MORE QUESTIONS — AND SOME DOCUMENTS — ON ReSTART
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAy, DEC. 15, 2015) — Tonight from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the second floor conference room at The Berkshire Athenaeum in Pittsfield, the troubled agency Community ReStart has scheduled a meeting to announce yet another reorganization. The agency also plans to “honor” its former executive director, Paul Delaureiers who [PICK ONE] (a) left under cloudy circumstances … (b) was fired by the agency’s board of directors … (c) after leaving the agency under unexplained circumstances signed a confidentiality agreement whose contents have rumors flying … (d) did the greatest job in the history of executive directors.
More Pieces to the Puzzle
To familiarize yourself with the controversy, you might want to go back and read yesterday’s column on THE PLANET. Today, we share more pieces of a puzzle that has yet to form a clear picture.
* It is being alleged that Deslauriers and Jim Conroy, presumably the agency’s property manager, “are asking for donations even though it has been confirmed that Paul has been fired.” If he has been fired, why is ReStart “honoring” him at a ceremony tonight?
* According to Kathy Lloyd, community activist and city council candidate in November, a search of the Federal Employee Identification Number (FEIN 27-046112) and the state’s AG’s status number (051431) produces “find no financial filings for the agency, ever.” FEIN is also known as a government Tax ID and can be used as an employer identification number.
* Lloyd says a tenant at Barbara’s Place, one of the transitional housing units run by ReStart, allegedly has been evicted to provide Deslauriers with a rent-free apartment.
* Lloyd says she contacted the agency Saturday via e-mail and Facebook messenger. Lloyd asked the agency about the rumors. She says FB notified her that the agency received her message but never responded. Shorty after, the agency blocked her on Facebook. “I expected a difficult conversation, because this is hard stuff, but I did not expect to be shut off completely.”
* It turns out that the agency deleted its entire Facebook page, not just Kathy Lloyd. Yesterday, we tried to visit ReStart’s website. It was shut down. The day before it had been working.
* In a comment on a Facebook discussion of the problems at ReStart, Joe Durwin, who has been active working on behalf of the poor, homeless, and others in need, called Deslauriers a “[k]known fraud, liar and degenerate.” Deslauriers did not respond to requests for comments.
Related Documents Add to Puzzle
— Here is the program manual and agreement under which the tenants of Faulkner Place began renting this year. It refers to affordable housing rates, not market-rate housing. HsgProg Manual
— Here’s the letter 11 residents at Faulkner Place received on Nov. 20. It still refers to an affordable housing “program” and the fees due to the agency, though Durwin says there has been no evidence that any “program” aside 
from a straight market rental has ever existed at Faulkner Place. Even though tenants at Faulkner Place are paying market rents, allegedly they have been accorded no legal tenant rights. Durwin says when they are evicted or relocated to other living space, they are referred to as “program recipients.”
— Here’s a note Jim Conroy left on a tenant’s door. Observe the cold, impersonal tone and the overall sloppiness and lack of professionalism. 
Note also how the tenant — the “program recipient” — is being arbitrarily asked to move to a smaller third floor room. Durwin says the tenant recently had undergone major surgery on his leg and was until recently on crutches.
——– 000 ——–
If you want to ask some hard questions first hand, show up at the agency’s meeting tonight. Perhaps they will have good answers, and we will find out this has been a giant misunderstanding and that all is well and on the up-and-up.
Or not. Then what happens?
————————————————————————————————-
“I feel the coming glory of the Light.” — E. A. Robinson, final line of “Credo,” (1897).
“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.
FIN
As the layers are peeled back on this….where there is smoke there is fire. Wait For It!
AND……
To the School Committee:
The Skateboard Park does not belong to you.
It belongs to every child in Pittsfield!
Take care of priorities within your Schools!
You’re spot on. I’m just trying to figure out how to be two places at once tonight. So much fun on a Tuesday night in the Shire!
Dan,
Thanks so much for helping bring light to this issue. Anyone that knows me knows I don’t go nuclear without working the proper channels first.
They also know how tenacious I am. After reaching out to Community Restart, and the Mass AG’s office I’m still watching illegal evictions happen in the (thankfully mild) Berkshire winter.
Looking forward to tonight.
Kathy
where is Paul Shack from Legal Services on this? Usually, he’s on that kind of stuff like bark on a tree.
I’d go to this one Kathy. The Parks Commission has its marching orders. Doc and Cliffy will recommend that the skate park be locked up – because the SC has deemed this to be a matter of safety, for the children of course.
Southeast, WHy don’t you go to this one, so that Kathy can go to her previous commitment? What we need is many more doers, who are willing to get involved. I cover several meetings for Mr. Gaetani, so that he is up to date in all areas. His tv show is packed with info every taxpayer should know. If you are not up to par, on what is going on in the city, The Gaetani Pittsfield News Hour is absolute must see tv. He is trying to build a non- gob and sig voting block that will rival the gob and sig network in all future elections. It is time for everyone to do their part. Posting is excellent but to kill the gob-sig will require action. Anything non gob-sig can do will, be greatly welcome, and be the first step in returning the city to it’s rightful owners, as Mr. Gaetani would say– THE TAX PAYERS.
