Mayor ENDORSES Meals Tax

Mayor McCheese Bonfanti is 100% behind raising the Optional Meals and Hotels tax!! Now that we are looking at a 9+ MILLION DOLLAR bond for the Vocational School merger, is this how we are going to pay for it?

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The ICE QUEEN Cometh!

Well ladies and gents, the election process has taken it's course and Anne "The Ice Queen" Manning has gotten her wishes! First she was re-elected, now she will get to force that $800,000.00 optional meals tax that she brought up before the election down our throats! That's right folks, open up wide or bend over, which ever floats your boat, it is on the agenda for this week's meeting!

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HAPPY TURKEY DAY!!

I would personally like to thank you all for allowing me into the Peabody Blogworld and patricipating here at The Twisted Tanner! Happy Thanksgiving to all!

LET"S GO TANNERS!!!

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Jimmy "The Grouch" Liacos

A few comments have arisen lately regarding Jimmy "The Grouch" Liacos' vote on the Voke Merger. Even better, how about his future vote to accept the 9+ million dollar bond? What are your thoughts? Should he, being an employee at the school, be able to cast a vote being a sitting elected city official?

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TWO MISSING BALLOTS, DRISCOLL DECLARED WINNER !!!!!

UPDATE WARD 4 BATTLE OVER...DRISCOLL THE WINNER BY 2 VOTES.

As another blogger has recently stated, "do not ever think that your one vote does not matter!" The actual preliminary count was 1149 to 1150 declaring "Sleepy" Driscoll the victor. Tomorrow (soon to be today) will tell. As a side note, we are hearing here at TT headquarters that a previous candidate in ward 5 may once again step forth to try and de-throne the current ward 5 dictator.

Ward 5 needs some love and this individual can make some great things happen. So let's keep our eyes peeled and our thoughts positive as we proceed, 2011 will be here before you know it!

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Have friends or family in N. Reading?

The rumor appears to be true! Click on the link the I have provided HERE and you will see that our previous DPW director is now working in N. Reading! Apparently they haven't been informed of any of Peabody's past problems while tricky Dicky was at the helm. Perhaps they should pick up the phone and call the DEP!

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VOKE merger passes.

Did you really think that this was NOT going to pass? I would first like to thank "FACTS JACK!" for posting comments in this thread that sparked the attendence of a well respected elected official, Beverley Griffin. With her help we were able to educate some folks at the last minute as to why this in our opinion was not a good decision. It then led to posting on The Patriot blog...

Before we all go praising "Teflon Ted" as OG now calls Bettencourt, we must all first realize that the writing was already on the wall for this vote to pass. If you all do not think that these elected officials do not discuss these issues before the meetings take place then I have a nice deep lake in ward 6 I'd like to sell ya. "Toilet paper Ted" already knew that his vote would not matter, so this was nothing more than a popularity vote. "Sourpuss Sinewitz" and the "Grand pubah" Mello continue to try and make fiscally responsible decisions.

This still needs bond approval by a majority vote I believe, so this could not yet be over? We'll see?

You can read the latest story HERE

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What are they thinking?

Ok, so out of 22 applicants for the school business manager's position, the SC (the city of Peabody collectively) has made a decision after only interviewing 2 of the candidates? Is that a good business strategy? Maybe they should have gone to better business school with Dave "The Rat" Gravel, or had his company come in and do the interviewing for us?

Are these people out of their minds? Here are his perks too... The new business manager gets 20 vacation days, 15 sick days and five bereavement days each year, according to the contract submitted to the School Committee. I hope that the lack luster city council hammers this position into the ground! Wasn't it in fact Bettencourt AND Gravel that both committed to trying to eliminate duplicative services? Are you telling me that someone in city hall making 60k couldn't be the "School Business Manager"!! Ah...read what Marblehead did...CONSOLIDATION OF TOWN DEPTS!!! Let's see how Bettencourt and Gravel eat crow on this one!

A BIG waste of dough! What I want to kow is the relationship he (Keniston) has with McGeney?

