Deja Vu all over again

When Middleboro was seeking a new Town Manager, a search committee composed of former Selectmen included Mr. D'Agostino in their final selection, failing to research the trail of discord and dissension left in his wake in Mansfield.

In his current position as Town Manager in Abington, Mr. D'Agostino's conduct is both unprofessional and childish.


Middleboro made a wise choice! OPINION: Time to ‘emancipate’ Abington town manager


Oh, where is Abraham Lincoln when a poor town official needs him.

“Lincoln freed the slaves, it’s called the Emancipation Proclamation,” D’Agostino said – later apologizing for the “slave” comments.

Abington residents should thank their unhappy town manager for the history lesson and the stunning display of offensive language and arrogance.

Slavery? Emancipation Proclamation?

Is D’Agostino joking? Local officials all had praise for his work and said they would have liked to pay him more, but Abington, like many communities, has serious financial problems.
We say “emancipate” D’Agostino – as soon as possible.

If people want to know why Abington Town Manager John D’Agostino hasn’t received many pay raises in the last few years, all they have to do is read the letter he wrote to the chairman of the Board of Selectmen Wednesday.

The letter, requesting permission to seek a job elsewhere, is riddled with grammatical errors, is confusing and contradictory and bears all the earmarks of having been banged out in anger. That’s somewhat strange since D’Agostino has violated his contract and only wrote the letter because local officials learned from the media that D’Agostino was planning an escape from town before his contract is up in 2013.

The letter is a serious breach of faith between D’Agostino and the residents of Abington and quite disappointing. Based on the letter and D’Agostino’s comments to The Enterprise, Abington should gladly let him break his contract and leave so someone with integrity and commitment can take over the post of town manager.

The trouble started recently when D’Agostino’s name turned up as a semi-finalist for the post of city manager in Key West, Fla. D’Agostino said it’s “unfair” that he “can’t test the value of my worth” while he works in Abington.

Amazingly, D’Agostino said he wasn’t aware that it was a violation of his contract to look for another job while working in Abington, even though he signed a contract that says he “may not actively seek employment during the term of this agreement without the written consent of the town.”

Can it be any more clear? D’Agostino signed on for three years, and he now makes more than $120,000 per year. We don’t believe for a minute that he didn’t know his contract forbids seeking employment elsewhere without permission. Didn’t he read his own contract when he took the Abington job?

But D’Agostino isn’t going to be “a slave for the town of Abington,” as he told us. Well, how about just doing the job you’re paid to do?

D’Agostino said town officials have ignored his hard work as town manager and didn’t give him enough in salary increases. At least we think that’s what he said. His letter to selectmen Chairman Chris Aiello makes no sense at times.

But D’Agostino was crystal clear when he talked to our reporter after sending the letter to Aiello. He wants more money and isn’t going to be anyone’s “slave,” as he put it – not even at $120K per year.

Read more: http://www.enterprisenews.com/topstories/x792222526/OPINION-Time-to-emancipate-Abington-town-manager#ixzz1tQk1Ix9l

PTWS Up And Running!

Indications are that the PTWS,

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located at http://www.middleborough.com/

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incidentally hosted in Town Hall, is up and running with no explanation.

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Maybe some computer geek can explain why when I type in "https," I come up with FVS318, which can be purchased from Amazon.com for about $100. (Actually, some can be purchased for ~$25.)

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So, is the best we can do to protect the Town's computer system a $100 gizmo?

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And maybe some computer geek can explain why the PTWS that used to get the

spelling of Middleborough correct, now appears at:

http://www.middlborough.com

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In case you were wondering what the Selectmen's Agenda was for May 11, 2009, check here. Notice that the Town Manager is listed as reporting on the progress of the PTWS. (It doesn't indicate which one -- the old PTWS, the new non-functioning PTWS, the new misspelled PTWS. Please help us to understand why we spent money and don't know what's going on. Is something being hidden from voters?)

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Maybe Marsha could explain on her email website? Or Mrs. Duphily could interrupt her beautification to explain? Or Mr. Rogers, who is up for re-election next year?

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It wasn't so long ago for those of us who were paying attention that the Library Director, to her credit, posted the Town Meeting Warrants on the Library's web site because of the pathetic PTWS.

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How have we improved?

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Marsha, please prepare your notes to tell us all about TRANSPARENCY, just like you told us town vehicles weren't going out for repairs after the Finance Committee disproved you.

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Many of the comments I have received (and not posted) have informed me of what detractors and critics have offered. It might be wise for those who condemn the messenger to examine the MESSAGE. Other towns don't operate like this.

