CONNELL LEADS DRIVE TO DEFEAT ADMINISTRATION’S LATEST DRIVE-BY ON TAXPAYERS
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY APRIL 20, 2020) — THE PLANET caught the Tyer Administration trying to pull another fast one.
Mayor CRAYOLA-19 has set up a double-whammy on taxpayers, and we have sniffed it out. With a courageous stand by at least six city councilors, we can put a stop to it.
The scheme aims to cash in on the COVID-19 virus. It took the form of an internal memo sent April 16 from the mayor to city councilors. A city hall source leaked the memo to THE PLANET. We then confirmed its validity with councilors.
In another PLANET exclusive, we present the memo unedited, in its entirety. Do us a favor, though. Don’t tell anyone you read it here. The Kapanskis aren’t supposed to see the actual language. The Suits want you to read the sanitized version coming later from The Boring Broadsheet and iBerkshires, after they steal our story.
Here’s the document:
———- ooo ———
—– Original message——
As I’ve mentioned a couple of times now, the city’s economic recovery is a crucial element in our response to COVID-19. The city’s Director of Community Development, Deanna Ruffer, and I have put together a COVID-19 economic recovery proposal which I am introducing to you in this email. We have designed a COVID-19 economic recovery program that would provide $1.1 million in relief and recovery for the people and businesses in our city. The program will use three funding sources and includes six elements of relief and recovery.
First, as you know, the City received $789,382 from the federal CARES Act. This funding will be administered through Pittsfield’s Community Development Block Grant. With your support, these funds, in the form of grants, could be available in early May to assist Pittsfield families with rent, mortgage, and utility payments. Eligible homeowners and renters could receive up to three months or a maximum of $5,000 per household to pay a mortgage, rent, or utilities. Berkshire Regional Housing Authority will administer this part of the Economic Recovery Program. They are also able to provide mediation and other services to help Pittsfield residents stay in their homes.
Another element of the COVID-19 economic recovery plan includes the use of community development block funds to enhance the vital work of our non-profit community service partners. These community partners are on the front lines helping residents with many of their daily needs. These funds will support existing and any new programs that they have put into place as part of their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I am proposing support to the Elizabeth Freeman Center in their ongoing fight against sexual assault and domestic violence, to the Salvation Army, UCP, and Elder Services for enhancing and extending their food service programs, to ServiceNet to continue their assistance to the homeless during this public health crisis, and to Berkshire County ARC to help them care for residents living in their group homes. Additional public service funds will be available to these and other organizations through a rolling application process to help meet urgent needs as they arise.
Grants of up to $10,000 will be offered to Pittsfield small businesses that are in jeopardy of significant losses and even closures. These funds will help our small businesses retain and rehire employees, and to help a business modify their operations in order to remain viable throughout the economic recovery.
In addition, up to $10,000 in grants will be available to cultural institutions for job retention, creation, and programming. As you know, cultural institutions are essential to Pittsfield’s economy and to our sense of well-being. They have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and I am proposing funds to help these creative cultural organizations reopen and re-establish their presence and programming in our city.
Supplementing the Community Development Block Grant funding with two local sources will strengthen economic relief and recovery. I am submitting an emergency request to the Community Preservation Committee for $100,000 from the Community Preservation Funds to provide rental assistance to Pittsfield individuals and families. Also, I will dedicate $200,000 from the Small Business Fund to help small businesses with cash flow forgivable loans. In this program, small businesses will be eligible for up to $10,000 in forgivable loans if they commit to retaining or rehiring employees by the end of 2020.
As I mentioned, this email is an introduction to the economic recovery plan that we are proposing. More information will be provided to you as part of the next city council agenda. In the meantime, I have attached a memo outlining the process and a table summarizing the programs described above.
Please let me or Deanna know if you have any questions. However, please be mindful about replying to all or any deliberation amongst yourselves that may be in violation of the open meeting law.
Sincerely,
Linda M. Tyer
City of Pittsfield
70 Allen Street
Pittsfield, MA 0201
(413)499-9321
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On the surface, the memo seems innocent enough. Pull a Mike Nelson and Sea Hunt your way to the depths, though, and you will find a trick aimed to raise your taxes!
Ward 4 councilor Chris Connell spelled out the end run. Connell says city finance director Matt “Kufflinks” Kerwood told councilors the reimbursement funds from the federal government won’t replace money taken from “free” cash (the amount they overtaxed you in the past). Instead, it will be put into the general fund as a separate line item on the FY21 budget.
That’s the double whammy.
Whammy 1 — They take a million+ from “free” cash, meaning they soaked you more than they could spend.
Whammy 2 — When they get reimbursed from the Feds, they won’t return it to you either in the form of tax relief or replacing it in “free” cash.
Taxpayers, if councilors do not stop this, Mayor CRAYOLA and Kufflinks plan to hit you up for an extra $300,000 in the next FY budget. Chump change to them, a killer to We The People, who are existing on fumes.
In an interview with THE PLANET, Connell said “The biggest problem with the $300,000 issue is the fact that an additional line item will be added to the 2021 budget, thereby increasing the amount of taxes the residents have to pay. FEMA may reimburse the city 75% or 225,000. However, Kerwood already acknowledged that it would go back into the general fund. When and if we receive the FEMA funds,” Connell said, “I will try to convince enough councilors to insist that it goes into a revenue account solely for that line item. So from the taxpayers point of view, they already paid for the free cash and now will have to fund the line item also. That’s why Marchetti and Kerwood wanted me off the finance committee. I recognize how the funds go through the system.”
