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Ladies and gentlemen , I am back!
What allows me to come back to this place is that I have made several changes recently that will insulate those I care for from harassment and insults from the new collection of political fiefdoms under the rule of Little Willy Nilly, aka, Mayor Will Flanagan.
I don't care if you know my real name. I know one thing, it surely won't be posted on this site. But will I stand by and watch the titticut follies that has long been government in Fall River continue without comment if I can help it? NO WAY!
A very troubling pattern has emerged in Fall River. Suddenly, in what is clearly a concerted effort by backers of the the ex- bag boy Mayor of ours, any comments not aligned with the idea of kissing his arse publicly are met with a combination of cries of negativity towards that person or flat out suggesting the person bringing forth actual facts is delusional, or both! I call it the great "DON"T WORRY, BE HAPPY" propaganda campaign. Their only objective is that of silencing any and all opposition to Mayor Doneky's rule. Even a display of concrete facts are met with the strange, orchestrated response of "you're too negative", or "knock of the negativity". The last elected official to treat "naysayers" this way was George W. Bush. The last semi-elected official to do it before Dubya was Adolf Hitler. Nice company you're keeping there Bag Boy. It's all about getting your message out no matter what the facts are, right?
What negativity? Facts are facts. If you don't have a reasonable response based on facts, find them. Do more work than Little Willy Nilly is doing. If Mayor Flanagan spent as much time solving the City's long term and well known problems rather than trying to build political coalitions for some future race for a higher office, both he and the City would be better off. And by the way, that last little tidbit of future higher office was told to me by a member of his transition team. Honestly, based on his gaunt accomplishments so far in office, I just don't see it. The State House and the Congress are chock full of not too bright lawyers who aren't good enough lawyers to be real litigators and far better public ahh..ahh.. speakahss..ah..than..ahh..he ..ahh..is. An expectant woman could complete childbirth faster than Mayor Flanagan could ask "Good morning, where is my coffee and muffin?
He has accomplished nothing. Turnover the Finance Department? Are you serious? He could have done that at a more propitious time when he was handed the opportunity on a platter by the last administration when Correia's finance team lied to the City about the existence and size of a sewer deficit. They all should have been let go then, right after the tax rate was set and the first actual tax bills were sent out. Now there is no one to close the City's financial books and get ready for the tax rate certification by DOR for Fiscal 2011. Enjoy this one Fall River.
The Casino you say! What casino? Did I miss something here? When did we get the approval?. Oh , you mean the casino for which there will be beaucoup competition for the three likely spots, NONE of which will be a site dedicated to an Indian Tribe, especially one backed by Malaysian money? Yeah, I thought so! Cedric Cromwell, who has told so many lies in is life he thinks they are the truth, is the Chief of the Mashpees, who may not be Chief much longer if word out of the tribe is to be believed. And numerous United States based gaming concerns want these locations...what do you think the likelihood is that a truly objective selection panel is going to give a license to a firm outside the United States?
Oh and let's not forget the displacement of the Bio-Tech Park from it's location as a result of the Casino enterprise. Fall River could end up losing BOTH, thanks to the combined talents or Flanagan, the underwhelming Ken Fiola and Fall River's edition of Ratzo Rizzo, Steve Torres. Now that's a winning team. HA!
Illegal stormwater "tax"? Promise reneged, they knew the fee wasn't illegal, they just made up the lawsuit crap and lied to everyone. Now they are trying to push the decision off on the City Council, but since it's a strong Mayor form of government, the Mayor has to propose the rate. Of course, as is the case whenever he makes a huge mistake, he cannot admit error. Gutless is what I call it!
Strip Joints? Once again, these two, Bag Boy and Ratzo Rizzo knew this was settled law when they once again threw together a legal opinion of very dubious scholarship and legal reasoning and LIED to Fall Riverites hungry to stave off the City's first strip joint. When this is over all Fall River will see from this administration is a pile of legal bills. Oh yes, and this from an administration that said it would cut both the number of lawyers and legal expenses appropriation because the Mayor and Steve Torres stated many times during the campaign they would personally handle much of the litigation. Now we have more lawyers than the Correia administration with a higher amount of legal expenses. And they want to add yet ANOTHER ATTORNEY DURING FY2011.
