How can people tell other people that the PIP is no longer the PIP but a safe well run triage center and is o'kay for another neighborhood, but when the center is moved back to their neighborhood complain that it is not fair to their neighborhood?
In the end it only made sense for SMOC to move back to a buidling that they already own until the new center is built. Looking back I think this process is a perfect example of how things actually work well in the Democratic process. Meetings were held, the concerns of the constitutents were heard and the right thing was done.
Same Time Next Year
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It’s been nearly a year since I wrote about the problems that come from
having 11 bosses who are not on the same page about anything, as well as
suggestion...
4 months ago
11 comments:
I think it's perfectly fair to say that that corner is not the appropriate location for a triage center that might be encouraging people to approach sobriety.
If you think this was a good example of the democratic process, I'd prefer not to live in a democracy.
The 1398 Main Street site had two public meetings, both of which were shut down. There were some neighbors who were not opposed to the triage center, and those neighbors were not able to talk because they didn't shout and scream.
There were NO public meetings before the triage center moved into 701 Main Street. But perhaps the only constituents who count are those who don't live in Main South.
MS is not exactly the best locale for those trying to get clean and sober. With that in mind, I often wonder why SMOC doesnt find it in their infinite wisdom to place a triage center in South Middlesex county where they belong. Most all the towns in South Middlesex county are relatively affluent; are avery heavily solidly "progressive" middle class demographic; and given their Bwarney Frank and Martha Coakley leanings would surely have open arms/tolerance for a triage center. NOT!
cLEARLY WE ALL KNOW that if SMOC placed a triage center in Lexington or Weston the rug would be pulled right from under their $56,000,000 funding. This is the true hypocrisy of SMOC. Get the drunks and dopers out of Worcester where it is all too EZ to obtain their next high and move their triage operation to a nice dry Middlesex town like Harvard.
But hey if it's going to be in WORCESTER AS LONG AS IT AINT NEAR ME i AM HAPPY! Dump it in D-4 before you dump it in my neighborhood! Dump-4.
Nicole if you really want to see democracy in action please revist the process of closing Downing St. City makes a Pilot payment agreement w/Clark, part of which will close a 600 ft stretch Dwoning St strictly for Clarks use/benefit. Then 9 months later so called hearings (dog & pony shoes) are held, a temporary "test run" of teh closing is done, and then viola, surprise, surprise Gomer, the city moves to effect the permanent closure of Downing. This process/ procedure was a complete crock of ++++ and the same motis operandi for moving SMOC to 701 Main St smacks of the same decison making process i. e. make the decision than hold the neighborhood meetings.
Senor Pedro Jahn.......SMOC is in the process of building housing in Hardwick,Barre and another community close by that escapes me....SMOC has become the preferred contractor for the state from what I am reading from the numerous meetings I have been attending over the past six months....they are South Middlesex in name only.....there is no doubt that an location emphasis on these programs is depressed urban core hoods but this is slowly changing....
I would have to agree with Nicole in regards to the meetings....even tho I am not ready to.give up on my Democracy just yet.....I think.Bill you are starting to fall into the Wee Will Woo Woo category of blogging....blogging on issues you take very little time to investigate-google searches dont count.....I have not seen you at any meetings to first hand experience this latest process...if i am wrong i stand corrected..and apologize
We took extensive video the night of the first neighborhoood meeting in D5.....perhaps when it is ready we can opine folks on whether this is democracy or just a lot of people screaming and yelling poorly of another community ....no disagreement here that the D5 folks should have been concerned and rallied around the issue but the end game here was not democracy it was a lack of leadership from our elected officials.
