2/3 of PSD EMPLOYEES HANG THEIR HATS IN PITTSFIELD, AND OTHER IRRELEVANCIES … MAYOR CONFIRMS ACCUSED FIRE CAPTAIN ‘STILL RECEIVING A PAYCHECK’ … plus … THE COMMENT LINE IS OPEN
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 10-12, 2016) — Two sundry (and sun dried) items have sauntered onto THE PLANET this fine weekend dawn. Consider them, if you will.
Home is Where the Hurt Is — On May 13, Jason “Jake” JIV McCandless ($157,000 a year plus bennies), superintendent of Pittsfield schools, responded to THE PLANET‘s requests on where the employees of the Pittsfield School Department live. We didn’t ask for names, street addresses, phone numbers, or anything of that sort. Just town. It became clear to JIV that THE PLANET wasn’t jive talking when we said he couldn’t legally withhold the information.
That miraculously brought rain, not a downpour but at least a drizzle. JIV told THE PLANET, “The Pittsfield Public Schools employs 1,147 individuals. 783 of those individuals reside in the City of Pittsfield — including this employee. Have a good weekend.”
Bing. Bang. Boom. It would be interesting to see a break-out by department and function. For example, how many administrators live in town? How many of the school’s 11 employees in the finance department (Kris Behnke [$120,000+] and her staff of 10) call Shire City home?
THE PLANET thanks the superintendent for the info. Make of it what you will. Please join us in wishing him a good weekend.
——– 000 ——–
No ‘Fired’ for Fire Captain — No long ago, Pittsfield police arrested and charged a captain in the Pittsfield Fire Department with assaulting a woman. The alleged incident took place at Onota Lake. Police say Capt. Jeffrey Lawson, 56, of Hinsdale, “slammed” a woman’s head into a boat and punched her an unknown number of times.
Cops arrived at 9:33 p.m. on May 31 after receiving calls of a fight near the boat ramp. Police say they intercepted Rawson in his white BMW trying to leave the lake parking lot. They stopped the car and said they found a woman lying in the backseat. They say she had a swollen forehead and a bloody face. Police also reported an “unsecured,” loaded Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380 subcompact handgun on the floor behind the passenger seat — you know, just another routine night of fun at the lake.
In her report, officer Cheryl Callahan described the woman as “one of the most afraid” people she’s ever seen, saying the woman feared Rawson would hurt her more. The woman told Callahan Rawson became violent when she told him she was ending their relationship. The woman passed out and was taken to BMC. Doctors diagnosed a severe concussion.
At a dangerousness hearing in Central Berkshire District Court, the woman complained of blurred vision and no memory of the incident — symptoms often associated with concussions. Rawson’s attorney, Mark Brennan, claimed the woman hurt herself after she fell in the boat-ramp parking lot. Asst. D.A. Katy Innes disagreed. She described Rawson’s actions on the night in question as “blind rage.” Court testimony showed the woman didn’t have injuries to her hands, knees, elbows or anywhere else that would be consistent with a fall.
At the hearing, the woman testified of an incident that occurred about a month prior to the Onota matter. On April 29, the woman alleged, Rawson blocked her from exiting his car after he gave her a ride home. From reporter Bob Dunn‘s article in The Berkshire Eagle, June 3:
The woman also testified Friday about an April 29 incident in which Rawson allegedly refused to let her out of his car when he was giving her a ride to her home, telling her if she got out of the car they were done. She said he called her the next day.
She was also concerned about how Rawson’s gun wound up in the back seat of her vehicle and why she woke up without her bra or underwear, according to Callahan’s report.
She told Callahan she found her bra in the backseat of her car, where police found Rawson’s gun at the time of his arrest Tuesday night.
Innes asked Judge William Rota to hold Rawson for 120 days. Brennan said there wasn’t enough evidence of assault and battery.
Rota set Rawson free.
On June 4, THE PLANET asked Mayor Linda Tyer the following questions about the case:
(1) The accused is out on bail. While he remains out, is he still a captain in good standing at the PFD?
(2) Is he still drawing a city paycheck?
(3) Is there a standard policy the city has that deals with such a situation, that is, an arrest on serious charges and how that affects work status?
(4) Has his license to carry been suspended pending outcome of the case?
