HE WAS ‘A GOOD GUY,’ BUT DOYLE LEFT A LEGACY OF OFFICIAL FAILURE
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY AUG. 12, 2020) — “Doyle vents ire on Valenti show.”
So read the headline and story over six columns in a face a tad shy of Second Coming type. Date: Dec. 19, 2001. Mayor Doyle’s two-term tenure as mayor had less than three weeks remaining. He saved his public wrath for THE PLANET. The Berkshire Eagle illustrated the article with this lift-out quote: “You guys have done everything you can to disrupt the administration, my life[,] and my family’s life … I’m not going away.”
No, he didn’t go away for the remainder of the hour, telling whoppers, included a “guarantee” that in 10 years, Pittsfield would have a new stadium. He also claimed GE left because of “an unsafe airport.”
Gerry did go away, including to a make-work position with Secretary of State Bill Galvin, a reward for carrying Boston’s water. North Adams mayor-forever John Barrett III, now nominal “representative” to the General Court, declared Doyle “the most beloved” mayor in the city’s history. Hyperbole has always had a dear place in the heart of Der wunderbarrett the way the Super Bowl charms the NFL fanatic.
THE PLANET only knew Doyle as a politician, only slightly as a man. We didn’t fit with the swamp politics wherein Gerry held court with fellow clowns and jesters who, after he won a second term, took over the bar at Berkshire Hills Country Club with cries of “mayor for life! Mayor for life!” The oblivious slogan helped lower the handicaps of many club members by driving them from the clubhouse and to the putting green.
A partial review of the mayor’s record produces four “highlights:”
- The health insurance scandal. Under Doyle and then-finance-director David Kiley, the mayor failed to make premium payments on the city’s health insurance, jeopardizing the entire coverage. Where did the money go? Most of an $8 million deficit, disappeared money, was run up by this mess.
- The financial chaos Doyle policies forced the state to impose a control board. In effect, the capital declared Doyle and his people couldn’t be trusted as the public fiduciary.
- After GE pulled out of Pittsfield, the company left the air, water, and soil of the city poisoned. Would the city apply for Superfund cleanup status? No, it proposed negotiations. THE PLANET agreed. How naive that we expected a fair negotiation. What happened? Pittsfield showed up at the table with Doyle, city council president Tom Hickey, and some legal eagles who knew they were overmatched the moment they began envisioning their billable hours. GE drew upon the best legal minds in two buildings full of some of the world’s top legal talent. Years later Hickey told THE PLANET his job was to guard Gerry from spending too much time in the Combat Zone. Final score, GE countless billions, Pittsfield nothing. A few million, an inadequate remediation, and 52 acres that after 22 years produces cement cracks and weeds.
- Civic Authority. Doyle’s masterpiece, one that blew up in his face like a cartooned exploding cigar. Using the fictional promise of a new baseball stadium as the Trojan horse, the mayor secretly appealed to Boston for home rule to create a non-elected, mayoral-appointed board with unlimited powers, including the right to seize private property. THE PLANET broke the news on our show, and the momentum created led to defeat-by-referendum.
Yeah, Gerry was a “great guy.” He could work a room.
So what? He failed as the city’s CEO.
May Doyle rest in the care of an all-loving, all-merciful God. If that God doesn’t exist, oblivion is the next best thing. As Mark Twain said in advanced age when a scribe asked him if he feared death, paraphrasing, “Before I was born, I was dead for more than 13 billion years and didn’t mind one bit. Why should I fret now?”
Gerry, we hardly knew ye.
——————————————————————————————————–
“The deed is everything. The glory is naught” — Goethe.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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Saturday at 5 pm we will tip a beer and salute Mr. Doyle. Aside,Connell is getting lynched by his cohorts.*
“A” beer? Nice start, but I would add about 19 or 20 to the total, to get the full Doyle Effect.
A 21 pop a top salute!
Personally I like dealing with the truth. Thanks Dan for telling it like it is. And another truth is that you were actually quite gentle because you just scratched the surface.
If his admirers are looking for a brighter side to his legacy they will soon be able to say that he sure was not the worst mayor Pittsfield ever had.
I hope we can say RIP to the person and still speak the truth about their impact.
I was thinking of the current situation with North St and the mayor, the State Senator, the homeless and the City Council. It’s like a dark Curious George series. Just stupid, reckless monkey like decisions made on impulse and there is no whimsy to this – no man in the yellow hat coming to save anyone. Do we blame the voters because they keep electing these morons? And the greedy patronage job fillers. That’s what we have here, dumb asses and hangers on.
I wish I felt that electing a democrat president would have ANY positive benefit on our area. It’s like silly magical thinking. We have what Kamala is selling and it does not work. Illegal immigrants should not go to the head of the line over Americans. I am all for compassionate immigration reform but otherwise there is no reason for anyone to follow the laws. Yuck.
Thank you for this article. Gerry Doyle was a back-slapping kind of guy who did irreparable harm to Pittsfield. GE knew he was weak and got away with environmental murder. Very sad chapter in the book of Rise and Fall of Pittsfield. Question: do you think abolition of county government has hurt Pittsfield?
