ON THE PLANET, OUR READERS KNOW BEST
By DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015) — Welcome to March, which comes in like a aardvark and goes out like an orangutan. Welcome to March, a scant two months from the day nomination papers become available at the city clerk’s office for public office in the City of Pittsfield. THE PLANET shall leave that alone for today. That being said, we intend to be a major factor in what is decided electorally later in the year.
Today, we’d like to share with you some recent posts. You may have missed them or didn’t give them proper read. We hold these commentaries as models of reader input that illustrate what we mean when we say that the bests posts are one that “move the discussion forward.” These were all received in the past “cuppla-three” days:
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FROM ED McCLELLAND
In the Eagle’s Letters to the Editor, today it was opined that referendum at any level of government is ill advised and that elected officials should be entrusted with all public decisions. The same letter espoused that many years of decisive and astute planning complicit with numerous”advertised” public meetings were inherent to the decision to build a new high school.
Where were the alleged commercial advertisements posted ? Were these meetings outside of the SBNC ? Would a citizen’s poll show the extent that these meetings were generally known about for years ?
This letter was flawed not only grammatiically, but logically.Was it objective, or was it written by a PPS retiree who gets a public pension, who may not be a Pittsfield native, and who shacks up with a current PPS administrator ?
Should the taxpayers of Pittsfield capitulate, as the city’s educators and their unions manipulate and permeate all strata of political clout within this municipality ?
You can’t fight city hall and the little red school house !!!
THE PLANET RESPONDS — Excellent points. Actually, if what The Suits and Apologists for the new school is true — that is, if the project has been fully exposed to public scrutiny and input — they should be all in favor of a final up-or-down decision by We The People, shouldn’t they? Think it through: If the people have fully weighed in, given that there has been no massive protest, wouldn’t that indicate massive support for the project? Well, such logic is valid but not true. It dies on the faulty major premise. We The People have NOT had a say in this. “All those ‘public’ meetings” have been help at inconvenient times and only after scant publicity. Fact is, The Suits are terrified of letting citizens and taxpayers have a direct say, because they fear there is little support in the community.
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This next letter is from a new correspondent, who goes by the name of WATCHDOG:
I recall the mayor………at this recent city council meeting, mentioning something in the manner that all of the nearby towns were in the same position as Pittsfield. That they were having just as much trouble with the snow removal and conditions of their roads……..due to the severity of the winter. Well mayor Bianchi……….Pay close attention here!! I do plowing, sanding, salting, and snow removal for a nearby town. And you are totally incorrect. Our roads are plowed and sanded/salted. They are done so professionally and properly during every storm. The high snow banks around intersections are removed if they pose any sign of danger. We have only a few minimal potholes. That’s because we maintain our roads. Crosswalks and busy intersections are cleared efficiently, professionally, and properly. Snow is removed from these areas as needed. Sanding and salting is done efficiently, professionally, and properly as needed. Any and all potholes are repaired and maintained after the winter season in a effiecient manner. Our roads are continuously inpected and maintained as needed. Mr mayor……..how dare you and your pal Colonwood compare your lousy streets and hazardous road conditions to our town. You can come up with any excuse that you feel is good…………but don’t compare our town to yours. Your streets are dangerous and unsafe. Your managers are incompetent…….and you are irresponsible.
WATCHDOG also had this comment:
| Message to Kevin Swail (rhymes with fail)………..Hello Mr. Swail, I thought I would provide you with something that could change you……as a person. It would be in your best interest. You were obviously hired by Colonwoody to be the DPW highway director……..whatever. This was a done deal………no one else had a chance. You had the job even before it was posted. But whatever. Whats done is done. Now to get to my point…..I am thinking that you were probably directed by Colonwoody and Bistanky on how to maintain the roads this winter season. No salt, no plowing, no pre-treating, no pushing back snow banks. Save money. Now comes the outcry from the citizens. You had your chance to be a stand up guy at the recent council meeting. You blew it. But you can still fix this. Blow the whistle on these clowns………they are making you look foolish, stupid, and incompetent. Speak the truth, speak as you should. Show some integrity. Show some morale. Show some character. You will have more respect from people than you ever could have imagined. Even the DPW workers have stated that the roads were not pre-treated. Some were even sent home during a storm. It’s been documented right here on the planet. The truth isn’t always popular…….but it’s still the truth. I sure as hell hope I never end up in the situation that you are in. And if I ever am in a situation similar to yours…….there is no way in hell I would let a couple of bafoons drag me into the gutter with them. |
THE PLANET RESPONDS — We welcome the expert testimony of this person. He has been there, done that, when it comes to plowing and caring for roads in winter.
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This next one is from QUESTIONS, on a different topic:
OK, the mayor asked the city council for $140,000.00 dollars to move the inspection offices to 100 North St. The council said no. So then the mayor turns around and says oh looky here I found the money to do it. As far as I know, that is not how things work. He took the money from somewhere else.
