COUNCIL(OR)’S QUESTIONS ON ‘100GATE’ DELAYED YET AGAIN … IS THE MAYOR PLAYING MORE GAMES? … plus … HAS PLANET UNCOVERED THE ‘SMOKING GUN’?
By DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, SEPT. 2, 2014) — The much-anticipated showdown over “100gate” between our Right Honorable Good Friends on the city council, particularly councilor-at-large Barry Clairmont, and the mayor will not take place tonight, THE PLANET has learned.
THE PLANET also has heard from tenants at 100 North Street, who say city personnel were in the 9,000-sq. ft. second floor space TES wants the city to rent from Scarafoni Associates in March of this year. They say city employees were there “looking around, measuring,” with blueprints.
Do you see the problem?
COUNCILOR-AT-LARGE BARRY CLAIRMONT: Has questions, wants answers. (Photo lckcpa.com)
Pittsfield sent the RFP out during the third week of April, and yet, tenants at 100 North St. say city workers were in the space engaged in prep work in March. If the report is true, it all but proves that TES decided on 100 North St. from the get-go and that the RFP process was a sham. Is this “the smoking gun” in “100gate?”
Dum dee-dum dum.
After the city send out a request for bids, only one company responded, even though to land the contract would be a plum for any landlord, given the state of commercial rentals downtown. In another of those amazing co-incidences that occur regularly in the magical land of Pittsfield, the lone bidder turned out to be Scarafoni, owners of 100 North St. The agent for the building, according to what sources have previously told us, is one of TES’ good buddies. TES has been renting private space there for many years. THE PLANET asked the mayor about all this, but he did not respond.
The Delay: Another Fishy Element in ‘100gate’
Despite having Clairmont’s questions for two weeks, passed along unanimously by the council, the mayor is taking advantage of the death of city solicitor’s mother to postpone the interrogation that was originally slated for tonight. Sources say the mayor has told city council president Melissa Mazzeo that Kathy Degnan will not be available prior to Tuesday, and that without her, he cannot prepare properly.
THE PLANET has also learned that neither will the meeting take place at the council’s second meeting this month. Sources say there is a tentative agreement for the interrogative session to take place at the council’s first meeting in October. That would Tuesday, Oct. 7.
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More obstacles? More Delay Tactics?
What are we to make of this? Is this latest delay excusable? Does it signal that the mayor will blatantly ignore the council, even though the city charter says he or a representative will have to answer. The mayor has all along claimed he does not need city council approval to move 40% of city hall from 70 Allen St.into 100 North. The move is expected to cost taxpayers up to $500,000.
THE PLANET is sorry to hear about the death of Degnan’s mother, and we extend our condolences to her and her family. That being said, we do not see why Bianchi needs a lawyer to answer a list of straightforward questions about the move. Is it because he knows he is on shaky legal ground? Even if we grant the need for an attorney, why can’t Darren Lee, assistant city solicitor, pinch hit?
Who Does the City Solicitor Represent?
This, of course, is not even to bring up the role of the city solicitor. Does that office function as the mayor’s personal attorney? If so, who represents the legal interests of We The People? Who is the city council’s lawyer, taking the mayor at his word (a stretch) that this Q-and-A session regarding “100gate” requires legal expertise?
Clairmont ‘Will Not be Deterred’
“This will not deter me from seeking information on this matter, nor will it deter me from seeking information in the future,” Clairmont told THE PLANET. “I think I need to see additional information. It appears to me like it’s a way to stop me from doing my job.” Again, the mayor’s office did not return THE PLANET’s request for comments.
Is the building sick, or just the guy who sits in the corner office? (Photo commons.wikimedia.org)
Noticeable in Clairmont’s battle for obtaining clear information on a shady move the mayor has not properly justified is the silence of Clairmont’s council colleagues. From whence their silence? Have they all been beaten down by the bully in the corner office? If not, why are they not supporting Clairmont? The issue of “100gate” transcends political loyalties — or all least it should. We shall learn more about this aspect of “100gate” at the council meeting tonight.
The move to 100 North St. has all the appearance of a done deal. There’s a city hall e-mail dated Nov. 15, 2013, regarding “100gate.” This shows that the deal has been in the works at least since that time — five months before the mayor ordered an RFP sent to prospective bidders. The mayor wanted to keep this secret, but he couldn’t hide it from THE PLANET. After we broke the news, the corner office began spinning the story better than Jim Shulman‘s carousel.