MERGUEZ
To you question, yes, the abolishment of county government removed a layer of oversight, paving the way for the skunks.
I agree. Why was it dumped?
My dad, Bob, was the last Chair of the Berkshire County Commission. From January 1, 1997 through July 1, 2000, my dad said that Boston’s “Big Dig” project had billions of dollars in cost overruns. Yet Beacon Hill said Berkshire County Government was “inefficient” and that it had to be abolished and taken over by the state government. At a public hearing in the Spring of 1999 before Beacon Hill lawmakers, my dad told the panel that he could run Berkshire County Government for 5,000 years with all of the money Beacon Hill spent on Boston’s “Big Dig” cost overruns. After Berkshire County Government was abolished, Beacon Hill put Pontoosuc Lake, which is in both Pittsfield and Lanesborough, in a state accounting agency for 2 whole years. After Pontoosuc Lake became choked with weeds and other issues, Beacon Hill and the state accounting agency said that accountants do not take care of lakes. My dad said that is the way Beacon Hill takes care of Berkshire County.
– Jonathan Melle
Harris Indian-Jamaican. Can’t call her African American.
Obama half white. No slave blood.
Harris no slave blood.
But Joe probably says she’s “clean . . . articulate.”
I couldn’t care less about color, blood, ethnicity–but lefties do.
Real issue will be her ideas, or lack thereof.
Bottom line: Harris (D-CA) Senate Judiciary Committee. Kavanaugh farce.
Disqualified.
She should drop out now.
Ignorance is a polite word to describe thiese statements.
https://kamalaharris.info/
“This site is political commentary and parody of Kamala Harris’ Presidential campaign website.
It is not paid for by any candidate, committee, organization, or PAC.
It is a project BY AN American citizen FOR American citizens. Self-Funded.”
TSC can’t handle the truth….poor Mario.
Her political career started, on SF Mayor Willie Brown’s (a married man 40 yrs her senior), office couch.
Called Biden a racist during primaries.
Said her primary campaign failed, because the voters were “racist and sexist”, that would be Democrat voters.
Says criminal aliens deserve in State tuition, but wants out of State Americans to pay more.
Paternal Jamaican heritage includes an Irish slave owner who imported slaves from Africa.
Has claimed to be Asian American or African American as it suits her needs. In fact 1/2 caucasion Indian and less than 1/2 African American, part Irish.
Says criminal aliens deserve free health care, but not American veterans.
Empowers women, by sleeping her way to the top.
Key accuser in Bret Kavanaugh confirmation hearings, not concerned that Biden gropes/assaults women.
Trump has a known sexual history .Biden and Harris do not.
Biden has been accused of rape. During the primaries, Harris said she believed the accuser. She has a short memory, not as short as Biden’s
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/08/flashback-kamala-harris-said-believes-joe-bidens-accusers-believe-video/
https://thefederalist.com/2020/08/11/flashback-kamala-harris-said-she-believed-bidens-rape-accusers/
Harris got started in “politics”, by “servicing” Willie Brown, former Mayor of San Francisco married and 40 years her senior. She in exchange got jobs and endorsements. Bill Clinton would endorse that! A “blow”, for womens equality!
“Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown admitted in January 2019 to an extramarital affair with upstart Kamala Harris.
Brown also admitted to giving Harris her first state jobs.”
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/08/flashback-willie-brown-throws-shade-former-lover-kamala-harris-cant-beat-trump/
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/08/flashback-kamala-harris-launched-political-career-bedroom-mistress-married-mayor-willie-brown/
I agree, Ed. And she could be the next Prez as Dimentia Joe is fading fast. Kamala’s state of CA is a disaster, her own record is disastrous, she supports defunding the Pentagon & police, supports gun control – she’s a loser with a capital L!
As stated all over the internet except Rupert billionaires channel..Biden survived 10 debates.Trump had no debates and 1 dementia test.Trump is white dumb
Biden is afraid to come out of his basement , when he does he rants incoherent jibberish. His handlers and MSM then cut the live feed, and put him back downstairs.
When he announced Harris as VP choice, he was holding and looking into his phone. The phone was upside down. And whole event was scripted.
https://nypost.com/2020/08/12/biden-mocked-for-using-script-to-tap-kamala-harris-as-his-running-mate-report/
America deserves to see Dementia Joe debate POTUS Trump. Live face to face, not a feed where Joe has coaches/handlers telepromters and crib notes.
Nice alex Morris sign on your lawn Mario
Wikileaks had a big release of Harris documents
https://search.wikileaks.org/?query=%22kamala+harris%22&include_external_sources=True&new_search=True&order_by=most_relevant#results
First shift back from vacation. Hospitals and labs are hiding the number of Covid cases.
They are coding them wrong, they are coding them to the address that the person lives full time, not to the address they were living when they tested positive.
There are over 24 new cases in Berkshire county since Friday. Also they are not doing follow ups right. And they aren’t doing contact tracing.
There was a wedding party. 11 people in that party tested positive. There have been no follow ups.
This is happening in Berkshire county and MA
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/california-s-top-public-health-officer-resigns-amid-revelations-massive-n1236338
Go back on vacation. Stay way from patients. You are disturbed.
