CAMPAIGN COVERAGE BEGINS, SORT OF … plus … HAS BIANCHI BEGUN SLINGING CAMPAIGN MUD ALREADY?
By DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
ED. NOTE: In the listing of ballot-approved candidates below, THE PLANET inadvertently omitted KATHY LLOYD. She is challenging the incumbent in Ward 7. We have corrected the record. Thanks to all those, including the candidate, for reminding us of this.
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, AUG. 6, 2015) — THE PLANET has been asked when we will begin our coverage of Campaign ’15. The answer is that we have already begun. The thrust of the question, however, implies that at some point, our coverage will increase. It will.
The drawing for ballot position will be Aug. 13. That’s when, for THE PLANET‘s purposes, the race begins in earnest, leading up to the preliminary election Sept. 22 and the general election Nov. 3.
Who’s In
The following persons have submitted enough certified signatures with the city clerk to make the ballot :
MAYOR — Dan Bianchi, Linda Tyer, Craig Gaetani, Donna Walto
CITY CLERK — Jody Phillips
COUNCIL AT-LARGE — Kathy Amuso, Peter Marchetti, Melissa Mazzeo, Joe Nichols, Peter White , Churchill Cotton, Taylor DiSantis
WARD 1 — Tammy Ives, Lisa Tully
2 — Michael Merriam, Kevin Morandi
3 — Nick Caccamo
4 — Christopher Connell
5 — Rick Scapin, Donna Todd Rivers
6 — John Krol
7 — Tony Simonelli, Kathy Lloyd
SCHOOL COMMITTEE — Josh Cutler, Richard Backer, Dan Elias, Pam Farron, Salvatore Frieri, Irwin Moiseff, Tony Riello, Cynthia Taylor, Kathy Yon
Turnout will tell the story. Large turnout spells change. Low turnout spells status quo. Status quo spells doom for Pittsfield.
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Bing, Bang, and Boom: More 100Gate Drama
On July 2, two Pittsfield Police Department officers showed up at Gaetani’s house on outer West Street to serve papers prohibiting him from entering property owned by Scarafoni Associates at … get this … 100 North Street. He must stay away from those offices until Jan. 2, 2016.
It’s the same 100 North St. where Mayor Dan Bianchi needlessly moved 40% of city hall offices to 9,000 sq. ft. of the second floor at a three-year cost to taxpayers topping $500,000. The cost does not include remediation for flooding of the city hall basement as a consequence of the move. It’s the same space owned and agented by the mayor’s buddies. The same space where Bianchi, while pretending to be the mayor, took care of his other high-paying gig with Global Energy.
Is the warrant valid? It spelled “Gaetani” as “Gartaini.” If you’re going to nail someone, at least get the spelling right. The warrant is issued by the PPD. Chief Michael Wynn‘s name is listed in a space that says “Owner” of 100 North St. Wynn told THE PLANET, “After being briefed on the circumstances of the threat, I suggested the Tresspass Order to provide protection to the victim. After discussing the appropriate protocol with the City Solicitor and the Mayor, I signed the order as the City’s agent.”
So what happened?
According to Gaetani, about two months ago he visited city offices at 100 North St. requesting information related to a hydroelectric turbine he helped install at the Ashley Reservoir, which supplies Pittsfield drinking water. He says the exchange with the secretary was professional and polite. After making his request, he left the building. He said he heard nothing further until the warrant was served. Neither David Carver of Scarafoni Associates, the mayor, nor city solicitor Kathy Degnan responsed to our question of why, specifically, the warrant was served.
Who complained to the police? Who tipped them off? Who, if anyone, gave them orders? Those are three separate questions. The secretary referenced by Wynn? Scarafoni Associates? The mayor? Was the warrant justified or if this is a case of dirty politics? Has the mayor banned a private citizen and rival candidate from accessing public offices without justification? It appears that the mayor has ordered another Lockdown.
Gaetani told THE PLANET, “I want the public to know if the mayor has entered into a private, sweetheart deal to put Scarafoni [Associates] in a position to decide what the taxpayer, the private citizen, can and cannot do. Those offices are extension of city hall. When I went over there, there was no incident. I don’t plan to let this drop.”
The mayor, for his part, refuses to talk and continues to duck a free press.
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“Music resembles Poetry, and in each / Are nameless graces which no methods teach, / And which a master’s hand alone can reach.” — Alexander Pope, Essay on Criticism, lines 143-5, (1711).
