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TRASH IN THE CITY, PT. 1: GARBAGE AND THE MOB NOT JUST THE STUFF OF FICTION

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BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

First in a Two-Part Series

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY FEB. 10, 2020) — There are numerous places that offer temptation and near occasions of sin for anyone in power (or close to power) in municipal government owing to Shroedinger’s First Law of Graft, which states that “power + money = some who yield to corruption.” It’s inevitable, human nature enraptured in and by Poe’s Imp of the Perverse.  Two of the most prominent areas of temptation are public schools and public works (snow removal and trash services, especially). Today let’s take out the trash.

As anyone knows who has at least watched The Sopranos, garbage attracts more than flies.

The tie binding organized crime and municipal government to garbage goes back a century or more, at least back to the end of Prohibition, which wiped out one of the mob’s most monopolistic enterprises, alcohol (lately having been replaced by drug trafficking). There’s gold in trash, as we all learned from Joe Pesci and James Gandolfini. Today, municipal “waste management” is a $2.5 billion business. According to law enforcement estimates, crime’s cut — the so-called “mob tax” — amounts to about 40% of that total, roughly $1 billion.

Why does garbage collection and disposal appeal to Remo and Uncle Cheech?

  • Garbage routes allow for legitimate travel throughout a city, especially downtowns and other places with industry and traffic. This is highly effective for drug trafficking and shakedowns.
  • Dumps and dumpsters provide great places to get rid of evidence, including corpses.
  • Waste management firms provide a legitimate front through which to launder money from illegal activities.
  • Legit businesses provide much-needed tax cover.
  • Garbage haulers provide convenient no-show “jobs” to make income look on the up-and-up.

It used to be, as it was in Pittsfield case, that cities provided internal garbage pickup with city personnel and resources. After Prop. 2.5, however, Pittsfield jobbed out garbage collection. It’s puzzling, since a careful look at the finances in the almost 40 years since then would likely show that taxpayers saved little if any money in the switch. THE PLANET hasn’t examined all the numbers, but our guess is that since the early 80s, contracted garbage services have cost taxpayers more than if the city had kept it in-house.

In the 1990s, large waste-management corporations began to move in to fill the market demand, realizing the tremendous need of cities for these services. Garbage stands (or piles up) as one of the non-discretionary services a city must provide for its citizens, either through government or licensing of private contractors. Like any business with a permanent, built-in market, garbage attracted attracted the mob. Organized crime realized these companies could provide cover for operations, especially the laundering of large amounts of cash. This works along the same lines as organized crime “investments” in the “legitimate” liquor, gambling, construction, and entertainment industries.

Garbage also conveys much power. Think of any garbage strikes that lasted for a duration of time: In a week, a city can be transformed from beauty into a vermin-infested wasteland. No, even more than the mail, the garbage must be bagged, collected, and disposed.

None of this preamble says the mob is into Pittsfield garbage, although organized crime does not have to be involved for fraud to occur.

Let’s be clear about one thing before we get to the details (Part 2): THE PLANET has no evidence of corruption. We make no judgment, one way of the other. THE PLANET‘s default position assumes honesty on the part of our public servants.

With that assumption, Part 2 gets into the gritty details of Trash in the City. Some of it you won’t believe.

——————————————————————–

“Good resolutions are simply checks that we draw on a bank where we have no account”Oscar Wilde.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

The views and opinions expressed in the comment section or in the text other than those of PLANET VALENTI are not necessarily endorsed by the operators of this website. PLANET VALENTI assumes no responsibility for such views and opinions, and it reserves the right to remove or edit any comment, including but not limited to those that violate the website’s Rules of Conduct and its editorial policies. PLANET VALENTI shall not be held responsible for the consequences that may result from any posted comment or outside opinion or commentary as provided in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and this website’s terms of service. All users of this website — including readers, commentators, contributors, or anyone else making use of its information, hereby agree to these conditions by virtue of this notice. When PLANET VALENTI ends with the words “The Usual Disclaimer,” that phrase shall be understood to refer to the full text of this disclaimer.

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JoePesci
JoePesci
4 years ago

Personally, I think the garbage men, or should I say garbage person, because we can’t say manhole anymore, we have to say service hole, do a fine job in this city. Now that doesn’t mean the city’s not a garbage laden mess, cuz it is, but that they do a nice job on their route, at least in my neighborhood.

