‘FANTASTIC FOUR’ RISE TO OCCASION ON SEWER-UPGRADE VOTE … MAZZEO, MORANDI, CONNELL, RIVERS PUT CITIZENS FIRST, DEFEATING DISASTROUS ATTEMPT AT UNNECESSARY $80 MILLION PROJECT
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION MARCH 2-4, 2018) — In like a idiot, out like an imbecile. Not March, which — welcome — came in lamb-like, but the Tyer Administration‘s pursuit of an $80 million sewer facility upgrade. Our Right Honorable Good Friends on the city council on Tuesday handed mayor Linda Tyer a major political setback that guarantees her lame duck status for the remainder of this year and next. That 80 grand pension has to be looking good to The Lovely Linda.
Tyer pushed hard for the The Good Old Boys, stooping so low as to request the EPA to write a letter to council president Peter Marchetti threatening Pittsfield with vaporization should the council turn down the proposal. What kind of mayor does this? THE PLANET agrees that it’s a rhetorical question.
The Tuesday vote required a supermajority — eight out of 11 — to pass. Fortunately, this council had four members take their responsibility as representatives seriously. Folks, you can thank Melissa Mazzeo (at large), Kevin Morandi (Ward 2), Chris Connell (Ward 4), and Donna Todd Rivers (Ward 5) for their courageous action. Voting to screw taxpayers were, in order:
- Helen “Cookie” Moon, Ward 1. Cookie munched on fortune crackers for the debate, winning election in part with the promise that she would do as ordered on the sewer project. She tried to “carry the water,” but found out too late that soggy cookies don’t work as ammo in serious polemics.
- Nick “Mulligan” Caccamo, Ward 3. Mulligan pulled off an amazing feat. He lowered his worm-belly handicap while at the same time 8-putting on 18. Mulligan is the laziest councilor since he won election in 3 the first time out.
- John “Pretty Boy” Krol, Ward 6. Pretty Boy was smart enough to see the writing on the wall but not strong enough to ignore “His Master’s Voice.” Rumor is that RCA Victor has dropped him from the label.
- Tony “Roads” Simonelli, Ward 7. Tony Roads hasn’t been this flummoxed since THE PLANET dodged his tag on a pick-off attempt in a 1965 Babe Ruth League game at Deming Park, GEAA vs. city champ Union Federal.
- Peter “Puffball” Marchetti, at large. “Roses are red, a tub is a sink. Some like it blue. Puff likes it pink.” Puffball as council president is like Lawrence Welk fronting Metallica.
- Earl “The Pearl” Persip, AL. Pearl celebrated Black History Month by making it. On the sewer issue, he cast the most ignorant vote by a Negro since Sammy Davis Jr. chose to become white and Jewish.
- Peter “Ghost” White, AL. Ghost was so scared of this vote that he submitted a late petition to allow “Emotional Comfort Dogs” to sit on the council dais. After fetching the mayor’s slippers, the dog bit him in the face.
It was a battle fit for DC or Marvel: The Fantastic Four battling The Lovely Linda and her hench persons — Cookie, Mulligan, Pretty Boy, Tony Roads, Puffball, The Pearl, and the Ghost.
Mazzeo, Morandi, Connell, and Rivers — The Fantastic Four — went into the issue with open minds. They gave constituents a textbook case on how to handle a complex issue. They did their homework, considered the options, heard the testimony, asked the tough questions, pointed out the inconsistencies on the other side, and did the right thing for Pittsfield, Mass. On the basis of this vote, any one of the four might want to issue a declaration of mayoral intent for 2019.
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“The American Dream, whether attainable or not, is to have freedom … in all things, to go as far as ambition impels us, in work, in play, in religion, and even in love” — Maya Angelou.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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Hire city mngr.. no c c ,so savings in tens of thousands
Eliminate stipend for SC
Cut Insurance 80-15 to 15-80
Eliminate tifs
Recoup the five hundred g from Covanta
Eliminate grant programs that turn city jobs paid by local taxes
JIV operates within his budget that was already passed
Stop throwing tar on Pecks road, it doesn’t work
No automatic high end step Increases, it doesn’t attract outstanding candidates, do we have to name them
city hall four days a week
Close two Schools
One Fire Department
Eliminate Shot Spotter
re-open consent decree
City Managers are effective and held accountable.
The Superintendant of Pittsfield Public Schools head should be on the line. To have the audacity to collect the salary he earns, and come forth looking for an additional million dollars added to his budget.Whining like a child. This guy needs a lesson. Do your damn job.
After reading this,it reminds me of the analogues every week where the Planet or Terry were telling us at infinitum how reckless we were with school spending, recently watching the Water Wizard live up to expectations which could probably save 70- 80 million on top of the 100 million back when and possibly another 70 plus million ( that’s what he says) and so far has done everything he’s said he would do for us.On the other side you have a sector (schools) who continue with approval from the City and Mayor to spend money like drunken Sailors.
I don’t know what it will take to turn the voting tide in the City, maybe it can’t be done,what we need is more Citizens like Gaetani to run for Office of Mayor, he said cut 7% from all departments,boots on the ground, fire the former water Commissioner and the new one. By now the Budget would be cut 14% or more. When can G and the Planet ever join forces, that’d be fun, well,only one can hope.
One of the City Councilor no idea the other night? Phosphorus- nitrogen Housy or Long Island Sound, one makes the algae grow, the response was ”great question”then, an incredible comment by the consultant…….”you should care about the River that you use and fish in”All lights on T V went out after that one.
JIV’s problem is the order of importance. If the paraprofessionals are so damn important, then cut something else and keep them. Really, does the Water Wiz need to restore order over at the School Committee also?
Stop refutting my man Glenn! I’m baaaaaack!!! It’s been a long journey, but I did it,took the Vegas Strip down for MILLIONS!
Send the current Toter program down the road, first it was ten years for the Toter life, now someone from waste Zero says seven and even had year one problems. And you know the faster the Toter goes bad, the more money on the back end. Now the latest presentation is a bag program? The Gaetani proposal at the Recent Meeting would call for different color bags for recycles,and solid waste. Seems Krol is the only CC pumped up with this new proposal from Zero,why?
How can u have a domestic disturbance on pleasure ave,come on?