04.30.12
Cohasset ATM could be a blood bath
No. 1. There will be two town managers at annual town meeting. Interim Town Manager Mike Milanoski will preside over the meeting but former town manager Mike Coughlin will be sitting at Milanoski’s elbow – giving a live critique of articles and motions.
No. 2. Karen Quigley’s citizens’ petition – an article (Article 21) asking the town to take charge of its water and sewer commissions is more than timely. “Who knows what will happen with the hammer of the mighty Commonwealth coming down,” Sewer Chair John Beck told advisors last week.
Yeah, stupid us. Again.
As of early last week, 124 homes in the Little Harbor sewer area, the area legally described as the second amended judgement area, were not connected to sewer. Homeowners have until July 1st to do so or everybody gets fined -the town, the homeowners. Everybody.
Who was supposed to be on top of this? The Selectmen – nope. Not the selectmen. The Sewer Commission? Guess not. The Board of Health that doesn’t haven’t money for stamps? Is this something for which we can blame now former town manager Mike Coughlin? Selectman Diane Kennedy tried to do that exact thing at Coughlin’s kangaroo trial. Afterwards, we learned that the Kennedy family, who live in the second amended judgement area had not even made an application to get on sewer.
So. Quigley brings to the attention of the board a tried and true management operations plan for our water/sewer plants. Hire an town engineer, give him/her back-up clerical. Turn water/sewer into an appointed advisory board. Other towns use this model – three different groups who were brought in to rescue us from ourselves have recommended the same. Scituate uses this model. Hull uses this model. It works. You don’t read about those towns screwing up in the newspapers.
How do the selectmen feel about the citizens’ petition? Fred Koed tried to knock it down a peg or two. He believes in elected water and sewer officials. And yet in 1994 Koed ran for water commission after the former elected water commission had failed in every respect to run Cohasset Water and ultimately resigned as commissioners as opposed to falling on their swords. Koed was the clean-up guy. He brought in an outside water management team for the first time in the history of the Town because water had failed miserably. Koed remembers the meetings that went until midnight and after midnight and so do I. But maybe if the town had its own engineer and a board comprised of professional citizen advisors, Koed wouldn’t have been learning how to run a water department during the wee hours of many mornings in 1994, 1995 and 1996. He wouldn’t have even been there.
A few years ago the elected water commission got in trouble again – big trouble, big debt. We will be paying that debt for the next 20 years.
Selectmen say they are worried about combining water and sewer and yet that is the very direction they are pointing. Milanoski says he would find it much easier to control water and sewer if we had one operator. In fact, Milanoski was about to put his own article on the Annual Town Meeting warrant until the selectmen nixed the same. Milanoski’s article sounded a little too much like Quigley’s article. Some members of the Governance committee pointed out the sameness at their meeting last week.
More…
No. 3. Along comes Article 32 that asks TM to vote to authorize the Water commissioners to enter into a five-year contract with a Water System operator. We thought the RFP which went out was a 10-year contract. Peter DeCaprio, chair of the water commission, assured me that the article is legal, but I think not. How can citizens be warned of a 5-year contract and have it end up being a 10-year contract or more?
Milanoski assures us that Town Meeting will get to vote on the water operations contract award at town meeting – probably the adjourned session.
But I am not feeling very safe when I read the wording which follows:
Article: 32
To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Water Commissioners to negotiate and, with the approval of the Town Manager, enter into a five-year contract for the operation, maintenance and management of the Town’s waterworks on terms and conditions the Commissioners and Town Manager determine to be in the best interests of the Town*; and further to vote to authorize the Water Commissioners and Town Manager to lease any Town property under the care and custody of the Water Commissioners in connection with such contract for a term not to exceed (5) years;or take any action related thereto.
Article 32 asks Town Meeting to give up its rights to the water commissioners and the Town Manager. F. Roy Fitzsimmons and others are not going to like this.
After what has been revealed about predatory lending and sloppy documentation, would you sign the papers for a mortgage without reading them? Same thing goes for Cohasset Water. The forensic audit report Cohasset received last year that found records missing and sky-high unaccounted (not paid for) water should put Town Meeting on notice big time.
This article would remove Town Meeting (that’s YOU) from the process.