The BHS virus site seems to be purposely confusing. Why would they do that? The Pittsfield city site virus graphs seem to suggest about 20 new cases in the last 20 days? Am I reading that right? If that is accurate should we not be telling people to be more careful out there? Kind of give them a heads up reminder?
I’ll echo Absurdo’s comments – thank you for printing the truth about Gerry Doyle, and being gracious about his escapades.
GE pollution scandle had zero to do with Mayor Doyle. GE was the most powerful entity on earth.You watched GE chase weak environment laws and cheap labor and today that strategy put their stock price at 6 dollars. GE was outgunning the United States goverment.
You’ve been eating too many fish from Silver Lake and the Housatonic TSC
Read a book.Go to Trump University
Got my PHD many years ago TSC, taught at Universities.
I read lots everyday, educational things. From science to mechanics and farming
But I avoid MSM and progressive/socialist drivel.
You?
Hill 78 should be renamed Mt Doyle, and the dredged still filthy portion of the Housatonic river Doyle’s Ditch.
For some reason Doyle gave his treasurer a $50,000 bonus on his way out the door. Uh, no not his own money, but rather taxpayer money. NO, no, no I never said it was hush money. Never said that.
Pay off bar tabs?
Trump is working to stop outsourcing American jobs overseas. He recently did so with the TVA authority.
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/08/11/general-electric-workers-ask-trump-to-stop-outsourcing-scheme-to-poland/
“Now, GE workers in Schenectady, New York are asking Trump to intervene in their case where they say GE is expected to outsource the building of three power plant generators — meant for the TVA — to Poland, according to the New York Post:
Anyone else stay awake until 1:15a.m. watching the Pittsfield Hollywood Squares last night and early this morning. Couldn’t help myself, I was in awe at the shear arrogance of these elected officials. It was quite evident during the beginning of the meeting that the Mayor is NOT to be questioned on any of her decisions, if you do, she will answer in her snarky how dare you ask voice. Most of the meeting was the typical cluster fruck, but they all came alive when it came to trying to decide whether to oust Chris Connell or not. Persip must proud of himself for being a bully or maybe he’s watching too much Law & Order and thought he was a lawyer, a far cry from a maintenance man at the Mount, although maybe since he can’t seem to stay at a job very long, Harrington can give him a job. I give Chris all the credit in the world for remaining calm during this petty attack on him. The questions that were asked of him by Persip, Caccamo, Dina and Maffuccio were totally uncalled for. These questions were absolutely none of their business. PeePee Petie must have been enjoying this attack as I feel it was his job to control and monitor this meeting. Found it ironic that the councilors asking Chris personal questions about his career, his girlfriend, his vacation plans, his private business of selling his home and the illness of his Mom are the very councilors that either don’t have a job or can’t keep one. Surprised they didn’t ask him how often he changes his underwear. Wonder why Pittsfield is such a mess. Thank you Chris for standing your ground. For those that did not stay up, the vote was 10-0 to keep Chris on the Council. All these hours that were full of complete bullsh**, wasted. Never mind the crime, homeless issues, lack of traffic enforcement, garbage filled street, high taxes, those things don’t matter to these elected officials.
M&B
Thanks for the report. The question of Connell residency was foolish, a waste of time. After all the political posturing, the 10-0 unanimous consent proves this was an orchestrated charade, from the get go. Our Right Honorable Good Friend Chris Connell is by far the council’s MVP.
I think Chris will be more of a pain in their ass now. I gather the mayor said service drop the ball on the st Joes deal? After saying the city weren’t the professionals but they were? HELLO?
I betcha not all of these other councilors have totally clean hands while doing city business. And they might not any of it to leak out.
Dan, I would love to see a write-up on this very issue and the absolute beating Chris has taken on the council since November. He has been accused of being racist, combative, not forward thinking, and now apparently living a separate life outside of Pittsfield. I used to live in ward 4 before moving out of the city and can say Chris always responded promptly and genuinely cared about not only the ward, but the entire city.
I think many of us would have thrown their hands up in the air by now and said “screw it” if we were treated like this. What has been the average run time of a council meeting since November? 1 hour? All of a sudden they try to get Chris out of office and they suddenly have the time to go all night. This council and city are becoming a joke. Like M & B said, maybe they could spend those 6 hours talking about crime, homelessness, bums on every street corner looking for change, or how to get kids back in school. Nope, no time for that.
I was disgusted with those on the council who went after Connell with such vengeance and then didn’t have the guts to follow thru with their votes to kick him out.
Didn’t Krol live in the Boston area, after taking a new job, but returned for the CC meetings until his term ended. What’s the difference?
I wonder who was behind all of this.
Chris Connell’s situation is very similar to Jimmy Ruberto’s situation from 2001 – 2011 when he (Ruberto) ran for Mayor of Pittsfield 5 consecutive times (2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2009). Chris Connell lives in his mother’s Pittsfield home, but also owns a residential property in upstate New York. Jimmy Ruberto lived in his then mother’s Pittsfield home back when he was an active candidate/Mayor in Pittsfield politics, but also owns a residential property in Naples, Florida. No one ever filed a petition to oust Mayor Jimmy Ruberto from 2004 – 2011. What a double standard for Chris Connell to have a petition to oust him filed against him!
