BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY DEC. 11, 2019) — What in the name of Larry Bossidy is going on at Clapp Park? Or, as Casey Stengel said of his 1962 Mets, “Can’t anyone here play this game?”

Parks are the toy box of the city. A healthy parks system — good maintenance, concern for public safety, cared for, free of trash, a variety of sponsored activity, open space for relaxation and enjoyment — indicates a healthy city. As a barometer of a municipality’s belief in itself, you can find no better than its parks. For decades, Pittsfield boasted one of the nation’s top parks systems for cities of its size. As a lad, THE PLANET practically lived at Deming Park in summers. We recall days where there were five sandlot baseball games going on at once (the sand diamond at Newell and Lyman entrance, the BRL and LL diamonds, and the two makeshift ballfields off the lf and rf foul lines of the BRL outfield). Officer Leslie was on hand to keep the order. Park directors supplied games and equipment for the ongoing carnival. In winter, we switched to Clapp Park for sliding and skating.

You knew Pittsfield had confidence in itself by those parks. These many years later, we wonder “what happened?” Of course, change is inevitable and often desirable. Moreover, there is “no change for the worse” if one has mental toughness and a prospering personal attitude. Nonetheless, one has to be realistic when making assessments, and when the Kapanskis look at what’s happened to their parks, they stand bewitched, bothered, and bewildered. They see empty lots and acres, too neglected for the invitation, too fenced and regulated for the issuance of a siren’s call.

It would be instructive to go through each park and assign a grade. Length and time forbid that approach. Rather, let THE PLANET exemplify, first briefly and second at more length.

In Brief — Springside Park. Once the crown jewel, it resembles an impenetrable jungle. You see no sign of the good life. Venture there at the wrong time, and you risk being mugged or harassed by the gangs, squatters, and drug traffic. Springside, with the Munster mansion decaying on the hill, shows the general neglect and hopelessness one senses from official Pittsfield.

At Length — Clapp Park. For decades, Clapp served Pittsfield superbly as a home for track, baseball, softball, basketball, playground, and in winter, sledding and ice skating. But ever since an ill-advised first makeover several years ago, Clapp has lost its identity. What is it now?

THE PLANET has put questions to parks honchos Jim McGrath and Chris Evangelisto. Deanna Ruffer, head of the Office of Community Development, supplied the responses. She said everything is on track, mostly on budget, with the city pleased with the work. THE PLANET also talked to councilors, parks workers, and other city sources. They tell a different story. They say the project has fallen behind schedule, has been scaled back, and has risen in cost. We present both versions of the “truth” and leave it to you to place your bets.

Here is the unedited text of Ruffer’s information, with McGrath and Evangelisto copied in:

THE PLANET: How far behind schedule is it?

RUFFER: The project is not behind schedule.  The construction contract was awarded in mid-May, and contractor mobilization occurred in June.  It was anticipated that the project would be under construction into the fall season. We did adjust aspects of the project so that baseball could be played into the fall.   The field at Clapp is a full size, premier field and we wanted to make certain that it was available for use by multiple groups.

 THE PLANET: How many scale backs have there been?

RUFFER: There have been no scale-backs in the project since it was awarded.  As is typical of projects of this size and complexity, there were changes made over the course of the project.  For example, installation of drainage was added in the vicinity of the new basketball court and the asphalt accessible pathway for pedestrian access from Hollister St. was widened to accommodate maintenance vehicles.

 THE PLANET: How much will the final cost be?

RUFFER: The construction contract was awarded at the value of $672,750.  As with any complex construction project such as this, there have been change orders to the scope to accommodate new understandings of the site (as well as contractor ‘in the field’ recommendations) as I previously described.  The change orders at Clapp Park have increased the cost of the project by $247.95. 

 THE PLANET:How much is it over budget?

RUFFER: The project is $247.95 over the original contract value.

THE PLANET: Why does the baseball diamond need to be renovated again?

Current parks staff are not aware of any prior comprehensive renovations of the infield at Clapp Park.  While it has undergone needed maintenance to elements such as the pitcher mound and base path reconstruction over the years, it has not been fully renovated in over 20 years.  The comprehensive renovations were a high priority of the Pellerin Group as well as our own park maintenance staff – the recently completed infield renovation ensure that high-quality baseball can be played on a high-quality infield.  

