DOCUMENTS SHOW HOW THE BIKE MAFIA TRIED TO PULL A FAST ONE ON THE CITY … THEY STILL CAN DO IT IF PARK COMMISSION DOESN’T STOP THEM
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
Final of Two Parts
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY MAY 15, 2024) — Don’t you just love the Bike Mafia. THE PLANET does.
Not only do they want to despoil Springside Park, but it wants Pittsfield taxpayers to pick up the tab. This audacity comes after Alison McGee, local head of the New England Mountain Bike Assn. (NEMBA) and acting for the group, promised otherwise.
First NEMBA low-balled the cost. Second they promised to do wonders and spit cucumbers to lull the city into a false understanding. Third, in their arrogance in assuming a “done deal,” they reneged on promises and ignored (Park Commission) PC requirements.
They were told in January to provide commissioners with details on cost and other project elements. Come the April meeting, NEMBA produced exactly nothing. Zero. Zilch. McGee and her sweethearts ignored the commissioners and tried to make fools out of them, to say nothing of city taxpayers.
On May 21, the commission has another chance to tell NEMBA where they can shove their bad-faith dealings.
———- ooo ———-
The Memo of Understanding (MOA) states: “NEMBA will provide the City with fully engineered, stamped design plans and construction plans for the Bike Skills Park to be built in its designated location in Springside Park. The plans shall be sufficient to permit the Bike Skills Park to be built and to allow the City to put the construction of the Bike Skills Park out to bid.” Clear enough, right?
NEMBA responded:
-
- a. “The City should cover costs associated with preparing stamped design plans and any bid preparation required. This is an additional cost that was never going to be required if NEMBA donated a completed park.
- b. The City should cover or waive any costs associated with permitting.”
In short, NEMBA wants a free ride. In its response, the PC showed its mettle: “This project requires the development of fully engineered/surveyed plans, with costs to be borne by the proponent. The City stands by the ruling of the Purchasing Agent. On permitting costs waiving, the only permit required is the city stormwater permit. All the other permit costs will be borne by NEMBA.
———- ooo ———-
CITY in the MOA: On or before_______________, NEMBA shall donate to the City the funds it has raised for the construction and removal of the Bike Skills Park and which the parties have agreed is sufficient for that purpose. The funds raised by NEMBA for the removal of the Bike Skills Park shall held be held by the City in fund available to pay for the removal of the Bike Skills Park (the “Removal Fund”).
NEMBA: If awarded the contract, American Ramp Company proposes to cover the cost of removal in the contract, but not keep the funds in retention. If American Ramp Company is not awarded the contract, NEMBA will raise the funds needed in retention for removal prior to construction commencing. 5-year timeline for potential removal.
Typical park amenities are only expected to last 7-10 years. We believe this amenity should last over 15 years, but we’re not going to fund the removal of this amenity after it’s already seen 5+ years of successful municipal usage. It’s important to identify in the MOU what would justify the removal of the park, and which steps would be taken prior to that happening.
A public vote and notice need to be released prior to the removal.
CITY RESPONSE: “NEMBA will raise the funds needed for project removal and these funds will be held by the City. Should American Ramp be associated with the project, then they can choose to fund the removal at their own expense and the funds being held would be returned.” The city added that should NEMBA fail to maintain the track, it shall be removed. “This removal action will not be subject to a public vote.”
CITY: Once all the funds for the construction and removal of the Bike Skills Park have been received by the City, the City will then obtain bids for the construction of the Bike Skills Park and award the bid to the lowest qualified bidder.
NEMBA: NEMBA should write the bid qualifications to ensure the donated funds are going towards a quality, successful project.
CITY RESPONSE: Should this project be bid as a Request for Qualifications, the City is willing to review bid qualification language advanced by NEMBA as it develops bid language. Otherwise, the project will be bid as a simple ‘lowest responsive’ bidder. This decision will be made by the City via the Purchasing Agent.
———- ooo ———-
The project is expected to cost at least $1 million. To date, NEMBA has raised a grand total of [DRUM ROLL, PLEASE] …
$17,000.
Nuff Ced.
———————————————————–
“Time for a hundred decisions before the taking of toast and tea” — T.S. Eliot, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.”
