| Author |
 Topic  |
|
Tails
Administrator
2682 Posts |
Posted - 12/05/2008 : 08:41:38 AM
|
| I think there was a small surplus due to the Clayton Carlisle fiasco, so, I think, the money has to be used, or it will get cut from the budget. It’s my opinion too, that he just gave it to his friends. Couldn’t that money get transferred to some other account to help the residents or some badly needed work around the city? |
 |
|
|
tetris
Moderator
2040 Posts |
Posted - 12/05/2008 : 11:20:34 AM
|
Since there might have been some confusion over the purpose of next Wednesday night's joint convention and subsequent BOA and CC meetings, I'll post the following agenda that I found on the calendar of the city web site.
1. Order to adopt MRF (Minimum Residential Factor)
2. Ordinance to restrict the operation of open air dumps and landfills.
Just checked the ECTV schedule on the web site too and the meeting still isn't scheduled for broadcast. But, as I said yesterday, that's probably fairly easily rectified. |
|
|
|
tetris
Moderator
2040 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2008 : 09:55:05 AM
|
This week's agenda seems to be a little bit more interesting than they have been for the last few weeks. However, it does seem like things are winding down towards the end of the year.
1. Anybody know how long the term of a member of the Licensing Board is? I could find very little in the city charter and ordinances about the Licensing Board other than it consists of three members and deals with alcoholic beverage licenses. Usually on the smaller boards (3 or 5 members), the number of years in a member's term is the same as the number of members of the board, with one member's term expiring each year. Since none of this is specified for the Licensing Board, I guess that there is nothing wrong with someone being appointed to a term longer than three years.
2. + 3. Yes, please let the aldermen ask all of the questions than they wish on these two items but the right thing to do is to pass both of them without a lot of rancor.
13. It will be interesting to see what, if anything, that Community Development comes back with on this item.
14. As I said previously, the fact that Alderman Marcus put this item on the agenda probably says everything that needs to be said about it.
15. Couldn't find anything in the charter or the ordinances about this committee. This makes perfect sense to me and probably shouldn't be an issue. It makes sense, especially in light of ed reform as the piece says. At every meeting of the School Committee, during the report of their Finance Committee, they also take two votes, one to accept bills and payrolls, the other to pay bills and payrolls. So, in reality, they are already doing this. It just sounds like the mechanics of the process need to be adjusted.
17 +18. It appears that the Board may be going in two opposing directions on fortune tellers licenses, or at least, this one. It'll be interesting to see how this turns out. One thing that I did come across in the ordinances as I was doing other research is that in section 12-53, there is a requirement for the holder of the fortune teller license to have resided continuously in the city for at least 12 months immediately preceding the date of the license application.
20. What does Alderman Matewsky mean by "appliance stickers that have not been used". Things that have been hauled away by someone else? That would be opening up a huge can of worms. Hard to tell where this will go. I'd refer it to R&O and let it be part of the white goods issue that is already in committee. |
|
|
|
nick
Member
4 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2008 : 8:45:36 PM
|
I have not been blogging lately due to medical reasons. I could not even remenber my log in and password earlier this evening, but I am the same Nick whose mother is a DeMaria fan. Gag. I am still not convinced Carlo DeMaria knows what he is doing. That is why we often hear from his Chief of Staff, not him. I agree that she has to justify her $90,000 salary. I still think it is laugable when an Executive's Chief of Staff gets paid more than the Executive. Does anyone know a President whose Chief of Staff got paid more than him?
I went to RVC's Holiday gala because that Van Campen kid has guts. I also think that he should stand up to the Mayor and not approve those transfers to the Legal Department tomorrow night. He and the DeFlorio woman are the only members of the City Council who have a memory. The Mayor and Chief of Staff told the taxpayers during the Budget that the lawyers can do it all and don't need outside counsel. Now they want more money for outside professional services and the lawyers are trying to get more money. How the heck does a lawyer right out of law school even get a job as an Assistant City Solicitor? What the heck would she know to justify the job, much less a salary increase? Now that blonde girl knows her stuff and is also doing Purchasing work. But the Mayor shouldn't have been such an idiot when he said that Blondie would be doing the Legal and Purchasing jobs for the same salary. So no transfers for Legal.