So many broken promises. But plenty of photo-op "walk arounds". Horse twaddle is what they are. Politics over policy, anecdote over analysis. That's not what the people of Fall River voted for. What ever happened to that "super" municipal management software Willy wanted to employ? You heard about it during the election like it would make every municipal employee a paragon of efficiency. What happened to it Willy? Yet another broken promise. In fact, I don't know of one promise he's actually kept.
But don't point those things out in public at all. Don't have a contrary opinion because that would make you a negative person, a naysayer, a lunatic. Next thing you know they'll be attempting to out more commenters on the pages of the Herald News. Oh yes, wasn't that what Correia tried a few times?
Yes...it was.
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Welcome back! You were missed. Please share your story of who did what to whom and when (as it relates to why you left us). I want to see if your experience jibes with my own.
ReplyDeleteKeep the faith, question authority, and don't let them see you sweat.
You know you were getting very close to the absolute truth when a member of the FROED Board of Directors threatens to reveal your identity because you've just finished attacking one Ken "parking wizard" Fiola for his unmatched record of long term utter failure to produce anything other than being a human easel for holding cardboard checks at ceremonial events.
ReplyDeleteI guess they also took umbridge with my pointing at the nexus of political and business powers that be in Fall River, which I choose to call the "Karam Harem", for revealing what anyone with half a brain could see for the last decade or so in Fall River.
You have to take heart when the real forces of negativity start to work, when free discussion is threatened by those who want to control other's freedoms as a way of increasing an unusual share of their own. These are desperate people wanting to snuff out any voice of truth. It should serve as a warning to anyone wondering why such so-called stalwarts of the community sinply cannot stand to have anyone even ASKING what these folks might be up to, what motivations they might have to endlessly support those who deliver nothing but who are paid so well. If it raises an eyebrow or two, and makes people ask more questions about how their shepards are leading the flock, then I have been successful. I would consider such a response against someone simply asking questions as an indicator these people on the FROED Board, Ken Fiola and the political factions and people they support as being more than just a little suspect at this point. But that's just me.
Follow the money....always follow the money....
Yes, it is all about money. The corruption in Fall River is difficult to track because one has to have a genealogical chart handy to see the connections. When a building is demolished, the job is given to somebody's brother-in-law, different last name. When a grant is received for some study, the company given the job is some ex political flack that is getting some payback. Whenever there is money involved, in this city, it goes to somebody's relative or very close friend. Jobs are no exception.
ReplyDeleteFor instance, one of new lawyers working on the casino contract, contributed $200 to Flanagan's campaign last year. He is from Providence. What is a Providence lawyer doing giving money to a Fall River election?
Follow the money you say. Here it is from the HN: "Torres identified the fee arrangement the city pays Devereaux and his law firm, Pannone Lopes Devereaux and West. Devereaux is paid $295 an hour as a firm partner, and Ray earns $225 an hour as a senior associate. Any associates used will receive $175 an hour, Torres said."
Payback.
Either Devereux was currying political favor or he is a personal friend of Flanagan's. Either way, he got the job.
Typical. And just the tip of the iceberg.
Welcome back, I have been checking the site just in case. You've got to keep the faith.
ReplyDeleteI don't know your name, nor do I need to. I just want the truth!
Thnak you both for your support and for keeing the faith yourselves.
ReplyDeleteI might be accussed of many things but one of them is NOT telling lies about what I see going on with this City's government or finances.
While the subject of nepotism or quid pro quos is not new to Fall River, it certainly seems to be developed into a life force unto itself. "Follow the Money" makes more sense here than it does almost anywhere I've been involved in government, and that includes the ever crooked world of County Government. When I saw that this Devereux had been a contributor to Will Flanagan's campaign I was not surprised. After all, he is backed, by and large, by the FROED Board of Directors and seems to also have the votes of the Redevelopment Authority, known in these parts as "FROED Lite", in his back pocket! Why else would he even associate with a useless hump like Ken Fiola.
