The Fleecing of Fall River - Part 2

"You always hurt the one you love,
the one you shouldn't hurt at all"
     From a pop standard, written by Allan Roberts
     and Doris Fisher, first recorded by the Mills Brothers,
     June, 1944.

"Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap"
     From the rock band AC/DC, 1976


PART  2

What precisely is the job that Ken Fiola and FROED do for the citizens of Fall River? I don't just mean the job description FROED might have on file for the job of Executive Vice-President, which is Ken Fiola's job title. I mean, just what is it this man does for Fall River?

The exact working of FROED, Ken Fiola , and the Redevelopment Authority (RA) has always been murky territory. I don't think anyone really understands the day to day functions of each and the interactions between the three, Fiola, FROED and the RA. I think the parties involved wish to keep it that way, a nebulous set of arrangements and mutual agreements few, if any, Fall Riverites truly understand, at least in terms of what is ACTUALLY done. In my many years of government experience I have found nothing more useless than mission statements and job descriptions when it comes to the way things are actually done. They are most often only used as a basis for firing people for lack of performance or violations of the duties contained within.

So what do we REALLY know about the workings of FROED, the RA and Fiola? If we had a copy of Mr. Fiola's contract we might have a better understanding. I've personally never seen one posted anywhere. I've heard that FROED/  Fiola receives  upwards of 10 percent for every grant contract signed and delivered. Is that in addition to his nearly $200,000 yearly salary and benefits? How much goes to FROED, and how much actually goes to Fiola? Who does the audits of these public bodies, the RA and FROED? If they are receiving grants, they have to be audited. Is this 10% figure written into Mr. Fiola's contract? If so, would that not create an rather negative incentive, making Mr. Fiola's interest one of grant collection as opposed to real economic development? There is just so much we do not CLEARLY know about FROED, FIOLA and the RA. I think it's time we find out!

One thing we do know is that Mr. Fiola's actual function is to hob nob with various political people and bodies to attract grant funds  which may or may not result in actual development of Fall River industry and business. Over the course of these many years, it might appear to be the ONLY thing with in which FROED, Fiola and the RA are actively involved.

Sure, Fiola and the hyper-political Flanagan administration worked with Senator Menard behind the scenes to engage the Wampanoags and many in the State House to bring about the expungement of land use restrictions for the 300 acre parcel of land originally planned for the Bio-Park. Prior to that senate vote, and  as quick as you know when proposed by FROED/Fiola and Mayor Flanagan, the RA voted to take control of the land in question, and entered into an agreement with the Wampanoags to sell them the 300 acres for a destination casino over the protests of those within the conservation community who were instrumental in bringing about the land use restrictions for this specific parcel, and whose memory of events seems far more clear than Senator Menard's. This is NOT a surprise, given that outgoing Senator Menard lied outright about getting an opinion from the Attorney General about Constitutional requirements for changing the purpose of the parcel's use. It really doesn't matter though, it's becoming pretty apparent that the fix is probably in on this project's approval. The only thing not finished are the signatures on contracts and a shovel in the dirt.

We may never know if Fiola has a separate agreement with the Wampanoags, or even if such outside agreements are allowed by his current FROED contract. But it would not be a surprise. You see, politics is at the root of all FROED's, the RA's and Fiola's dealings. How could it not be?

The involvement of  past political actors friendly to the powers that be locally and at the state level is a primary tool used by FROED , the RA and Fiola to bring home the bacon to Fall River. How much bacon, and to whom it goes is the question.

One example comes to mind, and it's one being talked about by insiders at City Hall who are not happy with what is happening.

Take, for example, the following proposed wind project supported by Mayor Flanagan, and his point man from FROED, Mr. Fiola.

(click on image to see in full size)

At question is acreage that is protected by the same Article 96 of the State Constitution that was involved in the 300 acre controversy with the destination casino, aka the Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve. There is serious question about the parcel's allowable land use and who actually has control over the land itself, in opposition, it would seem, to what Mayor Flanagan states in his letter to Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MCEC).

In fact well placed insiders at City Hall who have extensive, first hand knowledge of meetings where this property and  proposed land use has been discussed acknowledge these issues are hotly contested and claim were once angrily addressed by Fiola in an extreme and demanding manner. Reportedly, some working for the City are being DIRECTED to accomplish tasks related to the technical side of the project which they do not believe will work. Sounds a lot like working for Mayor Correia. I wonder why?

It may go back to the "10%" payment for grants going to FROED/Fiola. At immediate question is this Copicut Wind project. It is illustrative of what could well be happening and why there is such a priority placed on grant application and reception as opposed to actual REAL economic development in Fall River.

The details of the grant proposals themselves can be found here:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/33782489/Application-for-MA-Clean-Energy-Center-Grant-FROED-Fall-River

http://www.scribd.com/doc/33782601/Attachments-for-MA-CED-grant-FROED-Fall-River

Note the total grant amount of $77,000.  But it's the actors involved in this grant process , and the process itself, that are just as interesting as the amount.

Previously I have stated that FROED / Fiola and the RA, in actuality, influence, and are influenced by,  political actors locally,  at the state level, and on occasion, the federal level as well. It's main stock and trade is influence peddling, for lack of a better term. The objective becomes personal gain for FROED/Fiola and the RA, as opposed to actual Fall River economic development, whether that personal gain is money, influence or pure political power. This is accomplished  by establishing a series of quid -pro-quos with the actors involved, be they formal or informal in nature.

I have said previously that in order to see who is really doing what, you need to "follow the money". Well it was never truer than in this case.

 Guess who has been pre-selected (before the grant was awarded) to conduct this study? It is a company named TRC. And who runs TRC? John DeVillars. Former EPA New England head, and former Secretary of Environmental Affairs for the Commonwealth of MA. This is where the extended family of political actors on all levels develops into a never ending process of  likely quid-pro-quo situations. De Villars is hired by TRC, TRC then has the confidence of the State Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), and then a vendor, FROED/Fiola and Fall River, applies for and receives a grant with DEA and hires TRC, who employs a very politically influential person, DeVillars, and an ex-employee of the granting agency.

One hand washes the others, back and forth, and it's all done through many layers and many buffers. It sounds like a mafia scheme. But it's how YOUR community does business to "develop the local economy". I think it's done this way to create a system of cash payments, like the 10% payment proviso (it doesn't HAVE to be formally written down...it only has to be the agreed upon rule between the parties...thank you Prof. Kinsfield) and political deposits for future withdrawal...like future political campaigns for higher office.

Money, influence, political power. Why should we be surprised?! You know this has been the ugly truth for some time now. How many countless grants has FROED/Fiola crowed about on the pages of the HN  over the last 5 years which were never brought to fruition in terms of actual new  jobs or tax base growth. If one project actually happened, the casino, brought about by a major economic failure for the region as a whole, does this mean FROED/Fiola and the RA and Mayor Flanagan can be seen as successful in developing the economy of Fall River? Given what we can see is happening, given what you know about the process and those involved, I think not. The people of Fall River are NOT the direct beneficiaries of all this activity. In fact, the people of Fall River are being hurt by FROED/Fiola, the RA and Mayor Flanagan's lack of leadership and the hyper-political influence trading occurring in  place of REAL economic development

I have to take a shower now. All this self interested influence peddling is dirty, disgusting business.