I see what you did there, he capitalizes everything he types.
Shakes–The message is what is important. Do you have anything of any intelligence to report? Every time any one uses the name Gaetani, we hear from you. Consider this: Mr. Gaetani hasn’t posted here in months and yet he is front and center just about every day on this site. Talk about a marketing genius: no one compares. I hope you see this Mr. Gaetani. You stated correctly we would be hearing from this fool over and over again, saying nothing intelligent. At least you know who this fool is and you respect Mr. Valenti’s policy to not divulge the names of anonymous posters. You are a better man than me. I would probably have named this fool a long time ago.
“Ashley Rivers” you are simply stooging for Gaetani writing up the notes he scrawls for you on notepaper. The “marketing genius” doesn’t even know how to use computers.
He was such a marketing genius he got buried in the primary.
He only wants the water and sewer contracts that’s the only reason hes bothers because as we all know he’s soooooooooo wealthy
Ashley, if I didn’t have a standing commitment to do something for my elderly mom every Tuesday after work – I might. But this is a problem about the lack of common decency and maybe some criminal fraud. As far as I know, this group is not taxpayer supported. if they are, then I could easily contact as many councilors as I may know and ask them to see if the City can put a hold on City money until this clears up, and if the houses are off the tax roles, put them back on until it’s otherwise proven they deserve an exemption.
Right now – my priority is my family. I hate to be selfish, but if I don’t do it, she would be a burden to society -and at the moment, I pay. so you benefit.
Actually, the Parks Commission hearing didn’t go at all like that.
As long as he isn’t threatening people or bullying… wait, he has lackeys now … or maybe you are him. Regardless, it is still a Trump like approach to politicking.
JD Hebert on the new management team??? Someone should inquire on his tenure at BCAC and why he doesn’t work there anymore, you might find some interesting skeletons in that closet.
Youth initiative grant. Front page Berk Rag. 500,000 dollars a year. Guess who is going to feast on this dessert? What is the game plan to feast on this sugar rock?
Mr. Gaetani to submit two petitions at next ccm. 1, ask city council to scrap the new THS project and have them ask city solicitor to report back to the next ccm, regarding the city’s escape clause with the consultants for the project. 2, ask council to allow those speaking in the public session 7 minutes to speak, as opposed to the present 3 minutes. Healso plans to ask the council to respond to public’s questions. After all, the only people who speak for the public are Gaetani and Kinnas.The only opportunity the public gets to speak to the 11 stooges is the public session and that should be the most important part of any city council meeting. Mr. Gaetani also expectes to contact all media and ask that they report on what city tax payers are saying in the public session of the ccm’s. Case in point: look at the coverage the media provided to Gaetani and Kinnas’s open forum at the last ccm. zero, ziltch. What they had to say should have been front page coverage as it pertained to the city’s teachers robbing the taxpayer and the mechanism from Gaetani on how to kill the THS project. The eagle the next day reported front page on how the vice president of the council should be chosen. Thank the lord we have people like Gaetani and Kinnas to speak for us, otherwise we would be unrepresented at all ccm’s Thank you Mr. G
The first thing that comes to mind is who is going to manage this &500,000 yearly Grant… and more importantly who will oversee it?
So:
They have No Physical address
They took down their web-site and facebook page
Poorly written hand written notes
They never filed for tax exempt status
Is this not the behavior of a scamming operation?
They are seeking donations?
Opinion:
Sure sounds like a scam to me. Maybe the authorities should investigate this. Who in their right mind would donate any money to this?
According to a note left by Jim Conroy, the office is now on the second floor of the Faulkner House, one less available room for the transitional housing they claim to provide.
Website and Facebook taken down almost immediately after questions began to arise.
Poorly written hand written notes= illegal evictions
They never filed for tax exempt status: they did and the papers are available at the Mass AG website. IRS revoked their 501c3 status Nov 14, 2014. There are no financial filings (ever- a yearly requirement) posted at state or fed websites
They have been actively seeking donations all year, passing out flyers at the farmers market.
Scam is the perfect word for this and people fall for scams all the time…
The trees:
911- results in “The Patriot Act” Extreme measures taken to do away with everyone’s privacy.
Political correctness – Indoctrinate “The Children”
The Boston Bombing – Beta test to see if a major American city can be “Locked down”
More mass shootings under Obama than the last 4 US Presidents combined. Resulting in gun control – doing away with second ammendment rights.
Entire school system shut down in California over an email threat.
Control of the media. The internet is last avenue of free speech. Control it or shut it down. Punish “global warming” deniers. Send shills into all social media sites.
Break out the tin foil hats
And there’s the shill.
First thakns to DV for his great coverage of this any so many other issues the BB and the other lazy news outlets ignore. Good to know theres at least one investigative journalist with balls.
Second thanks to Kathy Lloyd for her work on the ripoff that looks like its going on at Restart.