DeCaprio has some explaining to do. I am sure we will be hearing from him soon. Like maybe in the next five minutes.
peter decaprio Said:
May 1, 2012 at 2:40 PM
You know, it finally occurred to me why this site seems so familiar. For the past few months, it has been nagging at me, and I couldn’t put my finger on it. Each time I visited the Flat Earth Society, South Shore Branch, and read the lunatic ravings of the clinically insane, it would trigger a memory. What was it that was prompting the flashbacks? Then it hit me:
Reading this tripe is like reading “There’s a Nightmare in My Closet” to my kids at bedtime.
“Quickly I turned on the light and caught him sitting at the foot of my bed. ‘Go away, Nightmare, or I’ll shoot you,’ I said.”
So Mike Coughlin will be offering breathless critiques of articles and motions? Let’s instead have the captain of the Titanic opine on good seamanship.
I see also that you are concerned that 124 private residents have elected to exercise their first amendment rights and do nothing about the compulsory sewer hookups. I know in Tinytown-land, where unicorns prance and the mere sprinkling of fairy dust can turn even Mike Coughlin into a paragon of good municipal stewardship, it is easy to kick a door down and at gunpoint force the connections, but here on Earth government can be messy. But, this was a good foil for your never-ending point: the evil selectmen, who had the temerity to remind some arrogant ConCom members that laws exist for a reason, are bad guys. Wait a minute. . . Something else just occurred to me: the water commission should take its cues from the ConCom and make unilateral decisions like they tried on CatDam! Why in THE hell didn’t I think of that earlier? We don’t need no stinkin’ badges. . .
And hey, let’s not forget those idiots at the sewer commission. How is it possible that they haven’t moved the Panzers into position already at the intersection of Jerusalem and Atlantic? Sheesh. Who among us didn’t come to this conclusion back in February? How hard can it be to force a private citizen to do something he or she is under no legal obligation to do? Dopes. Those sewer guys should work at the water commission. What the hell have they ever done in their lives anyway? Run small and large businesses? Construction projects? C’mon, how hard can it be to run a nuclear plant? That pales in comparison to hammering nails 20 hours per week and painting sometimes. It boggles the mind that the entirety of town government hasn’t already been turned over to the denizens of TTU.
And Quigley is bringing a “tried and true management operation plan” for water and sewer? Tried and true according to whom? Scituate, where their employee salary costs have increased by 11% in the last two years? Where their total operating expense including salaries is 79% of revenue versus 32.5% for us? Medway, where their water employee benefit costs have increased by 15% annually for the last three years? Yes, let’s add $250,000 in unnecessary costs to our operations so Karen can try and make herself feel relevant again. Good idea. Here’s a better one: explain how the citizen’s petition offers the potential for a more efficient operation. Use real numbers. No unicorns, no fairy dust.
I presume when you talk about the three different groups that were brought in to rescue us one of them is Melanson Heath? The guys that once said criminal charges should be brought against certain finance staff. . . and then backed off? Those guys? The same guys that also said there was a million dollar deficit . . .and then backed off. Those guys? The same guys that also said that our lost water was 40% . . . and then backed off? Them? What exactly did they get right? No matter, we should do what they say anyway. After all, a former DOR stiff is eminently qualified to offer opinions on business management. Wait a minute. . . He should write for TTU! He’d be perfect: out of his element, yet always ready with a willing opinion, no matter how far off base. Go get him. He needs to start posting ASAP.
When you say – “A few years ago the elected water commission got in trouble again – big trouble, big debt. We will be paying that debt for the next 20 years” – what precisely do you mean? No debt was added to cover any deficit ever. Do you mean the debt that the prior commissions sneaked past town meeting with no one looking to pay for everything? How exactly did that happen? Votes? Oh. You never mentioned that. The Deuce you say.
Now we get to the scary part. The Nightmare in the Closet. Article 32. God, it just sounds ominous. I almost couldn’t even type it. Allow me to quote again: “Article 32 asks Town Meeting to give up its rights to the water commissioners and the Town Manager.” Yes, just like the bylaws state. Can you imagine anything so radical? And how about that Town Manager, acting like he’s the Chief Procurement Officer of the town and has the right to enter into contracts and obligate the town. Can you imagine the nerve of a guy trying to carry out his job? Who does he think he is signing contracts? Tom Callahan?
