Congratulations to Erin Baldassari for excellent reporting. (Quotes are from three recent articles in the Cambridge Chronicle by Erin Baldassari, September 26, 2012; October 15, 16, 2012) "City Manager Bob Healy said the CRA operates an independent body, separate from both the city and state governments." "Four of the members are appointed by the City Manager and the fifth member is appointed by the state." but Healy accepts no responsibility for the major theft of taxpayer money. Was his appointees responsible for the lack of due diligence?
Here is a classic pattern of official misconduct. The primary human motive as Lenny Bruce said is to protect one's job. When wrongdoing is exposed it is essential to avoid accountability. "It's not my job." is the refrain. Reacting to the revelation of the suspicious self-awarded salary package the Manager appointed former Councilor Kathy Born, former City Clerk Margaret Drury and Susan Glazer from the Community Development Department of the City. If the Manager has no responsibility why is he appointing new members to clean up the mess? Why was this board functioning without appropriate members? The Manager refused to appoint members to the Police Review Board and eventually cost the city $12 million dollars for a retaliation violation.
It appears as if these agencies are created to facilitate theft of funds with no foresight to protect taxpayer money, and to avoid accountability for the actions of the employees. It allows unscrupulous appointees to steal openly because no one is looking. Each week at City Council meetings the City Manager submits his agenda with references to scores of accounts where he transfers money into and out of, with names that boggle the mind. Just as the City Councilors are unable to comprehend the city budget they are clueless about what all of these accounts mean and where the money comes from or goes to.
When the City had to pay $12 million damages for a retaliation lawsuit the Manager miraculously made the money appear from a special account. How much more money is hidden in accounts known only to the Manager?
Another area of perplexing activity and perhaps waste of taxpayer funds is the law firm Foley Hoag LLC "which counsels the CRA." They are paid to provide legal advice. What advice do they provide? It does not appear that the law firm was aware of what the board was doing. The City Council and the City Manager are experts at spending other people's money. They are equally adept at avoiding accountability. "It is not my job. And if it is our job, we hire consultants so that it will not be our decision if it goes wrong." Did the Manager hire a search firm to find these appointees to the CRA?
“'It’s one of those rare occasions when the strategic plan from 30 years ago actually worked,' said Travis McCready, president of the Kendall Square Business Association, which the CRA helped found in 2008. 'This was all part of the plan'" McReady appeared in Cambridge working for Harvard's PR department for Paul Grogan. McReady followed Grogan to the Boston Foundation. Now his fact spinning abilities are used to divert attention from abuse(?), fraud(?), and waste of taxpayer funds.
"McCready [. . .] said it shouldn’t be forgotten that 'everyone benefited' from the success of Tulimieri’s work." Some benefitted more than others. Where's my share? Unequal opportunities anyone? McReady added, "the reason this problem persisted as long as it did was because there was a community benefit to having an organization that could just get it done.” Always in the name of good, evil is justified. That's what they teach you in PR school?
“I served on the council with [five] of the councilors who voted for this, I know that they knew there wasn’t a functioning CRA,” Born said (Sept. 26, 2012, Chronicle) "Councilor Ken Reeves, who has served on the council for 23 years, said it was not complacency from the council that led to the eventual disbanding of the board" Oh? It was not our job! Reeves added, "I don’t think it arose to some level of negligence on the council because we don’t appoint the members." Appointing the members gives rise to responsibility? Then it is the Manager's fault? Like Obama and Biden did not know the Libyan Ambassador Chris Stevens asked for more security before he was killed, the Manager didn't know anything either.
http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/news/x1925497616/Cambridge-Redevelopment-Authority-report-does-not-match-City-Council-s-account#axzz29gbV6aDm
Cambridge Redevelopment Authority report does not match City Council’s account
By Erin Baldassari ebaldassari (at) wickedlocal.com
GateHouse News Service
Cambridge Chronicle
Posted Sep 26, 2012 @ 08:59 AM
* * *
http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/news/x1890060151/Cambridge-Redevelopment-director-gave-himself-400K-bonus-8-percent-increase-before-stepping-down#axzz29gbV6aDm
UPDATED - Cambridge Redevelopment director gave himself $400K bonus,
11 percent increase before stepping down
By Erin Baldassari ebaldassari (at) wickedlocal.com
Cambridge Chronicle
Posted Oct 15, 2012 @ 07:49 PM
Last update Oct 17, 2012 @ 01:12 AM
* * *
http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/news/x346782209/Tulimieri-leaves-mixed-legacy-in-wake-of-resignation#axzz29gbV6aDm
Tulimieri leaves mixed legacy in wake of resignation
By Erin Baldassari ebaldassari (at) wickedlocal.com
Cambridge Chronicle
Posted Oct 16, 2012 @ 04:25 PM
No comments:
Post a Comment