And what's this rumor about that Jamie Russo fellow in the Mayor's Office who gets paid not to show up to work? I heard he has not worked at City Hall in months yet gets more than $30,000 a year. That's another reason not to give this crook of a Mayor any more money. People have lost their jobs and this guy gets paid to do nothing. Can someone explain why this is not payroll fraud? Can't the Mayor and Jamie be reported to some State body for payroll fraud? |
|
|
|
Tails
Administrator
2682 Posts |
 Posted - 12/07/2008 : 9:04:38 PM
|
I have an issue with the taxpayers paying for an employee in the Mayor's office that has a full time job at the post office. He works early morning, so how can that be constituent services and $600.00 a week??
I blame the Mayor because all these things he's doing is exactly what he said he would NOT do. He has changed, he's become mean and very defensive. I do not like the way he talks to people that do not agree with him, but all these money issues, rotary issues, overpaying friends, I also blame the city council. They have not held his feet to the fire for anything. More than half are either paid off with favors or have an uncle, cousin, etc....all involved so they keep quite.
It's time to hold their feet to the fire or they should just step down. They are not doing the job they are being paid to do. |
Edited by - Tails on 12/07/2008 9:12:59 PM |
|
|
|
nick
Member
4 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2008 : 06:56:29 AM
|
Tails,
Are you saying that one of Mayor DeMaria's constituent relations guys is only part time because he works full time at the Post Office? And one of the other constituent relations guys does not come to work at all for $30,000? And taxpaying people in Everett don't even have jobs! Talk about a mistake for a Mayor. This is some "new beginning" all right. It is the beginning of corruption with no checks and balances by the City Council. God save Everett! |
|
|
|
justme
Advanced Member
1428 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2008 : 07:38:28 AM
|
quote:
Originally posted by Tails
I have an issue with the taxpayers paying for an employee in the Mayor's office that has a full time job at the post office. He works early morning, so how can that be constituent services and $600.00 a week??
I blame the Mayor because all these things he's doing is exactly what he said he would NOT do. He has changed, he's become mean and very defensive. I do not like the way he talks to people that do not agree with him, but all these money issues, rotary issues, overpaying friends, I also blame the city council. They have not held his feet to the fire for anything. More than half are either paid off with favors or have an uncle, cousin, etc....all involved so they keep quite.
It's time to hold their feet to the fire or they should just step down. They are not doing the job they are being paid to do.
Carlo is the political version of the supervisor or manager who was promoted beyond his ability. He doesn’t know enough to defend his actions therefore he’s turned into a bully. He can’t remember what he was told by whoever advised him to do something so he yells, stammers and takes offense when someone has the audacity to question him.
Do any of you remember the TV show Home Improvement with Tim Allen? He used to talk to his neighbor, a very intelligent, knowledgeable man, and then screw it all up when he attempted to restate what he’d been told. That’s Carlo. One of his very intelligent, overpaid (based on our budget not necessarily their value), staff members tells him why something is right or what to say when he’s asked about consolidating positions or why allowing Woodwaste to move is a good thing but when he’s in a position that the words have to come out of his mouth, he screws them all up and looks like a fool.
I have to agree the city council is not doing their job either. There seems to be a double standard there in that while most of them were critical (justifiably) of hanlon’s budget and overspending, those same people are allowing Carlo to do pretty much the same thing. He’s spending it differently and we didn’t have the budget fiasco that occurred last year but his budget was total bull and that’s going to bite us all now that the transfers have begun.
We have another year of this and I hope we survive! I don’t know how our next mayor is going to be able to overcome the four years of gross mismanagement this city will have endured.
|
|
|
|
massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2008 : 09:25:05 AM
|
I honestly believe the city needs to be run much like a business, like it was back in the two McCarthy era's. People can say what they want about John McCarthy's arrogance, at least he knew what the heck he was doing and talking about.
I wish I could elaborate on Carlo's bullying but let's just suffice to say, it extends far beyond people who work for the city to the private residents.
I agree about the city council. Most of them are just sitting back and letting the administration run a muck. The two previous years Rosa was so outspoken on Hanlon's tactics and has been basically quiet about Carlo. It's not only Rosa, but she comes to mind first because she was so vocal.