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
Copyright (c) 2024 By Dan Valenti, PLANET VALENTI and EUROPOLIS MANAGEMENT. All rights reserved. The views and opinions expressed in the comment section or in the text other than those of PLANET VALENTI are not necessarily endorsed by the operators of this website. PLANET VALENTI assumes no responsibility for such views and opinions, and it reserves the right to remove or edit any comment, including but not limited to those that violate the website’s Rules of Conduct and its editorial policies. Those who leave comments own all the responsibilities that are or can be attached to those comments, be they rhetorical, semantic, or legal. Such commentators remain solely responsible for what they post and shall be and remain solely accountable for their words. PLANET VALENTI shall not be held responsible for the consequences that may result from any posted comment or outside opinion or commentary as provided in, but not limited to, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and this website’s terms of service. We serve as a marketplace of ideas, without prejudice and available to all. All users of this site — including readers, commentators, contributors, or anyone else — hereby agree to these conditions by virtue of this notice and their use of/participation in this site. When PLANET VALENTI ends with the words “The Usual Disclaimer,” that phrase shall be understood to refer to the full text of this disclaimer.
Lots of other towns would love to have these crybabies. they should see if Hindale or Great Barrington will let them tear up some of their property. Of course you need weak city leaders to fall over for them so it might be harder outside Pittsfield.
The old fairgrounds in Great Barrington could be repurposed for this.
PEDA has lots of land available.
NEMBA should apply for funding from them.
Do you really think our current “leaders” will want to say no to all the people they hang around with? I don’t for one minute this project idea will die and be thrown in the trash. Citizens will have to stay vigilant which isn’t their strong suit. I will offer a suggestion. I notice more bikers in Great Barrington so why not build it at the old fairgrounds?
Pittsfield city leaders putting on a show for the taxpayers. Pretending to do their due diligence? Smoke and mirrors?
Yet another “shit sandwich”….
And does anyone on here want the toter system?
I am willing to try it if the toter is big enough. But someone asked the question, “what do we do with all the boxes, Styrofoam, packing material etc after Christmas? And it seemed like the answer was, “you figger it out.” Everyone has times that they will have more than one toter of trash, i.e. spring cleanup, cleaning out a shed or garage. If the deal is, as it seems to be, to have to pay at the transfer station Casella will be opening it might get pretty expensive not to mention inconvenient to have to go up there and wait in long lines and pay.
Mayor says it will save $80,000 per year. They could save that much by stopping painting of all the silly lines on North street. Or giving it away on TIFs that have zero payback to the city.
Just watched the huge, three ton, recycle truck stop and pick up a blue bin of cardboard. And I believe the idea is for him to stop 1000 times per day, at every house on that days route, get out of the truck, grab and empty the bin (sometimes with very little in it) get back in the truck and move down the road sixty feet to the next stop. This methodology seems asinine on its face. How much carbon dioxide is this huge truck emitting each day?
I am not dragging out any recycling toter if it is not at least half full and no one else should either. If everyone did this there would be 50 percent less stops and THAT would cut costs. I also nest one item into another and crunch up some plastic things. You can get twice as much stuff in your bin. I see people on my street with a blue bin with two milk bottles and a coke can and that is it for the guy to have to stop for. Ridiculous. A system set up to fail.
I agree that it is a poor system but the toter system will be double the issue because those good people will now put the soda can and two milk containers in the large toter system. I have a crazy but novel system, put large transfer garbage containers at all schools and city owned properties and the people can just dump their garbage there whenever they want to on the way to school, work, doctor’s appointments, etc. Then Casella will only have to go to those properties
How many city workers and school employees take their trash to work and put it in a municipal dumpster? My guess is hundreds. Bet the mayor knows a few of these folk well. That Mercer dumpster sure fills up fast huh?
Another municipal miracle from the Morales mind!
They will make great carts for the bums/”houseless” to tote around their homesteads.
Waterproof and much better than stolen shopping carts
I am strongly opposed to any project that allows mountain biking in natural areas.
They can ride the roads where bikes won’t destroy anything, or do like everyone else and walk through nature to fully appreciate its uniqueness and beauty. But mountain biking, a new form of wreckreation, isn’t really about those positive things, it is only about the bikers’ narcotic-like ego-addiction.