The biggest goof of the Night trotting out MM. I live in Dalton but ok
https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/bic-program-aims-to-groom-students-for-local-high-tech-jobs,611223
So now the BIC and sprockets are going be another school and get grants from the Pittsfield school system to keep going
Hello blogger Dan Valenti,
I agree with your criticisms of the late-Mayor Gerry Doyle, but I wish to explain, once again, to you that he was among many failed leaders of Pittsfield politics over the past decades. I wrote “once again” because when Carmen Massimiano passed away in late-June (2020), your criticism of him left out the fact that he too, like Gerry Doyle, was among many old school Pittsfield politics homosexual deviants who either abused children or knew full well what was going on, including the tragedy of the persecuted and framed late-Bernard Baran. Pittsfield politics had many failed Mayors over the past decades. Look at the economic outcomes! Huge losses in living wage jobs and population, a shrinking middle class and diminishing tax base, the 2nd highest commercial municipal tax rate in the entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a toxic waste dump – de facto Superfund site – city full of GE’s so-called cleaned up industrial chemicals called PCBs that caused cancer in thousands of Pittsfield area residents, a dangerous downtown that sucked up tens of millions of public dollars for nothing positive, a Mayor (the lovely Linda Tyer) who lives in a millionaire gate community at the outskirts of Pittsfield, along with her top bureaucrat (Matt Kerwood) who sits on a +$10 million slush fund, while over 60 homeless people are living in tents in Springside Park who all worry about the upcoming cold weather, and level 5 overpriced and under-performing public school system with the failed Superintendent leaving Pittsfield for a well performing school district in upper class Williamstown.
Best wishes,
Jonathan Melle
If you are an elected official you should make every opportunity to stay in the city full time outside of a vacation. Isn’t the City Council allowed time off during the year anyway. Connells excuse was not enough to live in N Y. Or don’t run for office. Maffchio had it right. Connell and the current Mayor should be redacted. Aside…make Kerwood City Manager,takes the politics right the truck out of it.
Dumdum of the month club. Yooki,Munich Poorsup, Quackomo,Lampylousy.
Connell states he owns a trailer park and a trailer caught fire there. Hasn’t he had multiple properties here that have caught fire? This guy has bad luck I guess.
Does Yuki Cohen have a pulse? What a nothing.
Gerry was a nice guy. I used to call his Mayor Show he had on t v regularly,it was fun to talk to him.I think we need to settle down a little bit,he did have a family,a beautiful wife Beth,their daughter recently passed and I just think it’s inappropriate and best not to say anything bad about the guy at this time.
I feel bad for his family that we are not nice to the late-Gerry Doyle, too. He was always nice to me and my dad over the years. He was a good man. Rest In Peace.
Biden. Not one mistep speaking today. Syracuse Univerity.
Link?
Lets see Biden out in the sun!!!!
If he can put together two sentences!!! ROFL!!!!
Dan? Syracuse?
Syracuse and Joe Biden? Dan?
Take over as an Alumnus….
Here’s Biden full answer:
“I think I have a much higher IQ than you, I suspect. I went to law school on a full academic scholarship — the only one in my class to have full academic scholarship. The first year in law school, I decided I didn’t want to be in law school and ended up in the bottom two-thirds of my class. And then decided I wanted to stay and went back to law school and, in fact, ended up in the top half of my class. I won the international moot court competition. I was the outstanding student in the political science department at the end of my year. I graduated with three degrees from undergraduate school and 165 credits; you only needed 123 credits. I would be delighted to sit down and compare my IQ to yours, Frank.”
Biden didn’t even mention where he went to law school, but it was at Syracuse University. The problem was, as Newsweek revealed:
AD
Talk about Four Pinocchios!
Good stuff. Ask Joe about The Orange on South Crouse back in the day, a block after handing a right on Marshall Street.
That’s why I prefer Trump U. Everyone gets educated there.
Listening to Kamala Harris is like listening to the lies of Obama. They are very close and he has been coaching her. It’s unbelievable that Biden is even running for president after he was caught spying on a presidential campaign, enriching himself and his family with money from Ukraine and China and so conveniently China unleashes a virus on the world just in time to bring down our great American economy before the election because China wants Biden to win. Seems like these people are all working in coordination.
Dan is it me or does Kamala Harris remind you of Donna Walto.
Now that is funny
Yup.
Harris might be to the left of Sotero.
She is a two-faced liar who lied and slept her way to the present.
She hates Israel, but married to a white Jew.
She hates Americans and loves criminal aliens, that is potential future voters. Maybe current, with D-Rat voter mail ins, as they register the dead, cats, dogs……
A dead dead cat got a mail in voter registration/mail in ballot. DEMoCRAZY!!!