This is the mayor’s response, dated June 6:
This particular situation is a criminal matter and a personnel matter. Other than to acknowledge that the employee is still receiving a paycheck neither I nor anyone else in my administration will be making any further comments at this time. I understand that this will frustrate you and your readers. However, the circumstances of this situation are highly sensitive and complex and I must, at all times, protect the city’s interests.
“That employee is still receiving a paycheck.” Guess that’s all we need to know.
A pre-trial hearing on Rawson’s case is set for July 19.
With that, THE PLANET opens The Comment Line. Have a great weekend, everybody.
——————————————————————————————-
“Human judges can show mercy, but against the laws of nature, there is no appeal.” — Arthur C. Clarke
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
The views expressed in the comment section or opinions published within the text other than those of PLANET VALENTI 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.
I’m not shocked that a majority of the Pittsfield School Department employees live in this city. In this way they can influence the politicians to keep sending money to the schools which means more money toward their salaries. When so few people in this city actually bother to vote the school personnel are a large voting population since their relatives, spouses, etc. will also be voting which could almost double or even triple the number of people who vote and are associated with the school department. Is it any wonder that the politicians will never deny the schools any money they ask for? They know who is responsible for putting them in office.
If he’s a Hinsdale resident the Hinsdale Police Chief would be the one to pull his LTC or maybe Rota could.
Mayor Tyer this information is important to home owners and citizens and Mayor Tyer voters who if could take back their vote would…..Mayor could you look into why the head of business dept.is Titled a superintendant.We want taxes cut by 1 dollar and you need to use common sense and ask yourself where is Pittsfield going financially.Your the Mayor because this is what we wanted you to take care of.
Tell us why 1600 high school student need 1/2 a million squre feet of brick and mortar to take a english class.Lenox teachers have 46 percent of their student not living in lenox and teachers there are making 92 This is where the salaries of pittsfield teachers are headed so make our systems footprint smaller.1600 kids can share 1 roof
..1 caf….
1 principle….1 parking lot….1 gym…1 address…if your not up to this please resign.
Jeffrey Rawson should not have been released by Judge Rota. He should have been suspended without pay by the City of Pittsfield. His license to carry should be revoked.
These charges could not be more serious. Yes, he is a danger, with a very violent temper. It doesn’t get any worse…..period!!
Who else would be let out on these charges?
Who, would not be suspended from their job?
Who would receive their paycheck while charges are pending?
Who, would not have their license to carry revoked immediately?
Who else would NOT be charged with DUI……both a boat, and an automobile?
Who else would not be determined to be a danger?
This is ludicrous across the board!!!!
Spa, I share the outrage. But it seems common all over the Country (not just here), that Judges routinely hold low level criminals on bail they cannot afford, while releasing those who are connected or exceedingly violent on low or no bail.
If this was a restraining order violation, all of Rawson’s guns would have been confiscated – and I am not sure that absent a conviction, the LTC can be revoked.
That’s the other thing here. Rawson has not been convicted of a crime yet. If he’s not convicted and was suspended, is there liability to the City as an employer for pre-judging him? I’m not a lawyer and don’t know that answer.
Sometimes what I’d like to see is illegal (or so I’ve been told), so I’ve learned to accept that maybe what is happening is really in the City’s best interests – even though what would have been more in our interests would have been a “tragic boating accident” where a PFD Lt. accidentally drowned at Onota Lake.
Really?
It’s the damn union contracts that require he be suspended WITH pay.
This is one of the many problems with unions.
It appears Rawson’s squeeze has battered wife syndrome. She wont testify against him.
He will walk.
Unions suck. I hate them. But I think if you suspend or fire them and they are not convicted – you probably owe them back pay anyway. I hate paying people for work they didn’t do.
In Canada, physical evidence trumps testimony. this would be a good application of that.
Does it work the other way. If he’s convicted does he have to return the paychecks he has received between time of arrest and tiome of conviction?
First, I believe the Mayor answered the important question. Second, she should be able to answer, as a matter of course, whether or not a policy exists; but even here you know it has to exist. Third, it is not that rare for anyone to be suspended with pay, is it? Fourth, Stockbridge just had to pay Scott Muir, also accused a heinous crime but ultimately acquitted, a pretty fair amount of money in back pay and stuff, so there is a recent, local example.
Jake McCandless at $157,000 a year plus bennies, has a hard time going above and beyond, Dan Valenti.
Jake probably has nightmares thinking about being on the Dan Valenti show. I know I would if I was him in a such a vulnerable position facing questions I had absolutely no believable answers for. He is definitely doing the right thing by backing down. Lesser of two evils.