The truth is that mountain biking is an anti-environmental, destructive, industry supported, self-centered activity that creates destruction where it attempts to penetrate natural lands and the public trust. Unlike the misinformation from proponents of this invasion, it is clear to see this is an industry/bike association/single-minded advocate agenda to penetrate public programs, buildings, and natural areas for self-centered gain, whether it be corporate sales, association control, or self-centered thrills, all with undue pressure/influence on local officials and at the expense of unique treasures like local parks and natural venues. It is a strategy that plays out across the nation, poisoned by the mantra of the privatized radical individual as opposed to the common good and public trust.
These spaces are meant for all of the people, not the minority of a few to pursue restricted single-use narcissist adventure. Open space parklands remain places of reflection and undisturbed connections with nature, among the diverse animal and plant life, terrain, and peace those things create. Research nationally documents the destruction that mountain biking wreaks on the environment as well as people who want to pursue passive recreation.
Despite their false P.R. promotional distortions, mountain bikers are only interested in their constant self-indulgent thrills at the expense of nature and people. It is only about themselves and their addiction, not about others, animals, birds, plant life, the environment, nature or anything beyond their myopia. It is a pathetic mutation of what makes us truly human.
Our problems are caused mostly due the fact that the wildlife can’t speak for themselves or vote. We need to do that for them, shamelessly. It’s not that hard to know what they think, since they vote with their feet: they run away whenever we get close to them! That’s the first thing that every child learns about wild animals. But then we “forget” this “inconvenient truth”.
You must confront this intrusion and deny any use of the park for mountain biking or similar restricted-use disruptive activity. Do you as a city want to turn every park into yet another industry-lobbied sports complex? Parks and natural environments are not gymnasiums, race tracks, sports complexes, or circus adventure rides, despite the propaganda from the industry and imba bike association partners, replete with their websites, consulting, and talking points, a 21st century snake-oil medicine show. Do you really want the invasion of this destructive, dangerous, and restricted self-centered activity for a few with its consequent documented national history of future expansion, destruction, and danger to people (with permanent injuries and lawsuits against the city), or do you value something more: a place of reflection and connection with nature, others, and oneself, giving us our full humanity, nature’s gift to us all for generations past, present, and future.
____-
Here is a typical strategy used by the wreckreational-industrial complex, colluding with international and national mountain bike associations (MBAs), local chapters, compliant or ‘influenced’ national, state, or local government officials, pseudo ‘nature organizations,’ bought-off media (read advertisers) of all types, hired ‘consultants with websites, talking points, and other misinformation that creates a false sense of nature custody (read destruction), promised (but never kept) maintenance, and ‘being an economic engine for the local economy’ (officials love these false mantras as surface justification for their betrayal of the environment and the people’s trust).
After successful gouging of local nature/parks commissions and elected councils when necessary, the invading bike industry requests a memo of understanding (MOU).
An MOU will allow for a MBA to manage as they see ‘fit and necessary’ which, due to their lack of management expertise and staff in this area, they will subcontract out to a company, let’s name it Pilltown Inc.
The local MBA chapter will get a percentage of the fees, but a for-profit (NFP)company will get the majority of maintenance and service fees.
This is actually calculated as a for-profit venture gift-wrapped in a NFP wrapper.
Advocates full well know this, just like they know that if they went public with the full scope of the project, they would be buried fore months in Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Conservation organization (CO) reviews.
Bike industry people know natural areas are not active use like the invasiveness of mountain biking trails and complexes, and that in many places a use is considered abandoned and loses all grandfathering after two years of non-use.
When land reverts, it reverts to the lowest form of use, passive undisturbed recreational use, now sleazed into the active destructive use (biking, and its universal sequence of e-bikes, ATVs, ORVs, dirt bikes and even motorcycles). All this non-withstanding the lack of enforcement by a city to stop the current obvious destructive use.
With the bike industry support, the city purposefully does not bid out a proposed bike project because it’s being framed as paid for by a not for profit (MBA) but, actually, it’s not really. It will be funded by donations, but those donations will come, in large part, from a few donors with a vested interest in securing the property and rights without bidding, including the mountain bike corporations, their vested friends, and other advocates with funding.
It’s a scam. Let’s say our fictitious company, PillTown Inc., wants that property but can’t secure it due to state/city bidding requirements, etc. They also know the city will eventually have to have a public/private partnership to make sure it’s run efficiently.
So what they do is find a willing not-for-profit, like a MBA.
The NFP acts as their proxy, since cities and towns in in. many locales can directly sell or lease property to NFPs without going through normal bidding.