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
The views expressed in any comment section are not those of PLANET VALENTI or endorsed in any way by PLANET VALENTI; this website reserves the right to remove any comment which violates its Rules of Conduct, and it is not liable for the consequences of any posted comment as provided in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and PLANET VALENTI’s terms of service.
It sure sounds like “dirty politics”. Making Gaetani look really bad before the election so all Bianchi has to do is worry about the 2 women candidates. It’s typical Pittsfield especially since nobody will say exactly what happened and just leaves it all up to speculation hoping that voters decide they can’t vote for somebody who has a warrant served on them. This current administration is all about power and control.
Running for my family and yours. Gaetani.
There has certainly been a concentrated smear campaign against Gaetani on this site and Bianchi has more than a couple of times demonstrated that he failed charm school miserably.
But I am tending to believe that the immature smearing on this site is coming from the Tyer camp. If so it is a shame that Linda would allow it but then I don’t think she is now or ever will be really in charge of anything. Like Tricia, she will do as she is told. That is just my take from long time observation.
That’s crazy talk. The Tyer camp probably loves Gaetani. She can stay on message while Craig drags Bianchi into the mud.
what message? blight?
All this dirty politics, phoney charges and smear campaign against Craig, proves he is a threat to the suits.
He is not mentally ill as the one poster with multiple personalities on here falsely claims. He will make a fine mayor. Just imagine Mayor Gaetani moving the offices out of 100 North St. back to city hall. Correcting the boneheaded sweetheart deal Bianchi made.
Voting for Craig will show the suits you are not happy with the way this city is run.
Save yourself a pile of dough in taxes. Let the mayor, his henchmen and his shill on here dirty deeds blow up in their face. Vote for Craig Gaetani!
yes, I will vote for you as long as you promise to have Tammy Ives take down this sign that says FU so that my kids don’t have to look at it walking to school.
Being mayor doesn’t take away my constitutional rights. Just like being an a hole doesn’t put you in jail.
Hey Tammy,
You are now on Google Streetscape with your FU’s. Are you gonna sue Google?
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.461237,-73.235233,3a,75y,79.8h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sjEGaugr2PhYk-fta9nMGxg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
no they finally caught up
hey sal its an old one Todds truck is there
if it’s to a public school don’t worry…..they probably don’t know the alphabet yet.
I know him personally and he does have mental health issues.
The mayor and acting cheif’s actions prove one thing:
When you speak out against this city’s leaders, through open mic (stating your name and address for the record) or other means, they will come after you.
They can raise your taxes, your assesed property value, code violaion fines, even pull out an acting chief from their back pocket to sign an order banning you from a public government building.
If this web-site required your real name, few would voice their opinions for fear of this vindictive city government. Annonymity gives one freeness of speech. I’m sure if he could, Mr. Lockdown mayor would force Dan Valenti to give up the names and email addresses of commentors on here.
Speak out against the city on the Eagle’s site and they will just remove your comment.
Remember what Cliffy Nylon did – had a sitting judge order Dan Valenti to remove articles from his site?
This city government is rotten to the core.
Vote these bastards out.
APATHY
And you remember what DAN VALENTI did. He fought it, won a slam dunk in court, and made national news by winning an important case for First Amendment rights and freedom of the press.
As we have all seen on this site CG is his own worst enemy. If someone disagrees with him or he doesn’t get his way, he becomes aggressive and abusive. City employees have a right to be treated with respect and appropriate decorum when dealing with the public. I have no doubt that the no trespass order is justified.
Yes we have seen CG be his worst enemy with his aggressiveness and this is exactly what BeeYankee is counting on people to think of when they hear this news. But let us keep a few key facts in mind. BeeYankee has NO consideration for the fine citizens of Pittsfield, 100Gate as a prime example. Wynn spends hours in a work day splitting his visiting time between Linda Tyer in City Clerk and Susan Car-mel in the Treasurers. Degnan has been one mess after another.
DV, to back this story up, why don’t you do a little digging of the treatment of employees by Susan Car-mel. You could start with any one of the three, four, five(?) City Accountants that have left that position since Susan Car-mel became city treasurer. The current Accountant has only a high school education, she does not hold a Bachelors degree. Why is that?
Bianchi is a closet bully……he’s nice when he’s out in public but behind closed doors he’s a closet bully…..ask those who used to work for him…..maybe he was brought up this way or maybe he just doesn’t have a clue-well we know he doesn’t have a clue…..and what can we say about Betty Blight……pull all the weeds and that will take care of all our needs…..give me a flipin break LT!
I don’t think there has been a premeditated smear campaign against CG. The votilale hubris directed at him was caused by the natural reaction and response to his name calling and attack mode levied by him toward anyone who quesioned or disagreed with his purely verbal assertions and the situations escalated as the accusations, threats, and insults increased.
