BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE WEDNESDAY SEPT. 16, 2020) — Today begins Pittsfield’s official water restriction. Apropos, given that our discussion today involved water. First, here’s the city’s release on the details of the water plan:
City of Pittsfield – Mandatory restrictions in effect, Wed, Sept. 16
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As a followup to our expose on the Great Deming Park Watering Controversy, (see THE PLANET Sept. 8 column)where a private group has taken over a public playing field, kept it for their own use, barred the rest of the public, and engaged in a wasteful program that squandered a precious resource, THE PLANET has obtained copies of documents sent by former parks commissioner and still active citizen Gene Nadeau to city councilors and director of parks Jim McGrath.
Nadeau raises a couple of valid concerns. The first relates to spending of Community Preservation Act funds. As Pittsfield did with the Bossidy Bux, the city is once again on the verge of wasting more money, in this case throwing bad money after bad projects. We make that point because Larry Bossidy’s $1 million gift to fix the city’s parks was good, hard cash given with one simple goal: Improve the playing fields. In the case of the CPA funds, those bux were obtained under legally valid but morally fraudulent conditions. It’s no wonder Terry Kinnas dubbed the CPA the Community Pickpocket Act. The second issue relates to a private group taking over a public asset, with the secondary concern the waste of water — during a drought, no less.
The playing fields are the South Little League (former softball diamond) and the Babe Ruth League dimonds at Deming Park, now the exclusive (and likely illegal) “property” of the volunteers who maintain the fields. Volunteerism is all well and good, but the sweat equity put in by their own choice and not under compulsion of agreement of compensation does not come with a deed to the ranch. THE PLANET agrees with Nadeau. It’s time for the city to take back control of Deming Park. The devaluation of its parks system, one of Pittsfield long-held gems, has been extremely disheartening and itself an indication of the lack of care officials have for citizens.
If the volunteers want to continue their work, fine, but they have no more rights (and no fewer) to those fields than Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski.
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Nadeau’s first e-mail:
Subject: Public Park & CPA Issues — Sent to all city councilors 6/23/2020
I am writing to urge you, as a city official, to take control of our city parks and Community Preservation Act money. Those of you who were members of the city council when the CPA was on the ballot in 2016 obviously remained silent while the Berkshire Eagle published several articles containing untruths about the program in order to assure its approval by the voters, and not wanting to see it defeated again, as it was in 2006. This is FYI for those of you who are new to the council since. I have three of those articles. For the record, they were posted on July 28, 2016 … August 11, 2016 … and October 7, 2016. The articles stated that low-income residents, seniors, and veterans would be exempt from the additional tax. The following is verbatim from the October 7 article by Dick Lindsay. “Low-income residents, senior citizens and veterans who own homes would be immune from the surcharge under the Pittsfield CPA ordinance.” That’s pretty clear to me. For the record, I’m a senior citizen, a veteran, and a home owner. Yet, our tax bills contain a surcharge. When we inquired why at the assessor’s office, we were told that we could file for an abatement and needed to present a copy of that year’s tax filing showing that our total income was under somewhere in the mid-$50,000 range. I don’t recall the exact number. With our pensions and SS, etc., we were slightly over and wouldn’t have qualified for an abatement. As it turned out, we wouldn’t have filed for an abatement even if our numbers were under the amount. There is no way I felt required to share this information with the city of Pittsfield. Plus, I never saw a dollar figure mentioned as a requirement, for seniors or veterans as well as low income home owners to qualify for exemption.
In addition, the Eagle editorial on July 28 stated (again verbatim) that “Along with the rehabilitation of historic buildings, such as for example, the St. Mary the Morning Star building on Tyler Street, and affordable housing, the revenue raised to rehabilitate parks and preserve open spaces.” I have no problem with most of them, but, in my opinion, a “new” irrigation system at Deming, or a turf field at BCC doesn’t meet the rehabilitation criteria. I had a couple of discussions with Jim McGrath recently regarding things I’ve witnessed going on at Deming, and at Hibbard. The issue at Deming pertains to the sprinkler system. On several occasions I’ve seen them operating during the day when they are least effective with hot, sunny weather. I called him initially to inquire why they were running, the morning I recorded 1″ of water in my rain gage. I’m not going to go into detail about the issue at Hibbard at this time. I’m of the belief, however, that a select group, through volunteerism, has taken over control of the playing fields in our public parks. But, volunteerism shouldn’t translate to mean ownership.
