Howie Carr, Calling it like it is.

I was pleasantly surprised to see this accurate depiction of the life and times of Joan Menard in the Boston Herald today. Click Here

Bristol Community College had made great progress over the past years, but recent decisions make me question its path for the future. With all the political hirings lately, and pandering to special interests (offering blackjack dealing courses) it seems as though it could be the new 'probation department'.

Speaking of political hacks...there is an opening at UMass Dartmouth Center for Policy where Ed Lambert used to rake in the big bucks for doing something or other (that I think involved counting Massachusetts license plates in Connecticut casinos for $100k+ annually)....Any guesses on which former lackluster politician will begin taking that paycheck?

Over the Limit

Mayor Will Flanagan finally filed his campaign finance report and it looks like he may have to return thousands of dollars. Massachusetts law limits the amount of money an individual can donate to a campaign. That limit is $500 per calendar year.

Despite the $500 maximum, the following campaign contributions were reported by Flanagan in the 2010 calendar year:

James P. Antonio $600
Todd Benevides $725
Brian Bishop $650
Anthony Cordeiro $550
Laurenio Couto $1000
Emilio Estacio $850
Carl Garcia $650
Fernando Garcia $650
Loretta George $1425
Alan S. Johnson $1000
James Karam $650
Robert Karam $700
Deborah Kenney $950
Mark Levin $850
Gilbert Lopes, Jr. $800
Mario Lucciola $600
Wayne Rego $1000
Kenneth R. Rezendes $1100
Daniel Silvia $600
Dennis D. Silvia $600
Robert Smith $550

Is this a case of careless accounting by the Flanagan campaign, ignorance of the law, or perhaps just intentional disregard?

Full Report can be Seen HERE

Another Oops for Steve Torres

http://www.tauntongazette.com/topstories/x703876860/Taunton-City-Council-Preview-Airing-It-Out

The Stupidest Bet Ever

So City Councilors Pat Casey and Ray Mitchell triumphantly turn in over 1,000 signatures to the Mayor because a local activist Stefani Koorey dared her to.

Obviously the thought of Casey, who bears a striking resemblance to Sophia Petrillo from the Golden Girls, shuffling around town trying to collect 1,000 signatures in one day, was too humorous for Koorey to pass up. This stupid bet had the virtue of being amusing until a couple of councilors took it a bit too seriously and made the goal 1,000 signatures at all cost! It wasn’t Pat alone anymore; nope Ray manned his post at Stop and Shop collecting signatures from patrons who were probably relieved all he wanted was a signature and not some money or a ride somewhere. The two of them collected 900 signatures, so Team Pat also had a handful of other volunteers collecting signatures so they could reach the goal! So it was no longer just Pat and it doesn’t even seem like was just one day. She told the Herald she did it all on Monday but apparently was going around getting signatures the day before!

What did this prove?

Um.. that at least 1,000 people in a city of 90,000 want a casino. Big shock! Did anybody doubt that you could get 1,000 signatures? THE CHALLENGE was to do it herself in ONE day.
Um... that Pat didn’t understand the terms of her own bet because she is the one who boasted that SHE (alone) could get 1,000 signatures in one day. What other things does Pat say that really doesn’t understand?

That Ray Mitchell is the smarter of the two. While Pat went around for hours going door to door Ray went to where a bunch of people were. Maybe if Pat had simply gone to Wal Mart on Black Friday she could have gotten these signatures all by her lonesome?
That if you’re a City Councilor and you’re going to stand in front of a store for a few hours maybe you should get a red kettle and collect some money and really do something that will benefit all these people you say need help. I now DARE both these councilors to do just that. I’m sure the Salvation Army would be grateful for their time and assistance.

That you can totally waste the time of TWO elected officials simply by DARING THEM to do something! THIS is fantastic and I am going to make it a point to DARE Will Flanagan to lick a flagpole on a freezing cold day. I might even see if I can get Joe Camara to lick his own elbow or Brian Bigelow to run around downtown in his undershorts. Oh, skip that last one.

Down with the propaganda machine!

On Tuesday, Fall River City Corporate Counselor, Steve Torres, opted to send a last minute letter to the City Council rather than appearing before the Council, as planned, to discuss the formation of a non-profit cable board. Not a politically smart move on his part because I am sure it caused added friction to the already tense relationship between the Council and the Mayor's office. But it gets worse.....

Torres' letter to the Council quickly said that he researched the issue and that there is no legal authority to form such a board. Thereby, completely dismissing the Council's desires to form such a board and more importantly, the demands of the citizens to form such a board.