I know I’m new to this, but can someone please forward to me the last contract the town signed that was debated and crafted by a committee of 300? I know I’ve been busy hotwiring deals to Aquarion and avoiding the evil clutches of the IG, but where is that memo that states elected officials are required to accept the collective input of the TTU before a contract can be considered valid?
“I suppose there’s another nightmare in my closet, but my bed’s not big enough for three.”
Sleep tight kids! See you at town meeting.
Mike Coughlin Said:
May 1, 2012 at 3:47 PM
Peter,
I agree with you that Town Meeting won’t be a blood bath but there will be an interesting discussion on a number of issue that you and I are on opposite sides.
Don’t be surprised that there will not be a motion to increase the police budget so that the station can remain open 24/7
Also don’t be surprised if there is a motion to increase the Town Manager’s engineering services line to hire Mark Brennan and Tom Gruber back.
And yes there is the citizens petition– even if you convince voters about your opinions as to John Sullivan and Melanson and Heath– don’t forgot that the Department of Revenue begins its Financial Management Review in mid July/early August. As you know DOR and Gerry Perry agree with John Sullivan that a joint water/sewer board that is appointed is the why towns should go.
See you at Town Meeting.
peter decaprio Said:
May 1, 2012 at 4:10 PM
Until John Sullivan and Gerry Perry move here and pay taxes, I could care less what they think or say, and neither should anyone else in town.
Mike Coughlin Said:
May 1, 2012 at 5:24 PM
Peter,
As Chairman of the Water Commission you should care what Gerry Perry thinks. As Director of Accounts for the Department of Revenue, he signs the letter approving the tax rate as well as the determination setting the town’s free cash and the retained earnings for both the Water and Sewer Enterprise funds. He can also hold up those determinations as well as recommend other actions concerning the town.
I guess you also don’t want hear of the study being conducted by the Mass Chiefs Association concerning a dark station or what the American Public Works Association thinks about officials calling public works functions as routine.
Both studies will be brought up during the debate on the budget.
One final question– can you answer the question Tanna has posed concerning the concession agreement? Are we only voting on a five year management contract? What is the status of the concession rfp? The Chair of the Board Ted Carr promised a vote on the contract/contractor– was he telling the truth or are you pulling the rug out from under him?
See you at Town Meeting and at the ballot box
peter decaprio Said:
May 1, 2012 at 7:15 PM
The bids will be opened on all the proposals by May 17th. I have no idea what we will get, so I have no idea today what we might be voting on, and neither does anyone else. If we get any bids on the concession, or the two-year, the responses will be submitted with a fair amount of detail as the RFP’s were written with a fair amount of detail. No one has ever suggested that a contract would be negotiated or a decision made by town meeting. But, if we do get a bid, you will know who it is from and the term sheet will be detailed.
Unless of course I am successful in “hotwiring” the deal to Aquarion, then all bets are off. Right now I am delaying everything while I hone our hotwiring strategy. As you can imagine, when one delivers a mythical deal to a non-existent entity, it can get complicated. I never claimed hotwiring was easy. You yourself admitted as much when you told the IG I was hard at work hotwiring this contract to Aquarion and the lengths to which I was going. Almost as far as you did in stretching the truth.
As for your muni pals, I think I can state honestly that I don’t care what any of them think or say about anything, unless of course they come up with taxpayer-friendly ways of doing more with less. Like the private sector would. At that point I will invite them to my annual hotwiring soiree at CatDam. And yes, I will give out Team Cohasset t-shirts along with free hot dogs and beer. Don’t worry, I’ll post the meeting.
Tanna K Said:
May 2, 2012 at 2:09 PM
If Quigley’s petition article passes town meeting, she has you to thank.
You are living proof why we need to appoint water and sewer professionals to an advisory board.
Vote No on Article 32.
Mike Coughlin Said:
May 2, 2012 at 2:17 PM
Peter,
I beg to differ both Chairman Ted Carr who is running for re election and Selectwoman Dianne Kennedy both promised that the town meeting would vote on all issues- authorization- contract and contractor.
While the law only requires a town meeting vote on any contract more than three years– many towns extend the vote to the proposed contract and contractor. This is what Chairman Ted Carr promised and what Dianne Kennedy reasoned when she tried to make the arguement that my removal had nothing to do with the Water RFP– She firmly promised Town Meeting will decide.