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Stayed tuned!
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Healey For Hire

The Brockton Enterprise, clearly devoted fans of the former Middleboro Town Manager, Jack Healey, provided the following --

HEALEY FOR HIRE

Maybe retired Middleboro Town Manager John F. Healey should be teaching a class about job networking. Earlier this week, Healey, who still lives in Middleboro, was mentioned here after being hired in Kingston to fill in as town administrator three days a week. It’s the second temp job (the first was in Southbridge) for Healey, who stepped down from his Middleboro post in 2007 with a $104,000-a-year pension in 2007.

Now, we’ve learned that in a letter to the selectmen in Freetown, he made an offer they can’t refuse: For the low, low price of $800 per week (and no health insurance charges), he’ll work two days a week plus Monday nights. But wait, there’s more: for the entire fiscal 2010, he’d do the job for $38,400 with no benefits — a savings of nearly 50 percent from the $75,000 plus benefits that Freetown’s former manager was making.

HINT TO FREETOWN: Don't let Jack auction any land. And watch out for certain lobbyists.

Jack Healey

Retired town manager willing to help town

The Herald News reports --


Freetown —
A retired Middleboro town manager has offered to serve as Freetown’s interim part-time town administrator for a price of $800 per week after Town Administrator E. Winn Davis resigned last month.

John F. Healey, who lives in Middleboro, offered to work full days on Tuesday and Wednesday for Freetown and be available for the Monday night selectmen meetings. He also said he would help the town facilitate its next town administrator search.

Healey said although he would charge $800 per week, that cost would be free of health insurance charges, and he would make himself available by telephone for consultation. “I would not receive any benefits but would take four weeks unpaid vacation in the summer/fall of the year,” Healey wrote. “Because of my experience, and that of your long-term administrative assistant, I believe that we could continue to provide the town with the professional services that the town needs.”

He further added that if the town needed him for the entire fiscal 2010, it would cost the town $38,400 with no benefits — a big savings from the $75,000 plus benefits that Davis was making.

Consider it done --
Jack Healey

Once upon a time .....

Once upon a time, there was a DOR (Department of Revenue) Report.

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That incidentally, should probably be repeated since it would appear little progress has be made.

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That DOR report was requested by the Finance Committee, who seem to have done the best they could addressing the town's finances.

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The DOR notified the FinCom that the Board of Selectmen were required to request the review.

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Chairman Wayne Perkins, duly embarrassed by his oversight and being upstaged by the FinCom was forced to require the request by the BOS.

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The report itself contained many self-evident recommendations that a town government novice, such as myself, could recognize were significant money savers, silly things like quarterly tax billing, a 5 year budget projection.

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The report commented on the Town's failure to employ 'technology' to its fullest. PTWS maybe?

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The report also recommended that committees post their meeting minutes on the PTWS.

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Remember the whining at the DOR hearing about how the BOS had no control over committees?

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It might seem they have control over a committee they appoint, of which there are several including CRAC.

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Although the PTWS is user hostile, have there been any additional meeting minutes posted?

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The subject again reared its ugly head at tonight's BOS meeting since the public is uninformed without attending those meetings.

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The subject of Executive Sessions was again questioned.

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This is what Public Records Guide has written about Executive Sessions [Middleboro Board of Selectmen 3-9-09 ] --

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Minutes of executive session meetings must be reviewed and released regularly and promptly. Executive session minutes must be released to the public as soon as the stated purpose for the executive session protection has ceased.

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When the issue was raised during this evening's Middleboro Board of Selectmen's meeting that since the 2007 Executive Meeting Minutes were recently released, when would the meeting minutes of 2008 be released? The response by the Town Manager, Charles Cristello was that he had decided the meeting minutes would be released annually, right before the town election in April.

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So ANNUALLY must constitute 'regularly and promptly.'

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Thanks for that clarification!

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Gavel Queen (who gavelled any dissent or opposition to silence regardless of how polite), Selectwoman Marsha Brunelle and star of Sick And Tired Of This Crap assures us that nothing secret is going on with the Tribe. The BOS must have made a resolution since they negotiated a backroom deal with Glenn Marshall.

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Just put that gavel back in her hand and she won't have to make those outrageous claims!

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We can all sleep well knowing that we have Marsha's word!

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I wonder.....Would we keep re-visiting the same issues if they were resolved?

John F. Healey: Interim Town Administrator, Kingston

Kingston: A permanent administrator by May 1

The [Kingston] board decided to give the search committee a timeline for choosing candidates to fill Donovan’s position. Donovan is leaving today (Friday). John F. Healey of Middleborough was named interim town administrator until a permanent administrator is selected (see related story).


