Reader Feedback: Some Background Information and Comments

Structure3 (formerly known as Structure) wrote in some interesting comments on The City Council Meeting post which help give more of the background information that I'm missing. These are unverified comments, but give some more insight from another point of view:

I want to give input to the council meeting. Although I don't get up and speak, I do listen to everything else that I hear from various sources and take it into consideration so that when people do speak I can understand where they are coming from. Some of it I have confirmed and some of it I have not. I may be a bit biased abuot the new administration and it's credibility but that does not mean I don't have an opinion and can't get out some thoughts for consideration.

The First is regarding Albie Towles. That is the name of the gentleman who spoke regarding property taxes. Albie, a democratic town committee member who endorsed the mayor, processes service papers for extra money. This is a very lucrative business and you get PAID for serving papers on the old taxes. The reason he is upset with the Tax Collector is because he, the mayor and the town chairman asked the tax collector to give this work to Albie of which Albie,their close friend, would have made a lot of money. The Tax Collector did not do this. And Albie is very angry with the Tax Collector over this. So unfotunately, it looks to me like there is a financial motive to his speaking.

Secondly, Mrs Larusso was mayor Borer's secretary and her and her sister Deb EVangeliste that works in the Registrar's Office sued mayor borer because the sister Deb Evanageliste who works in the Registrar's Office hours were cut. The city defended this law suit and won. Mrs Larusso and her sister donated and worked for Mayor Picard's election. The first item to put on the agenda for the city council when the mayor was elected was to give back Mrs Larusso's siter her hours back and give her full health benefits. A total of $20,000. So, while we are cutting everyone else and saying we have a fiscal crisis, these women were paid with increased hours and health benefits after the city spent that money defending the suit. There was a memo that was written and serves as an agreement between the council and the Registrar's office saying that this woman will get more hours and health benefits if she keeps the REgsitrar's office open all day and cleans up the voters list. These jobs are not justifiably full time. Also, since taking office both Mrs Larusso and her sister's sons have been hired by the city. This comes directly from Councilwoman Rossi who kept bringing this up over and over in the first few months only to be ignored and I haven't heard her mention it since.

Charles Marino, Mayor Picard's former campaign manager, works for the Voice, Deb Evangeliste (the sister who was given a pay back of full time hours as noted above) writes the columns for the Voice, and she does it on WORK TIME. So we pay her our tax money to write the VOICE.

On the hand out from Mayor Borer's sisterin law, maybe they shouldn't have handed it out, but maybe they have no other way to get any word out and challenge the administration. Seems to be one sided newspapers. If the taxes are being paid on the house that the mayor's wife's father owns than of course is a good thing. But he still owns its and they pay him. That is no different from renting. And if all those improvements were made that the mayor's wife mentioned, did they get assessed on them like the rest of us??

On the fire issue in the memo, I agree. Mayor Picard's campaign manager was Harold Burns Deputy cheif of the Fire Department in West Shore. Mayor Picard's Treasurer for his campaign is the Fire Commissioner, Tina Peckingham. So when the west shore had the fire tax vote, of course he couldn't come out and vote with the rest of west shore and reject the tax increase because that would be going aginst his campaign leaders. Now this group wants to consolidiate away from the city. Why? because the Deputy Cheif will be Cheif soon and they will control the hiring of all three fire districts but still be UNACCOUNTABLE for their budgeting and actions and taxes. The fox watching the hen house but now the hen house is bigger.

Tim Wrightington. Here is a person who was appoitned to the Ethics Commission by Mayor Picard in January and is suppose to stay nuetral. Need I say more?

Curtis Jordon, is not Finance Director, but appointed to the Finance Board by Mayor Picard.

I'm disappointed this petition issue died and I hope Paul Kalowe and BobSymmes can keep it together in a non-plitical way. Everyone's missing the point, it's not whether there should be a referendum or not,it's that 5,000 people said this budget is unacceptable and the council should be acknowledging the people in some way, rather than just rubber stamping a "no".

Unfortunately Charles Marino didn't mention who he thought lived out of the city and should not be circulating, but he should have had some numbers. If there were 3,000 signatures needed and 5,000 were handed in, even if 1,500 were wrong, it's still a valid petition. Charles Marino never said any numbers. Unless I missed them. He is the Registrar if he has issues he should have had numbers in hand. Just like the bond counsel with his news, but nothing to pass out ever, no way for us to ever verify anything these people say.