THINGS HEAT UP ON THE PLANET … OUR DIGGING UNCOVERS MESS AFTER MESS … HRC TAKES UP WADE, and LOOMING CONFRONTATION TODAY, 10 A.M., AT PITTSFIELD WATER PLANT
By DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 2014) — Things are getting hot, and THE PLANET is on the case. No, we don’t refer to the 90-degree weather. THE PLANET refers to Doreen Wade‘s charges of racism and water maverick Craig Gaetani‘s indictment of Mayor Dan Bianchi.
Bianchi’s public unraveling ties these two stories together. There are also a couple of other hot stories brewing, both involving the mayor. THE PLANET is digging, and we expect pay dirt soon.
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Doreen Wade:
She appeared last night before the Human Rights Commission. Wade and Gaetani, an unlikely pairing, have been brought together by circumstances. Each of their stories with respect to the mayor are eerily similar. Both have testified to Bianchi’s threatening behavior, his finger-pointing, his screaming, and his invasion of personal space. Now it appears Gaetani has offered his support to Wade. He supported Wade at last night’s HRC meeting. Wade and Gaetani strike THE PLANET as the wrong people to wrong. They don’t back down and meekly go away when they perceive themselves to be victims of bullying.
Craig Gaetani:
Gaetani has called a press conference for 10 a.m. today at Pittsfield’s Cleveland water treatment plant in Hinsdale. Sources say former mayor Charlie Smith will be speaking as well. Gaetani and Dr. Lawrence Wang designed the Krofta flotation technology at the Cleveland plant, which uses air to purify water.
The meat of the story regarding the press conference, however, involves the letter Gaetani received from Pittsfield DPU chief Bruce Collingwood on April 7, 2014.
THE PLANET has obtained a copy. It is published here for the first time.
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OFFICIAL DPU LETTERHEAD
Dear Mr. Gaetoni [note Collingwood spells the last name incorrectly]:
Several years ago we met in my office at City Hall along with the water superintendent and former mayor Charles Smith. You represented yourself as a consultant to the water industry. The city recognizes your accomplishments with the design and construction of the water plants in your capacity as an employee of Krofta. During this meeting you requested permission to visit the City’s water treatment plants and you stated you were aware of possible water treatment improvement to be considered for our plants. I requested from you the following information ahead of any visit: the name and address of your company, the purpose of your visit, an insurance certificate naming the City of Pittsfield as additional insured, and a written summary of water data you needed. You have never provided any information. You have now submitted a petition to the City Council requesting once again access to the plants.
You recently contacted at least two City Councilors and, according to the Councilors [Collingwood does not name them], you verbally threatened them. You also have a history of the same towards me. Although you may have good intentions, your abusive nature will not be tolerated. There are other municipal Krofta water plants that you may approach to facilitate your professional goals. Please stop your efforts to gain access to the City’s water plants. Please be aware that any contionued effort will be subject to serving you with a Trespass Notice.
Sincerely
[Signed]
Bruce I. Collingwood, P.E.
Commissioner of Public Works & Utilities
cc: Daniel Bianchi, Mayor[;] City Councilors[;] Brian Stack, Water Superintendent
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The letter raises several questions. Given that Gaetani over the years has escorted countless engineers on tours of the Cleveland plant, why would he be treated in such a manner? Collingwood cites Gaetani’s threats, but where is the substantiation? Gaetani has attributed that very behavior to the mayor — indirectly substantiated by similar claims against the mayor not only by Wade but by other sources who have testified to THE PLANET about the mayor’s intimidation tactics.
Collingwood doesn’t name the two councilors. Why? Wouldn’t you name the accusers even a with only a basic understanding and loose interpretation of justice and fair play?
Next is the “insurance certificate.” That is unheard of and sets up an unreasonable condition that the mayor and Collingwood would know would not be met. This would ensure that either Gaetani doesn’t challenge it by visiting the plant or that if he does, sans insurance, he can be arrested.
And what of the arrest threat? Even for Bianchi — and make no mistake, Collingwood wouldn’t dare sniffle unless the mayor said to hawk — this “secret police” tactic is outstanding.
Bottom line is that today, Gaetani and Mayor Smith will be at the Cleveland plant. Gaetani is calling the city’s bluff. Sources tell us that he intends to go inside and escort attending press on a tour. Will he be arrested? Will the city violate the professional and civil rights of this man? THE PLANET shall be on hand to report what happens.
We shall act as your eyes and ears.
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“Shimmy shimmy coco-bop, shimmy shimmy bop.” — Ancient words of wisdom from the 1950s.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
iBerkshires is reporting that the HRC closed the meeting due to Mr. Gaetani’s ongoing disruptions. However valid his complaints, and however many professional qualifications he has in regards PIttsfield’s water treatment plant, he has surely undermined himself. Here’s hoping that the press conference is a brilliant second act that shows up TES, rather than more of what we saw tonight. Perhaps he should follow Ms. Wade’s lead here. I can only imagine how disturbing it must have been for her to be on the receiving end of TES’s wrath, but her choice to pursue her complaints through every available legal channel certainly has a better shot at being succsessful, a much better strategy than outbursts in a public meeting.