Note to Kingston: Watch out for Jack's Fuzzy Math!

Previous Posts

Tradition and Middleboro Town Meeting

There's a homily about a young married couple in which He comes home from work. She's prepared a roast for supper. He asks 'why did you cut off the ends of the roast?' She responds 'I don't know. My mother always did.' He asks his new mother-in-law why she cut off the ends of the roast, to which she responds, predictably, 'I don't know. My mother always did.' When he then asks her mother, the response is 'I did it because the roasting pan was too small.'

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Traditions serve us well in perpetuating family heritage, as reminders of the past, creating connections, providing stability.

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Laws and statutes that create a framework for minimal legal compliance frequently become 'traditions,' that fail to evolve with technology and changing lifestyles. Frozen embryos that created custody battles and uncharted legal territory come quickly to mind.

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The antique framework dictating Town Meeting proceedures and timeframes fails to conform to the Town's changing needs and has failed to evolve. And they fail to provide TRANSPARENCY.

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It is no longer acceptable that a Town Manager present union contracts to the BOS for signature at Town Meeting and disregards the Finance Committee. It is not acceptable that Warrant Articles fail to contain details and dollar amounts. How does that provide transparency to voters?

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It was totally unacceptable that Sapphire Engineering had to present details of their own TIF at Town Meeting. Instead, it has been voiced by many that the TIF Agreement should have been posted on the Town's Web Site (such as it is) and it should have been widely circulated PRIOR to Town Meeting.

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That numerous articles on the STM Warrant were tabled raises questions of competence.

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And the Eminent Domain Article on ATM is yet another questionable matter that defines the current BOS.

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It was only the early availability of the ATM Warrant that allowed research into issues surrounding the Articles, such as 43D. The opinions and information were circulated on nemasket and among several private email discussion groups.

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Legal compliance should not be the determinent, but rather the GOALS of TRANSPARENCY, INFORMATION, INCLUSION and ATTENDANCE should be held in high esteem.

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It would seem that past poor attendance has been determined by the failure of the BOS and the Town Manager to provide adequate information, publicity, education and the willingness of those few who attended to simply approve Articles with no comprehension.

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The Moderator has worked diligently to ensure that voters fully understand what their vote represents, which can be confusing when confronted with Amendments and other motions.

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And so, my friend, my comments represent those voiced by others and not a legal opinion about Town Meeting Law nor the lack of my familiarity with same. They represent what make sense to truly INFORM and not merely comply with the law. And my friend, those who cling to the homily and insist 'we've done it this way for 100 years ...' have already been left behind.

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Those recently involved newcomers are already considering Charter changes that provide a sensible framework and timeframe, but in the meantime, recognition of attempts to reduce Mushroom Farming should be paramount.

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Simply put, if you want voters to attend Town Meeting, they need information far enough ahead of time to research, question and understand, and more importantly, AN INVITATION.

Ancient History Always Returns to Haunt

During the process of attempting to hire a replacement for the retiring Middleboro Town Manager, Jack Healey, there were numerous criticisms I launched about the process and the candidates.

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During the last round, the candidates presented included the current Town of Mansfield Town Manager.

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Last week, I encountered several people who are active, involved and paying attention who believed that they might have selected Mr. D'Agostino and were unaware of the surrounding information. The following has been posted on the Mansfield discussion forum that appears to provide respectful comments and a broad range of viewpoints.

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Although the information is too broad to quickly review, for those who would like additional information regarding what a poor choice of candidate Mr. D'Agostino appears to be based solely on publicly available information, a review of TalkMansfield might be helpful.

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Mr. D'Agostino presented a credible, convincing facade and had the support of a Middleboro business owner, Robert Saquet who is Town Moderator of Mansfield, but the selection committee and the Board of Selectmen went no further. This is not to suggest that Middleboro need be mired in the issues surrounding any other town regarding their town manager in the search process, but merely to suggest that you don't arrange a long term marriage without meeting the family.

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As a footnote: there was much respectful discussion surrounding the most recent selection on a local discussion forum, nemasket. (Participation requires registration.) It appears that only one Middleboro Selectmen can be bothered to read what is being posted.

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Because of my limited free time, comments have backlogged my mailbox and most have been deleted in an effort to catch up. Apologies if yours was included. If you believe it was important and want to see it posted, please re-post.

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Land Sold for $1

The Brockton Enterprise reported on an Inspector General's letter to the Carver Selectmen from June 2008 regarding a parcel of town owned land that was sold for $1.