Our next mayor needs to have a backbone and be willing to make the tough decisions. The budget, somehow has to be brought under control. Some of the tax burden has to be lifted off the residents. They can't just keep going to the well and expect us to continue to pay for these increases. |
|
|
|
massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2008 : 8:10:30 PM
|
| Does anyone think the BOH will ever issue a cease and desist order to Wood Waste? |
|
|
|
tetris
Moderator
2040 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2008 : 8:46:05 PM
|
2. + 3.
I certainly understand Alderman Van Campen's concerns about whether or not enough money is being transferred to this account to cover costs thru the end of the fiscal year; Mrs. Meija didn't instill a lot of confidence last week that she was sure that it would. However, I feel that particular issue could have been addressed tonight especially in light that the line item is already been running at a deficit. Let's remember that part of this issue is due to a "blind" cut of $35,000 made by City Council. That doesn't absolve the administration of not being able to defend their budget request and allowing the line item to get to that state though. It's extremely doubtful that these pieces will get shot down. So, I didn't see the need to send it to committee; just resolve the issue tonight. But what do I know?
4. + 5.
Flip. Flop. Typical. Where was Councilor Sierra's opposition on the pieces last week when they were before the Common Council? The two pieces have been around forever. Why not speak out on them before?
13.
I thought this piece was already in Community Development?
14.
Tomorrow? What happened to "tomorrow" the last time?
15.
Rules and Ordinances is probably the correct place for the piece.
17./22./23.
How does the City Council get itself into so many situations where they can be sued with no hope of winning? Maybe they could use the fortune teller's services to help them make decisions.
20.
If someone can bring back a sticker that wasn't used, why not give them back their money, especially if all of the money goes the hauling company? It can't happen that often. I know that I wouldn't pay the $15 unless I was pretty sure that I was going to need to have something hauled away.
21.
I knew that something might be up when I saw Councilor Simonelli sitting in the audience. At first, I didn't agree with Alderman's Van Campen's assertion that this piece was not political. Why add it under suspension? I'd have to assume that the alderman was one of those people who received the DEP's e-mail on December 1. There was plenty of time to put it on the agenda if that was the case. But once he stated that he had informed the administration that he doing this and also laying the item on the table for two weeks, I had a lot less problem with it. There needs to be a frank and open discussion of why Newburyport has been able to do something that neither the DEP or the City of Everett thru its Board of Health has not.
To answer Massdee's question, I don't think that we'll see a cease and desist from the BOH. I don't believe that the BOH has been pro-active enough over the years with Wood Waste to have any basis to build a case. If a judge wouldn't allow the DEP a cease and desist with the history that they have with Wood Waste, I can't see a cease and desist being granted with what seems to be less of a history of enforcement. But, I think that there is no time like the present to start building that history. It won't help now, but, maybe it will somewhere down the line.
But, we'll see what happens in two weeks. I guess I was wrong in my pre-meetings comments when I said things were winding down for the year. |
Edited by - tetris on 12/08/2008 8:48:53 PM |
|
|
|
nick
Member
4 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2008 : 07:39:12 AM
|
Well it looks like the Board of Alderman have some back bone after all. It voted last night to put Orders 2 and 3 on Legal Dept transfers into the Finance Committee, going a step further than the Common Council did last week. It is important that the City Council be a check and balance on an Administration that is making big mistakes. My mother loves Mayor DeMaria so I am going to put principles over personalities, for Mom's sake.
The mistake of the Administration is its dishonesty and arrogance in changing the Script from the Budget hearings over services and salaries in Legal. The Admin. told us then that they had the lawyer power to do all of the legal work of the City. Six months later the new Script is that the Legal Dept needs more money for necessary outside professional services and because lawyers are performing more legal work.
Yes, Blondie is performing more legal work because she is also the Purchasing Agent. Because of this fact, the Administration should have asked for more money--for her only --when she was appointed to Purchasing. But no. The Mayor told us that she will doing both jobs for the same salary. Now the Script is that she and the other first-year-out-of-law school Asst Solicitor need the money to perform more work. It is an insult to Blondie to put that newbie to the Mass Bar in the same category. No matter how you slice it, the first-year-out-of-law school Attorney should be grateful to be an Asst City Solicitor at all.