I am a westside of Pittsfield native and attended old Tucker School, the same as CG. He should remember that if a bully hit you first, you hit him back, only harder. And on this site CG has been the bully. What did he expect ?
Much more can be said about CG providing hard copy proof of his claims, but apparently some people are so starved for a perception of conceptual future change which may or may not happen that they will believe anything anyone says and accept as true any words or verbalized self promotion as reality. So be it, but if they want a deal, It’s time to buy ocean front property in Arizona.
CG’s threats, ie his ” claws, fangs, firings , boiling in oil, stewing,” etc are now wrtten historical record on this site and shows a distinct pattern of behavior. What has he been charged with ? CG we’re relieved that you told us that you are “unbeatable” in court. Good luck, sir.
The Reality of Dirty Politics in Pittsfield is tied in with the Sinking Ship across the Board. All the Class and Intelligence are long gone. This is what’s left. This is what you get…..in this town called Pitts.
And Today we have IBERKSHIRES stroking Hotel North. Celebrate the Big Digs. It’s all relative to today’s topic. Dirty Politics.
Putting Pittsfield on the Map. 1 Berkshire will Honor Hotel North in September. Real Food for thought there.
You forgot Kathy Lloyd, challenging Simonelli in seven.
Thanks Tommy! Was just logging in to say the same. DV, please update.
Best, Kathy
Dan you asked alot of questions like Who complained to the police? Who tipped them off? That was all an article in the Berkshire Eagle recently detailing the situation.
It was a clerk women from the Pittsfield Fire Department who called the police after he threatened her.
Or is this just a different harassment suit because after looking up Craig their seems to be a few of them.
I think Bianchi is a dismal Mayor and hope to see him booted soon. But spinning that their are questions of a conspiracy theory because the police barred a well documented volatile man doesn’t help your case nailing down Bianchi.
All we need to do is knock him for his well documented factual record of a terribly failed Mayor for that.
Their are only two serious candidates and two well documented troubled people that I wouldn’t trust giving them responsibility for just about anything because who knows what they will do.
I’d like to see more nailing down of Tyer vs. Bianchi because I can tell you the City’s enthusiasm for either one is about zero right now. But Tyer seems to be someone who is more diplomatic and easier to work with which is an essential part to being an effect Mayor.
Question to anyone out there….perhaps one of our elected officials.
The new, giant automotive store that is being built at the Allendale center to replace the Pizza Hut is right up next to the road.
Did this meet all zoning requirements? You know how picky they are when home owners wish to expand their property. They are also taking up many parking spaces just for the building itself.
Again, they put new and existing businesses thru the 3rd degree on how many parking spaces they will have.
Why do I get the feeling that requirements differ on who it is.
I hope I am wrong about this.
I thought the same thing. Turning right from Merrill Road onto Dalton Avenue, that building is nearly right to the edge.
The building is no closer to the road than the former pizza hut. I think it appears closer now because the scaffolding is up.
Spider you are wrong. There are different requirements for different zoning districts. There are not different requirements for different people. If you think that is the case, you have a course of remedy as a matter of law.
You may be right, Shaking…….but I can’t think of any other establishment, Coltsville or any place else, where the bldg. is right next to the road.
But would like to hear from others out there who can name such businesses and their locations.
when they went before the ZBA, they asked for a parking waiver. they would have needed 50 spots on their own parcel. instead, they made a deal with Kelly’s Diner, whose times don’t really overlap with theirs and between the two businesses – they will share 49 spots.
there was nothing in the hearing which said the building would not conform to zoning laws besides that – and by he time the plan was presented issues relating to landscaping and building colors were discussed with neighboring properties and adjusted to their satisfaction.
one thing that I believe is different is that Pizza Hut with its windows and sloping roofline had less “mass” as you head south on rt 8 or east on Merrill Rd. but construction projects, like sausage arte best not watched in the process of their construction. once the building is complete and landscaped, it may look softer to the eye and less of the intrusion into the street as it appears now.
http://www.iberkshires.com/story/47464/AutoZone-Eyes-Former-Allendale-Pizza-Hut-Location.html
Former Pizza Hut in Coltsville
Tyer and all the rest including the Lothrops and the Clairmont’s are all the same but show their true colors if you wait long enough. Tyer has a speck of an advantage as being politically correct but also said she was a progressive, which says it all. Craig, I think can be a great candidate because he has let us examine him from the inside out, the other two are phonies who will raise taxes and keep People just scrapping by in one place with no chances of relief, of any kind. Ask yourself, do you think Tyer would have let us Vote on the School?