Remember PillTown Inc. might have showed a specific interest in a city property, but they realized the recreational potential of the land, yet knew they couldn’t secure the property legally and outright. So this is the fruition of their long-game approach.
A MBA gets exclusive access to the property, PillTown Inc. finances the construction, and a local Money Mismanagement business acts as the bagman.
And once it’s all built, and since being built by a not for profit it is not subject to bidding laws nor is it subject to prevailing wage rules, the city realizes it lacks expertise in the area of running mountain biking facilities. They then look for a company/NFP to contract with to run it. They may contract with a MBA who in turn may subcontract to PillTown Inc., a large company that has expertise in outdoor recreation. The MBA might get a 10% skim kickback, PillTown Inc. gets a entertainment/management contract and a fat maintenance contract, which well exceeds the initial cost of their investment.
Note that PillTown Inc. will write off any donations to a MBA. It also will look good for PillTown Inc.’s books because their capital outlay is minimized and they are secured against future revenue. Also a MBA, being a NFP, can secure grant funding not open to for-profits businesses or corporations, so that partnership gives PillTown Inc. an extra revenue stream. This is just a form of money laundering.
If national, state, and local legislatures made some changes, none of this would happen. If projects on city or town land, irrespective of who may be paying for it, are subject to state or local procurement laws, these kinds of structure/deferred payment scams would dry up.
But for now, we continue to confront the illegal and unethical invasions, media lies, irreparable destruction of terrain, animal and plant life, political collusion, and betrayal of the public trust, that is the essence of this self-centered addiction to cheap thrills for the few. This tiny minority of eco-terrorists are part of the same mentality that has been used by manifest destiny fascists across the globe for the last 600 years, all based on greed, asymmetrical power relations, and a moral vacuum.
_____________________-
When I was 15 years old I used to be able to ride my dirt bike to Vermont.
I’m also a life long sportsman whose sporting licenses have gone to buy and preserve undeveloped land for all, not just the eco-NAZIS!!!
When you “were” fifteen years old?” From reading all yer stuff I thought you were fifteen years old now.
My bad.
From reading Your posts, i can tell they “graduated” You out of 8th grade , just to pass You on to PHS.
Enough said.
Whoever invented the “My bad” phrase should be shot, same goes for “real quick”.
Is Mia Culpa more to your liking…Same thing
Wow Rube, you are such a Manly Man. I bet you are super buff and look hot in those spandex shorts. Put that MAGA hat on and I’m a gonna need a cold shower.
You are repulsive and disgusting.
Have you figured out which bathroom you are supposed to use yet?
Let’s meet at the Common and see who the Real Man is Rube. ROTFL
Ruby, I’d not want to be charged with a hate crime, and mess up your lipstick and mascara.
Do you put MAGA hats on your sheep when you do them?
Come on, think you could come up with something a little bit more creative? I realize y’all ain’t the smartest summmbitches but put a little bit of effort into it. ROTFL
Why can’t it be built at the former softball complex on East Street?
Loved your article, Royal. Let’s hope powers that will be making decisions on Springside Park read and seriously think about damage caused by destroying a treasured gift to all of us. Will we ever learn? Pittsfield has a history of poor decisions made by incompetents. Clapp and Deming parks have been ruined by cutting them into pieces, putting up fences, and taring sections of them. Did you know not long ago about $300,000. was spent building a soccer field at Clapp Park. The soccer field was never used and now it is just an open field in the center of the once quarter mile track. In another brilliant decision the once quarter mile track is now a third mile track and was extended to the rear of baseballs home plate. Track meets and PHS football practices were held at Clapp for years. No longer. Our past decision makers who did not know the difference between a jockstrap and a G-string were making these decisions and this is what we now have. I hope we do not add to these disasters by ruining Springside Park.
Your institutional memory, CHUCK, is of invaluable service to the city. The mayor should have you on retainer as an advisor.
I’ll add another “Nuff Ced,” about Bitchfield’s Public Scohol Committee Member, Allison McGhee. According to her Linkedin profile, she is also the “Facilitator” of “D (idn’t) E (arn) I (t) Outdoors,” whatever that is or means?
I don’t recall if it was Allison or another one of the whackjobs in the NEMBA who stated that tearing up Springside Park for mountain bikers would give “kids of color” a chance at riding and experience mountain biking. Plus, it gives them a sample taste of what elitist-white privilege really is.