Connell’s bringing the fight to the Administration. Can he convince at least five councilors to do the right thing and prevent reimbursement money from going into the general fund? THE PLANET will contact the other 10 for comment. What can you do? Contact your ward councilor and the four at-large councilors and tell them to support Connell’s initiative.
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As for the memo itself, the mayor lost us as soon as she said the city’s “economic recovery proposal” will be a coproduction with, ugh, Deanna Ruffer, do-nothing head of the Office of Economic Development. Nuff sed.
Other points for your consideration:
- The mayor says the memo is merely an introduction. Uh-oh. Old Scratch lives in the details.
- There’s $1.1 million in “relief for people and businesses.” What people? What businesses? Will the mayor promise a full accounting of who gets how much? Will it be for “the connected” and campaign donors only?
- THE PLANET loves the lip-service CRAYOLA pays to the Open Meeting laws, a CYA move if ever there was one. Already, we have little doubt, she’s scheming with councilors to line up votes to see that the “free cash” borrowed will become a separate line item in the next budget so she will get her tax hike.
- The mere fact that Connell will push to fight this devious tax-hike plan will likely be enough to get the mayor and her “team” to begin work, the Open Meeting laws be damned.
THE PLANET commends the stellar work of Connell, who once again has proven why he has won our Council MVP Award several terms running.
Great job for Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski, CC.
——————————————————————
“Symbols sometimes feed the imagination more than facts” — Kenneth Clark.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
CLOSE
So first the feds shut the economy, then they give 600 extra per week to unemployed so now some dont want to go back to work because they make more unemployed, then the feds give thousands to mayors like Tyer to piss away. Tyer should be ashamed, Fed already has program for small businesses and gave everybody free cash. All this money should be equally rebated to homeowners instead it will be a GOBSIG Christmas. If I could I’d throw Tyers ass overboard with the tea.
Chris,even we know about the Kuffkinks Switch.
How dare you give my tax money as a handout to the Berkshire museum after what they did to our city, and by the way, they are not essential to my sense of well being, or any other normal person. Get out of your ivory tower you out of touch GOBSIG Queen.
Berkshire Museum is an empty shell. Friends of the Berkshire Museum are friends of BHS. I am so glad for RNs posts.
Am I reading this right? Heir Tyer wants to take my property tax surcharge money to help people that don’t have to pay her outrageous property taxes, pay rent. WTF. She has really gone off the deep end now.
Renters pay property taxes indirectly. Have you seen the prices some of these dumps get?
Yup, $1,200 for a 3 bedroom because us Kapanskis are paying the rent via section 8. Why should re Tyers get breaks and not me as a high taxed homeowner.
JOE
Section 8 dominates. I know a landlord. He has downsized his business in the past few years because of the low lifes. He is down to two buildings with four apartments each. Every one of the eight units has Section 8 tenants. He tells he not one of them has a job. Everything is provided by the feds, state, and city. Meanwhile, the Kapanskis get up every morning, schlepp it to work (if they haven’t been laid off), and get taxed out of existence by that same government. And people wonder why there is so much anger?
Give some of free cash it to the grocery checkout and food workers. How the fuck do we know Dottie’s needs help? I need a job before the jobs were lost,Dottie’s… NO
There is no possible way the city can verify eligibility for most of these handouts. Hell the city can’t even account for salt or sand. This will be nothing sort of larceny all the way around, grand larceny that is. But somebody will get free coffee at Dotties.
That’s how they want it as far as eligibility goes, they don’t want verification. This makes it easier for the administration to give the handouts to those who matter to them. Loved the comment on the snow and sand accounting!
God please save us from the curse of the Scambino and the Splendid Spender.
Let us not forget, that this administration holds the record for the 3 highest increases of the tax levy in Pittsfield’s history. None of this should be a surprise that they demand more.
Well, we are number one in something.Wait untll summer,actually next week. All hell will break loose here. Had some clown in a tan car go by me on Crane Ave today going eighty, crossing double lines.People don’t like being out of work and the Mayor is funding the special interest and frivolous deadbeats.
Well said
Was that you Joe driving that pokey ugly SUV – Stupid Ugly Vehicle? Could’ve got faster except for the potholes. No chance of getting a ticket. Next time step on the gas Joe.
Not only the 3 highest tax levy hikes, but also double digit fee hikes, along with huge municipal debts and other liabilities that total in the hundreds of millions of dollars! Instead of Mayor, the lovely Linda Tyer should have the title: “Big $pender”! Pittsfield taxpayers should have the title: “Linda’s ATM”.
Has turd Thursday been cancelled?
Yes.
(Sarcasm): I want in on Matt Kerwood’s creative accounting and slush fund handouts. There is a global public health disaster where people are dying from coronavirus, but what is most important to Mayor Linda Tyer is how Matt Kerwood cooks the books to giveaway Kapanski Ka$h to the lovely Linda’s politically connected campaign donors.