We (the people) use to be a nation of laws and not men. In September 1988 the state primary elections were scheduled to be held according to Massachusetts General Laws on the 2’nd Tuesday after the first Monday. This fell on a Tuesday that year the 20th , Yom Kippur began at sunset so the election was moved to Thursday the 22’nd of September instead. A precedent of sorts, but why bother to follow the law when we can just ask a few of our Jewish friends if it would be okay to hold it on that day instead. I guess my point is instead of being a nation of laws, we’ve given away much of the power we once held, and seeded over to those in power.
Great questions Shirley. Well thought out. It would be interesting to see how they answer them.
Its ceded the power Ron.
Your right Ron. Our laws are skirted all the time. As for the auto parts store in Coltsville it seems crazy to think it could possibly meet set back requirements. I have a friend that the city inspsaid his pool was 1 foot to close to the road and they made him take it down and move it. Business as usual in Pittsfield, different rules for different people.
It also blocks the facades of the stores in the mall behind it like Planet Fitness etc. Can’t imagine they are too happy to be losing their visibility
What are Craig’s plans for Pitts? All I hear from him is fire this one, fire that one! We need more than that.
Regarding Craig Gaetani. He has to be losing votes by trashing people and saying who he is going to fire etc. He has probably lost most union votes if he ever had any so I do wish he would scale back the venom.
On the flip side, how many of you have taken the time to watch him on his Friday show? You might be shocked at the very different side of him. He comes across as quite docile, well educated, well spoken (no caps) and very enthusiastic about the position for which he is applying. He is very open about himself and his ideas. Contrast that with others who have either locked themselves in a closet or are only speaking when poked. For those who are truly interested in having options other than special interest candidates please do yourself a favor and check him out on his show. He may truly surprise you and give you hope. And you may also see why other camps are trying to trash him out of the race. Yes they are afraid that if he gets any momentum he may bury them.
(Well not Bianchi, he has no chance unless for some reason he winds up running unopposed.)
Don’t fear ye Gaetani supporters. He is featured now on iberkshires and has,as you faithful believers know, VERBALLY SAID that he is: Better than Lawyers”, and that he will “Kill” the new Taconic High School, and of course his religious, dogmatic mystical firing of those undermining his cult, and that he will be mayor.
Love it; The Charles Manson, Jim Jones mindset. Buy a pig in a poke and drink the koolaid. Remember this four years hence.
can you name the top 5 accomplishments of the Bianchi administration? How about Linda Tyer? So far Bianchi has said nothing because he has done nothing good and Tyer is basing her campaign on blight. Maybe GOB stands for Good Old Blight.
Another question for the candidates. Who in their family is currently or in the past worked for the city or any other publicly paid position?
Follow up question?
Has any person in their family been on any of the city boards?
A question for Bianchi if he dares to show up. In his first campaign he stated that he would make the police chief a permanent position. So why didn’t he? Does he have a real answer or is he going to dance around it?
Who in their family is currently or in the past worked for the city or any other publicly paid position?
My big brother Russell Moody II is a deputy with the Sheriff and is the chaplain for the PPD as of early this spring.
Follow up question?
Has any person in their family been on any of the city boards?
No..
Thanks for the questions!
KATHY
First, THE PLANET apologizes for not including you in the listing of certified candidates. That shall be corrected.
Second, thank you for answering a citizen’s good question. You are the first, and thus far ONLY, candidate who has bothered. That counts not just for something but for a lot. Citizens are not used to transparency. It’s refreshing to see.
What is the relevance of the question regarding family members employment. Is it implied that these family members are automatically not qualified or that their qualifications are suspect.
http://www.iberkshires.com/story/49751/Pittsfield-Mayoral-Candidate-Accuses-Officials-of-Smear-Campaign-.html
“Until notified by another news organization this morning, I was unaware of the charges,” Bianchi wrote in a statement. “I am a respectful person and I would never do or say anything to be hurtful.”
This Bianchi quote from the i-Berkshires article is a riot. Is this his way of giving Gaetani the finger?
Now that there is laughable. Unaware of the Charges. I am a respectful person. Such a putz.
Good point dusty, what news organization could he mean ? Mad magazine perhaps…
I thought the Planet was the only news worth reading? Dan, did the Mayor answer your call?
“Dog Bites Man.”
“Mayor Responds to THE PLANET”
If Craig not get the Mayoral Nod, then would he consider a run for Congress. Craig is Greatness!