Going back in time, I served on the PC for three years (2002 – 2005) after being appointed to it by Mayor Hathaway. About three weeks into my term, I received a phone call from an irate father who told me he brought his two sons and a friend of theirs to the Little League field at Deming for batting lessons. He was approached by an individual (who introduced himself as a representative of the league) and told to get of the field.
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Nadeau’s second e-mail:
Subject: Deming Park Concerns — Sent to the mayor’s office, Jim McGrath, & all councilors 8/5/2020
This is a follow-up to an email sent about a month ago regarding the turning over of our parks to volunteer groups using the excuse that the city doesn’t have enough personnel to maintain them. The volunteers care for the fenced off playing fields, but not the rest of the park that is, or at least should be, accessible to the public. My focus is on Deming Park because I’ve resided in the area since the early 60s and have seen how things have changed over the years. Attached are (2) pictures taken in Deming Park the weekend of July 25 / 26) that show vehicles parked within the park, outside of the graveled designated parking area. I have a few more pictures of this, but with them included, the file was too large to upload. In order for vehicles to access this area of the park, a locked gate had to be opened by someone with a key, and I assume permission to do so. Who was the person? Was he a city employee or someone else? Whoever it was, it should be made aware that it’s a clear violation of the “Parks and Conservation Area Rules and Regulations.” If you aren’t aware of what they consist of, I suggest you become familiar with them. They were updated just last year and went into effect in July 2019. Vehicles driven and parked on grass is sure to compact the soil and ruin the grass along with the added risk of contamination from fluid leaks. Vehicles within the park also reduces the areas available for public use.
Two other pictures taken last Tuesday (July 28) show not properly disposed of litter (see park rules) that was left behind from the weekend’s games. This is unacceptable especially with what we’re all dealing with today. It shows that the people being entrusted with control of the playing fields aren’t overly concerned about other areas of the park.
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Jim McGrath’s response
Thanks for the e-mail. I always appreciate your observations on Deming Park and other parks in your neighborhood. You have an keen eye toward how these parks operate and are always willing to bring matters of concern to my attention.
The American Division of Pittsfield Little League – which primarily operates out of Deming Park — has for many years been a great partner to the City. As you observed, there have been occasions where the gate has been opened up for overflow parking, but this is on rare occasions. As you know, the dirt lot at the park is small and fills quickly, and when two games (LL and Babe Ruth) are going on at the park at the same time there are often parking issues. These parking issues extend along the park driveway and onto and down Newell Street as well (and at a tricky intersection!), and even into the church parking lot. My long-term goal is to address this through the development of a plan which seeks to add additional parking to alleviate the crush we see at times. I have asked LL to limit the opening of that gate. To your point about compaction and fuel oils, my counter to that is that the gate is open so infrequently that this is a lesser concern for me, but one that we need to be mindful of.
On the matter of the trash: litter is a perennial issue at this and all parks. We have maintenance crews that empty the trash and pick the parks several times a week. LL assists as well. I would never lay blame on the organization for the litter….it’s individuals who create the mess, and many of these individuals are neighborhood kids and adults who use the park and have nothing to do with baseball.
Best, Jim
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Nadeau’s third e-mail
Subject: Deming Park Sprinklers — Sent to Jim McGrath & the mayor’s office 8/13/2020
Hi Jim….
During a previous discussion you told me that the sprinklers at Deming Park were on a timer, and supposed to run only during night-time hours. I noticed…once again…them going on the Babe Ruth field early this morning and wondered how much water does grass need in a flood zone? I live a few hundred yards from that field and the rain gage on my deck Tuesday morning contained a little over 2″ of water from recent rainfalls. A closer look in the park this morning showed sprinklers operating in the outfield portion of the field. Not having seen them running in that area before, I wondered if this is where the money that’s been requested from the CP fund was to be for. Has the irrigation system already been installed? If so, when? And was the permitting process followed…and a permit issued?
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McGrath’s response
There has been no additional project to install irrigation in Deming Park. In fact, we don’t even have authorization to move forward with the CPA funds at this point. That process hasn’t been finalized, and we are not under contract with that committee to spend the funds. When we do get under contract, there will be a bidding process under public procurement laws. Additionally, there will be a permit required from the conservation commission. This will all be a very public process.