Here is my new strategy! I am going to use $1,000 of my stimulus check to donate it all to the lovely Linda’s campaign coffers. Then, I am going to tell Matt Kerwood that his financial genius matches Warren Buffett’s legacy. Then, I am going to propose my plan to help the homeless by giving them “3 hots and a cot” in an old GE building at the nearly 22-year-old vacant and polluted failed PEDA business park. Then, I will put my hand out for all of the money I can shakeout from the public trough. Then, I will retire and buy a fancy condo in Naples, Florida, a $490,000 summer condo in Lenox, and an upscale vacation condo in Vail, Colorado.
JM,
It’s a special club, and you ain’t in it.
(Sarcasm): Do you mean I can’t sit at the lunch table with all the cool kids?
Enough of the bullshit. There is one chance to save this city from the parasites who are feasting on what is left. Without a forensic audit to expose the waste, inefficiencies and dubious dealings the taxpayers will continue to be fleeced for the benefit of the people in control.
And what is lacking to get this forensic audit moving? Someone with a solid understanding of municipal financing who has the courage to confront the city and push hard for this critical overview. I believe that despite the leverage special interests have over the unions we could get massive support from the taxpayers to support whomever might step forward and lead us. And if we don’t we will continue to be used and abused with an inept city sucking money from us that should be used to support our own families instead of someone else’s.
This could be a very intimidating leadership role but if there were huge, loud and obvious widespread support someone might stand up and take it on. And this person, for his or her deeply appreciated efforts would most likely be able to walk into the mayoral position with a landslide of support if they so chose.
When a parasitic organism invades it will multiply. If ignored, the host may continue to survive but will never thrive again, existing on a fine thread close to death.
So it is with Pittsfield.
Good god! Community Block Grant? That stands for money for my voters and friends. And maybe a stamp with my profile that looks Just a bit like Hitchcock Presents.
Since all the Councilors and relevant parties read Planet Valenti… support Chris Connell on this issue!!!
Absolutely! Too many of the council are embedded with special interests. We all need to get behind those willing to call out dubious dealings.
Perhaps this is time for the museum to give back a little. It was the peoples art they sold and this is a very good time for them to show their appreciation. they could get a very bad reputation if they try to suck even more money from the taxpayers. Likewise anyone who might try to give them any.
There are more and more reasons to get behind a forensic audit.
From Liz Peek: “Who would have thought that rescuing the country from massive unemployment and collapsing incomes would become a political hot potato? Who would have thought that Democrats would be willing to sacrifice the well-being of the nation in order to win an election?
Only someone who has watched Democrats try to topple President Trump for three years with no success but ever-increasing desperation. Having failed to oust him by alleging conspiracy with Russia and then through a partisan and unfair impeachment, now they pray that a devastated economy will demolish his best argument for reelection.
The coronavirus must seem heaven-sent to Democrats. Just as it bloomed, the economy was soaring and, despite being impeached by the House, President Trump’s approval ratings were at all-time highs. Odds-makers gave Trump the nod for reelection.
At the same time, Democrats have settled on Joe Biden as their candidate, who generates about as much excitement as last week’s casserole.”
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/coronavirus-reopening-trump-democrats-resist-election-liz-peek
Nobody wants excitement.A steady hand.
Biden is no Cool Hand Luke.
Woke up this morning planning to have a positive day. Wambo, down I went after reading this memo and also viewing the Berkshire Eagles new way of trying to sell their paper with the uncalled terrible picture of the fatality car accident in Richmond on Saturday. I will start with Crayola Linda, she is being allowed to do anything she wants to do, no questions asked. She has 9 puppets on her CC. Think about it, how many words have come out of Dina’s, Kavey’s, Yuki’s, Moon’s, Caccamo’s, Marchetti’s, Whites & Persips mouths since the beginning of the year. They have had no input at all. If Connell, Maffucio or Morandi ask questions they are called the trouble makers. But then again folks, we all sit behind our computers, myself included and bitch and complain. Crayola Linda doesn’t care, Bare Bare states she doesn’t read this blog. It is time we all peacefully storm City Hall on a CC night. Fill the room, fill the street in front of City Hall, maybe Chief Mikey Wynn will have to stop reading his books and come out for crowd control. How about at least 1000 residents hold back paying their taxes for a month or two, show Crayola Linda we all mean business. Make her job as miserable as she is making all of us. Make her wish she had not won again. Now onto the Berkshire Eagle. Really, they have to post this terrible bloody picture for all to see. Absolutely no respect for this poor family that lost a love one tragically. Does the Eagle ever think? Did they ever think that this poor little baby that was involved in the accident who thankfully is alright might come upon this picture when they grow up. Do they need to be reminded of losing their Dad? Some good lawyer needs to step up and help this family sue the pants out of the Berkshire Eagle. Time to completely boycott this newspaper and let it die! To think one of the owners of the newspaper use to be a judge. No compassion left at all. The Millers would never have printed a picture like this. Well try to have a nice day folks and be careful out there on the streets, Pittsfield NASCAR started early today, as usual no PPD to be found. Just another item that us taxpayers are not receiving with this Administration.
MERRY
That is the only way to stop the relentless taxation and assaults on the budgets of what’s left of the middle class — a massive outpouring at council meetings but more importantly on election day. Perhaps some sort of citizen’s coalition, organized as a PAC. There are ways this could be done.Would you and others be interested? That is the question. Of course, the virus plays into the hands of the Special Interests by making gatherings and assemblies, even meetings, nearly impossible. Bottom line, though: It CAN be done.
