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— News and commentary about elsewhere covered by Quincy Quarry News
Still melting …
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Quincy Quarry News continues to monitor the impact of a winter that stubbornly continues to linger.
While winter snow has for the most part melted away locally, a couple of piles linger in front of Quincy’s two city halls for reasons one cannot help but suspect might be performative.
On the other hand, plies can be tough to shrink.
In any event, Quincy Quarry continues to monitor the City of Quincy’s snow clearing spending.
To whit, as of today, the city’s books show $7,093,859.23 spent to date on snow clearing as well as currently running $4,922,657.89 overbudget.
Needless to say, Quincy Quarry News’ ever growing legions of loyal readers can count on the Quarry to monitor snow job spending so as to see if it ends up going over $5 million over budget
Running in a hole
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In any event, such overspending on snow clearing leaves projected year end overspending by the Quincy Fire Department that is currently looking likely to run a couple of million over budget this fiscal year and so keep the department’s typically running over budget spending continue even it such is hard to discern given the way the Koch Administration works the books provided to the general public.
Everyone is upset at the Council for watching how big a grave we dig ourselves with bonds but that is what we need. Any moron can float a bond. I don’t begrudge the fire department the equipment but that doesn’t mean we don’t spend responsibly.
Maybe when they weigh it out that the 1 million dollar in statues they are fighting for aren’t as important as new turnout gear. None of these firefighters would sign a mortgage on their home without making sure they were not paying a huge interest rate on the loan. Over $700,000 is a lot of cash!
Plus, a week delay isn’t going to put any firefighter in Mt. Wollaston.
The Union President was very professional and informed, but some of the union members in the audience were like children being told they couldn’t have it now.
The Council is going to approve the purchase. But the current council did not drain the reserve funds that could have been used for this so-called emergency needs — after all, reserves should be set aside for emergencies.
Mayor Koch, however, did not save up for rainy days and now it’s pouring. Also, ONLY long ongoing Councillor Noel DiBona helped to drain the city’s reserves as well as is again planning to tap taxpayers for even more because he doesn’t know any better yet he still wants to be wants to be the mayor someday …
Good luck on that happening.
Quincy should have reserves for emergencies but it can’t even cover a relatively modest $2.6m need. Reserves should not be used because you overspent but don’t want to admit it so you play games pilfering money from other funds and that is why we will have to pay nearly $800,000 in interest on a bond instead of using reserve funds to pay for this expense.
If the mayor was honest, he would ask for help with his spending jones.
Serious professional help.
If the Mayor had not given into every want of the Police and Fire Departments, perhaps we would have more than $55,000 in Free Cash.
I understand it is a double-edged issue. We want the best trained and equipped first responders as possible but that costs $. I have not heard anyone say they are against providing the necessary equipment but paying for it is the trick.
Bonding it for decades (like the coffee and donuts that the Mayor bought and bonded during his StreetWorks meetings) is probably not the best way to go.
Imagine if we had the opportunity to somehow or other trade a little used pocket park for this equipment?
I want the books opened. How about an audit here? Then the rats will scatter …
In August of 2025 (7 months ago) the mayor held a new conference on the PFAS in firefighter gear. Tom Bowes (President of Quincy Firefighters Association Local 792, and the mayor’s nephew), and Ed Kelly (General President of the International Association of Fire Fighters.) were in attendance. The news conference was held in the city council chambers, not in city hall, not in the then fire department headquarters, not in or outside of the new public safety headquarters. At the state of the city address the mayor was introduced by Ed Kelly.
Why, in 2025, did the mayor not go to the city council with this request knowing full well that it would have approved without any due diligence or questions asked by the city councilors (but with plenty of self congratulating bloviating about how much each of the councilors have supported the fire department)?
The new city councilors ran their campaigns on the ideas of fiscal responsibility, and transparency. In other words, they are accepting the responsibility of the position to act as fiduciaries for the taxpayers of the city. No more being told to jump and responding with “how high?”
The mayor, along with the union president and the general president, is playing politics with this issue. He is using the rank and file firefighters as pawns. If the mayor knew of this issue and brought it to the council in 2025 the firefighters would already have these sets of gear. The city council has delayed their vote by a few weeks, not by seven months.
So, where should the outrage be directed?
The good, the bad, and the ugly of the recent city council meeting.
The Good:
The presentations by union president Tom Bowes and fire chief Gary Smyth.
The Bad:
The behavior, and some of the questions, asked by two of the city councilors. Listening is a vital skill that goes beyond hearing, enabling deeper connections, fostering empathy, and boosting learning. It involves active engagement—giving full attention, understanding, and responding thoughtfully—which builds trust and reduces conflict in both personal and professional settings (AI).
The Ugly:
Can the “Residents Open Forum and Public Comment” be open to only residents of the city of Quincy (with the exception of employees of the city of Quincy when appropriate such as Quincy firefighters who are not residents). No more wasting of time by residents of Taunton and Weymouth.
Bonus:
The Curious:
“Timmins replied he and the city councillors “are all on the same team here” and “generally speaking, city councillors don’t challenge when the city solicitor gives an opinion.”
“Talk among yourselves because I know from my experience with Councillor DiBona, Councillor Ash and their colleagues on the prior council, everyone was cooperative,” Timmins said. “I’m certain this group will be as well.”
In other words, don’t think independently and just do what the previous council did and just do what you are told.