Democracy:>)
City Manager: The temporary relocation of the triage center from the hospital to Anna Maria will be 12 months maximum
District 5 Residents: yer lyin', we don't want
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State Senator Moore: I support my constituents
District 5 Residents: yer lyin', we don't want
District 5 Residents: where are you from
State Senator Moore: Millbury
District 5 Residents: yer lyin', we don't want it, go back to Millbury
State Senator Moore: But I am here to support you
District 5 Residents: yer lyin', we don't want
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Worcester Police Department: the new data on the move to the hospital and new triage concept does not support the anxt about drunks and druggies hanging on the street
District 5 Residents: yer lyin', we don't want it, go back to Millbury
Worcester Police Officer: I live in Worcester
District 5 Residents: yer lyin', we don't want it
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Paul Collyer: District 4 is not made up of all the bad things you have said about it
District 5 Residents: yer lyin', we don't want it
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Paul Collyer: the police data is correct, our neighborhood had the same anxt you have and since the move to the hospital we have not experienced any of the problems we thought were going to take place
District 5 Residents: yer lyin', we don't want it
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Paul Collyer: Our neighborhood has been actively working with SMOC and the city administration over the new location on Queen
District 5 Residents: yer lyin', we don't want it
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That was the democracy you are speaking of Bill...albeit a few decibals higher....congrats to District 5..they have liars for a state rep and district councilor and they won....I knew three months ago that the Anna Maria was ONE of the sites they were looking at for a temp relocation site...three other District Councilors were at the meeting at city hall when we were informed that SMOC was looking at Anna Maria, another site on the east side and they were trying to stay at the hospital,,,they got to stay at the hospital for three more months........if I knew Anna Maria was under consideration and you could have known if you went to any of the meetings you have been invited to (you may have been at this meeting downtown-I think you suggested it going back to the PIP) and Eddy and Binienda didn't well that say's something about these two birds knowing what's going on in the city...at minimum it doesn't make em' out to be the Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson you have made em' out to be with all of this blogging about democracy lately
The former PIP Shelter was at the time not an option because the city manager had made a commitment to Main South that it would not go back-reasonable folks can debate this forever.....he tried like hell to honor this commitment but in the end he couldn't for reason we all know now...I support his commitment to many folks who have busted their arses for a very long time to change Main South...going back there was the easy solution NOT democracy
This was democracy if you think this is not a city issue and should not be dealt with in a citywide manner...no question there were many flaws and a load of blame can be spread but this is yet again one more black eye for the city..a city running out of eyes to blacken.
Anyway, relocation decision over....now we can get down to the design of the new triage and what will go there for the next 10 years...
Paul
The meeting at City Hall that you are referring to was regarding the potential move of SMOC to MLK about two months ago or more. Something you, I and many others, were dead set against. In fact you posted a sign on your building that SMOC has stalled your project.
There were some alternative sites mentioned at that time. Two were on the East Side, but I truly do not remember if the third location was mentioned . And I am 100% sure, however, that the Anna Maria nursing home location was not mentioned at that time. I would have remembered that.
I said at that original meeting, before a new triage center was ever discused, that SMOC should merely move back to their own building on Main Street and not MLK. Something you agreed with at the time.
Now that we have a new Triage Center going next to City Hospital , it makes even more sense to move the temporary site to somewhere close to the permanent location versus any East Side location or Anna Maria.
No Paul I did not attend these meetings but I know many people who did, that feel that their voices were heard and that the right thing was done. Were they mad and out of control? Maybe they were but they were no mader then you when you heard SMOC was moving across the street.
Give more a group of 900 people who care about their neighborhood versus a neighborhood meeting when nobody shows up any day of the week.
Bill
In the end I think the right thing was done??
Bill
it's now a moot point and adults can disagree:>)....where it will be for 12 months is irrelevant as far as I am concerned because I think D5 would have never known it was there as they weren't when SMOC was admitting folks there prior and I think that with the increased publicity that all parties involved will make sure that in Main South it will also be a non-issue..the real issue is where it will be for the next ten years (SMOC has a ten year contract)...as you are aware Bill a triage center design committee has been created and it will include Main South & Chandler resident & business folks working together to get the best deal....it will be across the street from the hospital where the triage center had been run for eleven months and from all accounts successfully....time to move on now and get this deal done
Paul
I have moved on? I think the right thing was done moving the temporary shelter back to SMOC's own building on Main Street and the nnew triage center is in a perfect location.
Personally I think this was an example of how the process worked.
Bill
I am not saying "move on" in a derogative way Bill...I am suggesting it is time to deal with the real issue and that is the permanent location...
So does anyone know how this SMOC has the juice to extract $56,000,000...thats $56M for you two Catholic school boys :) .... of our tax money from our lawmakers. Talk about Crony Non Profit Capitalism. Maybe 1%+/- of it is from other sources.
Looking forward, does anyone know if ObumaCare will adversely effect the flow of $$$$$ to SMOC? MAybe they see Obuma-care as a threat to their on going business model and now are branching out into real estate and other ventures.
Especially on Pearl Harbor Day, I cant help but wonder how much money is squandered on the likes of SMOC and other non profits while so many of our maimed and emotionally destroyed veterans complain about inadequate veteran services plus the military is taking the bulk of Debt Commissions spending cuts...which cuts go into effect immediately.
Jim Crow laws used to be considered democracy also......I think Woo has to many social service houses period and most particular in.my hood and in Bill's Canterbury hood but this recent temp relocation debacle.lends creedence to a need for the Dover Amendment.....in some form
What we reaaly need is a 40b law with teeth in it.
This will tend to spread the need for services for the indigent, 1/2 way house type clientele out in the suburbs...........and get it more evenly distributed....maybe starting in Devals hometown of Milton???
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