TES’ Explanations Laughable on Face Value
One indication the mayor knows his plan is bad is how he keeps changing the reason for the move.
Excuse 1: Contractor Contractions — First, the mayor said contractors complained about the permitting process.
Excuse #2: Mighty Moolah —Second, he said the move would become an “economic engine” for the city.
Excuse #3: Roof, Roof — Third, TES cites the need to get all permitting offices under one roof.
THE WORRIED MAN: Sick building or sick mayor? (Photo albany.twcnews.com)
Excuse #4: Radon Men from the Moon — In he latest the latest explanation from TES, we are told that 70 Allen St. is a “sick building” with black mold and radon.
If that is the case, then the mayor will be leaving 60 percent of city hall offices in a dirty building. Moreover, nowhere has the mayor released data on radon or mold or even if the city has performed any tests.
Black mold? Radon? Why can’t the city address these problems, as contractors and landlords do on a routine basis? A fix would be pennies on the dollar compared to the additional half-million for a phony move to a building where the mayor already leases private office space from a buddy.
“Insider trading” is not at all worthy of one taxpayer dollar, let alone half-a-million.
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“But never bowed our snowy crest / As at the voice of thine unrest.” — Percy Bysshe Shelley, lines 91-92, from Prometheus Unbound.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
I would love to know why the other city councilors are not on board with Mr Clairmont. If every one of them is against his probe for more info what is their reason or reasons? They owe the people who voted them in an explanation. If they are not on board with him why is that? Could you pose this question to them Dan?
It would be great if we had a forum like this that could address the council and that they would respond to the whole readership.
Thanks Dan, Alfred E. Newman ( what Me Worry ) doesn’t have anything on our mayor…
Here, ladies and gentlemen is a mayor not only looking but begging for someone to blame,
”Excuse #1: Contractor Contractions , Excuse #2: Mighty Moolah , Excuse #3: Roof, Roof , Excuse #4: Radon Men from the Moon”
If its true that the city hall building is toxic and full of deadly radon gas and deadly black mold spores then the public is at risk even going in there.
Anyone doing business in city hall should wear a respirator to prevent coming down with illness and possibly a disposable tyvek suit to be burned immediately on leaving that toxic environment.
Will city solicitor represent the people whose lives are in danger simply by entering the toxic environment of city hall or is she just the mayor’s private attorney?
Sort of reminds me of the time the city said the old Berkshire Anthenaeum was literally falling down and they propped wooden beams up to the front to prevent the building from falling down. After the city gets what they want, we are supposed to forget about these scams.
Remember, the city needed that new airport at all costs including filling in pristine wetlands and the Colonial Theater / Miller building was a must have to save the city. The new high school will soon take front and center stage as the city has no money to upkeep the two high schools it already has. The methadone clinic was worth the extra $100,000.00 as its brought such happiness to the city of Pittsfield and the new water treatment plans have yet to be schemed into the budget.
I also wonder as Dusty does, what are the feelings of the other councilors?
Other questions;
Why can’t empty bldgs. owned by the city be considered?
After the third year and the lease ends, what safeguards does the city have to prevent an exorbitant rent increase?
And get the actual reports with data showing the levels of toxic air.
Tyler street firehouse the city is just giving away.
and what lucky person will be taking ownership I wonder. Was anyone else given a chance to buy it?
I am not sure anyone wants it. Much opportunity, such waste, wow.
The monies that we are wasting on 100 North St. might be better spent on renovating the Firehouse on Tyler St. for permitting offices and maybe a police presence substation with a much needed presence in Moringside where unsavory activity seems to be. We would be saving a historic building and policing Moringside. A side note is that rumor has it Dunkin Donuts is buying St. Mary’s Church. Maybe we could use the St. Mary’s property and buildings for city business, rather than allowing more of our historic properties to be torn down. Under the current administration we have allowed Elmwood Court, St. Treasa’s Church and Plunkett School to be victims of the wrecking ball while at the same time planning moving city offices out of our City Hall. Economic development comes through historic heritage. It’s time for a change.
The longer they stall and push off the inquiry the more time the mayor has to make the move to 100 North St. Once done, all he has to say is he’s not answering any questions as the move is done.