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
Reply to  JoePesci
4 years ago

I’m PC too.

We have a Mailwoman deliver our mail

Two Cents
Two Cents
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

FYI- It’s the non-gender “Letter Carrier” now

Be The Change
Be The Change
Reply to  Two Cents
4 years ago

What’s the deal with “pie hole”, man/she ? – I can never figure out if it’s a bad word or not…… if I get creative enough it very un-PC, but on the surface we’re talking about apple pie in a mouth…. still confused if I can say it freely. Dan you got us all intoxicated waiting for part 2 of this story, not one of us is making sense…… gimmus the deets on the trashishh…..

MaggieMay
MaggieMay
Reply to  Two Cents
4 years ago

And it’s whatever your preferred pronoun is too – “they” today, she tomorrow.

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
Reply to  MaggieMay
4 years ago

It

CC The Maze Sun
CC The Maze Sun
4 years ago

The door to the bird cage is wide open
It’s always been wide open

“Free as a bird
It’s the next best thing to be
Free as a bird

Home, home and dry
Like a homing bird I’ll fly
As a bird on wings

Whatever happened to
The life that we once knew?
Can we really live without each other?

Where did we lose the touch
That seemed to mean so much?
It always made me feel so…FREE”

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

Garbage In, Garbage Out

But the real question is: Who let the dogs out!

Fuechsel
Fuechsel
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

GIGO

Be The Change
Be The Change
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

Here’s +5, sorry …..

Police Report
Police Report
4 years ago

Hiring outside firms to do the garbage hauling was actually one of the smarter things Pittsfield has done.
I liken this to tech companies that hire consultants, temp workers, temp programmers.
They will pay outside consultant companies, 1.5-2x an hourly rate to get the staff they need. While that upfront cost seems to be a lot, it saves money on the backend and in OPEB, insurance, workmen’s comp, unemployment, secondary costs, and capital costs.
It’s saved the city of Pittsfield millions in future costs.

It’s an easy thing to figure out, by looking at any small town that “contracts” for waste removal.
Small Town A has weekly pickup one day a week. It runs one truck with either a single operator or a driver and operator, it’s a two compartment truck (waste and recycle).
The contract cost is $177k for the year. That covers the truck, the fuel, truck repairs, the driver, the insurance, the disposal fees, all health insurance, workman’s comp, OPEB.
Imagine if a small town had to do that themselves?
The truck, $30k a year, the staff $60k-$100k, fuel and maintenance $25k, disposal fees $25-50k, insurance $15-45k, OPEB $40-80k,
It makes no sense for municipalities to carry capital and employment costs on their books for waste removal.

Shakes
Shakes
Reply to  Police Report
4 years ago

For that matter, you can contract anything out that isn’t elected or a charter appointment.

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
4 years ago

More snow than anticipated. Get off the blog and get out there a little early because you may be plowed in.

JoeSixPack
JoeSixPack
Reply to  Johnny Absurd
4 years ago

I don’t think so. My street might get plowed tomorrow!!!

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  JoeSixPack
4 years ago

My street has been plowed 25 times since 6am. A friend of mine on Alden ave, if he is lucky, gets a quick once over for the morning. Always been that way. Ward 1 guy. Probably plowing driveways most of the time.

Vinci Duhbarber
Vinci Duhbarber
Reply to  Johnny Absurd
4 years ago

Ricardo has you covered (with Snow) He worse than Terochi.

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

2.5 million over budget for snow removal and we cant get kids to school by 730am.Remember the schools are open but pittsfield cant pick them up.If you want roads plowed by 6am that will cost you extra.Now every snowfall disrupts the city of 40k sending parents on monday into caos because they need to go to work on time.Tyer just cant get the kids to school.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Reporting 1.8 inches and the snow is slippery as usual.This is a joke.Did anybody at your work tell you to come in 2 hours late today.

Hendrix
Hendrix
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

I drive right by one of the elementary schools every day, I was heading into work for 8AM and the road hadn’t been touched.

Damn I wish we had delays and cancellations for 2″ of snow growing up.

Thomas More
Thomas More
Reply to  Hendrix
4 years ago

They did.

Teecha Teecha
Teecha Teecha
Reply to  Hendrix
4 years ago

Ward 3 was an absolute mess this morning around 7:00a. I saw many a pickup truck fishtailing trying to climb the hill on Williams St heading towards Dalton Division Road (which was just as bad)

We need Senor Barrett at the helm. Linda and her “crew” are about as effective as Bianchi and his. Which is to say, a 2 year old with a magnifying glass could melt the snow quicker than they plow.