If this is not the case and the BOS was lying when it made the promise then the only alternative is for citizens to express their disapproval by voting at both the ballot box and town meeting.
peter decaprio Said:
May 2, 2012 at 3:11 PM
Tanna, you really don’t care about the petition per se. You – all of you – only care about making Karen relevant again (talk about an uphill battle. . .) A selectman’s chair is not therapy. When she lost her last election, 1,000+ people said (emphatically) that they didn’t think too much of her ability to govern. What has changed?
Here’s the beauty of this: I win either way. If her petition wins, I get off the commission immediately and gain back valuable free time and I never have to engage with you idiots ever again. (And I mean idiot clinically and literally, so don’t start crying about civility). I will then sell popcorn at Selectmen’s meetings as I sit back and laugh as the water company budget explodes, squeezing out other necessary spending. If it loses then we all win, as another harebrained scheme that is nothing more than a public hissy-fit goes down in flames, as it should, as there is no data to back up Karen’s claims, which really amount to nothing but her opinions. 1000+ people just recently weighed in on Karen’s opinions.
Mike, what part of “contractor will be known and term sheet spelled out” don’t you get? It is now abundantly clear why you were terminated for your inability to communicate. You chose to not see or not hear what is clearly spelled out or spoken.
Mike Coughlin Said:
May 2, 2012 at 4:13 PM
The law only may require an authorization at Town Meeting but the people were promised that they would be able to vote on the contract. The Board of Selectmen decides on the warrant but the people decides who gets on the Board. One is up for re election. The Chairman Ted Carr and Selectwomen made a promise– we want our opportunity to vote on the contract as promised by Ted and Dianne. Otherwise the voters will communicate their displeasure.
SO TED and DIANNE– WILL YOU ENSURE THAT THE PROMISE YOU MADE IS HONORED AT TOWN MEETING– NAMELY “TOWN MEETING WILL DECIDE”
Sorry Peter — we don’t want to hear from you– we want to hear from Chairman and candidate for re-election Ted Carr? Your response may be a deciding factor in many casting their vote at the ballot box
Tanna K Said:
May 2, 2012 at 8:10 PM
VOTE NO ON ARTICLE 32.
This is a concession contract.
It is very different from a 3-year non-concession contract in that the operator now enters into a public-private partnership with the Town, and once that happens the state no longer looks at us as a municipality.
Investors have rights, more rights than the Town.
If you vote for Article 32 you will be giving away your Town Meeting rights to ever see the final contract. You will putting the future of your Town into the hands of an interim town manager who as economic development director of the Town of Attleboro lost the Town $4.5M, a social worker, a hedge fund guy, and whatever Chris Seebeck is. Article 32 should be an embarrassment to the Selectmen and Peter DeCaprio who promised us something much different.
Article 32 asks YOU to let THEM make the decision you should be making for YOU. Article 33 is looking for more money for the Water Enterprise Fund.
As for Karen Quigley (a woman DeCaprio is stalking, relentlessly, through the blogs), she lost her bid for a second term on the board of selectmen by about 50 votes. She was one of the greats. A lot of us hope we’ll see her back on the board of selectmen one of these days.
One never knows. I never thought I would see Martha Gjesteby back on the board of selectmen, but now I am fully expecting the same.
One of the best reasons to vote against Article 32 is the promise by Peter DeCaprio that he will resign from the water commission if it fails. But can we count on that happening, anymore than we can count on anything else he has ever said?
VOTE NO ON ARTICLE 32 on May 12.
It is one of the last articles on the warrant.
Of course it is.
peter decaprio Said:
May 3, 2012 at 12:11 PM
so I’ll ask the question again. when was the last time 300 people helped negotiate a town contract? Did we have a say in Coughlin’s contract? Or his hiring? Or did we follow the will of the town by-law? I know these are difficult questions. Perhaps all the constitutional scholars that write here can weigh in. The entire town is being kept on edge by this gripping drama and can’t wait for your answers. We must hear from the experts: Kasperowicz, Callahan, Coughlin, Quigley. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Whoa! Was that a UFO that just flew by?
Tanna K Said:
May 3, 2012 at 1:05 PM
The foul ups we have seen in the Cohasset water department, whether they were caused by inattention, incompetence or outright subterranean banditry, are really quite extraordinary.
