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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
 Posted - 10/22/2008 : 11:24:25 AM
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Everett Independent October 22, 2008
Independent Forum page 6
Eye on Everett by Augustine Parziale
Simonelli versus Wood Waste
On next Wednesday, October 29, city government will host a public hearing to give local residents an opportunity to air their concerns regarding Wood Waste of Boston,the construction material recycling business that has long been a concern for many in Everett,
We would be remiss if we didn’t credit Councilor Simonelli for making this hearing possible through his diligence and persistence on the issue.
Simonelli was one of only a handful of politicians who voted against the recent sale of the old City Yard to the owner of Wood Waste, and his opposition to the deal stemmed from the fact that he didn’t trust Wood Waste, given it’s track record, to live up to it’s end of the bargain, which included a promise that the company would not expand its business to the new property.
Over the years, Wood Waste has become the most unpopular business in the city, and has had many confrontations with local residents, politicians and health officials over the way it conducts business here.
In that regard, Simonelli’s stand against Wood Waste doesn’t exactly appear to be the bravest move ever by a politician.
However, it is also true that Wood Waste’s principal owner is very well connected politically both here in Everett and across the state.
The owner is a very active political donor both in Everett and across the state, and some have speculated over the years that this may be one of the main reasons why he hasn’t faced more heat over the business.
Over the years, Wood Waste has face many warnings and fines from state and federal environmental protection agencies and pressure from local lawmakers, but hasn’t ever been forced to suspend operations.
The fact that Simonelli is the first politician to get some kind of public hearing going on the issue say’s a lot.
For one, it shows that Simonelli isn’t afraid to stand up against well-connecte businessmen and is going to fight for what’s right for his constituents regardless of whom he is up against
Simonelli has been the most vocal in opposition to Wood Waste and the sale of the old City Yards, as well as Wood Waste’s future proposed plans of creating another development on lower Broadway.
However, it is now up to the people to prove that Simonelli hasn’t been wasting his time in going after Wood Waste and getting this public hearing. They should show up next week and have their say.
If the people don’t show up to speak for themselves , then nothing Simonelli or any other politician says or does is going to matter.
The sad fact of the matter is no matter what the people of Everett want, it is highly unlikely that Wood Waste is going anywhere anytime soon.
Regarless of how the business is run or what concerns residents may have, the fact is that Wood Waste provides an essential service, one that not many other companies in the area provide.
Until someone can figure out a way to make waste simply disappear, we will always need businesses like Wood Waste.
The business is already in Everett, and we don’t expect that any other community is going to step up and take the problem off our hands.
That said, the people of Everett have every right to expect the business will operate in a manner that doesn’t negatively impact the quality of the life in Everett, especially in the neighborhood where it exists.
Residents and local business owners who always play by the rules also have a right to expect that Wood Waste will do the same and that lawmakers will hold them accountable when they don’t
Simonelli got the ball rolling on this one, so it’s now up to the people to take the ball and run with it.
A failure to do so will only make it appear that Wood Waste really isn’t such a big issue here and will discourage others from following in Simonelli’s lead because it will appear as if he just wasted his time and energy.
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Tails
Administrator
2682 Posts |
Posted - 10/22/2008 : 1:21:51 PM
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That's a really nice article from Augustine. Where is the promised press release from the DeMaria administration? I would have blown my top dealing with this deceitful administration a long time ago.
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tetris
Moderator
2040 Posts |
Posted - 10/22/2008 : 4:26:06 PM
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I thought that the piece was pretty fairly balanced without getting into some of the uglier tangents floating around on the edges of the issue. A welcome change from most of the commentary that has been appearing The Independent lately.
If you believe in the cause, you need to get out and stand behind Councilor Simonell's efforts. If you believe in his position and don't stand behind him, I think that it will be a long time before another Everett politician is willing to stick their neck out on any issue without the public having already taken the lead on it.
I might be kidding myself but I think that this may be the chance to really send a message to our elected officials that we are paying attention. We are watching and we'd like to have out questions and concerns to be heard and addressed, no matter what the ultimate outcome of an issue is. |
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tetris
Moderator
2040 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2008 : 11:25:12 AM
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A few things from this week's Independent editorial page that really caught my eye.
I thought it had appeared that the Independent had been moving away from their outright, absolute support of the city administration in the last few weeks. But, this week showed that they are still squarely in the mayor's camp. Nothing wrong with that; it's their choice. But this sentence in their editorial about the recent consolidation struck me as being pretty naïve:
"After all, what lawyer in his/her right mind is going to sacrifice or put at risk their ticket to practice doctoring up procurement orders?
I don't know the answer but people do ill advised things all the time. Ask Lona DeFeo or FFF for example.
Speak of FFF, I wonder if the papers need to receive a phone call when they should run another hatchet job piece on Stat Smith or if they are expected to know when to do it without any prompting. Listen, I can't sit here and defend everything that Smith did at Monday night's school committee meeting. I thought some of it was frivolous and other parts unnecessary. The only good reason to even bring up the Boston Magazine piece is to point out that the ranking method it used doesn't appear to make sense. But Stat is an elected member of the school committee and should be able to ask questions about how the schools are run. The school committee is supposed to be the school department's boss, not the other way around.