Could it be that he took that money from the city works department? Why has this not been answered as to where he got the money for this move? This money, being the city taxpayers money, needs to show up on an accounting ledger somewhere. I the money was taken from the city works department, would that not properly explain the incompetence of the road maintenance this winter?
To take money bugeted for snow removal and salting/sanding of the roads for safety of the people at large and give it as a reward to his buddy Scarafoni would be criminal, if indeed that is what happened.
Here is my main question: Can a private citizen request a State or even Federal audit of the city of Pittsfield’s books so that people can see where it goes?
THE PLANET RESPONDS — Right on. THE PLANET tried asking this question of the mayor and his stooges. They did not return our requests for comment. To our knowledge, no one knows from where the money for the fatuous move was absconded. Would any of our Right Honorable Good Friends on the city council care to investigate and report back to us?
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Finally, we have this one from GRANNY:
Pittsfield is unfixable. The greedy bastards will never stop until there is no more money to be had.
The corruption is beyond belief. You will never an honest city government that cares about the people.
Sure the names of the occupants in the various seats changes but the raping of the people will never stop.
As Dio stated above, even if you did get an honest mayor, those with the money who really control Pittsfield politics would fight them tooth and nail.
Vote them out only gives you the illusion that you are in control.
Its said in every election.
Ask John F. Kennedy what happens to good politicians.
Oh wait… you can’t.
There is strength in numbers. Look what just happened.
The people rose up and calle their coucilors and demanded something be done about the horrible roads. So the mayor was called on the carpet with his two overpaid henchmen. For their efforts the people got: “It only snows once every 50 years” “we pretreated the roads with invisible magic dust” “our salt shedd is not big enough” “port of Albany – its their fault” cock and bull stories.
If the people that run this city take no accountablity then who will? Instead of these huge raises, their already too high salaries should have been slashed. If you paid them based on performance they would have to be fired.
Not in Pittsfield.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
Pittsfield Politics:Corruption::2+2:4
Dear ED McClelland,
The reason why Pittsfield is in so much trouble is because it has people like Mellissa Mazzeo, Kathy Amuso, Lisa Tully, & Kevin Morandi entrusted to make decisions for us and not one of them can string a normal, thoughtful, sensible sentence together.
Absolutely!!
You can add Cotton to that list, oh I forgot Cotton does not know how to open his mouth.
Sparkie. I finally saw an opinion I can agree with on this blog. Also B. Don’t hate on Churchill. He’s a very smart and good man but also very quiet. Its too bad other councilors don’t use such restraint with there mouths.
Perhaps Mr Collingwood and Mr Swail were given raises with the implied message that they would go along to get along. Follow the rules…the mayor s rules.
This mayor sent a message early on that he would not hesitate to fire anyone who crossed him. He got the desired result in that no one dares talk out of line or walk out of line.
At least, so far, he has not shut down any bridges backing up traffic for miles in an effort to send a message to his detractors. But he seems like the kind of guy that would if he need to get people back in line.
When big raises are given to those who are not competent you buy a lifetime of loyalty. These people are known as yes men and gophers. They remain loyal because theu know they can never find similar higih [paying gigs in private businezz.
So will any of the city councilors step up and answer where is it that the mayor took the money from for the move to 100 North St?
and
Let me ask again, can a private citizen call for a State or Federal audit of Pittsfield’s books so the people can see where their money is actually being spent?
Why the silence on this? Why won’t the Mayor disclose where he took the money from? Are city councilors really that afraid of the mayor to get this answered? Perhaps they should be asked this in their campaigns for reelection this year.
If you fail,you’ll do just Swail.
I was doing my thing uptown today and noticed the red city vehicle, going about fifty on North Street ( guess he was trying apprehend an illegal parking violator) which is o k, but no need to go that fast. You’re not a Cop dude!
Hey check out Medical Monday on wamc.org today and let us know who that last caller is, “Theresa from Pittsfield.” Report back!
OK so it was the mayor’s wife calling “anonymously” to say everyone should be thanking the mayor for his great?? work on the heroin problem. She then hung up while the guest was responding. A lot of people around here do not like grandstanding and they don’t like BS. That’s maybe why they don’t like the mayor or his manipulative wife.
I am appalled at the dog attack incident on the woman at BCC, the three woman with the dogs did nothing? If the authorities find these assholes, the book should be thrown at them. NO MERCY LADIES?
You say “if the authorities find them”? I would like to believe that since our State Police has a good reputation in apprehending those involved in drug and gang related matters, they certainly should be able to catch these three gals and their dogs. This doesn’t appear to be a terribly complicated case.
If the ladies are connected, they will simply tell the authorities that they thought the women was a deer.
Dan,
Sure does look like this is a done deal.
Here is tonight’s article from the Berkshire Eagle:
“PITTSFIELD >> With the budget phase for a planned new Taconic High School entering crunch time, the city’s design team and project consultant outlined a $116 million project Monday that, with estimated state reimbursements, would cost local taxpayers just over $40 million.