And look..I could care less about Fiola's former career for the Karam clan and the City as a high school basketball player. What a complete crock! You don't pay a guy close to 200K in salary and benefits just because he could drain a J from the top of the key! In a City that has a blood clot over paying market rate for qualified financial and management people I find it a self mocking JOKE that this person, who has accomplished NOTHING on behalf of the taxpayers of Fall River, who pay his salary, sits back and that the taxpayers do not march on City Hall calling for his firing and the closing of the terrible FROED! I said it beofore, I'll say it again, FROED's primary mamagement employee should be paid on the basis of how much taxable new growth they are able to bring to Fall River each year. Otherwise, just roll the position into the Community Development budget, and make sure the person hired to do the job has, at a minimum, a Masters degree in Marketing.
Also...have you ever noticed when a lawyer is elected, they surround themselves with other lawyers to do everything?! And you know how much the public likes lawyers. If this casino goes belly up, there won't be a bus fast enough to get Will Flanagan out of town fast enough...and all the lawyers he's paying so well, including Fiola!
Can't wait for football season to start...I hear Durfee has itself one helluva good football coach....Go Durfee Football!
The Karam Harem are best avoided altogether but as usual they are hedging their bets just like they always do, Boo-Boo gives to Republicans and Jimmy to Democrats so whomever wins they win.
ReplyDeleteThe Karams have been playing cat and mouse with Flanagan, sometimes really nice editorials and sometimes handing him his butt. The Karams always make sure to give Ice and Dice plenty of air time too since those two once helped their former boy Mikey Herren whose many sins were ignored until he committed the unforgiveable sin of bashing Tommy Hodgson whose boy Bernie Sullivan does all their editorials.
The Karams are still trying to figure out whether or not they can control little Willy but they have Ice and Dice that they are propping up and that are waiting in the wings should Willy not work out and get himself in line with them.
Be careful not to prop up Linda anymore Laz as you have previously done because she would not hesitate to roll over for the Karam Harem.
It's tough to determine who exactly is on our side and calling it straight down the middle for the sake of the people but from what I understand there is at least 1 clowncilor who has been getting threats from both Flanny's peeps and the Karem Harem so maybe they are on the right track.
You posted all of these on a single thread in less than 24 hours. Why?
ReplyDeleteLittle Willy Nilly, aka, Mayor Will Flanagan
ex- bag boy Mayor
Mayor Doneky
Adolf Hitler. Nice company you're keeping there Bag Boy
Little Willy Nilly
the underwhelming Ken Fiola
Fall River's edition of Ratzo Rizzo, Steve Torres
Bag Boy and Ratzo Rizzo
Willy
Ken "parking wizard" Fiola
Karam Harem
useless hump like Ken Fiola
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteBy Kevin P. O'Connor
Herald News Staff Reporter
Posted Jun 27, 2010 @ 06:54 PM
FALL RIVER — You can travel the world, dancing and eating — without leaving Fall River.
What could be better than that?
Mayor Will Flanagan and The Herald News will throw a party, “Eat 2 The Beat,” on Sept. 4 at the Gates of the City.
So now The Sterile Snooze is BFF with Flannie. Looks like lil Willie got his money's worth when he put Lease A. Stratton husband on his transition team.
Thank you for taking the time to comment, I really do appreciate it and I think first time readers can learn a whole bunch from your comments and questions.
ReplyDeleteTo respond to the "Karam Harem" comments, I know it's not unusual at all for big time power centers and financial interests to play both sides against the middle. It happens all the time in major races and in state wide and national politics. But I think it's illustrative of how the "Haremiesters" view themselves, like they have some kind of extraordinary right to ATTEMPT control of Fall River and the surrounding region. There is something unseemly about it, something almost dangerous. In a power vacumn, these type of factions tend to step right up and expand their influence, and never for the public good.
People have to understand that efficient and good government, meaning one which is healthy in the eyes and actions of the voters, means needing to become active and educated about the issues, for their own sake, until a meaningful concensus can be built. There is no real concensus building anymore in Fall River. This leads to power factions like the Karam Harem and various other splinter groups that fade into and out of that faction over time. They tend to grab hold of City Hall and the finances that you all pay for with your property taxes. That money, along with the huge amounts of state aid financing this City, keeps those factions in perpetual power by controlling the awarding of contract, the hiring of employees, even the nominatgion and backing of candidates running for virtually every office in the City.