While I have given Mr. MacLaughlin high marks in the past for controlling these situations, I truly believe that he contributed to the debacle the other night. The paper is right; being the chairman of the school committee, Mr. MacLaughlin is Stat's "leader" in that setting. But let's not forget who all of these people are responsible to, the voters. In the last election, Smith received more votes for his seat than any other school committee candidate. With 4,049 votes, he received 1,300+ votes more than the other two at-large members of the school committee.
And if the Independent really wants to have any credibility, they need to get their facts straight. There's no way that Stat would have been able to give up his school committee seat when he was elected to the Legislature because, at the time, he wasn't even on the school committee! He was actually elected to the school committee, by the people of Everett, while he was already serving in the House. I think that means that a lot of people want him on the school committee too.
I think that the Wood Waste editorial was trying to play it down the middle, but, for those people that that aren't Thibeault supporters (guilty), let's not make him out to be someone who does things just for the good of Everett. Did he play an important role in bringing Stop & Shop to Everett? Of course. Did he probably make a good deal of money on that transaction? I'd hazard a guess that he did.
Lastly, a letter to the Editor from Alderman Van Campen. When I first saw this letter, I thought, "Great! Now, we'll finally get to the other part of the discussion that we didn't see at the last BOA meeting, namely Alderman Van Campen's views on why the combining of these two positions is a potential conflict of interest." And then I read the letter and was disappointed. Much as at the BOA meeting, the potential conflict of interest was mentioned but not expanded upon. A couple of posters on this board (not including me, I haven't really weighed in on it because I'm not well versed in all of the legalities of it) have offered their views of the issue and have done a very good job explaining their feelings. I would have liked to have heard the alderman's view on this side of the issue, especially with his legal background. Instead, we got another rehash of past consolidation "failures". I think that most people who follow the going-on's of city government understand that portion of the issue and can draw their own conclusions. That is the easier part of the issue and there will probably be plenty of time in the future (hint, hint) to discuss it. I really think that a lot of people could have used some help with the less obvious side of the issue. Just my opinion though. |
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2008 : 2:06:58 PM
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| Anyone read Former Councilor Keane's Letter to the Editor today? It sounds like Charter Reform won't be coming to Everett. The former councilor seems very disheartened. |
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Tails
Administrator
2682 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2008 : 2:17:45 PM
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If that's the case, then I am too. What the heck happened, and why was no one following up? I hate when they do that. They put a piece on the agenda then refer it back to sponsor to just die. There should be a rule about that too.
Charter reform anyone?? |
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2008 : 10:57:41 AM
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| Hey, how did the Independent score an interview with Billy Thibeault? The timing seems to be a bit of a coincidence. Anyone read their editorial saying there are no odors coming from Wood Waste when you go to Stop and Shop? Then, just where is that stink coming from? |
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Tails
Administrator
2682 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2008 : 11:17:13 AM
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It was the Mayor himself that said “IT STINKS” and his wife called him and said “IT STINKS” and he said “I know, I know” Those were his exact words a month ago.
Maybe the Independent needs to do an Arial view of the area and see the houses there. The houses that are affected across the highway too. Even Alderman Nuzzo has been so upset over the odors and chemicals coming from Wood Waste to his parent’s house.
The Independent is not too bright and they need to do their homework before propaganda gets printed.
Perhaps this was to get a leg up on RVC on Monday night. What a joke this administration is and enabling this. More of a reason to go to the BOA meeting. I guess all the complaints and all the violations don’t matter…….if Thibeault says it’s not harmful, then it’s not….yea right.
Wasn’t there a mention at the Public Hearing about these meters that Thibeault is willing to show proving that it’s not harmful? Thibeault and Co. had some Harvard Professor come down to the landfill and say that it was not harmful, but the State said differently? You think I trust anything that comes from Thibeault? If he has the money to delay in court the way he does, then he has the money to fudge any meter reading coming from him.
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2008 : 11:30:20 AM
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Today's Editorial from the Independent.
Wood Waste, again
For the life of us, we don’t understand why so many elected public officials in this city can agree about the dangers of Wood Waste when they can barely agree on anything else.
Wood Waste has taken a lost quarter of this city and remade it as a major league, taxpaying entity. The Stop & Shop project alone is of more value to the city because of Wood Waste that any number of lesser developers doing lesser projects have achieved in recent years.
First of all, virtually no one lives near or abuts Wood Waste properties. The area is and has been an industrial wasteland - more wasteland than industrial during the past 60 years.
Since Wood Waste arrived in Everett, the company’s aggressive investment strategy has not rested well with some members of the city government. It’s far better, they believe, to have large tracts of valuable land left empty and on - tax producing than to have Wood Waste acting out it’s development strategy.
Wood Waste has a vision where others in this city have none. The company doesn’t intend to be what it is in it’s space on the Parkway for much longer.
