I was on the board and they do a great job there with the public services component. After being on the board a few years, the Executive Director wanted to get on the Housing Development gravy train. I was deadset against it, since we had no housing experience whatsoever.
We were able to get Holy Cross to co-sign on a loan and a building was built with, I think 11 or 12 condos on Cambridge Street. At the sign time, the market crashed and the project basically tanked but thankfully Holy Cross was there to pick up the tab. Bottom line this project has been a disaster.
During board meetings,we could never get a budget or an exact feel as to where we stood on this project. Again thankfully Holy Cross bailed us out and I thought it was the end of Housing endeavors, but I was wrong.
At this time we an employee there whose sole job was to do housing developments and she came to a board meeting and told us we could buy City Builders,as Holy Cross is bailing us out, could be bought with grant that we were getting from the state, forgot the name of agency. The grant was something like 500,000 and the board approved it, although I was again against.
About a week later another board member called me and told me that the grant actually was not a grant, it was a loan!! We had another meeting now to do the vote over and Scott Hayman was there and basically told the board that they would be there to back us, if we could not pay. The vote passed, although I voted against it again. Needless to say I was now personna non grata at board meetings and was pretty much forced off the board.
Please note I did alot of work there working on the books and insisting we hire a CPA, Bill McCullough, to come to do our books and present an Income & Expense sheet and Balance statement at each meeting.
I bring all this up since City Councilor Rivera brought up South Worcester last night at City Council. For the record, they do a great job on public services and none of the City CDBG monies towards these services should be held up. On the other hand, the Housing Development track history has been a complete disaster starting with Cambridge Street, 500K grants that were loans and the construction of a building at the former City Builders site that nobody wanted.
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...
5 months ago
4 comments:
Just noticed that In City Times websiteprovided VERBATIM the entire press release from the Main South CDC.
Typical Rosalee pablum. No critique. No actual "work" on her part, just repeating whatever they TOLD her to say.
But, hey, least she's not talking out of her rear THIS time anyway.
These are somebody else's words, the P R dept of the CDC. Real brave, Rose.
Just noticed that In City Times websiteprovided VERBATIM the entire press release from the Main South CDC.
Typical Rosalee pablum. No critique. No actual "work" on her part, just repeating whatever they TOLD her to say.
But, hey, least she's not talking out of her rear THIS time anyway.
These are somebody else's words, the P R dept of the CDC. Real brave, Rose.
Oh Bill...and the saga continues
Speaking of outrage, todays T&G(9-26) says the town of Westboro has told Habitat for Humanity to take hike. The reason why........HH wants the town to hand over a $180,000 parcel so HH can do its thing. The Town Manager says we cant just hand off a 180,000 asset and that town has a need for money, just as most municipalities do. Article goes on to say 180,000 is enough for 2 police cruisers or almost an ambulance. WOW!!....2 police cruisers cost 180,000?
Anyone care to guess what the ulterior motive is here. S/b readily apparent.
Anyway, at the very least, the city of Worcester should not be handing off land to non profit developers for free or bargain purchases which has been a common practice.
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