Even on Saturday morning South St. West St. Elm St, etc were horrible. Those are main roads too

Plead the Fifth
Plead the Fifth
Reply to  Hendrix
4 years ago

We would have if we had the availability of hungry attorneys ready to sue if a school bus got stuck.

Spagirl
Spagirl
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

This is so true. I have been thinking that every storm now is a big deal. People in general are so worked up over snow. It really is disturbing how no one can plan ahead, get up earlier and get yourself to where you have to be.

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

CC needs to have a meeting with the mayor on why we cant get kids to school on time when it snows during the winter

Dalyn Creck
Dalyn Creck
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Haven’t seen a low or sander all morning.

Cedi Goinson
Cedi Goinson
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Watched something very unusual today. A Salt truck made four passes on the street. No salt though? What do they do,fill salt trucks and where do they dump I? Not on my Avenue?

Police Report
Police Report
4 years ago

The irony that is Pittsfield.
They can’t afford a resource officer in a school but they can afford two ticket agents driving around on the same street in a snow storm.

They are hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt in winter roads but they have contractors in tiny sanding trucks following large municipal plows with sanders. Watching them both sand the same road made me want to light money on fire.

Mayor Linda Tyer uses taxpayer money to bring Dulye Leadership Experience conference to Pittsfield so she can get paid speaking engagements elsewhere.

Anderson williams
Anderson williams
Reply to  Police Report
4 years ago

Paid speaking engagements elsewhere? Please show us that to be fact or is that more of your BS babble that the minions gobble up.

juicylucy
juicylucy
Reply to  Anderson williams
4 years ago

bear bear

Jumpin Joe Curtis
Jumpin Joe Curtis
Reply to  Police Report
4 years ago

$500 registration fee to have speeches by “high impact professionals”

Sounds like a deal to me. Since my house assessment went up, as did my taxes, I trust that Captain Barry of the Hawaiian shirt company can cover my costs.

Be The Change
Be The Change
4 years ago

Put the Mitts on, Sunday Schoool is over…. I wonder what time school starts in Utah, the greatest snow on Earth.

There’s a Quorum for that.

Happiness & Light, in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Vinci Duhbarber
Vinci Duhbarber
Reply to  Be The Change
4 years ago

I was at the joint City Council School Committee and heard the auditor say “ Your ability to tax was is number one asset”.

payfratemaya
payfratemaya
Reply to  Be The Change
4 years ago

Can you believe the graphics at the las C C budget meeting? You couldn’t see the figures that were proposed, graphics were terrified ble. When did Kuffkinks become a market analyst? Does the taxpayer really want him spending our money based on his market expertise or economic conditions.

Wolf Blizthownd
Wolf Blizthownd
Reply to  Be The Change
4 years ago

Now to Renaldo for the puppy mill work on behalf of dog owners. This is a Dershowitz type performance by said lawyer. Bravo!

Pipes Macdineered
Pipes Macdineered
Reply to  Wolf Blizthownd
4 years ago

Water increases out today? We should have gotten behind the three Councilors and private citizen that was totally against this project.

Maceesgonwild
Maceesgonwild
Reply to  Wolf Blizthownd
4 years ago

Check out the North Street slush at North Street going north of the fancy hotel. And there are a few vacancies,empty stores.

Police Report
Police Report
4 years ago

Mayor Linda Tyer, her speeches age like milk not wine.

Tyer said the city needed to go through that depression, but it led to a series of disagreements among councilors, residents, and the mayor at the time. In 2002, there was a massive overhaul of city leadership. In the next couple years, planning efforts began in earnest. Those in government set their minds on not recreating the past but determining the city’s future.

“It really was 13 years ago that we really started thinking differently about our city. And it wasn’t easy because we still had people who believed very strongly that the only thing, the only measure of success, would be another GE,” Tyer said.

The keystone of that was the efforts to revitalize downtown. A planning process was completed and the focus centered on arts and culture.

“We were just coming off this post-industrial mindset and some of our older generation citizens were like ‘that’s not an economy. Art and culture is the wine and cheese crowd.’ That is a lot of what we were fighting against as we were trying to move this forward,” Tyer said.

