BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY JUNE 24, 2020) — Today THE PLANET begins with a victory lap. We — not The Berkshire Eagle (aka, The Boring Broadsheet), not iBerkshires, not radio or TV — just saved Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski millions. We guess at least $2 million — $1.5 million for sure. We shall waive a finder’s fee.

The school committee (TSC), in a rare split vote, sent the Pittsfield School Department budget back to the city council untouched. The council originally passed the TSC’s budget of almost “65 million” (we shall explain the quotes later), untouched. Ward 1 councilor Helen Moon, however, acting for her boss district attorney Andrea Harrington in league with PSD superintendent Jason “JIV” McCandless, quietly snuck a surprise petition to send the school budget back to TSC.

Typically that would guarantee millions added.

Not this time.

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It didn’t because of THE PLANET‘s relentless investigative work culminating in our revelation of the plot (see our previous two columns). That pair of articles sent reverberations throughout city hall and departments. Our work resulted in a 4-3 decision by TSC not, repeat not, to add money but to send it back to the council. We know THE PLANET can take the credit after we heard from sources on TSC and at Mercer (school department HQ).

School committee members Kathy Yon, Dan Elias, Bill Cameron, and mayor Linda Tyer voted not to add more dollars. By Pittsfield standards, a heroic vote, and THE PLANET applauds their leadership. TSC members Alison McGee, Dennis Powell, and Mark Brazeau shilled for JIV and his hatchet woman, finance director Kristen Behnke, she of the nine-member staff  (no overhead there!).

Before we go further, let us explain the “64.4 million” school budget. That’s the official figure. The true cost of the failing public schools is $128.8 million, probably more. The “doubling” comes from adding the cost of health care, mainly, plus bussing and maintenance. Pittsfield buries those costs on the city side of the ledger. In The Dreaded Private Sector, such book keeping would be cause for firings and investigations.

JIV, who thought he was masterminding the multimillion heist with Moon’s compliance, actually stepped into the bear trap he himself set. In doing so, THE PLANET got the answer that has baffled philosophers for ages: “Does a bear shit in the woods?” Turns out the answer is “yes,” for it was JIV himself who revealed the dollar-doubling!  The not-so-super super fell for THE PLANET‘s gambit. We sacrificed a pawn to capture the king.

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When JIV and Behnke first spoke on their budget, they sounded the tired-but-effective alarm from the Mercer rooftop that they would have to cut “140 jobs, most of the teachers.” When the dreadful state of the city’s COVID-choked finances convinced the two that their typical ploy would backfire, the “140” jobs magically became 26, the number used at TSC meeting — 114 fake “layoffs.” The 26 positions include 14 teachers, 10 paraprofessionals, a guidance councilor, and a janitor.

“This is what the community wants,” Brazeau said of his move to reinstate the 26 jobs, as if he knows “what the community wants.” JIV said to do so would cost $750,000 in salary and an equal amount in health benefits for a $1.5 million total. For the first time in his tenure as head cheese, JIV confirmed what THE PLANET, and only THE PLANET among local media, has insisted about the school department budget. Every dollar in salary costs a dollar in benefits. The bear caught by his own device with his pants down taking a dump! These 26 low- to mid-low-level positions average $57,692.31 per job. And you wonder why the city’s going broke. The school department employs more than 1,300.

If THE PLANET hadn’t gone to work, the Kapanski’s would have been $1.5 million poorer.

Perhaps we should get a 10% finder’s fee after all. We promise to give every cent to charity, probably the Biden campaign.

———- ooo ———–

As of press time, THE PLANET heard from nine councilors on the question of conflicts of interest in voting on the school department budget. Two couldn’t be bothered. Can we reasonably assume that the pair have a conflict they are not reporting?

Here’s the roll:

Kevin Morandi, Ward 2 — Recused himself. Conflict from the schools employing an immediate family member.

Nick Caccamo, Ward 3 — Reports no conflict.

Chris Connell, Ward 4 — Reports no conflict.

Patrick Kavey, Ward 5 — Reports no conflict.

Dina Guiel-Lampiasi — Reports no conflict. (Her answer received after deadline, inserted ex post facto).

Peter White, at-large — Reports no conflict.

Yuki Cohen, at-large — Will recuse. Conflict.

Peter Marchetti at-large — Reports no conflict.

Earl Persip, at-large — Reports no conflict.

THE PLANET appreciate the responses.

We didn’t hear from Helen Moon, Ward 1; Tony Maffuccio, 7.

Moon was ordered by the district attorney not to respond to THE PLANET under any circumstances, according to a source in the D.A.’s office. We’re shocked. Shocked. Maffuccio was unable to answer because he was illegally meeting with a flashlight in The Dumpster Behind Paul Rich. No wireless there.

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“The first thing you need to realize is that you are in prison” — George Gurdjieff.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

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