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New Ward 4 Councilor?

Saturday will be the day that determines the outcome of the ward 4 council race. Just 1 vote separated a long-term incumbent and someone we never heard of until 5 months ago. The lawyers for both candidates are ready and the ballots are under lock and key. Either candidate could pick up votes and most likely will, on the other hand both candidates could also lose votes. Let's hope for the future of Peabody that Grayson emerges the victor! HERE is your latest on this race.

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WELCOME HARRY !

This comment was directed at an anonymous comment...

I can't understand how your of the opinion Sean Fitzgerald is a tool and clown wannabe. Here is a man who left Peabody well educated in politics and able to stay free of bad political influences that have been well known in Peabody. Did you give thought to this or do you know some thing no one else knows about his public life and standings, if so speak up now or shut up? - Just to let you know I lived in Peabody for 58 years and never encountered in any way Sean Fitzgerald . I never met him prior to his coming to Plaistow but knew of his public life having read the papers,etc.by following Peabody's politics very closely. Could it be your another festering boil on the back side of humanity? I ask that only because you may have been one of those I had to deal with while in a blue uniform . I do expect some critical response from you and others of your caliber having worked for some 25 years in Peabody as a police officer who came very close to exposing other pols and civilians of political "incorrectness" . When they say politics are a dirty game in Peabody those who say that are more than assumptive ,there more right than they realize. Don't get me wrong ,I'm not saying all in Peabody politics, past to present, are bad but I am saying its people like you who bitch and then do nothing to "cure" the bad things of your concerns. You probably haven't voted in the election[s] but are willing to cast unfair accusations on someone like Fitzgerald . As I see it Fitzgerald left Peabody because of its questionable politics because he is honest. If he were to run for office in Peabody at a later time its because he has the backing of those who want change and know he is honest and sincere. If by now you don't know who I am I'll tell you openly that I'm Harry Birmingham. If I'm capable of telling you who I am I see no reason why you cant do the same for all to see and respond to.

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Shennanigans with the closure proposals?

My moles have recently informed me of some possible "side-dealings" going on between a certain city councilor and Aggregate Industries. If you do not already know, Aggregate Industries has been put under a microscope the past 2 years by ward 6 councilor "Sour-Puss" Sinewitz. To satisfy special permits, they have been obligated to present several "closing plan" options to the City of Peabody.

Well, my peeps tell me that ward 5 Councilor David Gamache has been paying particularly close attention to this so-called "closure plan" and the proceedings associated with it. Now...at the present time, this is nothing more than speculation or rumor, but I am hearing that 2 out of the 3 plans involve removing the asphalt plant off of the property and that Gamache already has plans for it's location! A certain trucking company located on Farm Ave. would be one of the locations, and the former site of The Carraige House would be the other.

It will certainly be interesting to see how this whole thing plays out! Just remember this...you got it HERE FIRST!

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Problem solved? Not likely

No news in the local tabloids this morning, so I figured that I would venture out on a trek of Spring pond and it's lagoons...etc. What I observed was a bit dis-heartening. Both of the lagoons were full of water, from what I understand only one should be wet at a time. I also followed the stream down the hill and noticed multiple areas of ALUM deposits and rusty shades of water. There is an old broken/dismantled wooden structure (bridge?) about 20 feet or so away from lowwer Spring pond along the stream just before it empties into the pond, the smell there was not pleasant.

This was not my first trip to the contaminated area, and will not be my last. I am disappointed to see that better care has not been taken to correct the previous wrong-doings. And while we are here...what ever happened to the dredging of Crystal Lake? That seemed to quickly fall off of the map and out of the local papers!

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Grelish is "just thinking" again...

Many different thoughts, comments, and opinions in Tom's latest drivel. I am interested to see what you all come away from this piece with. Click on the image to the right and give it a quick read, then let me know if anything imparticular sticks out to you.

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Approval for merger by School Committee

Beverley cast the one and only vote against this lop-sided proposal. I admire her for her willingness to speak her mind and stick up for what she thinks is right. She spoke for nearly an hour. I guess we will now have to leave it up to the city council to shoot down this monstrosity of spending.