The process began with such efforts as creating an arts overlay district in the downtown, allowing new uses for property that had become vacant and allowed housing in upper floors, which previously wasn’t allowed.

“There was a commitment from every person in government and in private business to focus our attention in our downtown, believing it was the way to spice up what Pittsfield believed about itself,” Tyer said.

That focus on arts and culture came from looking at the city’s strengths and weaknesses. Tyer said the city can’t focus on industries that require easy access to the highway because it is difficult to get here.

Instead, city government looked at the surrounding arts and culture economy, which includes Tanglewood, Jacob’s Pillow, the Williamstown Theatre Festival, and Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.

“We were the hole in that art and culture doughnut. It was right at our doorstep and Pittsfield hadn’t yet figured out that it was the time to take advantage of the art and culture economy that was already in our region. People would drive through our city to get to Williamstown, and then drive back through our city to get to Great Barrington and they wouldn’t stop,” Tyer said.

The cornerstone of Pittsfield was going to be the Colonial Theatre and all efforts from incentives to zoning were pieced together. It was a political battle but ultimately, the plan passed.

At the same time, the massive streetscape project began and took years to complete. The Beacon Cinema shortly followed the Colonial. And then restaurants started to open and Barrington Stage came downtown.

Tyer says that was a success and she knows it because now there are developers doing market-rate housing projects. She said people are not only visiting Pittsfield but now they want to live downtown.

“Our work is not done. In my opinion, it is still pretty fragile and we can’t take our eye off it. We must continue to nurture this new economy in our downtown,” Tyer said. “But we also have to think about our next project.”

While North Street has taken 10 years and still isn’t complete, the city is now looking to replicate that planning process to do the same with Tyler Street. MassDevelopment has spent the last year embarking on a planning process, which is creating the idea of what Tyler Street will become. Tyer said the idea isn’t to replicate what they did with North Street but replicate the process in planning out the future of Morningside.

“If we take some of the same strategies we used to create a renaissance in our downtown, we can see the same kind of meaningful impact on Tyler Street,” Tyer said. “We started in 2004 with our downtown revitalization so this is a 10-year project. But it is really exciting because we get to revisit history, and designing our future.”

When the daylong event came to an end, Tyer joined the planners from across the state at the Colonial to show off what that pivotal moment has become.

Colonial and BTG heavily propped up by grants and operates at a loss if that money goes away.

Berkshire Museum took money from the city and was in a “dire” economic free fall, so it sold $55 million in art.

Spice, hundreds of thousands in tax incentives, belly up.

Beacon Cinema, millions in debt forgiveness, for the profiteering by a local business man.

Brulee and J Allen’s shuttered.

“Market rate apartments” yes there’s lots of those being hailed, unfortunately they too are propped up by heavy tax incentives and taxpayer funded freebies, and exactly who are they being marketed to? The thousands of new families moving to Pittsfield for all the jobs?

Mr. Fritz
Mr. Fritz
Reply to  Police Report
4 years ago

“Renaissance in our downtown?” What renaissance?? It’s full of empty storefronts and vagrants wandering about.
She got paid for this speech?

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Mr. Fritz
4 years ago

There use to be zero downtown

Gobsig
Gobsig
Reply to  Police Report
4 years ago

Tyer is delusional.

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  Police Report
4 years ago

City hall and its cronies have been putting up rose colored wall paper all over the city to mask what has, in reality, become an unmitigated mayoral disaster. They need to stop looking for “next projects” and stat taking care of what is already here. The Tyler St. upgrade comes across as a dumping ground for taxpayer dollars with machine connected cronies being the beneficiaries. A forensic audit might shine a light on what all this huge spending is really all about. It seems like the taxpayers are over taxed a minimum of 20 million dollars a year for pie in the sky projects that really have little or nothing to do with the stated goal.

Hendrix
Hendrix
Reply to  Police Report
4 years ago

Well duh, where else would the people who have no transportation, no job, that need to utilize all of the free social services that North St has to offer stay?

JoeKapanski
JoeKapanski
Reply to  Police Report
4 years ago

A big fat effin mirage!!!! Renaissance my ass. A great big Kapanski Screwin!