As the price of freedom is eternal vigilance, the price to Cohasset Town Meeting for getting a square deal on water and sewer services almost certainly means reading the proposals, when they come in, and reading the proposed management contract that is to be negotiated with the firm that is selected by the RFP process. This means time for publication, review and comment. No more “we have to pass the bill so that we can find out what is in it.”
The history of Cohasset Water is a joke. You receive a scorching report from a forensic accounting firm and then ask for discretion to deal with the Town’s water assets behind closed doors?
You are WAY OVER the top, DeCaprio!
Under current circumstances the presumption of your innocence is not available.
VOTE NO ON 32 AT ANNUAL TOWN MEETING, SATURDAY, MAY 12
peter decaprio Said:
May 3, 2012 at 1:33 PM
I don’t have to ask for discretion. I just have to follow the bylaw, and so does everyone else.
You’re motivating me to put all kinds of clauses in there to drive you more insane. Maybe we’ll add a line item to the bill called the Quigley Legal Expense Fund just to let everyone know how much damage she does to town assets.
Relax, we’ll treat this like the selection of a new pope. I’ll send up grey smoke every time we do something stupid. Habemus Papam.
Tanna K Said:
May 3, 2012 at 1:54 PM
Dear Peter…..
I thought because of all of your conflicts, you were removing yourself from selecting the final bidder. Was that just another one of your stories? Was reading through the Naval Shipyard stuff a few weeks ago and noticed that Cohasset Water was listed as a potential source.
You’ve been a busy guy.
We can do without any more of your smoke.
We’ve had enough of that.
I think your time here is coming to an end.
peter decaprio Said:
May 3, 2012 at 4:44 PM
Gosh, what a shame. No more water company. Oh, the horror.
I mean this sincerely: you really should get some help. You guys do understand the difference between selecting a winner bidder and then choosing the winning approach? It’s not that hard.
So, let me ask you geniuses a question: if there’s only one response to the concession, is that still considered a choice? whatever will the selection committee select between?
You know what? The hell with this. It’s easier just to hotwire the whole shebang to Aquarion. Whoops. Phone’s ringing. Must be the IG. Gotta go!
Mike Coughlin Said:
May 3, 2012 at 9:54 PM
Peter, why did you appear at a Hingham meeting to support the position of Aquarion– namely Hingham should not explore a municipal option but should remain a privatized system– Was this another favor you were doing on behalf of Aquarion President Chuck Firolotte and/or his/your Macquarrie colleagues?
As to your question as to one bidder– the law allows an awarding authority to reject a sole bid and go out again. Its called doing what is in the best interests of the town.
Along those lines, its in the best interests of the town meeting to vote on
a proposed contract which was promised by Ted Carr and Dianne Kennedy.
What is not in the town’s best interests are politicians that will not honor the promises they made or a water commission that does not offer town meeting an actual contract but instead wants the citizens to say– just trust us– you don’t have to worry about the details
peter decaprio Said:
May 4, 2012 at 10:37 AM
Why did I appear at the Hingham Water Supply Committee meeting? Because I was asked to, as the following email shows. As you know, Cohasset Water officials have frequently appeared in front of the Hingham WSC, a practice that literally has gone on for a decade.
From:
Date: February 9, 2012 3:41:08 PM EST
To: Sam, Roger, James, Tom, Paul, Maureen, kirk
Cc: Harry Hibbard, pdecaprio
Subject: WSC March meeting 3/28
“Fellow Members,
Our next meeting is on Wednesday, March 28th from 7:30-9pm; Hingham Town Hall. The agenda will include a discussion with Mr. Peter DeCaprio, current Chairman of the Cohasset Water Commission. Where Mr. DeCaprio will be the only member of the commission attending, our meeting will not constitute a meeting of the Cohasset Water Commission. Those WSC members with institutional history will recall that we have had numerous joint meetings with our Cohasset and also Hull water-supply-related officials in the past. It seems like we’ll have a lot to talk about. Please prepare your questions in advance of this meeting.”
We had a nice discussion, and they were appreciative. We talked about water company valuations, the true costs of running a water system, the pros and cons of running a system in-house, taxes lost in the transition, bad town managers, illegal employee contracts, hotwiring. The people in Hingham are really crazy. They like to research issues, get both sides, do the diligence necessary to make an informed decision. I know, I know, those are alien concepts to you, but what can you do? If Hingham wants to be thorough and judicious, that’s their problem, right? Why would you do anything so crazy as talk with neighboring water systems about operations? I mean, who does that these days?