Third thanks to all those who read this site and comment here …Merry Christmas to all …
DTG– and a merry xmas to you and all other planet posters. Now we need only another 43,101 souls who think like us and we will be on our way. Did you forget to thank Mr. Gaetani and Mr. kinnas? Mr. Gaetani shows up at all ccm’s and Terry does sometimes also. One thing you can count on, is that MR.Gaetani will be at all ccm’s that he can, when he is not abroad and he will be representing you. I am wondering—Has Dan ever appeared at a city council meeting, in the past two years? Wouldn’t that be a one two punch. The two Italian stallions confronting the gang of 11 Now– that would be must see tv.
Ashley–you can count on me being one of the 43,101 doers. I also regularly talk to Mr. Gaetani. He is very serious and committed to getting the council to extend the the three minute public session speaking time, to seven minutes. HE is very correct that the media should report what the individuals are speaking about in the public session. After all, the people speaking in the public session, are the city’s real bosses, the taxpayers. What they have to say, should be front page news. I also agree with him, that the council should respond to the speaker. This closed door policy by the CC, has lead to the under handed govt., We have in the city. Don’t expect too much response from many on this site, as for some reason, many choose to criticise him, no matter what he says. He also wanted me to wish a merry xmas to the many friends he has on this site. Can anyone even picture what city government would be like without Mr. Gaetani being the main Pitbull Watch Dog. I hate to even think about city govt. without his oversight.
I am staunchly opposed to having to allow 7 minutes of public speaking time at a meeting. Keep it at 3 and if there is something of note it can go on the agenda or the CC can vote to suspend the rule for that instance. if they like hearing themselves talk so much than they can tape themselves and play it back. Also, you could get elected then actually have a vote on setting rules.
Shakes–Another non intelligent post from you. Re-read prior posts. One thing we now know about you, is that you are willing to squash the rights of the taxpayer, to be heard. It would behove you, to not speak so quickly. It would prolong the period, you would have to be considered intelligent. Merry Xmas. Are you against this also? It wouldn’t surprise me if you were.
Yeah, we are only the one’s paying there salaries and all the other bills. Why should we get to talk an whole extra 4 minutes.
I totally am with you Shakes. Depressed and ‘Ashley Streams’ are the same person (probably the woman who lost in Ward 1).
Three minutes is long enough plus the chair (council pres.) can allow speakers to go over at discretion.
Taking a closer look at that handwritten note….. there is no way this guy should have ever been allowed to graduate from high school.
Avzilable? Seriously?
On a keyboard the “a” is near the “z” so a typo is possible.
With handwritting, the “a” and the “z” are on opposite ends of the alphabet. They could not be farther apart.
Ask yourself? Self, do you think the President is going to let anyone lecture them for seven minutes, it’ll never happen.
We are a representative democracy. There is a process in place. Expanding the time for addressing non-agenda items is contrary to conducting an effective meeting of any public body and a non-issue.
Present substantive, informed arguments, and we can all read and consider them.
Kathy Knows Crime Scenes !!!!!!…..Yep. For Sure !!!!!
Pittsfield school committee member Kathleen Yon publically stated that the controversial skateboard park is, ” at worst a crime scene”.
She should know crime scenes. Like the sneaky, furtive, secret fleecing of Pittsfield taxpayers orchestrated by her in clandestine dark chambers and water closets, shamelessly acquiesing to the personal gains and profiteering of a select few who grant her a personal benefit. She signed an outrageous contract the day after a municipal election for example. How Vile !!!!
Good one hat…….I’m all for citizens having more time to speak.
If I may change the subject: The murder of a woman on Madison Ave. was found to be strangulation. And this was determined in only a few days.
Yet, at the very end of the BB story on this murder, it states that the cause of death of Hannah Nazareth, 11, whose body was found on Aug. 3 has not been determined.
Are you kidding me. With today’s sophisticated forensic tools they don’t know how she died. And also her father.
This doesn’t pass the smell test. The question is…..How could holding his info from the public possibly help anyone. SO WHY?
Maybe the supervisor over at C F can shed some light on this? Where was that agency?
So what does everyone think is going to happen to the money we are currently saving on sanding, plowing and vehicle maintenance? I bet it mysteriously disappears.
With no storms forecast for the rest of the month, they probably will not go over budget by quite as much as they would normally. They always budget low at the start anyway.
Remember, this fiscal year, hence this budget started on July 1st of this year. If one penny was spent out of the sanding, plowing budget so far except for the purchase of salt or sand it should be questioned. I am curious to see where Mayor Cl Tyer uses the money that is usually transferred to snowplowing from other departments to make up for the always shortchanged account due to the ability to deficit spend. Or, because spending has been low so far, does she goes balls to the wall every inch of snow we get. Actually this could be the best winter driving season ever! I did hear her on a local talk show saying she will get the police chief and other law enforcement personnel to brainstorm and give her their boldest plan, and to not worry about cost because that would be her and her finance team’s ( is 1 person a team?) problem to figure out. The future’s so bright we gotta wear shades.
That’s easy Pauly, free cash.
After last year nightmare on Newell Street,Eddie, one big storm, just one, and the budget will be back in the red, count on it. Tyer will have the roads scraped to the cracks in the tar,and a foot of salt.