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

The Berkshire Eagle’s web-site has a lot of news articles on the EPA and GE rest of the river cleanup settlement today. I feel bad for the town of Lee (Massachusetts) for being a cite for a future dump for PCBs. That is horrible! It is never a wealthy town that gets the shaft. Rather, it is always working poor areas like Lee that gets screwed over. I have said it many times over: Capping PCBs is a short-term solution akin to putting a band-aid on a major wound. The caps’ lifespan is limited from day 1 until they ultimately expire over a few short decades. After the caps become ineffective, the PCBs continue to spread all over the place in the air, water, and land. Gerry Doyle and Jack Welch, et al, conned Pittsfield and all of the towns south of Pittsfield through the Long Island Sound via the Housatonic River. My mom was born and raised in Pittsfield (Massachusetts) and she had recurring cancer twice in her life (1990, 2006/2007). I have known and heard of thousands of people who have suffered and/or died of cancer who lived in Pittsfield (Massachusetts). It is the cancer cluster area of Western Massachusetts. This is an ongoing tragedy, and a huge failure by big government bureaucrats and big business power-brokers. This is a moment for Berkshire County elected officials to speak out against GE and its industrial toxic waste chemicals pollution called PCBs for the people who are being screwed over by this terrible settlement with the EPA.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

Our green CC is sending 300 students to school on top of a toxic chemical swamp.Moon Caccamo and White will not talk about these 300 students.Tyer and Elias could end it by adding on to Morningside.Moldy Crosby could close by adding on to Conte

Ham Anex
Ham Anex
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Conte and Moringside parents put their kids in Williams and Egermont if they can arrange transportation.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Ham Anex
4 years ago

School choice is racism.

juicylucy
juicylucy
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

and Doyle, in Boston known as “the bar stool mayor” negotiated with the top lawyers for “The G.E.” on our behalf.

Dactlinduh
Dactlinduh
Reply to  juicylucy
4 years ago

And Hickey. His Ward to.

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
Reply to  juicylucy
4 years ago

Devillars of the EPA, took a GE job after he sold out the citizens.

JoeKapanski
JoeKapanski
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

And Doyle took a part time gig with Galvin’s office, and Hickey took a gravey job at PEDA.

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

The PCB dump should be at Jack Welch and Jerry Dolyes homes.

Ham Anex
Ham Anex
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

The beer cans would have to be moved

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

Put it in Stockbridge

Dactlinduh
Dactlinduh
4 years ago

So im driving down Crane to North Street and this big ass truck-plow is doing a 90 degree turn into the intersection of the road, and he was moving. This Rodrigo over at DPW should have a course on operating these trucks safely , let alone bad plowing.. I’m on outer Crane and there is a thirty miles an-hour speed limit, Rodrigo? Also,I travel pecks road to go ice fishing,what the hell is that mess near the fire station,no warning cones and dangerous bad road in front of that White Apartment house. North Street was a mess today.

I C Aminure
I C Aminure
Reply to  Dactlinduh
4 years ago

I’ll take those picks and send them to barbell neck.

Dactlinduh
Dactlinduh
4 years ago

Dan,I have twenty,yes twenty pics of potholes,do you want them? And who are those ticket drivers,they look to be in their seventies? I thought retirement was sixty five?

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  danvalenti
4 years ago

No excuse for the mayor to not be right on top of roadwork this spring. Surely by now she knows she has let the roads go to hell and people should not have to march on city hall again for her to get the message. Be prepared for once. Maybe Pete could put a bug in her ear if he is not afraid to speak up.
The roads may very well be the worst ever this spring. Repair shops are already loading in extra springs, tie rods and ball joints in anticipation of a bonanza year. The renaissance of Pittsfield may actually lie, not in arts and culture but automobile undercarriage repair. If you have any experience with a tie rod your ship is about to come in. Be prepared to work long hours and get grease on your hands because Pittsfield’s asphalt moonscape is coming to town.

Merry & Bright
Merry & Bright
4 years ago

Taxpayers deserve an explanation and apology from Lovely Linda as to why the streets are such a mess still at 3p.m.! The plow truck has been up and down my short street at least 9 times and has yet to put the plow down. Guess they will plow tonight on overtime pay. My street is near an elementary school, vehicles with four wheel drive can barely make the hill, the roadway in front of the school is glare ice. In speaking with my City Councilor they said the whole City is a mess and they are trying to find out what the problem is. Is Lovely Linda afraid of her Department Heads? Is she afraid to confront them and tell then to straighten out and do their jobs? Or, does she just not care as she is making 6 figures , what is pathetic is there is not a damn thing us hardworking taxpayers can do about her not doing HER job. What does she do all day? Does she ever have a department head meeting and kick butt about the condition of the City? What is she getting paid to do? All these questions will never be answered, because she thinks she is the Queen of the Pits/Pissfield and she is free for four years. Also wonder why Dufour buses were able to get the Lenox, Lee and hill town students to school on time this morning. What does Dufour do to ready their buses each morning that the Pittsfield School System can’t seem to do or doesn’t want to do.