No one from NEMBA, including Allison, ever mentioned how these “kids of color” were going to afford $5,000+ mountain bikes.
I’d bet my life savings if you installed cameras there, you would never see Chip from Lenox let Jamal from Cherry Street in Bitchfield, ride off into woods of Springside Park with his very expensive mountain bike. Maybe I’m just an old cynic though.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aamcgee
Scroll down on Allison’s Linkedin page a little and who do you see Allison supporting with all her racial propaganda? None other than the cultural competency coach herself, Shirley “the taxpayer funded travel expert” Edgerton. Because remember, tearing up Springside Park, is for “the kids of color.”
Nuff Ced-squared
Great information here, MARK. You are telling it like it is, and the “racial grift” element of NEMBA’s plans are an aspect of this story.
Dan why don’t you have a Director belly?
Citizens don’t like the parking,the plowing,the toter system,the hefty budget,the tax increases,the water rates,
Staus Quo. You won’t save money on these toters. Most one two family have one bag.
Leave it as is
Perhaps “kids of color” would also like to partake in Pickle Ball? Is anyone out there advocating for or encouraging “kids of color” to learn pickle ball and if so I missed reading about it. Perhaps Allison would know though.
But is this pump trak/bike trak whatever, for kids of any color? I doubt it. I can picture a bunch of kids taking their MOTOR bikes into such an area though. Does not really seem like a place to teach young children how to ride bikes does it? Seems to conflict with what the grown ups want to do and they not gonna wanna be slowed down by a group of kids around every turn. Maybe I am wrong.
From environmental expert and nature advocate, Michael Vandeman (used with permission) –
The major harm that mountain biking does is that it greatly extends the human footprint (distance that one can travel) in wildlife habitat. E-bikes multiply that footprint even more. Neither should be allowed on any unpaved trail. Wildlife, if they are to survive, MUST receive top priority!
What were you thinking??? Mountain biking and trail-building destroy wildlife habitat! Mountain biking is environmentally, socially, and medically destructive! There is no good reason to allow bicycles on any unpaved trail!
Bicycles should not be allowed in any natural area. They are inanimate objects and have no rights. There is also no right to mountain bike. That was settled in federal court in 1996: https://mjvande.info/mtb10.htm . It’s dishonest of mountain bikers to say that they don’t have access to trails closed to bikes. They have EXACTLY the same access as everyone else — ON FOOT! Why isn’t that good enough for mountain bikers? They are all capable of walking….
Why do mountain bikers always insist on creating illegal trails? It’s simple: they ride so fast that they see almost nothing of what they are passing. Therefore, they quickly get bored with any given trail and want another and another, endlessly! (In other words, mountain biking is inherently boring!)
A favorite myth of mountain bikers is that mountain biking is no more harmful to wildlife, people, and the environment than hiking, and that science supports that view. Of course, it’s not true. To settle the matter once and for all, I read all of the research they cited, and wrote a review of the research on mountain biking impacts (see https://mjvande.info/scb7.htm ). I found that of the seven studies they cited, (1) all were written by mountain bikers, and (2) in every case, the authors misinterpreted their own data, in order to come to the conclusion that they favored. They also studiously avoided mentioning another scientific study (Wisdom et al) which did not favor mountain biking, and came to the opposite conclusions.
Mountain bikers also love to build new trails – legally or illegally. Of course, trail-building destroys wildlife habitat – not just in the trail bed, but in a wide swath to both sides of the trail! E.g. grizzlies can hear a human from one mile away, and smell us from 5 miles away. Thus, a 10-mile trail represents 100 square miles of destroyed or degraded habitat, that animals are inhibited from using. Mountain biking, trail building, and trail maintenance all increase the number of people in the park, thereby preventing the animals’ full use of their habitat. See https://mjvande.info/scb9.htm for details.
Mountain biking accelerates erosion, creates V-shaped ruts, kills small animals and plants on and next to the trail, drives wildlife and other trail users out of the area, and, worst of all, teaches kids that the rough treatment of nature is okay (it’s NOT!). What’s good about THAT?
To see exactly what harm mountain biking does to the land, watch this 5-minute video: http://vimeo.com/48784297.
In addition to all of this, it is extremely dangerous: https://mjvande.info/mtb_dangerous.htm .