Then on WSAR, Torres defended his decision not make his scheduled appearance by again saying that he had researched the formation of a non-profit board for cable television, it can't be done, there was really nothing to discuss, and that the letter was sufficient.

My question to Torres is: How well did you research this subject Steve Torres, Attorney, bound by ethical cannons, subject to sanctions for malpractice? Did you willfully withhold relevant information from the Council? Did you give bad legal counsel?

I ask because on June 28, 2006, as the Corporation Counsel for Taunton, you formed a non-profit corporation for Taunton, nearly identical to the one being requested by the City Council and the people of Fall River. You even cited the laws that support such a non-profit cable board.

or click here to view http://fliiby.com/file/946927/qfhhv5fuek.html

I know you will attempt to rebut by trying to say that Fall River's "FRG" channel is government only so it is different than Taunton - but the money all comes from the same Comcast money - the money that the non-profit cable board of Taunton controls.

Our operating budget is made possible through an agreement between the City of Taunton and Comcast, providing us with 2% of their net cable revenues. This corporation is overseen by a five member Board of Directors, which is responsible for setting studio policy, and the overall finances of T.C.A.M.

Our Executive Director is in charge of the day to day operation of our studio, and determines our programming schedule, the use of our studio and equipment, and all other issues relating to the programs you view on T.C.A.M.

http://www.tcamtv.com/

Casino is not on the Governor's agenda

I wish Will Flanagan had played some Sim City before, without having any relevant experience to his name, he opted to run for mayor of Fall River. Sim City would have allowed him to act out his city building fantasies without actually harming real people.

Flanagan's current fantasy plans for a casino in Fall River were knocked down, yet another peg*, today when Governor Deval Patrick, in an interview with the Boston Globe, stated that he has no intention to put casinos on his agenda this term.


*Hurdles to casino-topia
1) Casino Gaming in MA is illegal
2) Taxpayer 10 lawsuit
3) Open bidding law violations
4) Referendum vote of Fall River residents
5) Legislature needs to select Fall River as the region's location for a casino,
over Taunton, New Bedford, etc.
6) Funding for a casino needs to come through despite the horrible gaming economy
7) Governor has no plans to work on legalizing casino gambling this term

Moonlighting

In February of this year, Attorney Steven A. Torres, sat before the Fall River City Council and defended his recently signed contract, for his position as the city's corporate counsel. The city councilors questioned the fact that Torres was making more money than any previous corporate counsel for Fall River. Torres and Mayor Flanagan justified the $115,000 salary by asserting that the pay reflected the fact Torres would be eliminating his private practice to focus on Fall River full time. (note: At that time, I couldn't find any information supporting the claim that Atty Torres even had a private practice and the MA board of bar overseers website indicated Torres did not carry any attorney malpractice insurance because he was a government employee.)

Consider the fact that Torres justified his increased salary with the notion that he was losing money by giving up his private practice. Then imagine my surprise when I read an article out of Wareham recently which evidenced the fact that, 10 months into his contract with Fall River, Torres was still working side jobs:

"A report on the forensic audit of town computers, which has been in progress for nearly a year and a half, is once again delayed. Town Administrator Mark Andrews and the Board of Selectmen had been told that special counsel, the Law Offices of Steven A. Torres, would be prepared to present the results of the audit on Sept. 28 or October 5."

Pretty sneaky of Torres and Flanagan considering the fact that the City Council approved Torres' increased salary based on the premise that Torres was eliminating his private practice to, presumably, focus all of his efforts on the matters of Fall River. This is clearly not the case.

I think Torres is already overextended in his capacities as co-mayor of Fall River. I kid, I kid........... However, there have been many occasions where I have read in the Herald News, or heard at city council meetings that Corporation Counsel hadn't completed some task requested of them. Also, Torres went before the city council to get approval for another $45,000 budgeted so he could hire another attorney for the office - I certainly hope the addition of a new attorney wasn't to free up time for Torres to moonlight

Recalling Brian Bigelow

I think Brian Bigelow should resign from his elected position on the Fall River City Council. I was hoping he would come to this decision on his own, but that is alot to expect from someone whose decision making skills are so lacking that soliciting a hooker, for a $20 blow job, seemed like a good idea.

I have heard several people supporting Bigelow, and even defending his crime by saying it is a minor crime, a victimless crime, there are worse crimes to worry about, this crime should be decriminalized, etc. I cannot agree with those arguments. Bigelow committed a crime. He attempted to fund a criminal activity that operates in the shadows of our neighborhoods.... A criminal activity that funds the purchase of illegal drugs and makes drug dealers rich in our community. It is particularly inexcusable for an elected official who is charged with bettering our city.