SCOn Lon
SCOn Lon
Reply to  Merry & Bright
4 years ago

Kuffkinks is the real Mayor. L L just collects the check.

Merry & Bright
Merry & Bright
Reply to  SCOn Lon
4 years ago

I believe Bare Bare Clairmont is the real mayor.

Heroine Luup
Heroine Luup
Reply to  Merry & Bright
4 years ago

Off topic. New Stat out.Fifty thousand opioid deaths last year in the U S.

EddieP
EddieP
Reply to  Heroine Luup
4 years ago

On the scanner yesterday, counted 4 overdoses and 2 doa’s in Pittsfield within 6 hours.

Bibby Boisbich
Bibby Boisbich
Reply to  Merry & Bright
4 years ago

How about have students run a kangaroo court type resource program at Reid. Have the five toughest kids control the handful of kids in hat get out of control..They’re near,their there.

Johnny99
Johnny99
Reply to  Merry & Bright
4 years ago

Not city’s fault. ‘Was The Perfect Storm. That will be the take home message delivered at next council meeting if the topic is even brought up at all.

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  Johnny99
4 years ago

Curious, did the city ever hire a replacement DPW chief? And if so was he a political ally with little experience or someone who actually did work in the field?

Heroine Luup
Heroine Luup
4 years ago

Four hundred million plus Pittsfield open debe.

Ham Anex
Ham Anex
4 years ago

Just watched a meeting chaired by Helen Moon. Boy is she dumb. She kept looking down at her phone, Someone must have been coaching her. She doesn’t know when to shut up. She just continued to ramble on and on. God help us. Dhe’s as dumb as Harrington.

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  Ham Anex
4 years ago

Maybe she was checking on her DA work.

Water Boy
Water Boy
Reply to  Johnny Absurd
4 years ago

Maybe they ran out of water in conference room two.

flogging molly
flogging molly
Reply to  Ham Anex
4 years ago

She’s a Words With Friends addict. I sat next to her at the DA human trafficking presentation and she played it the whole time when she wasn’t checking Facebook.

Merry & Bright
Merry & Bright
Reply to  Ham Anex
4 years ago

I also saw her staring at her phone, I figured that Lovely Linda was telling her what to do to run the meeting since she was clueless. Had enough of her little giggles, she should know better by now. I give Morandi, Connell & Maffuccio all the credit in the world to have to sit through the meeting. Has anyone heard Yuki speak yet or is she just going to sit pretty. Although, I would like to give all the students/ parents a lot of credit for writing letters and speaking about the Resource Officer issue at Reid. I feel sad that our students have to do this and get involved in this little political game that is being played. Can someone explain to me how Lovely Linda can run her whole recent campaign on the lie that she has added officers. Yet Wynn says last night we are currently down 14 officers. Wouldn’t it have been better to run the campaign with the truth, that the City has lost officers and they are having trouble filling the positions and say her goal is to find out why, instead of lying to the taxpayers. Wynn also stated last night that 5 new officers started yesterday at training but only 4 are continuing on. Are these candidates made aware of what they are up against in training to be a police officer before the City invest monies in their training. Is anyone asking why officers are leaving. Wynn acted like it was some sort of joke. I just hope and pray that no one gets hurt badly at Reid. Meanwhile as Police Report said earlier, there is plenty of money for the harassing meter maids driving up and down an empty North Street.

juicylucy
juicylucy
Reply to  Merry & Bright
4 years ago

There is no Leadership.

Police Report
Police Report
Reply to  Merry & Bright
4 years ago

Mayor Tyer and Chief Wynn know EXACTLY why officers aren’t leaving in droves. It’s the lack of leadership. It’s a Mayor and a Police Chief who would rather pander to a progressive DA and progressive special interests than actually do the hard work they were hired to do.