Dan, I have thought about your comment most of the day. I would love to see a coalition organized. I will continue to think about it for a few days. Honestly, I keep thinking back at the last campaign and how Tyer lied her way through the campaign and also how hard Mazzeo worked for the people. Tyer is lying about the Corin19 numbers. To this day I have yet to be in contact with many people that voted for Tyer, most people are totally disgusted with her. To this day I still don’t understand how she won. Unfortunately, there so many residents of Pittsfield that either could careless about the condition of Pittsfied or they are just buffaloed by Tyer’s lies or they just aren’t educated enough to see how monies are being wasted. I also thought about all the parents from Reid that came forth to both the Council meeting and also the School Department meeting and voiced their concerns for the lack of a Resource Officer, they were totally ignored. Also, the Pittsfield Public Schools cafeteria workers came together at another meeting to voice their concerns about their hourly pay and they were ignored. Tyer and JIV just don’t care, they have proven it over and over. As long as they have monies to spend they both are happier then pigs in shit. It seems like the forensic audit is the best bet. Just not sure how those that want a change in this Administration go about demanding one?
MERRY
I have many ideas on how such a coalition could be formed. It could be a game changer. As for how the mayor won the election, she did it the way every establishment candidate has done it — get your core together, pander to the teachers union and the school people, and do everything you can to alienate the ordinary citizens to keep them away from the poles. There are, as you say, many who just don’t care and even more — the bottom of the barrel, what I call “the armies of the night” — you wouldn’t want near a voting booth. But the most massive voting block is that good citizen who pays taxes, keeps up on the mortgage, works hard, takes care of his property, and is otherwise what you would call decent. These are the people who see right through the phonies and can’t bring themselves to participate. If, for just once, we would get a candidate who could electrify this base, the heavens would roar.
The Berkshire Eagle and its editor have no shame whatsoever that picture is just cruel and not remotely necessary. They have been asked to take it down by the family(Nope). A good photo journalist can tell a story without that picture they have zero.
That was horrible and not needed at all!
They even have the cover laying in the picture. What a ditty paper no shame at all.
The picture was right out of the Enquirer. What is the name of the editor that decided to post it? If he felt it was newsworthy he should put his name on it. I hope he does not get inside the ICU with his camera any time soon.
Saw both Dick Lindsay’s and Amanda Drane’s names listed on the article. Both should be ashamed of themselves. Hope both of them are proud of themselves. They both are not reporters or journalists, they are pathetic jerks.
Re the accident – that road has now had two fatalities in as many years. I understand it is a state road but after the first fatality one would think the selectmen of the town would encourage the State police to be more active in enforcing speeding.
Also, why did the police say speeding right away as cause of the accident? I don’t believe for the last fatality in 41 they were allowed to speculate until after an investigation..
Kermit, the reality is there were three fatalities in the past few years. This one had excessive speed as root cause most likely, based on the impact/damge and the fact road was dry and is hardly curved that much in that area – all indicating excessive speed, along with other evidence you average Joe’s aint privy to. Troopers are actually on the road quite a bit. Furthermore, the other two fatalities were at intersection of 41 and Dublin, and town took immediate action, and got state to quickly add important signage, cut down large amounts of trees and brush to increase lines up sight, and made other changes, and since then it is much safer at the intersection. It’s called traffic control through environmental design. Unfortunately, it took two fatalities in short order, to do what the state should have done years ago.
Thanks for the info. I thought Balderdash was on a curve – not sure of the exact accident spot as I read the article on my phone and it had no pic – thank god. People who I know who live on 41 are always complaining about trucks speeding. There is very little shoulder for anyone to take cover on if something goes wrong. And to be honest it is a bit windy with lots of blind spots. I don’t see the cops pulling people (18 wheelers esp) over there or really ever – anywhere In Pitts/Lee/Lenox or Richmond. I am surprised there have not been more fatalities based on how the trucks get away with speeding.
The national news is now saying that our virus testing can’t be trusted because many of the test kits came from China and may not be reliable. What? I though we we making our own test kits? Is this the media trying to spread fear and confusion since they are saying until we have mass testing nobody can go back to work? No mass testing, no work, economy down the tubes, Trump loses the election, and the socialists take over a devastated economy? Is this the plan?
A large majority of kits and masks and PPE still come from China. Stop with thinking it’s some sort of lie it’s been well documented in the news, even Fox News
I agree, but should we continue using test kits that are not giving accurate information? PPE is OK to use from China I guess, but not test kits. Better to not use them at all than to get the wrong information. We should only use American test kits even though we may not have as many as we need yet because they are more accurate than those from China.
Ppe from China isn’t safe at all none of it is.
Trump says he made Americas military the best in the world so why can’t he have his minions make virus tests?
Duh, I dunno….but China this and China that
Duh…we didn’t have this virus appear until recently. Blame the medical community not President Trump. The medical community in this country hasn’t been prepared for much of anything major that’s for sure.
and the president has not helped the medical community. He keeps going on television saying they have everything they need while doctors and nurses are also on pleading for help. Do you believe one president or hundreds of doctors and nurses?
Never mind. I already knw your answer.
If you listened to the President’s corona virus updates everyday you would know that the governors of the states are in charge of sending these materials throughout their states after receiving them from the president, but they are not doing a good job of it. Same with the test kits. They have them, but the governors are NOT as organized as President Trump. As an example, Andrew Cuomo in New York had the ventilators sent to him by the President, but he didn’t know it since they were in a warehouse in New Jersey which is apparently where New York stores their ventilators.
