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– News about Quincy from Quincy Quarry News.
So what for a simple and much cheaper tent
A Quincy Quarry News exclusive image
Koch Maladministration holding six-figure gala for Generals Bridge dedication?
While out and about on what was a lovely day today, Quincy Quarry News personnel happened up a massive metal-framed temporary event tent on the lawn adjacent to both Kim Jong Koch Plaza and Quincy’s two city halls.
As today is the Labor Day holiday, Quincy Quarry was not able to confirm what the temporary structure was for; however, one can only reasonably assume that it is tied to this coming Saturday’s dedication of the Generals Bridge near I-Hop along Hannon Parkway.
Up in smoke
A cheatsheet.com image
That and the unveiling of upwards of a million dollars worth of statues and busts created by Sergey Eylanbekov, a Soviet émigré and now at least considerable amount of time resident of Italy.
At the same time, Quincy Quarry was fortuitously able to ask the project person for the provider of the temporary structure and was advised that the rental fee for what was under assembly typically runs $75,000 to $100,000.
In turn, given that the structure was assembled over a holiday weekend, figure on closer to a hundred large.
Koch voguing with City Workers with French Cuffs uncuffed
An old Facebook photo
Further, assuming who only knows what all else will be spent on food, beverages paying for the transportation and accommodations for visiting dignitaries, renting the temporary grandstand already in place near the Generals Bridge almost half a mile away, and who only knows what all else, the whole cost of this gala photo op will run likely run upwards of at least a couple hundred thousand dollars.
A not inconsiderable problem, however: nowhere near this much money was budgeted for events in the City of Quincy’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget.
Nothing is too good for Tommy!
A Quincy Quarry News iconic image
Accordingly, one can only assume that Mayor Koch plans to pay for his party with the proceeds of municipal long-term redevelopment debt underwritten by local taxpayers even if such is arguably not a proper use of redevelopment funds.
Whether or not the Quincy City council calls the mayor on the carpet over this extravagant spending and without any apparent proper sourcing of paying for a photo op ultimately for his aggrandizement, however, remains to be seen.
Then again, it is not like Mayor Koch has ever been fiduciarily prudent with taxpayers’ money.
Dear Editor,
Do you know who is providing the catering; or the cost of the food and champaign? Having a party on 911 is shocking.
Thank you,
Patty
Patty,
While Quincy Quarry has yet to score hard data for the cost of providing food and beverage at the private Friday night gala, the Quarry can advise that the event featured an open bar, chicken or filet mignon for the main course, red or white wine with dinner, a cherry tart for dessert, and a champagne toast.
Given roughly 275 seats under the big top figure, for now figure on around $30,000 or so for the food per “normal” pricing and around at least half as much more to provide the adult libations as a lowball projection given the Quarry’s review of the list of attendees and depending on what was poured.
Next, do note that at the end of the bridge dedication, Mayor Koch went to the extra as well as pointed effort to note that the private gala on Friday night and the dedication ceremony on Saturday were funded by private outside money.
To this, note that corporate sponsors include a number of firms that do business with or in Quincy with activities that can benefit from City Hall doing them solids, as well as that two of these firms were hit with 5 figure fines for making illegal straw donations to Mayor Koch’s campaign fund.
And as for the cost of just renting all of the equipment rented for the two days of events — eight tents, a temporary grandstand, around a thousand chairs, a whole bunch of tables, a covered stage, two jumbotrons, porta-potties, and so on should run upwards of a couple hundred thousand or so per “normal” pricing. Throw in police details and all manner of city workers working overtime, and the food and beverage, figure around a quarter of million to $300,000 as a good working number for the total cost.
Plus whatever favors are to be granted to the event sponsors in the future by the Koch Machine.
Patty,
Quincy Quarry plans on attending the event, but doubts that it will be able to suss out the catering costs, especially for the only to be expected private reception as for some funny reason Quincy Quarry has yet to receive the normally de rigueur media invite.
Even so, as for the food served at the also only to be expected private soiree for VIP’s, Quincy Quarry can only assume that the mayor’s rumored to be usual – skinless broiled chicken fingers – will likely among the offerings; however, who only knows what will be offered in the way of libations.
A six-figure venue for the mayor to spew more halitosis — and spend six-figures to do so.
Fred,
No offense, but technically our peerless mayor spews bovine byproduct.
Multi-tasking?
So why is the mayor celebrating 9/11?
Damn good question. But I’m not surprised.
The wrong day I say.
Bells should toll for the dead. The Governor should be in Boston comforting the families of those from Massachusetts who lost their lives.
8:46:40:Flight 11 crashes at roughly 466 mph (790 km/h or 219 m/s or 425 knots) into the north face of the North Tower of the World Trade Center, between floors 93 and 99.
9:03:02: Flight 175 crashes at about 590 mph (950 km/h, 264 m/s or 513 knots) into the south face of the South Tower, between floors 77 and 85.
9:37:46: Flight 77 crashes into the western side of the Pentagon at 530 mph (853 km/h, 237 m/s, or 460 knots) and starts a violent fire. All 64 people on board are killed, as are 125 Pentagon personnel.
9:57: Passenger revolt begins on Flight 93.
9:59:00: The South Tower of the World Trade Center collapses.
10:01: The FAA Command Center advises that an aircraft had seen Flight 93 “waving his wings,” the hijackers’ efforts to defeat the passengers’ counterattack.
10:03:11: Flight 93 crashes at 583 mph (926 km/h, 272 m/s, or 509 knots), due to fighting in the cockpit, 80 miles (129 km) southeast of Pittsburgh in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
Never Forget!
No one should be surprised the Mayor threw himself “another soiree” paid for by taxpayers!
Doing so on 911 is an embarrassment to the city and so very INSENSITIVE for those who lost family members! How Woke are the voters of Quincy? Only the next election will tell!
My husband and I both agree. Are the Mayor’s advisors (if any) “yes men?”
Bet on it. But that isn’t the half of it.
Koch should be ashamed of himself. This should be a solemn event, not a party.
Money well spent to honor these brave generals who helped keep us safe since 9/11. Their service to this country is something that most people would never have to courage to do. God bless our military and the USA.
Where have you been for the past 20 years? Asking for a vet!
Pan,
A few points you might want to consider.
One, many — if not most — of the generals who now have statues or busts of themselves in the new Generals Park were retired before 9/11.
Next, and as addressed elsewhere, it is considered improper to put up such monuments to still living active duty or retired members of the military for various as well as good reasons that should be obvious.
Also, the events held over this weekend in Quincy Center were not appropriate to be held on 9/11 as 9/11 should be treated as a sacred day to remember those lost on 9/11 as well as to comfort those who lost family and friends on that tragic day.
Rather, Memorial Day or Veterans Day are appropriate dates to have dedicated the Generals Bridge and Park. That or on a date that does not conflict with some other consequential past event.
Plus, with the whole of the bridge project not completed, Veterans Day in a couple of months would have been ideal other than for the fact that it would likely not make for as grand a photo op for Mayor Koch.
Don’t bet on the maladministration doing something appropriate. Tough odds against it.