She would be a nightmare for this country. Just like Biden she will say or do whatever it takes to get power. These two would bring down this country so fast and that’s what the far left wants….global fascism, but our country needs to be destroyed first. They are using the virus to try to achieve their Progressive utopia. Nancy Pelosi is pushing for no ID needed ballots and the spreading of mail-in ballots by the millions across the country to win this election. She wanted that in the aid package for COVID-19 if you can believe that insanity. They are dangerous fanatics.
Pelousey never paid up for under filling her Stanky Starkist Tuna cans.
She fleeced poor Americans , selling them water instead of tuna. She feels GREAT about that.
Her “connections” dragged out legal process. She should be in PRISON!!!
It was supposed to be a smooth passing of the power from Obama to Hillary so she could complete the transformation of America which was code for the destruction of America, but President Trump put an end to their smooth transition of power so he became enemy #1. They need President Trump out of the way to bring in the new world order.
Kamala Harris saying young people age 18 to 24 are really stupid and yet when asked if she thought 16 year olds should be allowed to vote, she showed lots of enthusiasm for it.
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/08/12/kamala-harris-young-people-are-stupid-they-make-really-bad-decisions/
Dems got a dumb far left slutty bimbo for VP elect, and a bumbling demented liar for POTUS elect.
What could go wrong?!!!!
Slutty bimbo? Haaa. I sure hope Trump tries to grab HER pussy. She will knock his lying ass into outer space.
SF Mayor Willie Brown (married 40 years older), was grabbing Kamala on his office couch all the time! ROFL!!!!
“Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown admitted this week to an extramarital affair with Kamala Harris.
Brown also admitted to giving Harris her first state jobs.”
“For the record: We completely expect the tech giants to censor and shadow-ban this report as they have to our previous reports on Kamala Harris.
But this is truthful information the public deserves to read.”
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/08/flashback-kamala-harris-launched-political-career-bedroom-mistress-married-mayor-willie-brown/
It is going to be fun watching the Hannity crowd implode as their worst fears come true. Pat and MT are already losing their marbles (what few they had left).
Somehow when they look through their kaleidoscope glasses they see Donald Trump as a wise and caring leader and that tells you all you need to know about their grasp on reality.
Please continue to entertain me guys. Come apart at the seams if you like.
hee hee
I watched what I could stomach of the D-circus/”debates”.
Every D- candidate hated America and Americans. Pandered to criminal aliens, hates our Constitution, open borders, chronic TDS syndrome,……
Johnny, videos of those “debates” are available, to refresh your fading memory, of the “best to offer” D-Stooges
Good call on Kamala Harris. Dan Valenti. I just heard her explain what it means to represent the People. If Andrea Harrington utters so much as a word of affinity we are begging you to smack her down like a squeaking Quayle chick.
May Doyle Rest In Peace but he was a major league buffoon if ever there was one. What ever happened to his sidekick Smitty?
Aw come on?
How was Gerry Doyle and worse than the lovely Linda Tyer, Dan Bianchi, Jimmy Ruberto, & Sara Hathaway? Pittsfield politics is a big part of the problem for the people who live in and/or care about Pittsfield! Pittsfield politics is totally predictable year after year, and decade after decade. Municipal taxes, fees, and public debts increase, while the tax base decreases. The same core group of political hack insiders always pull the same crap, while some of the Pittsfield politicians’ faces change over time. The vested interests (big 3 public unions) always win, the special interests always get their cut, while Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski always lose. Downtown Pittsfield is not a nice place, especially after hours. The only economic growth in Pittsfield is in social problems areas such as the underclass and crime. PEDA’s “business” park is 22-years-old now, and it is a vacant and polluted wasteland. No “Fortune 500” businesses are going to arrive in Pittsfield. GE is trying to put its industrial chemicals called PCBs in the town of Lee, which nearly all of the people of Lee and Lenoxdale oppose. They know full well that Doyle, Tom Hickey, Peter Larkin, and company, from Pittsfield screwed over their own city by supporting the horrible 2000 Consent Decree with GE and the corrupt EPA. The Superintendent of Pittsfield’s school system is leaving the city for upper class Williamstown because Pittsfield’s schools are more about Pittsfield politics than the children who want to learn. In a nutshell, the problem with Pittsfield politics is that Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski always get shaken down and screwed over, while the insider political hacks always make out like the bandits they truly are. In closing, Pittsfield politics does a disservice to the people who live in fear of their state and local government that is similar to the authoritarian regimes in China and Russia.
– Jonathan Melle
Tyer – F
Bianchi – C-
Ruberto- C+
Hathaway – C-
Doyle – D+
Grade inflation!!!
A real phenomenon, sadly. Today’s 4.0 is yesterday’s 2.0. The kids today, in college classrooms, mind you, cannot handle authentic merit.
Today’s entitled students, want a “B”, just for Being in class.
You’re too generous to Ruberto. He was going to take suitcase on the road and bring in jobs and give tax relief, at least that’s what he campaigned on. Crime and taxes skyrocketed under Ruberto and we lost tons of jobs. He get an F, for failure. Besides, the A hole wanted to rename Columbus Ave, and he pushed Tyer to run.
The Rolodex that never showed up.
Hello Dan Valenti,
(Sarcasm): Jimmy Ruberto’s Rolodex is on display at PEDA’s so-called “business” park.