Not facing the public looks bad but in his case facing the public could be even worse
He faces the public every two weeks.
LOL…You make a good point Thomas. School Committee meetings are open. If you have a problem, go express it. They also have budget hearings…GO. Participate in the process!
Another reason why Massachusetts – with one of the most toothless public records laws in the nation needs to make it more in favor of the public and less in favor of allowing the Government to retain secrets. An annual accounting of every employee, their salary, OT and community of residence should need to be released in a public and convenient (electronic) format on the City’s website.
I also don’t understand why it’s unconstitutional for blanket residency requirements – so maybe a lawyer can explain that one as well.
Next week begins the public hearings on the lovely Linda Tyer’s budget proposal. I wonder how many people will show up and speak about her $6 million spending increase and record setting $12 million capital budget proposal. Over $18 million in new spending for next fiscal year!
Maybe 5. Nobody from this blog. They’ll wait ’til it passes and then bitch about it and call the councilors cowards.
Thomas More
Coward ..a person who shrinks from or avoids pain or difficulty.
That certainly does not describe the Taxpayers, who feed this City’s immoral Mr. More. It closely describes the City Council who ignores them!!
Well the councilors are cowards. That has been proven time and time again. Most of us on this board contacted our ward councilors over the vote on a new Taconic. I contacted mine at least twice pleading not to vote for a new Taconic, but it did no good. More than likely all of the school personnel (who we now know are mostly from Pittsfield) did the same thing and our numbers just weren’t enough. Like it or not this is a school city since so many are employed by the schools and it’s in their best interests to keep the school system growing even when they know it could destroy the city. They are thinking of their own personal finances.
Politicians are supposed to be looking at the big picture, but they are pressured by all of the school personnel so they vote against the best interests of the city every time. It’s a dysfunctional system that is broken.
Right on Pat! I contacted the mayor’s office twice wanting to speak with her. Each time she wasn’t available. Each time I left my name and number, each time she ignored me.
Same with my ward councilor and councilor at large Amuso. Called, left voice mail, no call back.
So Tom Moore when you say we don’t get involved you are incorrect. We do but we are ignored.
The ones that need to do something about it, are the,Very ones who Control it, and have added to it!! Do Not insult the Citizens who are paying for it!
Totally disagree spagirl. Yes, the politicians need to do something about the financial cliff we are falling over, but they will not due to pressure from a large segment of voters. Not us on this board. We are against the increase in budgets to the schools, but obviously not all Pittsfield voters are against continuing to throw more and more money toward the school system since so many work for the school system. If ALL voters were against this then the pressure would be on these politicians to change their overspending ways. I will repeat that the system is broken.
If I lived in my native hometown of Pittsfield, I would ask the lovely Linda Tyer and the 11 City Councilors how are they going to pay for over $18 million dollars in new spending in the proposed fiscal year 2017 municipal budget?
I would ask the lovely Linda Tyer and her colleagues if the financing costs of the new Taconic High School project will be added into the new budget that begins in less than a month on July 1st, 2016?
I would ask the lovely Linda Tyer and her peers what is there plan for the loss of at least 300 jobs when Sabic Plastics moves to Houston, Texas?
Nobody …its a lock…the council will talk about the jobs that are coming because we support 2 high schools…
The council will thank the usual people and be in denial about house values plumeting along with new lower realestate taxes associated with lower sales price …..they will all talk about next year and speak often of courage and doing the right thing by kids who if smart will move away as the educated ones do ….my favorite is when they talk courage…..i hope Caccamo seems interested mostly seems bored….he will ask 1 question then a follow-up and say he s good.
Ask Ms. Mayor about house values, she reduced the asking price on her’s again.
We hear Lakewood is no longer adequate for a professional of her status. Moving to gated community on outer West St. to a big $$$$ house.
Pittsfield has a gated community? It seems that many of the wealthy in the city end up living on West Street. At least 2 former Pittsfield mayors live there.
It is located off of West St. Last street on the left.
is the gate ever down though? I’ve done work in there and the gate was always up when I arrived.
I will have to take a drive there and check it out. I know you can’t get in because its gated, but would like to see how large it is if possible. Must be nice to not have to worry about drive-by shootings in their safe enclosure. Does it have a name?
The gate is up. They must feel pretty safe there at the moment.
Yes it does have a name that I recall right now.
