Economic Development or Political Hegemony ?

" In 1978, the City of Fall River established the private, nonprofit Fall River Office of Economic Development (FROED) as its "one-stop shop" for business and economic development. Incorporated as Jobs for Fall River, Inc., FROED's key objectives are job creation, job retention and the expansion of the city's tax base. The office maintains a professional staff that is organized into four main areas - finance, business development and marketing, business retention and project administration. "

(source: FROED website)

Let me start by asking a simple question. Why does the balding gentleman (above), whose name is Ken Fiola, always have his hands out? What is he looking to get from you and I? I always thought he was supposed to be giving back TO US! At least that's what we should expect from a patronage pick appointed to the job of Executive Director of the Fall River Office Of Economic Development (FROED) that carries with it a salary of over $160,000 a year! I wonder if he has a Masters Degree in Regional Economics or Regional Economic Planning? Because that is the type of degree you need to have, AT A MINIMUM, to adequately perform the duties of the position. If he holds any lesser of a degree his being in this critical job is a complete and utter joke. Combine that with ol' Hamhocks personal choice of a long time toadie and hack for the City CD office, and a worrisome picture is starting to develop during these last disgusting days of the terror filled petulant swine known as ol' Hamhocks.

As opposed to the statement of purpose, seen above in quotations, and which is the very first thing on the FROED website, new articles of incorporation were drawn up to change the purpose of FROED to include expansion into neighboring communities. One of ol' Hamhocks favorite puppets, Atty. Jay Clarkin, who also works for the City, hammered out the new articles to make the outlook of FROED more regional. The reason given is the fact that 35 acres of the future "Bio-World" 300 acres lies in Freetown. Somerset and Westport are also now to be hegemonized into the FROED sphere of influence.

What is also of worry is the fact that local financial institutions desire this expansion to give them more opportunities to loan to safe risk, er, opportunities, and leverage federal and state loan programs, and associated loan guarantees, in the immediate Fall River area. This is probably because there are no takers for business expansion here in good old Fall River. Seems old Ken "Hands Out" Fiola isn't very good at creating the conditions for small businesses creation and expansion here, and needs to "reach out" to contiguous municipalities, sort of like the Soviet Union did to Eastern European states after WWII!

Something just doesn't feel right, like most things in any way related to ol' Hamhocks. This guy Fiola hasn't exactly set the world on fire in developing jobs here in Fall River. I personally think something like the following is going on: The powers that be in Fall River's banking and business community want to put money out there to make money for their banks and develop new , associated businesses to strengthen the local economy first, and create jobs for Fall River, about TENTH! These other communities are not just going to let their vacant property be developed to create jobs and wealth for Fall River! Think about that for a minute. It just doesn't wash or make sense. But it does take care of these banks, and the large business owners who control them because, for ol' Hamhocks, it's take care of my gang time before he's out on his keester. It also paves the way to justify a bigger salary for Ken "Hands Out" Fiola due to having three new sucker communities in his bailiwick, as well as more jobs to be created within FROED as well. I'm sure there will be a nationwide search to fill those jobs...HAHAHAHAHA!

" This clarifies our mission to create jobs as a result of the loans we make,” Fiola said. The board corporation amended the bylaws to say its aim is to stimulate job creation in those towns, “encourage a large flow of private investment funds from banks, investments houses, insurance companies and other financial institutions. ” (source: FR Herald News)

No, this is a sham. All the old familiar names, Fiola, Clarkin, ol' Hamhocks, Amaral and Mederios are attached to this. And when you combine his trying to tie up the CD office with his old administrative assistant in the top CD job, and that office's control of additional federal funds and grants, ol' Hamhocks has just delivered the regions economic development and the safe loan interest payments backed by the federal government directly into the hands of the banking community of Fall River. N0 risk loans out, gaurenteed income to the banks for those paying back the loans that would not have been made otherwise. Nice squared circle here. And nobody knows if a single new job will be created as a result. And really, just exactly how many jobs has Hands Out Fiola created since he's been the Director of FROED?

Naw, this whole thing is kinda smelly. In fact, it stinks!