Have you noticed how extremely difficult it is in Fall River to run successfully for elective office if you aren't one of the favored few, or have ties to a specific group? Some good candidates, thinking primarily of the City and NOT future office beyond Fall River, gain no traction or backing because all of our inability to motivate voters and back such good people. It would be nice if a truly popular candidate could run and win. Having a site like this, commenting on the things we see and things we know about the goings on in Fall River is the first , and in many ways, given the prostituting of the local media, the only methid of information to be available to the mass of good people in Fall River who see the need for change to save this City. We know one thing...the same old , same old by the same old power centers in Fall River want only one thing...to maintain control of the checkbook and the patronage involed therein. It might also be a reason why we have people working for us in adminstrative and financial management who are not qualified to order take out. Just read the state reports by DOR for the City's financial and administrative management and the State Ed Department for our4 poorlu run school system as a starting point and see how far this City has actually come in meeting the improvements requested by the state. You'll be amazed oinly if you think Fall River is a well run community. It is not....not by a long shot. And as long as the same power factions run Fall River, nothing will change.
Enough of my soap boxing on this issue!
Now.....why say all those things about those people? Because it's my site , and as we used to say, "If it don't apply, let it fly". It's only an opinion...so don't be offended.
Now...about a certain editor of a local RAG newspaper...as an aside I cannot believe that we see stories about churches and reestaurant tours and NOTHING about the FY2011 Budget when it has to be passed in two days. Tells you where the HN's editor's braincells are at right now! Safely ensconced up Will Flanagan's A......
I think that answers the comment quite nicely, don't you?
Once again folks, keep the comments coming, and I'll continue to write...thanks for taking the time!
And please forgive my typos...sometimes my chubby fingers don't match up well with this over active mind... It was the same with my Palmer Method and the nuns back in the dayu...I used to go home with ruler welts on my hands all the time :-)
ReplyDeleteBTW....I'm far from the only game in town...there are several really great blogs about the goings on in Fall River and you need to make them a stop along your education way....there are many valid viewpoints on every issue....the more educated the opinion you have, the more rersons you have for making your decisions, the more valid they are, in my opinion, which is based on the teachings of the many great professionals and politicians involved in policy analysis I have had the priviledge to work with and know. It's also the very same thing I tell my kids, and even though I'm sure they hate hearing it, I have been told by them that I'm right...under their voice, while they are walking away...fast...go figure
ReplyDeleteWelcome back! I'm looking forward to your insight as we head towards financial receivership.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately no real insight is needed at this point. This Administration and this City Council still lack the political courage necessary to make the many painful changes in the City's government to bring about the mechanisms and policies that would make the City more administratively efficient and financially solvent. It is very sad to watch those who most know this continue to act as if they don't!
This Administration and this City Council still lack the political courage necessary to make the many painful changes in the City's government to bring about the mechanisms and policies that would make the City more administratively efficient and financially solvent.
ReplyDeleteWould love to hear your thoughts Laz on what changes are needed to the city's government to bring about the mechanisms and policies that would make the city more efficient and financially solvent. God willing we can get the powers-to-be to read some of your ideas and implement them.
Thank you for your question.
ReplyDeletePart A.
1. In previous posts from way back I listed a three part handbook, if you will, of the types of financial reports the City decision makers had to produce every month to guage such things as current years budget expenditures versus expected expenses, showing how that comparesa to the previous fiscal year at the same point, and correcting for legally enforceable and expected contracted expenses, to "smooth the stream", if you will, of odd or large expense items.