Since when is being rude an act of Human Rights violation? As a lawyer once said, you may be as rude as you like, just don’t break the law.
Very true — especially when the “business” in question is just a website, “employing” just one employee — Wade herself. This woman is looking for money she has no right to. Go back East, Wade, and stop trying to drag the city down with you.
Agree. Wade’s ‘hires’ amount to a bunch of unpaid interns. From Medford, she leaves behind a shamble of ‘civil rights’ violations accusations that went nowhere and now she’s peddling the same junk here.
Only a few months prior, Dan Valenti on this website agreed that her claims are spurious and her ‘business’ mere vapors.
If Gaetani attaches his hopes to her success, then he shouldn’t consider 66′ underwater too deep.
Controversy drives the causal voter away …
Interesting…did you MEAN causal? Or casual?
What is the point of the press conference at Cleveland? Hopefully it will be televised as it would be great to hear from Charley Smith again. As for Mayor Bianchi, he should stay away from any body of water as he is already in over his head.
The letter from Collingwood is at the mayors orders. How can you impose these conditions on the designer of the plant? Somethings not right there.
So does this mean that if I want to go to Wachonah Park, I need to get an umbrella policy with the City named as added insured?
That’s pretty much the precedent being set here. How incredibly absurd.
“an insurance certificate naming the City of Pittsfield as additional insured”
That is all one needs to understand what is going on here.
Another whack job making Pittsfield proud
What is it about the mayor? Hes not the same man. Here;s my question about the water plant, why are Bianchi and Collingwood ao fearful of Mr. Gaetani touring the plant? He’s done it a million times over the yrs since the 80s.
@MrG1188 my error casual is the word I was meaning to use. I can not blame it on drinking Pittsfield water or the Pittsfield public schools but agree with Ronnie also what is the problem with Mr. Gaetani touring the facility ?
Well, if Mr. Gaetani has friends who are lawyers, a trip and fall suit may be a good concern. He seems an odd duck.
Just wondering if any upgrades to the water system will be done by someone who will owe the mayor and associates a little something and therefore cost the taxpayers more. Or maybe the other way around, elections are very costly.
If Gaetani is correct Bianchi will 40 million bucks more. Think extra 40million floating around (ha ha!) might be tempting? Just askin.
Good question. Will Bianchi end up working for Krofta just like Mayor Smith did as soon as he left office? The Planet should ask Mr Gaetani to explain how that wasn’t a patronage job.
Does anyone know how things went at the water treatment plant, this morning ?
Maybe the Water Wizard wants to check out Tesses new Loon Raft?
Bianchi is just as bad as Obama who wants a blank check to take care of the children at the border. Last I checked he was seeking 2 billion. Finally today a very intelligent politician (there aren’t many of them left) said to send the children at the border home at $150.00 per ticket and save the country a ton of money that frankly we can’t afford for children who are here illegally. If we did give all that money to these children, do you think this would send a message to to other poverty stricken people to also send their children here? Can you just imagine the numbers of children that would then flood our borders? I do belive Obama wants to turn this country into a third world country and quickly. Where does this insanity end? I do believe that Obama should be impeached.
Comparing Bianchi and the City Budget and Obama to anything is silly and miles from persuasive.
Think local, act local.
I can’t just think local. I think that all of these problems are somehow related. Stupidity in politics on all levels……state, city and federal.
Then I would suggest that in the interests of argumentation, you stick to the independent facts. There are no spider webs of conspiracy leading straight up to an international consortium of geo-political leaders at work here.
I believe the correct saying is think globally, act locally
I like “think local, act local,” but thank you.
I think the water treatment plant used to give regular tours of the facility because they were so proud of it. Guess they are not so proud anymore. I went while attending BCC years ago.
I think someone wrote that letter for Collingwood.
The mayor dictated that letter to Collingwood.
Off topic, but does anyone know where the Tina Packer Playhouse is?
Their website lists the address @ 70 Kemble St. in Lenox.
Ron, Gaetani has been allowed to tour the facility on numerous occasions. He is banned for the same reason he will probably end up getting himself banned from city hall, if he continues to act like in a volatile manner. Gaetani may actually be correct in his technical arguments.
To the person who thinks they know so much. I did not file a complaint against the city of Medford. People have it wrong. Mayor Michael J. McGlynn, Medford City Hall 85 George P. Hassett Drive, Room 202, Medford, MA 02155 filed the case. If you are stupid and bold enough to contact him please help yourself, but stop saying that I filed because you are spreading false information. And Mayor McGlynn, who you should research, is not the person to play with. I spoke up for the Mayor. I did not file the complaint. Educate yourself before you speak ignorantly. Also, other charges brought against Medford were not made by me but by a man named Joe. My grandfather always said, “you don’t open your mouth, you don’t know how ignorant you are.” In addition, go back to City Hall in Pittsfield and tell them to please give you the proper information on my business, because you have been given the wrong information. And remember, speaking out on a blog does not protect you from freedom of speech, so if I am all that you think I am, keep talking.