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

February 11, 2020

Dear Berkshire Eagle Editors,

How can you rationally support the settlement between the EPA and GE that puts yet another inadequate toxic waste chemical dump full of cancer causing PCBs in Berkshire County, Massachusetts? The Eagle published the following facts, which I cut and pasted below my name, which once again demonstrates that the capping of PCBs in local dumps in Pittsfield and a future dump in Lee will eventually fail. The caps need to be monitored from day 1 and will only last a few short decades. Once the caps fail, then thousands of Berkshire County residents will be exposed to GE’s left behind industrial chemicals that negatively impact the brain development in children, as well as cause cancer in people.

I really dislike The Berkshire Eagle newspaper because the Eagle has supported GE’s screwing over of Pittsfield and areas south of Pittsfield through the Long Island Sound via the polluted Housatonic River. The Eagle is always on the side of GE instead of their local readers in Berkshire County! I say with 100 percent certainty that the Eagle is fourth-rate rag that gives journalism a very bad name!!!!

– Jonathan Melle

The GE and EPA settlement will dump more than a million cubic yards of PCB-tainted sediments in a Lee (Massachusetts) landfill. The payment of $63 million to affected communities — as “dumps for dollars”, according to Tim Gray. The EPA’s 2016 permit didn’t allow PCB disposal in Berkshire County.

Tim Gray and Dave Gibbs of the nonprofit Housatonic River Initiative say that even “state of the art” landfills, the term EPA is using, can fail. They note problems that beset a PCB landfill in Warren County, North Carolina. “Our study of dumps through the years is that they haven’t changed much,” Gray said. “They’ve been having trouble with some of the liners in Pittsfield already.”

Source: “Opponents mobilize to fight local PCB dump” By Larry Parnass, The Berkshire Eagle, February 10, 2020

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

The Left Winged Parrot was real big on pushing the original clandestine consent decree. A back door deal brokered by Doyle Devillars and Welch cronies.

Pittsfield got some Judas money and a forever polluted toxic waste superfund site.

The toxic brew that is still in Silver Lake, supposedly has more toxins than they removed from the Love Canal Superfund site. The Parrot thought it was great to “sweep it under the rug”!

No wonder today, that the same dirty bird thinks it’s O.K. for some local toxic dumps , rather than forcing GE to clean up their foul spoor

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

Cosmetically they did a great job on Silver lake. But as typical Pittsfield mayors do, it is going back to nature with a baby forest growing up around it. I thought the original idea was to make it look nice and it did but oh well. At least some people made big bucks making it look good for a while. Kinda like North street and soon to be Tyler street.

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  danvalenti
4 years ago

I wonder whose ward Silver lake is in and if they have any real concerns about it becoming invisible to passers by. And if they were interested would the mayor give them the time of day if they brought the subject up. Kind of seems like the mayor would have taken the initiative. (NO it doesn’t) hee hee (NO, it does NOT) and it isn’t really funny. It is SAD!

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
Reply to  danvalenti
4 years ago

Dan “beach”? REALLY? ROFL!!!!

Do you know PCBs have a measurable vapor pressure and areas close to the river have detectable amounts? Maybe the beach goers will get some “sunscreen”?

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  danvalenti
4 years ago

I just do not want to see all the money and hard work put into it go to waste like so many other things in Pittsfield. There is no kickbacks in upkeep. Is that the problem?

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
Reply to  danvalenti
4 years ago

Dan, that CESSPOOL will NEVER be “pristine”

The loin’s share of GE’s toxins are under a “rug” Drunkard Doyle “consented” to.

The “rug” won’t last long……

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

Councilor Moon does not think about our school at the chemical swamp.White knows its our number 1 problem and wont mention it.Marchetti wont do a thing about these children.Caccamo cares more about recycling to save the environment than the toxic swamp at Allendale .Mccandless never mentions it. Cameron knows whats there but wont say how he feels.
We must knock down Allendale school and save the students.You cant put a restuarant on the PEDA site but you can let 300 kids sit in a toxic swamp.

whutabuub
whutabuub
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Guarantee STOOGEwill have Rutberg and Kevin Moran on to explain the fund campaign, you watch. Such a great and successful newspaper now, looking for a handout. Pretty soon they’ll be asking for a T I F Remember when Trish was in the paper photo ops almost regularly,hmmmm.

Kermit Frog
Kermit Frog
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Yes to every word you said!

HvysetWET
HvysetWET
Reply to  Kermit Frog
4 years ago

I see plain janehas a show on pct now.