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The June 30 memo, addressed to selectmen chairman Jack Angley, said the town was found in violation of state Chapter 30B laws when it disposed of property at 13 Birch Terrace. The property, which was taken by the town for nonpayment of taxes, was sold to Habitat for Humanity for $1 in April 2002. It was assessed at the time at $42,000.

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In June of the same year, Habitat sold the property to private buyers for $36,000. Last June, after the property was sold two more times over the years, Wells Fargo Bank foreclosed on a $189,900 loan on the property.

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Maybe the details of the property sale aren't that significant to Middleboro residents, but the following comments might be:

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A secretary for Town Administrator Richard LaFond said LaFond was out of town for the week.

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The latest selectmen meeting minutes show that on July 8, selectmen and LaFond discussed the June 30 document, and LaFond acknowledged the issue was not handled properly.

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The minutes show LaFond stated, “mistakes were made and he bears some responsibility of the disposition of tax title property.”

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Some may remember that Mr. LaFond was considered by the Middleboro Board of Selectmen last year as a possible Town Manager and was supported by some. This, yet again, defines the failure of the Town Manager Search Committee and the Board of Selectmen to conduct adequate investigation of potential candidates.

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Ancient History But Not Quite

When the Selection Committee presented candidates for Town Manager to the Middleboro BOS for consideration, the blogging and Internet communities had much to say.
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The final candidates included a former mayor of Brockton, Yunits, who currently lobbies for the proposed *Brockton Power Plant with the same firm handling the proposed Mashpee Wampanoag Casino PR; a current Town Manager from Mansfield, D'Agostino, with a mega-judgement against the Town caused by his actions and an unprecedented judgement against himself for legal fees, who precipitated a recall election; and Charles Cristello, Town Manager of Hingham, who improved the Town's bond rating to triple A, and by the way, check out the Town's Web Site. (For comparison, check out Town of Middleborough.)

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*As a footnote: the Brockton Power Plant will use 1,600,000 of WASTE WATER daily, has a 250 foot smoke stack, is located in a heavily residential area near schools, and will use CLEAN diesel fuel, whatever that is. When was the last time you got stuck behind a diesel truck? Clean?
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In the process, it would seem that few on the Selection Committee had discovered the Internet and only one Middleboro Selectman had done so.

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The blogs seem to be proving that we are all in this together, regardless of what some believe.

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Middleboro residents might find Talk Mansfield interesting.

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Mr. D'Agostino was well prepared for his interview and presented a good public appearance. His subsequent comments Middleboro Selectmen As Search Committee? said it all.

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Sorry, Mansfield!

You Can't Blame the New Town Manager

You can't blame the new Town Manager because the Middleboro Board of Selectmen failed to explain the surrounding issues to him.

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During the BOS Meeting (Monday, September 8, 2008), the Town ownership and disposition of the Rock Village School on Highland St. was discussed.

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The sale of property by the Town of Middleboro, and specifically by the retired Town Manager, Jack Healey, has an inflammatory history that Town voters are unlikely to dismiss as quickly as the BOS. (Matt Carroll of the Boston Globe also wrote about some of the questionable dealings, but the articles are no longer in the Globe archives.)

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Jack Healey presided over poorly advertised Town property auctions himself on the pretext of 'Saving the Town the money of hiring an auctioneer.' Sorry, Jack, but not all of us were or are that stupid. Jack Healey

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Should someone be unfamiliar with auctions, and require an explanation: an auctioneer charges a 'Buyer's Premium,' which means the Town nets X dollars, the auctioneer receives a % of X dollars, above and beyond the bid price. (If you read some of the auction ads in a newspaper, you'll see a Buyer's Premium disclosed.)

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Simply put: Let's say the Buyer's Premium is 9%, you bid $100 for an item, the Buyer's Premium that goes directly to the auctioneer is $9. You pay $109.

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Those land parcels that were auctioned, even at the height of the real estate market, were sold far below the revenue they should have provided for the Town. Casino property for $14,000 an acre?

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And then there was the Perry Property. And Marsha, I spoke to you, personally about this. And we might discuss the school buildings that had been allowed to fall into disrepair. And how 'bout the Cherry St. property? Wasn't that the one where Town Counsel represented both the Town and the Buyers? Or could we toss in the Green School that is slowing rotting? The Washburn property?

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Since Middleboro wasn't on Mr. Cristello's radar when this transpired, he wouldn't have known. But most of the same Board of Selectmen stills sits there. They are the ones who remained silent as Town assets decayed or were given away without generating the revenue they should have. Taxpayers were shortchanged.

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And the taxpayers remember!