In my opinion, Brian Bigelow was never an effective councilor to begin with; starting at that low point, he has only gotten worse. In the past week Bigelow missed the Arts United meeting, which he is supposed to attend in his role as City Council arts liason. He then missed last night's finance committee meeting. In the meetings he has attended since his arrest and subsequent plea to the crime, he only gave input one time.

As a reminder, Bigelow voted against allowing strip clubs in Fall River because of the harm he alleged they would do to our neighborhoods. What kind of hypocrite liar votes against allowing partially nude people in completely private facilities yet contributes to public nakedness, and publicly visible oral sex for money?

In light of everything I just said, and as a disgruntled voter in Fall River, I am demanding Brian Bigelow's resignation from the city council. I have a strong group of voters supporting me on this demand. If Bigelow does not resign by this time next week, we will begin the recall process whereby he can be ousted from office.

Who's with us?!

A few words from Candidate Rodrigues, protector of pigeons

Thank you to a wonderful blog reader for this very funny submission.

RA Meeting Video and Analysis

WATCH TODAY'S RA MEETING HERE
Thanks Skoorey for filming it!


Excellent analysis by Puck which I ripped from the comment section -

OMG. What a joke. First, the Chair hadn't even read the contract(s), then asks for 30 seconds to do so. 30 seconds??? But, he decides after that thorough review that Jobs for FR, i.e. FROED,--for no given reason--deserves the contract. FROED wants more money per month than CRES-RI, while CRES-RI asks for a lower monthly fee, but includes a 2.5% commission for real estate transactions. The RDA members' vote to award the contract to FROED and then negotiate the monthly fee with FROED. But they never considered awarding it to CRES-RI and then negotiating the real estate commission with them. Why solicit proposals in the first place if you can change the terms of them after the fact? Doing so means that neither proposal was set in stone and that either one could be revised after it was selected for award. That makes no sense at all.

Worse still, the Chair said the RDA doesn't even know if it has enough money to pay for the services they want FROED to provide.

And since when is one of the bidders--in the person of Ken Fiola--allowed to walk in on the award conference? Why wasn't the other bidder there as well? Were they invited?

Nothing about this theater of the absurd should surprise me, but I foolishly hoped these vaunted leaders would at least be better actors and present the illusion that this was a fair, well-considered award. Duh. My bad.

Stephanie, thank you for recording this. It's people like you, Shamrock, Lefty and a few others that keep my long-strained hope alive that someday this city's potential will stop being squandered by selfish, feeble-minded fools.

FROED Wins Another 3 Years...............

Ridiculous.................

FROED's Fate

The Fall River Redevelopment Authority contract with their staffing agency, the Fall River Office of Economic Development, aka "FROED," aka "Jobs for Fall River," aka Ken Fiola, expired in May. At that time the RA opted to extend FROED's service by 90 days. That 90 days expired last week. This prompted me to search for whether the city/RA made a public request for proposals to fill the staffing position upon the termination of FROED's contract.

Consider this quote from RDA attorney, Peter Bogle, regarding FROED's past bids for the RA staffing contract "FROED was the only qualified respondent on proposals to staff the RA for past contracts. Its staff management includes accounting, clerical support, marketing and negotiating on behalf of the Redevelopment Authority." So where does the RA/city advertise this opening? I did not see an advertisement on the city website, the Central register, the Herald News....google...... A friend of mine was able to find an ad in a publication I had never heard of and that now escapes me.

If the RA truly wanted to replace FROED, they would have advertised the opening with more than a trivial amount of effort. Somehow, despite the clear lack of publicity for the opening, a competing bid was submitted against FROED. I have little detail on the submission but I do know the RA is voting on it Wednesday at 9:15am.

FROED is just plain terrible and I don't think any competing organization could do a worse job. However, realistically, is the RA ever going to replace FROED? The Mayor sits on FROED along with some highfalutin Fall River residents and business people who, while some may not live in Fall River, probably enjoy the perks of a FROED board of directors position (*read: loans): This is not easily let go.

Anyhooo, I urge anyone who can make it to the RA meeting on Wednesday at 9:15am (presumably at government center) to attend. Express your concern the FROED has 32 (founded in 1978) years to improve Fall River and has not. We can't afford to continue paying Ken Fiola $170,000 a year to loan our tax money to his board members, let buildings sit and rot, and give TIF agreements to chain doughnut stores and gas stations.

Brian Bigelow Explains

Brian Bigelow gets a hooker part 1

Dumb Dumb Dumb

This is Pat Casey's speech in support of allowing out of towners to hold positions on Fall River city boards like the redevelopment authority. And, I think she gives permission for anyone to trespass on her lawn.

