One thing stinks on the Boston Water and Sewer Fee (BWSC) — past the plain, that’s.
The opposite stench is coming off the sewer division’s payroll — it’s old-style hackerama to the max. If the BWSC had a motto, it could be, “Nationwide Searches R Us.”
Let’s begin on the high, with Mr. Large — Henry Vitale, the manager director/treasurer of the company for $228,466.68 a yr.
He’s ably assisted by not one, however two of his sisters-in-law.
Muna Vitale, “director of IT assist and communications programs,” makes $159,884.42 a yr. She’s married to Henry’s twin brother.
The BWSC flack, nonetheless, famous on Friday that “Muna Vitale started on the Fee in 1997, 4 years earlier than her marriage to Government Director Vitale’s brother (who isn’t employed by the Fee).”
Subsequent, meet Cynthia Woolcock (for that’s certainly her identify, Woolcock) who’s “supervisor of communications” for the Fee at $128,750.44 a yr.
In October 2021, Henry filed an official public doc often called “Disclosure of Look of Battle of Curiosity.”
He admitted: “My sister-in-law, Cynthia Woolcock, has utilized for a place… Ms. Woolcock is the sister of my spouse.”
Then there’s Dante Shire, “amenities consultant” for $52,000 a yr.
Henry Vitale, what did you write in your subsequent “Disclosure of Look of Battle of Curiosity, from October 2023?
“My spouse’s nephew, Dante Shire, has submitted an software for a everlasting place….”
Subsequent, meet the Attar clan. I filed repeated public requests asking about them. Apparently, although, they’re distant sufficient kinsmen from the Vitales that the BWSC feels it may stonewall on the Attars.
“The Fee,” I used to be knowledgeable Friday, “doesn’t possess any information regarding the household relationships described under…”
Okay, however I’m reliably knowledgeable by a number of sources within the hackerama that Alie Attar, “supervisor of fleet” for $118,726.68 a yr, is the brother of Muna Vitale.
Once I first started asking these BWSC hack questions on social media, somebody dropped me a dime on one Sean Attar, son of Alie. Sean is on the payroll as “programmer/analyst” for $87,425.52 a yr.
Subsequent, meet John P. Sullivan Jr., “chief engineer & operations officer” for $261,565.20 — much more than Henry “Meet My Sister-in-Regulation!” Vitale.
The Sullivans are everywhere in the BSWC payrolls like stink on… properly, .
Final August, Sullivan formally wrote Vitale that “Please be suggested that my son John F. Sullivan is an worker of the Operations Division and due to this fact might be in a division which I head.”
One other nationwide search! John F. Sullivan is “deputy superintendent of enforcement and compliance” for $120,220.28 a yr.
The Fee handed over that public report, however refused to reply my questions on Anna T. Sullivan, “supervisor of accounts payable” for $128,750.21 a yr. I requested a number of instances whether or not she is the spouse of John P., and thus the mom of John F.
When the cellphone didn’t ring, I knew it was the Fee.
By the best way, John Sullivan has two brothers who retired from the Fee. Daniel was on the payroll from 1980 till 2017. Dicky was on from 1998 till 2020. I don’t have what their pensions are as a result of… Metropolis Corridor.
Throughout his years slurping on the public trough, Dicky was talked about no less than a number of instances within the papers. Google a narrative from 2018 headlined, “Swimsuit alleges unchecked racist and sexist conduct at Boston Water and Sewer.”
Peter Hunt is the “chief working officer” for $225,000.36 a yr. He’s the husband of Nena Negron, who labored as an legal professional at BWSC from 2021 to 2024, making $165,434 a yr.
Negron shockingly resigned her hack sinecure final yr after one other nationwide search ensuing within the even sweeter sinecure of common counsel went to former Boston metropolis councilor Michael “Child Flats” Flaherty.
Flaherty was employed at $224,999 a yr. After an sad however extraordinarily worthwhile yr, Child Flats was fired from the Fee final month, pocketing $253,670 in a severance deal.
Flaherty is the son of former Southie rep and choose Michael “Flats” Flaherty. Flats used to cohost the annual St. Patrick’s Day breakfast with then-state Senate president William M. Bulger, the youthful brother of a cocaine-dealing serial killer named Whitey Bulger.
One in every of Flaherty’s aides within the BWSC legislation division was Michelle R. Bulger, “senior assistant common counsel” for $143,221.52 a yr. She’s the daughter-in-law of Billy Bulger.
After Billy Bulger, Robert Travaglini was the subsequent state Senate president to come back out of town, from East Boston. Trav additionally hung out on the Boston Metropolis Council, like Child Flats. Now 72, Trav has change into an obscenely rich fats cat lobbyist.
And on the BWSC payroll I discover Paul A. Travaglini, “particular undertaking coordinator to CFO” for $92,184.56 a yr.
The Fee didn’t reply to inquiries about Paul Travaglini’s pedigree.
Talking of that faint odor from East Boston, I subsequent observed one James Faretra, “deputy director communications” for $139,345.44 a yr.
Does the identify Joe Faretra ring a bell? He’s been the clerk of the East Boston District Courtroom since 1974. He was appointed by his patron, then-Gov. Frank Sargent, who stopped coming down for breakfast in 1998.
Now virtually 83 years previous, Faretra continues to be pocketing $174,532 a yr in a vital if obscure outpost of the hackerama. You see, Faretra’s district encompasses Logan Airport, the place dangerous issues generally occur to VIH’s — Very Essential Hacks.
, like a sticky-fingered state choose (is there every other sort?) who will get lugged pocketing any person else’s $5,000 watch at a safety gate. Or a governor’s wayward son will get a nasty ice dice and finally ends up accused of groping the younger woman sitting subsequent to him on the flight up from DC.
For such disappointments, you want somebody who can… nip it within the bud, shall we embrace, earlier than the circumstances go as much as Superior Courtroom.
And Clerk Faretra has confirmed his worth many, many instances over the previous half-century. He’s very useful with a brush.
I requested the Fee if younger Jim is expounded to previous man Joe. No response, zero.
I’m certain I’ve missed a number of. Let me know if I’ve. One last item: that is all on Michelle Wu. She could wish to stroll away from this bloated mess of patronage run amok, however she owns it.
And it’ll nonetheless be a multitude after she will get again from her spanking in Washington subsequent week.
It’s the hackerama.
