Thursday, April 4, 2013

Transparency Takes A Back Seat



About 80 people were invited to the B-I-G meeting between state and town officials and private landlords at UMPD headquarters this afternoon, and at least half that showed up.  Since AFD Chief Nelson and Assistant Chief Stromgren were present, I guess it's safe to assume the room was not overcrowded.


 UMPD Chief Horvath politely blocked my entrance

What did they discuss?  We will never know ... for sure.

Click white highlighted links:
 

 Amherst Select Board Chair Stephanie O'Keeffe arrives with UMPD escort
Dean of Student Enku Galaye arrived 1st and stayed in the shadows

Agenda for today's meeting (courtesy of my mole)

Right side of the room

Left side of the room 1:00 PM

Town Manager John Musante, before the door closed


6 comments:

  1. I'd be curious to know which players kept the press out, the schools, the town, the landlords, the chiefs?

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  2. It was a UMass call.

    But as I said, the Chief was very nice about it.

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  3. And what was the reason for closing.
    The state open meeting law, which I don't doubt Larry can recite backward and forward, only allows so many reasons to close a meeting.

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  4. They played cards. Big money poker. One heck of a game. I think it's still going on.

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  5. Larry, you think this is bad?

    Enku has repeatedly told me that a certain file on me does not exist -- that there never was and is no such file.

    I have a copy of an email in which she brags to a colleague about having the file in front of her when meeting with me.

    She still denies that the file exists.

    And to whom does one appeal a denial of access to your records? Yes, to Enku.

    Larry, I told you not to trust her, didn't I?

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  6. I'll bet the reason they will give is the "law enforcement" exception, except that the landlords aren't law enforcement. They are not sworn officers, they are not prohibited from acting on the information the way a cop is.

    Enku loves to discuss students and accuse them of the most vile things without ever giving the students to even give their side to the story.

    She once said to me something to the effect of "it's my opinion, why can't I say that someone is crazy?"

    No Enku, not when you do it in your official capacity as the Dean of Students at the University of Massachusetts. When you do something like that, you are announcing the official position of the university -- a finding that folks think is based on a little more than your whim.

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