The latest craze among mountain bikers is the creation of “pump tracks” (bike parks). They are alleged to teach bicycling skills, but what they actually teach are “skills” (skidding, jumping (“getting air”), racing, etc.) that are appropriate nowhere! If you believe that these “skills” won’t be practiced throughout the rest of the park and in all other parks, I have a bridge I’d like to sell you! …
For more information: https://mjvande.info/mtbfaq.htm .
The common thread among those who want more recreation in our parks is total ignorance about and disinterest in the wildlife whose homes these parks are. Yes, if humans are the only beings that matter, it is simply a conflict among humans (but even then, allowing bikes on trails harms the MAJORITY of park users — hikers and equestrians — who can no longer safely and peacefully enjoy their parks).
The parks aren’t gymnasiums or racetracks or even human playgrounds. They are WILDLIFE HABITAT, which is precisely why they are attractive to humans. Activities such as mountain biking, that destroy habitat, violate the charter of the parks.
Even kayaking and rafting, which give humans access to the entirety of a water body, prevent the wildlife that live there from making full use of their habitat, and should not be allowed. Of course those who think that only humans matter won’t understand what I am talking about — an indication of the sad state of our culture and educational system.
___________________________________
Dr. Vandeman is one of the world’s experts on this topic. Thanks for sharing.
The thing that worries me the most is seeing Pete White wearing a spandex bike outfit!
That indeed is a scary thought.
Vanderman does not impress me in the least bit.
I’m not impressed by people who can’t even SPELL “Vandeman”! 😉
Yes, Mike Vandeman – an expert on many things…
https://www.facebook.com/Mtbrcom/posts/pfbid02w41ouxFFtf8Yxjz4usPr2dozvNxYutvCn67pFJKui9dEGQCXj9ptjHqGiRKP3knHl
Know who you are supporting people!
If you believe anything a mountain biker says about me, I have a bridge I’d like to sell you. 😉 Mountain bikers NEVER tell the truth — especially about mountain biking.
Hmmm. Just as prejudiced (pre-judging) as ever, I see. Did you have a point?
That is just the start Royal. All of Springside Park and much of the Reid Middle School property should be turned back over to Nature as was intended. That includes the Doyle ball fields on Benedict Road and the playground on Springside Ave. Do you have any idea how many small animals and trees died to build those “recreational” areas? Additionally the dogs terrorize all wildlife in the park and leave behind their pernicious waste that is a vector for pathogens to both humans and wildlife. The Springside house and greenhouse club should be razed to restore those acres to their original beauty, not the hubris of growing non-native (and highly INVASIVE) plants for the personal pleasure of this gardening GANG. Who will join me in asking our city representatives to lead this long overdue reparation?
This discussion about destroying Springside Park by allowing fancy dressed bike riders and their overpriced bicycles including the motorized variety is more outrageous when one considers the intentions of the donors of this land. Yes, about 100 years ago this land was donated to Pittsfield by a prominent Pittsfield family. Well, I wasn’t there when the donation, in 2 parts, was made, but I’m sure the donors made it with hopes this would forever be open land for peaceful recreation and play space for children.
Great point, CHUCK. The donors wanted the land as an unspoiled area in perpetuity. Too much of Springside has been developed or turned over the the “houseless” and squatters/bums who have no problem using the park as a dump. The bike track is a step too far.
I like your point about the cost of this “sport.” Thousands for a bike and hundreds for the equipment. And how do these “fancy” bikers get to the park? In their oversized, polluting SUVs and Pickups! Have to love the irony. Thanks again for your wisdom.
Who does the numbers on actual recycling for tonnage payment? Ha ha ha.
I remember when the Waconah Indians built Waconah Park using hand hewn wood from the surrounding swamp. (those seats are made of cedar by the way) They were contracted by Abner Doubleday and paid in livestock, some of which, unbeknownst to the Indians, suffered from mad-cow disease.
But their history seems meaningless to some Pittsfield elites who want to tear the place down and haul it off to spend the rest of its days with the old marble train station.
Perhaps it would be more righteous if the old ballpark was replaced with a casino and given non taxable status.