All Formee
All Formee
Reply to  Kermit Frog
4 years ago

Alex Blumin ( lone wolf) has a petition in tonight at City Clowncil to have term limits concerning Council President. Great petition.

Hoss Cardrite
Hoss Cardrite
Reply to  All Formee
4 years ago

I get it. Who’s Pete think he is,Mitch McClownal

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  All Formee
4 years ago

Absoeffinglutely!

All Formee
All Formee
Reply to  Kermit Frog
4 years ago

Step on-kids necks like they did at a Eagleton. But I like the Kangaroo Court idea.

Kermit Frog
Kermit Frog
Reply to  All Formee
4 years ago

Actually, the old crone who was the head psychologist for Eagleton is the head psychologist for Berkshire Hills School district now!!! Instead of putting her in prison or taking away her license she is advising on South Berkshire kids. School committees and superintendents are so smart and capable. They know how to butter their own bread, to be sure.

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  Kermit Frog
4 years ago

Well if she has a history that could make any future lawsuits that more lucrative.

Watizzytlknabout
Watizzytlknabout
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

It’s called a dead conscience. People with dead conscience usually appear at the voting booth,that way they keep things dead.

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  Watizzytlknabout
4 years ago

Some appear as candidates.

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

I just dont understand Pittsfield residents having zero interest in the Swamp of chemicals.Moon White Caccamo Tyer are all green councilors who seem ignorant talking about everything but the school there.Please focus on the swamp.Of all people Dan Elias should save these kids.

Prodognoglue
Prodognoglue
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

My dog won’t take a piss at Allendale and sniffs like all get out.

Prodognoglue
Prodognoglue
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Pittsfield residents outside the voting public, have little interest in anything other than putting food on the table and bitching while driving.

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
4 years ago

Well it goes back to at least Jan 2016 and the Barry Sotero administration.

That is the Russian collusion hoax. Thanks to Judicial Watch and others the whole scheme is being unraveled.

It seems there was a real reason they wanted Seth Rich dead.

“BREAKING EXCLUSIVE: Deep State Brings In Big Gun US ATTORNEY to Defy Request for Evidentiary Hearing on Previously Hidden Peter Strzok and Lisa Page Emails on Seth Rich”

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/02/breaking-exclusive-deep-state-brings-in-big-gun-us-attorney-to-defy-request-for-evidentiary-hearing-on-previously-hidden-peter-strzok-and-lisa-page-emails-on-seth-rich/

Corrupt FBI and Sotero DOJ major players

Gigi
Gigi
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

I hope the truth comes out on the Seth Rich murder.

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

I read that Monday’s GE and EPA settlement may have misstated costs, and that we won’t know how much GE is really going to pay for the cleanup of the Housatonic River until after GE releases its official financial disclosure forms to the SEC in GE’s next quarterly SEC filing. I read that GE may be using “overlapping costs” because GE has already spent around $500 million on the past cleanup of the 2 miles closest to the plant in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Please understand that GE officials declined to state on the public record how much money the settlement would cost the company. GE is known for alleged accounting fraud of many billions of dollars since 1995, or for the past +24-years. GE’s alleged accounting fraud has been laid bare by the SEC and other federal government agencies. Monday’s settlement may be legally valid on its face, but GE may be using “creative accounting” to trick Berkshire County’s 6 impacted municipalities. This settlement looks fraudulent until GE officially states on the public record what methods of accounting they are using, and the official dollar amount they will spend on the cleanup project, both past, present, and future. GE’s accounting is very UNCLEAR, and it appears to be fraudulent accounting by GE. Please demand that GE officially states its accounting methods and official U.S. Dollar outlay for the cleanup of the 6 town Housatonic River area in Berkshire County.

Shuffling Karombs
Shuffling Karombs
Reply to  Gigi
4 years ago

Evidentially the man blew a gasket. It happens. I remember many years ago a former teacher well known, bludgeoned his Mother and Sister in Pittsfield. He was a very well like teacher and mild mannered. I guess he was Schizophrenic.

Water Boy
Water Boy
Reply to  Gigi
4 years ago

The blind leading the stupid

Blare
Blare
Reply to  Gigi
4 years ago

What happened? A deeply disturbed man slaughtered his family. Something that has been obvious since day 1, despite the irresponsible, ridiculous alternative “theories” floated by morons with an axe to grind from the last DA regime.

Be The Change
Be The Change
Reply to  Blare
4 years ago

What were the alternative “theories” ?