THE PLANET: When do you expect it to be finished?

The project is substantially completed.  The restroom building will be enclosed prior to Christmas.  Fine grading, additional sodding where needed, and punch list items will be completed in the early spring.  Additionally, the basketball court will also be painted as soon as the temperatures allow and the backboards installed.

THE PLANET: Why is it taking so long?

RUFFER: The project is on schedule.

THE PLANET: Are you pleased with the work so far?

RUFFER: Yes.  This project was a true collaborative effort, with the Rotary Club of Pittsfield and Pellerin group very involved in defining the scope along with city staff.  The contractor – Mountain View Landscapes (Chicopee) and the landscape architect (Berkshire Design Group) have worked with the City on a number of projects and their performance has been exemplary.

With that, here is information we obtained with sources familiar with the project:

• Budget shortfall — The price is wrong. Escalating costs have produced a $150,000 shortfall, not $247.95. To be exact, the work has come in $154,125 over budget, which now stands at $826,125. The state gave $400,000, Rotary Club $180,000, an unknown about from the Community Preservation Fund ($87,000 presumably), and Carr Harware’s $5,000. Originally, that was thought to be enough. It wasn’t. The city now wants Mary Jan and Joe Kapanski to make up the difference for what would appear to be a project that has lacked proper management and accountability. “This is not the position we wanted to be in,” McGrath told the council. Nonetheless, it is the position that has occurred. The reason why has not been properly explained. Is it the contract signed with Mountain View Landscaping of Chicopee? Councilor-at-large Melissa Mazzeo thinks so, saying “we didn’t negotiate hard enough.”
• Diamond Dogs — The “renovation” includes a rest room, splash pad, and yet-another rehab of the baseball diamond. The diamond has had more facelifts than Bruce Jenner. We wonder if it includes digging up the almost-never-used by prohibitively expensive underground watering system. THE PLANET won’t bring up then-commissioner Charlie Garivaltis’ objections to the sprinklers, pointing out the park lies just off the Housie and has always managed just fine with Mother Nature’s tender rain.
• Commish — For your information, current commissioners are Michelle Matthews, chair; Anthony DeMartino, Joe Durwin, Simon Muil, and old friend Cliff Nilan. They have had curiously little to say publicly about the budget problems at Clapp.
• A Good Soaking — THE PLANET respectfully suggests that the design team eliminate the kiddies’ splash pad. Without it, taxpayers and their children will be plenty soaked.

• Roof, Roof — Why does a roof for a small bathroom cost $35,000? Talk about the high cost of literal overhead.
• Delays — Originally scheduled to be completed this fall, the work will now carry over well into 2020. Attempts to explain the repeated delays have been fuzzy at best.
• Misdirection — Why is the cost going up, even though the design has been scaled back? Doesn’t make sense.

You can see the stark difference. When we pointed this out to Ruffer, she told us, “The information we have provided was prepared by those directly responsible for this project.  Any other source is questionable.” Fair point, which we gladly concede. In that vein, the information provided by “those directly responsible for the project” should be questioned, too. They have a dog in the fight.

If the project is over budget by a mere $247.95, why did McGrath appear before the council and request $150,000? If the project is on time, why wasn’t it finished this fall, as originally planned? If the design and construction work have been “exemplary,” why questions about the poor negotiations and slow progress (an oxymoron that in Pittsfield is no longer oxymoronic)?

Sometime in 2020, the work will be completed, but it will never be “done.” Like the airport runway project, the Clapp “renovation” will be the gift that keeps giving to The Suits and special interests.

In the meantime, we can play “Who Do You Trust.” Do you trust the “official” version or do you trust the results of THE PLANET‘s investigation? Will taxpayers have to cough up $154,125 or $247.95? The first figure is the result of our independent investigation. The second figure is provided by the bureaucrat responsible for the project.

Who Do You Trust?

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“Our main business is not to see what lies dimly in the distance but to do what lies close at hand” — Thomas Carlyle.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

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