Officials ignored warnings, enabled track president

Officials ignored warnings, enabled track president

To the editor:

"Driving 'irony' in Plainville" (Aug. 12) [ Defining Plainville's Incompetence ] lists many of the reasons a handful of residents have had trepidation about an expanded gambling license at Plainridge from the very beginning. Unfortunately, the board of selectmen always dismissed our concerns.

In response to the Attorney General's Office seizing records from Plainridge about the so-called "Plainridge Raffle," Andrea Soucy invited Plainridge official Steve O'Toole to extol the virtues of Plainridge at the next selectmen's meeting.

They never even responded to correspondence telling them that abutters on Harness Path were being threatened by Gary Piontkowski with an "Agreement of Non-Interference" that could have prevented them from speaking at any public meetings or hearings about expanded gambling at the track. And the response from Rob Rose to abutters' worries about slots at the track was, "It's almost not even Plainville."

Gary Piontkowski didn't act on his own. There have been plenty of enablers and collaborators who looked away or did not do due diligence; from the racing commissioners who originally voted to allow the track to go forward without proper vetting of investors to the current scandal of sticky fingers in the money room, there have been people along the way who made excuses and greased the skids for Gary's shenanigans.

The Plainville selectmen have always been dazzled by Piontkowski: all hail fellow well met, slick and full of promises, he never hesitated to remind the board that, even though Plainridge hadn't made a profit in more than a decade, he stayed because he "cared about Plainville." He said this, straight-faced, with his hand in the cookie jar. And the selectmen would scrape and bow in adulation.
 

Isn't it time for law enforcement to get involved? Where is the much-touted Gaming Enforcement arm of the AGO? At the very least, can't Plainville sue the track for not negotiating in good faith? The selectmen owe it to us to take this as far as it can go and recoup whatever we can. It's really the least they can do after ignoring the warnings - and us - for so long.
 

Mary-Ann Greanier, Plainville

http://www.thesunchronicle.com/vip/opinion/letters_to_editor/area-lost-an-angel-with-the-passing-of-dot-embree/article_dcf7d453-7731-5d90-b926-2d72aae49eab.html



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Martha: Too busy running for Governor to do your job?

Attorney General Coakley:

While I realize that you're pre-occupied with running for Governor....I know! I know! It's just so time-consuming!

But maybe you could do your job?

The disqualification of Plainridge from holding a Slot Barn License raises FAR MORE QUESTIONS than were answered.

Your office ignored, then buried the ILLEGAL RAFFLE conducted by Plainridge for many years in clear violation of Massachusetts clearly written laws.

To allow

'we promise we won't continue to break the clearly written statute as we have for MANY, MANY years....'

is NOT ACCEPTABLE.....unless you want to soft-peddle BREAKING THE LAW.

Don't want to make waves in your run for Governor by upholding the law?

Don't want to put it in writing?

Let's just sweep this little puppy under the carpet!

Too many unanswered questions remain about the PLAINRIDGE CORRUPTION SCANDAL!

 

WHO IS ASKING? 

Just a few.....

1. What duties does the person in the 'MONEY ROOM' bear as far as disbursing Piotkowski's Piggy Bank?

2. If records were kept, who had access and was privy to those records?

3.Were taxes paid on Mr. Piontowski's CASH WITHDRAWALS?

4. Isn't the RACING COMMISSION supposed to audit the financial records of a race track? Who is?

5. If the CASH WITHDRAWALS were disclosed, who knew? who questioned? What's the governing statute?

6. If the Commonwealth is supposed to receive the FUNDS from Plainridge for disbursal, how was that accounted for? Who got short-changed? Was it the Commonwealth who was supposed be paid based on the 'HANDLE'? Was Plainville short-changed?

7. If this is CRIMINAL, can we count on more than 'we promise not to do it again' from the Attorney General's Office?

8. If Gary Piontkowski resigned in APRIL and the Town of PLainville negotiated and accepted a "Host Community Agreement" subsequent to that time, does that invalidate the Agreement? Doesn't that constitute 'NEGOTIATING IN BAD FAITH'?

9. Who is going to raise questions about the BLIND FAITH, LOYALTY and DEDICATION Plainville Town Officials seem to have placed in a bunch of CROOKS?

10. Plainville abutters were forced to endure MONTHS of endless BLASTING while Plainville Town Officials turned a deaf ear.....

The PEACEFUL ENJOYMENT of their property was superseded by Town Officials genuflecting to Plainridge as a PARKING GARAGE was erected in their backyards.

 11. Plainville lackS WATER, yet Joe Fernandes has dedicated himself to silencing questions and FACTS about WATER.  Doesn't he seem OVERLY DEDICATED to cramming ANY flawed deal through, surrendering any pretense of PROFESSIONALISM.

Where is the protection of Plainville's FUTURE?


Many more questions come to mind.....maybe you can interrupt your campaigning.....



 CROSS POSTED: Martha: Too busy running for Governor to do your job?