If they they had a hall of fame for Tax Hikes, Tyer would be the Babe Ruth of it. This is her idea of ankle therapy .
Millions filing for SSDI. Unemployment rules six hundred a week.
That one there is and has been one of my a$$ frosting peeves. I’m not for cutting the dough for those who really are disabled and need it. The ones who are scamming the system and getting the money because they have a broken fingernail.
Drunks and druggies getting SSI
Or Cy Young,throwing money out the window for the special interests.
I am seeing people wearing lots of very sophisticated looking masks when I go shopping in the supermarkets in my mask made from my husband’s cotton t-shirts. These masks look like they would protect not only the wearer, but other shoppers as well, so that is good, but where are people getting these very professional looking masks? I would love to have one, especially when my oxygen level seems to keep dropping the longer I am in the store since my mask seems to be either too tight or too thick. It has also been too loose at times since its just homemade.
PAT
Send me your mailing address. I can get a better mask in your hands. No charge.
Dan your post made my day. Pat, stay well.
Thank you Dan!!
You’ve got a good heart, Dan, no matter how much the competition may disparage you.
The Eagle is like the Houston Astro’s ! They wait for Dan to break the stories and then they steal them.
Pat, Joanne Fabrics has them and will give you one. They are very well made and you can toss them in the washing machine, Also, Carr Hardware is selling them for $9.99, also made very well and can be washed. Good Luck.
Thank you!
9.99? That sounds like gouging for sure. I like Carr hdwr but that seems ridiculously high.
It’s called supply and demand.
Seriously? I thought you said Trump was making sure everyone had what they needed. Every day during his rally on the telly he says no country is doing a better job.
Carr hardware has tons of masks Pat.
https://www.facebook.com/CarrHardware1928/photos/rpp.196566520442364/2744538328978491/?type=3&theater
Pat, they are ordering them on line.
There’s a local company in Housatonic. Also, online companies offering the more sophisticated masks. However, as someone whose small business is in the medical field, please do not allow yourself to think the mask gives you real protection as the virus can be absorbed via your eyes and ears, and disposable gloves can be a bigger conduit than bare hands that you wash or douse in hand sanitizer.
My new motto from a friend: “A mask will protect you from corona the same way your underwear holds back your farts.”
Cant have an economy without the test And Trump still not getting it done.
Duo o wants to give workers at hospitalsfrom the janitor to intake to Nureses Surgeopn fifty percent bonus. Where’s Governor Baker?
The BHS numbers are fake again today.
They are still pushing only a 3 case increase today. And the cleared kiosk numbers don’t match either.
Money for BHS, they brought some homeless patients in today. That’s real money from the feds.
The Pittsfield dashboard went from 3 to 5 and then back down to 4 yesterday. Are they bringing people back to life?
Jesus he is risen
Tyer plays God with Kapanski cash
https://www.mass.gov/doc/covid-19-dashboard-april-20-2020/download
New dashboard from the state and the numbers are all wrong.
Can you please explain the methodology that you are using and point us to a credible dataset that we can refer to? then we can look at the methodology that the CDC and the State are using with there dataset then a conversation can be had. You give no source for your dataset your testing numbers were disputed by one of the people on the front line doing the tests. One can say a credible source unless your now alleging samples are collected and then discarded or destroyed. Point us to a data set that we can independently examine.
Guv Baker, lift the lockdown!
Kim Jung Un In grave danger after surgery. This has been a Planet Bulletin…….
Hope he dies.
Everyone go on the disabled by Carona six hunge a week… spend the summer off and go back to work in January.
https://www.berkshirehealthsystems.org/coronavirus
399 cases today reported on the kiosk at BHS
https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/mass-dph-virus-update-no-new-cases-reported-in-berkshire-county,602867
387 reported to DPH so no new cases the report today.
Sounds great right?!?
Why isn’t the Eagle looking at BHS kiosk? Why aren’t they reporting on the discrepancy?
This is all about opening up tourism
RN
AP just ran a story about Massachusetts as the new “hot spot.” And you’re right. It’s all about tourism. This could end up as a disaster either way. If they don’t open up, the local economy vanishes. If they open up, the virus triumphs. Comes down to life and death.
Told ya so. The numbers don’t lie, only the mayor, city council, and BHS do.
I could be wrong but I haven’t heard the governor say anything about opening up the state one region at a time. Cities and towns have added their own restrictions but none have the power to override what he put in place.
Oh yea? Show me where it is written that Governor has power to violate the law? The contstitution appies always, and there are no exceptions, and there is no Marshall Law in America.
I’m just the messenger –
A state of emergency can be declared by the Governor of Massachusetts in the event or imminent threat of a natural or man-made disaster. Under a state of emergency, Chapter 639 of the Acts of 1950, as amended, grants the Governor and other state officials the power to protect the Commonwealth. A state of emergency may cover a specific municipality, multiple communities, or the entire Commonwealth.
Free Bird, I understand you are just the messenger, but Chapter 639 does not exist.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/napolitano-unconstitutional-stay-at-home-orders
20-April-2020
Re: Re: Leaders? – Thank you, Patrick Fennell!