My tribe built Waconah park
Dan, they are getting to the park and ruining it for youngsters because our elected and appointed officials are letting this happen. I can’t possibly imagine why. It increases their population, they don’t vote, don’t pay taxes, don’t pay their bills, and know we are saps to pay their expenses. I have had a lot of experience with people like this who are now bleeding Pittsfield. It can only get worse because we think we are compassionate and generous. They think we are saps.
What about what the Shitty City did to Wild Acres and the Kaminski family farm? Seeing any great benefits, from the unused for the most part, airport?
I heard they still had a “fishing derby” at WA last weekend. They stocked hundreds of trout the previous week, where did they all go to? The kids caught one trout, and one bass. Report is from a young angler who attended.
That’s a stark contrast to the fun young sportsmen had years ago at the WA derbies.
Word gets out fast when a stocking truck is around and people sneak in a there’s no one to kick them out.
Did The Planet or anyone else realize that NON was “bustling” with new businesses and activities? Well, besides begging, drug dealing, drug and alcohol abusing, and gang banging.
https://www.iberkshires.com/story/75310/Downtown-Pittsfield-Inc.-Celebrates-a-Bustling-2023.html
VP Voltron Porkchop even won an award for his social media posts of all the free meals he’s eaten on NON. Seems to be a big hit…….except to the establishment owners who have to absorb Voltron’s food bills, out of fear a building inspector might do a “surprise inspection” on their restaurant and find a few costly flaws.
Like TSC, he’s had award winning colonoscopies
True, but Voltron’s wrath can bring “muscle” with it.
TSC’s ramblings are the same as pulling up to a red light on NON and having some junkie who’s begging for change, rambling nonsense to themselves.
You just grab your phone, lung dart if you smoke, or look away, hoping they’ll just slither away from your car.
Speaking of building inspectors. There is a two story house on Wilson street with its upper porch precariously held up by a few ten foot four by fours. Looks like it could come crashing down at any point in time. Area should be securely fenced off from neighborhood kids.
You cannot legally fix a dripping faucet in your home in Pittsfield but this dangerous situation is allowed? Wunner who owns the building.
They are the spin masters. In their defense, they are not lying. According to the Pittsfield Police Log and the Community Crime map, it truly happening Downtown. Crime that is, of course they left that part out. Not to mention the Registered Sex Offender map has a large Downtown contingent. Good to see some folks aren’t deterred, there willing to take a stab at Methuselahs.
May 15, 2024
Mayor Peter Marchetti’s toter trash plan will create a new financial and safety burden on Pittsfield’s aging population whereby the average Senior Citizen is paying the city over $5,000 per fiscal year in municipal taxes and fees.
Mayor Peter Marchetti is disingenuous to say that it is will be efficient and lower costs for the city because the city’s annual over 5 percent per fiscal year spending increases have nothing to do with the city’s operating costs, but rather, it is really about playing financial shell games with the bureaucrats in Boston for the city and (level 5) public school district to receive as much state aid funding as possible.
Jon Melle
P.S. “Career Politicians are Scam Artists: The Allegory of greedy lobbyist Dan Bosley”:
As I am a gentleman, I was at the service window at a Market Basket grocery store today, and I offered the clerk to assist the older gentleman who worked there as a cashier. The gentleman said that I could go first. I purchased a Powerball ticket because I am greedy financial fool. The gentleman said to me that he never purchased a lottery ticket in his life. I said to him that is the best way to win by not gambling. I asked him, do you know what the lottery really is? I answered: It is really regressive taxation. I said to him that the career politicians – as well as greedy lobbyists (such as Dan Bosley) – shuffle the lottery revenues 5 ways to Sunday and then give their wealthy campaign donors huge state tax breaks with the money. I asked him, do you know what career politicians really are? I answered: They are SCAM Artists. The gentlemen said to me, every last one of them, and here you are buying a lottery ticket. We had a good laugh together.
—–
Letter: “Toters seem too big to us”
The Berkshire Eagle, Opinion: Letter to the Editor, May 15, 2024
To the editor: Congratulations to Pittsfield Mayor Peter Marchetti for focusing on recycling to reduce total waste and create a savings for the taxpayer.
All of us have, for far too long, desecrated the lands and waters of our planet by discarding non-biodegradable matter at will. The worst of us cared not where it landed; the more resourceful created the landfill, that amorphous graveyard for solid waste, hidden beneath a mountain of earth, that will survive unchanged for eternity.