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And the Middleboro Board of Selectmen have apparently forgotten the 2007 ATM when voters unanimously REFUSED to vote the Rock Village School to the BOS to be sold. (There was another parcel, as well.) Voters figured out that they couldn't trust the BOS to make the wisest decisions.

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Victor Sylvia stood up at that ATM and spoke about the Rock Village School and that the land had been given to the Town to be used for education. Others made comments about the questionable decisions of the BOS.

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The Rock Village School became vacant because the church group that had occupied the building was delinquent in their rent, hadn't maintained the building, as was required in their lease and Town Counsel opined that occupancy by the church was illegal.

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In the intervening + 1 year, has anyone heard mention of RFPs (Request for Proposals)? Has there been any solicitation for ideas about using the property for community purposes?

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Instead the BOS is considering using the Rock Village School property for storage by the DPW to allow the Forest St. building, where the DPW currently has storage, to be used by veterans' groups. Or, possibly selling the Rock Village School property, in a depressed real estate market, which would allow for residential construction .

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At an earlier date, the BOS established a policy in which, land that could be used for residential construction would not be sold because real estate property costs the Town money in terms of services, specifically cost of education. Wasn't that the issue with the Cherry St. property?

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This one clearly bears watching because mostly the same short-sighted BOS is in place.

Southbridge: Not Forgotten

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Middleboro's Retired Town Manager left a legacy to Middleboro that consisted of Fuzzy Math, Management by Crisis, a Mega Casino Deal worth +$20 Million that he negotiated for $7 Million, Million Dollar Land Locked Swampland and much else. (LINK)

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For the sake of accuracy, some might have noticed that Milford is being primed for $50 Million as my fellow blogger, Bellicose Bumpkin noted. Ever one who knows the value of the dollar and is a ducky negotiator, Mr. Healey did a bang up job in Middleboro!

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On discovering that his Fuzzy Math legacy had followed him to Southbridge, it is rumored that he sputtered about lawsuits and much else.

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Unfortunately, Mr. Healey's Mega Casino Deal, conducted mostly behind closed doors, created internet monsters that followed him!

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In Mr. Healey's retirement, he created a Mega Monster of a landfill deal based on much the same flawed Management Style on which his previous employment was based and with many of the same characters:

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Sign on the dotted line or the town will self-destruct

This is the best deal you're going to get

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and the rest of the tired rhetoric Middleboro heard for + 20 years.

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Speak Out Southbridge is offered as a reminder of the consequences of poor decisions and voters tolerating poor management.

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And while you're at it, check out RATS.

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Thanks, Dennis for the update.

By Special Request

Technical problems resolved:


Speak Out Southbridge

Hit the Road Jack?

What could this mean?

I mean, after all Mr. Healey did for Middleboro?

Speak Out Southbridge



For some background information, check out RATS

Jack Healey and the Casino Investors

Excerpts of an article that appeared in the Cape Cod Times on December 18, 2007 (excerpts below, emphasis mine):

Casino investors engineered secret deal

In a secret deal, casino investors for the Mashpee Wampanoag secured an option on 200 acres in Middleboro two days before they purchased 125 adjacent acres from the town.

The deal, and the secrecy surrounding it, may have resulted in the town garnering less money than it could have had the deal last April been more widely advertised.

Former Middleboro Town Manager Jack Healey, who first proposed the auction to raise money for the cash-strapped town, has since retired and could not be reached for comment. Town and tribe officials first met in March to begin talking about a proposed casino, according to Times archives.

Middleboro selectmen approved the auction April 9 and it was held April 27. The auction was advertised only in the local weekly newspaper, town Treasurer Judy MacDonald said.

But if the town wanted to get top dollar for the property, it should have done more advertising, Stevens said.

By comparison, Sandwich officials recently hired a professional auctioneer to advertise and accept bids on property sold by the town this month. The auctioneer advertised the properties in real estate publications in Massachusetts and New York, as well as regional newspapers, attracting 60 registered bidders.

A 34-acre parcel, the Sandwich auction's premier property, fetched $900,000 — about $26,470 an acre, or $12,000 more per acre than the Middleboro land generated.

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Speeded up for budget

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The Middleboro auction was held so quickly to make the funds available for this year's town budget, MacDonald said.

As for hiring an auctioneer, MacDonald said, the town's been doing its own auctions for several years. "Why pay someone when we can do it ourselves?" she said.

Auctioneers, like the one hired in Sandwich, are paid through a premium charged to the buyer over and above the purchase price — usually 9 or 10 percent. CapeCodTimes

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Southbridge, Landfills and Mr. Healey

Jack Healey and the Casino

Southbridge and Mr. Healey

Perry Property and Jack Healey

Talking Trash with Mr. Healey #2

Mr. Healey: Tsk! Tsk! Tsk!