Complaints about a strong odor coming from the Wood Waste yard abound among some circles in this city. However, during repeated recent visits to the site, and to Stop & Shop, odors coming from Wood Waste have been indiscernible.
Now comes the city government issuing a cease and desist order to Wood Waste.
Why, we wonder? What is gained by such a political twist?
If the collective wisdom of city government is only able to come down in such a Draconian way, then this city is in trouble.
Far better, we believe, is to follow the lead of Mayor DeMaria.
The mayor has been dealing in a positive way with Wood Waste since he came into office. He is not blind to some of the company’s perceived excesses. However, the mayor is looking at a bigger picture.
Wood Waste is one of the last major developers left with any money to do anything in this city.
Why try to send Wood Waste running when much more meaningful development from this company is what this city has to look forward to?
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Edited by - massdee on 12/17/2008 12:24:24 PM |
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Tails
Administrator
2682 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2008 : 11:53:39 AM
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| Can you say.........Erin? |
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2008 : 12:15:14 PM
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First, maybe our elected public officials agree about the dangers of Wood Waste because there are dangers coming from Wood Waste. This is not rocket science.
How is a lesser developer doing a lesser project even being compared to Stop & Shop? What a line of bull!!! That would be like comparing the developers of Stop & Shop to the developers of the Gateway Mall.
"No one lives near or abuts Wood Waste," aren't there homes across the street on East Elm Street? I have a family member who lives on Chelsea Street (across from Stop & Shop) who cannot open their windows due to the odors and dust that permeates from Wood Waste.
I believe our members of city government would like to see all property, tax producing, with clean businesses and owners that obey the laws.
Yes, Wood Waste has a vision. Their vision is to move to lower Broadway. They will be next to the Gateway Mall, directly behind Home Depot, just a few hundred feet from the Mystic River. So, they will move their obnoxious odors and dust from Boston Street to the people shopping, eating and working at the Gateway Mall.
I can't believe they even have the nerve to print that there are no odors coming from Wood Waste! I guess the rest of us don't know what we have been smelling down there.
Damn right the mayor has been dealing with Wood Waste in a positive way. It's been all positive for Wood Waste not the City of Everett. I, too, can look at the big picture. A new election cycle is about to begin and I believe the mayor would like to keep Mr Thibeault's hefty campaign contributions coming in.
I also find it hard to believe that Wood Waste is the last of major developers that have any money.
"Why try to send Wood Waste running," because he has been non compliant for years, has been a poor corporate neighbor and has total disregard for the residents of Everett.
Just my opinion on today's editorial. |
Edited by - massdee on 12/17/2008 3:57:42 PM |
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tetris
Moderator
2040 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2008 : 12:56:38 PM
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"...odors coming from Wood Waste have been indiscernible."
Are you kidding me? Admittedly, the problem isn't as great with the colder weather and when the prevailing wind direction isn't from the south. But NO discernable odors? Even in the interview with Mr. Thibeault in the paper today, he doesn't try to deny that there are no odors coming from his business, only that they are at levels that he claims are not harmful. Tails already covered what the Mayor thinks, "It Stinks!" So does the Independent's claim. I have no problem that the Independent taking a position on which way to go with Wood Waste but that flat out lie has destroyed any credibility that the paper may have had.
But why stop there? The paper's coverage of the tax rate was also laughable. The continuation of the front page article on the subject didn't appear on page two of the paper as promised and I couldn't find it elsewhere in the paper either. The editorial on the subject wasn't much better as it claimed that not as much of the tax burden could be shifted to commercial property as was last the year. The truth is that the CIP (Commercial/Industrial/ Personal Property) factor adopted this year (1.75) is exactly the same as last year. If Mr. Hart's claim that commercial property values have held up better than residential values, more of the burden will likely be shifted to commercial users. That still doesn't mean that residential tax bills won't go up though. We still don't have enough information predict that accurately.
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Edited by - tetris on 12/17/2008 12:59:40 PM |
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2008 : 1:58:42 PM
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| Tetris, Unbelievable, you can't make this stuff up! No discernible odors? Ask the employees of Stop & Shop if there are any odors coming from Wood Waste. As Court4Fred called it, the Co-Dependent, is a joke! Just keep those city ads coming! |
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Tails
Administrator
2682 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2008 : 2:07:03 PM
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You know..........All the other issues aside, with Wood Waste...one issue that really angered me was witnessing a poor kid pushing carriages at that same Stop & Shop with his shirt over his face. I asked him if he was okay (as I ran to the car) and he was literally gagging.
All for what.....six dollars an hour or what ever they get. The poor kid was no older that 17.
The Independent has lost all credibility, and how they can look at themselves in the mirror after printing those lies is beyond me. |
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n/a
deleted
136 Posts |
 Posted - 12/17/2008 : 3:45:20 PM
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| It's alright today's paper was a laugh and everyone knows its a crock. All involved look like idiots. |
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kimmy
Member
32 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2008 : 6:00:02 PM
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| Just read Thibeault speak out,how he can do that?I thought he couldnt talk over pending lawsuits? |
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Everett Independent