Best wishes,
Jonathan Melle
and was never there….just sayin…
Ruberto is the one who really ripped into the taxpayers pocketbook. He smashed the taxpayer piggy bank and all following mayors have eaten like pigs from the treasure inside.
I hope Kerwood has the insight and foresight to tell the mayor and her handlers that REALLY tough times are coming soon. The budget needs to be slashed, not cut. There may be very little state money coming for the next several years and the city taxpayers are not going to make up the difference. I seriously believe the city could cut 50 million out of the budget starting of course with the school system. Also, all the assistants that do the actual job of the original person hired for a given position.
I’m not singing anyone’s praises but Doyle was an uncouth buffoon.
Pittsfield is not run so much by a government as it is by a cabal. Any true governance is purely accidental.
Living in Fla
Last I knew he sold Samels, which has really gone down the shitter, moved to Augusta, Georgia, and opened some kind of restaurant.
Any kids? If you know what I mean.
His or Doyle’s?
Gerry Doyle and Jimmy Ruberto led the political campaign for Berkshire Museum’s 2018 selling of tens of millions of dollars of historic pieces of arts. I thought Jimmy Ruberto was a hypocrite because he spent tens of millions of public dollars on his so-called downtown Pittsfield “Renaissance” from 2004 – 2011. While Ruberto’s “Renaissance” did not work, his campaign to sell Norman Rockwell and other famous pieces of historic art unfortunately happened two years ago in 2018. In the Autumn of 2019, Jimmy Ruberto paid in cash $490,000 for an upscale condo unit is wealthy Lenox. Jimmy Ruberto’s full time residence is at his upscale condo unit in Naples, Florida. I guess Jimmy Ruberto is too good to live in Pittsfield! Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski are beneath the “Renaissance” man who failed Pittsfield with his snake oil salesman brand of false promises.
I remember them saying the Arts are economic foolproof. Little did they know a pandemic would stop them.
My understanding is that there is little oversight of the museum budget or the money they got for selling its legacy. The place seems to have been under renovation for the last 20 years. Who are all these lucky contractors?
The left’s march toward global fascism. No private property, capitalism is evil, no police, and total government control.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pgr_5QsNNk
This is also why Pittsfield local radio 1420 recently stopped airing the Glenn Beck show every morning. Glenn Beck knows the truth about what is going on in this country. It’s a very popular show so there was no reason for them to take it off the air. It has been replaced with a Progressive talk radio format.
1420? Is that still on the air?
Try 810 AM or 103.1 FM WGY out of Albany–Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity
I don’t think we have stations anymore. I used to listen to t b r nail they let the idiot on there and ruined that.
I now listen on iheart radio. You just have to download the free app and you can listen on your computer. It still comes on around 9:10 every weekday.
You guys could not form a thought without Beck & Co. filling your head with thoughts. His thoughts. Any fool can repeat another fools rantings.
listen to Howie Carr at 3pm on WHYN Springfield on iheart.
Radio stations carry programming they can monetize. Chances are in a blue county, in a blue state, that no one wanted to advertise on right wing radio shows.
PITTSFIELD SCHOOL COMMITTEE VOTES TO CHANGE TACONIC MASCOT
The School Committee on Wednesday [August 12, 2020] voted to change 50-year-old team mascot and begin the process of determining a new, more culturally acceptable identity for the vocational school.
The School Committee was asked to change the name of the Taconic Braves and the Pittsfield High School Generals.
The school was named after the Taconic mountain range. So why not call them the Mountaineers? You can’t offend a mountain.
(unless ya carve Trumps head on it) Haaaaaaaaaaaaa
Please just don’t name Taconic High School after Jimmy Ruberto, Carmen Massimiano, or Angelo Stracuzzi!
Just the backdoor.
How about… The Taconic Berkshire Natives.
Personally I feel that capitalizing on someone’s death by rehashing a past highly skewed by your own opinion is just pathetic. Is there nothing current that could require your special opinions? I cannot believe that anyone would think it was acceptable to voice your opinions at this time. There’s a family to consider and what does dragging Gerry, his family and friends do for you besides give a format for people to complain. If this was a member of your family how would you feel? Be kind people. There’s more to consider than people’s politics at such a time. You can think what you want, post what you want but I ask you to think before you type. Put yourself in other’s shoes and for Christ’s sakes just be kind!! We are stuck in a world of miserable division. Please think and stop using someone’s death to continue that divide. Have some respect before you type.
REALLY
You make fair points, I grant. But Gerry, as mayor, not only became a public figure, he was the city’s CEO for eight years. His actions and inactions, deeds and misdeeds, affected the daily lives of this city to this day. His tenure left the city worse off. As a mayor, he was a failure. As a person, of course, a man’s death should and does sadden me. With respect to the municipality, Gerry wasn’t a person. He was, as all mayors are, a governor. My comments were restricted to his professional duties. I have an obligation to present an accurate assessment. He won the job of mayor and he whiffed.
And when you added twenty plus beers to his tribute this Saturday, that was in reference for his prowess of drinking.
He did enjoy John Barleycorn.