Its been a done deal right from the start. Only thing he was not counting on was the Valenti factor.
Maybe the rest of the council is scared to death of this mayor. Its all part of the lockdown of information from city hall. The city council is spineless and has no backbone. This mayor does whatever he damn well pleases and no one dare get in his way.
When will Pittsfield politics have an honest Mayor?
I work in building about the same size, and Vintage as City Hall, in a nearby town that’s a little smaller, but comprised of the same toxic political landscape.
As few years ago, the owner of the building sold it, and part of the sale contingencies was the installation of a radon mitigation unit. The unit treats the WATER, which in turn, mitigates the radon in the air. The unit cost the seller of the building about $10,000. Sometimes mitigation is as easy as drilling a hole in the floor of the foundation and venting it. But that’s too easy for Pittsfield. What a joke.
Trust me on this, there is an existing Radon mitigation system in City Hall.
Mayor Bianchi is going to appear on the Sturgeon radio show as is his administrative assistant.
So this is starting to sound like the game of “build a bid” where you make the bid requirements match the vendor you want.
If your preferred vendor is the only one to have widget A, then you make sure your bid includes a requirement for widget A.
Dan can you get a copy of the RFP? It would be interesting to see how that was laid out, like a minimum and maximum sq feet required…or maybe some other indicator that they were single sourcing via bid.
You know Hilary said after the Benghazi slaughter, “what does it matter now?”
Perhaps the mayor is taking a page from that playbook. Stall and stonewall until the dastardly deed is done, then just say after the move to 100 North St., “what does it matter now?”
Can you imagine if the judicial system worked that way? A guy could kill his wife, then after she’s buried say “what does it matter now?”
If they mayor unilaterally acted alone on this move and does not need the city council’s approval, then why does he need an in his back pocket personal city solicitor attorney lawyer friend to represent him on answering a few questions?
If he was an honest mayor and this move was in the best interests of the people then it would be a simple matter to just answer the questions instead of assembling a team of lawyers to defend his dictatorial move.
Also, if he and the head building inspector both say that city hall is not safe, is he opening up a can of worms for the city to law suits from former and current city workers working in that building who are suffering from respiratory and other health issues?
If Joe private citizen acquired a building and wanted permits to operate a business out of it that deals with the public, but it was full of deadly radon gas and black mold and asbestos, would they give him the permit? Is there one set of standards for the city and another for the public? There is word for people who require one thing but excuse themselves for the same thing.
Has any City Hall employee gotten sick from the mold or the Radon? How is the lung cancer rate compared to the rest of the population? When a politician thinks he can fool and BS the citizens it’s a sure sign that he’s a pompous fool.
City Hall could save money by piping its water right out of Silver Lake.
Has 100 North Street been tested for radon? It’s close by the City Hall and if the decaying radioactive deposit exists it might be under 100 NS
What are the symptoms of radon poisoning? If sketchy behavior is one of them the mayor may need to be tested as he may be getting doses from both places.
according to my sources. 100 North Street (thunder dome) has been a done deal without council approval. Councilor Clairmont has clearly been kicked it the teeth with TES as a no show tonight because of the passing. Condolences to Kathy. The bottom line is, TES needs to be accountable with or without the solicitor tonight. And what is up with the talented Darren Lee not being able to fill in, that’s an insult to him,
Agree that mayor’s behavior is an insult to all, the council, Mr. Clairmont, asst. city solicitor but most of all me. Who an I? I’m a Pittsfield taxpayer.
Appointments, standing ovation and nothing getting done. said these jokers down the road. Barry was sheepish tonight, very disappointed.
Maybe that candidate from the west side will run, I’ll vote for him, Steve was his name. he said he would personally help with anything citizens needed.
While .Connell was talking someone should have ice buckeeted LOw to wakehim up.
SNore fest. Someone, something please come in and wake this town up. The feds, the state, someone come in and just shut this messed up city down. Mayor = a disgrace. Mazzeo council prez = a disgrace .. Council = kow-towed & beaten. Please, someone, put the city out of its misery.
I agree that the city needs serious help. So many people are moving from the area and many others want to move, but are currently unable to. I want to stay for now, but I sure do agree that the city politicians are not looking out for the best interests of all of the citizens, but only a select few.
Why would Mazzeo want to be mayor when she could crush Downing or TFB in a primary?