I didn’t support any position as it is not our issue, it is Hingham’s (you really do have an issue with territoriality, don’t you?). I most definitely cautioned them to be careful in putting a full budget together, and make sure they accounted for all costs, including capital expenditures. And I pointed out the fact that other town-run systems in the Commonwealth have higher per gallon operating costs than we do. It was actually a pleasure to speak with people actually interested in their water system. I’ve never had that experience before. They were grateful, as the following email indicates.
“From:
Date: March 29, 2012 11:24:10 AM EDT
To: Peter DeCaprio
Cc:
Subject: Re: WSC March meeting 3/28
Peter,
Thank you for your extremely informative presentation to us lasts evening.
I am very interested in taking advantage of your knowledge in trying to get at least one “ballpark estimate” of the selling price of the company. I don’t expect it to be “the” selling price, nor am I concerned if various parties in the discussion consider other elements in determining their value for Aquarion’s HIngham/Hull/No.Cohasset business. What figures do we need to get from Harry at Aquarion to calculate a starting figure for discussion based on your expertise?”
This is an issue definitely worthy of turning over to your FBI friends for investigation. Go get ‘em Tiger.
Tanna K Said:
May 4, 2012 at 11:18 AM
It’s always interesting to listen to you and your friends discuss your plans for us…
peter decaprio Said:
May 4, 2012 at 3:04 PM
Hey Tanna:
Just ran into a bunch of long-time Cohasset residents. They all said that 20 years ago you were leading the charge to have the town-run water system run by a contract operator. What gives? Do you just like to gripe? When husband Ray was on the sewer commission, was there a halo over the commission then that has since dissipated? Or was he an example of the type of volunteer that can make the kind of decisions that Karen likes but thinks are impossible today? Do we all have to change our names to Kasperowicz?
Tanna K Said:
May 4, 2012 at 7:07 PM
PPP would be best.
Plus
Town engineer or civil engineer as milanoski suggested plus appointed 5-member water sewer advisory committe. Look how hard cap budget works and they’re appointed.
Did you ever talk to Fred about happened in 1994?
The town had to go to an outside engineer and water operator. No one in town was against that. McNabb wrote a book about it.
Lots of things could work – just no to any concessionaire – the vampire at the door. Invite them in and they bite you.
My cell phone range will be gone soon. Am traveling. Catch up to you next week.
Mike Coughlin Said:
May 6, 2012 at 9:19 AM
Peter,
The minutes reflect your defense of privatization which for Hingham means Aquarion. Aquarion spent big bucks to try to defeat Hingham’s study to look into buying and operating their water company. So your presence– supported your Macquarrie friends no matter how you try to spin it.
BTW– If no contract is offered at Town Meeting– Town Meeting voters will be asked “TO JUST SAY NO”
peter decaprio Said:
May 6, 2012 at 7:55 PM
I have never been bashful about my view that in-house operations for municipal water systems, especially those as small as ours, is the least preferable of all the possible choices. Certainly doable, most certainly the most costly. But then of course you would support larger municipal budgets, as you have never shown budget discipline at any point in your career. So, let me say it again: knowing what I know about how our system operates, and the true lifetime cost of every municipal employee, I believe that water system management should be outsourced, especially in the town of Cohasset.
How about you do this: prove (with hard data) that the in-house solution is better. And none of your usual unicorns-flying-around, tooth fairy, pie-in-the-sky B.S. Facts. Good cold ones. Numbers. Just one time try and make an argument based on facts, with logical solutions supported by data. Show how you would run the plant with fewer operators that cost less, and show what the future obligations of the town for these employees will be. Show how we will use economies of scale to drive non-employee costs lower too. C’mon.
Make sure you point out to everyone in town how a town-employee supervisor is no guarantee of success. Show everyone the data from Jacobs Meadow and Meetinghouse Pond, two large projects that were managed by town employees, that have significantly higher engineering costs than normal projects, where on Jacob’s Meadow alone, the costs for the town engineers approached $100,000 on a $450,000 bid, and that didn’t even account for the other two engineering firms that we were supposedly supervising. Talk about how those jobs are almost 40% over budget today. Show everyone the data.