If the city’s School Building Needs Commission approves those figures at its next meeting — and City Council and state approvals also are secured — the impact on Pittsfield’s current tax rate over the course of a 28-year bond would be estimated at $94.03 more per year for residential property assessed at $150,000.
Dale Caldwell of Skanska USA, the city’s project consultant, said the estimated annual increase for commercial property would be $190.72 per $150,000 in valuation.
The total estimated reimbursement through the state was set at $76.1 million.
Carl Franceschi, president of Drummey Rosane Anderson of Waltham, the city’s design firm, earlier went through a series of cost reductions now recommended for a new Taconic, after DRA and Skanska worked in recent weeks to nail down exact project costs.
The commission will meet next on March 9 and is expected to vote on the scope of the project and on the budget figure. Detailed estimates and supporting information will be updated by the consultants with the aim of submitting the package to the Massachusetts School Building Authority by March 30 for scope and budget approval.
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Caldwell said a request for approval by the City Council is tentatively set for April 14, and the current plan is to submit the project to the MSBA board for an approval vote on June 30. Final design work would then commence, he said, with the goal of breaking ground on a new school in spring 2016 and for an opening by fall 2018.
Franceschi described for commission members recent changes in the schematic design his firm prepared to keep costs near prior estimates, and in response to comments from councilors and others. “There is no change in the educational plan,” he said. “This keeps the functionality of the building.”
However, he said minor changes in building design, a reduction in non-essential features and in some materials was needed to keep the cost around a target figure of about $116 million. That could change, he said, if commissioners decide next week to trim more features or add to the estimated total.
In addition, he said DRA recommends that several items be listed as alternatives that could be added back into the project if the construction bids allow. Franceschi and Caldwell stressed that the exact cost of each project feature is subject to change as more information and updated cost figures come in during the year-long design phase, although the MSBA will set a ceiling figure for the entire project.
“We will be repricing this as we go,” Franceschi said.
There also are contingency amounts that might not be needed, Franceschi said, which would allow more funding for the list of alternative items.
Eliminated from the schematic design were some of the areas of glass in favor of less-expensive walls with smaller widows; sections of a buildingwide air conditioning system with added enhancements included to boost natural ventilation; roof screening features to hide air conditioning units; solar panels that would have generated 10 percent of the electricity used in the school; and small square-foot reductions in some hallway and some educational spaces, such as computer labs or seminar or resource rooms.
Also now recommended, he said, is less expensive but still good quality material for some of the flooring and wood paneling.
While the solar panels won’t be included, Franceschi said the plan is to approach the electric utility, Eversource, about options for leasing the roof space for a solar array that would include a reduction in energy costs for the school.
Superintendent Jason “Jake” McCandless said he believes that approach is a better one, as the city would not own the panels and at some point have to replace them. The upfront cost had been estimated at $1.1 million.
Other savings were recommended, Franceschi said, by eliminating a planned rain run-off collection system that would have provided a water source for the earlier, larger air conditioning system, and a reduction in the thickness of paving in parking areas.
Commission Co-Chairwoman Kathleen Amuso, who also serves on the City Council, said she believes the overall cost should be kept near the current level, but others said the city should ensure the project is not shortchanged.
Berkshire Community College President Ellen Kennedy said she hopes a reduction in glass around the main entrance and other areas won’t take away from the distinctive design of the new Taconic. “This is a generational opportunity,” she said.
Mayor Daniel L. Bianchi agreed, saying the city would not want to cut an important feature now only to regret it in a few years. The major project is something only done “once in every 40 years,” he said.
McCandless said at one point during the two-hour presentation and discussion that the MSBA has tentatively approved a project of up to $125 million, so that the city has room to add features back into the project if needed.
The new Taconic will be constructed on the same site and next to the current 45-year-old school off Valentine Road, which will then be razed.
Presentations on the project are planned before the SBNC and Pittsfield School Committee on March 16, and before the council on March 24.
Contact Jim Therrien at 413- 496- 6247.”
They are saying that the “estimated” costs to Pittsfield taxpayers will be 40 $million dollars and will definately raise taxes on everyone. Just watch what it ends up being.
Can you just imagine that 1/10th of that would do to repair the current Taconic High?
Bend over Pittsfield taxpayers because you are about to be asked to pick up the soap.
I heard through the Grape Vine that one of the reasons for building a new Taconic H.S. is because the original site is wetlands. So why build another building on the same wetlands? The original Taconic H.S. building was built with the intention to be able to add on to when our city population grows! It was built by Peter Francese. a knowledgeable and a great contractor. Why then are we not adding new construction to the old? The way it was intended by our City Fathers. Can you say “lining pockets”. Taconic, Bianchi’s Retirement Fund, you are right on. Our state representatives need to be lobbying for a solid addition, with the same reimbursement, to a 45 year old building and not wasting taxpayer monies on new and most likely shoddy construction. They don’t build them like the used too.