Mr. Healey and Those Ever Changing Laws

Mr. Healey's Legacy Continues to Haunt

Talking Trash with Mr. Healey

Mr. Healey Inflicts Slap-Dash on Southbridge!

Thanks, Jack!

Middleboro's Gain is Southbridge's Loss

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Middleboro slows 'frantic' casino pace

Betting the farm

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The DOR Report and the Financial audit for Middleboro appear on the nemasket site.

Southbridge, Landfills and Mr. Healey

The following was published in response to Retired Middleboro Town Manager Jack Healey's involvement with the proposed Southbridge Mega Landfill:

To the Editor:

Our Board of Health doesn't need any more of Healy's relentless
pressure, which has been deemed inappropriate by both the landfill
Hearing Officer and by Marcia Benes, the director of the Massachusetts
Association of Health Boards. Perhaps Mr. Healy should give the MAHB
lawyer a call before continuing with his fear mongering to intimidate
these five volunteers who are doing their best to do their job: to
make their decision based on health and environmental facts—not fear.

Healey decried fear-mongering then threatened to cut every aspect of
the Southbridge budget. Sadly, Healey does have a poor reputation
financially; he left Middleboro a mess that auditors are still working
to sort out. The Middleboro Gazette coined the phrase "fuzzy math"
when talking about his tactics of trying to use short term revenue to
fund the current budget. His character was "assassinated" by his
hometown, not us, though his history is repeating itself here. Notice
he can't deny any of the facts.

As for recycling, the problem with the "single stream" recycling is
that much of it ends up in the landfill. Check out Recycle Bank
financials. Casella owns 20% of it and it's losing money. Not that
there is any evidence that Casella is interested in recycling. In New
York Casella was fined $90,000 for dumping carefully washed but
less-than-lucrative recyclables in their landfills. The fines were
used to pay back 2000 customers for recycling service they didn't get.

In the landfill hearings the words of public health research David
Carpenter were devastating, especially given that many of us who live
in a three mile radius of the dump have children. Statistics signify
regions surrounding landfills have increased hospitalizations for
asthma, infectious respiratory disease, diabetes, Cardiovascular
disease, hypothyroid syndrome and genital disease in women. Dr.
Carpenter clearly explained how the inhalation of toxins in the air
and known carcinogens leaching into the water were his primary
concerns. He was especially concerned about children because of their
sensitivity to toxins during development. He cited research results of
higher rates of birth defects and hormonal disruption of babies born
of women living in areas surrounding landfills.

None of us are going anywhere, we will continue to fight the landfill
expansion and the bigger fight for state legislation so this doesn't
happen to any community. The Massachusetts DEP needs to join the 21st
century and adopt policies that are truly protective of health and the
environment. If this modification goes through and we have 405,000
tons of unsorted raw garbage coming into Southbridge every year, it
will harm the air and water in the entire tri-community area. It's an
undeniable fact that eventually two layers of plastic and the
imperfect technology of gas collection will not contain the toxins in
that mountain of garbage and then we'll have a Superfund site
here—but
will there be a Superfund to clean it up?
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For Mr. Healey, getting a "free lunch" from Casella seems like the
easy path. However, as a pregnant woman with two small children, well
water and a home no more than a mile from the dump, I can tell you
that in this instance the easy path is not the right one.

Sincerely,

Lara DeRose

DEP asked to nullify hearings LINK

CarverChick raised the issue of the impacts of effluent on the Nemasket River, a treasured resource that Mr. Healey dismissed in his haste to cram a casino onto a Town, while the Middleboro Board of Selectmen behaved like Bobble Heads and blindly followed:

Of Special Concern
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The Middleboro Board of Selectmen authorized Mr. Healey to investigate the interest of the Mashpee Wamppanoags to locate a casino in Middleboro, but specifically instructed Mr. Healey NOT to negotiate the terms.

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Mr. Healey auctioned the proposed casino land to investors at a bargain basement price of $14,000 per acre, at a time house lot were selling for $200,000 per acre, in a poorly advertised auction as was his custom in ALL other Town auctions.

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Mr. Healey (along with Attorney Whitten, who lacked ANY experience in the area of law) instead negotiated an Agreement that set the bar at $7 MILLION AND WAS GROSSLY FLAWED.

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Twin Rivers, the Rhode Island casino, will net the host community + $20 MILLION because it provides for a percentage of slots.

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Check out the recent articles about casino profits:

Truth to Power

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Mr. Healey cheated the Town of Middleborough out of + $20 MILLION per year because he picked a number out of the ethers.