Because if you don’t, I will.
Finally, make sure you explain to everyone that we are likely to eliminate $400,000 in annual operating costs with our next contract and that your solution proposes to add back about $250k in unneeded expense. Make sure you explain to people that for every $100k reduction in costs, we can reduce their bills by about 5%. So, talk about how much your solution will actually cost people money.
So, Chairman Mao, you’ve been begging to hear from Chairman Carr. Let’s hear from you instead. The onus is on you.
Mike Coughlin Said:
May 7, 2012 at 2:10 PM
Peter,
The cold hard fact is that Ted Carr is on trial before the voters of the town– not me. Another cold hard political fact that your shameless treatment of Mark Brennan and Tom Gruber on Jacob Meadows and Meeting House pond will backfire. Mark and Tom are both well liked in town with many friends. Remember Tom spearheaded the move to vote in the strong town manager act, is a member of Rotary and the Old Goats. Mark and his daughter Jen Oram are beloved. How do you think the voters at Town Meeting are reacting to your actions– sure you may prevail at committee or board meetings but what happens on Saturday when their friends show up at Town Meeting. They will vote for the citizens petition, no on water and at the ballot box against Chairman Carr. These are hard cold political facts. See you on Saturday
peter decaprio Said:
May 7, 2012 at 3:48 PM
As usual, you make this personal. It’s not about personalities. It’s about town-managed projects that run over their appropriation, it’s abouit excessive costs, and it’s about the lack of management process. Your side is making the claim that only a town employee can insure that the town’s interests are best served, all evidence to the contrary.
Should I give up on my request that you explain how the citizen’s petition is less expensive and better, or should I just climb aboard the unicorns and go for a ride?
peter decaprio Said:
May 7, 2012 at 4:02 PM
Something tells me you would react to the attached by saying that Mansfield’s Advisory Committee has no respect for public safety officials or their teachers.
http://www.wickedlocal.com/mansfield/news/x272282879/Mansfield-FinCom-walks?zc_p=0#axzz1uCWgdilw
http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2012/05/02/columns/11416709.txt
Mike Coughlin Said:
May 7, 2012 at 4:53 PM
You can distort the facts, try to say that the MMA report and the Melanson and Heath audit is flawed and banter that Gerry Perry and the DOR don’t know as much about you. They all support a concept similar to the citizens petition. Yet you know better
Instead you ask us to trust you and your fellow hedge fund managers and wealth managers– 2007/2008 was only a few years ago- so many of us have little trust for those who swear by a pie chart and a prospectus. You can whip some facts but most in town trust Mark Brennan and Tom Gruber. They trust other public works professionals in this region like Al from Scituate.
The fact is Peter- politics is personal–you made it so– politics– is about one person and one vote– but if you hurt a person who is respected and has friends– then that one vote multiples– if you bully employees, display arrogance and egotistical behavior like you– they vote against you and anyone linked to you. So Peter you may not be running but you are causing Ted votes— if you need evidence just look at how many Gjestby signs are springing up around town- keep talking– its great fertilizer for the Gjestby campaign–so keep talking and we will see what happens on Saturday and at the ballot box
peter decaprio Said:
May 7, 2012 at 5:19 PM
You still haven’t answered the question. How did the job’s exceed their appropriation without anyone being notified, which is a violation of Mass General Law (just ask Melanson Heath), why were the engineering fees such a high percentage of total job costs, and how did a job that was managed by the town become so expensive and also inlcuded two catastrophic failures of the gates? After all, we keep hearing from Karen about the failure of the sludge lagoons. Is this different?
If you have them, I’m sure everyone would also like to hear your answers regarding the true costs of the citizens petition. I’m sorry, was that bullying or egotistical? When Karen accuses previous commissioners of bad judgement, as she has in public repeatedly, is that also bullying and egotistical? Is that not hurting them? Or is that you just want to act irresponsibly with impunity?
Mike Coughlin Said:
May 8, 2012 at 1:25 PM
Why don’t you ask Tom Gruber and Mark Brennan? In any event, lets see what Town Meeting decides and then what the DOR Financial Management Review states– you probably won’t like what the DOR recommends either- its tough when you are the only one that is always right