Regarding your assertion that a field in a floodplain doesn’t need to get watered simply because it’s in a floodplain is incorrect. A floodplain is a circumstance of elevation in relation to a river, it in no way implies that the land is saturated with water. I would ask that you look at the outfield of the Babe Ruth field and you will see how brown the grass is, almost to the point of being dead in places. As opposed to the infield area which is watered with the irrigation system. The infield and the outfield are like night and day. Again, I will go back to turf management 101: in order to grow good quality grass for a baseball field, you need sun, water, good grass seed, appropriate cutting height at the appropriate time, and a little bit of luck. What we lack at that field is appropriate watering in the outfield at the right times.
Thanks for hearing me out.
Jim
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This exchange shows the closed, out of touch, uncommunicative style of city officials. At least McGrath responded. But where was the “chip-in” from the councilors and mayor? Nowhere, that’s where. Citizens needed more stewardship from our public officials.
Coming’s up on The Weekend Edition of THE PLANET, Part II and more of these exchanges.
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“A culture war is something only the other side fight. The side you are on is merely talking sense” — Roger Shrimsley.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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Dan,
How about installing a couple of covert game cameras at Demming?
See who is opening the gates, tossing their trash, and operating/tending the sprinklers. Further, who’s using, and how are, the playing fields being used.
The CPA act is a means to fleece taxpayers; to finance those well connected porcine feeders, who are gorging themselves on towns/cities tax dollars. The citizens who fund these projects see little benefits.
Good idea, Trapper!
The same fleecing is being perpetrated in Dalton,with the mountain park project . For those uninformed- a project to put youth football field at a former sawmill ( after the town practiced , the established pattern of equity theft) which is loaded with toxic materials long buried in the ground. The proposed property is located half way up Windsor mountain on the left, having no access for children except via a state highway with no sidewalks. Project is being pushed by several local Massachusetts State police officers, who will have nice building lots for themselves after the town pays to remediate the property, as afore mentioned access issues eliminates it being a park.
Interestingly the former Nesecus middle school property, which is accessible, flat,has utilities and parking already. Yet was never considered for youth football fields, which are now required because the cemetery commission took property behind Craneville elementary, taking 3 fields formerly used for youth soccer,football and lacrosse programs.
To double the size of a cemetery for no logical reason, but to create a crisis they can profit from.
To bad the Browns lost the sawmill, they are good people
I found it interesting that Veterans, Seniors, and/or low income homeowners are paying the CPA surcharge on their city property tax bills. Mayor Linda Tyer and the Pittsfield City Council should look into this. If the Eagle was correct, then those who are legally exempt should be refunded their money over the past +3.5-years. In closing, maybe that is how Matt Kerwood built up his +$10 million slush fund?
Absolutely. Are there any veterans on the city council that could look into this? Or perhaps Mr. Marchetti, who is open and honest and cares about senior and veterans, could get on this right away before it becomes more embarrassing.
The greedy city Pigs, rooting for more tax money, don’t give a rat’s azz who they extort for Kapinski ca$h!
The reasons for a forensic audit in Pittsfield, Ma. keep piling up. Is there any department in the city that is not run and controlled by the special interests? This city needs to shut down and start over from scratch.
I resent being called a ‘crank’.
Crank is a pejorative term used for a person who holds an unshakable belief that most of their contemporaries consider to be false. A crank belief is so wildly at variance with those commonly held that it is considered ludicrous. … Common synonyms for crank include crackpot and kook.
– Check your Gaslight !
Did it happen, or not ? Who’s ludicrous ? Was the vehicle towed ? When is the show cause hearing ?
Off Topic – Eagle finally reports on Harrington’s traffic stop. Suspended license. One way street. No citation. Quickly cleared her record but not before someone downloaded it from the Registry.
If you’ll recall, I told you all this 10 days ago.
Suspended license from an unpaid SPEEDING ticket in New York state. She seems to think she’s above the law. Did she pay her real estate taxes or did she lose her house?
She’s an embarassment.
I’d like to see a receipt for that paid ticket.
It might be in the back seat! ROFL!
You would also be fired if you didn’t do your job. Now back to our regularly scheduled decline to prosecute violations of the law in Berkshire County.
Would love to hear Chief Wynn’s comments on this one! Harrington’s above the law!
Last time someone of importance went the wrong way was in Chappaquidick. I don’t think anything happened to his license either?
delta 88 Olds don’t make a good boat
Our community is in dire need of someone who can lead to step up. Please, there has to be someone out there.