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There are other linked blogs on the right side of this screen that provide greater detail of the casino fiasco that Jack Healey created.

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Fortunately, the Commonwealth House of Representatives has defeated Class III Gaming this year and the Secretary of the Interior Kempthorne has correctly viewed this process as 'Casino Shopping,' in which the newly recognized Tribe has no historical ties to the host community. Mr. Healey's grandiose scheme has been successfully thwarted by others.

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Businesses love to see Mr. Healey coming because he fails to gather his facts or research the details.

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How is $7 MILLION close to + $20 MILLION?

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Please don't allow Mr. Healey's FUZZY MATH to prevail in Southbridge.

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Jack Healey and the Casino

At the April 9, 2007 Middleboro Board of Selectmen's Meeting, Town Manager Jack Healey presented a lengthy list of properties the Town should auction to balance its budget. Although the recorded Meeting Minutes speak for themselves, it should be noted that Mr. Healey indicated none of the parcels were Conservation Commission parcels, when in fact, 5 parcels had been voted by Town Meeting in 2001 to the ConCom.

A Town resident spoke up and prevented those parcels from being sold.

The Middleboro Conservation Commission maintains a list of parcels over which it has charge, yet Mr. Healey claimed otherwise.

The Town Planner had prepared a Memo that was forwarded to the Board of Selectmen that itemized parcels that the Town might want to re-consider selling. In her memo, she called attention to the interest that had been expressed in the Precinct Street property, both by casino investors and for future commercial development, as well as other issues.

Town Manager Jack Healey successfully auctioned the only bargaining chip the Town of Middleboro owned for ~ $14,000 per acre to casino investors.

As a side note, the Rock School parcel on Miller Street that was referred to was a school that constructed on land donated with the stipulation that the property was to be used educational purposes or revert to the family/heirs. At the time of the Annual Town Meeting, that issue had not been referred to Town Counsel for a determination.

Selectmen's Meeting Minutes and links below (emphasis mine):

SELECTMEN’S MEETING
APRIL 9, 2007

TOWN MANAGER’S REPORT

Auction Sale of Town-Owned Property

Mr. Healey provided the Board with a list of Town owned parcels that could, and should, be offered for sale.

Mr. Healey said not all parcels will be sold as many are “landlocked”. An effort will be made to notify abutters of the auction. He said, although some parcels could bring in significant cash, it won’t repair the structural deficit.

Mr. Healey also asked the Board to open the Special Town Meeting Warrant to add an article to authorize the sale of the 1.3 acre parcel on Water Street shown on Map 58H, Lot 2386, and the Rock School parcel on Miller Street, shown on Map 087 Lot 923.

Upon motion by Selectman Bond and seconded by Selectman Perkins, the Board
VOTED: To open the Special Town Meeting Warrant and add the two (2) above- referenced parcels.
Unanimous Vote.

Upon motion by Selectman Perkins and seconded by Selectman Spataro, the Board
VOTED: To close the Warrant.
Unanimous Vote.

Jane Lopes asked for the projection based on actual Local Receipts.

Mr. Healey said he anticipated difficulty reaching the estimated Receipts, noting that development sensitive revenues are down.

Ms. Lopes asked how much of a shortfall was expected.

Mr. Healey said he won’t know until the excise tax revenue is out within the next month.

Upon motion by Selectman Perkins and seconded b Selectman Bond, the Board
VOTED: To authorize the Town Manager and Treasurer/Collector, to auction the properties as listed in the Town Manager’s Report dated April 5, 2007.
Unanimous Vote.

Ms. Lopes asked if the list had been “shopped around” to Boards to determine if the land is valuable for open space.

Mr. Healey said none of the parcels are ConCom properties. He said it was not reviewed for open space. The land will be sold to get it back on the tax rolls.

If the minimum bid is not offered, the Town will keep the land. LINK

SELECTMEN’S MEETING
APRIL 17, 2007

Auction – Town-Owned Land

Selectman Bond said he had received a series of questions over the weekend related to the proposed auction of town-owned land. He said the issue, besides the timing of selling in a “soft market”, is that four of the parcels are ConCom properties. There was also a letter from the Town Planner advising of putting restrictions on the parcels before selling.

Mr. Healey said there are five (5) parcels that were transferred by a Town Meeting vote in 2001 to the ConCom. He said there is no record regarding this. He called the Conservation Office and spoke to Phyllis who advised that there is not a “list” of all parcels under the ConCom.

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Discussion ensued on two (2) parcels of land on Precinct Street containing 125 acres.