At this point we'll have to leave it up to "Sour-puss" Sinewitz and the "Dueling Obstructionists" Athas and Mello. I feel that unfortunately this one will end up 8-3 again. You can read the article by clicking Here.

Belton Nenton also did an Our View story that you can read by clicking Here

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Get Ready,HERE WE GO....

OH YA BABY!!! HERE WE GO!!! We now have a world wide web address!!! Please pass this along to all of your friends...

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Take this as a Peabody Public Service/Blogosphere message!

Save it into your favorites!

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Peabody's next MAYOR?

According to my moles, the latest word from Podunk NH. is that we may indeed see Fitzy back in 01960 in 2 years for a run for mayor. Do any of you out there in the Blogosphere think that he has a chance? I think he may! Other rumors circulating locally hint that Edward "I don't have an opinion" Bettencourt and Dave "The Rat" Gravel will be seeking the same seat. I've even been told that Anne "The Ice Queen" Manning may be looking towards the corner office?

Of the four mentioned above, whom do you think can pull it off?

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YMCA named after a real leader TORIGIAN

Well it's been a while since we've had real leadership here in Peabody, and I guess that is why every new project seems to end up with his name on it! I can't remember how long his coattails were back when he was delivering my mail as a child, but apparently they were pretty long...Bonfanti has been riding on them for 8 long years now!!! Click HERE to read the story.

What ever happened to "Two Terms", I guess he couldn't completely ruin the city in that short time frame.

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Vocational merger a bad idea

Our illustrious leaders need to take a better look at the big picture in regards to this "Mega Vocational School" merger.

1. 9.4 Million dollars to join, what will 9.4 million dollars do to increase the educational soundness of our own vocational school?

2. Peabody is allotted for 235 potential seats/students, meanwhile there are well over 300 that are "full-time" voke students and hundreds more that take classes as electives. What happens to those students?

3. 9.4 Million dollar bond! Are we really ready to bond for more than we have in our "rainy day fund?"

4. Since the school is being built outside of the city's boundaries, any tax write-offs for the 9.4 Million dollars that we will be contributing?

5. And probably the most important, our cost is 9.4 Million dollars IF all other towns sign on. IF they do not, our cost will go up!

I am sure that there are many other issues/questions associated with this proposal, perhaps our istute school committee members can chime in? We cut 1.5 million dollars in our own public school system last year and laid off teachers,paras,guidance counselors, monitors, special ed teachers....etc. NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS? The hell with the rest of the kids, I guess?

You can read the Weekly News' recent report by clicking HERE

Who will it be?

Now that the municipal election has taken it's course in 2009 and swept in virtually all incumbents, let's all keep those dreaded fliers that were strewn throughout the city on the top of the junk drawer.

Osborne committed himself to minimizing building/development off of Bartholamew street and working on traffic issues with-in his ward.

Bettencourt touted his stance against "big-box" apartments downtown, which means therefore he will vote against the re-zoning?

Gravel promoted cost saving measures associated with revamping the City's Health insurance plan. Possibly eliminating it from the elected officials, which he collected for 8 years on the School Committee.

Manning vowed to continue her stance as "a person that does her homework" before making a decision. I hear she does what Gravel tells her to do.

Liacos talked about retirement and traveling. From second to fifth on the ballot- see ya Jim.

Garabedian repeatedly spoke about the "Golden Triangle", I think he meant the banana?

Driscoll promised to stay awake at meetings and promoted his ability to raise 10 children.

Sinewitz says he will continue to work "with" the mayor and not "for" him. He must stay on his toes, Sheehan is already saying "I'll get him next time!"

Bonfanti says that we need to spend wisely, and that he is the "Sully Sullenberg" that will lead Peabody to a safe landing in these tough times.

Now, I have saved a piece of every one of these clown's literature. If or when they do not do what they promised you, I will scan their flier and post it. Good Luck all, let's have some fun!