The real dishonesty about the New Kid On the Legal Block is that the Administration wants to give her more money to take on Personnel work with the elimination of the Personnel Director position. Again, this is another insult to the City's outgoing Personnel Director, who I understand is also a lawyer and has been one for many more years than the newbie. What life and personnel experiences and insights would this newbie bring to this job, especially when she has not developed any seasoning in her law job? Answer. Little, but she was a paid consultant in DeMaria's mayoral campaign and Henderson was not. That is also why one Constituent Relations guy in the Mayor’s Office gets $30,000 NOT to come to work. The other gets $600 a week to add to his income at the Post Office. The two of them also worked on the DeMaria campaign a year ago.
Listen up, Mr. Mayor. The campaign ended a year ago. The City is not paying you so that you can reward your cronies with taxpayer money and use your and their positions to jump start your re-election campaign. You are supposed to work in the best interest of the taxpayers and voters of Everett. Giving extra money to your cronies is not working in the best interest of the taxpayers and voters of Everett, especially when times are tight. There are lots of folks out of work in Everett and it is an insult to them to put the greed of your cronies over their economic needs. You need talented people like the outgoing Personnel Director (who I've always admired when I saw and heard him on ECTV) to get Everett through these tough times, not cronies who don't know their arms from their elbows. With cuts in local aid looming over the horizon, the taxpayers and voters of Everett demand that you have talented people helping you steer the ship of the City, not overly paid political friends. Robert Van Campen. Where are you now?
|
|
|
|
Tails
Administrator
2682 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2008 : 1:26:34 PM
|
There is a lot of dishonesty and arrogance going on that stretches beyond the legal department.
I would like to know what type of litigation the city has right now…… that they need extra money, and they don't know if the extra they are asking for would be enough to last to the end of the fiscal year? I'm aware going to court is expensive, but that's why I thought everything was being done in-house and they are well paid as it is.
I think the one who has the most work is Jill Barringer being assistant solicitor/purchasing agent, but……..I do not believe she is an assistant city solicitor, it's going to be too overwhelming.
I'm sure she is…… ON THE BOOKS, as an assistant city solicitor, but I would like to see what she works on legally, for the city, especially coming from a firm that represents William Thibeault.
I do not think we need all these lawyers, two should suffice. So, what they do is throw them a bone and give added work to justify overpaying them.
What I find deceptive is having someone campaign under false pretenses on rooming houses for example, and nothing gets done about them…….but family members get hired and nice fat salaries.
|
|
|
|
nick
Member
4 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2008 : 07:40:43 AM
|
My mother had me, the wife and kids over for dinner last night. The subject of the City came up. She goes to the same beauty parlor as the First Lady of the City and she has always been one of Carlo's biggest fans. I told Mom that I did not think he was doing such a great job and that he is already showing signs of the worst of Hanlon (defensive on camera and does have his facts straight), the worst of Ragucci (puts unqualified political friends in City Hall positions) and the worst of McCarthy (arrogant and acting like he is King of Everett).
Mom insisted that I was being too hard on the Mayor. She said that the streets are clean and that he is trying. She also said that he has only been in office a year. Mom makes some good points and she and I have always had lively political debates since I was a kid. But I still think that these tough times call more a competent Mayor who keeps his word. I realize that RVC has to raise money to run againt Carlo and Carlo has big head start. Mom says RCV is not as nice as Carlo. Maybe so. Maybe not. I still think the times we are in call for a man like RCV. Carlo is a one-term, maybe two-term Mayor tops. |
|
|
|
massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2008 : 07:41:50 AM
|
| If the mayor is being sued personally, for an action done on the job, who picks up the cost of his defense, the taxpayers or the mayor himself? Just curious. |
|
|
|
billydee
Member
21 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2008 : 08:27:51 AM
|
| Great observations Nick and good questions Masdee. Carlo better start stepping up to the plate or his popularity will be as old as yesterday's news. |
|
|
|
Topic |
|
|
|
BOA 2008