Funny but true

Gladys Kravitz, Middleboro's Nosey Neighbor, has a series of really funny casino related blog posts. Definitely worth a visit for a good laugh. This is one of my favorites:

B.S.

It is pure bullshit that when Will Flanagan pulled the YMCA funding for 42 low income units, Flanagan gave a chunk of that money to E.A. Fish/Winn's Wampanoag Mills low income development in the city.

The Y currently has 13 units with up to 4 people each for a max of 52 residents (48 are currently in there). The Y proposal is for 42, 1 person units. This means the Y is decreasing the number of low income residents there.

The Wampanoag Mill project has 97 NEW low income, multi person units. The Y project is decreasing low income units by 10....how can the administration say that they are against MORE low income housing downtown...this is less, and basic math.

Will Flanagan opted to support a large low income project by a company that has made millions on low income housing developments in this city. Will Flanagan pulled the funding from the non-profit organization where I learned to swim, that offers housing to the homeless, that has been an amazing community partner.

Facts about the Y project:
The neighborhood association supports it
They don't allow overnight guests
No alcohol is allowed
Cori checks are done
Money was also going to be used to install sprinklers in the building
Money was also allocated for handicap accessibility improvements

Deuce Bigelow against strip clubs in the neighborhoods

Councilor Brian Bigelow, saying he grew up in that neighborhood, showed his opposition to a neighborhood strip club in a dramatic way. “Put LNG (the proposed liquefied natural gas terminal) in the middle of the ocean, put in a pole with a strip club on top of it, and blow it up.”

“I would not want a strip club in any neighborhood,” Bigelow said to cheers.
Click here for article

But its ok to buy a hooker in someone elses neighborhood?

RESIGN NOW DEUCE. If you do not, your scrutiny in the public eye will only get worse.

The Headlines Say it All

The casino industry is in a major slump. Casino layoffs and bankruptcy are becoming par for the course in the casino industry. Yet, many casino supporters and their leader Will Flanagan insist that the casino will end Fall River's problems. Will it? A recently opened casino in the similarly situated town of Bethlehem, PA laid off nearly 100 people within their first year. Can Fall River handle that? Because it is a distinct possibility. Casino revenues are down, casinos are going bankrupt, casino workers are losing their jobs.

No need to read the following articles, these recent headlines pretty much say it all:

Connecticut slots revenue down at Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun 7/15/2010

Twin Rivers files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy 6/23/09

Casino layoffs destined to affect Norwich 10/30/2008

Atlantic City Casino Revenue Declines For 22nd Consecutive Month In June 7/12/2010

Analysts: Weakness in Gaming Industry Continues 7/28/2010

Layoffs at casino in Bethlehem: Less than a year after a grand opening that rivaled the glitz and glamour of a Las Vegas revue, Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem is laying off 80 employees. 5/1/2010

200 plus layoffs for President Casino gambling boat 4/22/2010

Slipping into Bankruptcy? Foxwoods Struggles With Debt as Gaming Revenue Slumps 9/3/09

Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas - Fall River is about to get itchy

What?! Government officials are getting bribed? .... Fall River wants in on that action.

A few months ago I read an article in the Providence Journal titled something like "City Councilors Arrested by FBI on Bribery Charges." I clicked on the article hoping it wasn't Fall River but with a suspicion that it was. It was not Fall River, it was North Providence so that was a bit of a relief.

The ProJo article told the tale of 3 North Providence city council members and a developer by the name of Richard Baccari. The councilors agreed to change zoning laws for Baccari's development in exchange for $25,000.

Having recently been implicated in a $25,000 bribery scheme, any sensible government officials would probably hesitate to deal with Baccari. But not our dear FROED/Ken Fiola/RDA/Mayor Flanagan. They have proposed to build the UMass biopark on land Baccari owns in Freetown.

Last year, it was brought to my attention that the offramps being built to the biopark originally had a different plan. For some reason unknown to me, the plans for the offramp were changed so that they would run directly through Baccari's land in Freetown. And, that Baccari could potentially make alot of money as a result of the new plan for the offramps. I thought nothing of it at the time because the biopark was coming along as planned. In retrospect, the offramp plan changes certainly seem suspicious.

How convenient for this private developer Baccari, recently implicated in a government bribery scheme, that he could potentially make a ton of money with FROED's (and Will Flanagan too) help.

"Flanagan acknowledged business talks with the company’s Richard Baccari, the company’s president and CEO." Fall River Herald News July 23, 2010

"Baccari's relationships have always drawn the attention of law enforcement" Channel 10 I-team investigates