Ms Harrington how do justify this it is not the RMV’s fault. Take responsibility
Hot Mess Harrington
Got that right, Acute!
How ironic that they are opening the overflow parking during a pandemic during which outdoor group activities are restricted to 50 people…
Isn’t this a violation of the Mass Covid19 safety mandates? (maybe someone should alert the board of health *cough cough Proprietor’s Lodge*)
I see the first day of school remote in Pittsfield went off without a hitch! Judging by the content of my social media it seemed like parents had no clue, kids had no clue, and teachers were the most clueless. Many parents I know either had to work from home, leave work to go home, or worse, lose out on pay to stay home with their kids. Teachers and administrators haven’t worked since March, you think maybe a little bit of that time could have been spent putting together plans to make sure students are at the least prepared and successful. You want to talk about protesting racism and inequality? Get the kids back in school because this format is only going to further the achievement gap with low income and minority students.
Hancock road residents are screwed. Looks like theyre building up at the former beach front locatio. just a matter of time before a serious accident. Trucks barely get through now let alone cars. Keep dismissing these complaints Pittsfield..
So Squeaky doesn’t like bad press. First taxes and then now driving on a suspended license.
The state sends plenty of notification for that kind of thing. She’s a lawyer, she “should” know.
The city sends lots of notifications before they foreclose on your house. I guess she missed all those notices for years.
She then rants away how it’s not her fault, she paid her fine? Really? NY seemed to think otherwise.
She was driving a rental or fleet car? You can’t rent a car with a suspended license. Was she driving a DA office car? Was she driving her new leased car?
Her insurance company certainly would have notified her as well.
So is it her claim that two states and her insurance company didn’t notify her? And no one from they city notified her about taxes for 2 years?
Here’s the strange part, originally it said in the log citation issued. Now it says verbal warning. How’d that happen?
So she spent 7 hours over two workdays on hold with the registry. Did she do it from the office? Did she take a vacation day?
Did she pay the reinstatement charge in MA?
I think someone should check her driving record in NY. See when she paid the fine.
Her little tirade on Facebook is precious. She even tagged the reporter as some sort of squeaky intimidation.
You, me, anybody else driving while suspended, down a one way street, we’d get tickets and our vehicle impounded. Squeaky gets a verbal and gets to keep driving on. Or was she with someone who then was able to drive?
How do the police let a citizen commit more crime?
Took me TWO MONTHS to get through to MA RMV over phone, can’t go to offices due to COVID….
Bitch should have drivers license suspended and try to get in touch with the RMV like everyone else. Spend a few weeks waiting on the phone.
The Vagina might see her license again in a few months
Stop the profanity.
Common English language.
e.g. bitch- woman — who is belligerent, unreasonable, malicious, controlling, aggressive, or dominant.
Is anyone ever going to look into McGrath???
Nothing new here….camp Skutnik and crew have run rough-shot over Deming for decades.
When the city was in charge of playing fields around town they were deplorable fields and a embarrassment. That end of deming park was all sand and never grew grass to any degree.The volunteers are the greatest resourse the parks have…..I do agree that no kid or citizen should be removed from any field unless there is a game or scheduled practice….Love the parks in Pittsfield as they have never never never been better…Thanks to Larry Bossidy and McGrath
TSC,
Bossily was frustrated with the way they used the money. In typical Pittsfield politicians fashion, they did what they wanted and not what he expected with the donation.
Bossidy
I understand that but all and all it did turn out well
Far from turning out well. It turned out disastrously. The city ignored Larry’s wishes, spent the money foolishly, and frustrated this great man so much he said, “that’s it. I’m done with this lunacy.” That’s a trifecta of incompetence on the city’s part. Had they used the money wisely, there would have been more.
Dan,I live in Pittsfield and spend time in the parks.The parks are fantastic.Never been better.People who live here love them and use them.I understand the 1million dollar gift is your issue.Parks are fantastic here now.Ballfields are safe and of high quality.Im guessing there are few urban cities that have what Pittsfield has for hiking playing playgrounds.
Dead bums hanging from trees are “fantastic”!, the new liberal utopia! The hobos who live there are using them!
Graffiti, litter/syringes, gangs, hobo camps, and human excrement.