Those are legion, and a simple review of many well run communities procedures will easily give guideposts to follw. But they must be contacts with the BEST run communities with an accepted reputation for excellence. MMA and DOR will have their own suggestions of which communities to contact, and will probably recommend the types of management reports to create and review on a regular basis themselves with a little bit of prodding. It's not exactly rocket science if you have a clue of what you are doing. But I will stop there before I get into trouble...lol
2. Most critically, the City has to enter the 21st century with it's MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL PRACTICES AND STANDARDS, and positively, absolutely needs to upgrade and fully utilize it's data processing and data management capabilities. I guarentee they have not even activated many aspetcs of the MUNIS software they purchased a few years back, nor have they placed enough money into the budget to provide continued traing on all aspects of the computer system. One recent example serves to indicate how efficintly things can easily be made...use of a lock box system for property tax, personal property tax, Motor Vehicle Excise tax and all other payments made by mail or online via credit card. This would allow instant processing and deposit of collec ted funds IMMEDIATELY, BY AN OUTSIDE BANK PERSONNEL, and is based on a software tie-in with the City's compouter for posting to subsidiary and general ledgers. It gets the money in the bank NOW, processes payments more accurately than any number of human hands could possibly manage, and doesn't call in sick, trade in inter office rumors, treat tax payers and others citizens rudely, nor do they require overhead costs, such as benefits. The Town of Brookline, which uses the services of one of the largest LOCK BOX services available, oand which has the same relative number of property parcels, motor vehicles, and size of budget, pays the relatively TINY sum of $ 20,000 per year for it's lock box services. That's peanuts after you take into account the customer satisfaction for taxpayers who avoid having to receive late fee letters from the Tax Collector's Office while the actual payments were sitting un-deposited and un-processed on a desk in the Collector's Office! That is simply unacceptable.
Part B.
ReplyDelete3. The City needs to adopt a budget system that lays out more than simply line items and a brief narrative of what departments do. They need to tie actual appropriation requests to specific and attainable goals, themselves broken down my objectives, that are measureable , whenever possible, in numbers. The idea is to see what the bang for bucks spent IS. Many use an offshoot of a Planned Program Budgeting System, a method of having the departments heads submit their requests to the Mayors Office which specifically lays out the expectations for performance for each mamber of the management team in definable and measureable methods so there are no mistakes between what is expected of the City's managers and employees. The setting of these goals and objectives becomes the primary way to open discussion between department managers and their employees about what they do and how they do it, as well as a formal means of communication . These readings become a solid, objective (as much as possible) and valid way to measure employee performance by EVERYONE who works for the City. It makes the budget a LIVING document that relies on setting goals and objectives for every dollar spent, and provides feedback on progress towards those goals, allowing for necessary adjustment of resource allocation and required performance in an ongoing cycle as time rolls into the future. In that sense, when taken together with management documentation and improved data processing and management information production, it begions to become more clear how "dynamic" or reality based the administrative and financial management of the City becomes, must become, to let people know what's going on with their tax dollars, and whether or not there elected officlas are doing an acceptable job. THE BUDGET PROCESS NEVER STOPS, BUT ALLOWS A MECHANISM FOR CONSTANT REVIEW AND ADJUSTMENT TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT. tiT ALSO ALLOWS FOR CLEAR COMMUNICATION, WITH POLICY DESIRES SENT DOWN TO ALL LEVELS OF MANAGEMENT, AND INFOMATION ABOUT PERFORMANCE FILTERING BACK UP THOSE HIGHER MANAGEMENT LEVELS UBNTI THEY REEACH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
Oh yes...all of it should be made completely available to the public for their review, online, either via the City's web site, or at terminals at City Hall and the Library. It's the singal best way to make sure performance is maximized.
4. Hire the best professionals you can find. Pay them market rates. Have the MMA appoint a selection committe for the City to insure nepotism or favoratism is not an issue when hiring administrative and financial managers. Political wrangling and control over critical appointments have destroyed this City's ability to escape the doldrums and dangers of professional mediocrity and failure. Just look at the people hired as City Admistrator and finace department heads in the last 5 years and you see what I mean.
Part C.
ReplyDelete5. Insulate, however possible, politics from being involved in the day to day administrative managament of the City of Fall River. This will be the biggest hurdle to jump over. Frankly, I think the mean spirited and manipulative politics and powerful political factions on the southcoast in general but the City of Fall River in particular have placed this City in serious harms way.
I might be so bold as to suggest a change in the form of governance and a Charter Change...a STRONG City Manager and City Council with geographic representation for it's members (ie, constructing "wards" or "districts", and a weak Mayor would do wonders for this City's proper administrative and financial management. Again, a real Personnel Board and Personnel Director reporting to the City Manager, appointed from qualifed City residents, but screened by MMA, would also be essential.
Also, and this is key, moving the City Auditor under the control and responsibility of the City Council. This would give a true check and balance for all City operations, and insure pre audit and post audit functions.
This is the best way to control the poisonous effects of factional politics that control the City's hiring and administration.