Hello Pat,
I am so thankful there are citizens out there like you who are willing to tell off the elitist and egotistical lawmakers who have failed the people they are supposed to be representing at the State House(s) and Capitol Hill. I would like state and federal lawmakers to pass a bill that they cannot collect campaign donations during the coronavirus pandemic. I also want all of them to pass a bill that they won’t get paid during their recesses. I also want them to pass a bill censuring themselves for taking a 5 week Congressional recess while tens of millions of American workers lost their jobs and healthcare insurance during a global public health crisis. I also want them to pass a bill censuring themselves again for taking a 5 week Congressional recess while tens of thousands of Americans are dying and over 700,000 Americans are infected from COVID-19.
People often ask why more people like you and me don’t tell off their politicians. The answer is that they don’t want to face retribution. They don’t want to lose their jobs and get blacklisted. Pittsfield State Senator Adam Hinds and Pittsfield State Representative Tricia Farley Bouvier block all of my emails. They can’t handle the truth because the truth hurts their feelings. Instead, they only care about their own pay and benefits, along with their campaign donations from the vested and special interests that are the enemy of the common taxpayer.
I recently wrote Clarence Fanto about his column last weekend about tourism being hit hard this spring and summer (of 2020) during the coronavirus. I pointed out that the state and local politicians all got their turn in the spotlight for their support of arts and cultural venues in Berkshire County, while the shrinking tax base has paid tens of millions of their hard earned dollars over the decades to support the now hard hit tourism economy.
In closing, it is clearly apparent that politicians do not care about the people they are supposed to be representing on Beacon and Capitol Hill. Most people are afraid of retribution so they don’t tell them off for their failures. I am happy that people like you and me tell them all off. They need to know they are people instead of gods!
Best wishes,
Jonathan A. Melle
“Telling off” a politician is the perfect way to get blacklisted & arrested.
Thomas Jefferson “told off” King George III when he wrote the Declaration of Independence!
People used to say “Give ’em Hell, Harry!” Harry Truman replied “I tell them the truth and they think it’s Hell”.
A good man told Joe McCarthy: “Have you no decency!”
In closing, I love reading Patrick Fennell’s email letters telling off all of the politicians! I think it is great!
Do you know the context of the quote regarding McCarthy?
He was ruining the careers and blacklisting American citizens by accusing thousands of people of being Commies. There was no due process of law. It was called “McCarthyism”.
Due Process….. ain’t that cute. How’s it turn out ? …and they all lived without redress ever after.
Fennel’s good for one thing…sausage
Coming to a Hilton Garden Near you
City officials have launched an investigation into three men who died over the weekend at a quarantine hotel after being released from hospitals for coronavirus treatment, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday.
“We are doing the review right now to understand what happened,” de Blasio said Monday during a City Hall conference call with reporters.
“It’s obviously tragic,” he said.
The men — ages 42, 64 and 70 — were staying at the Hilton Garden Inn near Times Square in three of the 11,000 isolation hotel rooms set up by the city for recovering COVID-19 patients.
The 70-year-old was found dead by hotel staff Saturday, according to law enforcement sources. The 42-year-old was also discovered dead in a room when he didn’t answer a caseworker’s phone calls and didn’t take his food, the sources said.
Going back to work right now is a kick in the face to healthcare workers.It is so disrespectful right now.Just because Trump said it does not mean it is the right conversation.Stay home and help a nurse.
Pctv announced this morning on stupid Stooge show that schools are closed for good from ibc sources.
Bonuses should be in line for any worker that has to deal with the public in any way. Also,who is the geniuses that allow wtbr to be used as a non music morning hour in place for years. Now it has reruns and tape delay previously recordedshows that you can’t understand if you wanted to, from the Stooge at his house.
Actually, I would rather go to work and help my family.
More hate. There are areas in this country that can and want to go back to work. It is up to each governor to open up or stay closed. The proposed guidelines to the governors seem reasonable. No one is disrespecting anyone except you. You are constantly disrespecting YOUR president.
God loves you.
it will be interesting to see if cases spike really high in those states if the President washes his hands and say’s I told them not to reopen? cause you know he will take the credit if it goes the other way.
Every bit of the social distancing that has been done for the last month will be for absolutely nothing if we abandon it now. I sure wish we could just make everybody happy by having open states for the open people and social distancing states for virus conscientious people. But a hard fast rule that if people started dropping dead right and left in the open states they could not come into the social distancing states once they found out how utterly ignorant their decision was.
The purpose of the lockdown was to prevent our hospitals from being overwhelmed with coronavirus patients. There are currently 24 coronavirus patients at BMC, with 60-70 available open beds.
The weather is improving which means more people will be enjoying the outdoors and replenishing their vitamin D levels – the sunshine vitamin – which helps the body fight off infection.
The governor needs to reopen the state economy NOW! Call him at 617/725-4005 or email at constituent.services@state.ma.us
Contact State Senator Adam Hinds at 617/722-1625 or email at adam.hinds@masenate.gov
Stay home for nurses and doctors.Stay home for every employee at BHS.Things could look different in 3 weeks.Stay home for all those that had to work.
Update – Gov. Baker has closed schools thru June. Why? Pressure from the teachers union. Ignore science, which indicates deaths & spread are in downward trend. Over 80% of deaths are in people over 70 years of age. Baker will destroy the state’s economy while looking to the federal government to provide funding to the state. He says he is hoping for a vaccine. Do we have a vaccine for sars, HIV or the common cold? No, because they are viruses. Just another excuse to shut down the economy for political purposes.