I’m sure, You do love the “new” PITTSfield park system TSC
The volunteers did do a good job maintaining fields…..but doesn’t give them “ownership” of them. Can’t be telling tax paying citizens they can’t use the fields.
Good article dan, Accurate info is out there if people care to look. Who actually runs the parks system these days? Does anyone actually know? Does the city? Ive heard several different names…McGrath, Stracuzzi, Evangelisto, Casella, volunteers ????? Anyone?
Get popcorn. Now McKeever is trashing the Eagle’s reporting on Harrington’s fb and insulting their level of education. Good strategy, ink by the barrel etc. It’s amazing how much time these public employees have to dedicate to the outrage of a story on a local pol driving without her license through clearly no fault of her own. Quote of the day goes to Helen Moon who got taken in at gunpoint for the same offense: “Must be nice to be a white woman and district attorney when encountering the police. Instead of taking issue with a petty story, focus on decriminalizing being poor and a person of color.”
It’s all about the incompetence of the RMV, the quality of journalism. etc Anything but the fact that she drove the wrong way and didn’t pay the consequence any ordinary citizen would.
Hey McKeever, you are a spokesperson for the political position of District Attorney and by extension the PR point person. You should be well aware that any incident, even a traffic stop, will generate press coverage and public opinion, as it would for a Governor, Mayor or City Councilor. It is your job to defuse the situation before a mole hill becomes a mountain. You had several options to minimize the damage, such as being proactive and issuing a release detailing what happened, explaining Harrington’s version of what happened and then issuing a blanket public apology for the oversight and jeopardizing the integrity of the office. If you did not know about the incident that should cause you serious concern and your anger should be directed at your boss, not a reporter who was doing their job as you once did. It doesn’t surprise me that another person in that office truly doesn’t understand their role and how to properly perform it. God help us all!
Well said. Please hold for the puff piece from Josh Landes.
Wait until Harrington is up for re-election again. I believe HM is going to let it fly on her former boss. I have a feeling HM is going to have much more to say.
Dan- Looks like you really got the DA riled up, which means you are doing a great job. Here is her latest post of many FB tirades:
From Andy McKeever: For my part, I am not “her spokesman.” The district attorney speaks for herself. I am part of a team of more than 50 bringing thousands of cases to trial in a pandemic, providing resources to the more than 6 percent of our population who are struggling with opioid use right now, protecting women and children from violent men, calming the victims and witnesses of crime who are trying to add pursuit of justice on top of everything they have going on, investigating serious crimes, suicides and unattended deaths, developing school programs to prevent children from going down an unhealthy path, and implementing the criminal justice reforms the entire country is demanding on national TV every single night. It is insulting that I even took a phone call about a speeding ticket so no, I did not say I would “inquire about the matter.” I said I’d pass the message along and went back to work building a stronger community for us all to live in.
You all hear that? They are WAY to busy at the DA’s office to even take a call about a speeding ticket. SO busy that they all seem to have time everyday to post on Facebook. SO busy that the majority of the time residents see them is whey they are at the coffee shop sipping on a latte. SO busy that they basically turned the DA’s office into the Berkshire County Kennedy HQ. How did that turnout?
Andy, you are doing a great job building a stronger community for all of us taxpayers. A homelessness crisis, drug addicts asking for change on every intersection, and rising crime. Keep up the great work!
Andy must be asking himself now if selling out for the money was worth the ruining of his reputation not only among his former colleagues but the community at large for a job that will likely disappear following the next election.
Nothing wrong with working for the other side but never work for liars.
Not about a speeding ticket. About the head law enforcement agent driving with a suspended license.
So if you are not the press officer for the office what do you do? What are you being paid for?
It seems you are a little too close to the DA. Drinking too much of the kook aid (yes kook)
Do your job and realize you are just a co-opted hack chasing a new set of fake boobs
Squeaky doesn’t understand that she is a public figure and a member of law enforcement. She’s got that yoga class frame of mind.
She’s at least consistent, everything is everyone else’s fault.
Squeaky just so you know, if it was any law enforcement officer we’d want to know. If it was the mayor, we’d want to know, city councilor we’d want to know. Nobody actually cares about you personally. When you were a private practice lawyer losing all 8 of your cases, nobody cared. Now that you are the head law enforcement officer in Berkshire county, it matters. Also your disposition matters.
A normal person would take the blame, admit it, and not blame “cranks” for tips or the newspaper for reporting it. I’d bet if it were Capeless who got the ticket and was driving suspended, you’d insist on the paper reporting it.
