administration, she’s failed Pittsfield.