The city and Casella Waste Systems have put forth a plan (“Pittsfield residents got their first look at the city’s latest trash proposal — and they had plenty of questions,” Eagle, May 7), which, while at first blush might seem reasonable, might prove that it will not serve many of us well.
Our neighbors and we reside at Walden Village, a condo-like development consisting of 66 residences, all of which have one-car garages from which residents will not be able to remove a 48-gallon container without first removing their motor vehicles, even small SUVs or sub-compacts. Only then will they be able to move the container to the curb. Since we are largely a senior citizen community, maneuvering large containers will be particularly challenging during the snows of winter months.
According to the article cited, there are 17,400 residences from which the city collects waste. Much of the city’s housing inventory that includes garages dates to the post-World War II era, when families with motor vehicles owned only one. No one, certainly, has taken an accurate count of the city’s residential one-car garages, but one suspects the number is significant. Moreover, Pittsfield is an aging community, and many tasks that were once easy to accomplish have become unpleasant and possibly dangerous chores. At one of the recent informational meetings regarding the plan, a Casella representative answered a question about the possibility of alternative-sized containers in the negative. An easing of that restriction might make the plan more palatable for many of us. But if, as Casella says, the plan can only accommodate one size container, perhaps the city should reconsider the plan. The taxpayer is, after all, the client.
Hopefully, the above will provide the mayor pause as he considers a decision on the plan. Many of us who voted for him are senior citizens with one-car garages. Heavy is the head that wears the crown.
Lance and Kathy Hopkins, Pittsfield
The above letter was originally sent to Mayor Marchetti and has been edited to comply with The Eagle’s letter format.
—–
If you can get your garbage can out of your garage now you’ll be able to do it with a totter. The larger toters are mainly taller than the smaller ones. The larger toters will be more stable than the smaller ones as they have a lower center of gravity and would be less likely to tip over when being moved.
Other communities offer 3 different size toters to residents. Either we are being snowed or Cassela has outdated equipment.
Not opposed to the new system. I only question the savings for the City. $ 80,000 a year, comes out to a little more than $300 a day. Seems to be a bigger savings for Cassela. Bigger savings parking the school buses at different quadrants in the City, instead of driving across town to Merrill road twice a day, 165 days a year.
Pittsfield falls for snow jobs.
Cassela should save on labor and mechanical arms on trash trucks never go on leave for an industrial accident or call in sick.
Trump is sleeping his life away.He will be found guilty on a mountain of evidence of his guilt.He will then call for a civil war against America for being stupid and his moron parade will start and try to ruin another summer as he plays golf with the elite.
TSC posted this during last night’s baseball game. Sounds like it was the bottom of the 5th.
And a double header.
You sir, are an idiot.
It doesn’t make sense to take a gem of a park like Springside and despoil it with an activity like mountain biking. For heaven’s sake, there are already many trails available for this purpose!–in Pittsfield State Forest, to name just one. Pittsfield has blighted areas that need improvements and creating bike trails in these would help the city. Harming a park that has been compared to NY’s Central Park is daft. Springside has abundant natural gifts that endow the city with a sanctuary, a peerless refuge for people and birds and animals increasingly harmed by intrusions of a loud, brash and damaging culture. I know that some don’t care about such things as migratory paths for birds. I do. They deserve protection. An attitude toward these being lesser creatures than the pleasure for those who can afford mountain bikes is simplistic and thoughtless.
People often think there’s abundance of something precious until it’s gone. (“They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.”) Thanks, Joni.
To boot, this project has seemed ill-conceived from its start, through its shifting proposals, and now it looks as though the people who put it forth as valuable and easily done are finding funds hard to come by.
Have fun mountain biking, if that’s your treasure–elsewhere–but not in a land grab of a precious place clearly made (and expressly donated years ago) for the natural world to be appreciated. Go with the flow of the place and its needs–protect Springside; engage people in how wonderful it is AS it is–develop it in ways that do not thwart its natural gifts.
I like the system the way it is. Deal with those who leave large amounts because of let’s say moving.
They should make Springside park the next waste water SEWER treatment plant. No thanks mprovement needed.
Mountain bikers already have millions of miles of PAVED ROAD they can ride on. There’s no good reason to destroy more habitat, just so they can get a few cheap thrills! I don’t understand why anyone would feel sorry for them, just because they wasted a fortune on a special bicycle. DO YOU?.