I see the Boston Globe has picked up the story and is doing a deep dive into it. Are you going to blame them too.
You’re an embarrassment to the community, the profession, and yourself. Maybe try and take responsibility.
The Eagle will surely do a public info request of the NY DMV to see if and when that ticket was paid and when and if mail from the Mass RMV was sent to Ms. Harrington regarding suspension.It’s important to know if the DA is misleading/dishonest or just a space cadet.
Last week the bombshell was all the business s that the mayor was giving free taxpayer money to for god knows why. She is giddy as a school girl that that issued got taken off the headlines. Did Barry drop his bombshell just to push the Covid payout to the back burner?
But I do hope we can revisit her Covid Christmas package to local business favs soon. It is too devious a Tyer caper to be let go so soon. We need a citizens panel to discuss this with the mayor, Kerwood and all the business owners subpoenaed for testimony.
Just because Scanlons said we’re in good shape with our Reserves isn’t the question,it’s how we got there. I don’t know of any Dentists taking Covid Cash? Imagine having to take it C C to begin with? Is business that bad for any Dentist? Don’t not workers get laid off and make more money on unemployment?
I think Scanlon does a surface scratch audit. If we had real media that was for the people that buy their product, they would be pushing the audit for us. The media we do have will probably assist the adminstration move heaven and earth in an effort to prevent one.
Would not be surprised if there was already a legal team ready to go to fend off such an effort should it begin to gain traction.
Why all the police cars at Camp Wnadu? Yesterday?
According to Ms. Harrington on Facebook, this came up due to a tip from a “local right-wing blogger and assorted cranks.” I’ll take being one of the cranks. How is it that the DA gets away with doing something that would get the rest of us stuffed into a cruiser and our vehicle towed? Ms. Harrington, your pet candidate, Patrick Kennedy, didn’t get elected. You suck at your job. Make life easier for yourself and the rest of us. Pull up your big girl pants and resign.
Secretary for Mayor and Nascar driver for D A
Anyone who voted for her is part of the problem!
I don’t know if that’s fair. Voters here and elsewhere were duped into believing Harrington and her reform prosecutors would prosecute violations of the law. I still doubt Harrington even cares about any of these issues. She never has done anything to advance her so called agenda before. Berkshire County is not alone in being duped by DA dereliction of duty across the country. Will we be among the voters fooled twice? https://www.joplinglobe.com/opinion/columns/diane-dimond-prosecutors-do-your-job/article_b93560c0-029c-5083-8a46-ff767bb5ae7b.html
Usually we get called stalkers by people from her office and family. It’s hard to imagine hiring a less competent public information officer than one who publicly slams a journalist and their credentials for doing their job. SMH but then, this is a DA with no real job experience either. At least I thought she was good at winning elections.
https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/in-fb-post-da-blames-ny-snafu-for-license-suspension,613667
Round 2.
Instead of being an adult she ran to Facebook and tagged the reporter that wrote the article.
Now Squeaky is going yo be in for a real ride.
AP picked up the story, Albany Times Union and Boston Globe and Herald are all running with it.
I hear tell the town of Clinton has received numerous FOIA requests for more details on the ticket.
One thing a reporter found out, you get three letters from both MA and NY before they suspend your license, you also get a number of warnings from the insurance company.
Was she illegally driving a rental car from the DA’s office? That’s two years in jail for using an official vehicle without a drivers license or while suspended.
If she’s lying about paying the fine when she did. She is going to be in trouble.
Sounds like Harrington has (PDS) Planet Derangement Syndrome and you Cranksters are contributing to it.
To whom was she referring, “local right-wing blogger?”
Barry.
The news was all over the law enforcement community the day it happened. No tip, no cranks. Another lie.
She must resign.
Or there needs to be a petition for recall
Nadeau brought up a good point – where is the actual print version of the CPA which requires senior citizens, in order to be exempt from paying the tax, to be below a certain income level?
I tried appealing for the CPA tax exemption based on my age, back when I lived in the Pitt, and was verbally given a thumbs down by an employee in the clerks office. Would love to see the actual document to verify that! Community pickpocket act indeed!
Helen Moon, open and honest city councilor, will probably jump on this and get back to us soon. She knows that in order to move up in the system sometimes you need to have actually done something for the people. And while she may have to battle Pete and the mayor, tooth and nail, to get this info back to us, I feel she is up to the task.
