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RAIN
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Date Posted: 19:14:30 11/08/12 Thu
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By the end of this month, barring any bizarre unforeseen circumstances, one of two things will “officially” take place in the Dracut Housing Authority:
1) Current Executive Director Mary Karabatsos will be reappointed to that same position with a brand new contract, OR,
2) A new individual will be appointed Executive Director of the DHA.
Last Friday was the deadline for would-be applicants to submit their resumes for this job. About a week earlier, the Lowell Sun reported that there were seven applicants, which included Ms. Karabatsos, vying to become Dracut Housing Director. I believe the way the protocol works is that the ONLY applicants’ names which will be publicly released are those of the actual finalists – although, I could be wrong.
But since the majority of DHA commissioners made the decision nearly two months ago to put its Executive Director up for reappointment when Ms. Karabatsos’ current contract expires this Oct. 21st, there’s no denying that we’ve literally witnessed the Good, the Bad, and the very Ugly of Dracut Politics. Please feel free to scroll through this main web page, along with the first couple of our Archive files, and check it out for yourself.
But I still need to ask the proverbial question – Is defending Mary Karabatsos REALLY worth the effort or just a complete waste of time?
Four years ago, a couple of Lowell political hacks like Marty Meehan, Steve Pangiatakos and David Nangle allegedly “coerced and manipulated” the then-majority of DHA commissioners to literally leap-frog this completely inexperienced woman over four then-current Executive Housing Directors from other communities vying to land the same job in Dracut.
As the story goes, Ms. Karabatsos and her husband, Angelo, donated substantial campaign contributions to Meehan, Nangle and Pangiatakos, so securing the Dracut Housing appointment was sort of like a political quid pro quo. In other words, what Ms. Karabatsos lacked in Housing Authority experience and knowledge, she made up for via “paying off” certain sleazy Lowell pols.
To throw even more gas on the fire, so to speak, Ms. Karabatsos was not only appointed as the new Dracut Housing Director in ‘07, her starting annual salary was about $10K more than her predecessor, Joe Tully Jr., who had about 20 years experience running the DHA prior to his forced medical retirement. Go figure on that one. Incidentally, Ms. Karabatsos’ current fringe benefits and perks are, AT LEAST, every bit as outrageous and ridiculous as her annual salary – especially in light of what Mr. Tully was getting in his final year at the DHA.
Mary K hopes for a “fair, open, and transparent process”
The Lowell Sun reported on September 29th that seven applicants, including Karabatsos, were already vying for the Housing Director’s position with about a week to go before the final deadline (which was this past Friday). Karabatsos was directly quoted in that article as saying,
"I'm just hoping it's a fair and open, transparent process."
Translation: Ms. Karabatsos is hoping and praying for a 180 degree flip-flop of what the DHA commissioners did in ‘07 when the proverbial “fix” just happened to be riding in HER favor. That whole process back then, along with the subsequent “contract negotiations” afterwards, was about as legitimate and ‘above board’ as a WWE pro wrestling match. If there is such a thing as, “Karma”, or, What Goes Around Usually Comes Around, then an incompetent little bimbo like Mary Karabatsos shouldn’t even be named as a Finalist in the Housing Director’s application process.
As far as I’m concerned, an individual who basically established their reputation by literally buying the support of influential politicians isn’t even fit to be cleaning toilets in DHA units, never mind running the whole BLEEPIN department.
But as I mentioned in an earlier posting on this topic, I would absolutely LOVE to watch Mary K in a Housing Directors’ finalists’ interview with the current DHA commissioners asking her these two simple questions:
1) What do YOU feel were your three (3) biggest accomplishments since being appointed Dracut Executive Housing Director?
2) If reappointed to this position, what salary and benefits would you be expecting to accept this particular job?
Heck, in all fairness to Ms. Karabatsos, I can’t see how ALL the Housing Director finalists wouldn’t be asked these questions in the interview process.
DHA commish Gookin LIED about Mary K’s ability – So what else is new?
The current majority of DHA commissioners are very similar to their counterparts of four years ago on not being too forthcoming about Ms. Karabatsos. The guys who pushed for the upcoming reappointment process, I assume, don’t want to say too much to the media for fear that Karabatsos could have some ample ammunition for a possible Wrongful Termination lawsuit against the DHA. I would further assume that the majority of DHA commissioners of four years ago (‘07) chose not to say too much to the media because they realized, in their heart of hearts, that they just hired a complete political imbecile as the new Dracut Housing Director.
Fortunately for us, however, somebody forgot to get the “Memo” to then-Governor’s Appointee to the DHA Jim Gookin, who was apparently so elated that Karabatsos was just appointed Dracut Housing Director that he then blurted out a statement to the Lowell Sun without first engaging his retarded Irish brain prior to opening up his retarded big mouth:
Mary Karabatsos is a “genius” on obtaining Federal and State grants for Housing Authorities. That’s exactly what we need here in Dracut. Mary’s going to get us this government money.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, four years have now come and gone since Ms. Karabatsos has been appointed Dracut Housing Director and this woman has attained a grand total of ZERO DOLLARS worth of government grants for the DHA – go figure on that one.