Westbrook Terrace
Thanks.
I work ln law enforcement in another state and I can tell you it is not unusual for the woman to refuse to testify against the boyfriend or husband. I think his right to carry a gun should have been revoke until a outcome of guilt or innocence could be found.
I wonder if the same thing would have happen if he had been a cop or would he have been relive of duty until the court made a decision.
come on, if he was a cop – he’d have been given what they call “professional courtesy” and a ride home. No charges, no story.
I learned it after an accident with a cop in a local small town. Fortunately I had a GoPro.
Even the accused are guaranteed due process.
What “Pat” has said of the CC and teachers is so very true! When our CC sees the council chambers packed to the brim with school personnel, they are scared to death….counting the number of votes they won’t be getting.
Cowards…..all of them! Oh, they will give their long, drawn out speeches first showing fake concern for the taxpayers, and then dutifully will vote YES for anything they ask for.
Have you watched the Councilors body jestering during the Open Mike Session……Not ONE puts down their pen turns toward a Citizen attentively. They all bristle up, heads down….like they’re driving Miss Daisy!
Most of them don’t have the balls to look the conscience of Pittsfield in the eye.
Most of them don’t have the balls to look the conscience of Pittsfield in the eye.
They all can afford the taxes…no problem for any of them…pittsfield teachers start to negotiate this month ….lenox teachers top step with a dopey masters from mcla and 18 years is 92 thousand dollars but a much smaller footprint in their town…pittsfield will point to lenox and say they are on the low end
Then go work in Lenox and don’t let the door hit you in the ass.
Imagine a 92k physical ed teacher….ridiculous
Meet no klew lew and albert b
I had one teacher tell me that he will get his raises and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it he will get them as long as he is breathing. I wanted to tell him I think that is all some of them are doing.
All some of these school people care about is money. Disgusting.
when the Pittsfield schools become level 5 many of the teachers will be gone contract or no contract. I can’t wait to see this happen.
DV broke the story. There are several Level 5 schools already but they are listed as Level 3 with a wink-wink from the state. DV also mentioned doing away with public schools entirely at one point. Privatize. Might be worth a try. CAn’t get any worse. Got a Pittsfield diploma? Worthless.
Mayor Behnke hired more people to do less work so Superintendant had to recommend her 30 k raise….600 dollar a week raise on top of 1800 dollar a week she already made…..they should give this dept to kerwood and tell benke to run in for 44k
Behnke and Curtis are focused on janitors and Behnke took away janitor overtime and used the proceeds for herself…stealing from the poor to pay herself….behnkes are doing 200k..do you think they are for the taxes being raised….who is the next mayor going to be
Somebody who will write cohesive sentences?
Shake and bake
Tyer doesn’t need ten million but they’ll take it. To balance her budget six will do just fine. It’s the shell game, again this has been expressed 20 or more times, ask high, get low,when low is still to high.
Does the Grand Jury get involved in the Rawson deal? If the beaten to a pulp girl friend doesn’t want to testify, the the Officer word’s are just as good. Were there any witness? why is this being hush hush?
Why is it that when school budgets are voted down, it is always brought back up, yet when they are approved you never see it brought back up in case those voters got it wrong? Cheshire/Adams did the same thing. Well, at least they do get to vote.
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/local/ci_30004514/great-barrington-voters-get-second-chance-approve-school
A lot of thought goes into a cohesive reason on how Behnke can approach Superintendant Jake and present the idea that she should get a 30 k raise and needs his support when presenting it to Mayor Yon who will ok any deal .
They dont do their jobs….please Mr Curtis check the dates on the food you store at the Cafeteria stockroom…its outdated….Hibbard stockroom is a dump and needs to move …..Hibbard stockroom should be torn down before it falls down.
MR Curtis should be helping at morningside zoo and conte zoo
EMPERICAL PROOF THAT PITTSFIELD
IS A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY
1. Poor roads
2. Poor phone service
3. Strange dialects
4. Rigged elections
5. Reports of local government corruption
initially considered too absurd to be true
6. Abundance of camouflaged people and
and pick up trucks.
7. Public water supply known to be biologically unsafe
for humans when untreated
8. Widespread adolescent illiteracy as evidenced by
large number of teen pregnancies
9. Turista
10. Remote mountainous locations
Payroll, there is nowhere in the U.S. where people receive municipal water that’s untreated. If I’m wrong let me know. But unless you have your own well it’s treated.