I like Baker and think he does a good job most of the time. I think he really is worried about public health, but people should go back to work in May especially younger people. I think Baker has said the 2nd week in May he will open up the state. Those who are vulnerable and anyone over 60 or over should work from home for a while longer. Nursing homes still need to be very guarded.
A downward trend is just that, a downward trend. Not an “all clear”. Would you jump into flood waters once you heard they were receding? Same thing.
New Trump ad featuring….Nancy Antoinette!
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/04/trump-camp-releases-best-video-ad-year-let-eat-ice-cream-video/
Isn’t it amazing how most politicians go in as average Joe ‘s and come out wealthy? Granted some were already wealthy and even they came out with more wealth. They pay their kids and family members thousands to lick campaign envelopes . Nice gig.
Dan,
I agree fully with your column and Councilor Connell’s initiative to stop Kerwood from placing the federal reimbursement monies into the general fund as a separate line item.
I also have a problem with Tyer’s proposal of using $100,000 of CPA funds as rental assistance! She continues to try to raid this fund for her projects.
Everyone – please contact the CC members today with your concerns!
And I hope Chris Connell will run for mayor in the near future!
https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/5-asymptomatic-staffers-test-positive-for-coronavirus-at-williamstown-commons,602781
Everybody likes to blame the state and federal govt
Williamstown could have tested way sooner and could have tested more. The tests were at BHS and they had some delivered directly to the nursing home.
The attending doctor could have requested the tests
5 more cases under reported
This is what I’ve been saying. President Trump made sure these states, including ours, received their supplies and tests. It’s the people in charge in the states who are messing up. Sometimes it’s the hospitals and other times it’s the governors who are not properly using the tests or other equipment.
Definitely “somebody elses’ fault”. Donald is like Jesus and in fact may BE Jesus for all we know. He is probably just too modest to tell us. But either way. It is SOMEBODY ELSES’ FAULT! Has to be.
RN,
Under reported? No please read the article that you are using as proof. It clearly states that 5 ASYMPTOMATIC people were tested and came back positive. They were tested once the State loosened the requirements allowing for asymptomatic patients/workers to be tested. If they were not tested and verified where is the undercount? One can ask if BHS or anyone else tested asymptomatic patients who would have been screaming that test kits were squandered on BHS nursing home staff that showed no signs of illness to cover the Administrations butts. Once again your information points to no conspiracy by anyone to intentionally misrepresent the count. Yes the count of infected people will rise as testing becomes more wide spread and readily available. Should we act as if everyone is infected yes should BHS the State or the CDC count all 350 million citizens as infected because we all have not been tested no. Your disdain and distrust for BHS does not make for a conspiracy.
Have a great day
I’m saying today they are under reporting.
Look at the DPH dashboard and the BHS kiosk.
Are you that dumb? They’ve said 387 for days and BHS is now at 400.
That is the state UNDER REPORTING. [PARTS OF THIS COMMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED BECAUSE OF UNNECESSARY OBSCENE LANGUAGE. THE PLANET REQUESTS THAT ALL COMMENTS STAY WITHIN OUR WIDE RANGES OF RHETORICAL ALLOWANCE. GRATUITOUS F-BOMBS AND THE LIKE HELP NO ONE AND TAKE AWAY FROM ARGUMENTS.]
Look it appears that you are unable to answer a simple question and are lashing out like a cornered animal trapped by your lies misunderstanding or inability to cognitively reason and think. Anybody with an IQ slightly above that of a rock can get on a blog and toss allegations only those with the IQ of the rock would have to lace the discussion with profanity. Still without any kind of data that you can point towards. Go to your dataset (To copy, press and hold Ctrl (the control key) on the keyboard and then press the C on the keyboard. To paste, press and hold down Ctrl and then press V ) then we can all see your methodology and follow your reasoning. yes 387 is less than 400 but we need to know time of data vs data analyzation and distribution. If you look the data sets released by the Governmental agencies lags by days at times. You have ginned up this whole conspiracy theory that you are now defending over 13 cases? Do you really believe that the City Council the Mayor, the State the CDC and BHS have ginned up and are running a scam on 13 cases? You give them way to much credit I suggest that people maybe should think about buying what your selling.
Be well
Interesting article on iberkshires about our local legislators & their thoughts on covid;
TFB – “we need to rethink normal.” Profound.
Hinds – “undocumented workers are not getting support right now.” No kidding. They are here illegally.
Scary stuff. I believe both are useless & need to be voted out before they do any more damage to our county.
They are two useless peas in a pod.
Well Lenny, when you don’t have any more veggies to dip in your hummus into because “those people” are gone enjoy your Slim Jims
We need to rethink TFB and Hinds as our politicians.
Pat,
No matter how much people rethink about our current leaders, it won’t matter. Democrats have a strong hold on these seats across our area and throughout the state. The names will change and nothing else.
True. I blame the public for letting the Democrats get such a power base in this area that it seems nobody can break it even if we don’t like them or their power mad ideas.
Talk is cheap! you should run for office?