Mr. Healey said those parcels are valued at $490,500 each. An opening bid has been set for $1.5 million. He said this property should go back on the tax roles. He said most of the frontage is wet, and said there is a considerable question as to how much of the property is buildable. LINK

Southbridge and Mr. Healey

The following are excerpts from a Worcester Telegram article:

A ‘bite the bullet’ budget emerges from session
During the session, Mr. O’Brien and Mr. Vandal strongly criticized Acting Town Manager John F. Healey for working toward a side letter to increase benefits to the town from an extension agreement with landfill operator Casella Waste Systems. It passed 7-2.

After Mr. Healey told the town it was setting itself up for annual cuts in services if a site assignment for the landfill didn’t go through, Mr. Vandal said, “I’ve never heard so much bull and scare tactics.” He said Casella was positioned to give the town anything.

Mr. O’Brien called the timing “incredibly curious.”

“It’s before the Board of Health, which is supposed to be purely concerned with the health issues; and if they approve it, guess what? They get all the money they need to build their own bureaucracy. Sure sounds like bribery to me.” WorcesterTelegram

Perry Property and Jack Healey

Few were paying attention to Middleboro until the casino reared its ugly head, but Matt Carroll, Boston Globe wrote about some questionable land auctions over which Retired Town Manager, Jack Healey had presided.

Mr. Healey insisted on conducting the auctions himself, justifying it to the Selectmen as a cost savings measured. Apparently no one ever heard of Buyers' Premiums.

The land auctions that Mr. Healey conducted were poorly advertised and poorly attended.

And the previous questionable issues that had been raised caused Chairwoman Brunelle to request that the March 2007 auction be videotaped, which of course, it wasn't. But I digress.

The Selectmen's Meeting Minutes for March 5, 2007 reflect the following:

SELECTMEN’S MEETING

MARCH 5, 2007

Mr. Healey also noted that there has been an interest expressed in Town-owned land on Beach Street that is bog property. Because the bog is not being treated, there is a threat of pests destroying it. He said he hopes to offer it for sale within the next month. LINK
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The property was Map 104 Lot 2966, 26.08 acres on Beach Street Assessors (note cranberry bogs). The lot is on the bottom right side abutting Wareham Town property line.
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On March 12, 2007, the Middleboro Board of Selectmen voted to 'auction' that piece of Town property that had been taken for taxes.

The advertisement appeared in the Middleboro Gazette on March 15, 2007.

This is residential property in the RR zoning district.
Hadn't the Middleboro Selectmen previously determine that they wouldn't sell any residential property?

SELECTMEN’S MEETING
MARCH 12, 2007

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OTHER

Vice-Chairman Brunelle read the Notice of an Auction of Town-owned property on Beach Street . The property contains 26.8 acres and includes a bog and associated upland.

The Auction will be held at the Town Hall on March 31st at 11 AM. Viewing of the property will be on March 23rd at 11 AM.

Upon motion by Selectman Spataro and seconded by Selectman Bond, the Board
VOTED: To authorize the Auction.
Unanimous Vote.

Vice-Chairman Brunelle suggested the auction be videotaped.

SELECTMEN’S MEETING
APRIL 2, 2007

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Mr. Healey said there was some “good news”. He noted that the Perry property on Pine Street had sold for $435,000. LINK

We'll never know if the Town got the most possible for this parcel, but it was one of Mr. Healey's many endeavors that makes one wonder.

Middleboro ATM Adjourned

Middleboro Annual Town Meeting was adjourned on the second evening after concluding the Warrant Articles that included several controversial items.

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Because the information was available earlier than previous years, voters circulated and discussed pertinent issues and were able to research the details prior to Town Meeting.

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Of particular importance during this process, has been the nemasket discussion forum that allowed consideration of the 43D proposal. It was an invaluable asset to ask questions, toss around solutions and sort the issues with the input of others.

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The budget process resulted from the cooperation of a great many, working together to present a balanced budget at Town Meeting, unlike previous years when dissatisfaction forced department heads to present their issues on Town Meeting floor.

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A town resident, Bob Dunphy suggested that signs advertising Town Meeting be posted on lawns and around Town as an advertisement and reminder.

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Since Town Meeting adjourned on both evenings with a quorum still present, the signs seemed effective.

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As signs were being retrieved, some of the comments of those who had attended previous Town Meetings highly praised the improvement of the process and the professionalism of Mr. Steve Lombard, interim Town Manager.

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There seems to be no greater indictment of Retired Town Manager Jack Healey than the effusive praise of a temporary replacement who has done nothing more than HIS JOB in a professional manner.