Incidentally, this is THE EXACT SAME JIM GOOKIN who’s having a wee bit of an Integrity and Credibility issue regarding the legal problems surrounding the alleged gambling machines in his barroom, O’Hara’s Tavern. First he told the Lowell Sun that he sold his bar several years ago when records indicate he still owns it. Then he told The Sun that he had no knowledge whatsoever of ever paying a fine for allegedly having gambling machines. Either Mr. Gookin is a bold-face LIAR or he’s suffering from early Dementia.
Are there any questions as to why Warren Shaw once chose Mr. Gookin as a business partner?
Good ‘Ol Boys, Lowell scumbags vow: “Payback is gonna be a Bitch”
Now we have this absolute gem from the blog of Gerry “Please don’t call me Brian” Nutter earlier today:
...The fallout from the actions concerning the Dracut Housing Authority situation in regards to the Executive Director continues. Rumors abound that the Lt. Gov. placed calls to Rep. Nangle and former Sen. Pangy to apologize for his role in the removal of both Nangle’s Uncle and Pangy’s friend Mary K.
Now comes word that the group who engineered those events will all face challengers in their next races and it won’t be from the usual opposition group. Along with Joe DiRocco’s change of heart about running for re-election the next few Elections in Dracut promise to be exciting and active...
First of all, why the BLEEP would Lt. Gov. Tim Murray apologize to a couple of Lowell scumbags like Steve Pangiatakos and David Nangle? Because he appointed THE MOST QUALIFIED APPLICANT to the DHA in Brian Bond over a couple of do-nothing, political hacks like Mike Blatus (the elder), and George Nangle? I guess I would never make it as a politician because if I were the Lt. Gov., I’d probably tell both Pangiatakos and Nangle to please bend over and kiss my fat stinkin ass!
Also, didn’t both Warren Shaw and Shawn Ashe publicly predict and vow just about six months ago that John Zimini would lose his reelection bid for Selectman due to his stance on Louisburg Square years earlier? I believe they both did. How did that work out in this past Town Election? Not only did Zimini get reelected, he also topped the BLEEPIN ticket over two staunch Louisburg Square supporters in Bob Cox and Tony Archinski. Go figure on that one.
Former Housing Director finalist delivers most disturbing testimony of DHA 4 yrs ago
Try to imagine, if you will, YOU being one of the experienced Housing Director finalists who lost out to not only an individual with ZERO previous experience in this position, but also that same person demanding a higher salary? Personally, I would probably lash out with a ton of vulgarities – none of which could be published in the Lowell Sun. And if you’re honest, you’d probably feel the same way as me if you were in that predicament.
Amesbury Housing Director Robert Mazzone was a finalist for the Dracut job in ‘07, and the Lowell Sun further implicated him in a rumor back in August that he would probably be Karabatsos’ replacement later this month. Here’s what The Sun published on 9-4-11 in response to that rumor:
...The current head of the AHA, Robert Mazzone, would move to the DHA and finish out his career while warming the seat for Thibodeau.
Three years ago Mazzone was a finalist, but was passed over in favor of Karabatsos, who was a late entry and had the least experience of all the finalists.
About those rumors ...
"It's just plain absurd," Mazzone said. "I'm not going to be bit by that snake again."
Mazzone did have high remarks for Ken Martin, chairman of the DHA Board of Commissioners, who was one of the three votes to sack Karabatsos.
"I'm glad Ken is still in charge," Mazzone said. "He's a real voice of reason up there."
For starters, that’s a heck of a lot more politically correct than I, and probably most of you reading this, would’ve responded in a statement. Secondly, as Dracut taxpayers, we don’t owe Mr. Mazzone a darn thing even though it did take a little sacrifice on his part to have his name publicly disclosed as a finalist for the Dracut Housing Director’s job only to see him screwed over by someone of the piss-poor character like Mary Karabatsos.
But getting back to my previous question, how would YOU feel if you were in Mr. Mazzone’s shoes four years ago?
Hopefully we’ve got a good batch of qualified applicants in this current round who weren’t deterred from pursuing the Dracut Housing Director’s job by reading Mr. Mazzone’s comments.
Lastly, at the most recent monthly DHA commissioners meeting, one of the residents who was an obvious Karabatsos supporter looked directly at chairman Ken Martin, who’ll be the incumbent next year, and said for his campaign, everybody will just keep saying, “Remember Mary Karabatsos”.
But couldn’t this same cliche be echoed throughout the Dracut political community if Ms. Karabatsos IS reappointed as Housing Director later this month? Are Dracut government offices nothing but an “Official Dumping Ground” for sleazy Lowell politicians to exploit on giving their friends good jobs at good wages? Are Dracut government jobs supposed to go to: the best qualified applicants, OR, the politically connected? What message will this send to future elected and appointed Dracut officials if Mary Karabatsos does get reappointed as Housing Director – especially if she still is NOT the most qualified finalist?
Needless to say, I can’t wait to read all about the finalists for the Dracut Housing Director’s job. More on this exciting story as it unfolds.
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