Tricia Farley Bouvier’s public record! She backed the Berkshire Museum shakedown where the most valuable pieces of art, including Norman Rockwell paintings, that were sold off for tens of millions of dollars. She wants to give illegal immigrants driver’s licenses. She is part of Jimmy Ruberto’s WHEN Good Old Boys (and Girls) club. In January of 2017, she voted for the controversial legislative pay raise bill without allowing a citizens’ referendum. She voted for casino gambling. She sends her children to Lenox schools, but represents Pittsfield on Beacon Hill’s State House. She always votes unanimously, along with all the other state Reps, in favor of Speaker for Life Bob DeLeo’s legislation. In 2018, she allegedly and corruptly floated the possibility of a job for Judith Knight with Andrea Harrington as DA. She pushed for a new Taconic High School that the city government has no plans to make any prinicipal payments on the municipal bond that will go unpaid for decades into the future. Like the aforementioned legislative pay raise bill, there was no citizens’ referendum on the new Taconic High School project! On 10/24/2016, Chris Connell wrote: “In [her] five years in office my opponent [Tricia Farley Bouvier] has not passed any legislation she has sponsored. That represents 25 bills.” She even backed the PEDA failure and its expensive BIC project.
– Jonathan Melle
Berkshire-based State Senator Adam Hinds’ first vote in political office was for the legislative pay raise bill right after the Legislature received a pay raise in their base pay. Indeed, all five Berkshire delegates to Beacon Hill voted for the pay raise bill in early 2017.
When it came time for leadership concerning the Massachusetts Attorney General’s legal case over the Berkshire Museum’s unethical selling of its most valuable and historic pieces of art, Adam Hinds was nowhere to be found!
In the 2016 “election”, Adam Hinds was pre-selected and favored to be State Senator over Andrea Harrington and Rinaldo Del Gallo III, in the Democratic Primary. Adam Hinds was always in bed with the corrupt Good Old Boys and the elitist one party political establishment.
About that early 2017 legislative pay raise bill Pittsfield State Senator Adam Hinds voted for:
Massachusetts State Senators can receive up to 3 leadership stipends on top of their base salary of $62,500, plus their other benefits. That means some State Senators will receive over $50,000 in pay raises. Moreover, some State Senators also have private sector jobs.
What is the cherry on top?
State Senator Adam Hinds’ base pay and potential 3 leadership stipends he voted to increase in early 2017 all are factored in his future taxpayer-funded state pension!
Melle, Try and do some investigative reporting and return with some facts: What is Adam Hinds’ relationship to Pittsfield’s most favored and contract awarded behind the scene power broker, to wit; Jimmy Maxymillian ? And why would Hinds, a self professed U.N. under secretary quit for a Shannon grant of only 30K and no bennies unless there was a firm political promise of bigger things to come.
He was a glorified coffee boy.
Jonathan “allegedly” not a chance in hell that is fact.
Have you ever seen Berkshire County more full of do nothing job holders and salary collectors whose priorities are in protecting themselves, not in protecting the people who pay their salaries? Ever? I’ve given up. I give you credit. I don’t know how you go on, Dan.
I agree with you, Maggie May. I never said “allegedly” is a fact! You are putting your words in my writings. The sentence you took issue with, which was TFB’s involvement in and support for Andrea Harrington for D.A. and the allegations made against her, were widely reported in The Berkshire Eagle and on Dan Valenti’s awesome blog. TFB denied the allegations that she floated the possibility of a job for Judith Knight with candidate Andrea Harrington after she (A.H.) was sworn in as D.A. But, other people said otherwise. That means that someone is not telling the truth! In closing, that is politics in a nutshell.
And she’ll raise more tax on gas pumps first chance she gets.This is what Democrats do they destroy anything good with taxes and local giveaways.
TFB is the poster child for rethinking normal.
Wasn’t the schools (when) first candidate Farley Bouvier.
Pittsfield politics = “$hakedown Politic$!”
TFB, the lovely Linda Tyer, Jimmy Ruberto, and their WHEN backers spent tens of millions of your taxpayer dollars on Pittsfield’s arts and culture projects, and many other capital projects. They see Pittsfield taxpayers as their ATM. Matt Kerwood’s creative accounting covers up the true costs of all of it. As long as Matt Kerwood has a +$10 million slush fund, then he can continue to cook the books!
Every day the berkshire Eagle is quick to point out “no New cases today” Or “only one new case in the Berkshires”
Well we went from 387 to 404 in Berkshire county and the are still missing 107 cases.
The Eagle didn’t print anything and they haven’t updated that graph.
When you put tourism over lives you suck
R N Any rumor of layoffs?
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/faq-surveillance.html
Take a look
Thanks, 5th. Most helpful.
Well I’ve made three predictions on the Planet. Schools would close, that happened,no third thursdays,then they cancelled that and my next prediction,layoffs looming at b h s.
Yup,you can watch things happen,make things happen,or wonder..what the ‘Hell’ happened.
So NOW the Eagle is beginning to understand what I’ve been saying and trying to tell people Berkshire county COVID numbers are WAY off because BHS and associated facilities are not fully reporting their numbers.
https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/virus-data-incomplete-for-berkshire-county-nursing-homes,602947
“ The first list, released late Monday, included three nursing homes in Berkshire County — Williamstown Commons (180 beds; more than 30 cases), Fairview Commons in Great Barrington (146 beds; fewer than 10 cases) and Mount Carmel Care Center in Lenox (69 beds; fewer than 10 cases). No other cases were added in Tuesday’s DPH report.” That’s 50 cases short on reporting there.
There are dozens of COVID cases at the nursing homes not being reported. There are more at BHS that haven’t been reported properly, they are dumping the COVID+ cases into “unknown” for an address