Perhaps if he was the Mayor at this time. Just take a look at the amount of past tense in your statement. You say a man’s death should sadden you well.. When he passed he was a man, a father, a husband , a friend and a former Mayor. Not fodder for your opinion. Your article is centered around things that took place 20 years ago. It’s dramatically inappropriate to get readers fired up over a MAN’S death, not a Mayor. It might be your found obligation to report things but It’s not your obligation to dredge up the past at such a time. As I mentioned is there nothing else you can spout your opinion on, nothing happening currently to discuss? Please, I find it juvenile to act such a way, and I would have expected better from someone like yourself..you really needed to leave it alone and have respect for his family. This article could be right, could be wrong in its opinion, doesn’t matter and not my beef. What it was, was completely unnecessary, and irrelevant in the end. This is nothing to be proud of.
When my dad was a Pittsfield area politician over 2 decades ago, no one gave me and my family any such consideration to be kind to us. In fact, there were corrupt and insider political and state and local people in Western Massachusetts who were downright cruel and mean-spirited to my dad and me back when my dad was a candidate and elected as a Berkshire County Commissioner from the Spring of 1996 – July 1, 2000, and years afterwards. I was the target of bullying, threats, vicious rumors, false information and allegations about me given to the police, blacklisted from employment, and the like, for around a decade during my 20’s. Meanwhile, they filed multiple state “ethics” complaints against my dad from the Fall of 1997 – Spring of 1998. In the Fall of 2003, my family relocated to Southern New Hampshire from Becket, Massachusetts. It has been much easier for me and my dad living far away from toxic Pittsfield politics. I am 45 years old now, and I still cannot believe how mean-spirited and backstabbing Pittsfield politics was when I was a young man. In Pittsfield, they are called “The Good Old Boys”, which means they are a one political party group of inbred, interrelated, multigenerational provincial families who control state and local government Pittsfield politics. I believe the late-Gerry Doyle had a good heart, and he tried to bring people together as Pittsfield’s Mayor, but he was also part of the Good Old Boys and they all pulled the same proverbial strings. My brother, who is nearly 2 years older than me, told me that every area has these type of insiders. I responded to him that he is probably right, but Pittsfield politics has it in spades!!!!
My hope would be that a mayor, while in office, would conduct themselves in a dignified manner. Someday the current mayor will be reviewed and that might not be pretty either. But when did it become bad practice to tell it like it is?
Pittsfield politics’ current Mayor, the lovely Linda Tyer, loves to raise taxes on Pittsfield’s distressed taxpayers. The largest 3 municipal tax hikes took place during Linda Tyer’s tenure as Mayor of Pittsfield. Moreover, Pittsfield has one of the highest commercial or business municipal tax rates in the entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The worst part of it is that Matt Kerwood has a +$10 million slush fund, while Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski always get hit with annual 5% municipal tax hikes. Matt Kerwood’s creative accounting means he shuffles public funds around various city accounts to give Mayor Linda Tyer the illusion of a winning poker hand, but it is really all a bluff. Pittsfield’s tax base is always shrinking, and it’s middle class is fleeing Pittsfield by the thousands. In closing, I don’t know the level of Barry Clairmont’s financial acumen, but if he is giving his wife financial advice for Pittsfield politics then the city government is going to be financially insolvent sooner rather than later!
Gerry Doyle left the city with an eight million dollar receivership. While being the current Mayor has a among other things A 400 million plus open deficit,yes,400million. Another thing is our building maintenance deficit in the millions. Why do you think Deniss Guyer quit years ago.
I agree wholeheartedly with Really Dan?? Dan V you had 20 years to attack Gerry and his record with your keyboard, I hope you at least did it while he was with us. Obviously Gerry had a lot of friends and there are people who didn’t like him. The reality is his family deserves respect and you decided not to honor that. Going through a loss in a family is hard enough as most people know. Let the Doyle Family grieve without distractions from the peanut gallery. You all would want the same for your family member.
I guess squeaky isn’t making enough money because she made the paper for not paying her property taxes in her home town of Richmond.
$3168.16 and $458.28 for 2019
Somebody should look into her state income tax and business taxes.
People are really naive with the unemployment numbers. Tens of thousand aren’t re-employed,their benefits have just expired I know,I work at the damn unemployment benefits.
I just saw that in the public notice section of the Eagle. Geesh. She makes a very good salary so what the heck is going on?
This explains why she was visiting the new “residential”homes at Springside Park last week.
Looks like the Guv is hiding the covid death numbers. 0 deaths in MA under the age of 20. 17 of 18 latest deaths have occurred in nursing homes. Why is Baker continuing to keep some businesses shut or restricted?? Why are some schools going remote??
The pandemic is over, let’s get back to business!
https://howiecarrshow.com/2020/08/13/baker-sinks-to-new-low-if-thats-even-possible/
His name should be changed to Governor Faker!
The state and everyone else down to the local BOH and BHS are hiding the numbers. We were told the per capita death relate will be a new measurement. If the Covid death rate goes up states are going to have to go back to phase 1.