Go Helen Moon!
Print version was on the TP that they used to wipe with. Flushed long ago.
Apropos latest installment in Harrington follies. Thank you right-wing blogger and assorted cranks for reporting this story well before Eagle did and exposing AH for the scofflaw that she is. Were it not for this forum much would be swept under the rug.
I hope Dan puts the Deming story on hold and gets on this because he has just been handed The Planet’s blog story of the year with more legs than a Rockettes reunion.
She is so professionally immature she is more of a playground bully then someone running law enforcement. From her Facebook: Ryan Shea
If it was in the eagle, this must have happened 7-8 days ago, right?
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Maybe she should hire Caccamoron to replace Moon.
It doesn’t hurt as much as being the first female DA in Berkshire county for driving while suspended. Also the first DA who was subject to tax title taking due to not paying taxes.
And the Berkshire Eagle has even looked into your tax filings for income tax and your business. I can’t wait for them to get around to that.
Any other hard working Pittsfield taxpayers getting tired of all this crapola? So last week we finally get to see the unprofessional created spreadsheet of businesses getting free handouts from the Mayor with absolutely no explanation, yet hear of more and more businesses getting turned down for stupid reasons or not responded to at all. Then we move onto Clairmont’s now famous law suit. Now we have a DA that not only forgets to pay her 2019 Real Estate taxes, goes down one way streets the wrong way and doesn’t realize her license is suspended? Maybe it was Moonbeam’s job to open Andrea’s personal mail and that is why Andrea seems to neglect her responsibilities. Find it very pathetically comical that both Clairmont and Andrea are blaming others for their immature, irresponsible behaviors. Both of them make more monies a year than most hard working taxpayers, yet we all are supposed to boo hoo and feel sorry for them? NOT! Meanwhile Pittsfield continues to fail by the day.
DA Dingbat.
I feel safe now. Criminals wouldn’t dare mess with her. Crime rate should go straight down under her tenure.
Harrington’s spokesman and her fans are slamming non degreed journalists at the Eagle. Ya know like Carl Bernstein, Chuck Todd, Brian Williams. Ironically the Eagle hardly did any reporting on this – yet.
OLLI
I repeat DA Dingbat.
Dumb on so many levels with this thing.
But typical lib/leftist not even half as smart or educated as they claim to be, and owe their position to ideology rather than any competence or accomplishment on their own part.
I’ve heard hints in here, but DA Dingbat is one of the growing number of Soros-funded and implanted DAs in the United States?
Burn Loot and Murder coming to your neighborhood soon.
“DRIVE THE WRONG WAY ON GORDEN ST DAY”
I am asking for at least TEN people to meet me at the old A&P parking lot on Friday the 18th of September@10am. We will drive east on Elm take a right on Deming and than an ILLEGAL RIGHT onto Gordon St. than a right onto Elm , a right on Deming and an ILLEGAL RIGHT on Gordon. And so and so on…..
No suspended licensed drivers please.
As much as I love to participate in the unfavorable opining of the DA, I do have to point out that people are let off with a warning all the time.
I’ve been pulled over twice with an expired registration, once with a suspended license and once with another person (a black male!) driving on a suspended license.
All four incidents resulted in the officer letting me (us) go. It seems to be pretty common.
Phil,
Not only did she have the outstanding speeding ticket in NY, but on Sept 1 she had another moving violation plus the license suspension. If the cops aren’t enforcing the laws , then what good are they? 3 strikes you’re out! I believe in mercy, but her violations are beyond the normal. And she’s not an illegal alien!
Glenn Beck explains how our country is being set up for civil war in November. Mail-in ballots have already caused big problems in Democrat run states. Kamala Harris already thinks she is president and Biden is the VP.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HaXZgPD1VU
and he can explain it because he is actively promoting it. He himself will be watching it on TV from his chalet on the French Riviera. Putin is stirring the pot and making the most of his propaganda agents within America. Putin himself will not have fired a bullet or lost a man but he will have destroyed his biggest adversary by turning Americans against each other.
The rich white Dems will be watching from the French Riviera because they are the ones behind this which is why we see rich young white kids destroying African American neighborhoods and running laughing back to their mansions. This is all coordinated for a coup in November and a revolution to upend our country. Hillary has told Biden NOT to accept the results of the election under any circumstances UNLESS he wins of course. We are being set up.