I give the Patriot all 10. Under 4, it includes authoritarian form of govt I am assuming.
Nah he’s pulling from where the sun doesn’t sine for the most part.
Large scale adult illiteracy as evidenced by many 12 gauge.
Really?
I’ll give you 1,8 and 10.
The rest you need to provide evidence, not opinion.
Pittsfield has old pipes and good water…very good plan with great mountain reservoir system.
What exactly is our City all about?
It means different things to different people. For instance, if you are sitting in a position of power and wealth there will be more rainbows and sunshine in you and your families lives. If not you may be just winging it and hoping for the best.
Do not expect the first group to worry too much about the second.
The only company willing to invest in new jobs for Pittsfield is Dunkin Donuts but the elite council wont let them built…..these are great neighborhood jobs
Yes, I really Love the statement that Dunkin Donuts doesn’t fit into the Tyler Street Landscape…………. that right there is a pile of horse shit.
Yah, I guess that neighborhood would be better suited with a Starbucks. It’s too classy for Dunkin Donuts.
I thought the same thing spagirl. What is the “Tyler St. landscape”? Plus I don’t think DD was asking for any TIF’s.
Just curious. What is Amewusika’s statement, or vision for St. Mary’s ?
Let it rot and fall in and make the Catholic Dioceses pay for the demolition, like in North Adams, then someone will buy the empty lot and get lots of tax breaks.
John Mullin finds DD “inconsistent with the City of Pittsfield Master Plan ” which calls for revitalization of
historic urban neighborhoods.
In other words, Grease the pigs, free money and ribbon cuttings……sound familiar?
All of you who correctly pointed out the ridiculousness of the city’s decision about Dunkin Donuts on Tyler Street will love our column on Monday. We excoriate the city, the consultant, and the tribalism that continues to make horrible decisions for the city. It is remarkable to me that citizens allow its public officials to get away with such criminality and idiocy.
How come they dont have a shoveling ceremony with tricia farley…..All the elitists trying to run a crumbling blue collar city.
We gave 400 k to Hankcock Shaker village …they repurposed that check for something else …is that legal.How many jobs were created for Pittsfield taxpayer.Dunkin Donuts does not ask for 1 dime…..I dont know why they dont get toni strcuzzi to advocate a new DD
From what I’m told, others have had some very good plans for St. Mary’s that would fit right in to the neighborhood without opposition, but for some unexplainable reason, the Diocese will only sell to DD. Why?
Maybe Dan can get the answer to this one.
It might be that DD not only had very good plan, but the money to back it.
I can’t help but wonder if the amount of “money” offered by DD was the whole interest in this deal for the diocese and not the feelings of the former members of St. Mary’s and the neighborhood.
SPIDER
There were others with ideas for the church, but DD offered the only feasible plan, a serious cash offer worth more than anything the Diocese has seen, and also a record of good corporate citizenship. Let’s face it. The Church is on the wane, but the same can’t be said about America’s need for coffee and donuts.
Poor Tricia is going crazy finding any photo she can jump on.You have not created 1 job Trica and you ignore people that have questions and voted for you.
Tricia ,Tyer,Mazzeo and Mayor Yon will not be getting any vote from the Social Security voter in Pittsfield Amuso is embarrasing herself after letting Young Jake ruin our schools.
body is inerested in being mayor.
Let us follow the Constitution with regard to charges and findings of guilt or innocence. What we know is that a U.S. citizen is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. And when the process has been complete. let us move swiftly, realizing that our standard of law has been upheld.
And let us state that this has been weakened by our corrupt society. Power and Money Walk……. The them and you’s….. get it?
I am in total agreement with this, RUSS.
As usual he’s guilty until proven innocent in the court of public opinion.
Dunkin and Stanley didn’t knead the Dough.
Prediction…..Tyer gets 4 million increase she really wants….council will speak about their courage to cut or not cut.
Only in pittsfield would you want a empty boarded up building instead of a new business with people getting paychecks.
Russ and Dan, yes innocent until proven guilty, but let’s also level the playing field, there was enough evidence in my opinion for at least three charges.
I can remember a few years ago a city worker was out on the town and maybe drank a little to much and probably regrets what happened, but it wasn’t even close to the Level of Captain Fireball, didn’t see the City Employee get a break. There are others.
Amen Shelly!
Good thing you are such an accomplished lawyer.