Congratulations to Team Trump for the “Abraham Accord” which normalizes diplomatic relations between Israel & Saudi Arabia. Not getting much play in the mainstream news!
What about Trump’s hostilities with Iran, Mr. Fritz? What if Iran threatens Israel, Mr. Fritz? Will his “Abraham Accord” matter after the Middle East goes to WAR because of Trump’s hostile foreign policies?
Why don’t you send Iran your stimulus check? Maybe the billons they already received from Obama isn’t enough to fund their continued terror they back throughout the region. Of course you will have to stipulate the dough is for only peaceful nuclear purposes and make sure the agreement expires in ten years, and after that, they can do whatever they would like with it.
What about Saudi Arabia’s proxy war in Yemen, Mr. Fritz? How come Trump is supporting a humanitarian crisis in Yemen by selling billions of dollars in weapons to our oil rich ally Saudi Arabia?
What about our country’s decade long weak foreign policy in Syria, where WMD chemical weapons were used by the Syrian regime against civilians, including babies and young children? Why doesn’t Trump convince his best pal Putin to stop the humanitarian crisis in Syria?
You mean to tell me this is still going on? I never dreamed it would still be going on after Obama drew a huge Red Line in the sand and dared anyone to cross it. Wait a minute! Obama did say to Putin on a hot mic. that he would be more flexible after his second election.
Most of the Middle East is fed up with Iran and know it’s not just Israel that Iran will go after.
Former Pittsfield Mayor Doyle Remembered By City, Familyhttps://www.wamc.org/post/former-pittsfield-mayor-doyle-remembered-city-family
Fake news all nothing to do with Trump. Trumps working his tail off trying to get you another check before September.
Whoa: https://www.iberkshires.com/story/62822/Williamstown-Police-Sergeant-s-Lawsuit-Alleges-Racism-Sexual-Harassment.html
I read McGowan’s lawsuit. He was the “designated investigator” for the WPD for the past 12 years – all the years with no sexual assault prosecutions at Williams. Sounds like things went south for him in January 2019. Hmm, what else happened around then…oh, that’s right – we got a new DA. Maybe McGowan has decided that if he’s goin’ down, he ain’t goin’ down alone. Wants to take a few others along for the ride. Will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Here’s one thing we know for sure. In 2011, an off-duty WPD officer sexually assaulted a woman in town when he was drunk. It was investigated by the MA State Police working for DA David Capeless. The WPD officer denied the allegation, then eventually admitted to “indecent assault and battery.” McGowan says he wanted the officer fired. He says the WPD Chief only docked him a few vacation days.
Both answers are wrong. He should have been charged. By the MSP. Justice demanded it. But he wasn’t.
Beyond that, I can’t help but wonder. After reading McGowan’s lawsuit, and what it says about the WPD and DA’s office, do any of you doubters have second thoughts about saying the Williams rape issue was “phony”? Or are you totally unreachable? Honestly curious.
Whoa if all those rape case were legitimate where is McSqeaky? She’s been in office how long? Where’s the justice? Why aren’t there dozens of cases moving to trial?
“When I took office in January, my first priority was to seek justice for victims by aggressively prosecuting violent crime. This is what being tough on crime should look like.”
She’s not prosecuted one case yet and if she she was telling the truth, there should be 70.
What happened to that lawyer? He had a client/victim ready to go. Why hasn’t that case seen the light of day. He has the evidence and somebody ready to testify.
The only thing that failed Jerry Doyle was his lack of education. Other than that he remained ” Loyal Doyle “. Rest in Peace my good friend you served your city well.
A doctorate wouldn’t have made a difference.
I have the perfect nickname for Taconic and PHS, nickname them “THE EUNUCHS.” Perfectly fits our elected officials, too, other then Dan Elias and Chris Connell, maybe Morandi most of the time. Think about it? Can you come up with a better nickname for both schools?
Call them overfunded. That’s what you call them. Aside…. Please remove these unsightly mugs from the screen. Marshitti,Stoogeon,Pwhite,Yooklis,Poorsupp.
How about the Buffoons?
The Replacements.
It is pretty rough to read this article and these comments about my uncle. He inspired me to major in political science because, what most of you don’t know or can’t understand, is that no one loved and fought for Pittsfield like he did. His passion was infectious. He may not have been perfect, but he tried.
Mr. Valenti and his agreeable commentators: I am so sorry that you all had to endure such hardships during his 2 short terms as mayor over 20 years ago… It’s really sweet of you to wait 3 days after he passed to tell us about that horrific time in your life. Unfortunately, the statute of limitation has passed; so your perceived knowledge of his personal and political issues faced during his career is no longer wanted, nor effective.
Stay classy City of Pittsfield. You’re doing really great…
BRITTNY
Thank you for your comments. Your uncle may have been passionate. He probably loved the city. He was likable. But, as you say, as a mayor, “he wasn’t perfect.” Remember, my comments were about Gerry’s tenure as mayor, not as a person. I loved the man but not the mayor. Facts are facts, even when they are hard to face. As mayor, he nearly drove the city into the ground. It still has not recovered, and, should the present “long, gray line” of ineffectiveness and incompetence continue in the corner office, it likely never will.