Rich white kids destroying black neighborhoods and Hillary telling Joe not to accept the election results under any circumstances….no it’s the white Dems setting us up for a color revolution and a coup while they watch the action from their mansions.
Beck runs a bit of a circus. He’s always announcing the next “big reveal.”
I’d recommend Limbaugh for the best insights.
And then Tucker at 8 pm on Fox News.
I’d say DrudgeReport too, with the caveat that he has turned anti-Trump, but still worth taking a look every day.
In the end we will ALL be losers. No good can come from any of this
Always insightful. Thanks.
breathe, Hon
So when will Chief Wynn comment on why Harrington was not issued a citation, fined and incarcerated for driving with a suspended license? Why was she apparently allowed to drive away from the incident, with a suspended license? Why was Harrington driving a rental car? When did she actually pay her fine for speeding in New York state?
She’s supposed to follow the law like the rest of us.
I’m pretty sure someone can not get their driver’s license reinstated if there’s a pending OAS, reckless endangerment pending. One must go through the Court process which takes years sometimes. Anyone else would be facing a show cause hearing & lawyering up for the long haul…. struggling to remain useful in their own life – remaining a solid participant in the day to day for their kids !
Tell em Angelo sent you.
Psst–Trump ahead of Biden among Hispanics in Florida (and probably elsewhere).
Psst–Trump running even with Biden among, wait for it, gays.
And, and, wait for it, maybe even black men?
Fake News.
Trump realizes a stimulus infusion is necessary while Pelosi sits on her hands. Trump will tell Turtle to get it done.
I hear he is running ahead at the Kremlin as well. Putin has him number one on his list of useful idiots.
Matt Damon doll. Repeat stupid stuff. Yeah. Fun.
PUTIN! PEE on BED. PUTIN!
Duh, der, duh, der. Where’s my brain this morning?
“Matt Damon’s character in TA was originally supposed to be different, but when Trey and Matt first saw his puppet, they thought it looked retarded and decided to make his character as such.”
Moon is getting ready to fish some real dirt.
Watch Andy try and protect his one and only.
This is gonna be good.
If Trump can get us a stimulus check he is truly a dealer and votable.
Andy Dick
This is unbelievable. What do think would happen to one of her MSP Detectives, if one of them had let their DL get suspended?
Andrea Harrington could careless about enforcing the law and now it seems, following it as well. She saw her political career ambitions coming crashing down when Kennedy lost. This is just the icing on the cake.
Now, I have to take issue with race baiting Helen Moon. I want her to provide the Boston Police case number, when she was taken out at gunpoint, for driving on a suspended license. You could even ask a small town-cop, like Peru, if anybody is EVER taken out at gunpoint for a suspended DL, because he/she committed a simple traffic infraction (speed, unregistered, etc).
Being taken out at gunpoint is a felony stop. If Helen was driving a stolen car or her car matched the description of fleeing felon, sure, but not a simple traffic offense. She said she went to jail, so there is a department report number, hence a police report.
So, Helen, put up or shut up with your race baiting non-sense. I’ll even up the ante, you provide Dan with a copy of the police report/use of force report, where you were taken out at gunpoint for a driving on a suspended DL (only), I’ll send Dan $500 to give to you, so you can donate to a cause and I’ll issue an apology.
You are so right! Removed at gunpoint? Did she have a kilo in the car? What the heck.
I agree. It’s one thing to make a point about the privilege of Squeaky but a whole other level to do the felony stop lie.
If she went to jail, there would be a record.
I have a feeling, that if it is true, there was a lot more going on than just a suspended license.
It couldn’t have been that bad, she got a license to be a nurse and she worked for the DA. Nominal or no criminal record.
Remembering Tawanna Bradley.
Head nurse?
Helen?
I’ll as 100. I’m a pensioner can’t afford more but man I’d love to see her report. In fact maybe a fellow planet reader can get us a copy from the BPD. And maybe even the report on Harrington’s case in both New York and Mass. there has to be a police report on the stop. I’ll go without food and medicine and kick another 100 for either states Harrington report.
Dan, Are you gonna take the ball and run with it – And. And blow the DAs LicenseGate coverup wide open?
The Planet is investigating as we speak.
I would expect no less from the greatest investigative journalist to come out of Syracuse in 100 years!
Why isn’t City Hall fully open? No covid patients in the county hospitals for months.